Moksha Sannyasa Yogah - He whose nature is free from egotism, whose understanding is not tainted, though he slays these people, he slays not, nor is he bound.
यस्य नाहङ् कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते |
हत्वाऽपि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ||17||

He whose nature is free from egotism, whose understanding is not tainted, though he slays these people, he slays not, nor is he bound.

  • Ahaṅkṛto: Of egotism.
  • Bhāvo: State of being.
  • Lipyate: Gets tainted.
  • Nibadhyate: Gets bound.

This verse contains one of the Gita's most profound paradoxes: one who acts without ego-identification is actually not acting at all. The enlightened warrior can fulfill his duty without accruing karma, resolving Arjuna's dilemma about the morality of warfare.

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