THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
Shri Bhagwan Uvaach: Lord Krishna spoke: "O Arjuna, meditate upon me, seek my refuge, and worship me. I shall impart to you the path of knowledge which will lead you to fully comprehend me, the path through which you will come to know the absolute truth.
O Partha, among thousands of men, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows me in truth.
Listen to my supreme wisdom: Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego—these eight components constitute my material nature. This nature is responsible for creating the entire universe. But know this, O Arjuna, there is a higher aspect of my nature—the life force that animates all beings. It is this superior nature that sustains the universe.
I am the foundation of this superior nature; without my influence, it cannot function. All beings, whether animate or inanimate, are born from these two natures, and I am the cause of their creation. By my will, these natures create and destroy worlds. Thus, I am both the creator and destroyer of all existence; there is none superior to me. All creation is strung upon me like pearls on a thread.
O son of Kunti! The essence in water that sustains life is derived from my energy. The radiance in the moon and sun originates from me. The sacred syllable ‘Om’ in the Vedas represents my formless aspect. The sound in space and the vitality in humans are manifestations of my power. The fragrance in earth and the brightness in fire are also expressions of my energy. The consciousness present in all living beings emanates from me.
Know me as the eternal seed of all creation. The intelligence in the wise and the valor in the brave are bestowed by me. The strength in the strong is also granted by my grace.
However, there are two things devoid of my grace: the relentless pursuit of worldly pleasures and becoming ensnared by them once attained. Even the desires that living entities harbor originate from me.
Through my Maya (illusion), I have created deities associated with goodness (Satoguni), such as Vishnu; those linked with passion (Rajoguni), like Brahma; and those connected with darkness (Tamoguni), such as Shiva. All these deities governed by the three qualities are under my control; I am not subject to them.
Ensnared by these three qualities and deluded, the world does not recognize me as imperishable because I am beyond them all.
My Maya is formidable and difficult to surmount; without remembering me and without my grace, no one can transcend it.
O Arjuna! Those who abandon the scriptural injunctions tied to these three qualities and perform their duties according to my teachings on transcendental knowledge; those who take refuge in me with devotion; those who lovingly remember my name—they are freed from ancient ignorance and karmic bonds. They overcome this insurmountable Maya.
On the other hand, foolish beings who adhere to knowledge governed by these three qualities succumb to desires fueled by lust and anger. Those who commit such misguided acts do not adhere to my teachings on transcendental knowledge but instead follow texts authored by devotees of lesser deities. They regard these deities as divine incarnations and engage in various forms of hypocrisy."
They are filled with arrogance, refusing to heed the wisdom of those versed in Brahmavidya. Such lowly individuals shun my Nirguna Brahmavidya and fail to worship me.
O Arjuna, ruler of Bharat! There are four types of devout souls who adore me: those who are distressed, those who seek knowledge, those who desire material gains like a spouse, offspring, wealth, or kingdom, and lastly, the enlightened ones (Gyanis) who worship me with a devoted heart, aspiring for my eternal abode.
Among these, the Gyani is the most exalted. They follow my teachings of Brahma-Vidya and recognize me as Satchidananda, the Supreme Being, the Lord of all. They worship me exclusively. In contrast, those who venerate other beings or deities are unfortunate. My wise devotees are blessed and dear to me, as I am to them.
Although all four types of devotees are noble, the Gyani is akin to my own soul for he acknowledges no other master but me. Just as a devoted wife serves no man but her husband, so too does the Gyani serve none but me. He does not engage with other deities or their scriptures; he neither scorns nor praises them but relies solely on my teachings of Brahma-Vidya. Thus, he merges into my eternal form of bliss, and I never part from him.
Such a soul reaches me after many births through gradual devotion, having renounced the world as an ocean of suffering and resolved that there is none other than me—Lord Krishna, the consort of infinite universes—to relieve him from sorrow and bestow eternal joy. He who possesses such intellect is a Mahatma (great soul), truly precious.
O Arjuna! Every being has its inherent nature—some are Satoguni (goodness), some Rajoguni (passion), and others Tamoguni (ignorance). These three qualities define the nature of living entities. Devoid of true knowledge and driven by various desires, such misguided individuals worship lesser deities instead of me and thus endure the cycle of birth and death.
The deities whom these beings worship with desire grant wishes by my power alone. When they pray to me for fulfillment, I empower these deities to satisfy their devotees’ wishes.
However, O Arjuna! The rewards bestowed by these deities are transient and perishable; hence their devotees receive fleeting pleasures. In contrast, my devotees attain an imperishable state of eternal bliss.
Foolish beings, unaware of my supreme glory as the imperishable, omnipotent, omnipresent Absolute, perceive me as an embodied entity. They believe that just as all beings are born due to their karma, so too was I born from Devaki in Vasudeva’s home.
I manifest myself to my devotees by my own will. Shrouded by my Yog-Maya, I remain unseen by all beings; thus ignorant people fail to recognize me as the eternal Absolute Brahma.
Some regard me as a liberated soul; others believe that all living entities and I are one—that we are all manifestations of Brahma.
Hey Arjun! The joys and sorrows, which are produced by love and enmity, by which all these creatures are caught in attachment, wander in the world, suffer, and the virtuous creatures whose sins have been destroyed, such righteous souls, free from joy, sorrow, happiness, worship only Me, remember Me. The beings who, out of pride, try to get rid of the sufferings of old age and death by taking my support and acting according to the knowledge of Nirguna Gyan, those beings get to know about my Brahm, that is, my all-pervading nature. The men who know Me with Adhibhoota, with Adhidev, with AdhiYagya, the foundation of the whole universe, the Omnipresent, thus those who know Me, even though they are sad in the last days, do not forget Me. They obtain my eternal bliss.
O Arjuna! The joys and sorrows born from love and hatred ensnare all creatures in attachment, causing them to wander the world, suffer, and become entangled. However, virtuous beings whose sins have been absolved worship only me, free from the dualities of joy and sorrow, happiness and grief, and they remember me.
Those who, in their arrogance, seek to escape the sufferings of old age and death by taking refuge in me and acting according to the knowledge of Nirguna Gyan, come to understand my Brahm—my all-encompassing nature.
The individuals who recognize me as the underlying principle of Adhibhoota (physical entities), Adhidev (divine entities), and AdhiYagya (sacrificial entities), as the foundation of the entire universe and omnipresent, retain this knowledge even in their final moments. Despite their sorrow, they do not forget me and thus attain my eternal bliss.
ITI SHRIMADBHAGWADGEETASUPANISHATSHU BRAHMAVIDYAYAM YOGSHASTRE SHRIKRISHNAARJUN SAMVADE GYAN- VIGYAN YOGONAM SAPTMOADHYAYAH ॥7॥
|| SHRIKRISHAN ARPAN MASTU ||
