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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 21 (2.21)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 21 (2.21)

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् । कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् | | २-२१ | |

vedāvināśhinaṁ nityaṁ ya enamajamavyayam kathaṁ sa puruṣhaḥ pārtha kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • ved joined in vedāvināśhinaṁ
  • अइनइन (avinashinam) — अविनाशी(indestructible)
  • नित्यम् (nityam) — सनातन(eternal)
  • यः (yah) — जो(who)
  • e joined in enamajamavyayam
  • (na) — नहीं(not)
  • m joined in enamajamavyayam
  • अजम् (ajam) — अजन्मा(unborn)
  • अव्ययम् (avyayam) — अविनाशी(imperishable)
Line 2:
  • कथम् (katham) — कैसे(how)
  • सः (sa) — पुरुष(that person)
  • पुरुषः (purushah) — पुरुष(that person)
  • parta joined in pārtha
  • (kam) — क(causes whom to kill, or kills whom)
  • घतयइ (ghatayati) — घतयइ(causes whom to kill, or kills whom)
  • हइ (hanti) — नहीं मारता(causes whom to kill, or kills whom)
  • (kam) — क(causes whom to kill, or kills whom)

English: One who knows the self as eternal and indestructible cannot truly think of killing or causing killing.

💡 Commentary Note

A person established in the knowledge of the eternal soul sees all changes as superficial. From this higher perspective of Gyan, there is no real death or destruction of the self.

Learnings from Shloka 21:
  • Spiritual maturity:: Understanding the indestructible nature of life frees us from the anxiety of destruction.
  • Shift in perspective:: When we realize the eternal nature of the self, our actions become aligned with cosmic order rather than personal fear.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 2.21 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary