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Bhagavad-Gītā with Śaṅkara's bhāṣya · 2.46
yāvān artha udapāne sarvataḥ saṃplutodake | tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
Translation. The full measure of benefit (artha) found in a well
is included in an expanse flooded with water on every side;
that same measure of the fruit of action (karma-phala) in all Veda-enjoined rites
is included, for the Brāhmaṇa—the renunciant who knows ultimate reality—in the fruit of knowledge (vijñāna-phala).
Grammar check: 10 words pass / 0 flagged / 0 beyond the checkerPāṇini-verified
Every word's claimed grammar is re-derived with vidyut-prakriya, software implementing Pāṇini's rules. Flags are shown, never hidden; some are the text taking epic or Vedic liberties the classical rules do not generate.
Word by word
| surface | lemma | grammar |
|---|
| yāvān | yāvat | pass |
| arthaḥ | artha | pass |
| udapāne | udapāna | pass |
| sarvataḥ | sarvatas | pass |
| saṃplutodake | saṃplutodaka | pass |
| tāvān | tāvat | pass |
| sarveṣu | sarva | pass |
| vedeṣu | veda | pass |
| brāhmaṇasya | brāhmaṇa | pass |
| vijānataḥ | vijānat | pass |
How the commentary settled it
Where the verse alone is ambiguous, the reading follows Śaṅkara's commentary; the deciding lines are quoted below each decision.
Interpret artha as benefit, purpose, or result—specifically the fruits furnished by bounded water, ritual action, and knowledge—not as wealth or an object.→ benefit or result, contextually the fruit obtained
gita [1]snāna-pānādir arthaḥ phalaṃ prayojanaṃ
The benefit consisting in bathing, drinking, and so forth is a result, a purpose.
gita [2]yo 'rthaḥ yat karma-phalaṃ
The benefit—that is, the fruit of action.
Take udapāne and saṃplutodake as contrasting locative domains: the uses available from a bounded well are included within those available in an all-sided inundation. Analyze saṃplutodaka as a bahuvrīhi referring to a locus whose water has overflowed.→ a bahuvrīhi denoting the inundated expanse, contrasted with the bounded water-source
gita [1]udapāne paricchinnodake yāvān yāvat-parimāṇaḥ snāna-pānādir arthaḥ phalaṃ prayojanaṃ sa sarvo 'rthaḥ sarvataḥ saṃplutodake 'pi yo 'rthaḥ tāvān eva saṃpadyate, tatra antarbhavatīty arthaḥ
Whatever measure of benefit—bathing, drinking, and so on—there is in a well with bounded water, that entire benefit is also obtained in the water flooded on every side; it is included there.
Render yāvān … tāvān as a quantitative correlation, ‘the full measure … that same measure,’ while making explicit Śaṅkara’s relation of inclusion rather than mere external similarity.→ the same measure of benefit, understood as included in the more comprehensive result
gita [1]yāvān yāvat-parimāṇaḥ
As much—that is, of whatever measure.
gita [1]tāvān eva saṃpadyate, tatra antarbhavatīty arthaḥ
Just that much is obtained; the meaning is that it is included there.
gita [2]tāvān eva saṃpadyate tatraivāntarbhavatīty arthaḥ
Just that much is obtained; the meaning is that it is included precisely there.
Understand sarveṣu vedeṣu as referring specifically to all rites enjoined by the Vedas and their fruits, not simply to the textual corpus or to every kind of Vedic knowledge.→ in all Veda-enjoined rites, with their fruits
gita [2]sarveṣu vedeṣu vedokteṣu karmasu yo 'rthaḥ yat karma-phalaṃ
The benefit in all the Vedas—that is, in the actions enjoined by the Veda—is the fruit of action.
Interpret brāhmaṇa here as the renunciant and vijānat as knowing ultimate reality, rather than as merely a member of the priestly class possessing ordinary learning.→ the Brāhmaṇa as renunciant, knowing ultimate reality
gita [2]brāhmaṇasya saṃnyāsinaḥ paramārtha-tattvaṃ vijānataḥ
For the Brāhmaṇa, the renunciant, who knows the truth of ultimate reality.
Construe brāhmaṇasya as the genitive associated with artha, translated idiomatically as ‘for the Brāhmaṇa,’ while vijānataḥ agrees with and qualifies brāhmaṇasya.→ ‘for the Brāhmaṇa who knows,’ with both forms genitive singular
gita [2]so 'rthaḥ brāhmaṇasya saṃnyāsinaḥ paramārtha-tattvaṃ vijānataḥ
That benefit is for the Brāhmaṇa, the renunciant who knows ultimate reality.
Present the verse as teaching that the limited fruits of Vedic rites are included in the comprehensive fruit of knowledge, not that rites are unconditionally useless or may immediately be abandoned by every practitioner.→ inclusion of the ritual fruits in knowledge’s fruit, with the commentary’s stated restriction on abandoning action
gita [2]yat vijñāna-phalaṃ sarvataḥ saṃplutodaka-sthānīyaṃ tasmin tāvān eva saṃpadyate tatraivāntarbhavatīty arthaḥ
That fruit of knowledge, corresponding to the water flooded on every side, contains just that much; the meaning is that it is included precisely there.
gita [5]tasmāt prāk jñāna-niṣṭhādhikāra-prāpteḥ karmaṇy adhikṛtena kūpa-taḍāgādy-artha-sthānīyam api karma kartavyam ||bhgs_2.46||
Therefore, before eligibility for steadfastness in knowledge has been attained, one who is qualified for action must perform even the action corresponding to the uses of wells, ponds, and the like.
Śaṅkara's commentary on this unit
1yathā loke kūpa-taḍāgādy-anekasmin udapāne paricchinnodake yāvān yāvat-parimāṇaḥ snāna-pānādir arthaḥ phalaṃ prayojanaṃ sa sarvo 'rthaḥ sarvataḥ saṃplutodake 'pi yo 'rthaḥ tāvān eva saṃpadyate, tatra antarbhavatīty arthaḥ |
2evaṃ tāvān tāvat-parimāṇa eva saṃpadyate sarveṣu vedeṣu vedokteṣu karmasu yo 'rthaḥ yat karma-phalaṃ so 'rthaḥ brāhmaṇasya saṃnyāsinaḥ paramārtha-tattvaṃ vijānataḥ yo 'rthaḥ yat vijñāna-phalaṃ sarvataḥ saṃplutodaka-sthānīyaṃ tasmin tāvān eva saṃpadyate tatraivāntarbhavatīty arthaḥ |
3yathā kṛtāya vijitāyādhareyāḥ saṃyanty evam enaṃ sarvaṃ tad abhisameti yat kiṃcit prajāḥ sādhu kurvanti yas tad veda yat sa veda [chāu 4.1.2] iti śruteḥ |
4sarvaṃ karmākhilam iti ca vakṣyati |
5tasmāt prāk jñāna-niṣṭhādhikāra-prāpteḥ karmaṇy adhikṛtena kūpa-taḍāgādy-artha-sthānīyam api karma kartavyam ||bhgs_2.46||
6tava ca -