After describing the eternal and indestructible qualities of the soul, Lord Krishna now applies this knowledge directly to the agent of action. He poses a powerful rhetorical question to Arjuna. If one truly and deeply understands the soul’s nature, how can the concepts of “killing” or “causing to kill” even apply? The Vedavinasinam Nityam verse reveals that true knowledge fundamentally changes one’s perception of action and consequence.
Sanskrit Verse
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥ २१ ॥Transliteration
vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ ya enam ajam avyayam
kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kamWord for Word Translation
veda — one who knows; avināśinam — indestructible; nityam — eternal; yaḥ — one who; enam — this (soul); ajam — unborn; avyayam — imperishable; katham — how; saḥ — that; puruṣaḥ — person; pārtha — O son of Pritha (Arjuna); kam — whom; ghātayati — causes to be slain; hanti — slays; kam — whom.
English Translation
O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and imperishable, slay anyone or cause anyone to be slain?
Explanation
Each Bhagavad Gita verse whispers ancient truths, let’s listen closely with Vedic Stories…
This verse is the logical conclusion of all the previous teachings about the soul. The emphasis here is on `veda`—the one who *knows*.
- Veda avināśinaṁ nityam…: “One who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal…” Krishna lists the soul’s attributes again—indestructible, eternal, unborn, imperishable—to reinforce the point. The key is that this is not just a belief, but a state of realized knowledge. The person has fully internalized this truth.
- Kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ…: “How can that person…?” This is a rhetorical question. Krishna is not asking for information; He is stating an impossibility. For a `puruṣaḥ` (person) who has this profound knowledge, the very idea of killing a soul is logically absurd. It’s like asking, “How can a person who knows water is wet make it dry by hitting it?”
- Kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam: “Whom does he slay, and whom does he cause to be slain?” The question highlights the flawed premise of Arjuna’s fear. If the soul cannot be slain, then who is actually being killed? And who is the agent doing the killing? For the person of knowledge, the answer is “no one.” The action only applies to the temporary interaction of material bodies, not to the eternal beings themselves.
Conclusion
This verse explains that true knowledge provides ultimate freedom from the fear of sinful reactions related to action. It is not an encouragement for violence, but a profound statement about consciousness. The person who acts with the full understanding that the soul is transcendental to the body and its fate is not entangled by that action. Their perception of reality has shifted. They understand that while bodies may be destroyed, the eternal `puruṣaḥ` within is forever beyond the reach of any weapon, including their own.
Read Next: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 – Verse 22 – Vasamsi Jirnani Yatha Vihaya
