Chapter 7, Verse 19 (Bhagavad Gita 7.19)
Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yog – Self-Knowledge and Enlightenment
Sanskrit Shloka
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते। वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः
Transliteration
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
Word Meanings
bahūnām—many; janmanām—births; ante—after; jñāna-vān—one who is endowed with knowledge; mām—unto me; prapadyate—surrenders; vāsudevaḥ—Shree Krishna, the son of Vasudev; sarvam—all; iti—that; saḥ—that; mahā-ātmā—great soul; su-durlabhaḥ—very rare
Translation
After many births of spiritual practice, the man of wisdom finds refuge in Me, realizing that everything is indeed Vasudeva, the Supreme Lord. Such a great soul (Mahatma) is exceedingly rare to find.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Lord Krishna explains that true wisdom is the realization that the entire universe is an extension of His own divine essence. This shift in perception requires the shedding of ego over countless lifetimes, leading the seeker to see no distinction between the self, the world, and Krishna. Such a Mahatma understands that every form and experience is a manifestation of the Lord, transforming ordinary existence into a continuous act of devotion. By internalizing this truth, the seeker transcends the duality of the material world and finds eternal peace in the embrace of Lord Krishna. Finding a soul with such unwavering clarity is the rarest event in the cosmos.