वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ॥
vedāvināśinaṃ nityaṃ ya enam ajam avyayam |kathaṃ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṃ ghātayati hanti kam ||
- वेद · veda
- knows
- अविनाशिनम् · avināśinam
- as indestructible
- नित्यम् · nityam
- as eternal
- यः · yaḥ
- who
- एनम् · enam
- this (self)
- अजम् · ajam
- as unborn
- अव्ययम् · avyayam
- as imperishable
- कथम् · katham
- how
- सः · saḥ
- that
- पुरुषः · puruṣaḥ
- person
- पार्थ · pārtha
- O Partha (Arjuna)
- कम् · kam
- whom
- घातयति · ghātayati
- causes to be slain
- हन्ति · hanti
- slays
- कम् · kam
- whom
“The one who knows this self as indestructible, eternal, unborn, imperishable, O Partha — how could such a person cause any slaying, or slay anyone?”
— Original plain-language translation
Knowledge is described by its effect: the knower of the self cannot be an agent of killing. The verse quietly shifts the question from 'may I kill?' to 'who is the I that acts?' — the pivot on which karma-yoga will turn.
— Reader's notes (original)