Bhagavad Gita 2.20
Sankhya Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः | अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||२-२०||
Transliteration
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ . ajo nityaḥ śāśvato.ayaṃ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||2-20||
It is not born, nor does It ever die; after having been, It again ceases not to be; unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient, It is not killed when the body is killed.
Word by Word
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
Classical 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.