Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Verse 3 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 7 श्लोक 3 मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्िचद्यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्िचन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।।7.3।। English Translation - Swami Gambirananda 7.3 Among thousands of men a rare one endeavours for perfection. Even of the perfected ones who are diligent, one perchance knows Me in truth. English Translation - Swami Sivananda 7.3 Among thousands of men, one perchance strives for perfection; even among those successful strivers, only one perchance knows Me in essence. English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 7.3. Among thousands of men, perchance, one makes effort for the determined knowledge. Among those, having the determined knowledge-even though they make effort-perchance one realises Me correctly. English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 7.3 मनुष्याणाम् of men? सहस्रेषु among thousands? कश्चित् some one? यतति strives? सिद्धये for perfection? यतताम् of the striving ones? अपि even? सिद्धानाम् of the successful ones? कश्चित् some one? माम् Me? वेत्ति knows? तत्त्वतः in essence.Commentary Mark how difficult it is to attain to the knowledge of the Self or to how Brahman in essence. Siddhanam literally means those who have attained to perfection (the perfected ones) but here it means only those who strive to attain perfection.Those who purchase diamonds? rubies or pearls are few. Those who study the postgraduate course are few. Even so those who attempt for Selfrealisation and who actually know the Truth in essence are few only. The liberated ones (Jivanmuktas) are rare. Real Sadhakas are also rare. The,knowledge of the Self bestows incalculable fruits on man? viz.? immortality? eternal bliss? perennial joy and everlasting peace. It is very difficult to attain to this knowledge of the Self. But a good and earnest spiritual aspirant (Sadhaka) who is endowed with a strong determination and iron resolve? and who is eipped with the four means to salvation can easily obtain the knowledge of the Self. English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's 7.3 Sahasresu manusyanam, among thousands, among a multitude of men; kascit, a rare one; yatati, endeavours; siddhaye, for perfection. [For perfection: for the rise of Knowledge through the purification of the mind.] Siddhanam api, even of the perfected one; yatatam, who are diligent-they (those diligent ones themselves) being (considered to be) verily perfect because they are striving for Liberation; of them-; kascit, one perchance, indeed; vetti, knows; mam, Me; tattvatah, in truth. Having drawn the attention of the hearer by arousing interest, the Lord says: English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 7.3 Manusyanam etc. All [persons] are not fit for this subject. By this statement, [the Bhagavat] has declared that, as the subject is difficult to grasp, it is to be learnt with effort. English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary 7.3 Men, i.e., those who are alified for observing the ?nds of the Sastras - among thousands of such men, only some one strives till the attainment of perfection. Among thousands who strive till the attainment of perfection, some one only, understanding Me, strives to attain success through Me (i.e., through My grace). Among thousands of those who might know Me, some one only knows Me in reality, as I am. In other words, there is no one who is capable of knowing Me as I am, i.e., as distinguished from all other entities, as implied in the expression Vijnana. Sri Krsna will declare later on: It is very hard to find such a great-souled person (7.19), and But no one knows Me (7.26). Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji Knowledge of me and realization of me are rare for the jnanis and yogis who were described in the previous six chapters. First, the Lord speaks of the rarity of realizing the sweetness of the Lord (vijnana) among them. Among the countless jivas, one may be a human being. Among thousands of humans, one of them may work for spiritual progress. Among thousands who work for spiritual progress, only one will know me, directly realize me, truly, in the form of Syamasundara. This implies that the bliss from realization of personal brahman is thousands of times great than the bliss from realization of the impersonal brahman. Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Without devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna, transcendental knowledge about Him is impossible to assimilate, understand or intuit. Amongst innumerable living beings specifically means humans as all other beings have neither the inclination or the qualification for moksa or liberation from the material existence. Yet among hundreds of thousands of humans only one due to great merit ever endeavours for moksa and among the hundreds of thousands who endeavour for moksa perchance one will actually achieve it due to extraordinary activities from a previous birth and of the hundreds of thousands who actually achieve moksa and reach perfection perchance only one by the mercy of the Supreme Lord will know Him in reality. Yet even though this transcendental knowledge is very confidential Lord Krishna will reveal it to His devotee. This is the purport. Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Extremely rare is transcendental knowledge regarding the Supreme Lord Krishna received. Now begins the summation. Hari OM! The paramount nature of the Supreme Lord is specially emphasised in this verse. Of innumerable living entities existing in creation less then one-tenth of 1% attempt to endeavour for perfection. Of the minuscule amount of living entities who do endeavour less then one-tenth of 1% percent actually achieve perfection. The Padma Purana states that even among those perfected only a few such as Brahma and Shiva actually really know the Supreme Lord is Krishna. As far as others are concerned knowledge alone of Lord Krishna is sufficient enough to grant them moksa or liberation from the cycle of birth and death in the material existence. In the Bhagavat Purana it states that even among 100,000 liberated beings only less then one-tenth of 1% factually comprehend that Lord Krishna is the ultimate creator of all. Every being who has achieved moksa in the past and those who are achieving moksa in the present all without exception have been and are devotees of the Supreme Lord Krishna and His Vedically authorised incarnations. This also applies as well to all beings who will achieve moksa in the future. Amongst all these eternal devotees Brahma the architect of all beings in the material creation is the foremost and thus it has been stated in the Sat Tattva text that the devotees of Lord Krishna are the very best of all living entities. Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Humans are designated to act in accordance with the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. Thousands may be found that adhere to the injunctions of the Vedas but hard to find is one who adheres and perseveres until the goal is reached and perfection is achieved. Of thousands who may be found that fortunately have sustained their efforts and are persevering until the goal is reached and perfection is achieved there is scarcely one discovered among them who knows the Supreme position of Lord Krishna and offers all their activities to Him. And of thousands who may know His supreme position it is extremely rare to find one who knows Lord Krishna as He really is and offers themselves in loving devotion to Him. Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Humans are designated to act in accordance with the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. Thousands may be found that adhere to the injunctions of the Vedas but hard to find is one who adheres and perseveres until the goal is reached and perfection is achieved. Of thousands who may be found that fortunately have sustained their efforts and are persevering until the goal is reached and perfection is achieved there is scarcely one discovered among them who knows the Supreme position of Lord Krishna and offers all their activities to Him. And of thousands who may know His supreme position it is extremely rare to find one who knows Lord Krishna as He really is and offers themselves in loving devotion to Him. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 7.3Manushyaanaam sahasreshu kashchidyatati siddhaye; Yatataamapi siddhaanaam kashchinmaam vetti tattwatah. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 7.3manuṣhyāṇām—of men; sahasreṣhu—out of many thousands; kaśhchit—someone; yatati—strives; siddhaye—for perfection; yatatām—of those who strive; api—even; siddhānām—of those who have achieved perfection; kaśhchit—someone; mām—me; vetti—knows; tattvataḥ—in truth