Knowledge and Wisdom - 07 - 03

The Shloka

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मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये ।

यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥

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manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye ।

yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ ॥

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka highlights the extreme rarity and difficulty of achieving true spiritual knowledge and understanding of the Supreme Lord (Krishna). It emphasizes that while many may pursue spiritual paths, only a select few reach a state of perfection, and even fewer among them attain complete, factual knowledge of the Divine. It underscores the profound nature of God-realization and the demanding journey required for it, implying that such knowledge is not easily gained and requires immense dedication, purification, and grace.

Among thousands of human beings, scarcely one endeavors for perfection. And among those who endeavor and are perfected, scarcely one knows Me in truth.

Lord Krishna explains that out of many thousands of people, only a handful make an effort to achieve spiritual perfection or self-realization. Furthermore, even among those rare individuals who successfully strive and become perfected souls, only a very rare one truly understands Krishna in His full, factual nature, as the Supreme Truth.

In this profound verse, Lord Krishna delineates the arduous and exclusive path to understanding His divine nature. He begins by stating that among the countless millions of human beings inhabiting the earth, a truly minuscule fraction even contemplates or dedicates themselves to the pursuit of spiritual perfection (siddhi). The general populace is engrossed in material pursuits, sensual pleasures, and the cycles of birth and death, seldom turning their minds towards self-realization or higher truths. Only a unique, determined individual will step away from this materialistic tide and genuinely endeavor for spiritual upliftment.

Krishna then elevates this rarity even further. He explains that even among those extraordinary souls who have taken up the spiritual journey and have, through rigorous discipline, meditation, and devotion, attained a state of ‘perfection’ or ‘siddhi’ (which can include various mystic powers, self-realization, or a purified state of mind), only a rare few truly know Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His factual reality (‘tattvataḥ’). This implies that many perfected beings might achieve liberation or realize the impersonal Brahman, or even a localized aspect of God, but to understand Krishna as the ultimate source of all existence, the origin of Brahman and Paramatma, and the Supreme enjoyer, is an even more advanced and exclusive realization. This ‘tattvataḥ’ knowledge means understanding His form, pastimes, attributes, and supreme position as the cause of all causes, with pure, unalloyed devotion. It is a level of understanding that transcends mere intellectual comprehension or even mystic experience, requiring a special grace and pure devotion.

Sentence - 1

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मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये ।

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Meaning

Among thousands of human beings, scarcely one endeavors for perfection.

Meaning of Words

मनुष्याणां	Manuṣyāṇām
Among men This word refers to human beings, mankind, or people in general. It denotes the vast populace of individuals born as humans in this world.
सहस्रेषु	sahasreṣu
Among thousands This indicates a very large number, specifically ‘thousands’. When used with ‘manuṣyāṇām’, it emphasizes the immense multitude of people.
कश्चित्	kaścit
Someone, scarcely one This translates to ‘someone’ or ‘a certain one’. In context, it implies a rare individual, highlighting the rarity of such a person among the thousands.
यतति	yatati
endeavors, strives This means to make an effort, to strive, or to endeavor. It signifies engaging in strenuous and persistent exertion towards a goal, usually a spiritual one in this context.
सिद्धये	siddhaye
for perfection, for spiritual realization This refers to ‘perfection’, ‘accomplishment’, ‘spiritual realization’, or ‘attainment’. In the context of spiritual teachings, ‘siddhi’ often denotes liberation (moksha), self-realization, or achieving a perfected state of being.

Sentence - 2

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यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥

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Meaning

And among those who endeavor and are perfected, scarcely one knows Me in truth.

Meaning of Words

यततामपि	Yatatām
Among those who endeavor This is a genitive plural of ‘yatat’, meaning ‘of those who are striving’ or ‘among the strivers’. It refers to the individuals who have made significant efforts towards spiritual perfection. The ‘api’ connotes ‘even’ or ‘also’, emphasizing that even among this select group.
सिद्धानां	siddhānām
Among the perfected ones This means ‘among the perfected ones’, ‘of those who have achieved spiritual perfection or realization’. These are individuals who have successfully completed their spiritual journey to a significant degree, having attained some form of liberation or higher consciousness.
कश्चिन्मां	kaścin
Someone, scarcely one Similar to ‘kaścit’, this denotes a rare individual. Here, it signifies that even among the already rare perfected souls, only a few have the true understanding.
मां	mām
Me Refers to Lord Krishna, the speaker in the Bhagavad Gita, indicating Himself as the Supreme Being, the ultimate object of knowledge and devotion.
वेत्ति	vetti
Knows This signifies ‘knows’ or ‘understands’. It refers to a deep, experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual understanding.
तत्त्वतः	tattvataḥ
In truth, factually This means ‘in truth’, ‘in reality’, ‘factually’, or ‘as He is’. It implies knowing the ultimate nature, the essence, and the true identity of the Supreme Lord, beyond any superficial or partial understanding.

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