The resolute understanding, whose nature is certainty, is but one on this path of the highest good, O delight of the Kurus, and it overrides the branching variety of other, contrary understandings, since it is produced by a sound means of knowledge. But the other, contrary understandings are many-branched, of many divisions, and through the difference of branch upon branch they are endless; by the spread of their branching variety transmigration becomes wide, endless, shoreless, unceasing, perpetually stretched out, while by the discerning understanding produced by a sound means of knowledge, when the endlessly divided understandings cease, transmigration too comes to rest. Whose are these many-branched understandings? Those of people who lack resolve, who lack the discerning understanding produced by a sound means of knowledge. Of those who have no resolute understanding.

Here, in all scripturally ordained action, the resolute understanding is one. The understanding to be employed in the action a seeker of liberation must perform is the resolute understanding; 'resolve' is settled determination, and that understanding is preceded by the certain ascertainment of the truth of the self. The understanding that has desire-prompted action for its object is not resolute. For in the sphere of desire only the bare existence of a self distinct from the body is needed, not the certain ascertainment of the self's true nature; even without ascertaining its true nature, the craving for heaven and other fruits, the performing of their means, and the experience of those fruits all remain possible, and there is no contradiction. This resolute understanding is one, since it has for its object the means to a single fruit. For all the actions of the seeker of liberation are enjoined for the sake of the single fruit, liberation. So, the meaning of scripture being one, the understanding bearing on all action is just one. Just as the understanding bearing on the six rites beginning with the Agneya, each with its accompanying procedure, is one, because they have one scriptural meaning as the means to one fruit, so it is here. But the understandings of the irresolute, those qualified for actions that are means to heaven, a son, cattle, food, and other fruits, are, because the fruits are endless, themselves endless, and within that, of many branches. For even when an action such as the new-moon and full-moon rite is enjoined for a single fruit, there is a multiplicity of branches, by the difference of secondary fruits learned in 'he prays for long life', 'he prays for good offspring'. So the understandings of the irresolute are endless and of many branches. This is what is said: in the obligatory and occasional actions, the principal fruits and the secondary fruits that are heard of are all to be given up, and all actions are to be performed, as having the one scriptural meaning, with liberation as their single fruit. And the desire-prompted actions suited to one's own class and stage of life are, with their several fruits given up, to be made one with the obligatory and occasional actions as means to the fruit of liberation, and performed according to one's capacity. Now the Lord censures those qualified for desire-prompted action.

This is a brief sub-gloss. For a fuller reading of this verse, see Madhusūdana, Śaṅkara, or Rāmānuja above.

It has been said, 'hear this buddhi as regards yoga'. But buddhis are many, since doctrines differ, so how is one to fix one's stand on a single one? To that Krishna replies with 'the resolute buddhi'. The sense is that doctrines settled by sound reasoning are simply at one with each other.