Bhagavad Gita 2.19

[Paramananda das]

ya enam vetti hantaram yas cainam manyate hatam ubhau tau na vijanito nayam hanti na hanyate

Translation

Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

When an embodied living entity is hurt by fatal weapons, it is to be known that the living entity within the body is not killed. The spirit soul is so small that it is impossible to kill him by any material weapon, as will be evident from subsequent verses. Nor is the living entity killable, because of his spiritual constitution. What is killed, or is supposed to be killed, is the body only. This, however, does not at all encourage killing of the body. The Vedic injunction is ma himsyat sarva bhutani: never commit violence to anyone. Nor does understanding that the living entity is not killed encourage animal slaughter. Killing the body of anyone without authority is abominable and is punishable by the law of the state as well as by the law of the Lord. Arjuna, however, is being engaged in killing for the principle of religion, and not whimsically.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

"O friend Arjuna! You, a soul as well, are neither the performer of killing nor the object of killing." That is expressed in this verse.

He who thinks the jiva (enam) is the killer, that Arjuna is the killer of Bhisma and others, and he who thinks that the jiva is killed, that Arjuna is killed by Bhisma, are both ignorant. Therefore, what is your fear of infamy from the words of ignorant people who say that Arjuna killed his guru?

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya: Visnuswami Sridhara Swami's Commentary Thus it can be clearly demonstrated that the grief that would arise due to the death of Bhishma and other exalted superiors has been negated. Also Arjunas statement in chapter one, verse thirty-five of not wanting to slay them has been proven equally groundless as well by the Supreme Lords explanation of the Ultimate Truth revealing that the eternal soul does not slay anything and the eternal soul cannot be slain by anything. The reason for this is given in the next verse.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya: Madhvacarya Madhvacarya's Commentary In the minds of living entities identifying themselves only as their physical bodies, or as their species, planet, or country as the case may be; the declaration that one who thinks that one can be factually slain or one who thinks that one can factually slay are both deluded, poses bewilderment. What can be factually slain is the physical body but not the embodied soul. The living entity becomes alive only by the energising facility of the Supreme Lord by the activation of the soul. Thus the Supreme Lord is always to be worshipped and glorified. Now begins the summation. If the statement one who thinks the living entity is able to kill another living entity independently on their own would be considered then the statement of the Supreme Lord in chapter 11, verse 34 kill those whom have already been killed by Me would be contradictory. The word hantaram being applicable to the soul is applicable to the Supreme Lord as well.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya: Ramanuja Ramanuja's Commentary Whoever speculates that it is possible by any means to kill the soul and whoever speculates that anyone can be instrumental in killing the soul is factually deficient in actual knowledge. The soul being of an eternal nature can never be destroyed by anything nor can the soul ever destroy anything. The root word hanti meaning to slay connotes an act which connects with the soul; but the action of killing indicates that there is a separation of the soul from the body. Thus the Vedic injunctions: na himsyad bhutani meaning no creature shall be harmed and brahmano na hantavyahthat no brahmana shall ever be killed specifically emphasises that it is an act of acute and heinous unrighteousness to cause the separation of any soul from its embodied state unnaturally which happens at the time of death.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya: Nimbaditya Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary In this way after establishing the immortality of the soul, Lord Krishna informs Arjuna that for anyone to believe that it is possible for the soul to be slain or anyone believing that they can be responsible for the slaying of the soul, are both in complete ignorance. Not being able to fathom the intrinsic nature of the soul they cannot realize that the soul is never the instigator of any action nor is the soul ever the recepient of any action.

[Paramananda das]

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