Verse 18.20
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते | अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ||२०||
Transliteration (IAST)
sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṁ bhāvam avyayam īkṣate | avibhaktaṁ vibhakteṣu taj jñānaṁ viddhi sāttvikam ||20||
Word-by-Word Meanings
sarva-bhūteṣu-in all beings
ekam-one
bhāvam-nature/existence
avyayam-imperishable
īkṣate-sees
avibhaktam-undivided
vibhakteṣu-in the divided
sāttvikam-in the mode of goodness
Translation
That knowledge by which one sees the one imperishable reality in all beings, undivided in the divided - know that knowledge to be sattvic.
Commentary
Sattvic knowledge perceives the one undivided Self in all diverse forms. Shankaracharya explains this as the direct perception of Brahman - seeing unity in multiplicity. Ramanuja interprets it as recognizing the same divine essence (ātman) present equally in all bodies regardless of external differences. This is the highest form of spiritual knowledge.
Themes
jnanaatmanmoksha