नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया ।शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ॥
nāhaṃ vedair na tapasā na dānena na cejyayā |śakya evaṃ-vidho draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭavān asi māṃ yathā ||
- वेदैः · vedaiḥ
- by the Vedas
- तपसा · tapasā
- by austerity
- दानेन · dānena
- by charity
- इज्यया · ijyayā
- by worship, sacrifice
- शक्यः · śakyaḥ
- possible
- द्रष्टुम् · draṣṭum
- to be seen
- यथा · yathā
- as
“Not by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by charity, nor by sacrifice can I be seen in the way you have seen me.”
— Original plain-language translation
The negative catalog clears the ground for the positive teaching of the next verse. Learning, self-denial, generosity, and ritual all have their place — but none by itself opens this seeing.
— Reader's notes (original)