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वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्।।2.21।।

vedāvināśhinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam kathaṁ sa puruṣhaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 2, Verse 21
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
Whoever knows it to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and inexhaustible, how can that person slay, O Arjuna, or cause to be slain?

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: the question of how someone who understands this could cause anyone to kill isn't really about permission for violence, it's about which part of you is acting.

In life: the same outward action can come from panic, ego, or clarity, and the difference matters enormously.

Teaching: before acting under pressure, check which part of you is actually driving. Clarity and panic can look identical from the outside.

vedaknows
avināśhinamimperishable
nityameternal
yaḥwho
enamthis
ajamunborn
avyayamimmutable
kathamhow
saḥthat
puruṣhaḥperson
pārthaParth
kamwhom
ghātayaticauses to be killed
hantikills
kamwhom

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
2.21 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.