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Bhagavad-gītā 2.29

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन - माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः । आश्चर्यवच्च‍ैनमन्यः श‍ृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥ २९ ॥
āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam
[aashcharya-vat pashyati kashchid enam]
āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ
[aashcharya-vad vadati tathaiva chaanyah]
āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti
[aashcharya-vach chainam anyah shrinoti]
śrutvāpy enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit
[shrutvaapy enam veda na chaiva kashchit]
Word-for-word
āścarya - vat — as amazing paśyati — sees kaścit — someone enam — this soul āścarya - vat — as amazing vadati — speaks of tathā — thus eva — certainly ca — also anyaḥ — another āścarya - vat — similarly amazing ca — also enam — this soul anyaḥ — another śṛṇoti — hears of śrutvā — having heard api — even enam — this soul veda — knows na — never ca — and eva — certainly kaścit — someone .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam
āścarya - vat
as amazing
paśyati
sees
kaścit
someone
enam
this soul
āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ
āścarya - vat
as amazing
vadati
speaks of
tathā
thus
eva
certainly
ca
also
anyaḥ
another
āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti
āścarya - vat
similarly amazing
ca
also
śrutvāpy enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit
enam
this soul
anyaḥ
another
śṛṇoti
hears of
śrutvā
having heard
api
even
enam
this soul
veda
knows
na
never
ca
and
eva
certainly
kaścit
someone .
Important Words
  • āścarya - vat — as amazing
    Repeated three times in the verse — for seer, speaker, hearer. The soul is intrinsically āścarya — a wonder. The repetition is not redundancy but emphasis: amazement is the right register for this subject.
  • paśyati — sees
    From √paś — direct vision. The first of three modes of knowing the soul: darśana. Even the seer is rare.
  • vadati — speaks
    The second mode: vacana. To speak of the soul as the seer has seen it. Rarer still — for words must catch what already amazes the eye.
  • śṛṇoti — hears
    The third mode: śravaṇa. The Gauḍīya line begins here — śravaṇa is the first of nine processes of bhakti. To even hear of the soul rightly is rare.
  • veda — knows
    From √vid — to know. The verse closes by acknowledging (with negation: *na ca eva kaścit veda*) that even after hearing, hardly anyone *knows* the soul. Sravaṇa is necessary but not sufficient; without surrender (cf. verse 7) the hearing does not become vidyā.
Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.
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)
Even direct perception, speech, and hearing about the ātman leave it a wonder. Genuine knowledge of it is rarer still than reports of it. Kṛṣṇa frames the soul's nature as inherently astonishing — beyond ordinary cognitive familiarity.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Echoing Kaṭha Up. 1.2.7. Three different verbs (paśyati, vadati, śṛṇoti) cover sight, speech, hearing — the three normal channels for transmitting knowledge. The fourth state, true comprehension (veda), eludes them all. The verse acknowledges the genuine epistemological difficulty even as it asserts the soul's reality.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
कश्चित् एनम् आश्चर्यवत् पश्यति, तथा एव अन्यः च एनम् आश्चर्यवत् वदति, अन्यः च एनम् आश्चर्यवत् शृणोति । श्रुत्वा अपि कश्चित् एनम् न च एव वेद ।
kaścit enam āścaryavat paśyati, tathā eva anyaḥ ca enam āścaryavat vadati, anyaḥ ca enam āścaryavat śṛṇoti | śrutvā api kaścit enam na ca eva veda |
One looks on This (soul) as a wonder; another likewise speaks of it as a wonder; yet another hears of it as a wonder. And even after hearing of it, none truly knows it.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
आश्चर्यवत् पश्यति कश्चित् एनम् आश्चर्यवत् वदति तथा एव च अन्यः । आश्चर्यवत् च एनम् अन्यः शृणोति श्रुत्वा अपि एनम् वेद न च एव कश्चित् ॥
āścaryavat paśyati kaścit enam āścaryavat vadati tathā eva ca anyaḥ | āścaryavat ca enam anyaḥ śṛṇoti śrutvā api enam veda na ca eva kaścit ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
आश्चर्यवत् āścaryavat आश्चर्य (n.) + वत् (suffix) ind. (indeclinable), adv. as a wonder
पश्यति paśyati √दृश् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) sees
कश्चित् kaścit किम् + चित् (indef.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. someone
एनम् enam एनद् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. this
वदति vadati √वद् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) speaks
तथा एव tathā eva ind. (indeclinable), 'likewise' likewise
च ca ind. (indeclinable), 'and' and
अन्यः anyaḥ अन्य (pron. (pronoun)/adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. another
शृणोति śṛṇoti √श्रु pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) hears
श्रुत्वा śrutvā √श्रु abs. (absolutive), 'having heard' having heard
अपि api ind. (indeclinable), 'even' even
वेद veda √विद् perf. (perfect) 3sg.par. (used as pres. (present)) knows
न च एव कश्चित् na ca eva kaścit ind. (indeclinable) + pron. (pronoun), 'no one whatsoever' none whatsoever
Purport

Since Gītopaniṣad is largely based on the principles of the Upaniṣads, it is not surprising to also find this passage in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.7): śravaṇayāpi bahubhir yo na labhyaḥ śṛṇvanto ’pi bahavo yaṁ na vidyuḥ āścaryo vaktā kuśalo ’sya labdhā āścaryo ’sya jñātā kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ The fact that the atomic soul is within the body of a gigantic animal, in the body of a gigantic banyan tree, and also in the microbic germs, millions and billions of which occupy only an inch of space, is certainly very amazing. Men with a poor fund of knowledge and men who are not austere cannot understand the wonders of the individual atomic spark of spirit, even though it is explained by the greatest authority of knowledge, who imparted lessons even to Brahmā, the first living being in the universe. Owing to a gross material conception of things, most men in this age cannot imagine how such a small particle can become both so great and so small. So men look at the soul proper as wonderful either by constitution or by description. Illusioned by the material energy, people are so engrossed in subject matters for sense gratification that they have very little time to understand the question of self-understanding, even though it is a fact that without this self-understanding all activities result in ultimate defeat in the struggle for existence. Perhaps they have no idea that one must think of the soul, and thus make a solution to the material miseries. Some people who are inclined to hear about the soul may be attending lectures, in good association, but sometimes, owing to ignorance, they are misguided by acceptance of the Supersoul and the atomic soul as one without distinction of magnitude. It is very difficult to find a man who perfectly understands the position of the Supersoul, the atomic soul, their respective functions and relationships and all other major and minor details. And it is still more difficult to find a man who has actually derived full benefit from knowledge of the soul, and who is able to describe the position of the soul in different aspects. But if, somehow or other, one is able to understand the subject matter of the soul, then one’s life is successful. The easiest process for understanding the subject matter of self, however, is to accept the statements of the Bhagavad-gītā spoken by the greatest authority, Lord Kṛṣṇa, without being deviated by other theories. But it also requires a great deal of penance and sacrifice, either in this life or in the previous ones, before one is able to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa can, however, be known as such by the causeless mercy of the pure devotee and by no other way.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
29. Some see the soul with amazement. Others speak of it in amazement. Others hear about it with amazement. Hearing about it, speaking about it or seeing it—still, no one knows it at all.
Commentary

“What an astonishing thing you are describing! And it is so astonishing that though I am being enlightened by You, my lack of discernment does not go away.” “Yes, the ātmā is truly astonishing.” With this intention the Lord then speaks this verse. The word enam in this verse stands for the soul and the body, the combination of both, which constitutes the whole world. (The meaning would be: Yes, people see this combination of soul and body, which constitutes all living beings, as amazing.) [Note: The sanskṛt for this rather cryptic statement is enam ātmānam deham ca tad ubhaya rūpam sarva lokam. The meaning as taken by Bhaktivinoda in his translation of the verse is: the soul is amazing since people understand this soul in completely different ways: this jīva tattva is seen as a material entity or body, devoid of conscious substance (deham); as a conscious entity which is not eternal (tad ubhaya-rupam); and as one soul only, as in Advaita philosophy (sarva-lokam). In Viśvanātha’s commentary he takes the meaning of āścarya as “astonishing” in the sense of “hard to understand,” modifying enam, the ātmā. Thus they misunderstand it as a material object, as a temporary spiritual element, or as one all- pervading soul.]

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
29. Some realize the soul with amazement. Others speak of it in amazement. Others hear about it with amazement. Hearing about, speaking about it or seeing it, still, no one knows it at all.
Commentary

“Though I have been taught many things by you, who are omniscient, I do not understand the nature of the ātmā, which will drive away lamentation. Why is this?” Though the jīva’s very nature is said to be both knowledge and bliss, [Note: This is reference to such statements as vijñānam ānandaṁ brahma: the Lord is knowledge and bliss. (Bṛhaḍ Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3..9.28. For the advaitin this is a problem for brahman is knowledge itself without any qualities. Since the word ānanda is used with brahman, it would seem to give quality to brahman. The advaitin then has to give a roundabout explanation using grammar to avoid quality in brahman. For the vaiṣṇava however there is not difficulty in accepting the two aspects of brahman.] there is no incompatibility to that difference in the svarūpa. Though the jīva is knowledge itself, it also takes the role of the knower. [Note: Being a knower is difficult for the advaitin to accept, since knowing means change, and Brahman is without change.] Though the jīva is very small, it is spread throughout a large body. Though having had a relation with many bodies, it is untouched by those transformations. Being filled with many such contradictory qualities, the jīva taught by Me is astonishing. That person (kāścit) who has attained the mercy of guru and has a pure heart realizes (paśyati) the true nature of this astonishing jīva with contrary qualities (enam), through performance of prescribed duties and observing truthfulness, austerities, chanting japa and such things. The word aścaryavad can modify the subject or the object. The person sees the jīva as an astonishing object; or the person sees the jīva and is astonished. Similarly someone speaks of the jīva as astonishing, or speaks about the jīva with astonishment; and hears about the jīva as astonishing thing, or hears about the jīva with astonishment. Even having heard about the ātmā, a person who is not pure in heart (kaścid) does not understand about it. Thus the true nature of the jīva is difficult to understand. śravaṇāyāpi bahubhir yo na labhyaḥ śṛṇvanto’pi bahavo yaṁ na vidyuḥ āścaryo vaktā kuśalo’sya labdhā āścaryo jñātā kuśalānuśiṣṭa That ātmā is not the subject of hearing for many. If many persons hear about the ātmā, they still do not know it. One who speaks about the ātma is rare, and a skilful speaker is rare. One who attains the ātmā is rare. One who knows from a skilful teacher is rare. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.7

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is the "amazing" verse. This verse, line by line, could be translated in three different ways: ‑ The first line could be: "some look on the soul as amazing" or "some people who are amazing look on the soul" or "some look on the soul, which is amazing". (So either the people who see the soul is amazing; their amazing power to look and see something spiritual is amazing or the soul himself is an amazing thing). ‑ The second line could be: " "some describe the soul as amazing" or "some people describe the amazing soul" or "some people describe amazingly enough, the soul". ‑ The third line could be: "some hear of the soul as amazing" or "some hear about the amazing soul" or "amazing people hear about the soul".

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

‘Amazing’ verse

THEME: Krishna says that the idea that there is no distinct soul is merely the creation of groping philosophers

whose insufficient minds are bewildered by the imperceptible and amazing soul

Some look on the soul as amazing
Some describe him as amazing
Some hear of him as amazing
Others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.29 'This Self under discussion is inscrutable. Why should I blame you alone regarding a thing that is a source of delusion to all!' How is this Self inscrutable? [It may be argued that the Self is the object of egoism. The answer is: Although the individualized Self is the object of egoism, the absolute Self is not.] This is being answered in, 'Someone visualizes It as a wonder,' etc. Kascit, someone; pasyati, visualizes; enam, It, the Self; ascaryavat, as a wonder, as though It were a wonder a wonder is something not seen before, something strange, something seen all on a sudden; what is comparable to that is ascarya-vat; ca, and; tatha, similarly; eva, indeed; kascit, someone; anyah, else; vadati, talks of It as a wonder. And someone else srnoti, hears of It as a wonder. And someone, indeed, na, does not; veda, realize It; api, even; srutva, after hearing, seeing and speaking about It. Or, (the meaning is) he who sees the Self is like a wonder. He who speaks of It and the who hears of It is indeed rare among many thousands. Therefore, the idea is that the Self is difficult to understand. Now, in the course of concluding the topic under discussion, [viz the needlessness of sorrow and delusion,from the point of view of the nature of things.] He says, 'O descendant of Bharata, this embodied Self', etc.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.29 Among innumerable beings, someone, who by great austerity has got rid of sins and has increased his merits, realises this self possessing the above mentioned nature, which is wonderful and distinct in kind from all things other than Itself. Such a one speaks of It to another. Thus, someone hears of It. And even after hearing of It, no one knows It exactly that It really exists. The term 'ca' (and) implies that even amongst the seers, the speakers and hearers, one with authentic percepetion, authentic speech and authentic hearing, is a rarity.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.39 Ascaryavat etc. But, if this Self is, in this manner, changeless (or destructionless), why is This not observed just as such by all ? It is so because, as if by a rare chance, only some one observes [This]. Even after listening, not even one understands This i.e., realises This.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.29 One sees This (the Self) as a wonder; another speaks of It as a wonder; another hears of It as a wonder; yet having heard, none understands It at all.
Commentary

2.29 आश्चर्यवत् as a wonder? पश्यति sees? कश्चित् sone one? एनम् this (Self)? आश्चर्यवत् as a wonder? वदति speaks of? तथा so? एव also? च and? अन्यः another? आश्चर्यवत् as a wonder? च and? एनम् this? अन्यः another? श्रृणोति hears? श्रुत्वा having heard? अपि even? एनम् this? वेद knows? न not? च and? एव also? कश्चित् any one.Commentary The verse may also be interpreted in this manner. He that sees? hears and speaks of the Self is a wonderful man. Such a man is very rare. He is one among many thousands. Thus the Self is very hard to understand.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.29 Someone visualizes It as a wonder; and similarly indeed, someone else talks of It as a wonder; and someone else hears of It as a wonder. And some one else, indeed, does not realize It even after hearing about It.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.29 One hears of the Spirit with surprise, another thinks It marvellous, the third listens without comprehending. Thus, though many are told about It, scarcely is there one who knows It.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 4.2 BG 7.3 BG 13.26 SB 1.2.12 SB 3.7.38 SB 11.7.20 CC Ādi 7.118 CC Madhya 19.149 CC Madhya 20.122 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.7Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.20
Concepts
Japa
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Some see the soul as wonder, some hear of it as wonder, some speak of it as wonder — yet even after hearing, none truly know it without realization.
Practical Applications
  • Treat hearing about the soul as the beginning of inquiry, not the end.
  • Notice the difference between knowing about the soul and realizing the soul.
  • Pray for realization, not just information.
Reflection Questions
  • How much of my 'knowledge' of the soul is mere hearing without realization?
  • What would it take to move from hearing to seeing?
Analogy

Some travelers entering a great gallery stop at the threshold and gasp; some try to describe what they have seen and find no words; some only listen to those descriptions and gasp again. And many, even after the tour, leave without seeing. The soul is the painting; the verse names every kind of viewer.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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