Canto & Chapters
General History (31 Chapters)
Chapter 120v
The Curse upon the Yadu Dynasty
Chapter 254v
Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
Chapter 352v
Liberation from the Illusory Energy
Chapter 423v
Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi
Chapter 549v
Nārada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
Chapter 644v
The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhāsa
Chapter 772v
Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Uddhava
Chapter 843v
The Story of Piṅgalā
Chapter 932v
Detachment from All that Is Material
Chapter 1032v
The Nature of Fruitive Activity
Chapter 1134v
The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities
Chapter 1218v
Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge
Chapter 1341v
The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā
Chapter 1437v
Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava
Chapter 1533v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections
Chapter 1644v
The Lord’s Opulence
Chapter 1754v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of the Varṇāśrama System
Chapter 1847v
Description of Varṇāśrama-dharma
Chapter 1927v
The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge
Chapter 2035v
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment
Chapter 2139v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path
Chapter 2256v
Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation
Chapter 2359v
The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa
Chapter 2424v
The Philosophy of Sāṅkhya
Chapter 2533v
The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond
Chapter 2634v
The Aila-gītā
Chapter 2748v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship
Chapter 2843v
Jñāna-yoga
Chapter 2945v
Bhakti-yoga
Chapter 3046v
The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty
Chapter 3126v
The Disappearance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Canto 11, Chapter 21

Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Explanation of the Vedic Path

Verse 42 (SB 11.21.42)
SB 11.21.42 • मूल श्लोक

किं विधत्ते किमाचष्टे किमनूद्य विकल्पयेत् । इत्यस्या हृदयं लोके नान्यो मद् वेद कश्चन ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

kiṁ vidhatte kim ācaṣṭe kim anūdya vikalpayet ity asyā hṛdayaṁ loke nānyo mad veda kaścana

Synonyms (Word-for-Word)

kim — what; vidhatte — enjoins (in the ritualistic karma-kāṇḍa); kim — what; ācaṣṭe — indicates (as the object of worship in the devatā-kāṇḍa); kim — what; anūdya — describing in different aspects; vikalpayet — raises the possibility of alternatives (in the jñāna-kāṇḍa); iti — thus; asyāḥ — of Vedic literature; hṛdayam — the heart, or confidential purpose; loke — in this world; na — does not; anyaḥ — other; mat — than Me; veda — know; kaścana — anyone.

Translation

“In the entire world no one but Me actually understands the confidential purpose of Vedic knowledge. Thus people do not know what the Vedas are actually prescribing in the ritualistic injunctions of karma-kāṇḍa, or what object is actually being indicated in the formulas of worship found in the upāsanā-kāṇḍa, or that which is elaborately discussed through various hypotheses in the jñāna-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas.”

Bhaktivedanta Purport

By Śrīla Prabhupāda
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Since the Lord is the source, maintainer and ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge, He is veda-vit, or the only true knower of Vedic knowledge. So-called philosophers, either Vedic scholars or ordinary men, may give their sectarian opinion, but it is the Lord Himself who knows the confidential purpose of the Vedas. The Lord is the only actual shelter and lovable object for all living entities. As He states in the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā (10.41): yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁśrīmad ūrjitam eva vātad tad evāvagaccha tvaṁmama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam “Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” All beautiful, extraordinary and powerful manifestations are insignificant displays of the Lord’s own opulences. Although ordinary people may quarrel over the purpose of religion, the actual purpose is one, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or pure love of Godhead. All Vedic formulas are understood to be preliminary stages leading to the perfect stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in which one fully surrenders to the devotional service of the Lord. The pure devotees of the Lord represent Him within this world and never speak anything which is not authorized by the Lord. Because they are repeating the Lord’s own words, they are also to be understood as true knowers of the Veda.