Chapter 2 · Verse 21

Transcendental Knowledge

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्

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

Language:

Translation

O Partha, whoever knows this Self to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable—how can that person kill anyone, or cause anyone to be killed?

Commentary

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.Commentary 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.