|| 18.20 ||
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते। अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम्।।
sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṁ bhāvam avyayam īkṣate avibhaktaṁ vibhakteṣu taj jñānaṁ viddhi sāttvikam
Word by Word
sarva-bhūteṣu (in all living beings) yena (by which) ekam (one) bhāvam (nature) avyayam (imperishable) īkṣate (one sees) avibhaktam (undivided) vibhakteṣu (in the divided forms) tat (that) jñānam (knowledge) viddhi (know) sāttvikam (in the mode of goodness).
Translation
That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all living entities, though they are divided into innumerable forms, you should understand to be in the mode of goodness.
Meaning
Kṛṣṇa defines ‘Knowledge in the Mode of Goodness’. This is the vision of Unity. It is the ability to see the one, undivided, imperishable spiritual nature (the soul and Supersoul) in all living entities, even though they appear in millions of different, divided forms. A person in Sattva sees the ‘Electricity’, not the different types of lightbulbs.
This is the ultimate cure for prejudice. When you look at a cow, a dog, an ant, or a person of a different race, your physical eyes see ‘Variety’. But your ‘Jñāna’ sees ‘Unity’. You realize that the same quality of life-force and the same Divine witness are present in all. This vision makes you naturally respectful, compassionate, and non-violent. You realize that hurting another is like hurting a part of your own family tree.
It teaches us the ‘Spirit of Universalism’. Sāttvika knowledge is not about collecting data; it’s about refining our ‘Gaze’. We should practice seeing the eternal soul behind the temporary masks of age, gender, and species. This vision brings immediate peace and dissolves the ego’s desire to dominate others. It is the highest way of seeing the world, bringing us closest to Kṛṣṇa’s own perspective.