Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 21

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् ।
वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ॥

Transliteration

pṛthaktvena tu yajjñānaṃ nānābhāvānpṛthagvidhān .
vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu tajjñānaṃ viddhi rājasam ॥

Meaning

But that knowledge which, through separateness, sees in all beings various entities of different kinds, distinct from one another, know that knowledge to be rajasic.

Word meanings

पृथक्त्वेन – through separateness
तु – but
यत् – which
ज्ञानम् – knowledge
नानाभावान् – manifold entities
पृथग्विधान् – of different kinds
वेत्ति – knows, sees
सर्वेषु – in all
भूतेषु – beings
तत् – that
ज्ञानम् – knowledge
विद्धि – know
राजसम् – rajasic

Anvaya (word order)

यत् ज्ञानं तु सर्वेषु भूतेषु पृथक्त्वेन पृथग्विधान् नानाभावान् वेत्ति, तत् ज्ञानं राजसं विद्धि ।

Explanation

Rajasic knowledge is the counterpart of sattvic knowledge. Where sattvic knowledge sees unity in diversity, rajasic knowledge sees only diversity. It views all beings prithaktvena, through the lens of separateness; it supposes that every body contains a separate, independent and unconnected entity, with no fundamental unity among them.

This knowledge is called rajasic because the nature of rajas is desire, competition and the sense of 'mine and yours'. When a person sees others as entirely separate from himself, comparison, envy, rivalry and selfishness naturally arise. The mentality of 'more for me, less for him' is born of this vision of division. Much of the restlessness of modern life is the fruit of this rajasic outlook.

Such knowledge is not entirely false — at the practical level differences exist, and recognising them is necessary. But it is incomplete, because it sees only the surface and not the depth where all are one. Such knowledge keeps a person entangled in worldly relationships but does not lead to freedom.

According to Shankara, rajasic knowledge holds that there is a different Self in each body, and regards them as distinct — some happy, some miserable, each a separate doer and enjoyer. Ramanuja says this knowledge treats souls as essentially different according to bodily distinctions — god, human, animal — whereas in their nature as consciousness they are all alike.

Context

The previous verse described sattvic knowledge, which sees unity in all. This verse describes rajasic knowledge, which sees only difference. The next verse (18.22) describes narrow and irrational tamasic knowledge.

Life lesson

Seeing others only as rivals or outsiders breeds restlessness and envy. Acknowledge differences in practical life, but keep the underlying unity alive in your heart. The sense of 'we' brings far more happiness than the narrowness of 'I'.

Key terms

Rajasic jnana: Knowledge that sees beings only as separate
Prithaktva: Separateness, division
Nana-bhava: Many distinct entities