Verse-46
Chapter 2 — Sānkhya Yog
Verse 46
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ saṁplutodake
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
What is the use of a small reservoir of water when there is flood of water all around a human being. The same use is the Vedas to a Brahmin who knows the Truth Principle in essence.
This aforesaid Gita verse created a doubt in the minds of persons with limited vision that Gita does not conform to the Vedas, or this is a move to belittle the Vedas or this is a move to disrespect the Vedas. In fact, this is not the true picture. The great sage Veda Vyas who gave an organized form to the Vedas and is the same Ved Vyas who reduced in writing the Mahabharata's Bhisma Parva from chapter 25 to 42. How can one imagine such a situation. In the mango fruit the skin and the seed are also of importance but the mango juice in any case is important and one who has enjoyed the juice, can he say what use the seed and the skin are?
The verse contains an illustration. On finding a large reservoir of water that too near by and water in abundant quantity then what use is the small pond outside? Do not assume that in the Vedas there is distinction as to skin, seed or big and small. Try to peep in from the point of view of deliberation not just from the point of view of logical intellect. There is a difference between desireful and desireless action. In comparison to desireless activities will you not consider the activities with an eye on fruits as inferior? You will have to accept that in comparison with the soul or the body and in comparison with God the world of material objects is by itself on a lower platform.