If the killer thinks he kills, or if the killed thinks he is killed, both do not know the truth. This one does not kill, nor is that one killed.

This profound statement dismantles the fundamental illusion of violence and victimization. The hantā (killer) and the one destroyed are both victims of avidyā (ignorance), not understanding that the Ātman is indestructible. The act of killing operates only on the plane of the body, never on the Self.

The term anyonyam (mutually) appears twice, emphasizing that both perpetrator and victim participate in the same error of identification. Viduḥ (they think, conceive) indicates that this is a mental construction, not an objective reality. The killer believes he can destroy; the killed believes he can be destroyed.

Na vijānītaḥ (they do not know) is the verdict upon both — they remain in darkness regarding the nature of the Self. This ignorance has devastating karmic consequences, generating the cycle of saṃsāra (existential circularity). The recognition that “this one does not kill, nor is that one killed” is liberating for both parties.

In the practice of yoga, this verse invites contemplation of the immortal nature of all beings. The ahiṃsā (non-violence) of the Yoga Sūtras is not simply abstention from physical harm, but the deep recognition that truly harming is impossible. This vision transforms all relationships and dissolves the fear of death.