Bhagavad Gita 18.21 · Krishna
Seeing only separateness
पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्।
वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम्॥
pṛthaktvena tu yajjñānaṃ nānābhāvānpṛthagvidhānvetti sarveṣu bhūteṣu tajjñānaṃ viddhi rājasam
Knowledge that sees in all beings many different natures, each separate from the rest, know that knowledge as restless.
Words
- rajas
What it means
Krishna describes rajasic knowledge. It sees only separateness. Everyone different, apart, competing. Us and them. It's not wrong to see differences. But knowledge that stops there breeds rivalry and restlessness. It never finds the common ground beneath.
The story
The Kauravas saw only us and them, and that vision led straight to this war. Krishna warns Arjuna not to see the same way.
In your life
Think of an office split into departments that see each other as rivals, and how much energy that wastes. Find one thing in common with a rival today.
Seeing only differences breeds rivalry.