Among thousands of people, hardly one strives for perfection; and even among those who strive and succeed, hardly one knows Me in truth.
Explanation
Krishna has just promised Arjuna complete knowledge (jñāna) together with its realization (vijñāna). Here he stresses how rare real understanding of him is: few people even seek perfection (siddhi), and fewer still know him in essence (tattvataḥ). Traditions differ on what this perfection means, whether purification of the mind, spiritual realization or devotion, and the verse itself does not settle it.