BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER VII. THE YOGA OF KNOWLEDGE AND REALIZATION
1. The Blessed Lord said: Arjuna, with mind absorbed in Me, practicing Yoga, and taking refuge in Me, listen to how you will know Me completely, without a doubt.
2. I will explain in full this knowledge, which when realized, there is nothing else left in this world that needs to be known.
3. Among thousands of people, maybe one will strive toward perfection; and even among the striving and perfected, maybe one knows Me in truth.
4. Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego, this is My eightfold nature.
5. It is inferior, Arjuna; however, I have another, superior nature endowed with life, which supports this world.
6. Understand that these are the source of all beings and that I am the beginning and end of the entire universe.
7. There is nothing whatsoever superior to Me, Arjuna; all this is woven on Me, like pearls strung on a thread.
8. I am the taste in water, Arjuna. I am the light in the sun and moon, the syllable Oṁ in all the Vedas, sound in space, and masculinity in men.
9. And I am the pleasant odor in earth, the glow in fire, life in all beings, and the austerity in ascetics.
10. Know that I am the eternal seed of all beings, Arjuna. I am the intelligence in the intelligent and the brilliance in the bright.
11. And in the strong, I am that strength, which is free from desire and attachment; and, in beings, I am that desire, which is not opposed to righteousness.
12. All objects that are pure, active, or inert, truly come from Me; know that they are in Me, but I am not in them.
Comment: All physical objects are effected by the three qualities of nature, Sattva: purity, harmony, light; Rajas: activity, passion, restlessness; and Tamas: inertia, darkness, stupor. These are the three guṇas or characteristics that make up physical nature, the Lord’s inferior nature described in verse 4. All things are under the control of these qualities except Brahman, the Self of all beings. That is the meaning of this verse, that the Supreme Self is not under the influence of the guṇas.
13. Deluded by the states composed of these three qualities, this world is unaware of Me, the Transcendental and Imperishable.
14. Clearly this divine illusion of Mine, made of the qualities, is hard to transcend; but, those who take refuge in Me, cross over illusion.
15. Only the lowest of men, deluded sinners whose knowledge has been stolen by illusion and who are attached to demonic behavior, do not approach Me.
16. Four types of virtuous people worship Me, Arjuna: the distressed, seekers of wealth, seekers of knowledge, and the wise.
17. Of them, the wise one, who is always disciplined and singularly devoted, is distinguished. I am extremely dear to him and he is also dear to Me.
18. All of these (devotees) are noble, but, in My opinion, the wise is truly the Self, as he abides in Me, the Supreme Goal with a steadfast mind.
19. After many births, the wise man comes to Me realizing that the Divine Self is all; such a great soul is hard to find.
20. Compelled by their own nature, those whose wisdom has been carried away by numerous desires, worship other gods by performing various rituals.
21. Whatever form is worshipped by one who has faith and wishes to honor (that form) I give that person unwavering faith.
22. Endowed with that faith, he continues in that devotion and, from that, gets what he desires, but those wishes are fulfilled by Me alone.
23. However, the reward is limited for those with little understanding. Those who worship the gods, go to the gods, but My devotees attain Me.
24. The unintelligent think of Me, the Unmanifest as having come into manifestation, unaware of My transcendental, immutable, and superior state of being.
Comment: People who are ignorant of the true nature of God, worship deities or different gods, usually with the hope of gaining something. Others attribute limitations, such as form or other qualities to the Unlimited, Transcendental Reality. God cannot be understood in terms of time, space, or direction; God is not subject to jealousy or anger; God does not become happy or sad. God is not a being and does not reside in any one place. God is not contained within any boundary. These are all misconceptions.
25. Veiled by a powerful illusion (yoga-māyā) I am not apparent to all. This deluded world does not recognize Me, the Unborn and Imperishable.
26. I know those beings who are departed, present, and yet to come, Arjuna, but no one knows Me.
27. Due to the delusion from the pairs of opposites caused by the arising of desire and aversion, all beings fall into confusion at birth.
28. But those whose sin has come to an end, whose actions are righteous, and who worship Me with a firm conviction are liberated from the delusion of the pairs of opposites.
29. Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, resorting to Me, they fully know Brahman, the Highest Self, and all about actions (karma).
30. Those who know Me as one with the physical realm, the divine realm, and the realm of sacrifice, they know Me with a steadfast mind, even at the time of death.
2. I will explain in full this knowledge, which when realized, there is nothing else left in this world that needs to be known.
3. Among thousands of people, maybe one will strive toward perfection; and even among the striving and perfected, maybe one knows Me in truth.
4. Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego, this is My eightfold nature.
5. It is inferior, Arjuna; however, I have another, superior nature endowed with life, which supports this world.
6. Understand that these are the source of all beings and that I am the beginning and end of the entire universe.
7. There is nothing whatsoever superior to Me, Arjuna; all this is woven on Me, like pearls strung on a thread.
8. I am the taste in water, Arjuna. I am the light in the sun and moon, the syllable Oṁ in all the Vedas, sound in space, and masculinity in men.
9. And I am the pleasant odor in earth, the glow in fire, life in all beings, and the austerity in ascetics.
10. Know that I am the eternal seed of all beings, Arjuna. I am the intelligence in the intelligent and the brilliance in the bright.
11. And in the strong, I am that strength, which is free from desire and attachment; and, in beings, I am that desire, which is not opposed to righteousness.
12. All objects that are pure, active, or inert, truly come from Me; know that they are in Me, but I am not in them.
Comment: All physical objects are effected by the three qualities of nature, Sattva: purity, harmony, light; Rajas: activity, passion, restlessness; and Tamas: inertia, darkness, stupor. These are the three guṇas or characteristics that make up physical nature, the Lord’s inferior nature described in verse 4. All things are under the control of these qualities except Brahman, the Self of all beings. That is the meaning of this verse, that the Supreme Self is not under the influence of the guṇas.
13. Deluded by the states composed of these three qualities, this world is unaware of Me, the Transcendental and Imperishable.
14. Clearly this divine illusion of Mine, made of the qualities, is hard to transcend; but, those who take refuge in Me, cross over illusion.
15. Only the lowest of men, deluded sinners whose knowledge has been stolen by illusion and who are attached to demonic behavior, do not approach Me.
16. Four types of virtuous people worship Me, Arjuna: the distressed, seekers of wealth, seekers of knowledge, and the wise.
17. Of them, the wise one, who is always disciplined and singularly devoted, is distinguished. I am extremely dear to him and he is also dear to Me.
18. All of these (devotees) are noble, but, in My opinion, the wise is truly the Self, as he abides in Me, the Supreme Goal with a steadfast mind.
19. After many births, the wise man comes to Me realizing that the Divine Self is all; such a great soul is hard to find.
20. Compelled by their own nature, those whose wisdom has been carried away by numerous desires, worship other gods by performing various rituals.
21. Whatever form is worshipped by one who has faith and wishes to honor (that form) I give that person unwavering faith.
22. Endowed with that faith, he continues in that devotion and, from that, gets what he desires, but those wishes are fulfilled by Me alone.
23. However, the reward is limited for those with little understanding. Those who worship the gods, go to the gods, but My devotees attain Me.
24. The unintelligent think of Me, the Unmanifest as having come into manifestation, unaware of My transcendental, immutable, and superior state of being.
Comment: People who are ignorant of the true nature of God, worship deities or different gods, usually with the hope of gaining something. Others attribute limitations, such as form or other qualities to the Unlimited, Transcendental Reality. God cannot be understood in terms of time, space, or direction; God is not subject to jealousy or anger; God does not become happy or sad. God is not a being and does not reside in any one place. God is not contained within any boundary. These are all misconceptions.
25. Veiled by a powerful illusion (yoga-māyā) I am not apparent to all. This deluded world does not recognize Me, the Unborn and Imperishable.
26. I know those beings who are departed, present, and yet to come, Arjuna, but no one knows Me.
27. Due to the delusion from the pairs of opposites caused by the arising of desire and aversion, all beings fall into confusion at birth.
28. But those whose sin has come to an end, whose actions are righteous, and who worship Me with a firm conviction are liberated from the delusion of the pairs of opposites.
29. Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, resorting to Me, they fully know Brahman, the Highest Self, and all about actions (karma).
30. Those who know Me as one with the physical realm, the divine realm, and the realm of sacrifice, they know Me with a steadfast mind, even at the time of death.
Summary of Chapter VII
In chapter seven, Kṛṣṇa defines the two aspects of His nature: Prakṛti, physical matter consisting of the fundamental elements, which is His lower nature and Puruṣaḥ, the conscious Self, which is His higher nature. These two are the source and support of the universe and everything in it. Kṛṣṇa also defines the devotion that leads to awakening as fixing one’s mind in the Self, practicing Jñāna Yoga, and taking refuge in Brahman. However, those who follow this path and attain full realization are rare due to the influence of the three qualities of nature: purity (sattva) passion (rajas) and darkness (tamas). These three qualities make up the illusionary force (māyā) that deludes all beings and keeps them from realizing their True Nature. Although the qualities emanate from Brahman, He is not affected by them. So, only by realizing Brahman and abiding in That can one overcome māyā.
Kṛṣṇa says that four types of people worship Him: the troubled, those seeking wealth, those seeking knowledge, and the wise. Of those, the wise, the knowers of Brahman are superior as they abide in the Self knowing that Brahman is all.
The experience of pain and pleasure in all sentient beings causes desire and aversion. Driven by these, the ignorant become attached to selfish behavior. They worship gods or attribute physical characteristics to the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa says that He accepts people’s worship, regardless of its form and strengthens their faith by granting their prayers.
Brahman is all; He is the essence, substratum, and substance of all that is. It is Brahman that gives all objects their essential qualities and it is through the Self that all things are known. Those who are righteous and strive for liberation gain full knowledge of Brahman, the Self, and karma. They realize that God is one with matter (His inferior nature) and is the Self in all beings (His superior nature). They also know that He is the object of all worship and sacrifice. Those who have realized Brahman are one with Brahman, so even in critical times, like the moment of death, they are absorbed in Him.
Kṛṣṇa says that four types of people worship Him: the troubled, those seeking wealth, those seeking knowledge, and the wise. Of those, the wise, the knowers of Brahman are superior as they abide in the Self knowing that Brahman is all.
The experience of pain and pleasure in all sentient beings causes desire and aversion. Driven by these, the ignorant become attached to selfish behavior. They worship gods or attribute physical characteristics to the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa says that He accepts people’s worship, regardless of its form and strengthens their faith by granting their prayers.
Brahman is all; He is the essence, substratum, and substance of all that is. It is Brahman that gives all objects their essential qualities and it is through the Self that all things are known. Those who are righteous and strive for liberation gain full knowledge of Brahman, the Self, and karma. They realize that God is one with matter (His inferior nature) and is the Self in all beings (His superior nature). They also know that He is the object of all worship and sacrifice. Those who have realized Brahman are one with Brahman, so even in critical times, like the moment of death, they are absorbed in Him.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the seventh chapter entitled “The Yoga of Knowledge And Realization" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the seventh chapter entitled “The Yoga of Knowledge And Realization" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER VIII. THE YOGA OF THE IMPERISHABLE BRAHMAN
1. Arjuna said: What is Brahman? What is the Highest Self? What is karma? What is considered the physical realm, Kṛṣṇa? And, what is called the divine realm?
2. What or how is the realm of sacrifice here in this body? And, Kṛṣṇa, how are You to be known by the self-controlled at the time of death?
3. The Blessed Lord said: Brahman is imperishable and supreme; the Highest Self is said to be one’s true nature; and karma is understood to be the cause of the creation and existence of living beings.
4. The physical realm is perishable existence and the divine realm is the Self. I am the Lord of Sacrifice here in the body, Arjuna.
5. And whoever, at the time of death, leaves the body remembering Me, he attains My state of being; there is no doubt about that.
6. Moreover, Arjuna, whatever state of mind is recalled in the end, when one abandons the body, one goes to the state that he always contemplated.
7. Therefore, at all times, constantly think of Me and fight! With your mind and intellect fixed in Me, you will surely attain Me, without a doubt.
Comment: What one thinks about throughout their life will probably be what is on their mind at death and one’s state of mind at the time of death determines their future existence. Therefore, if one keeps their mind fixed in the Self, that will be their state of mind when they leave the body and that will ensure that they return to Brahman after death.
8. With the mind disciplined by the practice of Yoga, one goes to the Supreme, Divine Self, Arjuna, constantly meditating on That and nothing else.
9. One should always contemplate on the omniscient, Ancient Ruler; Who is smaller than an atom; the supporter of all; inconceivable in nature; and beyond darkness, like the sun.
10. At the time of death, with his mind held still by devotion and the power of Yoga, causing all his vital force to enter the point between the eyebrows, the yogi reaches the Supreme, Divine Self.
11. I will explain to you, briefly, the path to That, which the knowers of the Vedas call imperishable, which is entered by impassionate ascetics, and which is desired by those who lead a godly-life (brahmacarya).
12. Firmly established in Yoga meditation, having closed all the gates of the body, restrained the mind in the heart, and fixed the vital force in the head;
13. Reciting Oṁ, the one-word form of Brahman; and contemplating on Me; whoever departs the body (in this state) attains the Supreme Goal.
14. Whoever thinks of Me constantly, whose mind is never elsewhere, for that persistently disciplined yogi, I am easily reached.
15. Having attained the supreme perfection, sages who reach Me are never reborn in this impermanent, house of misery.
16. All the worlds, from the lowest up to Brahmā’s (heaven) are subject to return again, Arjuna; but, after reaching Me, there is no rebirth.
17. They know day and night, who know that a day of Brahmā extends a thousand ages and that his night lasts a thousand ages as well.
Comment: There are four yugas or ages, of unequal length, mentioned in the Vedic Brāhmaṇas; together they are supposed to equal roughly 4.3 million years.
18. When that day arrives, all manifestations spring forth from what is known as the unmanifest and when that night arrives, they dissolve into the unmanifest again.
19. This multitude of beings, that has been born again and again, is helplessly dissolved at the arrival of that night, Arjuna, and it arises again at the arrival of that day.
20. But superior to this state of existence is the Eternal Unmanifest, different from the unmanifest (mentioned above). That is in all beings, the Imperishable in the perishable.
Comment: The unmanifest mentioned in verse 18 is Prakṛti, unmanifest nature from which the whole universe is created; but, superior to that is Brahman, the Eternal Unmanifest, the cause of physical nature.
21. That Unmanifest is called the Imperishable and they say That is the highest goal. That is My supreme domain from which, having attained, one does not return.
22. That is the Supreme Self, Arjuna, Which can be reached by dedication and nothing else. It is That which resides in all beings and That which pervades all of this.
23. Now, I will tell you of the times, Arjuna, when departing yogis will either return or not.
24. Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern solstice, departing there, the knowers of Brahman go to Brahman.
25. Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern solstice, having attained the light of the moon there, the yogi returns.
26. These bright and dark paths of the world are considered eternal; with one, there is no return, with the other, one returns again.
Comment: One should not interpret verses 24 and 25 to mean that liberation from rebirth is dependent on when a yogi dies. These times are used to contrast the two paths: the “bright” path of knowledge and the “dark” path that leads to rebirth.
27. Knowing of these two paths, no yogi is deluded; therefore, Arjuna, be disciplined in Yoga.
28. Knowing all this, the yogi transcends the ordained rewards in (the study of) the Vedas and (the performance of) sacrifices, austerities, and offerings and attains the supreme, primary abode.
2. What or how is the realm of sacrifice here in this body? And, Kṛṣṇa, how are You to be known by the self-controlled at the time of death?
3. The Blessed Lord said: Brahman is imperishable and supreme; the Highest Self is said to be one’s true nature; and karma is understood to be the cause of the creation and existence of living beings.
4. The physical realm is perishable existence and the divine realm is the Self. I am the Lord of Sacrifice here in the body, Arjuna.
5. And whoever, at the time of death, leaves the body remembering Me, he attains My state of being; there is no doubt about that.
6. Moreover, Arjuna, whatever state of mind is recalled in the end, when one abandons the body, one goes to the state that he always contemplated.
7. Therefore, at all times, constantly think of Me and fight! With your mind and intellect fixed in Me, you will surely attain Me, without a doubt.
Comment: What one thinks about throughout their life will probably be what is on their mind at death and one’s state of mind at the time of death determines their future existence. Therefore, if one keeps their mind fixed in the Self, that will be their state of mind when they leave the body and that will ensure that they return to Brahman after death.
8. With the mind disciplined by the practice of Yoga, one goes to the Supreme, Divine Self, Arjuna, constantly meditating on That and nothing else.
9. One should always contemplate on the omniscient, Ancient Ruler; Who is smaller than an atom; the supporter of all; inconceivable in nature; and beyond darkness, like the sun.
10. At the time of death, with his mind held still by devotion and the power of Yoga, causing all his vital force to enter the point between the eyebrows, the yogi reaches the Supreme, Divine Self.
11. I will explain to you, briefly, the path to That, which the knowers of the Vedas call imperishable, which is entered by impassionate ascetics, and which is desired by those who lead a godly-life (brahmacarya).
12. Firmly established in Yoga meditation, having closed all the gates of the body, restrained the mind in the heart, and fixed the vital force in the head;
13. Reciting Oṁ, the one-word form of Brahman; and contemplating on Me; whoever departs the body (in this state) attains the Supreme Goal.
14. Whoever thinks of Me constantly, whose mind is never elsewhere, for that persistently disciplined yogi, I am easily reached.
15. Having attained the supreme perfection, sages who reach Me are never reborn in this impermanent, house of misery.
16. All the worlds, from the lowest up to Brahmā’s (heaven) are subject to return again, Arjuna; but, after reaching Me, there is no rebirth.
17. They know day and night, who know that a day of Brahmā extends a thousand ages and that his night lasts a thousand ages as well.
Comment: There are four yugas or ages, of unequal length, mentioned in the Vedic Brāhmaṇas; together they are supposed to equal roughly 4.3 million years.
18. When that day arrives, all manifestations spring forth from what is known as the unmanifest and when that night arrives, they dissolve into the unmanifest again.
19. This multitude of beings, that has been born again and again, is helplessly dissolved at the arrival of that night, Arjuna, and it arises again at the arrival of that day.
20. But superior to this state of existence is the Eternal Unmanifest, different from the unmanifest (mentioned above). That is in all beings, the Imperishable in the perishable.
Comment: The unmanifest mentioned in verse 18 is Prakṛti, unmanifest nature from which the whole universe is created; but, superior to that is Brahman, the Eternal Unmanifest, the cause of physical nature.
21. That Unmanifest is called the Imperishable and they say That is the highest goal. That is My supreme domain from which, having attained, one does not return.
22. That is the Supreme Self, Arjuna, Which can be reached by dedication and nothing else. It is That which resides in all beings and That which pervades all of this.
23. Now, I will tell you of the times, Arjuna, when departing yogis will either return or not.
24. Fire, light, day, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern solstice, departing there, the knowers of Brahman go to Brahman.
25. Smoke, night, the dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern solstice, having attained the light of the moon there, the yogi returns.
26. These bright and dark paths of the world are considered eternal; with one, there is no return, with the other, one returns again.
Comment: One should not interpret verses 24 and 25 to mean that liberation from rebirth is dependent on when a yogi dies. These times are used to contrast the two paths: the “bright” path of knowledge and the “dark” path that leads to rebirth.
27. Knowing of these two paths, no yogi is deluded; therefore, Arjuna, be disciplined in Yoga.
28. Knowing all this, the yogi transcends the ordained rewards in (the study of) the Vedas and (the performance of) sacrifices, austerities, and offerings and attains the supreme, primary abode.
Summary of Chapter VIII
Chapter eight begins with Arjuna asking for the definition of six terms used in the last two verses of chapter seven. He also asks how one knows God at the time of death. After defining the terms, Kṛṣṇa explains that the state of one’s mind at the time of death effects their future existence. Therefore, one should always meditate on the Supreme Reality. He goes on to describe how Yoga meditation is used to still the mind and focus it in the Self. One should withdraw their attention from the outgoing senses and focus it on a single point (dvādaśānta). Then, they should focus the mind on the syllable Oṁ (or some other suitable meditation object, such as the breath) until the mind reaches the state of samādhi, where the yogi becomes immersed in the bliss of the Self. Continued practice of meditation leads to Self-realization and a state of constant Self-abidance. By maintaining that state throughout their lives, yogis are able to recall that state at the time of death.
Kṛṣṇa explains that all creation is subject to the cycle of manifestation and dissolution. All living beings are unwillingly reborn, again and again, in this world of misery, but those who attain Self-realization are not reborn again.
Kṛṣṇa uses bright and dark times as a metaphor for the two spiritual paths. The dark path is the performance of religious rites and pious actions with the expectation of a divine reward. This path is called “dark” because it leads to rebirth when one’s merit is exhausted. The bright path is the path of knowledge and meditation described here (and in chapter VI) which leads to enlightenment. Those who follow this path go to the highest goal, eternal liberation in Brahman.
Kṛṣṇa explains that all creation is subject to the cycle of manifestation and dissolution. All living beings are unwillingly reborn, again and again, in this world of misery, but those who attain Self-realization are not reborn again.
Kṛṣṇa uses bright and dark times as a metaphor for the two spiritual paths. The dark path is the performance of religious rites and pious actions with the expectation of a divine reward. This path is called “dark” because it leads to rebirth when one’s merit is exhausted. The bright path is the path of knowledge and meditation described here (and in chapter VI) which leads to enlightenment. Those who follow this path go to the highest goal, eternal liberation in Brahman.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the eighth chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Imperishable Brahman" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the eighth chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Imperishable Brahman" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER IX. THE YOGA OF THE SOVEREIGN KNOWLEDGE AND THE SOVEREIGN MYSTERY
1. The Blessed Lord said: Because you have faith, I will reveal to you this secret knowledge, the understanding and the realization of which will free you from harm.
Comment: The harm being referred to here is repeated birth, old-age, sickness, and death. In chapter eight, Kṛṣṇa stated that meditation leads to liberation, but meditation is only the means of attaining samādhi. The goal is Self-realization, without that, meditation is merely a mental exercise.
2. This sovereign knowledge and sovereign mystery is the greatest purifier, clearly comprehended, virtuous, everlasting, and easily practiced.
3. Those who have no faith in this way, Arjuna, return to the path of death and transmigration without reaching Me.
4. This whole world is pervaded by My unmanifest nature; all living beings abide in Me, but I do not abide in them.
5. And those beings do not abide in Me. See My divine, mystic power, sustaining living beings and not residing in them; yet, My Self being the origin of those beings.
Comment: In chapter eight it was stated that Brahman is within all living beings, but this verse says that, while pervading the universe, Brahman does not reside in living beings. How can these seemingly contradictory statements coexist? That is the divine mystery. Brahman is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of the universe, while at the same time being transcendental, unattached, and unaffected by the universe. Brahman is the Self of all beings, yet one, undivided, and immutable.
6. Know that just as the powerful wind, which blows everywhere, always exists within space, all living beings reside in Me.
7. All beings enter into My own material nature at the end of an eon (kalpa) Arjuna, and, at the beginning of an eon, I send them forth again.
Comment: A kalpa is the period of a thousand ages referred to in VIII. 17.
8. Employing My material nature, I repeatedly create this entire multitude of living beings who are helplessly under the control of (that same) material nature.
9. But those actions do not bind Me, Arjuna, like one who is not involved, I am detached from these activities.
10. With Me as the witness, material nature begets both the animate and inanimate and, because of this, Arjuna, the world revolves.
11. Fools despise Me in human form, not knowing of My higher state as the Great Lord of Living Beings.
12. Senseless, with vain hopes, vain actions, and vain knowledge, the deluded cling to their evil and demonic natures.
Comment: Those who are deluded by Māyā do not see anything beyond the body and are ignorant of the Divine Self. Led by their egos, they cling to greed and hatred, promoting division, violence, and war. Their hopes and actions are fruitless, since they cannot achieve the goal of human existence, which is Self-realization.
13. But, Arjuna, great souls, attached to godly natures, adore Me; they think of no other, knowing that I am the imperishable origin of all beings.
14. Constantly praising Me and striving with firm resolve, they always honor and worship Me with steadfast devotion.
15. Some worship Me, in oneness, with the knowledge sacrifice and others sacrifice in various ways, with difference, having faces everywhere.
Comment: Some worship God through the practice of the Yoga of Knowledge, understanding that Brahman and the Self are one. Others worship God as a separate entity or offer sacrifices to many gods seeing the Divine everywhere.
16. I am the ceremony; I am the sacrifice; I am the offering; I am the medicinal herb; I am the oblation. (See IV. 24)
17. I am the father of this universe, the nourishing mother, and the grandfather. I am what is to be known; the purifier; the syllable Oṁ; the Ṛg, Sāma, and Yajur Vedas.
18. I am the goal, the support, the lord, the witness, the resting place, the refuge, and the friend. I am the origin, maintenance, and dissolution; the depository; and the imperishable seed.
19. I radiate heat; I send and withhold the rain; I am immortality and death; I am being and non-being, Arjuna.
20. The knowers of the three Vedas, Soma drinkers whose sins are cleansed, who worship with sacrifices and who seek heaven as their goal reach Indra’s heaven with their pious acts where they enjoy wonderful, divine pleasures.
21. Then, having enjoyed that vast heavenly realm, they enter the mortal world when their merit is exhausted. In this way, by conforming to the law of the three Vedas and longing for pleasures, they obtain the state of coming and going.
22. To those who worship Me completely, who know Me as not different, and who are always absorbed in Me, I bring sustenance and security.
23. Even those who are devoted to other gods and worship with faith, they only worship Me, Arjuna, but in the wrong way.
24. For I am the lord and enjoyer of all sacrifice; but, they do not know Me in truth, therefore they fall.
25. Devotees of the gods, go to the gods; devotees of the ancestors, go to the ancestors; worshipers of the spirits, go to the spirits; and My devotees, surely, come to Me. (See VII. 23)
26. Whoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, with devotion, I accept that devotion offered with a pure heart.
27. Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever offering you make, whatever you give, and whatever austerities you perform, you should do it as an offering to Me.
28. In this way you are freed from the bondage of actions with good and bad fruits. With your mind disciplined in the Yoga of Renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.
29. I am the same in all beings; there are none hated nor dear to Me. But, for those who worship Me with devotion, they are in Me and I am also in them. (See VI. 30-31)
30. Even if the sinful worships Me, devoted to no other, he is considered righteous, for he has chosen rightly.
31. Soon, he becomes virtuous and acquires everlasting peace. Know, Arjuna, that My devotee is never lost.
32. Whoever takes refuge in Me, Arjuna: women, merchants, peasants, and even those of lowly birth, they too go to the supreme goal.
33. How much more so the pure Brahmins and royal sages? Having attained this impermanent, unpleasant world, you should worship Me.
34. With your mind on Me, devoted to Me, sacrificing to Me, making obeisance to Me, and with Me as your ultimate goal, steadfast in this path, you will reach the Self.
Comment: The harm being referred to here is repeated birth, old-age, sickness, and death. In chapter eight, Kṛṣṇa stated that meditation leads to liberation, but meditation is only the means of attaining samādhi. The goal is Self-realization, without that, meditation is merely a mental exercise.
2. This sovereign knowledge and sovereign mystery is the greatest purifier, clearly comprehended, virtuous, everlasting, and easily practiced.
3. Those who have no faith in this way, Arjuna, return to the path of death and transmigration without reaching Me.
4. This whole world is pervaded by My unmanifest nature; all living beings abide in Me, but I do not abide in them.
5. And those beings do not abide in Me. See My divine, mystic power, sustaining living beings and not residing in them; yet, My Self being the origin of those beings.
Comment: In chapter eight it was stated that Brahman is within all living beings, but this verse says that, while pervading the universe, Brahman does not reside in living beings. How can these seemingly contradictory statements coexist? That is the divine mystery. Brahman is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of the universe, while at the same time being transcendental, unattached, and unaffected by the universe. Brahman is the Self of all beings, yet one, undivided, and immutable.
6. Know that just as the powerful wind, which blows everywhere, always exists within space, all living beings reside in Me.
7. All beings enter into My own material nature at the end of an eon (kalpa) Arjuna, and, at the beginning of an eon, I send them forth again.
Comment: A kalpa is the period of a thousand ages referred to in VIII. 17.
8. Employing My material nature, I repeatedly create this entire multitude of living beings who are helplessly under the control of (that same) material nature.
9. But those actions do not bind Me, Arjuna, like one who is not involved, I am detached from these activities.
10. With Me as the witness, material nature begets both the animate and inanimate and, because of this, Arjuna, the world revolves.
11. Fools despise Me in human form, not knowing of My higher state as the Great Lord of Living Beings.
12. Senseless, with vain hopes, vain actions, and vain knowledge, the deluded cling to their evil and demonic natures.
Comment: Those who are deluded by Māyā do not see anything beyond the body and are ignorant of the Divine Self. Led by their egos, they cling to greed and hatred, promoting division, violence, and war. Their hopes and actions are fruitless, since they cannot achieve the goal of human existence, which is Self-realization.
13. But, Arjuna, great souls, attached to godly natures, adore Me; they think of no other, knowing that I am the imperishable origin of all beings.
14. Constantly praising Me and striving with firm resolve, they always honor and worship Me with steadfast devotion.
15. Some worship Me, in oneness, with the knowledge sacrifice and others sacrifice in various ways, with difference, having faces everywhere.
Comment: Some worship God through the practice of the Yoga of Knowledge, understanding that Brahman and the Self are one. Others worship God as a separate entity or offer sacrifices to many gods seeing the Divine everywhere.
16. I am the ceremony; I am the sacrifice; I am the offering; I am the medicinal herb; I am the oblation. (See IV. 24)
17. I am the father of this universe, the nourishing mother, and the grandfather. I am what is to be known; the purifier; the syllable Oṁ; the Ṛg, Sāma, and Yajur Vedas.
18. I am the goal, the support, the lord, the witness, the resting place, the refuge, and the friend. I am the origin, maintenance, and dissolution; the depository; and the imperishable seed.
19. I radiate heat; I send and withhold the rain; I am immortality and death; I am being and non-being, Arjuna.
20. The knowers of the three Vedas, Soma drinkers whose sins are cleansed, who worship with sacrifices and who seek heaven as their goal reach Indra’s heaven with their pious acts where they enjoy wonderful, divine pleasures.
21. Then, having enjoyed that vast heavenly realm, they enter the mortal world when their merit is exhausted. In this way, by conforming to the law of the three Vedas and longing for pleasures, they obtain the state of coming and going.
22. To those who worship Me completely, who know Me as not different, and who are always absorbed in Me, I bring sustenance and security.
23. Even those who are devoted to other gods and worship with faith, they only worship Me, Arjuna, but in the wrong way.
24. For I am the lord and enjoyer of all sacrifice; but, they do not know Me in truth, therefore they fall.
25. Devotees of the gods, go to the gods; devotees of the ancestors, go to the ancestors; worshipers of the spirits, go to the spirits; and My devotees, surely, come to Me. (See VII. 23)
26. Whoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, with devotion, I accept that devotion offered with a pure heart.
27. Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever offering you make, whatever you give, and whatever austerities you perform, you should do it as an offering to Me.
28. In this way you are freed from the bondage of actions with good and bad fruits. With your mind disciplined in the Yoga of Renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.
29. I am the same in all beings; there are none hated nor dear to Me. But, for those who worship Me with devotion, they are in Me and I am also in them. (See VI. 30-31)
30. Even if the sinful worships Me, devoted to no other, he is considered righteous, for he has chosen rightly.
31. Soon, he becomes virtuous and acquires everlasting peace. Know, Arjuna, that My devotee is never lost.
32. Whoever takes refuge in Me, Arjuna: women, merchants, peasants, and even those of lowly birth, they too go to the supreme goal.
33. How much more so the pure Brahmins and royal sages? Having attained this impermanent, unpleasant world, you should worship Me.
34. With your mind on Me, devoted to Me, sacrificing to Me, making obeisance to Me, and with Me as your ultimate goal, steadfast in this path, you will reach the Self.
Summary of Chapter IX
Chapter nine reiterates several points made earlier in the Bhagavad Gītā. It begins with Kṛṣṇa declaring that this knowledge of Brahman, when understood and directly realized, frees one from the peril of transmigratory existence. He states that Arjuna is receiving this knowledge because of his faith and that those who lack faith in this knowledge are lost.
Then Kṛṣṇa reveals the great mystery, that Brahman, while pervading the universe, is transcendental and apart from His creation and, while being the Self of all living beings, He is undivided. Next, as in chapter eight, Kṛṣṇa states that He dissolves the universe at the end of a cosmic cycle and recreates it at the beginning of the next cosmic cycle. This is done through material nature, as the Supreme is merely a witness with no attachment to the outcome. It is Śakti, the dynamic aspect of the Absolute that manifests the universe, while Śiva, the passive aspect looks on.
Kṛṣṇa goes on to compare those deluded by ignorance to the enlightened. The ignorant cling to their negative emotions, spreading hatred, while the wise are absorbed in meditation on the Self. The deluded live in vain, while the sage attains everlasting bliss in Brahman.
Kṛṣṇa also compares the different types of devotion. There are those who practice in knowledge, who understand the oneness of Brahman and the Self. They are always absorbed in the Self, therefore God provides for them. Others practice in duality: worshipping God or other deities as being separate from themselves. Due to their ignorance of the Self, they fail to achieve liberation; however, because Brahman is everything visible and invisible and the Lord of Sacrifice, they also worship Him, only indirectly.
Those who worship other entities, go to those whom they worship and those who perform sacrifices hoping for a heavenly reward, attain that reward. But, they all remain in the realm of transmigratory existence. It is only those who are devoted to the One Absolute who attain eternal bliss and liberation from saṁsāra.
Kṛṣṇa restates that one should perform their duty without regard for the outcome. Not everyone is able to renounce the world and live as an ascetic. Those who must continue to work, for whatever reason, should perform all their activities as an offering to the Supreme. That way, they avoid the consequences of their actions, both good and bad. From the outside, they will appear the same as those who follow the “dark” path of chapter eight, the path of acting for a reward. The difference is in the intention of the actor.
The chapter ends with Kṛṣṇa declaring that anyone who takes refuge in Him goes to Him, regardless of gender, caste, or social position. Even the sinner who follows this path becomes pure and realizes the Self. Therefore, one should fix their mind in the Self and devote themselves completely to the Supreme.
Then Kṛṣṇa reveals the great mystery, that Brahman, while pervading the universe, is transcendental and apart from His creation and, while being the Self of all living beings, He is undivided. Next, as in chapter eight, Kṛṣṇa states that He dissolves the universe at the end of a cosmic cycle and recreates it at the beginning of the next cosmic cycle. This is done through material nature, as the Supreme is merely a witness with no attachment to the outcome. It is Śakti, the dynamic aspect of the Absolute that manifests the universe, while Śiva, the passive aspect looks on.
Kṛṣṇa goes on to compare those deluded by ignorance to the enlightened. The ignorant cling to their negative emotions, spreading hatred, while the wise are absorbed in meditation on the Self. The deluded live in vain, while the sage attains everlasting bliss in Brahman.
Kṛṣṇa also compares the different types of devotion. There are those who practice in knowledge, who understand the oneness of Brahman and the Self. They are always absorbed in the Self, therefore God provides for them. Others practice in duality: worshipping God or other deities as being separate from themselves. Due to their ignorance of the Self, they fail to achieve liberation; however, because Brahman is everything visible and invisible and the Lord of Sacrifice, they also worship Him, only indirectly.
Those who worship other entities, go to those whom they worship and those who perform sacrifices hoping for a heavenly reward, attain that reward. But, they all remain in the realm of transmigratory existence. It is only those who are devoted to the One Absolute who attain eternal bliss and liberation from saṁsāra.
Kṛṣṇa restates that one should perform their duty without regard for the outcome. Not everyone is able to renounce the world and live as an ascetic. Those who must continue to work, for whatever reason, should perform all their activities as an offering to the Supreme. That way, they avoid the consequences of their actions, both good and bad. From the outside, they will appear the same as those who follow the “dark” path of chapter eight, the path of acting for a reward. The difference is in the intention of the actor.
The chapter ends with Kṛṣṇa declaring that anyone who takes refuge in Him goes to Him, regardless of gender, caste, or social position. Even the sinner who follows this path becomes pure and realizes the Self. Therefore, one should fix their mind in the Self and devote themselves completely to the Supreme.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the ninth chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Sovereign Knowledge and The Sovereign Mystery" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the ninth chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Sovereign Knowledge and The Sovereign Mystery" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER X. THE YOGA OF GLORY
1. The Blessed Lord said: Arjuna, listen again to My supreme words, which I declare because you are dear to Me and I desire your welfare.
2. Neither the multitude of gods nor great sages know My origin; yet, in every way, I am the source of those gods and great sages.
3. Whoever, among mortals, knows Me as the Great Lord of the World, unborn and without beginning, is never deluded and is freed from all sins.
4. Intelligence, knowledge, clarity, forbearance, truth, self-control, tranquility, happiness, misery, birth, death, fear, fearlessness,
5. Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, dishonor, these different states of beings arise from Me alone.
6. The seven great sages and the four ancient ancestors, from whom came all the creatures of the world, being in Me, were born of (My) mind.
7. Whoever knows My glory and mystic power, in reality, is endowed with unwavering unity (yoga); there is no doubt about it.
8. I am the origin of all; everything proceeds from Me. Knowing that, the wise, endowed with meditation, worship Me.
9. They are content and delighted with their lives absorbed in Me, thinking and constantly speaking of Me, and enlightening one another about Me.
10. For those who are always steadfast in devotion to Me, I bestow the Yoga of Wisdom and, with that, they come to Me.
11. Out of compassion for them, I, residing in their own heart, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the bright light of knowledge.
12. Arjuna said: Lord, You are the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Abode; the Supreme Purifier; the Eternal, Divine Self; and the Primal God, unborn and omnipresent.
13. All the sages say this about You; the divine sage Nārada, likewise Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa; and You also tell Me this.
14. I believe everything You told me to be true, Kṛṣṇa; clearly, neither the gods nor the demons know of Your true nature.
15. Supreme Self, Creator and Lord of living beings, God of gods, Master of the world; You know, by Yourself, Your True Self.
16. Please describe, in full, Your divine splendors, by which You abide and pervade these worlds.
17. How should I think of You in constant meditation? In what different aspects are You to be contemplated, Lord?
18. Please explain to me, in detail, of Your mystic power and glory, Kṛṣṇa. I am never satisfied of hearing that, as it is nectar to me.
19. The Blessed Lord said: Listen Arjuna, I will tell you of My principal glories, as there is no end to My extent.
20. I am the Self residing in the hearts of all living beings, Arjuna; I am the beginning, middle, and end of beings as well.
21. Among the solar deities, I am Viṣṇu; among lights, the radiant sun; among storm gods, I am Marīci, the chief; and among heavenly bodies, I am the moon.
22. Among the Vedas, I am the Sāma Veda; among gods, I am Indra, the king; of senses, I am the mind; and I am consciousness in living beings.
23. Among destroyers, I am Śiva; among spirits and demons, I am the Lord of Wealth; among bright entities, I am fire; and among mountains, I am Meru.
24. Know, Arjuna, that among household priests, I am Bṛhaspati, the foremost; among generals, I am the general of the gods, Skanda; and among bodies of water, I am the ocean.
25. Among great sages, I am Bhṛgu; among words, I am the single-syllable (Oṁ); among sacrifices, I am the offering of repetition (japa); and among immovable objects, I am the Himalayas.
26. Of all trees, I am the Peepul; among divine sages, I am Nārada; among celestial beings, I am Citraratha; and among the perfected, I am Kapila (the founder of Sāṁkya).
27. Know that I am the nectar born Uccaiḥśrasus among horses and Airāvata among majestic elephants; and among men, I am their king.
28. Among weapons, I am the thunderbolt; among cows, I am the wish-fulfilling cow; among procreators, I am desire; and among serpents, I am Vasuki, their lord.
29. I am the snake king, Ananta among snakes and Varuna, the water-god among water beings. Among ancestors, I am Aryaman; and among subduers, I am death.
30. I am Prahlāda among the demons and among the calculators, I am time. Among beasts, I am the lion; and among birds, I am Garuḍa, the vehicle of Viṣṇu.
31. I am the wind among purifiers and Rāma among warriors. Among fish, I am the shark; and among rivers, I am the Ganges.
32. Among creations, I am the beginning, the end, and even the middle, Arjuna; and among the sciences, I am knowledge of the Supreme Self. And I am the logic of those who debate.
33. Among letters, I am “A” and of the word compounds, I am the dual. I am infinite time and I am the omniscient dispenser.
34. I am all-consuming death and I am the prosperity of those who will be prosperous. Among the feminine, I am fame, wealth, speech, memory, wisdom, fidelity, and endurance.
Comment: In Sanskrit, those are all feminine nouns.
35. Among chants, I am Bṛhatsāma (from the Sāma Veda); among meters, I am the Gāyatrī (from the Ṛg Veda); of months, I am Mārgaśīraṣa (in Autumn); and of seasons, I am Spring.
36. Among the scams, I am gambling. I am the splendor of the splendid; I am victory and resolve; and I am the truth of the truthful.
37. Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Kṛṣṇa; among the Pāṇḍavas, I am Arjuna; among the sages, I am Vyāsa; and among the wise, I am the Seer, Uśanas.
38. I am the rod of the punisher; I am guidance of those wanting victory; I am the silence of the secret; and I am the knowledge of the knowledgeable.
39. Moreover, Arjuna, I am the origin of all living beings; there is no being, animate or inanimate, that can exist without Me.
40. There is no end to My divine powers, Arjuna, what I have listed is but a mere indication of the extent of My glory.
41. Whatever exists that is powerful, opulent, or superior, you should understand that it is a manifestation of only a fraction of My splendor.
42. But, what good is this extensive knowledge to you, Arjuna? (Know that) I remain supporting this entire universe with a single fraction of Myself.
2. Neither the multitude of gods nor great sages know My origin; yet, in every way, I am the source of those gods and great sages.
3. Whoever, among mortals, knows Me as the Great Lord of the World, unborn and without beginning, is never deluded and is freed from all sins.
4. Intelligence, knowledge, clarity, forbearance, truth, self-control, tranquility, happiness, misery, birth, death, fear, fearlessness,
5. Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, dishonor, these different states of beings arise from Me alone.
6. The seven great sages and the four ancient ancestors, from whom came all the creatures of the world, being in Me, were born of (My) mind.
7. Whoever knows My glory and mystic power, in reality, is endowed with unwavering unity (yoga); there is no doubt about it.
8. I am the origin of all; everything proceeds from Me. Knowing that, the wise, endowed with meditation, worship Me.
9. They are content and delighted with their lives absorbed in Me, thinking and constantly speaking of Me, and enlightening one another about Me.
10. For those who are always steadfast in devotion to Me, I bestow the Yoga of Wisdom and, with that, they come to Me.
11. Out of compassion for them, I, residing in their own heart, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the bright light of knowledge.
12. Arjuna said: Lord, You are the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Abode; the Supreme Purifier; the Eternal, Divine Self; and the Primal God, unborn and omnipresent.
13. All the sages say this about You; the divine sage Nārada, likewise Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa; and You also tell Me this.
14. I believe everything You told me to be true, Kṛṣṇa; clearly, neither the gods nor the demons know of Your true nature.
15. Supreme Self, Creator and Lord of living beings, God of gods, Master of the world; You know, by Yourself, Your True Self.
16. Please describe, in full, Your divine splendors, by which You abide and pervade these worlds.
17. How should I think of You in constant meditation? In what different aspects are You to be contemplated, Lord?
18. Please explain to me, in detail, of Your mystic power and glory, Kṛṣṇa. I am never satisfied of hearing that, as it is nectar to me.
19. The Blessed Lord said: Listen Arjuna, I will tell you of My principal glories, as there is no end to My extent.
20. I am the Self residing in the hearts of all living beings, Arjuna; I am the beginning, middle, and end of beings as well.
21. Among the solar deities, I am Viṣṇu; among lights, the radiant sun; among storm gods, I am Marīci, the chief; and among heavenly bodies, I am the moon.
22. Among the Vedas, I am the Sāma Veda; among gods, I am Indra, the king; of senses, I am the mind; and I am consciousness in living beings.
23. Among destroyers, I am Śiva; among spirits and demons, I am the Lord of Wealth; among bright entities, I am fire; and among mountains, I am Meru.
24. Know, Arjuna, that among household priests, I am Bṛhaspati, the foremost; among generals, I am the general of the gods, Skanda; and among bodies of water, I am the ocean.
25. Among great sages, I am Bhṛgu; among words, I am the single-syllable (Oṁ); among sacrifices, I am the offering of repetition (japa); and among immovable objects, I am the Himalayas.
26. Of all trees, I am the Peepul; among divine sages, I am Nārada; among celestial beings, I am Citraratha; and among the perfected, I am Kapila (the founder of Sāṁkya).
27. Know that I am the nectar born Uccaiḥśrasus among horses and Airāvata among majestic elephants; and among men, I am their king.
28. Among weapons, I am the thunderbolt; among cows, I am the wish-fulfilling cow; among procreators, I am desire; and among serpents, I am Vasuki, their lord.
29. I am the snake king, Ananta among snakes and Varuna, the water-god among water beings. Among ancestors, I am Aryaman; and among subduers, I am death.
30. I am Prahlāda among the demons and among the calculators, I am time. Among beasts, I am the lion; and among birds, I am Garuḍa, the vehicle of Viṣṇu.
31. I am the wind among purifiers and Rāma among warriors. Among fish, I am the shark; and among rivers, I am the Ganges.
32. Among creations, I am the beginning, the end, and even the middle, Arjuna; and among the sciences, I am knowledge of the Supreme Self. And I am the logic of those who debate.
33. Among letters, I am “A” and of the word compounds, I am the dual. I am infinite time and I am the omniscient dispenser.
34. I am all-consuming death and I am the prosperity of those who will be prosperous. Among the feminine, I am fame, wealth, speech, memory, wisdom, fidelity, and endurance.
Comment: In Sanskrit, those are all feminine nouns.
35. Among chants, I am Bṛhatsāma (from the Sāma Veda); among meters, I am the Gāyatrī (from the Ṛg Veda); of months, I am Mārgaśīraṣa (in Autumn); and of seasons, I am Spring.
36. Among the scams, I am gambling. I am the splendor of the splendid; I am victory and resolve; and I am the truth of the truthful.
37. Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Kṛṣṇa; among the Pāṇḍavas, I am Arjuna; among the sages, I am Vyāsa; and among the wise, I am the Seer, Uśanas.
38. I am the rod of the punisher; I am guidance of those wanting victory; I am the silence of the secret; and I am the knowledge of the knowledgeable.
39. Moreover, Arjuna, I am the origin of all living beings; there is no being, animate or inanimate, that can exist without Me.
40. There is no end to My divine powers, Arjuna, what I have listed is but a mere indication of the extent of My glory.
41. Whatever exists that is powerful, opulent, or superior, you should understand that it is a manifestation of only a fraction of My splendor.
42. But, what good is this extensive knowledge to you, Arjuna? (Know that) I remain supporting this entire universe with a single fraction of Myself.
Summary of Chapter X
Kṛṣṇa begins this discourse by declaring that He is the source of all beings, as well as all states of being; yet, not even the gods and sages can fully comprehend Him. But those who do know of God’s power and glories become one with Him. They live in bliss, absorbed in Brahman. As for those who have not developed discriminative wisdom, they should devote themselves completely to God. He will remove their obstacles and give them the knowledge and concentration needed to practice the Yoga of Knowledge that leads to enlightenment.
After acknowledging Kṛṣṇa’s divine status and praising Him, Arjuna asks to know how He manifests as the universe. Since Kṛṣṇa said that one should think of Him at all times, Arjuna wants to know how the Supreme Reality should be contemplated. Kṛṣṇa agrees to list His prominent attributes, as His glories are too numerous to describe in full.
Kṛṣṇa begins by stating that He is the Self in the hearts of all living beings. This is how the yogi should seek the Supreme, as the Innermost Self. (Mediation is then, above all else, a method of Self-inquiry.) Kṛṣṇa then lists examples of His manifestations. Generally, Kṛṣṇa picks the most prominent member of a group (usually a legendary figure) and, since He is the source of all qualities, that prominence represents Brahman.
After listing several examples of God’s splendor, Kṛṣṇa sums the chapter by stating that all one needs to know is that He creates, supports, and destroys this whole universe with just a fraction of His being.
After acknowledging Kṛṣṇa’s divine status and praising Him, Arjuna asks to know how He manifests as the universe. Since Kṛṣṇa said that one should think of Him at all times, Arjuna wants to know how the Supreme Reality should be contemplated. Kṛṣṇa agrees to list His prominent attributes, as His glories are too numerous to describe in full.
Kṛṣṇa begins by stating that He is the Self in the hearts of all living beings. This is how the yogi should seek the Supreme, as the Innermost Self. (Mediation is then, above all else, a method of Self-inquiry.) Kṛṣṇa then lists examples of His manifestations. Generally, Kṛṣṇa picks the most prominent member of a group (usually a legendary figure) and, since He is the source of all qualities, that prominence represents Brahman.
After listing several examples of God’s splendor, Kṛṣṇa sums the chapter by stating that all one needs to know is that He creates, supports, and destroys this whole universe with just a fraction of His being.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the tenth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Glory" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the tenth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Glory" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER XI. THE YOGA OF THE VISION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM
1. Arjuna said: By this supreme secret known as the Highest Self, which You have revealed out of compassion for me, my confusion is gone.
2. I have heard from You of the origin and dissolution of living beings, as well as of Your endless majesty, Kṛṣṇa.
3. Therefore, Supreme Self, I wish to see Your godly form, as You have described Yourself to be.
4. If You think it is possible, Lord of Yogis, then allow me to see Your Imperishable Self.
5. The Blessed Lord said: Now see, Arjuna, My divine forms, by the hundreds, by the thousands, of various kinds, colors, and shapes.
6. See solar deities, elemental gods, destroyers, celestial horsemen, and storm gods; see many wonders never seen before, Arjuna.
7. Now see here in My body, Arjuna, the whole universe assembled, the animate and the inanimate, and whatever else you wish to see.
8. But you cannot see me with your own eyes, so I will give you divine vision. Observe My supreme, mystic power.
9. Saṁjaya said: Having said that, Viṣṇu, the Great Lord of Yoga revealed His supreme, godly form to Arjuna.
10. He saw many wonders with many mouths and eyes, many divine ornaments, and many raised weapons.
11. Wearing divine clothing and garlands, anointed with divine perfumes, and composed of every marvel; endless and divine, with faces everywhere.
12. If a thousand suns would rise in the sky, all together, that brilliance would be like the brilliance of the Great Self.
13. At that time, Arjuna saw the entire universe, with its many factions, assembled there in the body of the God of gods.
14. Then Arjuna, filled with wonder and his hair standing on end, bowing his head and with his palms together, spoke to the Lord.
15. Arjuna said: Lord, I see all the gods in Your body and all kinds of beings gathered together. I see Lord Brahmā, seated on the lotus and all the sages and divine serpents.
16. I see many arms, stomachs, mouths, and eyes; I see Your endless form in all directions; I see no end, nor middle, nor even a beginning of You, Lord of All whose form is the universe.
17. I see You with a crown, club, and discuss; a mass of brilliance, shining like fire and the sun all around.
18. You are imperishable, the highest object of knowledge; You are the supreme resting place of all; You are the imperishable protector of the eternal law (dharma); I know that You are the Primal Self.
19. I see You without a beginning, middle, or end; endless strength and endless arms; the sun and the moon for eyes; a mouth of blazing fire, illuminating the universe with Your own brilliance.
20. Every space between heaven and earth is pervaded by You alone. Seeing Your wondrous and terrible form, the three worlds tremble, Great One.
21. Those hosts of gods enter You, some fearful with palms joined, they praise You saying “Hail;” multitudes of sages and the perfected praise You with bountiful hymns.
22. Groups of destroyers, solar deities, beneficent gods, guardian deities, demigods, the two celestial horsemen, storm gods, ancestors, celestial musicians, supernatural beings, demons, and the perfected all look at You in amazement.
23. Seeing Your great form, with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, stomachs, and many terrible fangs, Kṛṣṇa, the worlds tremble; and so do I.
24. Seeing You with a shining, multi-colored form that reaches the sky, with open mouths and wide, blazing eyes, I tremble inside and find no courage or peace.
25. Seeing Your mouths and dreadful fangs, which resemble the fires of Armageddon, I have no sense of direction nor do I have a refuge. Have mercy, Lord of the gods, Abode of the universe.
26. And there are all the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with the assembly of princes Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Karṇa, the son of the charioteer, along with our brave warriors.
27. They quickly enter Your mouths with fearsome, terrible fangs. I see some with their crushed heads stuck between Your teeth.
28. As the many rushing rivers flow toward the ocean, those heroes in the world of men enter Your flaming mouths.
29. As moths enter a blazing fire, at full-speed, to their destruction, these men enter Your mouths, at full-speed, to their destruction.
30. You devour all these men with Your flaming mouths, lapping them up on all sides. Your intense radiance glows, Viṣṇu, filling the whole world with brilliance.
31. I bow to You, Supreme God, be merciful and tell me who You are. I want to understand You, Primal One; I truly do not comprehend Your manifestation.
32. The Blessed Lord said: I am time, the mighty destroyer of man, Who has set out to annihilate these people. Those warriors arrayed in the opposing army will not survive, even without you.
33. So stand up and obtain glory! Having conquered the enemy, you will enjoy a prosperous kingdom; these men have already been slain by Me, be the mere instrument, Arjuna.
34. Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa, and the other brave warriors have been killed by Me, so do not waver. Fight and slay them! You will conquer your rivals in battle.
35. Saṁjaya said: Having heard those words, Arjuna, bowing and trembling, joined his palms together and again spoke to Kṛṣṇa, stuttering and bowing low, overcome with fear.
36. Arjuna said: It is appropriate that the world rejoices and is delighted with Your praise. The demons run in all directions, terrified, and the assembly of the perfected all bow.
37. And why would they not bow to You, Great One? Infinite Lord of the gods, You are the Primal Cause, even greater than Brahmā. Abode of the universe, You are the Imperishable, the Real, the Unreal, and That which is beyond the two. (See note for XIII. 13)
38. You are the primal God, the ancient Self, and the supreme resting place of this universe. You are the Knower, the object of knowledge, and the supreme abode. Infinite Form, the universe is pervaded by You.
39. You are the wind, death, fire, the moon, the Lord of creatures, and the great grandfather. Many salutations to You and a thousand times more, and again, many salutations to You.
40. Salutations to You from the front and from behind. Let there be salutations to You everywhere, The All. You are endless strength and boundless power; You pervade everything, therefore You are The All.
41. Whatever I may have said presumptuously, such as “Oh Kṛṣṇa,” “Oh Son of Yādu,” or “Oh Friend,” from carelessness or even affection, not knowing of Your majesty and thinking of You as a friend,
42. If, intending a joke, I mistreated You in any way, while playing, resting, sitting, or eating, alone or before others, forgive me for that, Immeasurable One.
43. You are the father of the world, the animate and the inanimate, to be worshipped by it; You are the greatest guru and there is none equal to You. Where is there another superior to You in the three worlds, You of Incomparable Power?
44. Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body, I ask for Your forgiveness, Praiseworthy Lord. If possible, God, please tolerate me, as a father would his son, as a friend would his friend, and as a lover would his beloved.
45. Having seen what has never been seen before, I am delighted, but my mind is shaken with fear. God, have mercy and show me only that form, Lord of the gods and Abode of the universe,
46. I wish to see You crowned, holding a club and a discus. Please become that form with four arms, Thousand-armed, Universal Form.
Comment: Arjuna seems to be asking to see the form of Viṣṇu.
47. The Blessed Lord said: By My grace and power, Arjuna, I have shown you this supreme form, full of splendor, universal, infinite, and primal, which no one but you has seen before.
48. Not by sacrifice, nor by the study of the Vedas, nor by charity, nor by the performance of rituals, and not by severe austerity can I be seen in this form by any other than you in the mortal world, Arjuna.
49. Do not tremble or be confused by seeing that dreadful form of Mine; free from that fear, look at this form of Mine and be cheerful again.
50. Saṁjaya said: Having said that, Kṛṣṇa revealed His own form again and the Great Self reassured the frightened Arjuna by assuming, once again, His gentle appearance.
51. Arjuna said: Seeing Your gentle, human form, Kṛṣṇa, I am now fulfilled and my feelings have returned to normal.
52. The Blessed Lord said: This form, which you have seen, is difficult to see; even the gods are constantly longing to see this (universal) form of Mine.
53. Not through the Vedas, nor through austerity, nor through charity, and not through sacrifice can I be seen in the way that you have seen Me.
54. But with undivided devotion, Arjuna, I can be known and seen in that manner and, in truth, entered into.
55. Whoever works for Me, regards Me as the highest goal, is devoted to Me, abandons attachment, and is free of enmity for all beings comes to Me.
2. I have heard from You of the origin and dissolution of living beings, as well as of Your endless majesty, Kṛṣṇa.
3. Therefore, Supreme Self, I wish to see Your godly form, as You have described Yourself to be.
4. If You think it is possible, Lord of Yogis, then allow me to see Your Imperishable Self.
5. The Blessed Lord said: Now see, Arjuna, My divine forms, by the hundreds, by the thousands, of various kinds, colors, and shapes.
6. See solar deities, elemental gods, destroyers, celestial horsemen, and storm gods; see many wonders never seen before, Arjuna.
7. Now see here in My body, Arjuna, the whole universe assembled, the animate and the inanimate, and whatever else you wish to see.
8. But you cannot see me with your own eyes, so I will give you divine vision. Observe My supreme, mystic power.
9. Saṁjaya said: Having said that, Viṣṇu, the Great Lord of Yoga revealed His supreme, godly form to Arjuna.
10. He saw many wonders with many mouths and eyes, many divine ornaments, and many raised weapons.
11. Wearing divine clothing and garlands, anointed with divine perfumes, and composed of every marvel; endless and divine, with faces everywhere.
12. If a thousand suns would rise in the sky, all together, that brilliance would be like the brilliance of the Great Self.
13. At that time, Arjuna saw the entire universe, with its many factions, assembled there in the body of the God of gods.
14. Then Arjuna, filled with wonder and his hair standing on end, bowing his head and with his palms together, spoke to the Lord.
15. Arjuna said: Lord, I see all the gods in Your body and all kinds of beings gathered together. I see Lord Brahmā, seated on the lotus and all the sages and divine serpents.
16. I see many arms, stomachs, mouths, and eyes; I see Your endless form in all directions; I see no end, nor middle, nor even a beginning of You, Lord of All whose form is the universe.
17. I see You with a crown, club, and discuss; a mass of brilliance, shining like fire and the sun all around.
18. You are imperishable, the highest object of knowledge; You are the supreme resting place of all; You are the imperishable protector of the eternal law (dharma); I know that You are the Primal Self.
19. I see You without a beginning, middle, or end; endless strength and endless arms; the sun and the moon for eyes; a mouth of blazing fire, illuminating the universe with Your own brilliance.
20. Every space between heaven and earth is pervaded by You alone. Seeing Your wondrous and terrible form, the three worlds tremble, Great One.
21. Those hosts of gods enter You, some fearful with palms joined, they praise You saying “Hail;” multitudes of sages and the perfected praise You with bountiful hymns.
22. Groups of destroyers, solar deities, beneficent gods, guardian deities, demigods, the two celestial horsemen, storm gods, ancestors, celestial musicians, supernatural beings, demons, and the perfected all look at You in amazement.
23. Seeing Your great form, with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, stomachs, and many terrible fangs, Kṛṣṇa, the worlds tremble; and so do I.
24. Seeing You with a shining, multi-colored form that reaches the sky, with open mouths and wide, blazing eyes, I tremble inside and find no courage or peace.
25. Seeing Your mouths and dreadful fangs, which resemble the fires of Armageddon, I have no sense of direction nor do I have a refuge. Have mercy, Lord of the gods, Abode of the universe.
26. And there are all the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with the assembly of princes Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Karṇa, the son of the charioteer, along with our brave warriors.
27. They quickly enter Your mouths with fearsome, terrible fangs. I see some with their crushed heads stuck between Your teeth.
28. As the many rushing rivers flow toward the ocean, those heroes in the world of men enter Your flaming mouths.
29. As moths enter a blazing fire, at full-speed, to their destruction, these men enter Your mouths, at full-speed, to their destruction.
30. You devour all these men with Your flaming mouths, lapping them up on all sides. Your intense radiance glows, Viṣṇu, filling the whole world with brilliance.
31. I bow to You, Supreme God, be merciful and tell me who You are. I want to understand You, Primal One; I truly do not comprehend Your manifestation.
32. The Blessed Lord said: I am time, the mighty destroyer of man, Who has set out to annihilate these people. Those warriors arrayed in the opposing army will not survive, even without you.
33. So stand up and obtain glory! Having conquered the enemy, you will enjoy a prosperous kingdom; these men have already been slain by Me, be the mere instrument, Arjuna.
34. Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa, and the other brave warriors have been killed by Me, so do not waver. Fight and slay them! You will conquer your rivals in battle.
35. Saṁjaya said: Having heard those words, Arjuna, bowing and trembling, joined his palms together and again spoke to Kṛṣṇa, stuttering and bowing low, overcome with fear.
36. Arjuna said: It is appropriate that the world rejoices and is delighted with Your praise. The demons run in all directions, terrified, and the assembly of the perfected all bow.
37. And why would they not bow to You, Great One? Infinite Lord of the gods, You are the Primal Cause, even greater than Brahmā. Abode of the universe, You are the Imperishable, the Real, the Unreal, and That which is beyond the two. (See note for XIII. 13)
38. You are the primal God, the ancient Self, and the supreme resting place of this universe. You are the Knower, the object of knowledge, and the supreme abode. Infinite Form, the universe is pervaded by You.
39. You are the wind, death, fire, the moon, the Lord of creatures, and the great grandfather. Many salutations to You and a thousand times more, and again, many salutations to You.
40. Salutations to You from the front and from behind. Let there be salutations to You everywhere, The All. You are endless strength and boundless power; You pervade everything, therefore You are The All.
41. Whatever I may have said presumptuously, such as “Oh Kṛṣṇa,” “Oh Son of Yādu,” or “Oh Friend,” from carelessness or even affection, not knowing of Your majesty and thinking of You as a friend,
42. If, intending a joke, I mistreated You in any way, while playing, resting, sitting, or eating, alone or before others, forgive me for that, Immeasurable One.
43. You are the father of the world, the animate and the inanimate, to be worshipped by it; You are the greatest guru and there is none equal to You. Where is there another superior to You in the three worlds, You of Incomparable Power?
44. Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body, I ask for Your forgiveness, Praiseworthy Lord. If possible, God, please tolerate me, as a father would his son, as a friend would his friend, and as a lover would his beloved.
45. Having seen what has never been seen before, I am delighted, but my mind is shaken with fear. God, have mercy and show me only that form, Lord of the gods and Abode of the universe,
46. I wish to see You crowned, holding a club and a discus. Please become that form with four arms, Thousand-armed, Universal Form.
Comment: Arjuna seems to be asking to see the form of Viṣṇu.
47. The Blessed Lord said: By My grace and power, Arjuna, I have shown you this supreme form, full of splendor, universal, infinite, and primal, which no one but you has seen before.
48. Not by sacrifice, nor by the study of the Vedas, nor by charity, nor by the performance of rituals, and not by severe austerity can I be seen in this form by any other than you in the mortal world, Arjuna.
49. Do not tremble or be confused by seeing that dreadful form of Mine; free from that fear, look at this form of Mine and be cheerful again.
50. Saṁjaya said: Having said that, Kṛṣṇa revealed His own form again and the Great Self reassured the frightened Arjuna by assuming, once again, His gentle appearance.
51. Arjuna said: Seeing Your gentle, human form, Kṛṣṇa, I am now fulfilled and my feelings have returned to normal.
52. The Blessed Lord said: This form, which you have seen, is difficult to see; even the gods are constantly longing to see this (universal) form of Mine.
53. Not through the Vedas, nor through austerity, nor through charity, and not through sacrifice can I be seen in the way that you have seen Me.
54. But with undivided devotion, Arjuna, I can be known and seen in that manner and, in truth, entered into.
55. Whoever works for Me, regards Me as the highest goal, is devoted to Me, abandons attachment, and is free of enmity for all beings comes to Me.
Summary of Chapter XI
Arjuna declares that, due to Kṛṣṇa’s teaching, his confusion is gone. He states that he believes everything that Kṛṣṇa has said concerning His majesty and asks to see His godly form. Kṛṣṇa then gives Arjuna divine vision, allowing him to see His universal form.
Arjuna sees the entire universe assembled in the body of the Lord. He sees gods, demigods, demons, spirits, ancestors, men, and all creatures. He sees thousands of mouths, eyes, arms, weapons, garlands, and all sorts of wonderful things. The universal form is difficult to look at, as it is as bright as a thousand suns and has no beginning, middle, or end. The form is both amazing and terrifying, containing all that is wonderful and horrible in the world.
Arjuna sees those who are about to be killed on the battlefield rushing into Kṛṣṇa’s blazing mouths, like moths flying into a flame. Overcome with emotion, he asks Kṛṣṇa who He is in this manifestation and Kṛṣṇa replies that He is time, the destroyer of all beings. He tells Arjuna to stand, fight, and enjoy victory, as the lives of his enemies have already been claimed by God, he will merely be the instrument of their destruction.
Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna that he is the only one who has ever seen this form of His and that He cannot be known through scriptural study, religious rites, pious acts, or austerities. It is only through complete devotion that God can be known and realized in truth.
Arjuna sees the entire universe assembled in the body of the Lord. He sees gods, demigods, demons, spirits, ancestors, men, and all creatures. He sees thousands of mouths, eyes, arms, weapons, garlands, and all sorts of wonderful things. The universal form is difficult to look at, as it is as bright as a thousand suns and has no beginning, middle, or end. The form is both amazing and terrifying, containing all that is wonderful and horrible in the world.
Arjuna sees those who are about to be killed on the battlefield rushing into Kṛṣṇa’s blazing mouths, like moths flying into a flame. Overcome with emotion, he asks Kṛṣṇa who He is in this manifestation and Kṛṣṇa replies that He is time, the destroyer of all beings. He tells Arjuna to stand, fight, and enjoy victory, as the lives of his enemies have already been claimed by God, he will merely be the instrument of their destruction.
Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna that he is the only one who has ever seen this form of His and that He cannot be known through scriptural study, religious rites, pious acts, or austerities. It is only through complete devotion that God can be known and realized in truth.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the eleventh chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Vision of The Universal Form" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the eleventh chapter entitled “The Yoga of The Vision of The Universal Form" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ CHAPTER XII. THE YOGA OF DEVOTION
1. Arjuna said: Of those who are constantly devoted to You in this way and those who meditate on the Imperishable Unmanifest, who has the most knowledge of Yoga?
Comment: At the end of chapter 11, Kṛṣṇa praises His devotee who is unattached and works for Him; however, throughout the Bhagavad Gītā, He has praised the yogi who meditates on the Supreme Brahman. So, Arjuna wants to know, which of the two is the most knowledgeable yogi.
2. The Blessed Lord said: Those whose minds are absorbed in Me, who are always steadfast, who serve Me endowed with the highest faith, they are considered to be My best devotees. (See VI.47)
3. Indeed, those who meditate on the Imperishable, Indefinable, Unmanifest, All-pervading, Inconceivable, Unchanging, Immovable, and Permanent,
4. Controlling all their senses, always equanimous, and delighting in the welfare of all living beings, they surely attain Me.
5. But for those whose minds are set on the Unmanifest, their trouble is greater; certainly, the Unmanifest is a difficult goal to attain for the embodied.
Comment: It should be noted that the reason the path of absorption in Brahman is more difficult than the path of work and complete devotion is not because of the difficulty in contemplating something unmanifest as opposed to a god with qualities. The yogi does not meditate on Brahman by trying to contemplate what is inconceivable. Brahman shines constantly as the Conscious Self. Once the interference of the mind is overcome, the Self shines on Its own. Therefore, the yogi stills the mind through meditation, allowing the Self to shine in the purified mind. (See Meditation)
6. But for those who, having abandoned all their actions in Me, are intent on Me, contemplating and worshipping Me with undivided dedication,
7. I soon become their rescuer from the ocean of worldly transmigration, Arjuna, and the cause of their consciousness entering into Me.
8. Keep your mind in Me, fix your intellect in Me and you will surely abide in Me from then on, no doubt about it.
9. If you are unable to hold your mind steadily in Me, then you should seek to reach Me through the practice of Yoga, Arjuna.
Comment: If one is unable to keep their mind fixed in the Self, they should practice mental discipline by withdrawing the mind from the outgoing senses and concentrating on a single object.
10. If you are also incapable of that practice, then you should be solely engaged in My work, for even by performing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.
11. If you are unable to do even that, then resorting to My devotion, renounce the fruits of all actions and act with self control.
12. Knowledge is better than (Yoga) practice; meditation is preferred to knowledge and the renunciation of the fruits of actions to meditation, for after renunciation comes peace.
Comment: This verse should not be taken as a universal declaration of the superiority of one practice over another. If renunciation of the fruits of actions was superior to meditation, then why would it only be prescribed for one who is unable to perform meditation? Therefore, this verse must be interpreted in light of the preceding verses (9-11). Self knowledge is superior to the practice of Yoga, since it is the goal of Yoga practice. For one who has not realized the Self, meditation is preferred. And for the one who cannot practice meditation, renunciation is preferred.
13. He who is amicable to all beings, friendly, compassionate, free of possessiveness and ego, equal in pain and pleasure, tolerant,
14. Always content, and self-controlled, that yogi whose conviction is firm, whose mind and intellect are fixed in Me, and who is devoted to Me, he is dear to Me.
15. He by whom the world is not distressed and who is not distressed by the world, and who is free of joy, anger, fear, and distress, he is dear to Me.
16. He who is without desire, pure, clever, indifferent, and undisturbed; who has abandoned all undertakings; and who is devoted to Me; he is dear to Me.
17. He who does not rejoice, hate, grieve, or want; who has renounced both the pleasant and the unpleasant; and who is full of devotion; he is dear to Me.
18. Who is the same toward friend and foe and, likewise, honor and dishonor; who is the same in hot and cold or pain and pleasure; who is free of attachment;
19. Indifferent to praise and condemnation; silent; content with whatever comes; homeless; and full of devotion; that person is dear to Me.
20. Indeed, those who resort to this path to immortality as described (by Me) who are endowed with faith, fully intent and devoted to Me, they are extremely dear to Me.
Comment: At the end of chapter 11, Kṛṣṇa praises His devotee who is unattached and works for Him; however, throughout the Bhagavad Gītā, He has praised the yogi who meditates on the Supreme Brahman. So, Arjuna wants to know, which of the two is the most knowledgeable yogi.
2. The Blessed Lord said: Those whose minds are absorbed in Me, who are always steadfast, who serve Me endowed with the highest faith, they are considered to be My best devotees. (See VI.47)
3. Indeed, those who meditate on the Imperishable, Indefinable, Unmanifest, All-pervading, Inconceivable, Unchanging, Immovable, and Permanent,
4. Controlling all their senses, always equanimous, and delighting in the welfare of all living beings, they surely attain Me.
5. But for those whose minds are set on the Unmanifest, their trouble is greater; certainly, the Unmanifest is a difficult goal to attain for the embodied.
Comment: It should be noted that the reason the path of absorption in Brahman is more difficult than the path of work and complete devotion is not because of the difficulty in contemplating something unmanifest as opposed to a god with qualities. The yogi does not meditate on Brahman by trying to contemplate what is inconceivable. Brahman shines constantly as the Conscious Self. Once the interference of the mind is overcome, the Self shines on Its own. Therefore, the yogi stills the mind through meditation, allowing the Self to shine in the purified mind. (See Meditation)
6. But for those who, having abandoned all their actions in Me, are intent on Me, contemplating and worshipping Me with undivided dedication,
7. I soon become their rescuer from the ocean of worldly transmigration, Arjuna, and the cause of their consciousness entering into Me.
8. Keep your mind in Me, fix your intellect in Me and you will surely abide in Me from then on, no doubt about it.
9. If you are unable to hold your mind steadily in Me, then you should seek to reach Me through the practice of Yoga, Arjuna.
Comment: If one is unable to keep their mind fixed in the Self, they should practice mental discipline by withdrawing the mind from the outgoing senses and concentrating on a single object.
10. If you are also incapable of that practice, then you should be solely engaged in My work, for even by performing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.
11. If you are unable to do even that, then resorting to My devotion, renounce the fruits of all actions and act with self control.
12. Knowledge is better than (Yoga) practice; meditation is preferred to knowledge and the renunciation of the fruits of actions to meditation, for after renunciation comes peace.
Comment: This verse should not be taken as a universal declaration of the superiority of one practice over another. If renunciation of the fruits of actions was superior to meditation, then why would it only be prescribed for one who is unable to perform meditation? Therefore, this verse must be interpreted in light of the preceding verses (9-11). Self knowledge is superior to the practice of Yoga, since it is the goal of Yoga practice. For one who has not realized the Self, meditation is preferred. And for the one who cannot practice meditation, renunciation is preferred.
13. He who is amicable to all beings, friendly, compassionate, free of possessiveness and ego, equal in pain and pleasure, tolerant,
14. Always content, and self-controlled, that yogi whose conviction is firm, whose mind and intellect are fixed in Me, and who is devoted to Me, he is dear to Me.
15. He by whom the world is not distressed and who is not distressed by the world, and who is free of joy, anger, fear, and distress, he is dear to Me.
16. He who is without desire, pure, clever, indifferent, and undisturbed; who has abandoned all undertakings; and who is devoted to Me; he is dear to Me.
17. He who does not rejoice, hate, grieve, or want; who has renounced both the pleasant and the unpleasant; and who is full of devotion; he is dear to Me.
18. Who is the same toward friend and foe and, likewise, honor and dishonor; who is the same in hot and cold or pain and pleasure; who is free of attachment;
19. Indifferent to praise and condemnation; silent; content with whatever comes; homeless; and full of devotion; that person is dear to Me.
20. Indeed, those who resort to this path to immortality as described (by Me) who are endowed with faith, fully intent and devoted to Me, they are extremely dear to Me.
Summary of Chapter XII
Throughout the Bhagavad Gītā, Kṛṣṇa has been expounding the two paths of Yoga: Karma Yoga, the path of action for purification and Jñāna Yoga, the path of knowledge and meditation for Self-realization. Kṛṣṇa has also described two, seemingly different, aspects of the Absolute, the unmanifest, all-pervasive Brahman and Īśvara, the Lord of the universe. In chapter 11, Kṛṣṇa praised the yogi who is intently devoted to God, worshipping and working for Him. So, as chapter twelve begins, Arjuna wants to know which path is superior, Karma Yoga combined with devotion to Īśvara or the path of meditation on Brahman.
Kṛṣṇa replies that those who meditate on the Imperishable Brahman attain Him, but the path of meditation is more difficult, because it requires freedom from desire for sensual gratification and attachment to the fruits of one’s actions (VI. 3-4). For those who have not developed these qualifications and are still attached to the body and the world, they should practice Karma Yoga along with devotion to God and He will remove the obstacles to their spiritual development (See X.10-11 and Yoga Sūtras I. 23-29.)
Kṛṣṇa directs seekers to keep their mind and intellect absorbed in Him and they will definitely attain Him. He has described how this is done in chapters six and eight. If one is unable to keep the mind absorbed in the Self, then they should continue to practice Yoga Meditation. However, if they are unable to practice meditation, then they should perform all work as a sacrifice to God. And, if one is even unable to do that, then, out of devotion, they should renounce the fruits of their actions and exercise self-control. The devotee who puts his faith in God will soon attain peace.
Kṛṣṇa then describes the characteristics of the yogi who is dear to Him. These qualities, for the most part, have been given throughout the Gītā, such as in II. 55-59 to describe the yogi established in wisdom and samādhi, IV. 19-22 to describe the sage whose karma has been consumed by knowledge, V. 19-21 to describe the knower of Brahman, and VI. 7-9 & 29-32 to describe the yogi who has subdued his mind and is one with the Self. The quality that has been added or emphasized in this listing is devotion. Clearly, the message of this chapter is that for the yogi who practices either Karma or Jñāna Yoga, complete devotion is necessary to attain the Supreme.
Kṛṣṇa replies that those who meditate on the Imperishable Brahman attain Him, but the path of meditation is more difficult, because it requires freedom from desire for sensual gratification and attachment to the fruits of one’s actions (VI. 3-4). For those who have not developed these qualifications and are still attached to the body and the world, they should practice Karma Yoga along with devotion to God and He will remove the obstacles to their spiritual development (See X.10-11 and Yoga Sūtras I. 23-29.)
Kṛṣṇa directs seekers to keep their mind and intellect absorbed in Him and they will definitely attain Him. He has described how this is done in chapters six and eight. If one is unable to keep the mind absorbed in the Self, then they should continue to practice Yoga Meditation. However, if they are unable to practice meditation, then they should perform all work as a sacrifice to God. And, if one is even unable to do that, then, out of devotion, they should renounce the fruits of their actions and exercise self-control. The devotee who puts his faith in God will soon attain peace.
Kṛṣṇa then describes the characteristics of the yogi who is dear to Him. These qualities, for the most part, have been given throughout the Gītā, such as in II. 55-59 to describe the yogi established in wisdom and samādhi, IV. 19-22 to describe the sage whose karma has been consumed by knowledge, V. 19-21 to describe the knower of Brahman, and VI. 7-9 & 29-32 to describe the yogi who has subdued his mind and is one with the Self. The quality that has been added or emphasized in this listing is devotion. Clearly, the message of this chapter is that for the yogi who practices either Karma or Jñāna Yoga, complete devotion is necessary to attain the Supreme.
Oṁ Tat Sat
This ends the twelfth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Devotion" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
This ends the twelfth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Devotion" in the Holy Bhagavad Gītā of the Upaniṣads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the discourse between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna
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