Bhagavad Gita BG 15.10
Chapter 15, Verse 10 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् । विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥
utkramantam sthitam vapi bhunjhanam va gunanvitam vimudha nanupashyanti pashyanti jnana-cakshushah
Meaning
The deluded do not perceive him as he departs, dwells, or experiences, united with the gunas. Those with the eye of knowledge see.
Understanding
Three states of the jiva are mentioned: utkramantam (departing — at death), sthitam (dwelling — while alive in the body), bhunjhanam va gunanvitam (or experiencing, united with the gunas — the living experience of sensory life). The vimudha (the greatly deluded — vimudha, not just mudha) do not anupasshyanti (perceive, see clearly) the jiva in any of these three states. They see only the body departing, the person living, the being enjoying — but they do not see the jiva itself. Jnana-chakshushah (those with the eye/organ of knowledge — the inner vision of wisdom) pashyanti (see). This is the Gita's epistemology of the Self: ordinary perception sees only the outer; jnana-chakshu (wisdom-eye) sees the indwelling consciousness. The three states (departing, dwelling, experiencing) correspond to death, life, and waking experience.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| उत्क्रामन्तम् | utkramantam | departing (at death), going upward and out |
| विमूढाः | vimudha | greatly deluded, profoundly confused (vi + mudha) |
| अनुपश्यन्ति | anupasshyanti | perceive clearly, see, track with vision |
| ज्ञानचक्षुषः | jnana-chakshushah | those with the eye of knowledge/wisdom (jnana + chakshu = eye) |
| उत्क्रामन्तम् | utkrāmantam | departing |
| स्थितम् | sthitam | staying, abiding |
| वा | vā api | or even |
| भुञ्जानम् | bhuñjānam | enjoying, experiencing |
| वा | vā | or |
| गुण-अन्वितम् | guṇa-anvitam | endowed with qualities |
| विमूढाः | vimūḍhāḥ | the deluded |
| न | na anupaśyanti | do not perceive |
| पश्यन्ति | paśyanti | they see |
| ज्ञान-चक्षुषः | jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ | those with eyes of knowledge |
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