Pandita-Sama-Darshana: The Vision of the Learned

(written on Nov 22, 2019)

(References: SP Lecture on SB 2.1.1)

The panditah sees everyone as the parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is explained in BG 5.18, “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” Srila Prabhupada says, “Paṇḍitāḥ, he does not see the outward dress; he sees the living entity encased in this particular type of body. So he has no concern with the body. Therefore a sādhu always thinks of everyone's benefit.” Sama-darshina is the key word here. Sama means same, or equal. Darshina means vision. Therefore, sama-darshina means with equal vision.

There is a painting in the Bhagavad Gita As It Is (Plate #7) which portrays this concept: it shows a humble sage looking at a cow, a dog, an dog-eater, an elephant, and the bramhana at the soul level, and understanding that everyone is eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is important to understand that just because one is panditah in name doesn’t mean that they are truly a panditah. Pandit Nehru is an example because he never really had sama-darshina or equal vision. He was a meat eater specifically a beef eater. It is said that if one kills a cow it is like ending the order of the material civilization. And he did this as the leader of the entire Indian country! In fact, Srila Prabhupada said, “He [one of Srila Prabhupada’s godbrothers] was speaking from a paper that one of our great politicians very in India he has now one of the two dogs of a gentleman in Sweden.” Pandit Nehru performed such sinful activities that he was reborn as a dog. So only those who take up Krishna consciousness and understand the constitutional position have this equal vision.