Chapter 7: Gyaan Vigyana Yoga, verse 19
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ॥
Say itbahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
Translation
At the end of many births, the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vaasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul (Mahatma) is very hard to find.
Swami Sivananda
At the end of many births, the man of knowledge attains Me, realizing that Vasudeva is all. Such a high-souled one is very rare.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
At the end of many births, the man of knowledge finds refuge in Me, realizing that 'Vasudeva is all.' It is very difficult to find such a great-souled person.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
At the end of many births, one attains Me with the conviction that 'All is Vasudeva'- that noble soul is very difficult to attain.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
After many lives, at last the wise one realizes Me as I am. It is very difficult to find a man so enlightened that he sees God everywhere.
Shri Purohit Swami
बहुत जन्मोंके अन्तमें अर्थात् मनुष्यजन्ममें 'सब कुछ परमात्मा ही है', ऐसा जो ज्ञानवान् मेरे शरण होता है, वह महात्मा अत्यन्त दुर्लभ है।
Swami Ramsukhdas
बहुत जन्मों के अन्त में (किसी एक जन्म विशेष में) ज्ञान को प्राप्त होकर कि 'यह सब वासुदेव है' ज्ञानी भक्त मुझे प्राप्त होता है; ऐसा महात्मा अति दुर्लभ है।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.
Verse map
How this verse connects to feelings, situations, ideas and other verses. Hover or tap to see why; these links are drafts awaiting review.