Bhagavad Gita 2.20
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः। अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ | ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||
“The Self is never born and never dies. It has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. Unborn, eternal, ever-existing, primeval, it is not slain when the body is slain.”- grief
- death
- self
- atman
- fear
What this verse is about
This verse speaks to grief and the ache of losing what we love, death and what, if anything, is untouched by it, and the Self beneath the changing body and mind.
✦ Contemplation
Something inside you was never born and will never die. Fear cannot reach that part of you.
✦ A small practice
When you feel afraid, put one hand on your chest. Breathe. Remember that something in you is already safe.
Chapter 2
The Yoga of KnowledgeSāṅkhya Yoga
Krishna introduces the deathless Self, the duty of action, and the ideal of a mind that stays steady through pleasure and pain.
Dilemmas this verse speaks to
Questions real people carry that this verse has something to say about.
Should I Quit My Job? A Bhagavad Gita Perspective on Work, Dread, and Purpose
The salary feels like a reason to stay. The dread feels like a reason to leave.
Read reflection ›
Why do I feel lost in life even when everything seems fine?
You’re doing okay on the outside, but something inside feels off.
Read reflection ›
Why do I keep procrastinating even on things I care about?
You want to do it. You just cannot seem to start.
Read reflection ›
Deeper reflections
Sit with this verse a little longer.
Ask Dharma how this verse might land in your own life, and receive a calm, verse-grounded reflection.
Ask Dharma about 2.20