Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 -Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 21

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of  The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

Be not attached to Karma - 21

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 2 - Samkhya Yoga - Sloka 21

Veda avinashinam nityam yah enam ajam avyayam I

Katham sah purushah partha  kam ghatayati  hanti kam II Sloka 21

वेद अविनाशिनं नित्यं यः एनं अजं अव्ययं ।

कथं सः पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कं ।। श्लोक २१ 

He who cognises the Atman as indestructible, eternal, unborn, and changeless,  how can we slay, O Partha or cause another to slay.

Atman is actionless. The knower of the Atman is free from egoism; therefore the feeling of agency is not in him. Karma does not, for that reason, taint him. Slaying and causing to slay are apparently terrible actions. But becasue of the absence of egoism in an enlightened person, even such evil actions do not tarnish him.  An aspirant tries to be free from egoism while discharging his duty. 

Absorbed as asiant was, he was passing along a crowded street. Then by chance he trampled upon the foot of a wicked man. The ruffian became enraged and recklessly assaulted the holy man, until he fainted and fell down. He was forthwith carried to the ashrama and tenderly nursed by his disciples. When he regained consciousness, he was asked if he could recognise the one attending on him. "The hand that beat up the body is now nursing it", came the reply. The knower of the Brahman distinguishes  not the assaulter from the assaulted. 

Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa