Transcendental Knowledge · 2.19
The Soul Neither Slays Nor Is Slain
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते॥
ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaś cainaṁ manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate
Translation
He who thinks this soul is a slayer and he who thinks it is slain — both fail to perceive the truth. The soul neither slays nor is it slain.
Meaning
Krishna dismantles grief by revealing the nature of the soul. Confusion between body and soul is the root of all fear of death. When we understand what we truly are, the fear of loss and the guilt of action dissolve.
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