Shloka 4

Bhakti–Akṣara-Upāsanā-Viveka

Devotion to the Personal vs. Contemplation of the Imperishable

Devanagari script

२१) 'हे उद्धव! संतोंका परमप्रिय “आत्मा” रूप मैं एकमात्र श्रद्धा-भक्तिसे ही वशीभूत होता हूँ। मेरी भक्ति जन्मतः चाण्डालोंको भी पवित्र कर देती है।” यहाँ “पापयोनय:” पदको स्त्री

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram | asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ||

Translation

Whoever truly knows Me as unborn, without beginning, and as the great Lord of the worlds—such a person, undeluded among mortals, is released from all sins.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'arjuna uvāca', 'definition': 'Arjuna said'}, {'term': 'yaḥ', 'definition': 'who (whoever)'}, {'term': 'mām', 'definition': 'Me'}, {'term': 'ajam', 'definition': 'unborn (not subject to birth)'}, {'term': 'anādim', 'definition': 'beginningless'}, {'term': 'ca', 'definition': 'and'}, {'term': 'vetti', 'definition': 'knows, understands'}, {'term': 'loka-maheśvaram', 'definition': 'the great Lord of the worlds'}, {'term': 'asammūḍhaḥ', 'definition': 'not deluded

• clear-minded'}, {'term': 'sa', 'definition': 'he, that person'}, {'term': 'martyeṣu', 'definition': 'among mortals, in the human realm'}, {'term': 'sarva-pāpaiḥ', 'definition': 'from all sins/evils (instrumental plural)'}, {'term': 'pramucyate', 'definition': 'is freed, is released'}]

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Krishna (implied as the 'Me' being addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True understanding of Krishna’s transcendence—unborn, beginningless, and sovereign over the worlds—dispels delusion and becomes a basis for moral and spiritual purification, culminating in freedom from sin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Kurukṣetra teaching, Arjuna speaks a verse affirming that the person who rightly knows Krishna’s supreme, birthless nature is not confused by appearances and attains release from sin.