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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 13.25
ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ॥ २५ ॥
dhyānenātmani paśyanti
kecid ātmānam ātmanā
anye sāṅkhyena yogena
karma-yogena cāpare
Some perceive the Supersoul within themselves through meditation, others through the cultivation of knowledge, and still others through working without fruitive desires.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Some perceive the Supersoul within through meditation, knowledge, or work without desire for rewards.
Prabhupāda explains that devotees have the best spiritual understanding: the Supreme Lord is present in everyone as the Supersoul.
Work without seeking rewards, using this chance to advance toward devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
One can achieve this understanding (Texts 13.20 – 13.23) through various types of yogas
Some perceive the Supersoul through meditation (Dhyana)
Others through the cultivation of knowledge (Sankhya-yoga)
Still others through working without fruitive desire (Karma-yoga)
Lord explains two classes of conditioned souls (Based on search for self-realization)
Faithful in spiritual life – Introspective devotees, philosophers and workers who have renounced fruitive results
Atheists, agnostics and skeptics are beyond the sense of spiritual understanding
It also includes those who establish the doctrine of monism
Devotees of the Lord are best situated in spiritual understanding — Because
They know that beyond the material nature are spiritual world and Supreme Personality of Godhead, who expands as Paramatma
Sankhya philosophers are also in the class of faithful
They analyze material world in twenty-four elements
They place the soul as the twenty-fifth element – gradually realize soul as transcendental to material elements
Realise the entity above the soul is Supersoul – the twenty-sixth element
Finally comes to devotional service in Krishna consciousness
Renounced workers are also in the category of faithful and are perfect in their attitude
Also given a chance to progress in Krishna consciousness
Texts 13.25 & 13.26
Can one advance if he cannot meditate, pursue sankhya or practice niskama-karma-yoga.
(Krishna addresses the 1st and 2nd questions)
Prakrti, Purusa (the “jiva” or ksetra-jna) and their union (13.20-13.22):
Material nature causes all material changes and effects, and
Living entity meets with good and bad according to the qualities he has acquired due to his association with material nature
Paramatma Purusa (ksetra-jna) (13.23): The Supersoul exists within all bodies as the overseer, the permitter, and the supreme proprietor.
Result: One who understands the prakrti, purusa and their interactions attains liberation from birth in material world
Other methods of obtaining liberation are jnana, astanga and karma (13.25 – 13.26)
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 13.25 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?
Offer one act today with devotion.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.