Na Jayate Mriyate Va (Bhagavad Gita 2.20) — Word-by-Word Meaning
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित्
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
न जायते
na jāyate
is not born
म्रियते
mriyate
dies
वा
vā
or
कदाचित्
kadāchit
at any time, ever
न अयम्
na ayam
this (soul) does not
भूत्वा
bhūtvā
having come into being
भविता
bhavitā
will be, will come to be
न भूयः
na bhūyaḥ
not again, never again
अजः
ajaḥ
unborn
नित्यः
nityaḥ
eternal
शाश्वतः
śhāśhvataḥ
immortal, ever-the-same
अयम्
ayam
this (soul)
पुराणः
purāṇaḥ
the most ancient, primeval
न हन्यते
na hanyate
is not slain, is not destroyed
हन्यमाने शरीरे
hanyamāne śharīre
when the body is slain
Complete Translation
The soul is never born, nor does it ever die; nor having once existed does it ever cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and primeval; it is not slain when the body is slain.
Origin & History
Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 20
Author: Spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna; recorded by Sage Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva)
Period: Ancient (part of the Mahabharata, traditionally dated to the Dvapara Yuga)
In the second chapter of the Gita, Sankhya Yoga, Krishna systematically removes Arjuna's grief and delusion by teaching the eternal nature of the soul. After describing how the wise do not lament for the living or the dead, Krishna gives this verse as the definitive statement of the soul's immortality. It draws directly from the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads and remains among the most quoted verses on the deathless Self.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Na Jayate Mriyate Va mean?▼
It means 'The soul is never born and never dies; it does not come into being and cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient; it is not killed when the body is killed.' It is Krishna's declaration of the soul's immortality in Bhagavad Gita 2.20.
How is this verse related to the Katha Upanishad?▼
Bhagavad Gita 2.20 closely echoes a famous verse of the Katha Upanishad (1.2.18) describing the eternal, unborn Self. Both texts affirm the same truth: the atman is beyond birth and death, never slain even when the body perishes.
Why is this verse considered so important?▼
It is one of the clearest and most complete statements of the soul's immortality in Hindu scripture. By describing the atman as unborn, eternal, changeless, and ancient, it forms the philosophical foundation of the Gita's teaching that death is only a change of body, not the end of the Self.
When is this verse traditionally recited?▼
It is recited during daily meditation on the Self, in times of grief, and during funeral and memorial (shraddha) rites. Contemplating it brings fearlessness toward death and peace to both the living and the departed.
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