SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
manushyANAm sahasrEshu kaScidhyathati sidhdhayE |
yathathAm api sidhdhAnAm kaSchin mAm vEththi thathvatha: ||
word-by-word meaning
manushyANAm – among those who are qualified to learn SAsthram
sahasrEshu – among thousands
kaSchith – only one
sidhdhayE yathathi – tries continuously until attaining liberation
yathathAm sidhdhAnAm api – among those
(sahasrEshu) kaSchith – one (among thousands)
mAm – me
thathvatha: – truly
vEththi – knows
Simple Translation
Only one among thousands of those who are qualified to learn SAsthram, tries continuously until attaining liberation. Only one among those thousands (who continuously pursue the path of perfection) truly knows me.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘One perchance amid a thousand mortals strives for perfection. Even of those who so strive for perfection, it is seldom one knows Me truly.’
Men are capable of acting in accordance with the behests of Śāstra. Thousands may so act, but hardly one is found who will persevere till the end —viz: perfection,— is attained. Of thousands again, who may be found to be sustaining in their efforts to reach the goal, scarcely one is discovered, who, understanding Me, works through Me to perfection. Of thousands who may know Me, rarely one knows Me verily as I am. Not one, is meant. So it is declared further on thus:—
(Sa mahātmā etc).: ‘That great-souled one is most hard to find’ (VII-19).
(Māṃ tu veda etc) : ‘But Me, not one knows’ (VII-26)[1. Vide Bhāgavata, III-24-28: ‘Bahujanma-vipakvena, ‘samyag yoga-sa-mādhinā, ‘drashtum yatante yata-yah, ‘śūny-āgateshu yat padam.’].
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