Verse 2.19

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.19:

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश् चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ १९ ॥

ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaś cainaṃ manyate hatam |
ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate || 19 ||

yaḥ–whoever; enam–this (soul); vetti–knows; hantāram–as the killer; yaḥ–who; ca–and; enam–this soul; manyate–considers; hatam–as killed; ubhau tau–of the two; na vijānītaḥ–is not in knowledge; na–nor; ayam–this soul; hanti–kills; na–not; hanyate–is killed.

He who considers the soul to be either the killer or the killed is ignorant, for the self neither slays nor is slain by anyone.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Kṛṣṇa says, “O friend, Arjuna, you are a soul, and therefore, you are neither the subject nor the object of the act of killing.” To explain this, Śrī Bhagavān is speaking this verse beginning with ya enam. “One who thinks that the jīvātmā kills (e.g. Arjuna kills Bhīṣma), or that the jīvātmā is killed (Arjuna is killed by Bhīṣma), is ignorant. Therefore, O friend, why do you fear infamy just because ignorant people will accuse you of killing your superiors?”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna, “You are a soul, and therefore, you are neither the subject nor the object of the verb ‘to kill’.” Here, He is clearly explaining that Arjuna is not the subject, the killer of heroes such as Bhīṣma who are on the opposite side, nor can he be the object of the killing done by them. Moreover, ignorant people who identify the self with the body consider that the gross body is the subject and object of killing. Kṛṣṇa concludes, “Therefore, becoming fully aware of this truth, give up your identification with the gross body and become situated in the nature of the self. Surrendering unto Me, fearlessly engage in your duty for My pleasure. Do not remain in ignorance about this at all.”

The same concept is also stated in the Śrutis:

hantā cen manyate hataṃ hataś cen manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyāte

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.19)

If one who identifies the self with the body thinks that he is killing someone, and if one whose body is being killed concludes that he is killed, then both are ignorant, because the soul neither kills anyone nor is killed.