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Chapter 2

Chapter 2 · Verse 21

Sankhya Yoga

सांख्ययोग

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् | कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ||२-२१||

vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enamajamavyayam . kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ||2-21||

In plain words

You are urged to understand that once you realize your true, indestructible nature, you cannot harm anyone, nor can you be harmed. This deep jnana, or spiritual knowledge, frees you from the burden of being the doer. It dispels maya, the illusion of separation, showing you that the eternal soul within everyone is completely beyond destruction.

Translation

2.21 He who knows this (self) to be indestructible, unborn, unchanging and hence eternal - how and whom, O Arjuna, does he cause to be killed, and whom he kill?

Meaning

The enlightened sage who knows the immutable and indestructible Self through direct cognition or spiritual Anubhava (experience) cannot do the act of slaying. He cannot cause another to slay also.

Word by word

वेद knows अविनाशिनम् indestructible नित्यम् eternal यः who एनम् this (Self) अजम् unborn अव्ययम् inexhaustible कथम् how सः he (that) पुरुषः man पार्थ O Partha (son of Pritha) कम् whom घातयति causes to be slain हन्ति kills कम् whom.