Bhagavad Gita BG 2.27
Chapter 2, Verse 27 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ २७ ॥
jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca tasmād aparihārye 'rthe na tvaṃ śocitum arhasi
Meaning
For one who has been born, death is certain; and for one who has died, birth is certain. Therefore, for this unavoidable matter, you should not lament.
Understanding
One of the most quoted verses of the Gita. 'Jātasya dhruvo mṛtyuḥ' — for the born, death is certain (dhruva = fixed, certain). 'Dhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya' — for the dead, birth is certain. Death follows birth; birth follows death — it is the unbreakable law. And since this is 'aparihārya' (unavoidable, inescapable), grief is pointless. One does not weep over sunrise or sunset — equally inevitable events. The instruction: na śocitum arhasi — you should not lament.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| जातस्य | jātasya | for one who is born |
| ध्रुवः | dhruvaḥ | certain / fixed / inevitable |
| मृत्युः | mṛtyuḥ | death |
| मृतस्य | mṛtasya | for one who has died |
| अपरिहार्ये | aparihārye | in the unavoidable / the inescapable |
| अर्थे | arthe | matter / affair / thing |
| हि | hi | for / certainly (causal particle) |
| ध्रुवम् | dhruvam | certain / inevitable (birth after death) |
| जन्म | janma | birth |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| तस्मात् | tasmāt | therefore |
| त्वम् | tvam | you |
| न शोचितुम् अर्हसि | na śocitum arhasi | you should not grieve / you ought not to lament |