Universal
Na Jayate Mriyate — 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
Simple reading: Na jaa-ya-te mri-ya-te vaa ka-daa-chit, naa-yam bhoot-vaa bha-vi-taa vaa na bhoo-yah, a-jo nit-yah shaash-va-to-yam pu-raa-no, na han-ya-te han-ya-maa-ne sha-ree-re
About this mantra
The Gita's teaching on the deathless self — unborn, eternal, not slain when the body is slain. Traditionally recited for courage in grief.
Meaning
It is never born, nor does it ever die; having been, it will never cease to be. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, primeval — it is not slain when the body is slain. Krishna speaks it to a man unable to act for grief, and the logic is stern comfort: what you fear to destroy was never destructible. Recited at partings and in mourning, the verse does not deny loss — it relocates what cannot be lost.
When to recite it
Recited in mourning and at memorials and shraddha days, before difficult farewells, and in fear of one's own mortality.
Word by word
- न जायते म्रियते वाna jāyate mriyate vā
- it is not born, nor dies
- नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयःnāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
- having been, it will never cease to be
- अजो नित्यःajo nityaḥ
- unborn, eternal
- शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणःśāśvato'yaṁ purāṇaḥ
- everlasting, primeval
- न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरेna hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
- not slain when the body is slain
Source: Bhagavad Gītā 2.20