Chapter 2, Verse 21 (Bhagavad Gita 2.21)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्
Transliteration
vedāvināśhinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam kathaṁ sa puruṣhaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam
Word Meanings
veda—knows; avināśhinam—imperishable; nityam—eternal; yaḥ—who; enam—this; ajam—unborn; avyayam—immutable; katham—how; saḥ—that; puruṣhaḥ—person; pārtha—Parth; kam—whom; ghātayati—causes to be killed; hanti—kills; kam—whom
Translation
O Partha, how can a person who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal, birthless, and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to be killed?
Meaning & Commentary
This verse shifts the focus from external action to internal realization, teaching us that true knowledge of the self dissolves the illusion of agency. When one deeply understands the eternal nature of consciousness, the concepts of slayer and slain lose their ontological reality, freeing the mind from the burdens of guilt and egoistic pride. This perspective does not advocate for violence, but rather for acting from a state of spiritual detachment where one performs their duty without being defined by the consequences. By recognizing the soul as beyond destruction, a person attains an unshakable inner peace that remains unaffected by the tumultuous events of the material world. Ultimately, it invites us to align our actions with this higher truth, transforming life into a conscious surrender to the divine order.