7. Knowledge of the Self is Enlightenment

Jñāna Vijñāna Yog

BG 7.1 - 30

Verse 1

श्री भगवानुवाच
मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः
असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु


Krishna said to Arjuna: I will tell you how you can know me without any doubt. Focus your mind on me and practice complete surrender.

Commentary

Verse 2

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते

When this wisdom I am revealing is fully known to you, nothing else will remain to be known.

Commentary

Verse 3

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्िचद्यतति सिद्धये
यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्िचन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः

Out of thousands of people, only one strives for perfection. Of those who strive for perfection, and even of those who have achieved perfection, only one knows the truth.

Commentary

Verse 4

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा

My material nature is divided eightfold - earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego.

Commentary

Verse 5

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्

This is my lower nature. There is also my distinct higher nature, which forms the basis for life in this universe.

Commentary

Verse 6

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय
अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा

These two are the source of all living beings. I am the creator of the universe, and I am its dissolution.

Commentary

Verse 7

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव

There is nothing higher than me. All is strung on me like a row of beads on a thread.

Commentary

Verse 8

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः
प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु

I am the taste in the waters, the radiance of the sun and moon, the sacred syllable Om in the Vedas, the sound of space, and the vigor of mankind.

Commentary

Verse 9

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु

I am the fragrance of the earth, the brilliance of the fire, the life force in all beings, and the penance of the ascetics.

Commentary

Verse 10

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्

I am the seed of all beings, the intellect of the intelligent, and the splendor of the splendid.

Commentary

Verse 11

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ

I am the strength of the strong one who is free from passion and desire. In all beings, I am the desire for dharma.

Commentary

Verse 12

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये
मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि

I am the source of all that is pure, all that is passionate, and all that is ignorant. They are within me, but I am not within them.

Commentary

Verse 13

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्

Deluded by these three qualities of nature (purity, passion, and ignorance), the entire world fails to recognize the supreme and imperishable.

Commentary

Verse 14

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते

This divine illusion is difficult to overcome. Only those who surrender themselves entirely to me can accomplish it.

Commentary

Verse 15

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः

The evil doers, the ignorant, the hedonistic, and deprived, all do not surrender to me.

Commentary

Verse 16

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

There are four kinds of people who worship me - the pious, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of material gain, and the wise.

Commentary

Verse 17

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्ितर्विशिष्यते
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः

Of all these, the wise, ever steadfast in devotion, are most dear to me - and I am most dear to them.

Commentary

Verse 18

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्

All four are of noble mind, but those who are wise are a reflection of myself - steadfast in mind, with me as the ultimate goal.

Commentary

Verse 19

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः

After many lives, the wise one realizes that "all is God" and surrenders to me. Such a soul is very rare.

Commentary

Verse 20

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया

Those whose wisdom has been carried away by material desires, worship other Gods and practice whatever rites they prefer.

Commentary

Verse 21

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्

Whatever the form of worship, if the worshipper does so with faith, then I bestow steady faith upon them.

Commentary

Verse 22

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्

Endowed with that faith, their desire in worship will certainly be granted.

Commentary

Verse 23

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्
देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि

But the fruit gained by such people of limited insight is perishable. The worshippers of the celestial gods will go to the gods, while my devotees come to me.

Commentary

Verse 24

अव्यक्तं व्यक्ितमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्

The ignorant think of me, the formless, as having a personality and form. They do not understand my imperishable and supreme nature.

Commentary

Verse 25

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः
मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्

I am not visible to everyone, and remained veiled in illusion. This deluded world does not know me as the unborn and immutable.

Commentary

Verse 26

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन

I know all beings of the past, present, and future, but none know me.

Commentary

Verse 27

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप

Craving and aversion arise from the illusion of duality - a delusion that all living beings are born into.

Commentary

Verse 28

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः

But those whose sins have been completely eradicated by pious activities are freed from the illusion of duality, and worship me with determination.

Commentary

Verse 29

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्

Those who take refuge in me are liberated from old age and death, know Brahman as the nature of Karma and the self.

Commentary

Verse 30

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः

Those who see me as the law of physical nature, the nature of the gods, and the principles of sacrifice, know me even at the time of death.

Commentary

Next chapter

8. Path of the Eternal God

Akṣhar Brahma Yog
Chapter 7