Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 2 · Verse 19
BG 2.19
He who thinks it kills, and he who thinks it is killed — both are ignorant. The soul neither kills nor can be killed.
ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaś cainaṃ manyate hatam | ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate ||
Sanskrit / Transliteration
TRANSLATION
He who thinks this (soul) is a slayer and he who thinks this (soul) is slain — both of them fail to perceive the truth. This soul neither slays nor is slain.
EXPLANATION
This is one of the most profound verses in the Gita. The soul (atman) is beyond action and consequence. Birth and death belong to the body, not the self. Understanding this dissolves the deepest fears about death, loss, and harming others.