Jnana Vijnana Yoga

मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु॥ 7:1॥

Ever remain in My shelter with your heart glued to Me and mind firmly on the path of God-realization, O, Son of Prithā! Listen to how you may know Me in My totality {not merely My pure Self but all My manifestations in the phenomenal world}. (7:1)

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः। यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते॥ 7:2॥

I shall impart to you knowledge (jnāna) along with some special insight (vijnāna), after attaining which, little else remains worth knowing. (7:2)

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः॥ 7:3॥

Among thousands of people, barely one strives for spiritual attainment; of those who strive and accomplish, barely one knows My Truth. (7:3)

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च। अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा॥ 7:4॥ अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्। जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्॥ 7:5॥

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego—this is the eight-fold division of My Nature (empirical universe consisting of gross and subtle elements). This is my lower Nature which is not Beyond (Parā) but is empirically accessible (Aparā). O, Mighty-armed! Know my other Jivabhutā Prakriti (the higher Nature which is the vital energy behind the individualization of the One Supreme Soul into multiple individualized souls—jiva) by which this {living and inanimate} universe is sustained. (7:4, 5)

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय। अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा॥ 7:6॥

Know that these two Natures are the womb of all Creation {living and lifeless}, and it is I Who is the Dawn and Dissolution of this Creation. (7:6)

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय। मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव॥ 7:7॥

O, Dhananjaya (Arjuna)! There is nothing higher or beyond Me! The entire Creation is interwoven in Me like gems strung on a string. (7:7)

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः। प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु॥ 7:8॥

I am the savor in the water, O, Son of Kunti; I am the effulgence in the sun and the moon; I am the sacred syllable Aum in the Vedas, and I am the sound in ether and virility in men. (7:8)

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ। जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु॥ 7:9॥

I am the sweet-scented aroma in earth and luminescence in the fire; I am the life in all living beings and austerity in ascetics. (7:9)

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्॥ 7:10॥

O, Son of Prithā! Know Me to be the eternal wellspring of all Creation. I am the thoughtfulness of the thoughtful and the prowess of the powerful. (7:10)

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्। धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ॥ 7:11॥

I am the longing-and-attachment-free might of the mighty, and I am that sexuality, which is not contrary to dharma (righteousness), O, Mightiest of the Descendants of King Bharata! (7:11)

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये। मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि॥ 7:12॥

And whatever states of being there may be—the Noble (Sāttvic), Passional (Rājasic) or Ignoble (Tāmasic)—know them to be originating from Me alone; but I am not in them, even though they are in Me. (7:12)

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्। मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्॥ 7:13॥

The mortal beings of this world cannot catch a glimpse of Me, as their cognition is clouded by the states of mind produced by the triadic Modes of Nature, of which I—the Unchangeable and the Imperishable—lie entirely beyond. (7:13)

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते॥ 7:14॥

Māyā is undoubtedly challenging to overcome, but those who seek My shelter can transcend it {while those who worship other deities may struggle to break free from the spell of Māyā}. (7:14)

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः॥ 7:15॥

Evil-doers, those lacking in wisdom, lowly individuals, whose understanding is clouded by delusion, and who possess demonic qualities do not seek refuge in Me. (7:15)

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन। आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ॥ 7:16॥

O Arjuna, I have four kinds of devotees (Bhaktas) who engage in virtuous deeds and worship Me: those in distress seeking solace, seekers of wisdom, individuals desiring worldly gain, and those blessed with spiritual knowledge and enlightenment. (7:16)

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते। प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः॥ 7:17॥

Among these, the enlightened Truth-knower who remains in constant communion with Me, holding a deep emotional attachment to Me alone, is the most exceptional. Such a devotee loves Me supremely, and I reciprocate that love in kind. (7:17)

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्। आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्॥ 7:18॥

Among all four types of devotees, the Truth-knowing sage is akin to My reflection because, immersed in the Divine, they abide in Me—the ultimate destination and highest purpose of life. (7:18)

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते। वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः॥ 7:19॥

After many births and deaths, those who are spiritually enlightened come to Me, realizing that I am the essence of all existence. Such great souls are rare to find. (7:19)

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः। तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया॥ 7:20॥

However, those whose wisdom is clouded by desire worship other deities, following various rituals as guided by their inclinations. (7:20)

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति। तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्॥ 7:21॥

I, as the Supreme, ensure that their faith in their chosen deity remains unwavering. (7:21)

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते। लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान्॥ 7:22॥

With that steadfast faith, they seek to please their chosen deity and attain the fulfillment of their desires through them, though all desires are ultimately fulfilled by My will. (7:22)

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्। देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि॥ 7:23॥

The worldly gains achieved by those with limited wisdom are fleeting and lack a lasting value {like that of Nirvāna}. Worshipers of subordinate deities go to those deities, while My devotees attain Me. (7:23)

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः। परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्॥ 7:24॥

Those lacking in wisdom, unaware of My transcendent and imperishable nature, which exists beyond the realm of sensory perception, consider Me as an ordinary mortal. (7:24)

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः। मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्॥ 7:25॥

My divine cosmic power (Yoga Māyā) veils Me from the view of all. This ignorant world does not recognize Me—the Unborn and Deathless. (7:25)

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन। भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन॥ 7:26॥

I am aware of all beings—past, present, and future, O, Arjuna. However, none among them truly knows Me. (7:26)

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत। सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥ 7:27॥

O, Descendant of Bharata! In this world, ordinary mortals, shrouded in ignorance and swayed by the dualities arising from desire and aversion, remain deluded, O, Parantapa (Arjuna). {This is why they cannot perceive and understand the truth of My divine and imperishable existence}. (7:27)

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः॥ 7:28॥

I am dearly adored and worshipped by those who live virtuously, whose sins have been cleansed, and who, having transcended the oscillations of duality and delusion, remain resolute in their devotion to Me. (7:28)

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये। ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्॥ 7:29॥

Those who take refuge in Me and strive for liberation from birth, old age, and death come to understand the Supreme Divinity, the entirety of spirituality, and all the acts {needed to break free from the cycle of birth and death}. (7:29)

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः। प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः॥ 7:30॥

Those who recognize Me as the Ruler of the material world (Adhibhuta), the Lord of divine realms (Adhidaiva), and the Presiding Deity of sacrificial rituals (Adhiyajna), and whose consciousness incessantly flows toward Me, maintain their awareness of Me even at the moment of leaving this world. {and thus attain Me^2 }. (7:30)