gita-chapter-7-en
{
"title": "Chapter 7: Jñāna Vijñāna Yog",
"chapterIntro": "This chapter begins with Shree Krishna describing the material and spiritual dimensions of God’s energies. He explains that similar to beads strung on a single thread, all these energies have originated from Him and rest in Him. The entire creation begins and dissolves into Him. Although it is very difficult to overcome His material energy Maya, those who surrender to Him can easily cross over it by His grace.\nHe then describes the four kinds of people who engage in His devotion and the other four who do not surrender to Him. He says that those devotees who worship Him in knowledge with their mind and intellect merged in Him, are dearest to Him. Yet, some are deluded by material desires and surrender to the celestial gods, who bestow upon them temporary material prosperity. However, these celestial gods also get their powers from the Supreme Lord. Therefore, the worthiest object of devotion is the Almighty God Himself.\nShree Krishna further confirms that He is the ultimate truth and the highest authority. He possesses several divine attributes such as omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. However, His divine Yogmaya power hides His imperishable nature and eternal divine form. Those devotees who surrender to Him and take His shelter receive the divine knowledge of the Supreme God, the self, and the entire field of the karmic actions.",
"verseList": [
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.1",
"verse": "1",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "श्रीभगवानुवाच |\nमय्यासक्तमना: पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रय: |\nअसंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु || 1||",
"text": "श्रीभगवानुवाच |\nमय्यासक्तमना: पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रय: |\nअसंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु || 1||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_001.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "The Supreme Lord said: Now listen, O Arjun, how, with the mind attached exclusively to Me, and surrendering to Me through the practice of bhakti yog, you can know Me completely, free from doubt.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-01.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.1.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "While concluding the previous chapter, Shree Krishna stated that the best yogis are those who exclusively focus on God and serve Him with great dedication. This gives rise to a few questions, such as, how can one get to know the Supreme Lord? How should a devotee worship Him and meditate upon Him?\nAlthough Arjun had not asked these questions, yet the Omniscient and kind Lord began to answer. Here, Shree Krishna has used the terms mad-āśhrayaḥ, meaning “with your mind focused on Me” and śhṛiṇu, which means “listen.” He is asking Arjun to listen to Him attentively."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.2",
"verse": "2",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषत: |\nयज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते || 2||",
"text": "ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषत: |\nयज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते || 2||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_002.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "I shall now reveal unto you fully this knowledge and wisdom, knowing which nothing else remains to be known in this world.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-02.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.2.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Jñāna is the knowledge learned by applying the mind, senses, and intellect. In contrast, vijñāna (wisdom) is the knowledge gained through spiritual practice, it is a direct experiential realization; and should not be misunderstood for intellectual knowledge. An example to explain this is honey kept in a sealed jar. We have heard that honey has the sweetest taste that is incomparable to any other sweet. But unless we open the jar and taste it, we will not get the experiential realization of its sweetness.\nLikewise, the Guru gives us jñāna, which is the theoretical knowledge of the scriptures. Yet, we need to practice sadhana as per the acquired jñāna, which would consequently purify our mind. Only then, vijñāna (wisdom) knowledge, through self-realization will be attained.\nOnce Sage Ved Vyas intended to write the Shreemad Bhagavatam: a scripture that would describe God, His glories, nature, and as the object of devotion. But he did not wish to write it only based upon his jñāna. Therefore, first he engaged himself in bhakti to attain the experiential realization, which is vijñāna. He wrote:\nbhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite ’male apaśhyat puruṣhaṁ pūrvaṁ māyāṁ cha tad-apāśhrayām(Bhagavatam 1.7.4)\n“Through bhakti-yog, Ved Vyas fixed his mind upon God without any material sentiments, and thus attained the complete vision and realization of the Supreme Divine Personality along with His external energy, Maya, which was under His control.” Inspired by this realization, he wrote the epic scripture.\nIn this verse, Lord Shree Krishna affirms to Arjun that He will bestow upon him the theoretical knowledge regarding the Supreme Divine Personality. He will also illuminate his mind with the required wisdom. Once this knowledge is acquired, there will be nothing remaining for him to know."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.3",
"verse": "3",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |\nयततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: || 3||",
"text": "मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |\nयततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: || 3||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_003.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Amongst thousands of persons, hardly one strives for perfection; and amongst those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-03.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.3.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "The word siddhi has numerous connotations and meanings. As per the Sanskrit dictionary, a few of them are: attainment of supernatural power, accomplishment, success, performance, fulfillment, solution of a problem, completion of cooking or a task, healing, hitting the mark, maturing, supreme felicity, beatitude, an unusual skill or faculty, perfection.\nIn this verse, Shree Krishna has used siddhi for perfection in the spiritual path. He says, “Only a tiny portion of the innumerable souls are fortunate to get a human birth. Amongst them, only a minuscule strive for spiritual perfection. And even among those perfected souls, ones who are aware of My divine glories and paramount position are very rare.”\nHow is it that even perfected souls are unable to know God? The reason is without bhakti or loving devotion, it is not possible to realize the Supreme. Spiritual aspirants of karm, jñāna, haṭha yog, etc., cannot know God unless they include devotion in their practice. Shree Krishna has stated this fact several times in the Bhagavad Gita:\n“The Supreme Divine Personality is greater than all that exists. Although He is all-pervading and all living beings are situated in Him, yet He can be known only through devotion.” BG 8.22.\n“O Arjun, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known as I am, standing before you. Thereby, on receiving my divine vision, O scorcher of foes, one can enter into union with me.” BG 11.54\n“Only by loving devotion to me does one come to know who I am in truth. Then, having come to know me, my devotee enters into full consciousness of me.” BG 18.55\nTherefore, such spiritual aspirants who do not include devotion in their sadhana attain only limited theoretical knowledge or jñāna. And devoid of vijñāna the experiential knowledge, they are unable to know God or the Absolute Truth.\nShree Krishna has stated in this verse that only one among numerous humans knows Him in Truth. In the next verse, He moves on to describe the material and spiritual dimensions of His energies."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.4",
"verse": "4",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च |\nअहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा || 4||",
"text": "भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च |\nअहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा || 4||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_004.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego—these are eight components of My material energy.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-04.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.4.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "The energy that composes this material world is incredibly complex and fathomless. To make it comprehensible to our finite intellect, we have classified it into various categories and sub-categories. Modern science propagates matter to be a combination of elements, and the 118 elements discovered so far, are sectioned under the Periodic Table.\nHowever, the Vedic philosophy and the Bhagavad Gita present a profoundly different classification of the material world. Matter is considered as part of God’s energy and called prakṛiti. It is further divided into eight forms, as listed in this verse. It is amazing how insightful the knowledge in these ancient scriptures is in comparison to the developing trends in modern science.\nAlbert Einstein was the first to propound the concept of Mass-Energy Equivalence in 1905. In his Annus Mirabilis papers, he stated that it is possible to convert mass into energy and numerically presented it by an equation E=mc2. His Theory of Relativity replaced an earlier concept of the universe made of solid matter. Both these theories were challenged in 1920 by Niels Bohr and other scientists with Quantum Theory, which proposes a dual particle-wave nature of matter. Ever since, the scientific community has been on the lookout for a single field or Unified Field Theory, which could expound on the relationship between matter and all forces of the universe.\nMore than 5000 years ago, long before the development of modern science, Lord Krishna had disclosed the perfect Unified Field Theory. He said to Arjun, “All that exists in the universe has manifested from My material energy.” Just one material energy has extended itself into myriad shapes, forms, and entities of this world. The Taittirīya Upaniṣhad has elaborated on this:\ntasmadvā etasmādātmana ākāśhaḥ sambhūtaḥākāśhādvāyuḥ vāyoragniḥ agnerāpaḥ adbhyaḥ pṛithivīpṛithivyā oṣhadhayaḥ oṣhadhībhyo ’nnam annātpuruṣhaḥsa vā eṣha puruṣho ’nnarasamayaḥ (2.1.2)\n\"From My material energy the ākāśhaḥ (ether) was created, from ether the air; from air, fire; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food and from food, man. This man is made of food-essence.\"\nThe material energy in its primordial form is called prakṛiti. God glances at it when He wishes to create the world. His glance agitates and creates mahān. (There is no equivalent word for it in English, as modern science is yet to discover such a subtle level of energy) Mahān further manifests into ahankār even this is unknown to modern science. Ahankār, in turn, forms the pañch-tanmātrās or the five perceptions of – taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound. And from these, the five gross elements— space, air, fire, water, and earth manifest.\nLord Shree Krishna includes the mind, intellect, and ego along with the five gross elements as different manifestations of His material energy. In this verse, He states that all these eight elements are simply parts of Maya, His material energy. In the next verse, He describes another of His superior energy; the soul energy."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.5",
"verse": "5",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् |\nजीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् || 5||",
"text": "अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् |\nजीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् || 5||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_005.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Such is My inferior energy. But beyond it, O mighty-armed Arjun, I have a superior energy. This is the jīva śhakti (the soul energy), which comprises the embodied souls who are the basis of life in this world.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-05.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.5.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna explains that beyond the eight-fold prakṛiti, the material energy, which He says is inferior; there exists another that is far more superior. This energy is completely transcendental as compared to the lifeless matter. It is His spiritual energy, the jīva śhakti, which includes all the living souls of the world. Now, He has moved from explaining material science toward the spiritual realm.\nMany great philosophers of India have given their perspectives and described the relationship between God and the jīva, the individual soul. For example, the non-dualists state: jīvo brahmaiva nāparaḥ “The soul itself is God.” But this concept gives rise to several questions, such as:\nHow can the soul itself be God? God is most powerful, and Maya is His subservient energy. The souls are always overpowered by; Maya. Then is Maya stronger than God?\nThe individual soul is always; gripped by ignorance and misery. It needs a continuous reminder from the saints and scriptures, even about its existence and purpose. How can God, who is all-knowing, be considered a soul which is subject to ignorance?\nThe Vedas repeatedly state that God is all-pervading in this world and beyond. Similarly, individual souls should also be able to exist anywhere at any given time. Then what about the question of going to heaven or hell after death?\nThere is only one God, but the souls are countless. If the soul itself is God, then there should be many Gods. Therefore, the claims by non-dualistic philosophers that the soul itself is God are inconclusive.\nThe dualist philosophers’ state that the souls and God are separate. Even though it may answer some of the above questions, yet it is still an incomplete philosophy in light of what Shree Krishna states in this verse. He says that the soul is a part of jīva śhakti God’s spiritual energy. And as explained earlier, Maya, the material energy, is also His subservient. Thus, God is supreme; He is the governor of both the lower material and the higher spiritual energies. Now let us see what the scriptures and various saints have said:\neka-deśha-sthitasyāgnir jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathāparasya brahmaṇaḥ śhaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat (Viṣhṇu Purāṇ 1.22.53)\n“Just as the sun resides in one place but its sunlight pervades; the entire solar system. Similarly, there is one God, who by His infinite powers pervades the three worlds.”\nChaitanya Mahaprabhu said:\njīva-tattva śhakti, kṛiṣhṇa-tattva śhaktimāngītā-viṣhṇupurāṇādi tāhāte pramāṇa (Chaitanya Charitāmṛit, Ādi Leela, 7.117)\n“The soul is the energy of God, while He is the Supreme Energetic.”\nOnce we understand and accept that the soul is a small part of God’s infinite energy, the concept of non-duality of the entire creation becomes clear. Energies can exist concurrently within the same energetic. For example, fire contains both heat and light, which are different entities and have different properties. But they are part of the same fire which emits them. Likewise, God as the Energetic and the souls His energy can be considered one. At the same time, due to their distinct properties, both entities are different from each other. Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj has encapsulated and perfectly expressed Shree Krishna’s statement in this and the previous verse:\njīvu’ ‘māyā’, dui śhakti haiñ, śhaktimān bhagavānśhaktihiñ bheda abheda bhī, śhaktimān te jān (Bhakti Śhatak verse 42)\n“The soul and Maya are both energies of God. Hence, they are both one with God and also different from God.”\nConsidering the unison of both; the Energetic and His energies, it is stated that God and His creation are non-different. The entire world is a veritable form of God.\nsarvaṁ khalvidaṁ brahma (Chhāndogya Upaniṣhad 3.14.1)“All is Brahman.”\nīśhāvāsyam idam sarvaṁ (Īśhopaniṣhad 1)“Everything that exists in the world is God.”\npuruṣha evedaṁ sarvaṁ (Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad 3.15)“The Supreme Divine Personality is everything that exists.”\nAccording to these Vedic verses, there is only one God and nothing else. Yet, when we consider the Energetic and energy concept, there is diversity within this unity and an incredible variety. God, the souls, and matter, all three are different entities with different properties. God is Supremely sentient; He is the source of both the souls and the matter. Yet, souls are sentient, and the matter insentient.\nThe scriptures also state the existence of three entities in creation:\nkṣharaṁ pradhānamamṛitākṣharaṁ haraḥkṣharātmānāvīśhate deva ekaḥtasyābhidhyānād yojanāt tattvabhāvadbhūyaśhchānte viśhwamāyānivṛittiḥ (Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad 1.10)\n“There are three entities in existence: 1) Matter, which is perishable. 2) The individual souls who are imperishable. 3) God, who is the controller of both matter and the souls. By meditating upon God, uniting with Him, and becoming more like Him, the soul is free from the world’s illusion.”\nThe Vedas have expounded on both dualistic and non-dualistic concepts. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has upheld the concepts of concurrent coherence, yet variance between the soul and God. This means God and the soul are one; yet, separate from each other."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.6",
"verse": "6",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय |\nअहं कृत्स्नस्य जगत: प्रभव: प्रलयस्तथा || 6||",
"text": "एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय |\nअहं कृत्स्नस्य जगत: प्रभव: प्रलयस्तथा || 6||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_006.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Know that all living beings are manifested by these two energies of Mine. I am the source of the entire creation, and into Me it again dissolves.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-06.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.6.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Living beings are a manifestation of God’s two energies, jīva śhakti, the sentient soul energy, and Maya, the insentient material energy or matter. In the material realm, all life is a combination of both matter and soul. Matter by itself is insentient or lifeless, and the sentient soul needs a carrier body. Hence, both come together to form a living being.\nSimilarly, the entire creation is a manifestation of God’s energies. One cycle of creation lasts for 100 years of Brahma. Then the Supreme Lord starts the process of dissolution. The five gross elements merge into five subtle elements, which in turn merge into ahankār. Ahankār goes back into mahān, which again unites with prakṛiti. Prakṛiti now resides inside the body of Maha Vishnu (another form of the Supreme Lord). All the materially bound souls, which could not get liberated during this cycle of creation, also reside in God’s body. They remain unmanifested, waiting for the next cycle of creation.\nWhen God decides to create, the entire cycle begins all over again (as explained in verse 7.4), and a new world comes into existence. Therefore, God is the source, the sustainer, and the resting place for the entire creation."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.7",
"verse": "7",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "मत्त: परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय |\nमयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव || 7||",
"text": "मत्त: परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय |\nमयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव || 7||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_007.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "There is nothing higher than Myself, O Arjun. Everything rests in Me, as beads strung on a thread.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-07.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.7.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Here, Lord Shree Krishna states about His dominion and His Supreme position in this universe. He is the Substratum over which this entire creation exists; He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Annihilator. Similar to the beads strung in a thread, which can move in their place, God has given individual souls the free will to act as they wish, yet their existence is bound to Him. The Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad states:\nna tatsamaśhchābhyadhikaśhcha dṛiśhyateparāsya śhaktirvividhaiva śhrūyate (6.8)\n“There is nothing equal to God, nor is there anything superior to Him.”\nIn this verse, Lord Shree Krishna has clearly stated that He, in His original form, who stood before Arjun is the Ultimate Supreme Truth. By using the words, Me, My and I, He has dispelled the doubts that many have about Lord Shree Krishna Himself being God, the Supreme Lord. As many suppose that there is another higher formless entity, who is the ultimate source of even Lord Shree Krishna. As the first-born Brahma prays to Lord Shree Krishna:\nīśhwaraḥ paramaḥ kṛiṣhṇaḥ sachchidānanda vigrahaḥanādirādir govindaḥ sarva kāraṇa kāraṇam (Brahma Samhitā 5.1)\n“Shree Krishna is the Supreme Lord, who is eternal, omniscient, and infinite bliss. He is without beginning and end, the origin of all, and the cause of all causes.”"
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.8",
"verse": "8",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययो: |\nप्रणव: सर्ववेदेषु शब्द: खे पौरुषं नृषु || 8||",
"text": "रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययो: |\nप्रणव: सर्ववेदेषु शब्द: खे पौरुषं नृषु || 8||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_008.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti, and the radiance of the sun and the moon. I am the sacred syllable Om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether, and the ability in humans.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-08.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.8.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna said in the previous verse that He is the origin, sustainer, and the basis of all that exists in this world. Now, He continues to explain it further in these four verses.\nThe sweet taste of any fruit that we eat confirms the presence of Fructose or fruit sugar in it. Similarly, Shree Krishna reveals that He is present in all the modifications of His energies. He says He is the taste in water. What does that mean? Water hardly has any taste of its own. Yet, other forms of matter such as solids, fires, and gases need liquids to carry their taste.\nHave you ever tried putting a solid food item, on your dry tongue? Do you get any taste? Only when the saliva in our mouth dissolves some part of the solid, we start getting the taste as perceived by the taste buds on our tongue. After all, who can separate the taste of water from water? That is why Shree Krishna says that he is the taste in water. It is the intrinsic property of water to carry the taste of all substances; without water, there will be no taste.\nIn the same way, ākāśha (space) acts as the vehicle for sound. Different languages form due to sound modifications. Shree Krishna says He is the origin of it all, as the sound in space is His energy. He is the syllable Om the most important sound in the Vedic mantras. The sun and the moon get their radiance from Him. Even for all the abilities that manifest in humans, He is the ultimate energy source."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.9",
"verse": "9",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |\nजीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु || 9||",
"text": "पुण्यो गन्ध: पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |\nजीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु || 9||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_009.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "I am the pure fragrance of the Earth, and the brilliance in fire. I am the life-force in all beings, and the penance of the ascetics.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-09.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.9.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In continuation to the previous verses, Shree Krishna declares that He is the source and the most vital ingredient of everything. The entire universe is an extension of His opulence. On Earth, He is the force behind both the non-living and the living. He is the mild and pure fragrance of the earth and the bright radiance of a flame. He is the life-force of all living creatures. The ascetics or sadhus consciously deny themselves of bodily pleasures and perform austerities for self-purification. Lord Krishna says He is indeed the force behind their capacity to do penance."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.10",
"verse": "10",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् |\nबुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् || 10||",
"text": "बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् |\nबुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् || 10||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_010.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "O Arjun, know that I am the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intellect of the intelligent, and the splendor of the glorious.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-10.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.10.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In a cause and effect relationship, every cause is the seed of its effect. For example, an ocean is the seed of the clouds, and the clouds are the seed for rain. Similarly, Shree Krishna says in this verse that He is the cause (the eternal seed) from which all beings manifest.\nHave you ever thought about why some people are more intelligent than others? Why do they have greater brilliance in their thoughts and ideas? The only explanation for this can be; since all that exists is a manifestation of God’s energy. The splendid qualities visible in such outstanding people can only be due to God’s grace. As Shree Krishna has mentioned in this verse, He is the subtle force behind the intelligent and the glorious. He makes their minds more analytic and thoughts scintillating.\nLegend of modern history, such as William Shakespeare, displayed unmatched brilliance in the field of literature. That could have only been possible by God’s grace. His works have nourished English literature, and English has now become the most used language of the world. Swami Vivekananda once said: the British Empire has united the world in one language.\nAnother such genius is Bill Gates, who changed the course of information technology with his Windows Operating System. With more than ninety percent of market share, Windows has become the most popular Operating System in the world. As it is very user-friendly, it has made information technology available to the public at large. The usage of computers is not limited to IT engineers anymore. Such inspiration to have one major operating system to unify the information technology industry and ensure proper interaction could only be through God’s plan. God enhances one such person’s intellect when he wants to save us from chaos.\nOf course, the saints have always acknowledged that the brilliance and beauty of their works are due to God’s special grace. Sage Tulsidas said:\nna maiñ kiyā na kari sakauñ, sahiba kartā morkarata karāvata āap haiñ, tulasī tulasī śhor\n“Neither did I write the Ramayan, nor do I have the ability to write it. The Lord is my Doer. He directs my actions and acts through me, but the world thinks that Tulsidas is doing them.” Therefore, Lord Shree Krishna is indeed the ultimate source of all the brilliance and intelligence that manifests around us."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.11",
"verse": "11",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् |\nधर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ || 11||",
"text": "बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् |\nधर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ || 11||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_011.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "O best of the Bharatas, in strong persons, I am their strength devoid of desire and passion. I am sexual activity not conflicting with virtue or scriptural injunctions.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-11.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.11.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Desire is an active craving for things not attained. Fueled with passion, one achieves and experiences the desired objects. But this causes attachment, which is a passive mental emotion that provokes the thirst for more. Therefore, when Shree Krishna states kāma-rāga-vivarjitam; He means “devoid of passion and attachment.” Explaining the nature of His strength, He says that He is the serene and sublime strength in people, which empowers them; to successfully fulfill their duties and responsibilities.\nWhen sexual activity is undertaken only for sensual pleasure and is devoid of any regulative principles, it is considered beastly or animalistic. Whereas, it is regarded, in line with the scriptural injunctions and not a contrary virtue, when carried out for procreation by a householder. Here, Shree Krishna has mentioned that within the institution of marriage, He is the controlled, virtuous, and well-intended sexual activity of a householder."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.12",
"verse": "12",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये |\nमत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि || 12||",
"text": "ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये |\nमत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि || 12||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_012.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "The three states of material existence—goodness, passion, and ignorance—are manifested by My energy. They are in Me, but I am beyond them.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-12.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.12.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In this verse, Shree Krishna sums up His glories that He had described in the previous four verses. He says, “Arjun, I have explained how I am the essence of all objects. But there is no point in going into detail. All good-bad and ugly objects and states of existence are made possible only by My energy.”\nEven though the entire creation originates from God, He is beyond His creation and independent of it. A famous poet Alfred Tennyson stated in his poem “In Memorium:”\nOur little systems have their day;They have their day and cease to be.They are but broken lights of thee,And thou, O Lord, art more than they."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.13",
"verse": "13",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभि: सर्वमिदं जगत् |\nमोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्य: परमव्ययम् || 13||",
"text": "त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभि: सर्वमिदं जगत् |\nमोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्य: परमव्ययम् || 13||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_013.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Deluded by the three modes of Maya, people in this world are unable to know Me, the imperishable and eternal.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-13.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.13.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "The omniscience Lord Krishna was aware that the following question will come to Arjun’s mind, “If such are your Vibhutis (opulence), then why most humans forget that you are the Supreme creator and controller of this entire creation?”\nShree Krishna says that humans are deluded by the three modes of Maya (His material energy) that are ignorance, passion and goodness. These veil the human consciousness and cause fascination with the bodily pleasures which are short-lived. The word “Maya” is made from mā (not) and yā (what is). Thus, Maya means “that which is not what it appears to be.”\nMaya, being one of God’s energy, is engaged in the service of hiding His true nature from the souls who are not yet eligible or God-realized. It lures and confuses the souls who are already vimukh (having their backs turned) from God. It also troubles them with problems and difficulties aided by the three-fold material miseries. By this, Maya makes the souls realize that they can never be happy unless they are sanmukh (their face turned) toward God."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.14",
"verse": "14",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया |\nमामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते || 14||",
"text": "दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया |\nमामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते || 14||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_014.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "My divine energy Maya, consisting of the three modes of nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me cross over it easily.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-14.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.14.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Some people claim that Maya is mithyā (non-existent). They say that the material energy Maya is a perception created due to our ignorance, but if someone attains spiritual knowledge, Maya will cease to exist. The soul itself is the Ultimate Reality, and once we understand that, all illusions shall dispel. However, this theory is negated by the Bhagavad Gita in this verse. Shree Krishna has already stated that Maya is an extension of His energy and not an illusion. The Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad also states:\nmāyāṁ tu prakṛitiṁ vidyānmāyinaṁ tu maheśhvaram (4.10)\n“Maya is the energy (prakṛiti), while God is the Energetic.”\nThe Ramayan states:\nso dāsī raghubīra ki samujheṅ mithyā sopi\n“Some people think Maya is mithyā (non-existent), but factually it is an energy engaged in the service of God.”\nShree Krishna has mentioned here that because Maya is His energy, it is difficult to overcome. If someone claims they have defeated Maya, that would mean they have defeated God. No one can conquer God; therefore, Maya is equally invincible. The human mind is made of Maya merely by self-effort no yogi, jñānī, ascetic, or karmī can successfully control the mind.\n\nOne could then ask, “Is it impossible to overcome Maya?” The second line of this verse has the answer to this question. Shree Krishna says, “Those who surrender themselves to Me, the Supreme Lord, then by My grace, they would smoothly cross the ocean of material existence. I will instruct Maya to leave this soul, now that it has become Mine.” On God’s instructions Maya, the material energy of God, simply releases the surrendered soul from its clutches. It says, “My job is to keep troubling the soul until it surrenders at the feet of God; once the soul reaches there, my job is complete.”\nHere is an example from everyday life. Assume that you visit a friend who has a large house, outside on the gate, a board says, “Beware of dog.” When you look inside, a trained guard dog is standing on the lawn. As soon as it spots you, it starts growling menacingly, scared; you decide to take the back gate. But even before you reach the back of the house, it is waiting there for you and snarls furiously, as if saying, “You dare step into this house.” You have no choice, and you shout your friend’s name aloud. Hearing all the commotion, your friend comes and finds you at the gate troubled by his dog. He sternly says to the dog, “No, Tommy, that is a friend, we need to let him in, come and sit down here.” Hearing his master’s command, the dog silently goes and sits near him. You can now open the gate and let yourself in without fear.\nIn the same way, we are in the clutches of Maya, the material energy. Although it is subservient to God, it keeps troubling us so that we keep moving towards God. By our own efforts, we cannot defeat Maya; only when we surrender completely to God, by His grace, we can cross the ocean of material existence. The next question in our mind would be, “If it is so easy to defeat Maya, then why is it that most of us fail?” Shree Krishna has elaborated on that in the next verse."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.15",
"verse": "15",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: |\nमाययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: || 15||",
"text": "न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: |\nमाययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: || 15||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_015.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Four kinds of people do not surrender unto Me—those ignorant of knowledge, those who lazily follow their lower nature though capable of knowing Me, those with deluded intellect, and those with a demoniac nature.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-15.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.15.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In this verse, Shree Krishna says that there are four categories of people who do not surrender to Him:\n1. The Ignorant. People who lack spiritual knowledge and do not know anything about the soul being eternal and that its ultimate goal is God-realization. They have never heard about these concepts or aware of the process of surrendering to God.\n2. The lazy. These are the ones who have the knowledge and awareness of what they need to do still, due to their lazy-nature do not want to take any initiative to surrender. Laziness can be a big pitfall for someone on the path of spirituality. There is a Sanskrit saying:\nālasya hī manuṣhyāṇāṁ śharīrastho mahān ripuḥnāstyudyamasamo bandhuḥ kṛitvā yaṁ nāvasīdati\n“Laziness is a big enemy, and it resides; in our body itself. Work is a good friend of humans, which never leads to downfall.”\n3. Deluded Intellects. People who are so proud of their intellects that they have no faith in the scriptures and the teachings of the saints. Because they do not have faith, they are unable to practice surrender or understand the concepts of God-realization.\n4. Demonic Nature. These are the people who are aware of God and His purpose for the world but still work against Him. It is because of their demonic nature; they do not like God and His glories. They themselves are far from devotion and try to disturb others who are on the path of spirituality. Surrender to God is not at all expected from them."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.16",
"verse": "16",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन |\nआर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ || 16||",
"text": "चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन |\nआर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ || 16||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_016.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "O best amongst the Bharatas, four kinds of pious people engage in My devotion—the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of worldly possessions, and those who are situated in knowledge.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-16.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.16.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In the previous verse, Shree Krishna described the four categories of people who do not surrender to Him. Now He describes; the other four kinds who take refuge in Him.\n1. The distressed. Those who find that their pot of worldly miseries is overflowing, and they are unable to cope with them conclude that it is futile running after the world. Thus, decide to take shelter in God. Similarly, those who find that the worldly supports fail to protect them; turn to God for protection. An apt example in the Mahabharata was Draupadi’s surrender to Shree Krishna when Duryodhan and Dushasan tried to dishonor her in the courtroom of Hastinapur. Initially, she expected her husbands would protect her, but they did not. She pleaded the elders in the courtroom, Bheeshma, Vidur, Dhritarashtra, Dronacharya, Kripacharya, etc. However, everyone remained speechless. When cruel Dushasan tried to disrobe her, she clenched her sari with her teeth and tried to protect her honor with her own strength. But her teeth could not hold on to the sari for long; they gave in to Dushasan’s strength. She was helpless and finally called out to Shree Krishna for help. It was at this point that she surrendered completely to God and was not relying on anyone or her own strength for protection. Shree Krishna reciprocated immediately and intervened. Now, how much ever Dushasan pulled, Draupadi’s sari kept extending, and very soon, there was a huge pile of cloth in the middle of the courtroom. Dushasan was unable to disrobe Draupadi; exhausted, he gave up. Such was the power of God’s protection, but it came only when Draupadi surrendered completely.\n2. The knowledge seekers. There are some people who have heard about the opulence of God and His spiritual realm. Thus, they are curious to know all about God and try to seek Him through knowledge.\n3. The seekers of worldly possessions. Some people are clear about what they want and take the shelter of God because they are convinced; that only God can provide what they are seeking. King Dhruv is an apt example. When Dhruv was a small boy, he felt neglected by his father, King Uttanapada. Disheartened, he went into the forest and did penance to please God. He wanted to become more powerful than his father. But as his devotion grew, he realized that God possessed the priceless jewel of divine love, and what he was seeking was like broken pieces of glass. Therefore, when pleased with his devotion, God gave him darshan, he requested the Lord to bestow upon him; self-less pure love.\n4. Those situated in knowledge. Lastly, those souls who have understood the truth that they are tiny parts of God. Such people engage in devotion with the intent that it is their eternal duty to love and serve Him. Shree Krishna calls them the fourth kind of devotees."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.17",
"verse": "17",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते |\nप्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: || 17||",
"text": "तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते |\nप्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: || 17||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_017.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Amongst these, I consider them to be the highest, who worship Me with knowledge, and are steadfastly and exclusively devoted to Me. I am very dear to them and they are very dear to Me.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-17.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.17.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna says in this verse that those who are seeking God in distress, for worldly gains or out of curiosity, etc. are yet to possess selfless devotion. Gradually in the process of devotion, their hearts become pure, and they realize their eternal relationship with God. Then they develop selfless, exclusive, and incessant devotion toward Him. Now that they have the knowledge that the happiness of the world is temporary and God is the source of eternal bliss, they neither crave for favorable circumstances nor lament over reversals in the world. They become situated in selfless devotion with complete self-surrender. And for their Divine Beloved, they are willing to offer themselves as an offering in the fire of divine love. Shree Krishna declares that such devotees are dearest Him."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.18",
"verse": "18",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "उदारा: सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् |\nआस्थित: स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् || 18||",
"text": "उदारा: सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् |\nआस्थित: स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् || 18||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_018.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "All those who are devoted to Me are indeed noble. But those in knowledge, who are of steadfast mind, whose intellect is merged in Me, and who have made Me alone as their supreme goal, I consider as My very self.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-18.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.18.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In the previous verse, Shree Krishna stated that the devotees situated in knowledge or jñānī bhakt are the highest. However, He clarifies in this verse that whatever may be the reason for their devotion, all His devotees are privileged; even the other three kinds are blessed souls. But the devotees seated in knowledge worship God selflessly, without expecting any material gains in return. Hence, the unconditional love of such selfless devotees even binds God.\nWorldly love; is driven by the desire for self-gratification. There is a give and take attitude, and there is an expectation of receiving something in return from the beloved. However, Parā bhakti or divine love is totally different. It is filled with the desire for the happiness of the Divine Beloved and sacrifice in His service. Divine love fosters a giving attitude without expecting anything in return.\nChaitanya Mahaprabhu said:\nkāmera tātparya nija-sambhoga kevalakṛiṣhṇa-sukha-tātparya-mātra prema ta’ prabalaataeva kāma-preme bahuta antarakāma andha-tamaḥ, prema nirmala bhāskara(Chaitanya Charitāmṛit, Ādi Leela, 4.166 & 171)[v16]\n“Lust (worldly love) exists for self-happiness; divine love is harbored for Shree Krishna’s happiness. There is a tremendous difference between them—lust is like darkness and ignorance, while divine love is pure and illuminating.”\nJagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has very beautifully stated:\nbrahma lok paryanta sukh, aru muktihuñ sukh tyāg,tabai dharahu paga prema patha, nahiṅ lagi jaiheñ dāg.(Bhakti Śhatak verse 45)[v17]\n“Give up the desires for worldly pleasures and that of liberation if you wish to walk the path of devotion. Else the pure waters of divine love will get tainted with selfishness.”\nSage Narad defined pure devotion in this manner:\ntat sukha sukhitvam (Nārad Bhakti Darśhan, Sūtra 24)[v18]\n“True love is for the happiness of the Beloved.” The materially motivated devotees cannot engage in such devotion, but the devotee who is in knowledge rises to this level of selflessness. When someone learns to love God in this manner, he becomes a slave of that Devotee. The highest quality of God is bhakta vatsaltā (his love for his devotees).\nThe Puraṇas state:\ngītvā cha mama nāmāni vicharenmama sannidhauiti bravīmi te satyaṁ krītohaṁ tasya chārjuna (Ādi Purāṇ 1.2.231)[v19]\nShree Krishna says: “I become the slave of those devotees of mine, who chant my names and keep me close to them in their thoughts; this is a fact, O Arjun.”\nIn this verse Shree Krishna goes to the extent of saying that bound by the devotion and love of His selfless devotees, He looks upon them as Himself."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.19",
"verse": "19",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते |\nवासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: || 19||",
"text": "बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते |\nवासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: || 19||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_019.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "After many births of spiritual practice, one who is endowed with knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be all that is. Such a great soul is indeed very rare.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-19.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.19.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In this verse, Shree Krishna clears this common perception of the intellectually inclined people that bhakti (devotion) is inferior to jñāna (knowledge). They are disdainful towards people engaged in devotion. They look down upon them and consider themselves to be superior as they are engaged in the brainy act of acquiring knowledge. Whereas, Shree Krishna declares that a jñānī spends several lifetimes cultivating knowledge and only when his or her jñāna matures does he finally surrender to God. In fact, it is true knowledge that leads to devotion.\nLet us look at this example of a man who was walking on the beach. He steps upon an object on the sand and finds it to be a golden ring. He thinks of it as artificial jewellery worth $10, keeps it in his pocket, and forgets about it. After a few days, he remembers it and shows it to a friend, who is a goldsmith. He checks it and says, “This is pure gold and worth at least $500”. The man feels thrilled to have found something precious and wears it every day. A few days pass by, and his uncle visits him, who is a jeweller. The uncle looks at the ring and says, “The stone on your gold ring is a precious diamond. Where did you get this? It costs more than $50,000.” On hearing this, the man is overwhelmed and could not believe what his uncle just said. His uncle understood this and said, “It seems, you don’t believe me, I am willing to pay you $40,000 for it.” Now, the man feels elated as if he has won a lottery. He loves the diamond-studded gold ring much more, now that he knows its real value.\nThis example demonstrates the direct relationship between knowledge and love. When the value of the ring was perceived by the man to be less, his love for it was also lesser as his knowledge of its value increased, the love for it, and the joy he got from it also kept increasing. The Ramayan states:\njāneṅ binu na hoi paratītī, binu paratīti hoi nahiṅ prītī [v20]\n“Without knowledge, there cannot be faith; without faith, love cannot grow.”\nSimilarly, if someone has acquired true knowledge and claims to know the Brahman, then love for Him comes naturally. Else their knowledge is merely theoretical if they do not feel the love that fosters devotion.\nShree Krishna says that jñānīs spend several lifetimes seeking true knowledge, and when their knowledge matures into true wisdom, that the Supreme Lord is all that is; they surrender to Him. However, He does not say this for the jñānīs, karmīs, haṭha-yogis, ascetics, etc. He declares this for the devotees or such exalted souls who have realized “God is all that is” and surrendered to Him. Nevertheless, such noble souls are very rare."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.20",
"verse": "20",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञाना: प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवता: |\nतं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियता: स्वया || 20||",
"text": "कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञाना: प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवता: |\nतं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियता: स्वया || 20||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_020.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Those whose knowledge has been carried away by material desires surrender to the celestial gods. Following their own nature, they worship the devatās, practicing rituals meant to propitiate these celestial personalities.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-20.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.20.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna says that people worship the devatās (celestial gods) as per the prescribed rituals to attain material gains. Material desires have shrouded their knowledge. Hence, they forget that the Supreme Lord is the source of all that exists, including these celestial gods. As a president of a country appoints his officers among different departments. Similarly, these celestial gods also occupy different positions in the working of God’s creation. They derive their powers from God; they are not independent of Him. They can bestow on their devotees only material things that are under their control. But cannot liberate anyone from the bondage of Maya or the cycle of birth and death because; they themselves are not liberated from this cycle. God alone has the power to do so. The celestial gods are also souls like us. However, they have attained these positions in the celestial abodes as a result of their pious deeds from previous lives. Once their account of pious deeds depletes, they have to return to earth. Hence, even the celestial gods are perishable; God alone is eternal."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.21",
"verse": "21",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्त: श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति |\nतस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् || 21||",
"text": "यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्त: श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति |\nतस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् || 21||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_021.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Whatever celestial form a devotee seeks to worship with faith, I steady the faith of such a devotee in that form.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-21.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.21.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "We find countless devotees around us engaging in devotion toward the celestial gods, with unflinching faith and wonder, how people develop such high faith in the lower form of worship? In this verse, Shree Krishna answers this and says that He is the creator of the faith in the celestial gods as well. When He finds people worshiping the devatās for the fulfillment of their material desires, He helps them in their devotion and steadies their faith. The ability to create śhraddhā or faith is beyond the capacity of the celestial gods; it is the indwelling Paramātmā or the Supreme Soul who inspires faith in the hearts of the devotees. Later in the Bhagavad Gita verse 15.15, He states, “I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedant, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas.”\nShree Krishna had earlier mentioned that those who are in true-knowledge engage in the highest and the most beneficial kind of śhraddhā that is to worship the Supreme Lord. Then one might ask, why the Supreme Lord creates faith in people toward the celestial gods—is it not inappropriate?\nLet us look at this example of parents giving dolls to their small children. The child plays with these dolls as if they were real people and develops love and affection towards them. The parents are aware of the child’s innocence, yet they encourage this play to help the child develop the qualities of love, care, and affection towards other people. These qualities will help children become socially responsible when they grow up.\nSimilarly, our eternal parent God is aware of our ignorance. Hence, when He finds that some souls engage in worship of the celestial gods for material gains, He helps them by steading their faith. He is aware that this experience will help in the evolution of the soul, and once they acquire true-knowledge that the Supreme Lord is the summum bonum or the highest good of everything, they will surrender to Him."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.22",
"verse": "22",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते |\nलभते च तत: कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् || 22||",
"text": "स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते |\nलभते च तत: कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् || 22||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_022.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Endowed with faith, the devotee worships a particular celestial god and obtains the objects of desire. But in reality, I alone arrange these benefits.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-22.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.22.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna reiterates in this verse that the celestial gods do not have the capacity to fulfill the material desires of their devotees. They can only grant wishes if God permits it. Labhate means “to obtain.” The devotees with mediocre understanding may think that they have obtained their desired material objects by pleasing the devatās (celestial gods). However, it is not the devatās, but God who facilitates everything."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.23",
"verse": "23",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् |\nदेवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि || 23||",
"text": "अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् |\nदेवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि || 23||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_023.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "But the fruit gained by these people of little understanding is perishable. Those who worship the celestial gods go to the celestial abodes, while My devotees come to Me.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-23.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.23.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Continuing from the previous verses, Shree Krishna explains to Arjun the spiritual principle that is: “One attains the object of one’s worship. People who worship the devatās go to the planets of the respective devatās upon death. Whereas, those who are devoted to me come to my abode.” Now, the question comes up again, when reaching God is the ultimate destination, then why does God steady the faith of those devotees who worship the celestial gods?\nConsider the example of our education system, where students start with primary school but cannot stay at that level forever. The teachers encourage them and coach them to move to the next level. Even though primary school is necessary, students outgrow that and keep moving higher and higher. Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita is not for the primary school students or the novices who wish to attain the celestial abodes. But for those devotees who are seeking a higher purpose.\nSince the devatās are perishable, the fruits they bestow on their devotees are also perishable. However, God is imperishable, and the fruits of his worship are also ever-lasting. Those who worship the eternal form of God, upon death, attain His eternal abode and stay there forever in His service."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.24",
"verse": "24",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धय: |\nपरं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् || 24||",
"text": "अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धय: |\nपरं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् || 24||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_024.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "The less intelligent think that I, the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna, was formless earlier and have now assumed this personality. They do not understand the imperishable exalted nature of My personal form.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-24.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.24.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "People often vehemently debate upon the Supreme Lord being a formless God, while the others claim He exists in His personal-form. Even those who agree to both aspects of God’s personality are sometimes confused. Which of them precedes the other, and which of them is the original God? Did the personal form of God manifest from the formless, or is it the other way round? We have discussed this earlier in the commentary for Verse 4.5.\nHere in this verse, Shree Krishna resolves this debate by stating that God exists in the spiritual realm eternally in His divine form. The ignorant do not understand the magnificent and imperishable nature of His personal-form. The divine personality of God has not manifested from the formless Brahman; it is primordial. The divine light that emanates from His transcendental body is the formless Brahman.\nThe Padma Purāṇ states:\nyannakhenduruchir brahma dhyeyaṁ brahmādibhiḥ suraiḥguṇatrayamatītaṁ taṁ vande vṛindāvaneśhvaram(Patal Khand 77.60) [v21]\n“The light that emanates from the toenails of God’s personality is worshipped as the Brahman by the jñānīs.”\nTherefore, there is no difference between the two forms. Neither of them is superior or inferior. In God’s personal-form, His name, form, virtues, abode, pastimes, associates, etc., manifest as an extension of His divine energy. However, in the formless Brahman, even though all the divine potencies and energies exist, they are in a concealed form."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.25",
"verse": "25",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "नाहं प्रकाश: सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृत: |\nमूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम् || 25||",
"text": "नाहं प्रकाश: सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृत: |\nमूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम् || 25||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_025.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "I am not manifest to everyone, being veiled by My divine Yogmaya energy. Hence, those without knowledge do not know that I am without birth and changeless.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-25.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.25.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna had mentioned two of His divine energies earlier in this chapter, in verses 7.4 and 7.5. The eight-fold prakṛiti, or the material energy, and the jīva śhakti, or the soul energy. Now, He talks about His third and the most powerful energy that is the Yogmaya. The Viṣhṇu Purāṇ states:\nviṣhṇu śhaktiḥ parā proktā kṣhetrajñākhyā tathā ’parāavidyā karma saṁjñānyā tṛitīyā śhaktiriṣhyate(6.7.61) [v22]\n“The Supreme Lord Shree Vishnu has three main energies—Yogmaya, the souls, and Maya.”\nJagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj states:\nśhaktimān kī śhaktiyāñ, aganita yadapi bakhānatin mahañ ‘māyā, ‘jīva, aru, ‘parā, triśhakti pradhāna(Bhakti Śhatak verse 3) [v23]\n“The Supreme Energetic Shree Krishna has infinite energies. Amongst these, Yogmaya, the souls, and Maya are the main ones.”\nGod descends in this world by virtue of His Yogmaya energy and reveals His divine pastimes, His divine abode, His divine bliss and love on the Earth plane. However, the same Yogmaya power keeps His divinity veiled from us. We are unable to feel His presence, although He is seated in our hearts. Even in the present, if we are fortunate enough to see the Lord in His personal-form, we cannot recognize Him. Until we are eligible for His divine vision, the Yogmaya keeps God’s divine form concealed from us. And only by God’s grace, the Yogmaya bestows upon us the divine vision that allows us to recognize and see God.\nThe Ramayan states:\nchidānandamaya deha tumhārī, bigata bikāra jāna adhikārī [v24]\n“O God, you have a divine form. Only those whose hearts are purified can know you by your grace.”\nSimilar to God, His Yogmaya energy is both formless and manifests into personal forms. Radha, Sita, Lakshmi, Parvati. Durga, Kali, etc., are the divine forms of the Yogmaya energy of God. In the Vedic culture, all these forms are revered; as the Mother of the Universe. She radiates the motherly qualities of kindness, mercy, compassion, beauty, divine grace, and causeless love. Among these, the most important quality for us souls is Her divine grace with which we can acquire transcendental knowledge to know God. It is for the same reason, the devotees of Vrindavan sing, “Radhe Radhe, Shyam se milā de,” “O Radha, please bestow your grace and help me meet Shree Krishna.”\nTherefore, the same Yogmaya–conceals God from the unqualified souls and bestows Her divine grace upon the surrendered souls, for they can know Him. However, those souls who are under the influence of Maya or the material energy turn their backs towards God. They remain bereft of the divine grace of His Yogmaya energy and continue living in ignorance, entangled in Maya. Others who have turned to God are in the shelter of Yogmaya and liberated from Maya."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.26",
"verse": "26",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन |\nभविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन || 26||",
"text": "वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन |\nभविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन || 26||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_026.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "O Arjun, I know of past, present, and future, and I also know all living beings; but Me no one knows.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-26.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.26.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In this verse, God declares that He is trikāl-darśhī—knower of the past, present, and the future. Most of us are forgetful of even what we were thinking a few hours ago; whereas, God is omniscient. He remembers and keeps a record of the deeds, words, and even the thoughts of each individual soul of the universe throughout their life and since their infinite lifetimes. God maintains this record of the sañchit karma or the stockpile of karmas of every soul for endless lifetimes because, as the governor of the law of karma, He dispenses justice to the souls.\nShree Krishna says that He has the knowledge of everything, the past, present, and the future. However, with our finite intellect, we cannot know the Almighty God. His infinite glory, splendor, energies, qualities, and extent are beyond the comprehension of our inadequate intellect.\nThe Vedic scriptures state:\nyaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvavidyasya jñānamayaṁ tapaḥ (Muṇḍakopaniṣhad 1.1.9) [v25]\n“God is all-knowing and omniscient. His austerity consists of knowledge.”\nnaiṣhā tarkeṇa matirāpaneyā (Kaṭhopaniṣhad 1.2.9) [v26]\n“God is beyond the scope of our intellectual logic.”\nyato vācho nivartante aprāpya manasā saha (Taittirīya Upaniṣhad 2.9.1) [v27]\n“God cannot be described in words, nor can our mind comprehend Him.”\nrām atarkya buddhi mana bānī, mata hamāra asa sunahi sayānī (Ramayan) [v28]\n“God cannot be analyzed by arguments or formulated by words, mind, and intellect.”\nOnly God knows Himself. However, if He finds some eligible soul, He bestows His grace upon that fortunate soul, and then with God’s divine intellect, the soul gets to know God. Therefore, only by God’s grace one can know God. Our material intellect does not have the capacity to know Him otherwise. The concept of God’s grace is discussed again in detail in 10.11 and 18.56."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.27",
"verse": "27",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत |\nसर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप || 27||",
"text": "इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत |\nसर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप || 27||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_027.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "O descendant of Bharat, the dualities of desire and aversion arise from illusion. O conqueror of enemies, all living beings in the material realm are deluded by these.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-27.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.27.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Having given a glimpse of His omniscience in the previous verse, Shree Krishna now goes back to a subject He had covered earlier about the dualities in the world. Happiness and distress, pleasure and pain, summer and winter, night and day, etc., all these dualities exist in pairs. These dualities are an inseparable part of life’s experiences. However, the most deluding dualities in life are birth and death. The arena of one’s life exists between the two ends of birth and death. From the very moment a living creature is born, death is inevitable, and again comes a subsequent-birth.\nOur material intellect believes that worldly pleasures will give us happiness and fulfillment. Therefore, in material consciousness, while we desire the favorable ones, we detest the unpleasant experiences. Although attraction and aversion are not the inherent qualities of these dualities, they develop due to our ignorance. Our intellect does not realize that materially pleasurable situations will only increase our material illusion. Thus, it makes us believe that pain is detrimental to us. However, adversities have the potential of dispelling that material illusion from our mind and elevate our soul. Our ignorance is the root cause of our delusions. A spiritually elevated person accepts these dualities as inseparable aspects of God’s creation and rises above likes and dislikes, attraction and aversion, etc."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.28",
"verse": "28",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |\nते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: || 28||",
"text": "येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |\nते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: || 28||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_028.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "But persons, whose sins have been destroyed by engaging in pious activities, become free from the illusion of dualities. Such persons worship Me with determination.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-28.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.28.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna says that those souls who have freed their minds from the dualities of hatred and desire worship him with unshakeable determination. They neither seek pleasure in the material world nor feel an aversion for pain. They are cautious while indulging in worldly pleasures as it may again delude their soul. Earlier, in verse 2.69, Shree Krishna had said, “What the ignorant consider as night, the wise consider as day.” Such devotees, who aspire to attain God-realization, look upon adversities as an opportunity for spiritual growth and renunciation."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.29",
"verse": "29",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये |\nते ब्रह्म तद्विदु: कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् || 29||",
"text": "जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये |\nते ब्रह्म तद्विदु: कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् || 29||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_029.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Those who take shelter in Me, striving for liberation from old-age and death, come to know the Brahman, the individual self, and the entire field of karmic action.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-29.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.29.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "Shree Krishna had mentioned earlier in verse 7.26 that no one can know God by the strength of their own intellect. However, in this verse, He says that God can be known—only by virtue of His grace. Those devotees who surrender to Him completely—receive His divine grace. The Kaṭhopaniṣhad states:\nnāyamātmā pravachanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śhrutenayamevaiṣha vṛiṇute tena labhya-stasyaiṣha ātmā vivṛiṇute tanūṁ svām(1.2.23) [v29]\n“God cannot be known—through spiritual discourses nor the intellect nor hearing various kinds of teachings. Only when He bestows His grace upon someone does that fortunate soul come to know Him.”\nThe Vedas state: ekasmin vijñāte sarvamidaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati [v30]\n“If you know God, you will know everything.”\nAlthough some spiritual seekers consider ātma-jñāna, or knowledge of the self, as the ultimate goal of human birth, it is only a tiny drop in the ocean of knowledge, which is brahma-jñāna or the knowledge of God. By just knowing a drop, one cannot understand the enormity, depth, or prowess of the ocean. Therefore, ātma-jñāna cannot be in any way equal to brahma-jñāna. However, it can be a starting point toward the absolute.\nAccording to the Vedas, absolute knowledge is—the Knowledge of God. If you know God, everything related to Him; is also revealed, and all your ignorance disappears. Shree Krishna states that those who take His shelter are liberated from the cycle of birth and death forever. And by His divine grace, they receive brahma-jñāna or knowledge of the Brahman, ātma-jñāna or knowledge of the self and the entire field of karmic action or the divine laws of karma."
},
{
"verseTitle": "Bhagavad Gita 7.30",
"verse": "30",
"chapter": 7,
"lang": "en",
"shloka": {
"speaker": "",
"sanskrit": "साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदु: |\nप्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतस: || 30||",
"text": "साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदु: |\nप्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतस: || 30||",
"audioLink": "https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/public/audio/007_030.mp3"
},
"wordMeanings": "",
"translation": {
"text": "Those who know Me as the governing principle of the adhibhūta (field of matter) and the adhidaiva (the celestial gods), and as adhiyajña (the Lord of all sacrificial performances), such enlightened souls are in full consciousness of Me even at the time of death.",
"hindiAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Tejomayananda/chapter/C7-H-30.mp3"
],
"englishAudioLinks": [
"https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/sites/default/files/audio/Purohit/7.30.mp3"
]
},
"commentary": "In this verse, Shree Krishna mentions that those enlightened souls who know Him are truly devoted to Him, and even at the time of their death, they are in full consciousness of Him. Such true devotees attain His divine abode. But how can one remember God even at the time of death? Death is said to be a very painful journey, comparable to 2000 scorpions biting at the same time. Such extreme pain is beyond the tolerance of any normal human; a person loses consciousness; the mind and the intellect stop working much before the end. One cannot remember anything in that state. Where is the question of remembering God? How do they do it then?\nThose enlightened beings who have attained true knowledge are ever filled with devotion to God, their mind and intellect, all surrendered and attached to Him alone. Thus, their bodies are beyond pleasure and pain even at the time of death. Their soul is completely disconnected from lamentation and hankering at the material level because it is no longer in bodily consciousness.\nShree Krishna has explained the words adhibhūta, adhidaiva, and adhiyajña in the next chapter."
}
]
}