Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingनैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः
nainaṁ chhindanti śhastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na chainaṁ kledayantyāpo na śhoṣhayati mārutaḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaWeapons cannot cut It, fire cannot burn It, water cannot moisten It, and air cannot dry It.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
इस आत्मा को शस्त्र काट नहीं सकते और न अग्नि इसे जला सकती है ; जल इसे गीला नहीं कर सकता और वायु इसे सुखा नहीं सकती।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiनैनञ् छिन्दन्ति शस् त्राणि
नैनन् दहति पावकः
न चैनङ् क्लेदयन् त्यापः
न शोष यति मारुतः
॥ २३ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthananot
enamthis soul
chhindantishred
śhastrāṇiweapons
nanor
enamthis soul
dahatiburns
pāvakaḥfire
nanot
chaand
enamthis soul
kledayantimoisten
āpaḥwater
nanor
śhoṣhayatidry
mārutaḥwind
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA2.23What can weapons, fire, water and wind do to the Self?
Weapons cannot cut It, fire cannot burn It, water cannot moisten It, and air cannot dry It.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.