Chapter VII (1 - 16)

\

ADHYAAY VII

GNYANA VIGNYANA YOGAM

Introduction

Shri Krishna has so far talked on Jeeva and the way it has to deal with this world.  The perishable body and the Imperishable Aatman in it were discussed in the second chapter.  The third chapter dealt with the attitude in which to approach this world.  He elaborated on whether to renounce action or its fruits, in the fourth and fifth chapters.  The sixth chapter was on techniques of Dhyaana in the path of Yog.  He is going to talk on Self (Paramaatman or the Divine), in this and the next few chapters.

Adi Shankara has defined Gyaana and Vigyaana thus.  ‘The suggestive details about Paramaatman got from teachers and texts is Gyaana.  The experiential knowledge acquired by self is Vigyaana’.  That the creation has emerged from Paramaatman is Gyaana.  To experience Him in every bit of this creation is Vigyaana.  “Both Para and Apara Prakriti are Mine.  The whole creation, this world and all the lives, have come on union of Para an Apara.  Thus, I am the cause for this world.”  (Shlokam 4 to 6).  When He says this, He is talking Gyaana.  “There is nothing else but Me in this creation.  I am in and behind everything like the thread running through the beads in a garland.”  (Shlokam 7).  That is Vigyaana.  “I am the taste in water and brightness in the moon.  I am the seed of all the lives.  The three attributes, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are Me”.  (Shlokam 8 to 12).  That is Gyaana.  When He says, “I am in these.  But, these are not in Me.  I alone Am.  There is no separate existance for the world,” (Shlokam 12), He is talking Vigyaana.  “Four types of devotees worship Me.  Gyaani, among them, is dearest to Me.  He is My very being”, is Gyaana (shlokam 13 to 17), and “The Mahatma who experiences that everything is Vasudeva is very rare,” (Shlokam 19) is Vigyaana.  Thus, this chapter has been assigned an apt name, Gyaana – Vigyaana Yog.  May we peep into the chapter?  Come on...

-\-

श्री भगवानुवाच -

मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः ।

असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु ॥ १ ॥

Shri Bhagawan said:  With the mind intent on Me, Oh Partha, taking refuge in Me, and practising Yog, how thou shall without doubt know Me fully, do hear that from Me.

(VII - 1)

“I am going to reveal to you the Ultimate Truth, that is realized by seekers practising Yog with Love and complete reliance on Me.  Know that without a shadow of doubt.”  Shri Krishna says to Arjuna.  When worldly objects, men, places, and posts are loved, duality remains alive.  The lover and the loved stand as two separate entities.  Love and attachment is possible only if and as long as duality remains.  However tight and close one may hold the beloved, the lover can never ever be one with the loved.  Hence, frustration is the definite result in worldly love.  On the contrary, Love for Him demolishes duality.  In fact, Prayer to Him and meditation on Him is not successful so long I stand separately from Him.  Love blossoms only on dissolution of the separate I.  In that state, there is neither Him nor ‘I’ but only Love, Devotion.  There is neither the lover, nor the beloved but only Pure, Total Love.  Shri Krishna mentions this state as the mind intent on Me or mind with Love for Me.  Total reliance on Him (Madaashraya) is the same in a different expression.

Vedanta describes ‘Reliance on Him’ in four ways.

1.  Ashraya state:  The earth holds us.  We are totally reliant on the earth.  We do not worry about ourselves and carry on our activities.  The earth is held by Him.  The state in which we are not bothered about self, knowing well that He holds and cares about us, is the state of Ashraya.

2.      Avalambana (dependance) state:  The young ones of monkeys hold on tight to their mothers.  It is totally dependant on the mother for its own movement.  The mother climbs trees, hops from one tree to another.  The kid does not have to do any effort.  It just holds the mother firmly.  Similarly, the state in which one does not take worldly assistance and also does not feel ‘I have to do’ and holds on to the Paramaatman firmly, is Avalambana state.

3.      Slave state:  It is agonizing if one is enslaved forcefully.  In this state, the enslavement is voluntary.  It is like the kitten, grabbed by the mother cat in her jaws.  The kitten does not bother about self.  It does not try to hold the mother.  It is like a slave to the mother.  The mother has to bother and carry the small one.  Similarly, offering self as a slave to Him is this state.

4.      Prapatthi state:  When one is near a vast ocean or a huge mountain, his ‘I’ deminishes and almost vanishes.  Similarly, surrendering self totally at His feet is Prapatthi state.

5.       Sahaaya state:  One tries to save self from drowning by holding on to a wood, a creeper or a twig.  Similarly, holding on to the Bhagawan to save self from drowning in Samsaara Samudra of Life and Death, is the Sahaaya state.

All these five reflect Surrender to Him.  Clinging on to Him with Love is Surrender.  In this chapter, Shri Krishna elaborates on the Ultimate Truth that is realized through Yogik practise.

-\-

ज्ञानं तेsहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः ।

यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोsन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमविशिष्यते ॥ २ ॥

I shall tell you in full, of knowledge, speculative and practical, knowing which, nothing more here remains to be known.

(VII - 2)

Adi Shankara has defined Gyaana and Vigyaana thus.  ‘The suggestive details about Paramaatman got from teachers and texts is Gyaana.  The experiential knowledge acquired by self is Vigyaana’.  That the creation has emerged from Paramaatman is Gyaana.  To experience Him in every bit of this creation is Vigyaana.

“I will explain to you Gyaana, combined with Vigyaana.  I will give you a Total explanation.  Nothing will be left unexplained,” says Shri Krishna.  We have heard many Gurus talk on the Paramaatman.  Many books give a detailed exposition on God.  These are bound to be as trivial as our Buddhi is.  The Buddhi of an individual is but a very small portion of the ‘Universal’ or Viraata Buddhi.  How can this trifle instrument explain Paramaatman?  A small portion of whatever was read and heard is grasped by the Buddhi.  A small portion of whatever was grasped by the Buddhi is retained in memory.  A small portion of whatever is retained is expressed in words and letters.  Who else, but God can speak perfectly and completely?

There is nothing else to know after knowing this, says Shri Krishna.  There is a story in Upanishad.  There was a boy named Shvetakethu.  He returned home on completion of Gurukula education.  “What did you learn?” asked his father.  “Everything”, replied Shvetakethu.  “Did you learn that on learning which one knows everything?” asked his father.  The son was confused.  He returned to his Guru and said, “I returned home with the assumption that I have learnt everything.  But, my father thinks otherwise.  He asks me if I have learnt that on learning which there is nothing else to know.  What is that?”.  “That is Swaroopam, your own real Self, the Ultimate.  You wanted to know the world.  I taught you the world.  ‘Who is behind this world?’  ‘Who am I?’  You never raised such questions.  Hence, I too did not delve into this subject.  The Knowledge, on knowing which everything is known, is acquired on knowing Swaroopa”, replied the Guru.  “I shall give you that secretive knowledge”, says Shri Krishna.

-\-

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये ।

यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ॥ ३ ॥

One, perchance, in thousands of men, strives for perfection;  and one perchance, among the blessed ones, striving thus, knows Me in reality.

(VII - 3)

It seems Shri Krishna is suggesting to Arjuna that ‘You are the chosen one’.  ‘You are fortunate.  An urge to know Me has risen in you.  Fortunate one in many thousands develops a desire to know Me.  Out of thousands who strive to know, only a few succeed in knowing Me.

This is also the Law of Nature.  Not all the flowers in a fruit tree, develop into the next stage and again a few of these unripe fruits ripen into edible fruits.  Only a rare few of the ripe fruits are fortunate to be offered to the Lord.

There are thousands of male sperm cells, but only one is able to reach the female egg to grow into a child.

Lakhs attempt the civil services examinations, a few hundreds succeed and only twenty to thirty of these become district collectors.

Similarly, a few among thousands resolve to reach Him and initiate efforts towards that.  Among thousands of those who strive, a few actually reach Him.  Does Shri Krishna suggest impossibility of attaining Divinity?  The hurdles are with us and in us and these hijack us from the path.

Why do most not desire and aspire to seek Him?  What are the hurdles on the path of those who put in efforts in that direction?  What is the secret behind success of the achievers?

Materialistic vision inhibits our progress on the path towards Paramaatman.  This encounrages accumulation of of materials.  Mind indulging in objects and pleasures accrued from these, can not engross in Paramaatman.  The most frequently quoted mantra in present society is ‘Be Positive’.  Ignoring that which is and harping on that which is not is negative outlook.  Men with negative mindset notice the empty half in a bottle rather than the filled half.  Thorns, rather than roses fill their sight.  Unpleasant experiences in life take deeper roots in their memory than pleasant ones.

Materialistic outlook is, in a way, negative outlook.  The men with materialistic attitude are never contented with the objects, positions and pleasures in hand and always chase those illusionary ones.  Like the tongue always reaching for the empty slot in the jaws in search of lost tooth, these men toil the whole life with the false hope that they will access the objects, pleasures and positions being chased by them.  Paramaatman is within and so close to self.  But then these men will disregard Him chase wealth, position, name, fame, honour, comforts and all the transient objects.  They will never gain these.  Even if gained, these are not going to last with them.  The negative men never realize this and never turn towards Paramaatman.

Why do most of those who step into the path towards Paramaatman having resolved to reach Him fail?  Their Arrogance (ahankara) is the culprit.  This arrogance may be called ‘pious arrogance’ or ‘arrogance of purity’.  ‘I am pure’; ‘I have resolved to attain Him’;  ‘I lead a holy life while all others perish chasing pleasures like the bees chasing flowers.  Only he is attains the Divine, who succeeds in eradicating this arrogance.

Very few positive minded in this wolrd full negative ones resort to sincere effort.  But, even this ‘positive outlook’ nourishes ahankara.  Among the few thousands striving, very few, only those succeed in erasing ahankara acually reach Him.

-\-

भूमिरापोsनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।

अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥ ४ ॥

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् ।

जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥ ५ ॥

Bhumi (earth), Aap (water), Anala (fire), Vay (air), Kha (ether), mind, intellect, and ego: thus is My Prakriti divided eightfold.

This is the lower (Prakriti).  But different from it, know thou, Oh Mighty armed!, My higher Prakriti – the principle of self-consciousness, by which the universe is sustained.

(VII – 4, 5)

He starts elaborating on the secrets of creation from this shlokam.  Aparam is lower and Param is higher, or beyond.  In the first shlokam, He talked on Aparam in the first and on Param in the next shlokam.  Apara Prakriti is Jada or Inert.  Param is Chaitanya.  It is Paramatman in form, also called Purusha.  Creation is caused by union of Chaitanya with Jada or Purusha with Prakriti.  In a human, the Aatman is quintessence of Purusha and the body of Prakriti.  The Purusha is present in every bit of Prakriti.

Prakriti does not have its own light, life or potency.  All the movements, actions by Prakriti are due to Purusha.  The body functions, the eyes see, ears hear, Buddhi thinks, the mind experiences,, only due to and as long as Aatman stays in the body.  Each one of these loses its power to function, as soon as the Aatman leaves.

Prakriti and Purusha appear to be one, but in fact are separate.  Purusha is beyond the Prakriti (Para).  It is higher than Prakriti.  Purusha can see and percieve Prakriti.  Prakriti can not percieve or realize Purusha.  Purusha is Complete, indestructible.  Prakriti is subject to decay and destruction.  The problem with man is that he identifies self with inert Prakriti.  A patch develops on the skin.  The man does not know if he has his eyes closed and snaps all interaction with the world.  He can not know unless told so by someone else or shown through a mirror.  That is because the stain is on the body, i.e. the Prakriti.  The interior is Pure, beyond such stains.  If anaesthesia is administered and a leg amputed, he knows the leg as cut only on seeing it.  He does not feel cut or incomplete.  If a part of himself was removed, there should have been no need to see and then know.  He is not the body.  The body is incomplete.  He is not.  He is Whole.  He is beyond destrution.  In due course, after seeing the cut leg again and again, after being suggested or taunted by others, he starts identifying self with the body and starts feeling self to be handicapped and incomplete.  He then, begins grieving.  Organs like the eye, ear become dysfunctional with age.  He never feels defective.  The Chaitanya, Joy never diminishes.  That which never diminishes, that which never decays, that which is Whole, is Purusha.  That is Para.  In an individual, that is Aatman, quintessence of Paramaatman.

There are five basic elements in Prakriti.  The Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Space.  These are called Panchabhootas and anything and everything in creation are constituted of these.  These are in every atom of Prakriti.  Anything solid is ‘Earth’.  Soil, rocks, sand, the other planets, etc. are all ‘Earth’ (Bhoomi).  Salts in sea water are ‘Earth’.  The solid part of trees, plants, creepers are Earth.  Grains, fruits, and other products from land are also ‘Earth’.  The bone, marrow, nuscles etc. in every life is ‘Earth’.  The various elements in blood and other fluids in all the lives are ‘Earth’.

‘Water’ does not need explanation.  It is almost everywhere.  Three fourth of our planet and our bodies is ‘Water’.  Similarly, ‘Air’ is also omnipresent.  In our bodies, the respiratory and intestinal systems, blood, and bone joints have this element.

‘Fire’ is not only the fire in our kitchens.  Energy in every form is ‘Fire’, may be in latent form.  Thus, electrical, nuclear, chemical energies are ‘Fire’.  The ATP produced by combination of ‘Glucose’ and ‘Oxygen’ in every cell in our bodies is ‘Fire’.  This is the energy which is responsible for all the functional operations and movements in our bodies.

Aakash is not the sky.  It is Space.  All the planets and stars are in Space.  Our earth is also in Space.  We occupy space as long as we remain in bodily form.  There is space within us too.  Every matter occupies a portion of space.

Every life has a Manas (Mind).  It is the Mind which experiences, likes and hates.  We experience that other lives too have Mind.  These also like to be loved, patted, and respond with the same affection.  Human mind is complex and mind in other lives are simpler, like that in a child.  That the plant life also have mind is proved now.  Many researches are being conducted on the impact of Music and thoughts on the plants.  There is also a Cosmic mind or Viraata Manas.  That is called ‘Chiti’.  Chiti is the cause for the response to noble thoughts in form of ‘rain’.

‘Buddhi’ is not the Brain.  It is a faculty.  The brain is ‘Body’ to the thinking power called Buddhi.  Functioning of brain is due to Buddhi.  The power to store experiences in memory, power to think on and analyse experiences, the faculty which suggests ‘right and wrong’ on the basis of analysis of previous experiences stored in memory.  Every life has Buddhi.  The human Buddhi is deep and that in other lives is simpler.  The Buddhi in other lives is just smart enough to help survival.  It suggests what and when to eat.  It suggests to run in times of danger.  A cow, for instance, walks while it grazes.  It grabs a bunch of grass from a spot and moves to next for the next bunch.  Scientists say that the grass, once grabbed by the cow, secretes a fluid repugnant for the cow.  The cow does not go for second mouth to the same grass.  This is the Buddhi of grass helping in its survival.  As there is Buddhi in individual lives, so there is a Cosmic Buddhi.  It stimulates efforts in Nature to help maintain equilibrium.

Every individual life has its own Ahankara.  However small a life be, it also has an Ahankara.  The huge bodied elephant saw a miniature sized mouse.  It was surprised as it had never before seen such a small sized creature.  It said, “Oh!  You are so small!  That is funny”.  The mouse’s Ahankara was hurt.  “I am not always this small.  I have gone down in the last few days due to continuous fever,” replied the mouse.  (The mouse seems to be speaking our own words).  If the elephant has Ahankara, the mouse has its own Ahankara.  There is also a cosmic Ahankara.

Though the individual and the Cosmos appear to be separate, these are essentially one.  The individual is but a drop of the Whole.  Bodies of individual lives appear different and show each life as separate.  These are not.  All are drops of the Whole.  Just as money circulates from hand to hand, the five basic elements circulate through these bodies.  There is one earth.  Part of it enters every body as food and exits the same as waste and reunites with Mother earth.  Similarly, water enters bodies and returns back to Nature as urine and sweat.  Air enters animal bodies as Oxygen and returns as Carbon-di-oxide.  It enters plant life as Carbon-di-oxide and returns as Oxygen.  A drop of Cosmic energy enters our bodies as energy for movement and various functions.  There is no one space reseved for our bodies.  We are in one part of Cosmic space this moment and move to another in the next (due to our own and earth’s movement.)  Similarly, the mind, Buddhi and Ahankara in individual is but a drop of the Cosmic mind, Buddhi and Ahankara.  Merely because the Jeeva, which itself is quintessence of Paramaatman, identifies itself with the inert Nature, the appearance is varied.  If this bondage with the inert is snapped, the individual is lost and there is only One, the Cosmos.

Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, Space, Manas, Buddhi and Ahankara are the eight manifestations of Prakriti.  These are as though bricks in the mansion called creation.  These creations of inert Prakriti are fundamentals of the percievable world of ours.  These are separate from Paramaatma tattva.  Paramaatma bears the world.  (The ‘world’ is the world of matter, world of emotions in mind and the world of thoughts in Buddhi.)

-\-

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय ।

अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा ॥ ६ ॥

Know that these (two Prakritis) are the womb of all beings, I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe.

(VII - 6)

Lives are created by the union of Para and Apara, so says Shri Krishna.  In the thirteenth chapter, He says that lives have been created by the union of Kshetra and Kshetragya (XIII - 26).  In the fourteenth chapter, He says that the bodies belong to the Prakriti and the seed is Me (XIV - 4).  The jeevatma is referred to as Para here and as ‘Mamaivansha’ i.e. essence of Me in the fifteenth chapter (XV - 7).  Paramaatma resolved to create and emerged as Purusha.  He and His Yogamaya join to create this and other worlds.  He sustains the creation.  Vedanta explains this using the simile of potter and his pots.  The potter resolves to create and then creates his pots in various shapes and sizes, from earth.  Purusha releases Self from the Inert and reunites with Parama Tattva and thus cause dissolution of the creation.

Only Hindu thought considers equally, both creation and destruction, birth and death.  The semitic religions assign destruction to Devil or Shaitaan.  Creation is beautiful and destruction horrible, according to these.  God is beauty and can not be the cause of ugly and horrible actions, these declare.  That is why, Devil occupies an equal space along with God, in the minds of worshippers in these religions.  Devotion is split.  Today, psychic problems are most prevalent diseases in the western world.  Split devotion, multiple affiliation is the chief cause for psychic problems.  Hindu integrates psyche by declaring that Paramaatman is one, there is only One and no second in this creation.  The seemingly diverse and opposites are in fact One, declares Vedanta.  Hindu Dharma encourages Eka-Nishtaa or single pointed devotion.  Whatever I get, a thorn or a flower, ease or disease, comfort or pain, life or death, is given by Him.

That is hence, Shri Krishna could talk on creation and peace and also insist Arjuna to fight the battle.  Do not choose.  Although appearing to be two, He is One.  ‘The good is Me.  The evil is also Me’, says Shri Krishna.

-\-

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।

मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ ७ ॥

Beyond Me, Oh Dhananjaya!, there is naught.  All this is strung in Me, as a row of jewels on a thread.

(VII - 7)

‘I am Omnipresent, but latent and hidden’, says Shri Krishna.  Let us understand this through the potter’s example.  Earth is visible and perceivable in all the pots.  The potter, though present in every bit of all the pots as artistic excellence, is hidden and invisible.  It is easier to perceive forms, but very difficult to perceive the formless.  Anything beyond the senses is difficult to be perceived.  Rather, it would be prudent to say, ‘It requires depth and maturity in vision to perceive the formless’.  The Tamil sage Ouvaiyaar prayed for and sought old age in when she was a young and beautiful princess.  Old age is a sign of maturity.  In Samskrit and other Bharateeya languages, old age is known by the word ‘mature’ (Vriddha).  Age should bestow maturity an wisdom.  The child is lured by and spends a lot of time with colourful garland.  Wisdom id to know and see the connecting factor, the hidden thread.  “Beware!  Do not consume the whole life in fascination for the colourful worldly life.  Try and realize the Paramaatman hidden and latent in every bit of this world.” cautions Shri Krishna.

-\-

रसोsहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः ।

प्रणवः सर्व वेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥ ८ ॥

I am the sapidity in waters, Oh son of Kunti;  I am the radiance in the moon and the sun; I am the Om in all the Vedas, sound in Akash, and manhood in men.

(VII - 8)

He had asked us to see the hidden in every object, to see the formless in every form.  He explains this in the next five shlokams, through some beautiful similes.

‘Rasoham Apsu’.  I am the sapidity in water.  Water is seen.  Taste can only be experienced.  Rasam is an inner experience.  Paayasam or a sweet fruit juice generates one experience when seen and entirely different inner experience when sipped.  Not only fluids, but Music, Bhakti, Love etc. also have Rasam.  Music is listened to by ears.  The calm, peaceful joy generated inside on listening, is the Rasam of music.  This is beyond the senses and can only be experienced.  The great saint Brahmendra sang, ‘Pibare Rama Rasam’.  Rama’s name can be recited, hymns on Him sung and listened.  The unique blissful experience within, on reciting His name, upon plunging in His thoughts, is Rasam of Bhakti.  The beloved can be seen and touched, but Love is an inner experience.  Mother can be touched through the sense of skin.  Mother’s love, Vatsalya, is formless, hidden behind the perceivable touch and can only be experienced.  Like the thread hidden within the garland beads, I am the Rasam in water.

Prabhaa asmi Shashi Sooryayoh.  I am the light in the Sun and the Moon.  The very essence of Sun and the Moon is Light.  They are known only by their light.  without Light, they have no uniqueness and may just be lumps of rocks.  He said, ‘I am the Formless behind every form’.  Now, is not Light visible?  It seems so.  On deeper analysis, we know that light is not seen but only inferred and known.  We see other objects in light, but never see light.  We infer the prevalence of light through the visible objects.  We are able to see the source of light like the Sun, Moon or lamps, but never the light itself.  I am Light.

Pranavah sarva Vedeshu.  Pranavam is Om.  Pranava Mantra was the first to arrive at the time of creation.  Gayatri Mantra came from the Pranava.  The Vedas sprang from the Gayatri.  Hence, the Pranava is the essence of the Vedas.  Om is the combination of three sounds a, u and m.  The whole sound track, from the navel to the throat, is put in use to recite Om.  Thus all the sounds can be said to be included in the Pranava.  The matras are but sounds and hence all the mantras can be said to be included in the single mantra Om.  Shri Krishna says He is the Om in Vedas.

Shabdah Khe.  I am the sound in the space.  He is once again referring to a formless, hidden.  The sound waves are hidden in the sky, hidden in the sense that these are beyond perception through the senses.  Presently, we do not have instruments sophisticated enough to read these waves.  The Vedik mantras are unwritten ones.  They manifested on their own.  Capable Rshis saw and brought these out.  The sky is subtle.  The sounds hidden in the sky are subtler.  I am subtlest among the subtle, says Shri Krishna.

Pourusham Nrushu.  I am the Manliness in Men.  What is manliness?  Some feel ‘producing a child’ is manliness.  For some establishimg an empire in financial world is manliness.  Earning name, fame, power, status etc. is manliness for others.  The worldly objects are never attainable.  There is an illusion that these have been attained, but in fact these are continuously slipping away from us.  The date and time for their parting is decided the moment these appear to have been attained.  The only manliness is to attain Paramaatma.  He appears to be away, but is always with us.  Manliness is to attain the impossible.  Attaining Paramaatman is tougher than attaining worldly objects.

He continues in the next verse with further examples.

-\-

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ ।

जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥ ९ ॥

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

(VII - 9)

Punyogandhah Prithivyaam.  I am the sinless smell of the earth.  The scent which elevates is sinless.  There are scents which stimulate passion, and those which intoxicate.  The scent which incites His remembrance is sinless.  Any natural smell is sinless.  The earth has a great smell, which can be experienced immediately after a drizzle.

Tejaschaasmi vibhaavasou.  I am the tejas in fire.  The tejas of fire is the heat.  There can be no fire without heat.  Fire is perceivable and is visible.  The heat latent and hidden in fire can only be experienced.  I am that.

Jeevanam sarva bhooteshu.  I am the life in living beings.  Where is life?  It is in every cell of a living being.  If a part of the body is cut, it continues to be in remaining part of the being.  Can life be perceived?  No.  It can only be experienced.  It can be indirectly inferred through the observation of breath, heart beat, etc.

There is no tapasvee without tapas.  Tapas is not mere sitting in a posture.  It is the willpower to face every hurdle and ignore various allurements in persuit of a goal.  The capacity to bear twin opposites like pain and pleasure, etc. is tapas.  The tapasvee is a form and is visible.  I am the tapas invisible and hidden in the tapasvee.

-\-

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् ।

बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ॥ १० ॥

Oh Partha!  Know Me as the eternal seed of all beings.  I am the intellect of the intelligent, and the heroism of the heroic.

(VII - 10)

Beejam maam sarva bhootaanaam.  Viddhi Partha sanaatanam.  Oh Partha!  Know that I am the seed of lives.  There are two things to be known.  The first is that ‘I am the seed of all lives.  The second is that ‘It is sanaatana’.  Thinking is essential to know anything.  One who does not think, does not know anything.  Thinking and comfort-seeking are one against the other.  Comfort seeking scuttles thinking.  The gyaani says that our body is made of the five basic elements.  We tend to question him.  ‘The colour of the body is different from the colour of earth.  The structure of body is different from the structure of earth.  How can the two be same.  These gyaanis always confuse us, with world beyond our understanding.’  Thus goes our arguement.

Where does this body come from?  The egg in mother and sperm cell in father combine to create this body.  Food causes production of egg and cell.  (The production of egg and sperm will be halted on starvation.)  Food is generated from earth.  Hence, it can be said that human body is created from earth.  This can be known if we can sit quietly and introspect.  Shri Bhagawan says, ‘I am the seed of all the lives’.  Tree emanates from the seed.  The seed is not seen and known while seeing the tree.  Similarly, the whole creation has emanated from the Paramaatman.  At the same time, unlike the seed of a tree, He is not destroyed after creation.  The seed does not sustain the tree.  Paramaatman does sustain this creation.  The tree does not dissolve into the seed at the time of its death.  The whole creation dissolves into Him at the time of Pralaya.  That is hence He is sanatana beejam, ever being seed.

‘Buddhimataam Buddhirasmi’.  I am Buddhi of the Buddhimaan.  Buddhi is discriminating faculty.  It differentiates the right from wrong, dharma from adharma.  Buddhimaan is the one who listens and follows the suggestions of Buddhi.  Buddhi is not IQ.  The mind also suggests.  But, mind is not concerned about right or wrong.  Its suggestions are based on accumulated vasanaas, desires and likes.  Buddhi is higher than mind.  Mind guides us to fall while Buddhi suggests way for our rise.  The one who listens and follows suggestions of mind (manas) is known as drifter and is not respected.  The one who listens to the voice of Buddhi is buddhimaan or buddhishaali.  (May be ‘wise’ is the nearest equivalent word in English for buddhimaan.)  I am Buddhi of the Buddhimaan, says Shri Krishna.

‘Tejavinaam aham Tejas’.  He mentions Tejas as a Divine asset in the sixteenth chapter.  A speeding lorry causes shake and upsets balance in a lighter vehicle on the highway.  A high speed train induces movement in a coach halted on the next track.  A short tempered man causes tremours in the persons around.  Tejas is the ability to cause impact on people around.

Passion incites passion.  Anger induces anger.  Lust kindles lust.  Speed motivates speed.  Enthusiasm boosts enthusiasm.  Noble quality inspires noble thought.  The impact is deeper, longer lasting if the quality is more intense.

A person with noble qualities develops a special power.  He leaves a favourable impact on a person with despicable qualities.  This power to cause an impact is called Tejas.  Angulimal was transformed from crude, insensitive and violent person to a kind, loving dedicated saint by Buddha’s tejas and not his words.  Many would have probably spoken these words.  It was the accumulated tejas of Shri Gautam Buddha that created magic on Angulimal.  ‘I am that tejas of a tejasvee’, says Shri Krishna.

-\-

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् ।

धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोsस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥ ११ ॥

Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment.  I am, Oh Bull among the Bharathas, desire in beings, unopposed to Dharma.

(VII - 11)

‘I am the strength of the strong.  I am the desire in lives’.  There is one condition.  The strong should be devoid of desire and attachment.  I am his strength.  The desire should be unopposed to Dharma.  That is Me.  Let us try to understand this.

The strength is not mere physical.  The physical strength can be developed through practise.  If mind is instigated, or fed with arrogance or intoxicated, there is an increase in bodily strength.  Attachment causes arrogance and instigates.  Desire intoxicates.  In the past, fighters in army were fed with alchohol and sent to the battlefield.  Passionate and exciting slogans were raised to instigate them in war.  The politician today, entangles his workers in alchohol and sex and enslaves them.  The politician derives his strength from such slave workers.  The same politician feels threatened by honest, unpurchaseable and Impeccable workers.  What is strength of such workers which terrorises ‘powerful’ politician?  This is mental strength.  This strength, devoid of desire and attachment, is Divine and that is Me, says Shri Krishna.

Vardhamaana, who established Jain religion on the prime principle of Ahimsa (Non-violence), was known as Mahaveer or valiant.  He never fought any war to show his valour.  His strength and valour was not at all physical.  He was called Mahaveer on account of his mental strength, devoid of attachment and desire.  He was standing naked in meditative state, in the forests.  A cowherd left his cows near him and said to him, “Kindly look after my cows.  I will return from home in a couple of hours”.  He did not find the cows when he returned.  He asked Mahaveer.  Mahaveer stood still and did not respond.  The cowherd thought him to be rogue and started abusing him with nasty words.  He hit him with stones and stick.  Mahaveer was unconcerned.  The cowherd screwed his ears with a stick till it started bleeding and went away.  Indra, the King of Gods appeared before him and felt sorry at being not able to protect him from such crueltu.  He sought Mahaveer’s permission to guard him.  Mahaveer opened his eyes and said to Indra, “He tried to disturb me in his own way and now, you are here disturbing me in a different way.  Leave me alone and let things happen as destined.  Since many births, I have been seeking help of so many, have been reliant on so many.  I have realized that all these are mere bondages.  I have come here to be alone.  Leave me alone.  Kindly do not disturb my solitude” and closed his eyes again.  It requires tremendous strength and valour to snap every reliance and resort to solitude.  This strength is devoid of attachment and desire.  Such a strength is Me, says Shri krishna.

Shri Krishna says, ‘I am the strength devoid of desire’ and in the same breath adds, ‘I am the desire, desire within bounds of Dharma’.  These statements seem to be contrary.  Is desire itself not opposed to Dharma?  What is desire, unopposed to Dharma?  Desire, including ‘lust’ is one of the four Purushaartha.  To seek food when hungry is not adharma.  Snatching food from others and satiating hunger is adharma.  Satisfying own hunger without sharing with hungry lives nearby is adharma.  Hoarding food for self for the next month in times of natural calamities is adharma.  But, taking the right quantity of food only to satisfy own hunger is not adharma.  Union with wife for progeny is not adharma.  Such desires are unopposed to Dharma and is Divine.  ‘I am the desire, unopposed to Dharma’, says Shri Krishna.

Wow!  Shri Krishna has come up with so many types of examples, in the last few verses.  If He had only talked with an intellect, he would have stopped with saying that “I am like the thread connecting all the beads in a garland.  I am the Invisible beyond all the visibles”.  But, He is talking to Arjuna, a common man like anyone of us.  Hence, He does not want to leave anything to mere chance.  He is offering so many similes.  He is happy, even if we could grasp one.  He laments in the next (thirteenth) shlokam that ‘men caught in delusion do not understand’.

-\-

ये चैव सात्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये ।

मत्त एवैति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि ॥ १२ ॥

And whatever states pertaining to Sattva, and those pertaining to Rajas, and to Tamas, know them to proceed from Me alone;  Yet, I am not in them, but they are in Me.

(VII - 12)

Shri Krishna’s elaboration on the point He raised in the seventh shlokam, concludes with this shlokam.  His statements in the last five shlokams have raised stormy debates among the learned.  Especially when He says, “Everything created out of combination of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, has come from Me.  I sustain everything.  In the end, all these dissolve and merge unto Me.  Even then, none of these is in Me nor am I in these”.

The creation is from Him, but He can not be attained if sought in the creation or Prakriti.  The tree, every bit of it is from the seed and is a manifestation of the seed.  Nevertheless, if you seek the seed in branches and leaves, you will never get it.  The Paramaatman is in every atom in this creation.  There is nothing, without Him.  Even then, there is no use looking for Him in Prakriti.  We must look beyond Prakriti, beyond the seen, we must reach beyond the senses, in our effort to seek Him.  It is hence He says, ‘Although I am in Prakriti, I am not in it’.

There are waves in the ocean.  There will be no waves without the ocean.  Waves owe their existance totally to the ocean.  But, ocean can exist without waves.  Waves have no independant existance of their own.  Similarly, creation is from the Paramaatman.  There is no independant existance for Prakriti (Nature).  Paramaatman continues to be even after dissolution of this creation.  Prakriti has emerged from Him, but He is beyond the Prakriti.  How can Jada be in Chaitanya?

This can be seen in another angle.  Paramaatman is beyond birth, destruction, decay and growth.  The Prakriti is born and is bound to be destroyed.  If Prakriti is within Paramaatman, it should also be eternal and deathless.  If it were otherwise, that is, Paramaatman is within Prakriti, then Paramaatman too should be bound by birth, growth, decay and destruction.

What is it that we ought to know?  The next verse clarifies.

-\-

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् ।

मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥

Deluded by these states, the modifications of the three Gunas (of Prakriti), all this world does not know Me, beyond them, and immutable.

(VII - 13)

Shri Krishna feels sorry that most do not know Him.  They are so much involved and immersed in body and other worldly object, products of three Gunas, that they do not care to know Me.

Prakriti is born out of Paramaatman and the three Gunas are from Prakriti.  Creation is from the three Gunas.  The Paramaatman is Nirguna, i.e. He does not have and is beyond Gunas.  When in world, every experience in this world, every colourful and alluring sight should remind us of Him, His reign and His will.  On the other hand, we get attracted and are caught in the lure of the three Gunas and forget Him.  We get convinced that, ‘I have become Sattvika or I am predominantly Rajasik or Tamasik’.  We begin regarding the body, a product of three Gunas, as mine or self as body.  (Regarding the body as mine is ‘mamata or mamakara.  Regarding self as the body is Ahankara.)  This leads to delusion about the body.  What is the delusion?  To consider that which is not as real.  I am the quintessence of the eternal and am beyond the Gunas which are ephemeral.  That I am transient, subject to decay, destruction and death, is what I regard myself to be.  What I am is True and what I regard myself is illusionary.  We can know Him, only if we shirk off this delusion, only if we snap the bondage with this body.

It is an ancient arguement whether we get deluded in the world and hence for get Him or we forget Him and hence get immersed in this world.  This is like another unending arguement whether the hen came first or the egg.  Human being has a liberty or a choice, which the other lives do not have and it is a fact that he has misused it.  He expresses His expectation from us in the next shlokam.

-\-

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ १४ ॥

Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, constituted of the Gunas, is difficult to cross over;  those who devote, themselves to Me alone, cross over this illusion.

(VII - 14)

Duratyayaa is ‘difficult to cross’.  The Maya, constituted of Gunas, is difficult to cross.  Does it mean Maya is very powerful?  Yes.  Powerful for us.  But, very easy for Him.  If we grab His Feet, if we totally lean on Him, then it is very easy to cross over Maya.

We run.  We consume the whole life running.  We run chasing wealth, post, position, name and fame, assets, comforts, success, etc.  This is one type of run.  The other type is run away from failure, dishonour, scarcity, loss, depression, etc.  We increase the load on our heads as we run.  There is an Arabic saying.  “When are you happier?  While climbing up a hill or climbing down the hill?” a camel was asked by a traveller.  “It does not matter whther I climb up or down.  My happiness is dependant on the load I have on me”, replied the camel.  We take the load of success and at the same time prepare to take another load of imminent failure.  The moment we take the load of earnings, we prepare to load ourselves with the looming loss.  The loads of honour and dishonour come one behind the other.  When we face a failure, we start preparing for the run away from failure, in chase of a prospective success.  The near and dear around us incite us with their war-cries, ‘Run, Run.  This is the last lap.  Then it is success and only success.  You cross this hurdle.  This will be the last hurdle.  Then you will be happy.”  We take the lash offered by them and inflict self with it and run further.  The run continues and the load too continues.

‘Stop this run.  Take refuge in Me.  Leave success and failure unto Me.  Grab My hand and come out of the illusionary web spun by Me.  You can not, unless you seek My refuge.’

The world is not attractive.  ‘I’ is.  ‘I’ is intoxicating.  ‘I do’;  ‘I have succeeded in this tough world’;  ‘I have travelled across the world’;  ‘I am talented’;  ‘I am powerful’;  ‘I know’;  ‘When I was...’;  ‘When I will not be...’;  etc. etc.  If ‘I’ is not there, there is no attraction in the three Gunas and the objects in the world.  There is no delusion.  There is no ‘getting entangled’.  If ‘I’ is given up, if ‘I’ is surrendered, one can be liberated from the delusion called Maya.

-\-

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः ।

माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः ॥ १५ ॥

They do not devote themselves to Me, - the evil – doers, the deluded, the lowest of men, deprived of discrimination by Maya, and following the ways of the Asuras.

(VII - 15)

Dushkrutinah is the one who resorts to evile ways.  He is influenced by anger, lust, avarice, etc. and resorts to untruth, vengeance, betrayal, dishonesty, and such other acts against the injunctions in the texts.  The basic reason for his evil actions is his desire to possess the unreal worldly objects.

The ignorant is the one who does not know what is real and what is unreal.  He can not differentiate good from bad, the desirable from the undesirable.  Hence, he chooses the unreal and rejects the real.  Hence, he shows his back to the Divine and faces the world.  Shri Krishna calles such men ‘Nara adhama’.  Nara adhama is the ‘lowly’.  He is lower than animals.  The animals hurt other lives, but do so purely out of their inherent nature.  These do not harm if not hungry and not threatened.  On the other hand, the wisdom of these men, the nara adhama, has been abducted by Maya.  Hence such ignorant, wicked men do not worship Me.

The communist divides the world into two, the haves and the have-nots.  Some divide the society on the basis of education, learneds and the unlettered.  The colour of skin is the basis for some others.  The best division is those who have their faces towards Him and those who face the opposite direction.  The ignorant, the wickeds with demoniac attitude, are turned away from Me.  Hence, they do not worship Me’, says Shri Krishna.  (He does not say that they are do not worship Me.  He says, they are ignorant and hence do not worship Me.)

Let us not console ourselves that He refers only to the pleasure seekers, wealth seekers and those who resort to short-cuts, untruth, conspiracy, betrayal, violence and such unethical ways in their venture.  Let us not feel elated that we are not in His list of evil-doers.  The three gunas include Sattva too.  He definitely includes all of us, the Sattvik ones too, who forget Him and get involved in social reform, social service, and other ‘pious’ activities.  It is different, if these activities are undertaken without arrogance, with an attitude of serving the Divine in human form.  I remember a coversation between a leader in an organization involved in social work and National reconstruction and a young Sannyaasi.  The leader in his sixties had spent his whole life after college education, working for this organization.  The sannyaasi was in his twenties.  The leader said, “The present status of our Nation is very bad and demands our time, energy and total attention.  It is worst irresponsibility to be unconcerned about the society, be aloof and involve self in spiritual practises.  It is best to involve social work in our enegetic young years.  Paramaatman can be attended to later in old age.”  The Sannyaasi was humble in his reply.  He said, “What can I give to the people, if I go to them, with my mind full of desires, lust, anger and arrogance?  We can give to others only our possessions.  Is it not a great service to the society, if I seek to purify my inner self?”  This was the essence of their hour-long conversation (arguement).  If persone with impure hearts jump into social work, there contribution to the society is more harmful than good.

‘I worship daily.  I regularly offer my Pooja.  I participate in weekly bhajan without fail.  I observe regular fasts.  Visit to the temple is a must for me.  My annual pilgrimages have continued without a break since last so many years.  I recite His name daily and rotate one garland of 108 beads.  Hence, Shri Krishna is definitely not referring to me.’  Most of us tend to think this way.  Action is not important.  Spirit behind the actions is more important.  In western countries, males recite the mantra, ‘I love you’ to their wives at least a hundred times daily.  It is more a compulsive ritual than an expression of love?  ‘She may be upset if I do not say this.  She may turn to someone else for love, if I do not say this’.  Such are the fears hidden behind these words.  I know a girl who attempted suicide, just because she was not wished a happy birthday at twelve in the night by her busy husband.

A lady had a male parrot.  It was in a bar before she brought it home and hence had learnt all bad words.  It would chatter those words when guests arrive to meet her.  The lady used to feel embarrassed.  She approached a pastor and said, “Oh Father!  You convert so many.  Can you please convert this parrot into sober one?”  “We have female parrot in our church.  It listens to prayers and sermons all the day.  Take her to your house for a few days.  Let us hope, good company will do the magic”, replied the pastor.  She did likewise.  A few minutes later the male parrot started chatting.  “Hey Baby!  Join me for a dance.  How about a small drink?”  “Oh sure, young man.  What else for, do you think, I have been praying all these days?” replied the church parrot.

The external acts, rituals, are not important.  The bhavana or the inner attitude is important.  A child understands the affection of mother even before it understands her spoken language.  Her embrace, the affection showering through her eyes, are enough for the child to know her love.  She may be anywhere, she may be involved in any work.  However her mind is filled with the thoughts on the child.  Outward actions can not convey this emotion of hers, bhavana.  But, the same reaches the child.

In the next shloka, He explains four types of devotees worshipping Him.

-\-

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिsनोर्जुन ।

आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६ ॥

Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, Oh Arjuna, - the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of enjoyment, and the wise, Oh Bull among the Bharathas.

(VII - 16)

He talked about ‘Dushkrutinah’, evil-doers, in the previous shlokam.  Now, He talks on Sukrutinah, the do-gooders.  If we remember what was said in the previous shlokam, we should infer that the sukrutinah are the ones with face towrds the Paramaatman.  They are noble.  They are fortunate.  The only aim of a human life is to travel in His direction.  The ones who discard this are the ones misusing the liberty accorded to a human.

Four types of good men are devoted to me.  There are four children in a family.  A relative, from a far off place, arrives in the family.  He brings some sweet dish for the family.  One of the children wants the sweet and approaches the guest with his demand.  Another child cries at not being given the sweet.  Third child looks at the sweet box and the guest, wondering where he came from and what material the sweet is made of.  The fourth child is unconcerned.  He pays his respect to the guest and goes away.  The four types of devotees mentioned by Shri Krishna can be compared with these four types of children.  Let us study His words in detail.

1.  Aartha:  The cry-baby type.  Aartha is the devotee who cries at His feet and wants Him to remove the obstacles, unfavourable factors and threats in his life.  He does not turn to others.  He does not try other ways.  His only object of devotion is Paramaatman.  The elephant devotee Gajendra and Draupadi are best examples of Aartha devotion.  Gajendra, initially tried other means to free self from the jaws of crocodile.  He could not.  Then, offering a lotus, Gajendra cried out His name and was saved by Mahavishnu.  Draupadi, had none else but Shri Krishna, in her moments of distress, which she had in plenty.  In this type of Bhakti, the feeling that ‘the Paramaatman is mine and I am His’ is more prominent than ‘my distress should go’.  If it is otherwise, own efforts continue.  The one in whom relief from distress is more prominent, can better be called ‘Sukhaarthi’ than a devotee.  When ‘He is mine and I am His’, there is none else to approach for relief.

2.  Jigyaasu:  He has a thirst to know.  What is my real Nature?  What is His Form?  Jigyaasu wants to know, but does not want to approach men, books and shastra  in his quest.  He relies solely on Him.  Here too, the bondage with Him is the basis of his quest.  It is not for mere intoxication of Buddhi or for satiation of egoistic arrogance, that he wants to know.  He considers Him as ‘mine’ and hence wants to know Him.  Uddhava is the best example for this type of devotion.

3.  Arthaarthi:  Petitioner devotee.  He approaches the God for his ligitimate and rightful desires.  Arthaarthi does not seek other means and relies solely on Him for fulfillment of his desires.  A poor mother went with her child, to visit a fair.  When he sees a sweet stall, he resorts to tantrums wanting the mother to buy some sweets.  She did not have money.  Hence, she tried to divert his mind and took him away.  This scene repeated near a toy shop and the giant wheel.  In a while, the child got separated from mother, due to surging crowd.  He started crying.  The people around tried to calm him by offering sweet, toy and a ride in the wheel.  The child refused to take any of these and was adament on getting back to mother.  A few moments earlier, these were the same objects he wanted so vehemently.  His demand for these were on the basis of the feeling the ‘she is mine and I am hers’.  These objects are not prime.  He does not want these at the cost of mother.

One who resorts to worldly ways with desires for wealth, objects and comforts, is not arthaarthi.  He may at best be called a devotee of wealth or comforts.  We come across many who wear religious marks on forehead and garland of Rudraksha or Tulasi beads and spend a lot of time in worships and other religious activities, while at the same time indulging in all unethical ways to earn money.  Such men, though appearing religious, are not arthaarthi.  They are convinced that financial activity is impossible without resort to short-cuts and wrong ways.  Their faith on such ways is much higher than on God.  They consider God as an agent to supply their demands.

But, arthaarthi devotee relies solely on God for fulfillment of his desires.  He does not resort to own efforts.  Dhruva is a glaring example.  He desired worldly things.  But, wanted to get those only through Narayana.  Narada offered the same but wanted Dhruva to give up his efforts to seek Narayana.  Dhruva firmly refused.

4.  Gyaani.  The wise.  On outer appearance a Gyaani is similar to a worldly man.  But, there is an immense difference in the interior.  The Gyaani is not perturbed by the coming and going of pain and pleasure, ease and disease, gain and loss, praise and criticism, union and departing.  He sees the Paramaatman in everyone of these.  He is full of Love for Him and there is nothing else for him.  The gopis of Brindavan are the best examples this type of devotees.

-\-