Chapter 18: Moksha-sannyasa-yoga:: Verse 20
सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते ।
अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ॥
sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṃ bhāvam-avyayam-īkṣate
avibhaktaṃ vibhakteṣu tajjñānaṃ viddhi sāttvikam – 18.20
Know that knowledge to be sāttvika, by which one perceives the singular, imperishable and undivided Presence in all the manifold beings.
Chapter 18: Moksha-sannyasa-yoga: - Verse 20
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Krishna defines sattvika knowledge first. Knowledge does not end with what senses perceive. Senses themselves cannot do any work. Mind employs and empowers them to comprehend. Even the sensory perception is something that transpires inside the body.
Senses perceive only the gross objects. But beings are not just gross. The inner sentient presence alone animates and activates their body. And that is extremely subtle and hence pervasive like space. Mind, intelligence, etc. do hint at such a presence, which is imperishable, unlike the body.
So, along with the grossness senses report, the mind should grasp the imperishable inner presence too. When this transpires, it becomes sattvika knowledge. In the gross level, all beings are divided and separate. And in the subtle level, they are undivided and singular as Krishna has stated earlier (2.12,24; 6.29,30; 9.4, etc.).
