मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |
यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: || 3||
manuṣhyāṇāṁ sahasreṣhu kaśhchid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaśhchin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
manuṣhyāṇām—of men; sahasreṣhu—out of many thousands; kaśhchit—someone; yatati—strives; siddhaye—for perfection; yatatām—of those who strive; api—even; siddhānām—of those who have achieved perfection; kaśhchit—someone; mām—me; vetti—knows; tattvataḥ—in truth
Translation:
Among thousands of men, one strives for perfection and even among those who strive and succeed, one knows Me in essence.
Commentary:
Very few people have the inclination to know the truth. Those who enter the field of action in pursuit of their aim are indeed less in number. Among those, some rare and exceptional man attains perfection. In a running race, many are found at the starting point, but some drop off on the way and two or three strive to reach the goal, and only one wins the race. The blossoms of a huge tree are innumerable. But only a few develop fruits. All the others drop off. Among those that bear the fruit, many fall away before the fruits become ripe. And at last, we can pick only a few ripe fruits. It is the same with spiritual aspirants. Devotion, intimate contact with the Lord, is the reward of much good done through several births.
As millions are carried away in the flood of Maya, some one strong and heroic soul, by virtue of the good samskara stands firm, and strives to know the truth, and attains God.
Tattvatah: The Lord here emphasises the need for knowing Him in essence, fully and entirely. Shadowy knowledge is not enough. Distant understanding is not enough. Close and direct knowledge without any doubt or darkness should be attained for ultimate perfection.
It is not to discourage the seeker when it is said that a rare man alone can understand Him. The difficult nature of the task, and the need for firm determination and unyielding perseverance are emphasised. The seekers should understand the long distance they have to traverse to reach the destination. No one can jump to the goal. The process is slow and the path is hard. But there is always the inspiring hope that what little is achieved will not be lost, will help him to overcome great fear.
Swami Vivekananda Says —
Very few men ask for the truth, fewer dare to learn the truth, and fewest of all dare to follow it in all its practical bearings. It is not their fault; it is all weakness of the brain.[Source]
I feel as if I had my share of experience in what they call “work”. I am finished, I am longing now to get out. “Out of thousands, but one strives to attain the Goal. And even of those who struggle hard, but few attain”; for the senses are powerful, they drag men down.[Source]
Of one hundred persons who take up the spiritual life, eighty turn out to be charlatans, fifteen insane, and only five, maybe, get a glimpse of the real truth. Therefore beware.
(Source: Vivekananda – A Biography)
