Gita 18.17
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते | हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ||१७||
yasya nāhaṅkṛto bhāvo buddhir yasya na lipyate | hatvāpi sa imāṁl lokān na hanti na nibadhyate ||17||
In essence: The one free from ego-sense, whose intelligence remains untainted, does not truly kill even when killing—and is never bound.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "This verse is terrifying. Is Krishna saying it's okay to kill people if you don't have ego?"
Guru: "He's not saying it's 'okay'—he's describing the mechanics of bondage. The question isn't 'Is killing permitted?' but 'What creates karmic bondage?' The answer: ego-sense and tainted intelligence create bondage, not external action per se."
Sadhak: "But surely killing is wrong regardless of the killer's mental state?"
Guru: "Consider Arjuna's situation: he's about to fight a righteous war against those who violated dharma. If he kills in that context, without personal hatred, without desire for kingdom, purely as an instrument of dharma—is that the same as murder? The external act is similar; the internal reality is completely different."
Sadhak: "So the teaching is about internal freedom, not about permitting violence?"
Guru: "Exactly. And notice: the person described here—free from ego, with untainted intelligence—would rarely if ever choose violence. They have no personal motive for it. When they do act forcefully, it's purely situational necessity, like a surgeon's cut. The verse is showing that even the extreme case doesn't create bondage for such a person."
Sadhak: "How do I apply this to my ordinary life where I'm not facing any battles?"
Guru: "Every day you 'kill' in small ways—harsh words that wound, neglect that harms, competition that destroys others' opportunities. Ask yourself: 'Is my intelligence getting tainted? Is my ego invested in this?' If yes, bondage is forming. The teaching applies to all action, from the extreme to the everyday."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Set an intention: 'Today, may my actions arise from necessity and wisdom rather than from ego-protection or ego-aggrandizement. May my intelligence remain clear, not colored by today's successes or failures.'
When you must take firm action—disciplining a child, confronting a wrong, saying a difficult truth—check your inner state. Is there ego-heat? Personal investment in proving yourself right? Desire to dominate? Or is it necessary action arising from clear seeing? Adjust the inner state before acting when possible.
Review: 'Where did my intelligence get tainted today? Where did ego insert itself into my actions?' Not for self-blame, but for learning. Notice the actions that left residue versus those that flowed through cleanly. Understand the difference. Gradually, increase the proportion of clean flow.