Bhagavad Gita 2.20: The self is never born and never dies
Chapter 2, verse 20 · Krishna to Arjuna
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
The self is never born and never dies. It did not come into being and will not cease to be. Unborn, eternal and ancient, it is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
हिंदी अर्थ: आत्मा न कभी जन्म लेती है, न कभी मरती है। यह अजन्मा, नित्य, शाश्वत और पुरातन है। शरीर के नष्ट होने पर भी यह नष्ट नहीं होती।
Context
Krishna answers Arjuna’s grief over killing his relatives by describing the nature of the self (ātman): unborn, eternal and untouched by the death of the body.
What it means today
Whatever your beliefs, this verse invites a larger perspective. Many readers turn to it in times of loss, as a reminder that what we love in a person is more than their body.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bhagavad Gita 2.20 in Hindi?
आत्मा न कभी जन्म लेती है, न कभी मरती है। यह अजन्मा, नित्य, शाश्वत और पुरातन है। शरीर के नष्ट होने पर भी यह नष्ट नहीं होती।
Who says Bhagavad Gita 2.20?
Verse 2.20 is spoken by Krishna, addressed to Arjuna.