Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Vijnana YogaChapter 7, Shloka 19 (7.19)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः
॥ 7.19 ॥
bahūnāṃ janmanāmante jñānavān māṃ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
Translation
"At the end of many births, the one who has knowledge takes refuge in me, knowing 'Vasudeva is everything'; such a great soul is very rare."
Interpretation
"Vāsudevaḥ sarvam" — two readings.
Shankaracharya — all is Vasudeva alone. Bahūnāṃ janmanāṃ jñānārtha-saṃskārāśrayāṇām ante — at the end of many births spent gathering the impressions that lead to knowledge; jñānavān prāpta-paripāka-jñānaḥ mām vāsudevaṃ pratyag-ātmānaṃ pratyakṣataḥ prapadyate — one whose knowledge has ripened directly realises me, Vasudeva, as the pratyag-atma (one's own inner self); yaḥ evaṃ sarvātmānaṃ māṃ nārāyaṇaṃ pratipadyate saḥ mahātmā na tat-samaḥ anyaḥ asti adhiko vā — one who knows me, Narayana, as the self of all — there is no one equal to him, or greater. Further on: ātmaiva sarvo vāsudeva iti — the self is all; Vasudeva.
Acharya Ramanuja — everything is in Vasudeva. Vāsudeva-śeṣataika-rasaḥ ahaṃ tad-āyatta-svarūpa-sthiti-pravṛttiḥ ca — "my essence is to belong to Vasudeva; my nature, existence and activity depend on him"; and vāsudeva eva mama parama-prāpyaṃ prāpakaṃ ca anyad api yan manoratha-varti sa eva mama tat sarvam iti — "Vasudeva alone is my highest goal, he is the means, and whatever else the mind desires — he is all of that" — knowing this, he takes refuge. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam ity asya ayam eva arthaḥ — this is the very meaning of "Vasudeva is all"; evidence — the context (7.17, 7.18).
The difference (central): Shankara — oneness: everything (including the self) is Vasudeva alone; Ramanuja — one's all: for the devotee, Vasudeva alone is the goal, the means, and the object of every desire.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.