Shloka 20

यदात्मकमिदं विश्वं क्रतवश्च यदात्मका: । अग्निराहुतयो मन्त्रा साङ्ख्यं योगश्च यत्पर: ॥ २० ॥ एक एवाद्वितीयोऽसावैतदात्म्यमिदं जगत् । आत्मनात्माश्रय: सभ्या: सृजत्यवति हन्त्यज: ॥ २१ ॥

yad-ātmakam idaṁ viśvaṁ kratavaś ca yad-ātmakāḥ agnir āhutayo mantrā sāṅkhyaṁ yogaś ca yat-paraḥ

Seluruh alam semesta ini berasaskan pada-Nya; demikian juga upacara korban suci yang agung, api suci, persembahan dan mantra-mantranya. Sāṅkhya dan yoga kedua-duanya menuju kepada-Nya, Yang Esa tanpa yang kedua. Wahai ahli perhimpunan, Tuhan yang tidak dilahirkan itu, bersandar hanya pada Diri-Nya sendiri, dengan tenaga-Nya mencipta, memelihara dan memusnahkan jagat; maka kewujudan dunia ini bergantung pada-Nya semata-mata.

yad-ātmakamwhose essence is That (Krishna)
yad-ātmakam:
Visheshana (Adjective to viśvam)
TypeAdjective
Rootyad-ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
idamthis
idam:
Visheshana (Adjective to viśvam)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
viśvamuniverse
viśvam:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootviśva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
kratavaḥsacrifices
kratavaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkratu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
caand
ca:
null
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
yad-ātmakāḥwhose essence is That
yad-ātmakāḥ:
Visheshana (Adjective to kratavaḥ)
TypeAdjective
Rootyad-ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
agniḥfire
agniḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootagni (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
āhutayaḥoblations/offerings
āhutayaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootāhuti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
mantrāḥmantras/hymns
mantrāḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmantra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
sāṅkhyamSankhya philosophy
sāṅkhyam:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsāṅkhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
yogaḥYoga practice
yogaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
caand
ca:
null
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
yat-paraḥaiming at Him
yat-paraḥ:
Visheshana (Adjective to yogaḥ)
TypeAdjective
Rootyat-para (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse states that sacrifice, fire, offerings, and mantras all have Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) as their essence and final goal.

Though intending to insult Kṛṣṇa, Śiśupāla inadvertently voices a profound truth: Kṛṣṇa is the inner reality of the cosmos and the endpoint of all Vedic paths.

Whatever practice you follow—study, meditation, service, or ritual—aim it toward remembrance and devotion to God, rather than treating the practice as the final goal.