śrī-bhagavān uvāca paraṁ bhūyaḥ pravakṣyāmi jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam yaj jñātvā munayaḥ sarve parāṁ siddhim ito gatāḥ
"The Blessed Lord said: I shall again declare the supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have gone from here to the highest perfection."
What This Means:
Krishna announces he will teach the highest knowledge—knowledge knowing which, all sages have attained the supreme perfection. This is the 'knowledge of knowledge'—the most valuable understanding.
Going Deeper:
'Jñānānāṁ jñānam uttamam'—the supreme among all knowledge. Not just another teaching, but the pinnacle. 'Munayaḥ sarve'—all sages without exception have used this knowledge to attain 'parāṁ siddhim'—the highest perfection. 'Itaḥ gatāḥ'—having gone from here (the world of bondage). Krishna's introduction creates expectation for transformative wisdom.
How To Apply This:
When approaching important teachings, bring full attention. This knowledge about the three gunas is considered supreme because understanding them enables you to transcend them. Give this chapter careful study.
Key Sanskrit Terms: