न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: |
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 20||
na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre
na jāyate—is not born; mriyate—dies; vā—or; kadāchit—at any time; na—not; ayam—this; bhūtvā—having once existed; bhavitā—will be; vā—or; na—not; bhūyaḥ—further; ajaḥ—unborn; nityaḥ—eternal; śhāśhvataḥ—immortal; ayam—this; purāṇaḥ—the ancient; na hanyate—is not destroyed; hanyamāne—is destroyed; śharīre—when the body
Translation:
Atma is not born, nor does it ever die; after having been it does not cease to be, unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient, it is not killed when the body is destroyed.
Commentary:
In the Katha Upanishad, there is a verse similar to this. This shows clearly that the Gita is the – essence of the Upanishads.
Though the body is destroyed, yet the all-pervading Atma never dies. It shows that Atma remains only as a witness to the modifications of the body like birth, youth, and death, and of the mind in the form of pain and pleasure. The disturbance of the storm clouds does not affect the sun or the sky through which they pass. Therefore man should not identify himself with the foul perishable body and the ever-functioning mind but should hold on to his identity with the Self. Supreme joy and courage are realised by the wise who are one with Atma. The fear of death is at once driven off by the knowledge that he is the immortal Atma.
Swami Vivekananda Says —
Now freedom is only possible when no external power can exert any influence, produce any change. Freedom is only possible to the being who is beyond all conditions, all laws, all bondages of cause and effect. In other words, the unchangeable alone can be free and, therefore, immortal. This Being, this Atman, this real Self of man, the free, the unchangeable is beyond all conditions, and as such, it has neither birth nor death. “Without birth or death, eternal, ever-existing is this soul of man.”[Source]
Sri Ramakrishna Says —
ADHAR (to the Master): “Sir, I have a question to ask. Is it good to sacrifice animals before the Deity? It certainly involves killing.”
MASTER: “The sastra prescribes sacrifice on special occasions. Such sacrifice is not harmful. Take, for instance, the sacrifice of a goat on the eighth day of the full or new moon.
“I am now in such a state of mind that I cannot watch a sacrifice. Also I cannot eat meat offered to the Divine Mother. Therefore I first touch my finger to it, then to my head, lest She should be angry with me.
“Again, in a certain state of mind I see God in all beings, even in an ant. At that time, if I see a living being die, I find consolation in the thought that it is the death of the body, the soul being beyond life and death.
“One should not reason too much; it is enough if one loves the Lotus Feet of the Mother. Too much reasoning throws the mind into confusion. You get clear water if you drink from the surface of a pool. Put your hand deeper and stir the water, and it becomes muddy. Therefore pray to God for devotion.
“Behind Dhruva’s devotion there was desire. He practised austerities to gain his father’s kingdom. But Prahlada’s love for God was motiveless — a love that sought no return.”
A DEVOTEE: “How can one realise God?”
MASTER: “Through that kind of love. But one must force one’s demand on God. One should be able to say: ‘O God, wilt Thou not reveal Thyself to me? I will cut my throat with a knife.’ This is the tamas of bhakti.”
DEVOTEE: “Can one see God?”
MASTER: “Yes, surely. One can see both aspects of God — God with form and without form. One can see God with form, the Embodiment of Spirit. Again, God can be directly perceived in a man with a tangible form. Seeing an Incarnation of God is the same as seeing God Himself. God is born on earth as man in every age (BG 4.8).” (Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)
Question: What is the nature of Atma?
Answer: It has no birth or death. It is eternal, firm, and immovable. It is the ancient one. It exists when the body dies.
