Chapter 2 · Verse 20

Transcendental Knowledge

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre

Word Meanings

na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchit na ayam bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ ajaḥ nityaḥ śhāśhvataḥ ayam purāṇaḥ na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre

Translation

The soul is never born, nor does it ever die; having once existed, it does not cease to be. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient, it is not slain when the body is slain.

Commentary

न not? जायते is born? म्रियते dies? वा or? कदाचित् at any time? न not? अयम् this (Self)? भूत्वा having been? भविता will be? वा or? न not? भूयः (any) more? अजः unborn? नित्यः eternal? शाश्वतः changeless? अयम् this? पुराणः ancient? न not? हन्यते is killed? हन्यमाने being killed? शरीरे in body.Commentary This Self (Atman) is destitute of the six types of transformation or BhavaVikaras such as birth? existence? growth? transformation? decline and death. As It is indivisible (Akhanda). It does not diminish in size. It neither grows nor does It decline. It is ever the same. Birth and death are for the physical body only. Birth and death cannot touch the immortal? allpervading Self.