Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 22

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् ।
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

Transliteration

yattu kṛtsnavadekasminkārye saktamahaitukam .
atattvārthavadalpaṃ ca tattāmasamudāhṛtam ॥

Meaning

And that knowledge which clings to one single thing as if it were the whole, which is without reason, without grasp of truth, and trivial, is declared to be tamasic.

Word meanings

यत् – which
तु – and, but
कृत्स्नवत् – as if it were the whole
एकस्मिन् – to one single
कार्ये – effect, object (such as the body)
सक्तम् – attached, clinging
अहैतुकम् – without reason
अतत्त्वार्थवत् – without grasp of the real truth
अल्पम् – trivial, narrow
च – and
तत् – that
तामसम् – tamasic
उदाहृतम् – is declared

Anvaya (word order)

यत् तु एकस्मिन् कार्ये कृत्स्नवत् सक्तम् अहैतुकम् अतत्त्वार्थवत् अल्पं च, तत् तामसम् उदाहृतम् ।

Explanation

Tamasic knowledge is the lowest kind — in truth, only a semblance of knowledge. Its first mark is ekasmin karye kritsnavat saktam — clinging to a single thing as though it were everything. Shankara says karya here means the body or a mere image; the tamasic person takes the body to be the Self, or fixes upon a single idea, object, person or opinion as the whole of truth.

Its second mark is ahaitukam — it has no reason or logic behind it. Such a person cannot give any ground for his conviction, yet will not let it go. The third is atattvarthavat — it lacks any grasp of the real meaning of truth, resting on delusion and superstition. The fourth is alpam — it is narrow and trivial, for both its scope and its results are extremely limited.

The order of the three kinds of knowledge thus becomes clear. Sattvic knowledge sees the One in all; rajasic knowledge sees the many as separate; tamasic knowledge mistakes a petty fragment for the whole and gets stuck there. The first liberates, the second entangles, the third makes one dull and rigid.

Examples of tamasic knowledge are visible today as well — fanaticism, blind belief, narrow prejudice, or regarding the body and its pleasures as the whole of life. Ramanuja says such a person takes the Self to be the body alone and remains engaged in actions of meagre fruit. The Gita calls us to rise above this narrowness.

Context

The previous two verses described sattvic and rajasic knowledge. This verse describes tamasic knowledge. From the next verse (18.23) Krishna begins describing the three kinds of action.

Life lesson

Do not become rigid by treating one idea, object or belief as the whole of truth. Keep testing your convictions against reason and discernment. Only an open, inquiring mind can move towards true knowledge.

Key terms

Tamasic jnana: Narrow, irrational and deluded knowledge
Kritsnavat: As though it were the whole
Ahaituka: Without reason or basis
Atattvarthavat: Lacking grasp of the real truth
Alpa: Trivial, narrow