विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि | शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः ||५-१८||
vidyāvinayasampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini . śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ ||5-18||
Chapter 5 · Verse 18
Karma Sannyasa Yoga
कर्मसंन्यासयोग
In plain words
The liberated sage or Jivanmukta or a Brahmana has eal vision as he beholds the Self only everywhere. This magnificent vision of a Jnani is beyond description. Atman or Brahman is not at all affected by the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts as He is extremely subtle pure formless and attributeless.
Translation
5.18 The sages look with an eal eye on one endowed with learning and humility, a Brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.
Meaning
The liberated sage or Jivanmukta or a Brahmana has eal vision as he beholds the Self only everywhere. This magnificent vision of a Jnani is beyond description. Atman or Brahman is not at all affected by the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts as He is extremely subtle pure formless and attributeless. The suns reflection falls on the river Ganga on the ocean or on a dirty stream. The sun is not at all affected in any way. This makes no difference to the sun. So is the case with the Supreme Self. The Upadhis (limiting adjuncts) cannot affect Him. Just as the ether is not affected by the limiting adjuncts viz. a pot the walls of a room cloud etc. so also the Self is not affected by the Upadhis. The Brahmana is Sattvic. The cow is Rajasic. The elephant the dog and the outcaste are Tamasic. The sge sees in all of them the one homogeneous immortal Self Who is not affected by the three Gunas and their tendencies. (Cf. VI.8 32XIV.24)
Word by word
विद्याविनयसंपन्ने upon one endowed with learning and humility ब्राह्मणे on a Brahmana गवि on a cow हस्तिनि on an elephant शुनि on a dog च and एव even श्वपाके on an outcaste च and पण्डिताः sages समदर्शिनः eal seeing.