Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 46

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके ।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥

Transliteration

yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake .
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ॥

Meaning

As much use as there is in a small pond when there is a flood of water everywhere, so much use is there in all the Vedas for a brahmana who knows the truth.

Word meanings

यावान् – as much
अर्थः – use, purpose
उदपाने – in a small pond or well
सर्वतः – on all sides
सम्प्लुतोदके – when there is a flood of water
तावान् – so much
सर्वेषु – in all
वेदेषु – the Vedas
ब्राह्मणस्य – for the knower of Brahman
विजानतः – who knows the truth

Anvaya (word order)

सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके (सति) उदपाने यावान् अर्थः (भवति), विजानतः ब्राह्मणस्य सर्वेषु वेदेषु तावान् (अर्थः भवति) ।

Explanation

This verse illuminates the relation between ritual and Self-knowledge through a lovely image. Imagine a village with many small wells and ponds — one for drinking, one for bathing, one for irrigation. Now suppose a vast lake forms there, brimming with water on every side. All the purposes served by the little ponds are now fulfilled by that one lake.

In the same way the Vedas describe many rituals with many fruits — small pleasures, heaven and so on. But for one who has known Brahman, the source of infinite bliss, all those pleasures are contained within that boundless joy. Shankara says that the happiness gained from all actions is but a fraction of the bliss of Brahman, as the water of little ponds is but a portion of the ocean.

Here ‘brahmana’ does not denote a caste but ‘a knower of Brahman’, and ‘vijanatah’ means one who knows the truth by direct experience.

The verse does not belittle the Vedas. A small well has its value until the great lake is found. Likewise ritual has its value, for it purifies the mind and prepares it for knowledge. Ramanuja also reads the verse to mean that as a thirsty person takes from a great reservoir only as much as he needs, so the seeker of liberation takes from the Vedas only what helps towards liberation.

In life the verse tells us that once we are connected with the source of joy, the need to run after small pleasures falls away.

Context

In 2.45 Krishna told Arjuna to rise above the three gunas. Here He shows that for the knower of Brahman all the fruits promised in the Vedas are contained in the bliss of Brahman. In the next verse (2.47) He gives the most famous principle of karma yoga — your right is to action, never to its fruits.

Life lesson

When we are connected to the source of joy and peace, dependence on small external pleasures naturally lessens. Respect the means, but do not forget the goal.

Key terms

Udapana: a small pond or well
Samplutodaka: a vast expanse of water on all sides
Brahmana: here, a knower of Brahman