Word meanings
- bahūnām
- many
- janmanām
- births
- ante
- after
- jñāna-vān
- one who is endowed with knowledge
- mām
- unto me
- prapadyate
- surrenders
- vāsudevaḥ
- Shree Krishna, the son of Vasudev
- sarvam
- all
- iti
- that
- saḥ
- that
- mahā-ātmā
- great soul
- su-durlabhaḥ
- very rare
Translations
At the end of many births, the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vaasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul (Mahatma) is very hard to find.
After many lives, at last the wise one realizes Me as I am. It is very difficult to find a man so enlightened that he sees God everywhere.
At the end of many births, the man of knowledge attains Me, realizing that Vasudeva is all. Such a high-souled one is very rare.
बहुत जन्मोंके अन्तमें अर्थात् मनुष्यजन्ममें 'सब कुछ परमात्मा ही है', ऐसा जो ज्ञानवान् मेरे शरण होता है, वह महात्मा अत्यन्त दुर्लभ है।Commentary
Vaasudeva is a name of Lord Krishna as He is the son of Vasudeva. He is the allpervading Brahman. The aspirant gradually evolves through Yogic practices, selfless service, devotion and constant meditation in many births and ultimately attains the inner Self. He realises that all is Vaasudeva. It is very difficult to find such a great soul, who has attained to perfection. No one is eal to him. That is the reason why the Lord has said? One in a thousand perchance strives for perfection even among those successful strivers, only one perchance knows Me in essence.
(Cf.VII.3.)