Chapter 7 · 30 verses

The Yoga of Knowledge and Realisation ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग

Krishna describes his lower (material) and higher (conscious) nature. Everything is strung on him like pearls on a thread. Four kinds of people worship him, and the wise devotee is dearest to him.

This English meaning is newly written by Bhajan Dhun and is still being reviewed by scholars.

1. 7.1

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः ।
   असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु ॥७.१॥

   The Lord said: O Partha, hear how, with your mind attached to me, practising yoga and taking refuge in me, you will know me fully and without doubt.

2. 7.2

   ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः ।
   यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते ॥७.२॥

   I will teach you this knowledge in full, together with realisation, knowing which nothing more remains to be known in this world.

3. 7.3

   मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये ।
   यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥७.३॥

   Among thousands of people, hardly one strives for perfection; and among those who strive and succeed, hardly one knows me in truth.

4. 7.4

   भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
   अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥७.४॥

   Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego — this is my nature, divided eightfold.

5. 7.5

   अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् ।
   जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥७.५॥

   This is my lower nature. But know, O mighty-armed, my higher nature, distinct from it — the life-principle by which this universe is sustained.

6. 7.6

   एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय ।
   अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा ॥७.६॥

   Understand that all beings arise from these two natures. I am the origin of the whole universe and also its dissolution.

7. 7.7

   मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।
   मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥७.७॥

   O Dhananjaya, there is nothing higher than me. All this is strung on me like pearls on a thread.

8. 7.8

   रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः ।
   प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥७.८॥

   O son of Kunti, I am the taste in water, the light of the moon and the sun, the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas, the sound in space and the strength in human beings.

9. 7.9

   पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ ।
   जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥७.९॥

   I am the pure fragrance of the earth and the brilliance in fire; I am the life in all beings and the austerity of ascetics.

10. 7.10

    बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् ।
    बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ॥७.१०॥

    O Partha, know me to be the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the splendour of the splendid.

11. 7.11

    बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् ।
    धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥७.११॥

    I am the strength of the strong, free from desire and attachment; and, O best of the Bharatas, I am desire in beings that is not contrary to dharma.

12. 7.12

    ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये ।
    मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि ॥७.१२॥

    Know that all states of being — sattvic, rajasic and tamasic — come from me alone. Yet I am not in them; they are in me.

13. 7.13

    त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
    मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ॥७.१३॥

    Deluded by these states made of the three qualities, this whole world does not recognise me, who am beyond them and imperishable.

14. 7.14

    दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
    मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥७.१४॥

    This divine illusion of mine, made of the qualities, is very hard to cross. But those who take refuge in me alone cross over it.

15. 7.15

    न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः ।
    माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः ॥७.१५॥

    Evildoers, the deluded and the lowest of people, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion and who take on a demonic nature, do not take refuge in me.

16. 7.16

    चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन ।
    आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥७.१६॥

    O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, four kinds of virtuous people worship me: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the wise.

17. 7.17

    तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
    प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः ॥७.१७॥

    Of these, the wise one, ever united with me and devoted to me alone, is the best. I am very dear to the wise, and the wise are dear to me.

18. 7.18

    उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् ।
    आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् ॥७.१८॥

    All of them are noble, but the wise one I consider my very Self, for, with mind united, such a person is established in me as the highest goal.

19. 7.19

    बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते ।
    वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ॥७.१९॥

    At the end of many births the wise one takes refuge in me, knowing "Vasudeva is everything." Such a great soul is very rare.

20. 7.20

    कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः ।
    तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया ॥७.२०॥

    Those whose wisdom has been carried off by various desires turn to other gods, following various practices, bound by their own nature.

21. 7.21

    यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति ।
    तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् ॥७.२१॥

    Whatever form a devotee wishes to worship with faith, I make that very faith of theirs steady.

22. 7.22

    स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।
    लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान् ॥७.२२॥

    Endowed with that faith, they worship that form and from it obtain their desires — which are in truth granted by me alone.

23. 7.23

    अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् ।
    देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि ॥७.२३॥

    But the fruit gained by those of small understanding is perishable. Worshippers of the gods go to the gods; my devotees come to me.

24. 7.24

    अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः ।
    परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ॥७.२४॥

    Not knowing my supreme nature, imperishable and unsurpassed, the unwise think of me, the unmanifest, as having merely taken a manifest form.

25. 7.25

    नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः ।
    मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम् ॥७.२५॥

    Veiled by my divine power, I am not revealed to all. This deluded world does not know me, the unborn and imperishable.

26. 7.26

    वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन ।
    भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन ॥७.२६॥

    O Arjuna, I know the beings of the past, the present and the future, but no one knows me.

27. 7.27

    इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत ।
    सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥७.२७॥

    O Bharata, scorcher of foes, all beings fall into delusion from birth, through the confusion of opposites arising from desire and aversion.

28. 7.28

    येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् ।
    ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः ॥७.२८॥

    But those of virtuous deeds, whose sins have come to an end, freed from the delusion of opposites, worship me with firm resolve.

29. 7.29

    जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये ।
    ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् ॥७.२९॥

    Those who take refuge in me and strive for freedom from old age and death know Brahman, the whole of the inner Self, and all of action.

30. 7.30

    साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः ।
    प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः ॥७.३०॥

    Those who know me along with the material, the divine and the sacrificial aspects, with their minds united in me, know me even at the hour of death.