Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 25

Chapter 13 – Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
अन्ये साङ्ख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ॥

Transliteration

dhyānenātmani paśyanti kecidātmānamātmanā .
anye sāṅkhyena yogena karmayogena cāpare ॥

Meaning

Some behold the Self within themselves through meditation, by means of the purified mind; others through the Yoga of knowledge; and still others through the Yoga of action.

Word meanings

ध्यानेन – by meditation
आत्मनि – within oneself, in the intellect
पश्यन्ति – behold, realise
केचित् – some
आत्मानम् – the Self
आत्मना – by the purified mind, by oneself
अन्ये – others
साङ्ख्येन – of Sankhya, discriminative knowledge
योगेन – by the Yoga
कर्मयोगेन – by the Yoga of action
च – and
अपरे – yet others

Anvaya (word order)

केचित् ध्यानेन आत्मना आत्मनि आत्मानम् पश्यन्ति, अन्ये साङ्ख्येन योगेन, अपरे च कर्मयोगेन ।

Explanation

Having declared the fruit of Self-knowledge, Krishna now names the paths by which it is reached. The generosity of the Gita shines here: the truth is one, but the ways to it differ according to the temperament of the seeker.

The first path is dhyana, meditation: withdrawing the senses from their objects, gathering the mind and holding it steadily on the Self, as described at length in Chapter 6. The phrase atmani atmanam atmana, seeing the Self in oneself by oneself, uses the word atma three times, as if to say that the search, the means and the goal all lie within. The second path is Sankhya-yoga, the way of discrimination, firmly resolving that the gunas, body and mind are not-self and that the Self is the distinct witness. The third is Karma-yoga, doing one's duty without attachment to results and as an offering to the Lord, which purifies the heart.

Shankara sees these as rungs of one ladder: Karma-yoga purifies the mind, purity makes one fit for knowledge and meditation, and finally it is knowledge that brings realisation. Ramanuja explains that the most qualified meditate directly; those not yet fit for that follow the path of knowledge; and those not yet fit even for that take up Karma-yoga, which, because it contains knowledge within it, can by itself lead to the vision of the Self.

The Gita thus imposes no single method. Each seeker may begin according to his nature, and with sincere effort every path leads to the same goal.

Context

Krishna is speaking to Arjuna. Verse 13.24 said that one who knows Purusha and Prakriti is not born again. This verse names three paths to that knowledge, and 13.26 speaks of those who know none of these paths themselves.

Life lesson

The spiritual journey has no single mould. Some advance by meditation, some by reflection, some by selfless service. Choosing the path that suits one's nature and walking it faithfully is the key.

Key terms

Dhyana: meditation, holding the mind steadily on the Self
Sankhya-yoga: the path of discriminating Self from not-self
Karma-yoga: the path of action without attachment, offered to God
Atma-darshana: direct vision of the Self