श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.५५ — भक्त्या मामभिजानाति — Word-by-Word Meaning
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.५५ — भक्त्या मामभिजानाति
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
भक्त्या
bhaktyā
by loving devotion
माम्
mām
Me
अभिजानाति
abhijānāti
one comes to know truly
यावान्
yāvān
as much as; how great
यः च अस्मि
yaḥ cha asmi
who and what I am
तत्त्वतः
tattvataḥ
in truth; in reality
ततः
tataḥ
then; thereafter
माम्
mām
Me
तत्त्वतः
tattvataḥ
in truth
ज्ञात्वा
jñātvā
having known
विशते
viśhate
enters; merges into
तदनन्तरम्
tat-anantaram
immediately thereafter
Complete Translation
(पराभक्ति) के द्वारा वह मुझे तत्त्वत: जान लेता है कि मैं कितना (व्यापक) हूँ और मैं क्या हूँ। इस प्रकार तत्त्वत: जानने के पश्चात वह तत्काल ही मुझमें प्रवेश कर जाता है।
Origin & History
Source: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 55
Author: Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva)
Period: Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
In the eighteenth and final chapter, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Krishna gathers the threads of His entire teaching. Having described the soul established in Brahman, He declares that the Supreme is known in truth only through devotion, and that the one who so knows Him enters into Him. This verse forms the gateway to the Gita's closing teaching of surrender.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.55 teach about knowing God?▼
Krishna teaches that He is truly known only through bhakti, loving devotion. This is not intellectual knowledge but a direct realization of who and how great the Lord is, and through it the devotee comes to enter into Him.
What does it mean to 'enter into' the Lord?▼
'Vishate' means the devotee, having realized God in truth, attains intimate union with Him — abiding in His being. It describes the soul's highest attainment, entering the Supreme reality through the power of devotion.
Why is devotion (bhakti) emphasised here?▼
After teaching the paths of action and knowledge throughout the Gita, Krishna here crowns them with devotion. He declares that bhakti is the means by which He is truly known and reached, presenting loving devotion as the culmination of all spiritual practice.
How is this verse related to the verses that follow?▼
This verse leads into Krishna's final teachings of surrender, including 18.62 ('take refuge in Him') and the famous 18.66 ('abandon all dharmas and take refuge in Me alone'). Together they present devotion and surrender as the heart of the Gita's conclusion.
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