Chapter 7

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. He 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. Shree 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.

Verse 1

The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, hear how you shall, without doubt, know Me fully, with your mind intent on Me, practicing Yoga and taking refuge in Me."

Verse 2

I will declare to you in full this knowledge combined with realization, after knowing which nothing else remains to be known here.

Verse 3

Among thousands of men, one may perchance strive for perfection; even among those successful strivers, only one may perchance know Me in essence.

Verse 4

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and egoism—thus is My Nature divided eightfold.

Verse 5

O mighty-armed Arjuna, this is the inferior Prakriti; know it as distinct from My higher Prakriti, the very life-element, by which this world is upheld.

Verse 6

Know that these two are the womb of all beings; thus, I am the source and dissolution of the whole universe.

Verse 7

There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna. All this is strung on Me, like clusters of gems on a string.

Verse 8

I am the flavor in water, O Arjuna; I am the light in the moon and the sun; I am the syllable Om in all the Vedas, sound in the ether and virility in men.

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

Know Me, O Arjuna, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent, and the splendour of the splendid objects.

Verse 11

Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment, and in all beings, I am the desire in accordance with Dharma, O Arjuna.

Verse 12

Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active, and inert, know that they proceed from Me. They are in Me, yet I am not in them.

Verse 13

Deluded by these Natures, composed of the three qualities of Nature, all this world does not know Me as distinct from them and immutable.

Verse 14

Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, composed of the three qualities, is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, can cross over this illusion.

Verse 15

The evil-doers and the deluded, who are the lowest of men, do not seek Me; those whose knowledge is destroyed by illusion follow the ways of demons.

Verse 16

Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna, and they are the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of wealth, and the wise, O Lord of the Bharatas.

Verse 17

Of them, the wise who are ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excel; for I am exceedingly dear to the wise, and they are dear to Me.

Verse 18

Indeed, all these are noble; however, I consider the wise man as My very Self; for, he is steadfast in mind and established in Me alone as the supreme goal.

Verse 19

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

Verse 20

Those whose wisdom has been taken away by this or that desire, go to other gods, following this or that rite, led by their own nature.

Verse 21

Whatever form any devotee desires to worship with faith, I make that same faith of his firm and unflinching.

Verse 22

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that form and obtains his desired outcome, which is ordained by Me alone.

Verse 23

Verily, the reward (fruit) that accrues to those men of small intelligence is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to them, whereas My devotees come to Me.

Verse 24

The foolish think of Me, the Unmanifest, as having manifestation, not knowing My higher, immutable, and most excellent nature.

Verse 25

I am not manifest to all, veiled as I am by the Yoga-Maya. This deluded world does not know Me, who am unborn and imperishable.

Verse 26

I know, O Arjuna, the beings of the past, the present, and the future; however, no one knows Me.

Verse 27

O Bharata, all beings are subject to delusion at birth due to the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion, O Parantapa.

Verse 28

But those men of virtuous deeds, whose sins have come to an end and who are freed from the delusion of the pairs of opposites, worship Me steadfastly, with their vows.

Verse 29

Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, realize in full that Brahman, the whole knowledge of the Self, and all action.

Verse 30

Those who know Me with the Adhibhuta (pertaining to the elements), Adhidaiva (pertaining to the gods), and the Adhiyajna (pertaining to the sacrifice) know Me even at the time of death, remaining steadfast in mind.