The knower of Brahman, the wise, the poet, the reflective one, he who has turned completely around, whose desires have ceased, the saints, the perfected ones who came before —to them, to Him, our reverence.

A description of the brahmavid (knower of Brahman): he is vipaścit (of clear vision), kavi (sage-poet with intuitive vision), manīṣī (deep reflector). He has “turned completely around” (parivṛtta) —not escaped the world but returned to the source— and his kāma (desires) have “ceased” (nivṛtta), not by force but by fulfillment. In our yoga practice, these are the siddhas and santas (perfected ones and saints) who illuminate the path. Reverence for them is recognition that this state is possible, has been attained before, and is our true nature.