Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.26
अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वाऽन्येभ्य उपासते।तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः।।13.26।।
anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śhrutvānyebhya upāsate te ’pi chātitaranty eva mṛityuṁ śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ
Word Meanings
anye—others; tu—still; evam—thus; ajānantaḥ—those who are unaware (of spiritual paths); śhrutvā—by hearing; anyebhyaḥ—from others; upāsate—begin to worship; te—they; api—also; cha—and; atitaranti—cross over; eva—even; mṛityum—death; śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ—devotion to hearing (from saints)
Translation · English
Others, too, who do not know thus, worship, having heard of It from others; they, too, cross beyond death, regarding what they have heard as the supreme refuge.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Shri Krishna broadens the gates of liberation, acknowledging that realization is not exclusively for the intellectual or the ascetic. He addresses those whose initial spiritual capacity may be limited to 'hearing'—the act of receptive listening (shravana) from realized souls. This signifies the profound power of tradition and the grace of a lineage. By placing their faith in the wisdom shared by enlightened teachers, these seekers initiate a transformative process that transcends their own immediate limitations. It is an affirmation that the path to the Divine is not solely paved by personal scholarly mastery, but by the humility of listening and the steadfastness of faith. Krishna emphasizes that the mere willingness to absorb Truth from those who have 'seen' the reality acts as a vessel capable of ferrying the seeker across the turbulent ocean of samsara, or the cycle of death and rebirth. This teaching underscores that bhakti (devotion) and the humility of the listener are potent spiritual technologies in their own right, capable of yielding the same liberation that deep meditative inquiry provides. It transforms the act of listening into a sacred practice, turning the ears into gateways through which the eternal Truth enters the heart to dissolve the illusions of the ego.
The humble act of listening to divine wisdom with faith is a sovereign path to transcendence, proving that grace is accessible through receptivity.
Connected Verses
Affirms that even one who merely listens to the Gita with faith attains the auspicious worlds reserved for the righteous.
Confirms that the path of dharma is joyous to perform and leads to eternal results, validating the efficacy of the seeker's faith.
Highlights the necessity of approaching realized souls with humility and service to receive true knowledge.
Warns that those who are overly attached to flowery words without deep listening cannot achieve resolute determination in meditation.
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