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#Gita Chapter 07 (English translation)

 

Chapter 7

YOGA OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM–JNAANA-VIGJNAANA YOGA

Sri Krishna Bhagavan speaks:

When your mind is focused on Me, practicing the teaching and taking refuge in Me, listen to how you will without doubt know Me fully. II7.1II

(Note: See Vocabulary Notes for the context of the word "Me".)

I will teach you both indirect and direct knowledge knowing which, there is nothing else to know. II7.2II

Among thousands of men, a rare one seeks perfection. Among those who seek, perhaps one realizes my Truth. II7.3II

My manifested nature is divided in eight–earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego. II7.4II

These constitute my lower nature. Mahabaaho (Arjuna), know Me by My (unmanifest) higher nature that is the very life element that upholds this manifested universe. II7.5II

Understand that all things have these two natures (manifest and unmanifest) as their womb. Therefore, I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe. II7.6II

Dhananjaya (Arjuna), there is nothing higher than Me. All this is strung on Me like (a garland of) gems on a string. II7.7II

Kaunteya (Arjuna), I am the taste in water, the light in the moon and the sun, the Om in all Vedas, the sound that travels in ether, and the virility in men. II7.8II

I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and the brilliance in the fire, the life in all beings, and the austerity in ascetics. II7.9II

(Closely verbatim to Swami Sivananda)

Know me, Partha (Arjuna), as the eternal seed in all beings, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the brilliance of the brilliant. II7.10II

I am the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and passion. I am the desire for righteousness, Bharatarshabha (Arjuna). II7.11II

All that is manifest is made up of the temperaments of sattva, rajas, and tamas (purity, passion, and inertia). They all originate from Me, however, I am not subject to them. They are in Me. II7.12II

This world, deluded by things made from the three temperaments, does not know Me who transcends them and am Unchanging. II7.13II

This is my play (maaya)–my divine illusion of phenomena–which is difficult to cross over. Those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this divine illusion. II7.14II

Foolish evil-doers and sinners, the most depraved among men, deprived of their wisdom by this illusion, resort to diabolic ways and do not take refuge in Me. II7.15II

Four kinds of people virtuous in their deeds worship Me, Arjuna–the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the man of wisdom, Bharatarshabha (Arjuna). II7.16II

Among them, the man of wisdom, steadfast in his devotion, excels. I am exceedingly beloved to him, and he is beloved to Me. II7.17II

All of them are noble, but the man of wisdom, with his mind steadfast in Me, is set on the path leading to Me. II7.18II

At the end of many births the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul is very hard to find. II7.19II

(Verbatim from Swami Sivananda)

Deprived of their wisdom by one desire or another, they resort to lesser deities, practicing different rites, according to their (lower) nature. II7.20II

Whatever the form (of the deity) and whoever the devotee, if he worships with faith, I make his faith unflinching. II7.21II

Endowed with that faith, that person engages in worshipping that form (of the deity) and from it he gets those very desires that I alone dispense. II7.22II

The fruit (result) of those of limited intelligence is indeed finite. Those who worship the gods go to the gods. My devotees go to Me alone. II7.23II

The unintelligent think of Me as manifest, not knowing My Supreme state which is changeless and most excellent. II7.24II

Being enveloped by the divine illusion of the phenomena (maaya), I am not apparent to all. This deluded world does not know Me who is unborn and imperishable. II7.25II

I know, Arjuna, the beings of the past, the present and the future, but no one knows Me. II7.26II

(Verbatim from Swami Sivananda)

Driven by likes and dislikes, and thus deceived by the duality of the pairs of opposites, all creatures become deluded at the time of birth, Bhaarata (Arjuna); Parantapa (Arjuna). II7.27II

But men of virtuous deeds, whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of duality, worship Me with steadfast resolution. II7.28II

Those who take refuge in Me and strive to achieve liberation from birth and death, they realize Brahman, which is their own real Self and in which all actions exist. II7.29II

Those who see Me in adhibhuta (at the level of the elements), adhidaiva (at the level of the divine), and adhiyajna (in the context of sacrifice), and are self-controlled, know Me even at the time of death. II7.30II

Concluding verse:

Om! Such is the Truth in the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. This is the knowledge of Supreme Consciousness. It is a scripture of union; a dialogue between Sri Krishna (the teacher) and Arjuna (the student). The seventh discourse ends, titled “Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom–Jnaana-Vigjnaana Yoga”.


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