Chapter 2 · Sankhya Yoga - The Yoga of KnowledgeKrishna
Verse 19
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय 2, श्लोक 19
Sanskrit Shloka (श्लोक)
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते॥१९॥
Transliteration
Ya Enam Vetti Hantaram Yash-Chainam Manyate Hatam.
Ubhau Tau Na Vijanito Nayam Hanti Na Hanyate.||19||
Word-by-Word Meaning (अन्वय)
यःyahwhoever
एनम्enamthis (soul)
वेत्तिvettithinks
हन्तारम्hantaramthe killer
मन्यतेmanyatethinks
हतम्hatamkilled
उभौubhauboth
न विजानीतःna vijanitahdo not know
न हन्तिna hantidoes not kill
न हन्यतेna hanyateis not killed
Hindi Translation (हिन्दी अर्थ)
जो इस आत्मा को मारने वाला समझता है और जो इसे मरा हुआ मानता है — वे दोनों ही नहीं जानते। यह आत्मा न मारती है और न मारी जाती है।
English Translation
One who thinks that the soul kills and one who thinks it is killed — both are ignorant. The soul neither kills nor is killed.
Commentary (टीका)
This verse echoes the Katha Upanishad. The soul, being beyond the body, is neither the agent of killing nor the object of being killed. Actions belong to the body-mind complex, not to the eternal soul. This understanding liberates one from the guilt of performing necessary but difficult duties.