Chapter 2, Verse 46 (Bhagavad Gita 2.46)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके। तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः
Transliteration
yāvān artha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake tāvānsarveṣhu vedeṣhu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
Word Meanings
yāvān—whatever; arthaḥ—purpose; uda-pāne—a well of water; sarvataḥ—in all respects; sampluta-udake—by a large lake; tāvān—that many; sarveṣhu—in all; vedeṣhu—Vedas; brāhmaṇasya—one who realizes the Absolute Truth; vijānataḥ—who is in complete knowledge
Translation
Just as a small reservoir is of limited use when a vast flood covers everything, so are all the Vedas of limited use to a Brahmana who has realized the ultimate Truth.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse signifies the transition from ritualistic knowledge to experiential wisdom. While scriptures provide the roadmap for spiritual seekers, they become secondary once the seeker experiences the infinite Self, which encompasses the essence of all knowledge. It teaches that the objective of spiritual practice is not the accumulation of information, but the direct realization of the Divine. Once the ocean of Self-realization is attained, the utility of descriptive texts diminishes, as the goal of the journey is fulfilled. This profound shift marks the move from the duality of 'knowing' to the unity of 'being'.