Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 19

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्। उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते।।2.19।।

ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaśh chainaṁ manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate

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Word Meanings

yaḥ—one who

enam—this

vetti—knows

hantāram—the slayer

yaḥ—one who

cha—and

enam—this

manyate—thinks

hatam—slain

ubhau—both

tau—they

na—not

vijānītaḥ—in knowledge

na—neither

ayam—this

hanti—slays

na—nor

hanyate—is killed

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Translation

He who takes the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks it is slain, neither of them knows. It does not slay, nor is it slain.

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Commentary

2.19 यः he who? एनम् this (Self)? वेत्ति knows? हन्तारम् slayer? यः he who? च and? एनम् this? मन्यते thinks? हतम् slain? उभौ both? तौ those? न not? विजानीतः know? न not? अयम् this? हन्ति slays? न not? हन्यते is slain.Commentary -- The Self is nondoer (Akarta) and as It is immutable? It is neither the agent nor the object of the act of slaying. He who thinks I slay or I am slain with the body or the

Ahamkara (ego)? he does not really comprehend the true nature of the Self. The Self is indestructible. It exists in the three periods of time. It is Sat (Existence). When the body is destroyed? the Self is not destroyed. The body has to undergo change in any case. It is inevitable. But the Self is not at all affected by it. Verses 19? 20? 21? 23 and 24 speak of the immortality of the Self or Atman. (Cf.XVIII.17)

19 of 72 verses