Jnana-Vijnana Yoga

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

Lord Krishna further explained: Dear Arjuna, with your mind fully absorbed in thoughts of Me and in the practice of Yoga as well, with total reliance on Me alone, listen to the secret of how to really know Me in entirety.

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः । यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते ॥ ७.२ ॥

After I divulge this secret to you, the knowledge you will have attained from this secret of the Supreme (God) will make all other knowledge seem worthless for you, O Arjuna.

मनुष्याणां सहस्त्रेषु कश्र्चिद्यतति सिद्धये । यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्र्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥ ७.३ ...

It is very difficult to know Me fully in reality, dear Arjuna. Out of thousands of people, only a few special ones (Yogis or divine devotees) try to realize Me. Even out of those perfect people trying to realize Me, only a few succeed in doing so. Hardly anybody know My reality.

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

My nature,dear Arjuna, is formed by eight elements, namely, earth, fire, wind, water, sky, mind, intellect and ego. O Arjuna, understand that the elements I have just mentioned to you are only part of My lower nature. The other part of Me is My higher nature, which preserves the universe.

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

My nature,dear Arjuna, is formed by eight elements, namely, earth, fire, wind, water, sky, mind, intellect and ego. O Arjuna, understand that the elements I have just mentioned to you are only part of My lower nature. The other part of Me is My higher nature, which preserves the universe.

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

The Lord spoke solemnly: O Arjuna, you must understand that I have created all beings in these two aspects of my nature. Arjuna, Know Me as both the creator and the destroyer of the world.

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किंचिदस्ति धनंजय । मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ ७.७ ॥

Arjuna, there is in reality absolutely nothing else but Me, I am all there is in this whole universe and everything is threaded into Me like the pearls in a necklace.

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

Dear Arjuna, I am the essence (the life) of water. I am the light in the Moon and the Sun; I am the “OM” in all of the Vedas (Holy Scriptures of the Hindu Religion). I am the sound and vibrations in the sky and the manliness in all men.

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

I am the aroma (fragrance) in the earth, the radiance in the fire. I am “life” in all beings, and I represent the sacrifice in all religious and sacrificial ceremonies.

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

Arjuna, know Me; I am the core of all beings. I am the intelligence in the intelligent, and I represent the valour in the valiant men of this world.

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

Arjuna, my dear devotee, I am the strength in those that are strong and who are free from desire and attachment. I am the controlled, passion in all beings not contrary to Dharma.

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

Arjuna, I am also all the thoughts borne out of Sattvik (pure), Rajasik (high activity) and Tamasik (evil) elements that surround this world. Consider them all as created by Me. However, always remember, I am neither in them, nor are they in me.

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् । मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ॥ ७.१३ ॥

The whole universe, o Son of Kunti, is deluded by the Sattvik, Rajasik, and Tamasik Gunas (Components or Parts of nature). However,the truth is that I, the Supreme, Imperishable God, am above all of these Gunas.

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

Because My divine nature (many) consisting of these three parts, is very powerful,only those who continuously worship me, rise above these three Gunas (parts of nature) and cease to be deluded by them.

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

Those who have lost their Gyan (wisdom) because of the pursuit of power (maya) and those who are evil in nature and are constantly engaged in evil deeds, do not worship Me, O Arjuna.

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

In this world there are only four types of pure and divine (pious) people who worship Me,dear Arjuna; those in distress, the seekers of knowledge and wisdom, the wise (Yogis) and those who desire material wealth.

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

Among all of these, O Arjuna, only the wise who are always thinking of Me with true love and devotion, are special and dear to Me, and I am dear to them as well.

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

Although all of those who worship Me,Arjuna, are dear and sublime to Me, But because I regard a Gyani (man of wisdom) or Yogi to be of my own image, that Yogi will always reside in Me, the Almighty.

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

A Gyani or wise man who worship Me with great love and devotion during many or all of his birth, truly realizes Me as the “be-all” and the “end-all”. And he is considered by Me to be a great sage.

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

Driven by the desires which exist in their nature, ignorant people worship other Deities with rituals.

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

Whichever god (deity) a person wishes to worship with faith, O Arjuna, I am the one who establishes or builds his faith in that deity.

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

Thus, once these people have been given their faith by Me, the devotees try to worship the deities they choose to worship, and they ultimately achieve their desires as ordered and directed by Me, the Deity of deities

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

The Lord said solemnly: But the reward of those ignorant people who worship other deities is only temporary. Those who worship other deities go to those deities after death but those who worship Me, attain Me, and come to Me.

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः । परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ॥ ७.२४ ॥

Dear Arjuna, those people who have little intelligence fail to regard Me as the Supreme, indestructible, the Almighty, and unmanifest (not readily perceived by the senses); instead, they regard Me as a mere mortal and ordinary human being.

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

Shrouded by My own Yogmaya (divine powers), I am not visible to everybody. Those who are ignorant, however, do not know Me as unborn and indestructible (eternal). They will never be able to see Me, O Arjuna. Only those who are dear and devoted to Me, see Me.

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

O Arjuna, although I know of every single being who was in the past, who is at the present, and who will be in the future, nobody really knows Me.

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

Arjuna, in this world, most beings are confused and deluded by the doubts created by desire and envy, and they become victims of ignorance and Agyan (lack of wisdom).

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

O Arjuna, there are, however, some pious people whose sins have been destroyed and are free from all worldly attachments, who worship Me with a firm, undeluded mind.

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

Arjuna, those who make an effort to attain Me and take refuge in Me, achieve deliverance from old age and death, and they also fully understand Brahma, (the infinite never-ending) Adhyatma (self) and all Karma (actions) in this world.

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

Only those wise men (Yogis) who truly know Me as being above all elements of the world (Adhibhutha), above all Deities, and above all sacrifices, experience Me even at the end of their existence on earth (death), and they ultimately attain Me, the Supreme Soul.