BG 2.29

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन -
माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।
आश्चर्यवच्च‍ैनमन्यः श‍ृणोति
श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ॥ २९ ॥

āścarya-vat paśyati kaścid enam
āścarya-vad vadati tathaiva cānyaḥ
āścarya-vac cainam anyaḥ śṛṇoti
śrutvāpy enaṁ veda na caiva kaścit

āścaryavat — amazing; paśyati — see; kaścit — some; enam — this soul; āścaryavat — amazing; vadati — speak; tathā — there; eva — certainly; ca — also; anyaḥ — others; āścaryavat — similarly amazing; ca — also; enam — this soul; anyaḥ — others; śṛṇoti — hear; śrutvā — having heard; api — even; enam — this soul; veda — do know; na — never; ca — and; eva — certainly; kaścit — anyone.

TRANSLATION

Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.

PURPORT

Since Gītopaniṣad is largely based on the principles of the Upaniṣads, it is not surprising to also find this passage in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad.

Some people who are inclined to hear about the soul may be attending lectures, in good association, but sometimes, owing to ignorance, they are misguided by acceptance of the Supersoul and the atomic soul as one without distinction of magnitude. It is very difficult to find a man who perfectly understands the position of the soul, the Supersoul, the atomic soul, their respective functions, relationships and all other major and minor details. And it is still more difficult to find a man who has actually derived full benefit from knowledge of the soul, and who is able to describe the position of the soul in different aspects. But if, somehow or other, one is able to understand the subject matter of the soul, then one's life is successful. The easiest process for understanding the subject matter of self, however, is to accept the statements of the Bhagavad-gītā spoken by the greatest authority, Lord Kṛṣṇa, without being deviated by other theories. But it also requires a great deal of penance and sacrifice, either in this life or in the previous ones, before one is able to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa can, however, be known as such by the causeless mercy of the pure devotee and by no other way.