BG 18.20 (1972)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 20
- सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते ।
- अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ॥२०॥
- sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṁ
- bhāvam avyayam īkṣate
- avibhaktaṁ vibhakteṣu
- taj jñānaṁ viddhi sāttvikam
SYNONYMS
sarva-bhūteṣu—in all living entities; yena—by whom; ekam—one; bhāvam—situation; avyayam—imperishable; īkṣate—does see; avibhaktam—undivided; vibhakteṣu—in the numberless divided; tat—that; jñānam—knowledge; viddhi—knows; sāttvikam—in the mode of goodness.
TRANSLATION
That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all existences, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
A person who sees one spirit soul in every living being, whether a demigod, human being, animal, bird, beast, aquatic or plant, possesses knowledge in the mode of goodness. In all living entities, one spirit soul is there, although they have different bodies in terms of their previous work. As described in the Seventh Chapter, the manifestation of the living force in every body is due to the superior nature of the Supreme Lord. Thus to see that one superior nature, that living force, in every body is to see in the mode of goodness. That living energy is imperishable, although the bodies are perishable. The difference is perceived in terms of the body because there are many forms of material existence in conditional life; therefore they appear to be divided. Such impersonal knowledge finally leads to self-realization.