Chapter 7 · Verse 18

Self-Knowledge and Enlightenment

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्। आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्

udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tvātmaiva me matam āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim

Word Meanings

udārāḥ sarve eva ete jñānī tu ātmā eva me matam āsthitaḥ saḥ hi yukta-ātmā mām eva anuttamām gatim

Translation

All these are noble indeed, but the man of wisdom I regard as my very self; for, steadfast in mind, he is devoted to Me alone as the supreme goal.

Commentary

उदाराः noble? सर्वे all? एव surely? एते these? ज्ञानी the wise? तु but? आत्मा Self? एव very? मे My? मतम् opinion? आस्थितः is established? सः he? हि verily? युक्तात्मा steadfastminded? माम् Me? एव verily? अनुत्तमाम्,the supreme? गतिम् goal.Commentary Are not the other three kinds of devotees dear to the Lord They are. They are all noble souls. But the wise man is exceedingly dear because he has a steady mind he has fixed his mind on Brahman. He does not want any worldly object? but only the Supreme Being. He seeks Brahman alone as the supreme goal. He practises Ahamgraha Upasana (meditation on the Self as the all). He tries to realise that he is identical with the Supreme Self. Therefore I regard a wise man as My very Self. (Cf.II.49)