Bhagavad Gita 2.21

Verse 21

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

Transliteration

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

Synonyms

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

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

Multi-Tradition Commentary

Swami Sivananda

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.

Practical Application (Modern Life)

Reflect on Bhagavad Gita 2.21: Whoever knows it to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and inexhaustible, how can that person slay, O Arjuna, or cause to be slain?

Chapter Content

View all shlokas in Chapter 2

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