The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, listen how you shall know Me
completely without any doubt, with your mind absorbed in Me, taking
refuge in Me, and performing yogic practices. (7.01)
I shall fully explain to you the Self-knowledge together with
Self-realization after knowing that nothing more remains to be
known in this world. (7.02)
Scarcely one out of thousands of persons strives for perfection of
Self-realization. Scarcely any one of the striving, or even the
perfected persons, truly understands
The mind, intellect, ego, ether, air, fire, water, and earth are
the eightfold transformation of My Prakriti. (See also 13.05)
(7.04)
That which creates diversity, and all that can be seen or known is
called Prakriti. Prakriti is also the material cause or the
material out of which everything is made. Prakriti is the original
source of the material world consisting of three Gunas, and eight
basic elements out of which everything in this universe has evolved
according to Saamkhya doctrine. Prakriti is also referred to as
Asat, perishable, body, matter, nature, material nature, Maya,
Mahat Brahma, field, creation, and manifest state.
This Prakriti is My lower energy. My other higher energy is the
Purusha by which this entire universe is sustained, O Arjuna.
(7.05)
Purusha is the consciousness that observes, witnesses, watches, and
supervises Prakrti. It is the spiritual energy or the efficient
cause of the universe. This is also referred to as Sat,
imperishable, Atma, consciousness, spirit, self, soul, energy,
field knower, creator, and the unmanifest state. Prakriti and
Purusha are not two independent identities but the two aspects of
Brahman, the Absolute Reality.
Know that all creatures have evolved from this twofold energy, and
Brahman is the origin as well as the dissolution of the entire
universe. (See also 13.26) (7.06)
O Arjuna, there is nothing higher than Brahman. Everything in the
universe is strung on Brahman like jewels on the thread of a
necklace. (7.07)
O Arjuna, I am the sapidity in the water, I am the radiance in the
sun and the moon, the sacred syllable
sound in the ether, and the manhood in men. (7.08)
I am the sweet fragrance in the earth. I am the heat in the fire,
the life in all living beings, and the austerity in the ascetics.
(7.09)
O Arjuna, know Me to be the eternal seed of all creatures. I am the
intelligence of the intelligent, and the brilliance of the
brilliant. (See also 9.18 and 10.39) (7.10)
I am the strength, that is devoid of lust and attachment, of the
strong. I am the lust (or Kaama) in human beings that is in accord
with Dharma (for procreation), O Arjuna. (7.11)
Know that the three Gunas, Saattvika, Raajasika, and Taamasika,
also emanate from Me. I am not in (or dependent on) the Gunas, but
the Gunas are in (or dependent on)
(7.12)
Human beings are deluded by these three Gunas of nature; therefore,
they do not know Me who is above these Gunas and eternal. (7.13)
My divine Maya consisting of three Gunas or states of mind is
difficult to overcome. Only they who surrender unto Me cross over
this Maya. (See also 14.26, 15.19, and 18.66) (7.14)
The evil doers, the ignorant, the lowest persons who are attached
to demonic nature, and whose intellect has been taken away by Maya
do not worship or seek Me. (7.15)
Four types of virtuous ones worship or seek Me, O Arjuna. They are:
the distressed, the seeker of Self-knowledge, the seeker of wealth,
and the wise one who knows the Supreme. (7.16)
Among them the wise one, who is ever united with Me and whose
devotion is single minded, is the best. Because, I am very dear to
the wise, and the wise is very dear to
All these (seekers) are indeed noble, but I regard the wise as My
very Self, because the one who is steadfast becomes one with the
Supreme Being. (See also 9.29) (7.18)
After many births the wise ones resort (or surrender) to Me by
realizing that everything is (a manifestation of) Brahman indeed.
Such a great soul is very rare. (7.19)
They, whose wisdom has been carried away by various desires
impelled by their own Sanskaara, resort to other gods (or deities)
and practice various religious rites. (7.20)
Whosoever desires to worship whatever deity (using whatever name,
form, and method) with faith, I make their faith steady in that
very deity. (7.21)
Endowed with steady faith they worship that deity, and fulfill
their wishes through that deity. Those wishes are, indeed, granted
only by
Such (material) gains of these less intelligent human beings are
temporary. The worshipers of Devas go to Devas, but My devotees
come to Me. (7.23)
The ignorant think of Me, the Para-Brahman, as having no form or
personality and I can take (any physical) form; because (these)
people are not being able to comprehend My supreme imperishable and
incomparable existence. (7.24)
The word 'Avyakta' has been used in verses 2.25, 2.28, 7.24, 8.18,
8.20, 8.21, 9.04, 12.01, 12.03, 12.05, and 13.05. It takes
different meaning according to the context. Avyakta does not mean
formless; it means unmanifest or a transcendental form that is
invisible to our physical eyes. It is used in the sense of
unmanifest Prakriti, and also in the sense of Para-Brahman. The
Para-Brahman or absolute consciousness is higher than both Brahman
and the unmanifest Prakriti. Para-Brahman (or
imperishable, without any origin and end. Para-Brahman is not
formless. It has Divya Roopa, a transcendental form and Supreme
Personality. The ignorant think of the Lord as formless because He
is not visible. Because:
Veiled by My divine Maya, I am not known by all. Therefore, the
ignorant one does not know Me as the unborn and eternal Brahman.
(7.25)
I know, O Arjuna, the beings of the past, of the present, and those
of the future, but no one really knows
All beings in this world are in utter ignorance due to the delusion
of dualities born of likes and dislikes, O Arjuna. (7.27)
Persons of virtuous (or unselfish) deeds, whose Karma has come to
an end, become free from the delusion of dualities and worship Me
with firm resolve. (7.28)
Those who strive for freedom from (the cycles of birth) old age and
death by taking refuge in Me know Brahman, the individual self, and
Karma in its entirety. (7.29)
The steadfast persons, who know that Brahman is everything, the
Adhibhoota, the Adhidaiva, and the Adhiyajna, remember Me even at
the time of death (and attain Me). (See also 8.04) (7.30)
