Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 46
Bhagavad Gītā 2.46: The well and the flood
यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके ।
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥
yāvānartha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake
tāvānsarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
As much use as there is in a small reservoir when there is a flood of water on every side, so much is there in all the Vedas for the brāhmaṇa who knows. The verse does not dismiss the Vedas; it says that their purposes are contained in the knowledge of the self, as a well’s water is contained in a flood.
For children
Krishna says: “When there is a big lake full of water all around, you don’t need to look for a little well. When you have the biggest treasure, the small treasures are already included.”
Kṛṣṇa ends his discussion of reward-seeking ritual (2.42–2.46) with an image of a well and a flood.
Word by word
यावानर्थ उदपाने — As much use as there is in a small well
- yāvat: as much as
- artha: use, purpose
- udapāna: a well, a small tank
सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके — when water floods everywhere
- sarvataḥ: on all sides
- samplutodaka: flooded with water
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु — that much use is there in all the Vedas
- tāvat: that much
- veda: the Vedas
ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः — for one who truly knows
- brāhmaṇa: a knower of Brahman, a wise person
- vijānat: one who knows
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.