Vadanti Tat Tattva-Vidah (Bhagavata 1.2.11)
वदन्ति तत् तत्त्वविदः
Also known as: vadanti tat tattva vidah · bhagavatam 1.2.11 · brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti shabdyate · tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
Read in your language / script
✦ Meaning
This celebrated verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 1, Chapter 2, Verse 11) declares the unity of the supreme Reality. The knowers of truth say that Reality is one non-dual consciousness (advaya-jnana), though it is spoken of under three names according to how it is realized: as Brahman (the formless Absolute), as Paramatma (the indwelling Supreme Self), and as Bhagavan (the personal Lord full of all glory). It harmonizes the impersonal and personal conceptions of God as aspects of one and the same Truth.
Origin & Story
Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) 1.2.11 · Sage Veda Vyasa (spoken by Suta Goswami) · Ancient (Puranic period)
In the second chapter of the first canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, the sages gathered at Naimisharanya ask Suta Goswami about the highest good. In reply he expounds that loving devotion to the Lord is the supreme dharma, and to clarify the nature of the goal he speaks this verse: the knowers of truth declare the one Reality to be non-dual consciousness, named as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. The verse thus sets the philosophical foundation of the Bhagavatam, unifying the impersonal Absolute of the jnanis, the indwelling Self of the yogis, and the personal Lord of the devotees as one and the same Truth.
✦ As told in scripture
The Bhagavata tradition holds that hearing and reflecting on this teaching dissolves the seeker's confusion between the formless and the personal God, and that those who realize the one Reality behind the three names attain the peace and devotion that the whole Srimad Bhagavatam is composed to bestow.
The Mantra
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
वदन्ति तत् तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् । ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ॥
vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṃ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate
Meaning:The knowers of Truth declare that the Reality is the non-dual consciousness; and that same Reality is named in three ways — as Brahman, as Paramatma, and as Bhagavan.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Vadanti Tat Tattva-Vidah (Bhagavata 1.2.11)
Harmonizes the impersonal (Brahman) and personal (Bhagavan) views of God as one Reality.
Reveals the supreme Truth as non-dual consciousness (advaya-jnana).
Foundational verse for understanding the philosophy of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Resolves apparent conflict between paths of knowledge and devotion by pointing to one goal.
Contemplated in Vedanta and Bhakti study to deepen understanding of the Absolute.
Steadies the mind in the recognition that the one Reality is realized in many ways.
How to Chant Vadanti Tat Tattva-Vidah (Bhagavata 1.2.11)
Recite this verse slowly, dwelling on the three names — Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan — and understanding them as one and the same non-dual Reality realized in three ways. Use it to reflect that the formless Absolute, the indwelling Self, and the personal Lord are not three gods but three aspects of one Truth. It is best contemplated as part of the study of the Srimad Bhagavatam under guidance.