Bhagavad Gita 2.20 — The Soul Is Never Born, Never Dies, and Is Ancient and Eternal
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥ २.२०॥
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This soul is never born, nor does it ever die. Nor, having come into being, will it cease to be again. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting and ancient. It is not slain when the body is slain.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| na | never |
| jāyate | is born |
| mriyate | dies |
| vā | or |
| kadāchit | at any time |
| na | nor |
| ayam | this (soul) |
| bhūtvā | having come into being |
| bhavitā | will come to be, will cease |
| vā | or |
| na | not |
| bhūyaḥ | again, further |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ajaḥ | unborn |
| nityaḥ | eternal |
| śhāśhvataḥ | everlasting, permanent |
| ayam | this |
| purāṇaḥ | ancient, primeval |
| na | not |
| hanyate | is slain |
| hanyamāne | when is being slain |
| śharīre | the body |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| na | never | ajaḥ | unborn |
| jāyate | is born | nityaḥ | eternal |
| mriyate | dies | śhāśhvataḥ | everlasting, permanent |
| vā | or | ayam | this |
| kadāchit | at any time | purāṇaḥ | ancient, primeval |
| na | nor | na | not |
| ayam | this (soul) | hanyate | is slain |
| bhūtvā | having come into being | hanyamāne | when is being slain |
| bhavitā | will come to be, will cease | śharīre | the body |
| vā | or | ||
| na | not | ||
| bhūyaḥ | again, further | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
This is one of the most celebrated verses of the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna declares that the Self is never born and never dies, that it has not come into being and will not cease to be, and that it is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. In a few lines He describes the Self as unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient.
Essence
Beyond birth and death
Lord Krishna says na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit: the Self is never born and never dies, at any time. All the changes that mark the life of the body, such as arriving, growing, declining, and departing, do not apply to it. A very similar verse appears in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, which shows the continuity of this teaching.
Nāyam bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ: The Self does not come into being after having been non-existent, nor does it cease to be after having existed. It is not an event in time. This also answers a natural question: if the Self never began, then there is no moment at which it can end.
Four words that describe the Self
Aja (unborn): It has no origin. It is not produced by any cause.
Nitya (eternal): It exists constantly in all times. It does not depend on any other thing for its existence.
Śāśvata (everlasting): It continues without interruption. Its continuity is not broken by the death of the body.
Purāṇa (ancient): The Self is primeval and yet is never worn out. The word suggests that it is old without ever becoming old, ancient without ever decaying.
Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
The verse ends with the conclusion that the Self is not killed when the body is killed. Here Krishna speaks with great precision. The body can be struck down, but the one who lives in it is not affected. The distinction between the two is the key to freedom from the fear of death.
Message for Everyday Life (Living Without the Fear of Ending)
The fear of death shapes much of human behaviour, from our anxieties about health to our hunger for recognition and legacy. This verse helps us place that fear in perspective.
Live more fully: A person who is less afraid of ending can take more meaningful risks, love more openly, and use time more wisely.
Contemplate your deeper identity: Taking a few quiet minutes to reflect on the awareness that has been present through every stage of life can be a powerful antidote to existential fear.
Beyond birth and death
Lord Krishna says na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit: the Self is never born and never dies, at any time. All the changes that mark the life of the body, such as arriving, growing, declining, and departing, do not apply to it. A very similar verse appears in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, which shows the continuity of this teaching.
Nāyam bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ: The Self does not come into being after having been non-existent, nor does it cease to be after having existed. It is not an event in time. This also answers a natural question: if the Self never began, then there is no moment at which it can end.
Four words that describe the Self
Aja (unborn): It has no origin. It is not produced by any cause.
Nitya (eternal): It exists constantly in all times. It does not depend on any other thing for its existence.
Śāśvata (everlasting): It continues without interruption. Its continuity is not broken by the death of the body.
Purāṇa (ancient): The Self is primeval and yet is never worn out. The word suggests that it is old without ever becoming old, ancient without ever decaying.
Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
The verse ends with the conclusion that the Self is not killed when the body is killed. Here Krishna speaks with great precision. The body can be struck down, but the one who lives in it is not affected. The distinction between the two is the key to freedom from the fear of death.
Message for Everyday Life (Living Without the Fear of Ending)
The fear of death shapes much of human behaviour, from our anxieties about health to our hunger for recognition and legacy. This verse helps us place that fear in perspective.
Live more fully: A person who is less afraid of ending can take more meaningful risks, love more openly, and use time more wisely.
Contemplate your deeper identity: Taking a few quiet minutes to reflect on the awareness that has been present through every stage of life can be a powerful antidote to existential fear.
Next Topic
Krishna has described the Self as unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient. He now draws a practical consequence about action and responsibility. In the next verse He asks how a person who truly knows the Self as indestructible and unborn could cause anyone to be slain or could slay anyone.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
You are older than your birth and larger than your death.
Even when the body falls, you do not.
The deathless has nothing to fear.
You are what remains when everything else changes.
Stillness lies in what was never born.
What's truly essential can't be lost.
The oldest truth is also the closest: who you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'ajaḥ' (unborn) mean for the soul?
What is meant by 'na jāyate mriyate vā' (it is not born nor does it die)?
What do 'nitya' (eternal), 'śhāśhvata' (everlasting) and 'purāṇa' (ancient) add?
Why does Krishna say 'na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre' (not slain when the body is slain)?
Does this verse mean death is unimportant?
Explore related topics
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