For what is born, death is certain; for what dies, birth is certain. What cannot be avoided should not be grieved over.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.27
Hindi · हिन्दी
क्योंकि पैदा हुएकी जरूर मृत्यु होगी और मरे हुएका जरूर जन्म होगा । इस जन्ममरणरूप परिवर्तन के प्रवाह का परिहार अर्थात् निवारण नहीं हो सकता । अतः इस विषयमें तुम्हें शोक नहीं करना चाहिये ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
जातस्यof the bornहिindeedध्रुवःcertainमृत्युःdeathध्रुवम्certainजन्मbirthमृतस्यof the deadचandतस्मात्thereforeअपरिहार्येin the unavoidableअर्थेmatterनnotत्वम्youशोचितुम्to grieveअर्हसिshould
Read literallyof the born · indeed · certain · death · certain · birth · of the dead · and · therefore · in the unavoidable · matter · not · you · to grieve · should
Understanding the verse
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Death is certain for the born and birth for the dead, so Krishna asks Arjuna not to grieve the unavoidable.
Anything that is born will die, and anything that dies will be born again. Since this cycle cannot be stopped, there is no reason to grieve over it.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
After saying the true self is beyond change, Krishna now grounds the lesson in the body’s cycle: birth, death, and return. The point is to stop mourning what nature itself keeps moving.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
You are sitting beside a hospital bed, watching a monitor you cannot negotiate with. The fear is real, but the fact is plain: some changes cannot be prevented, only met with steadiness.
The takeaway
“Some things are not yours to control, and peace begins where resistance ends.”
Explore related themes: sankhya(11 verses), grief(10 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 2.27 mean?
Anything that is born will die, and anything that dies will be born again. Since this cycle cannot be stopped, there is no reason to grieve over it.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.27?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.27?
Verse 27 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.27 matter today?
You are sitting beside a hospital bed, watching a monitor you cannot negotiate with. The fear is real, but the fact is plain: some changes cannot be prevented, only met with steadiness.
Death is certain for the born and birth for the dead, so Krishna asks Arjuna not to grieve the unavoidable.
What this verse means
Anything that is born will die, and anything that dies will be born again. Since this cycle cannot be stopped, there is no reason to grieve over it.
Context & commentary
After saying the true self is beyond change, Krishna now grounds the lesson in the body’s cycle: birth, death, and return. The point is to stop mourning what nature itself keeps moving.
What it looks like today
You are sitting beside a hospital bed, watching a monitor you cannot negotiate with. The fear is real, but the fact is plain: some changes cannot be prevented, only met with steadiness.
“Some things are not yours to control, and peace begins where resistance ends.”
Explore related themes: sankhya (11 verses), grief (10 verses)