Week 34: Bhagavad Gītā 2.20
This week is designed as a 60-minute self-study lesson. Read aloud first, then translate.
Aim of the Week
Read Bhagavad Gītā 2.20 with attention to negation, passive forms, and locative absolute-like expression.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ |
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṃ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ |
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṃ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ||
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| न | not |
| जायते | is born |
| म्रियते | dies |
| वा | or |
| कदाचित् | at any time |
| अयम् | this |
| भूत्वा | having become |
| भविता | will be/become |
| अजः | unborn |
| नित्यः | eternal |
| शाश्वतः | lasting |
| पुराणः | ancient |
| हन्यते | is killed |
| हन्यमाने शरीरे | when the body is being killed |
Verse Analysis Practice
- न जायते।
na jāyate. - न म्रियते।
na mriyate. - अयम् अजः नित्यः।
ayam ajaḥ nityaḥ. - न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre.
Answer key
- It is not born.
- It does not die.
- This is unborn and eternal.
- It is not killed when the body is being killed.
Recitation Guidance
Let the repeated न mark the logical structure. Do not rush the compound-like phrase शाश्वतोऽयं.
Vocabulary
| Devanāgarī | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| जायते | jāyate | is born |
| म्रियते | mriyate | dies |
| अजः | ajaḥ | unborn |
| नित्यः | nityaḥ | eternal |
| शरीरे | śarīre | in/when the body |