Verse 2.20
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
Word-by-Word Meanings
na jāyate-is not born
na mriyate-does not die
ajaḥ-unborn
nityaḥ-eternal
śāśvataḥ-permanent
purāṇaḥ-ancient/primeval
Translation
The Self is never born, nor does it ever die. Having come into being, it will never cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain.
Commentary
This is one of the most celebrated verses of the Gita, directly echoing Katha Upanishad 1.2.18. It provides the most complete description of the Self's nature: beyond birth and death, beyond time and change. The six negations (na jāyate, na mriyate, etc.) systematically deny every form of modification to the Self.
Themes
atmanjnanamoksha