Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 26

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन ।
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन ॥

Transliteration

vedāhaṃ samatītāni vartamānāni cārjuna .
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni māṃ tu veda na kaścana ॥

Meaning

I know the beings of the past, the present and the future, O Arjuna; but no one knows Me.

Word meanings

वेद – know
अहम् – I
समतीतानि – those that have passed
वर्तमानानि – those of the present
च – and
अर्जुन – O Arjuna
भविष्याणि – those yet to come
भूतानि – beings
माम् – Me
तु – but
न – not
कश्चन – anyone

Anvaya (word order)

अर्जुन, अहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि च भविष्याणि च भूतानि वेद; तु मां कश्चन न वेद ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said that, veiled by yoga-maya, He is not known by the world. Now He contrasts His knowledge with that of living beings — on one side His omniscience, on the other their limited vision.

Vedaham samatitani vartamanani charjuna bhavishyani cha bhutani — I know all beings past, present and future. The Lord is not bound by time. We humans see the present moment only partially, keep a dim memory of the past, and can merely guess about the future. For the Lord all three times are clear at once — like one standing on a mountain peak who sees a river's source, middle course and confluence together, while one sitting in a boat sees only a small stretch ahead.

Mam tu veda na kashchana — but no one knows Me. 'No one' here means no one can know the Lord by his own strength or intellect. Shankara clarifies that only My devotees, who have taken refuge in Me, know Me; others, not knowing My reality, do not worship Me. The limited cannot grasp the unlimited, just as a wave cannot measure the ocean.

The verse teaches humility. The Lord knows us completely — our past, present and future; so any pretence before Him is useless. And we can know Him only through His grace and through devotion.

Context

Verse 7.25 said the world does not know the Lord because of yoga-maya. This verse contrasts His omniscience with the ignorance of beings. The next verse (7.27) explains that all beings are deluded from birth by the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion.

Life lesson

God knows you completely — your feelings, struggles and efforts too. This gives two things: the inspiration to be honest before Him, and the consolation that no sincere effort of yours goes unseen.

Key terms

Samatita: that which has passed
Vartamana: that which is present
Bhavishya: that which is yet to come
Omniscience: knowledge of everything