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

Sesiapa yang benar-benar mengetahui Aku sebagai Yang tidak dilahirkan, tanpa permulaan, dan sebagai Tuhan Agung bagi segala dunia—dia, tidak terkeliru dalam kalangan manusia, ialah orang bijaksana dan dibebaskan daripada segala dosa.

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.