Verse 2.46
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके। तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yāvān artha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
Word-by-Word Meanings
artha-purpose/use
udapāne-in a well
sampluta-udake-in a great flood of water
vedeṣu-in the Vedas
vijānataḥ-of one who knows
Translation
As much use as there is in a well when water floods everywhere, so much use is there in all the Vedas for a knower of Brahman.
Commentary
A powerful analogy: when a flood covers everything, a small well becomes redundant. Similarly, for one who has realized Brahman directly, the ritualistic portions of the Vedas become unnecessary - not because they are wrong, but because their purpose has been fulfilled. Direct knowledge supersedes indirect means.
Themes
jnanamoksha