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Bhagavad-gītā 18.21

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् । वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ २१ ॥
pṛthaktvena tu yaj jñānaṁ
[prithaktvena tu yaj jnaanam]
nānā-bhāvān pṛthag-vidhān
[naanaa-bhaavaan prithag-vidhaan]
vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu
[vetti sarveshu bhooteshu]
taj jñānaṁ viddhi rājasam
[taj jnaanam viddhi raajasam]
Word-for-word
pṛthaktvena — because of division tu — but yat — which jñānam — knowledge nānā - bhāvān — multifarious situations pṛthak - vidhān — different vetti — knows sarveṣu — in all bhūteṣu — living entities tat — that jñānam — knowledge viddhi — must be known rājasam — in terms of passion .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pṛthaktvena tu yaj jñānaṁ
pṛthaktvena
because of division
tu
but
yat
which
jñānam
knowledge
nānā-bhāvān pṛthag-vidhān
nānā - bhāvān
multifarious situations
pṛthak - vidhān
different
vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu
vetti
knows
sarveṣu
in all
bhūteṣu
living entities
taj jñānaṁ viddhi rājasam
tat
that
jñānam
knowledge
viddhi
must be known
rājasam
in terms of passion .
Important Words
  • pṛthaktvena — by separateness
    Instrumental. The mode of seeing is itself separative — it perceives by the lens of difference. The seer's eye is already colored rajas before the object arrives.
  • nānā-bhāvān — manifold natures
    He sees not one nature in many but many natures in many. Each body has its own essential type — and these types are taken to be foundational rather than incidental.
  • pṛthak-vidhān — of different kinds
    Reinforces nānā-bhāvān. The whole vocabulary of the verse is the vocabulary of multiplicity-as-ultimate — characteristic of rajas.
  • rājasam — in the mode of passion
    The middle category of jñāna. Not as harmful as tāmasa, not as liberating as sāttvika. It produces functional, pluralistic, transactional knowledge — useful, but not freeing.
  • viddhi — know!
    Imperative. Kṛṣṇa is not describing — he is *training the disciple's diagnostic eye*. Recognize this kind of knowing for what it is and label it correctly.
That knowledge by which one sees that in every different body there is a different type of living entity you should understand to be in the mode of passion.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Rājasa knowledge atomizes: it sees only separateness — many essences in many beings, no underlying unity. This is the common-sense pluralism of the passionate mind, useful but blind to the deeper continuity.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Rājasa-jñāna is the standard empirical pluralism — different beings, different essences, no unifying ground. The verse does not condemn it as false (separateness IS one face of reality) but as partial. Compare the Sāṅkhyan plurality of puruṣas as a refined version of this view.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यत् ज्ञानं तु सर्वेषु भूतेषु पृथक्त्वेन पृथक्-विधान् नाना-भावान् वेत्ति, तत् ज्ञानं राजसं विद्धि ।
yat jñānaṃ tu sarveṣu bhūteṣu pṛthaktvena pṛthak-vidhān nānā-bhāvān vetti, tat jñānaṃ rājasaṃ viddhi |
But that knowledge which, in all beings, perceives different kinds of essences as separate — know that knowledge to be rājasa.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
पृथक्त्वेन तु यत् ज्ञानं नाना-भावान् पृथक्-विधान् । वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तत् ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ॥
pṛthaktvena tu yat jñānaṃ nānā-bhāvān pṛthak-vidhān | vetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu tat jñānaṃ viddhi rājasam ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
पृथक्त्वेन pṛthaktvena पृथक्त्व (n.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) by separateness
तु tu ind. (indeclinable) but
यत् yat यद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. which
ज्ञानम् jñānam ज्ञान (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) knowledge
नाना-भावान् nānā-bhāvān karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. various essences
पृथक्-विधान् pṛthak-vidhān bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) acc.pl. (accusative plural)m. of distinct kinds
वेत्ति vetti √विद् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) knows
सर्वेषु sarveṣu सर्व (pron. (pronoun)) loc.pl. (locative plural)n. in all
भूतेषु bhūteṣu भूत (n.) loc.pl. (locative plural) in beings
तत् tat तद् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. that
विद्धि viddhi √विद् impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) know!
राजसम् rājasam राजस (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. rājasa
Purport

The concept that the material body is the living entity and that with the destruction of the body the consciousness is also destroyed is called knowledge in the mode of passion. According to that knowledge, bodies differ from one another because of the development of different types of consciousness, otherwise there is no separate soul which manifests consciousness. The body is itself the soul, and there is no separate soul beyond the body. According to such knowledge, consciousness is temporary. Or else there are no individual souls, but there is an all-pervading soul, which is full of knowledge, and this body is a manifestation of temporary ignorance. Or beyond this body there is no special individual or supreme soul. All such conceptions are considered products of the mode of passion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Know that knowledge to be rajasic in nature by which one understands various types of knowledge and various opinions concerning the soul which is claimed to be different in each body it accepts.
Commentary

This verse speaks of rajasic knowledge. That knowledge which one sees the soul as different in each body that it accepts, accepting the asuric idea that the soul perishes with the body, with a different soul in every body that arises; that knowledge by which one knows various opinions arising from such asuric scriptures, such as “the soul is the shelter of happiness and distress, the soul is not the shelter of happiness and distress, the soul is unconscious, the soul is conscious, the soul is all pervasive , the soul is atomic, the souls are many, the soul is one” is known as rajasic knowledge.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Know that knowledge to be of raja guṇa by which one understands various types of knowledge and various opinions concerning a soul presumed to be different in each body it accepts.
Commentary

This verse speaks of knowledge in the mode of passion. That knowledge which accepts that a different jīva (pṛthaktvena) assumes successive forms of deva, man and other creatures, where the jīva is destroyed with the destruction of each body; that knowledge by which one accepts various types of opinions (nānā vidhān bhāvān),such as Lokāyata, Jain, Buddhist, Māyavāda, or logic, is knowledge in the mode of passion. Some of the doctrines are: the body is the soul (Lokāyata); the soul is different from the body but the same size as the body (Jain); the ātmā is just momentary knowledge (Buddhist); the ātmā is God, consisting of eternal knowledge alone (Māyāvāda); the ātmā, different from the body, is a conscious, all pervasive entity giving shelter to nine particular qualities (Nyāya philosophy). [Note: The logicians claim that there are innumerable eternal souls, but they are all pervading rather than very small or medium size, since very small objects cannot be perceived by mind, whereas qualities of the soul can be perveived by the mind, and medium sized objects are subject to destruction, whereas the soul is eternal. Therefore it must be huge, all pervading. Accoridng to the logicians, ātmā has fourteen unique qualities. They also admit a Supreme Soul with special qualities. The commentary mentions nava viśeṣa guna. Accordidng to Nyāya there should be fourteen qualities of the soul.]

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.21 Tu, but; viddhi, know; tat, that; jnanam, knowledge; to be rajasam, originating from rajas; yat, which; sarvesu bhutesu, amidst all things; vetti, apprehends-since knowledge cannot be an agent of hends-since knowledge cannot be an agent of action, therefore the meaning implied is, 'that, knowledge৷৷.through which one apprehends৷৷.'-; nana-bhavan, the different entities; prthagvidhan, of various kinds, i.e., those possessing diverse characteristics and different from oneself; prthakrvena, as distinct, as separate in each body.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.21 Whatever knowledge perceives in Brahmana etc., at the time of work, the entity known as the Atman as of diverse nature because the bodies of those beings are tall or fair and are fit to attain the fruits of work - know that knowledge to be Rajasika. The point is this: It is not a condemnation of the plurality of Atman. The Atman, though distinct, is uniform everywhere. The bodily attributes do not affect it. The knowledge lacking this understanding is stigmatised as Rajasa.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.21 See Comment under 18.22
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.21 But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as different from one another know thou that knowledge to be Rajasic.
Commentary

18.21 पृथक्त्वेन as different from one another? तु but? यत् which? ज्ञानम् knowledge? नानाभावान् various entities? पृथग्विधान् of distinct kinds? वेत्ति knows? सर्वेषु (in) all? भूतेषु in beings? तत् that? ज्ञानम् knowledge? विद्धि know? राजसम् Rajasic.Commentary Knowledge which sees As knowledge cannot be an agent? this should be interpreted to mean knowledge by which one sees.Entities Selves or souls.Different from one another Regarding them as different in different bodies.The knowledge that is led by the idea of separateness is passionate. Enveloping as it does the manifold creation with the veil of separateness? it deludes even the wise man. Owing to passionate knowledge? beings appear to be separate and the perception of unity is also lost sight of. That knowledge which beholds multiplicity in created objects and differentiates them as being small or great? according to their form and size? is of passionate nature and tainted. A man with passionate knowledge sees diversity everywhere. He beholds the many only.Now I will explain to thee? O Arjuna? knowledge that is of the ality of darkness? in order that thou mayest avoid it.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.21 But know that knowledge to be originating from rajas which, amidst all things, apprehends the different entities of various kinds as distinct [As possessing distinct selves.].
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.21 The knowledge which thinks of the manifold existence in all beings as separate - that comes from Passion.
Related values & verses
Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 5.18 BG 7.27 BG 13.33 SB 11.13.24 SB 3.32.26 SB 11.23.49 CC Madhya 25.47 CC Madhya 6.175 CC Madhya 24.75 Īśa Upaniṣad 7 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.1.10
Concepts
Bhava
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Knowledge that sees various entities of various kinds, without unity — rajasic.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize fragmenting perception as rajasic.
  • Pull back to the unity.
  • Don't be impressed by analytic-only knowledge.
Reflection Questions
  • When have I been impressed by knowledge that sees only fragments?
  • What does pulling back to unity offer?
Analogy

A child sorts marbles by color and believes the colors are the marbles. The rājasa seer counts bodies and believes the bodies are the selves — never noticing the same glass under every coat of paint.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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