BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:46

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:46

 

yavan artha udapane

sarvatah samplutodake

tavan sarvesu vedesu

brahmanasya vijanatah

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

yavan--all that; arthah--is meant; uda-pane--in a well of water;

sarvatah--in all respects; sampluta-udake--in a great reservoir of

water; tavan--similarly; sarvesu--in all; vedesu--Vedic literatures;

brahmanasya--of the man who knows the Supreme Brahman; vijanatah--who

is in complete knowledge.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great

reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be

served to one who knows the purpose behind them.

 

PURPORT

 

The rituals and sacrifices mentioned in the karma-kanda division of

the Vedic literature are meant to encourage gradual development of

self-realization. And the purpose of self-realization is clearly

stated in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita (15.15): the

purpose of studying the Vedas is to know Lord Krsna, the primeval

cause of everything. So, self-realization means understanding Krsna

and one's eternal relationship with Him. The relationship of the

living entities with Krsna is also mentioned in the Fifteenth Chapter

of Bhagavad-gita (15.7). The living entities are parts and parcels of

Krsna; therefore, revival of Krsna consciousness by the individual

living entity is the highest perfectional stage of Vedic knowledge.

This is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam

(3.33.7) as follows:

 

aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan

yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam

tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya

brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te

 

"O my Lord, a person who is chanting Your holy name, although born of a low

family like that of a candala [dog-eater], is situated on the highest

platform of self-realization. Such a person must have performed all

kinds of penances and sacrifices according to Vedic rituals and

studied the Vedic literatures many, many times after taking his bath

in all the holy places of pilgrimage. Such a person is considered to

be the best of the Aryan family.

 

So one must be intelligent enough to understand the purpose of the

Vedas, without being attached to the rituals only, and must not desire

to be elevated to the heavenly kingdoms for a better quality of sense

gratification. It is not possible for the common man in this age to

follow all the rules and regulations of the Vedic rituals, nor is it

possible to study all of the Vedanta and the Upanisads thoroughly. It

requires much time, energy, knowledge and resources to execute the

purposes of the Vedas. This is hardly possible in this age. The best

purpose of Vedic culture is served, however, by chanting the holy name

of the Lord, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, the deliverer of all

fallen souls. When Lord Caitanya was asked by a great Vedic scholar,

Prakasananda Sarasvati, why He, the Lord, was chanting the holy name

of the Lord like a sentimentalist instead of studying Vedanta

philosophy, the Lord replied that His spiritual master had found Him

to be a great fool and thus asked Him to chant the holy name of Lord

Krsna. He did so, and became ecstatic like a madman. In this Age of

Kali, most of the population is foolish and not adequately educated to

understand Vedanta philosophy; the best purpose of Vedanta philosophy

is served by inoffensively chanting the holy name of the Lord. Vedanta

is the last word in Vedic wisdom, and the author and knower of the

Vedanta philosophy is Lord Krsna; and the highest Vedantist is the

great soul who takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord.

That is the ultimate purpose of all Vedic mysticism.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.