For one who understands, all the Vedas are as useful as a small puddle when a great reservoir of water is at hand.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.46
Hindi · हिन्दी
सब तरफसे परिपूर्ण महान् जलाशयके प्राप्त होनेपर छोटे गड्ढों में भरे जल में मनुष्यका जितना प्रयोजन रहता है अर्थात् कुछ भी प्रयोजन नहीं रहता, वेदों और शास्त्रोंको तत्त्वसे जाननेवाले ब्रह्मज्ञानीका सम्पूर्ण वेदोंमें उतना ही प्रयोजन रहता है अर्थात् कुछ भी प्रयोजन नहीं रहता ॥
Themes:
Word by word
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
यावान्as muchअर्थःuse, purposeउदपानेin a small water-sourceसर्वतःfrom all sidesसंप्लुतोदकेin a fully flooded reservoirतावान्that muchसर्वेषुin allवेदेषुin the Vedasब्राह्मणस्यfor the knower of Brahmanविजानतःfor one who truly knows
Read literallyas much · use, purpose · in a small water-source · from all sides · in a fully flooded reservoir · that much · in all · in the Vedas · for the knower of Brahman · for one who truly knows
Understanding the verse
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Krishna's image: once you stand beside a full reservoir, a small puddle has little left to offer.
A person who truly understands the supreme reality needs the Vedas no more than a person beside a full reservoir needs a tiny puddle.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Krishna answers by showing that real understanding gathers in one place instead of being scattered across many rules and rituals. For the one who knows, the whole point has been grasped.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
You have read every article, saved every thread, and still feel unsure before making the hard call. At some point, more input stops helping; clear seeing does.
The takeaway
“Once you grasp the main point, you need far fewer rules.”
A person who truly understands the supreme reality needs the Vedas no more than a person beside a full reservoir needs a tiny puddle.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.46?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.46?
Verse 46 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.46 matter today?
You have read every article, saved every thread, and still feel unsure before making the hard call. At some point, more input stops helping; clear seeing does.
Krishna's image: once you stand beside a full reservoir, a small puddle has little left to offer.
What this verse means
A person who truly understands the supreme reality needs the Vedas no more than a person beside a full reservoir needs a tiny puddle.
Context & commentary
Krishna answers by showing that real understanding gathers in one place instead of being scattered across many rules and rituals. For the one who knows, the whole point has been grasped.
What it looks like today
You have read every article, saved every thread, and still feel unsure before making the hard call. At some point, more input stops helping; clear seeing does.
“Once you grasp the main point, you need far fewer rules.”