Verse 18.20

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.20:

सर्व-भूतेषु येनैकं भावम् अव्ययम् ईक्षते ।
अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज् ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ॥ २० ॥

sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṃ bhāvam avyayam īkṣate |
avibhaktaṃ vibhakteṣu taj jñānaṃ viddhi sāttvikam || 20 ||

sarva-bhūteṣu–living beings; yena–by which knowledge; ekam–one; bhāvam–nature; avyayam–imperishable; īkṣate–one sees; avibhaktam–undivided; vibhakteṣu–among the divided; tat–that; jñānam–know-ledge; viddhi–you should understand; sāttvikam–the quality of goodness.

By knowledge in the mode of goodness, one sees that the numerous souls in various bodies, such as humans, demigods, animals and birds, are all indivisible and imperishable, and that they all possess the same quality of consciousness, although they are each individually experiencing the different results of their actions.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Here, Śrī Bhagavān is explaining knowledge in the mode of goodness. Ekaṃ bhāvam means that the same soul sequentially accepts different forms, such as that of a demigod, a human being or that of an animal or bird etc. in the lower species, in order to undergo the various results of their individual karma. Although the soul lives in the midst of that which is perishable, he is not perishable. Individually, the various living entities are different (vibhakteṣu), and at the same time they are all identical (eka-rūpam) because they possess the same conscious nature. The understanding by which one sees everything in relation to individual karma is in the mode of goodness.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

This verse has a very deep meaning. The cause of all causes, the controller of all controllers, and the source of everyone is the primeval Lord, Svayam Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Although He is one, He manifests in this universe as various incarnations. They are all one in essence, both in terms of Their svarūpa and tattva, but each has unique characteristics that gradate Them according to rasa (transcendental mellows) and vilāsa (divine pastimes). And yet They are one. The jīvas manifest from Him as separated parts, or vibhinnāṃśa, and are very subtle entities.

They are unlimited in number. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (5.9) states:

bālāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca
bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa cānantyāya kalpate

It is said that the living entity is the size of one-hundredth of the tip of a hair that is again divided into a hundred parts. Such living entities are declared to be eternal.

As explained earlier, jīvas are of two types: baddha (bound) and mukta (liberated). Although they are unlimited in number, they are all one in tattva in regard to their conscious nature. They are all servants of Kṛṣṇa by their essential constitution, although they take birth in various species such as demigods, humans, animals and birds. To establish this siddhānta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is explaining that through knowledge in the mode of goodness, one sees that unlimited living entities exist in various bodies, such as demigods, demons, humans, animals and birds, in order to experience the various fruits of their individual karma. From the perspective of cit-tattva, or conscious reality, the knowledge by which one perceives them as indivisible, immutable and one in nature is known as sāttvika-jñāna, knowledge in the mode of goodness.