Bhagavad Gita 11.38 · Arjuna
The knower and the known
त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराणस्-
त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्।
वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम
त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप॥
tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇasa- tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānamvettāsi vedyaṃ ca paraṃ ca dhāma tvayā tataṃ viśvamanantarūpa
You are the first God, the ancient Person, the universe's final home, the knower and the known. You fill all things, infinite form.
What it means
Arjuna names Krishna the first God and ancient Person. The final resting place of the universe. Then something striking. You are vetta, the knower, and vedyam, what is known. The one who sees and what is seen. And all of it filled by Krishna's infinite form.
The story
Arjuna, the student, realises his teacher is both the one teaching and the truth being taught. It's a mind-bending moment, and he expresses it as wonder, not confusion.
In your life
Think of a moment when you looked at the ocean and felt, for a second, that you and it were one. That's this verse. Look at something beautiful today and let the line between you soften.
The knower and the known are one.