Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 21 — Meaning & Life Application
Sanskrit Shloka (Original)
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् | वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ||१८-२१||
Transliteration
pṛthaktvena tu yajjñānaṃ nānābhāvānpṛthagvidhān . vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu tajjñānaṃ viddhi rājasam ||18-21||
Word-by-Word Meaning
📖 Translation
18.21 But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as different from one another know thou that knowledge to be Rajasic.
।।18.21।। जिस ज्ञान के द्वारा मनुष्य समस्त भूतों में नाना भावों को पृथक्-पृथक् जानता है, उस ज्ञान को तुम राजस जानो।।
How to Apply This Verse in Modern Life
💼 At Work & Career
In professional settings, Rajasic knowledge manifests as an excessive focus on individual achievements, departmental silos, and unhealthy competition, judging colleagues solely by their roles, status, or perceived differences. This hinders collaborative efforts, fosters a 'zero-sum' mindset, and prevents recognition of the interconnected contributions essential for collective success.
🧘 For Stress & Anxiety
A mind dominated by Rajasic knowledge constantly perceives differences and separateness. This can lead to chronic comparison, envy, fear of 'others,' a sense of isolation, and an inability to find common ground or connection. This fuels anxiety, social stress, and feelings of alienation, as it emphasizes perceived flaws or differences in oneself and others.
❤️ In Relationships
In personal relationships, seeing others primarily as distinct and separate entities with different interests and motivations can lead to a lack of empathy, frequent misunderstandings, and an inability to build deep connections. It fosters an 'us vs. them' mentality, encourages transactional interactions, and often results in conflict and superficial bonds rather than genuine mutual understanding and compassion.
When to Chant/Recall This Verse
Solves These Life Problems
Key Message in One Line
“Perceiving reality solely through the lens of distinctness and separation, rather than interconnectedness, is Rajasic knowledge that fragments existence and fosters discord.”
🕉️ Council of Sages
Compare interpretations from revered Acharyas and scholars
🌍 English Interpretations
Swami Sivananda
18.21 पृथक्त्वेन as different from one another? तु but? यत् which? ज्ञानम् knowledge? नानाभावान् various entities? पृथग्विधान् of distinct kinds? वेत्ति knows? सर्वेषु (in) all? भूतेषु in beings? तत् that? ज्ञानम् knowledge? विद्धि know? राजसम् Rajasic.Commentary Knowledge which sees As knowledge cannot be an agent? this should be interpreted to mean knowledge by which one sees.Entities Selves or souls.Different from one another Regarding them as different in different bodies.The knowledge that is led by the idea of separateness is passionate. Enveloping as it does the manifold creation with the veil of separateness? it deludes even the wise man. Owing to passionate knowledge? beings appear to be separate and the perception of unity is also lost sight of. That knowledge which beholds multiplicity in created objects and differentiates them as being small or great? according to their form and size? is of passionate nature and tainted. A man with passionate knowledge sees diversity everywhere. He beholds the many only.Now I will explain to thee? O Arjuna? knowledge that is of the ality of darkness? in order that thou mayest avoid it.
Shri Purohit Swami
18.21 The knowledge which thinks of the manifold existence in all beings as separate - that comes from Passion.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
18.21. That instrument-of-knowledge, by means of which one considers the varied natures of different sorts in all beings as [really] different-that is regarded to be of the Rajas (Strand).
Swami Adidevananda
18.21 But that knowledge which sees all beings, by reason of their individuality, as entities of distinct nature - know that knowledge to be Rajasika.
Swami Gambirananda
18.21 But know that knowledge to be originating from rajas which, amidst all things, apprehends the different entities of various kinds as distinct [As possessing distinct selves.].
🇮🇳 Hindi Interpretations
Swami Chinmayananda
।।18.21।। जब हम इन्द्रिय? मन और बुद्धि के माध्यम से जगत् का अवलोकन करते हैं? तब? निसन्देह उसमें हमें असंख्य प्रकार के भेद दृष्टिगोचर होते हैं। परन्तु जो वस्तु जिस रूप में दिखाई देती है? उसके उसी रूप को सत्य समझ लेना अविवेक का लक्षण है। राजसी पुरुष का मन सदैव चंचल और अस्थिर रहने के कारण वह कभी शान्त मन से विचार नहीं कर पाता और यही कारण है कि वह दृष्टिगोचर भेद? जैसे वनस्पति? पशु? मनुष्य आदि को परस्पर सर्वथा भिन्न और सत्य मान लेता है। ऐसे ज्ञान को राजस ज्ञान कहते हैं।
Swami Ramsukhdas
।।18.21।। व्याख्या -- पृथक्त्वेन तु (टिप्पणी प0 904.1) यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान् पृथग्विधान् -- राजस ज्ञानमें राग की मुख्यता होती है -- रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि (गीता 14। 7)। रागका यह नियम है कि वह जिसमें आ जाता है? उसमें किसीके प्रति आसक्ति? प्रियता पैदा करा देता है और किसीके प्रति द्वेष पैदा करा देता है। इस रागके कारण ही मनुष्य? देवता? यक्षराक्षस? पशुपक्षी? कीटपतङ्ग? वृक्षलता आदि जितने भी चरअचर प्राणी हैं? उन प्राणियोंकी विभिन्न आकृति? स्वभाव? नाम? रूप? गुण आदिको लेकर राजस ज्ञानवाला मनुष्य उनमें रहनेवाली एक ही अविनाशी आत्माको तत्त्वसे अलगअलग समझता है।वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् -- इसी तरह जिस ज्ञानसे मनुष्य अलगअलग शरीरोंमें अन्तःकरण? स्वभाव? इन्द्रियाँ? प्राण आदिके सम्बन्धसे प्राणियोंको भी अलगअलग मानता है? वह ज्ञान राजस कहलाता है। राजस ज्ञानमें जडचेतनका विवेक नहीं होता। सम्बन्ध -- अब तामस ज्ञानका वर्णन करते हैं।
Swami Tejomayananda
।।18.21।। जिस ज्ञान के द्वारा मनुष्य समस्त भूतों में नाना भावों को पृथक्-पृथक् जानता है, उस ज्ञान को तुम राजस जानो।।
📜 Sanskrit Commentaries
Sri Madhavacharya
।।18.21।।Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka. ,
Sri Anandgiri
।।18.21।।द्वैतदर्शनान्यपि कानिचिद्भवन्ति सत्त्वनिर्वृत्तानि सम्यञ्चीत्याशङ्क्याह -- यानीति। तेषामसम्यक्त्वे हेतुमाह -- राजसानीति। प्रतिदेहमन्यत्वेन भिन्नात्मनो येन ज्ञानेन जानाति तज्ज्ञानं राजसमिति व्याचष्टे -- भेदेनेति। पृथक्त्वं पृथग्विधत्वं च पुनरुक्तमित्याशङ्क्य हेतुहेतुमत्त्वेन विभागं विवक्षित्वाह -- भिन्नेति। ज्ञानस्य ज्ञानकर्तृत्वमयुक्तमित्याशङ्क्याह -- येनेति।
Sri Vallabhacharya
।।18.21।।पृथक्त्वेनेति स्पष्टम्।
Sridhara Swami
।।18.21।।राजसं ज्ञानमाह -- पृथक्त्वेनेति। पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानमित्यस्यैव विवरणं सर्वेषु भूतेषु देहेषु नानाभावान्वस्तुत एवानेकान्क्षेत्रज्ञान् पृथग्विधान्सुखीदुःखीत्यादिरूपेण विलक्षणान् येन ज्ञानेन वेत्ति तज्ज्ञानं राजसं विद्धि।