Shloka 21
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
पुरुषत्वे च मां धीरा: साङ्ख्ययोगविशारदा: । आविस्तरां प्रपश्यन्ति सर्वशक्त्युपबृंहितम् ॥ २१ ॥
puruṣatve ca māṁ dhīrāḥ sāṅkhya-yoga-viśāradāḥ āvistarāṁ prapaśyanti sarva-śakty-upabṛṁhitam
മനുഷ്യരൂപത്തിൽ ധീരരും ഇന്ദ്രിയനിയന്ത്രണമുള്ളവരും സാംഖ്യയോഗവിജ്ഞാനത്തിൽ നിപുണരുമായവർ, എന്റെ സർവ്വശക്തികളാൽ സമ്പുഷ്ടമായ ദിവ്യസ്വരൂപത്തെ നേരിട്ട് ദർശിക്കുന്നു.
We find the following statement in the Vedas: puruṣatve cāvistarām ātmā sahita-prajñānena sampanna-tamo vijñātaṁ vadati vijñātaṁ paśyati veda śvastanaṁ veda lokālokau martyenāmṛtam īpsaty evaṁ sampanno ’thetareṣāṁ paśūnām āsanā-pipāse evābhijñānam. “In the human form of life, the soul is fully endowed with intelligence to understand spiritual knowledge. Thus, in human life the soul may speak realized knowledge, see the truth, know the future and also understand the reality both of this world and of the next. Taking advantage of the experience of mortal life, the soul in human form may endeavor for immortality, and the human body is fully equipped to achieve this end. In such an elevated state the soul is certainly well acquainted with the ordinary activities of animals, such as eating and drinking.”
FAQs
This verse states that sober sages, proficient in Sāṅkhya and Yoga, directly perceive Kṛṣṇa in His supreme personhood—fully manifest and endowed with all potencies.
In the Uddhava-gītā context, Kṛṣṇa teaches Uddhava multiple paths of realization, explaining how true knowledge and disciplined practice culminate in perceiving Bhagavān, the all-powerful Supreme Person.
Cultivate steadiness (dhīratā), study discernment (Sāṅkhya) and practice inner discipline (Yoga), so that spiritual life moves beyond theory toward clear perception of the Divine as the source of all strength and order.