As in the world, with a small reservoir such as a well or pond, water held within bounds, whatever purpose, whatever use, bathing, drinking and the rest, that limited water serves, all that purpose is served just as well, and is included, in a flood of water spreading on every side: so whatever purpose, whatever fruit of action, there is in all the Vedas, in the rites the Veda enjoins, all that is served just as well, and is included, for the brāhmaṇa, the renouncer who knows the supreme reality, in the fruit of his knowledge, which stands like the flood of water spreading on every side. So the scripture says, 'as the lesser throws fall in to one who has won with the winning throw, so whatever good the creatures do comes to him who knows what he knows'; and He will say 'all action without remainder' (Gītā 4.33). Therefore, before reaching the eligibility for steadfastness in knowledge, one who is eligible for action should perform action, even though it be like the purpose served by a well or pond. And for you.

Just as, where there is a flood of water on every side at a well meant for every purpose, a thirsty man takes from it only as much water as serves his purpose, not all of it, so among all the Vedas, for the brahmin who discerns, the Vedic man who seeks liberation, only that which is the means to liberation is to be taken up, and nothing else. So for a seeker of liberation who stands in sattva, this much alone is to be taken up. The Lord says this.

Still, one might say that since the fruit of those who do desire-prompted rites does not fall to the men of knowledge, the two stand on a level after all. To meet this Krishna speaks with 'as much use as there is'. Just as whatever use there is in a well of water is wholly contained in a flood of water spread on every side, so whatever fruit there is in all the Vedas is contained in the fruit of the brahmana who is a man of knowledge, even though he knows that fruit. 'Brahmana' means one who has direct knowledge, since he goes through to Brahman. The word 'knowing' shows that his is the fruit which is knowledge.