Devanagari
किं विधत्ते किमाचष्टे किमनूद्य विकल्पयेत् ।
इत्यस्या हृदयं लोके नान्यो मद् वेद कश्चन ॥ ४२ ॥
Verse text
kiṁ vidhatte kim ācaṣṭe
kim anūdya vikalpayet
ity asyā hṛdayaṁ loke
nānyo mad veda kaścana
Synonyms
kim
—
what
;
vidhatte
—
enjoins (in the ritualistic karma-kāṇḍa )
;
kim
—
what
;
ācaṣṭe
—
indicates (as the object of worship in the devatā-kāṇḍa )
;
kim
—
what
;
anūdya
—
describing in different aspects
;
vikalpayet
—
raises the possibility of alternatives (in the jṣāna-kāṇḍa )
;
iti
—
thus
;
asyāḥ
—
of Vedic literature
;
hṛdayam
—
the heart, or confidential purpose
;
loke
—
in this world
;
na
—
does not
;
anyaḥ
—
other
;
mat
—
than Me
;
veda
—
know
;
kaścana
—
anyone .
Translation
In the entire world no one but Me actually understands the confidential purpose of Vedic knowledge. Thus people do not know what the Vedas are actually prescribing in the ritualistic injunctions of karma-kāṇḍa, or what object is actually being indicated in the formulas of worship found in the upāsanā-kāṇḍa, or that which is elaborately discussed through various hypotheses in the jṣāna-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
What do the Vedas instruct as action? What is the final meaning of the Vedas? What alternatives do the Vedas raise? No one except me or my dear devotee knows the intended meaning of the Vedas.
It is difficult to know the actual svarūpa or nature of the Vedas. That has just been explained. The meaning is also difficult to understand. What is to be done by following the Vedas? What do the Vedas order the jīva to do for his benefit? What is the meaning of the Vedas? What is meant by indicating various alternatives? Should I do this? Or this? Or that?
“The meaning is clear. The śruti indicates karma by seeing statements like ‘One should worship the sandhyās daily; by karma one goes to Pitṛ-loka.’ So this is what should be done. The śrutis indicate dharma as the meaning in statements like codanā-lakṣaṇo dharmaḥ: dharma is characterized by injunctions of the Vedas. This is the meaning of the Vedas. As for alternatives, there are alternative rules in dharma such as performing sacrifice by offering either rice or barley. Or, there are alternatives like bhakti, niṣkāma-karma and jṣāna stated one after the other. Thus it is said:
bhakti-yogaś ca yogaś ca mayā mānavy udīritaḥ |
tayor ekatareṇaiva puruṣaḥ puruṣaṁ vrajet ||
I have indicated both bhakti and yoga, O Manavī! A person may attain the Lord by either of these processes.”
O fools! This is not so! No one knows the intention (hṛdayam) of the Vedas except me! No one except a person dear to me can know the meaning intended by me.
Purport
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Since the Lord is the source, maintainer and ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge, He is
veda-vit,
or the only true knower of Vedic knowledge. So-called philosophers, either Vedic scholars or ordinary men, may give their sectarian opinion, but it is the Lord Himself who knows the confidential purpose of the
Vedas.
The Lord is the only actual shelter and lovable object for all living entities. As He states in the Tenth Chapter of
Bhagavad-gītā
(10.41)
:
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tad tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ
mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam
“Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” All beautiful, extraordinary and powerful manifestations are insignificant displays of the Lord’s own opulences. Although ordinary people may quarrel over the purpose of religion, the actual purpose is one, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or pure love of Godhead. All Vedic formulas are understood to be preliminary stages leading to the perfect stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in which one fully surrenders to the devotional service of the Lord. The pure devotees of the Lord represent Him within this world and never speak anything which is not authorized by the Lord. Because they are repeating the Lord’s own words, they are also to be understood as true knowers of the
Veda.