Bird and a Fish Can Fall in Love, But Where Shall They Live? – Some Loves Must Remain Incomplete

The love between a bird and a fish is a poetic representation of the union of two vastly different worlds—one of the sky and the other of the sea. This metaphor speaks to the challenges of relationships that transcend differences, whether of culture, ideology, or even the fundamental nature of existence. The Bhagavad Gita, the sacred dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, offers profound insights into the philosophy of love, duty, and the eternal search for harmony amidst opposing forces.

In a world where relationships are often dictated by practical considerations, the question arises: where shall the bird and the fish live? This question is not just about love but about the reconciliation of differences, the struggle between attachment and detachment, and the ultimate search for a higher truth. The Gita teaches that love must be in harmony with dharma (righteous duty), and only when this balance is achieved can true fulfillment be found.


In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna faces an internal conflict between his love for his family and his duty as a warrior. Krishna’s teachings emphasize that duty (svadharma) must take precedence over personal emotions when they conflict with righteousness. Similarly, the bird and the fish, bound by love yet separated by nature, must navigate the tension between their individual identities and their attachment to one another.

Krishna explains that attachment (moha) clouds judgment, leading to suffering. The bird, soaring in the sky, symbolizes spiritual transcendence and detachment, while the fish, immersed in water, represents emotional depth and worldly attachment. Their love, while beautiful, raises the essential question of whether one must sacrifice their true nature for the other.

Yet, the Gita does not advocate cold abandonment of love. Instead, Krishna introduces karma yoga—the path of selfless action. He teaches that one must perform their duty without attachment to the fruits of their actions. If the bird and the fish truly love each other, their love must not be driven by possession or control but by an understanding that respects each other’s essence.


According to the Bhagavad Gita, all actions and emotions are governed by the three gunas—Satva (purity and harmony), Rajas (passion and restlessness), and Tamas (ignorance and inertia). These qualities also define the nature of love.

A satvik love is selfless, seeking only the well-being of the beloved. It does not bind but liberates. If the bird and the fish love each other with this purity, they will not be troubled by the question of where to live but will instead find joy in the presence of each other, however fleeting it may be.

A rajasik love is passionate and possessive. It desires control, seeks validation, and is restless. This love will struggle with the limitations imposed by their nature. The fish will want to fly; the bird will want to dive deep into the ocean, each seeking an impossible compromise that leads only to frustration.

A tamasik love is destructive, selfish, and blind. It refuses to see reality, clinging to illusions and suffering as a result. If the bird and the fish refuse to acknowledge their inherent differences and force an unnatural union, it will only lead to despair.

Krishna advises that true love should elevate the soul. It should not be an anchor that drags one down but a force that enables growth and self-realization.


Radha and Krishna symbolize a love that transcends time, space, and worldly definitions. Their love was not bound by marriage, nor by societal norms, yet it remains the purest expression of devotion. While Krishna became the ruler of Dwarka, fulfilling his divine duties, Radha remained in Vrindavan, eternally devoted to him. The world often wonders—if their love was so deep, why could they not unite?

Perhaps, love is not always about possession but about surrender. Radha never needed a formal bond to affirm her connection with Krishna. She lived through his presence in her soul, embodying the highest form of Bhakti (devotion). Krishna, too, carried Radha in his heart, his flute singing her name in every tune.

Their love teaches that sometimes, the greatest unions are not physical but spiritual. It reminds us that love is not about holding on but about existing within each other, beyond all limitations. Fate may have kept them apart, but their bond remains eternal, untouched by time or separation.

Even when Krishna left, Radha never managed to get his love in the worldly sense. Yet, in the divine realm, she was, and will always be, his eternal consort.

The ultimate teaching of the Gita is that duality—love and loss, attachment and detachment, pleasure and pain—must be transcended. Krishna tells Arjuna to become sthitaprajna, one who is steady in wisdom, unaffected by the highs and lows of life. This is where the true answer to the bird and fish dilemma lies.

If love is bound by expectation, it becomes suffering. But if love is embraced with wisdom, it becomes a path to liberation. The bird and the fish must realize that their love is not limited by physical coexistence but by the depth of their understanding.

Perhaps the answer is not to find a place where they can live together but to love without the need to possess. Perhaps the bird, in its flight, carries the fish in its heart, and the fish, in its depths, sees the reflection of the bird in the sky.

The Bhagavad Gita ultimately teaches that true fulfillment lies not in changing the external world to fit our desires but in changing ourselves to align with the highest truth. The bird and the fish, then, do not need to find a home together. They need to find a way to love beyond attachment, beyond expectation, and beyond fear.

In doing so, they become free.