The essential oneness between the manifest (river) that has come out of the unmanifest (ocean) and the very unmanifest which is the source of all manifestation has been illustrated in this verse. It is also to be noted that the manifest looses its name and form and becomes one with the unmanifest at the end of its journey. The projection of unmanifest to the manifest-condition is the process of creation and that the manifest merging back to its own sanctuary of the unmanifest is destruction or death.

These two verses vividly illustrate how the assembled warriors rush to destruction, out of their own uncontrollable nature, with or without discrimination.

As the rivers flow towards the ocean, as the moths fly into the fire, so too all names and forms must, that too willingly, rush towards the unmanifest. If anyone realizes this, he can live without fear of death with the full understanding that life is nothing but a process of continuous change.

‘These beings blinded by their own ignorance are rushing to their destruction and the Divine Controller permits it, as they are carrying out the effects of their own deeds. When we will a deed, we will its consequences also. The free activities subject us to their results. As the law of cause and consequence is an expression of the Divine mind, the Divine may be said to execute the law. While we think consecutively, Divine mind knows all as one. There is no past or future to It’. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.

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Yatha, as; the bahavah, numerous; ambu- vegah, currents of the waters, particularly the swift ones; nadinam, of flowing rivers; dravanti abhimukhah, rush towards, enter into; the samudram, sea; eva, alone; tatha, so also; do ami, those; nara-loka-virah, heroes of the human world- Bhisma and others; visanti, enter into; tava, Your; abhi-vijvalanti, blazing, glowing; vaktrani, mouths. Why do they enter, and how? In answer Arjuna says: