Bhagavad Gita 13.12 अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं

Bhagavad Gita 13.12 — word by word

Explanation

Steady dedication to knowledge of the self and keeping in sight the goal of knowing the truth: all this is declared to be knowledge, and whatever is contrary to it is ignorance. With this verse the list of twenty or so qualities comes to an end, summed up as knowledge itself.

This verse closes the list of qualities with a firm definition. Knowledge means the whole cluster of virtues and the constant aim of self-knowledge; ignorance is their opposite, such as pride, hypocrisy, violence and restlessness. Shankara stresses the phrase seeing the purpose of the knowledge of truth, meaning that study should always point towards liberation. The verse makes clear that the Gita's idea of a wise person is a transformed person, not merely a learned one.

भावार्थ

अध्यात्म-ज्ञान में निरन्तर स्थित रहना और तत्त्वज्ञान के लक्ष्य परमात्मा को देखना — यह सब ज्ञान कहा गया है, और जो इसके विपरीत है वह अज्ञान है। इन गुणों का होना ही सच्चा ज्ञान है।

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