Gita 7.1:
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
मय्यासक्तमना: पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रय: |
असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु || 1||
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
mayyāsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśhrayaḥ
asanśhayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tach chhṛiṇu
In the sixth chapter, Shree Krishna emphasized that the greatest yogis are those who focus solely on God, serving Him with full dedication. Anticipating Arjun's unasked questions on knowing, worshipping, and meditating upon the Supreme Lord, the compassionate Krishna begins to guide him. Using the words *mad-āśhrayaḥ* (focused on Me) and *śhṛiṇu* (listen), He urges Arjun to listen closely to this divine wisdom.
Gita 7.2
ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषत: |
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते || 2||
jñānaṁ te ’haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣhyāmyaśheṣhataḥ
yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo ’nyaj jñātavyam-avaśhiṣhyate
*Jñāna*, or intellectual knowledge, is what we learn by engaging our mind, senses, and intellect. In contrast, *vijñāna* is deeper—it is wisdom acquired through direct spiritual experience, transcending mere intellect.
A classic example is the experience of honey: we might know honey is sweet (*jñāna*), but to truly understand its sweetness, we must taste it ourselves, which is *vijñāna*.
This principle applies to spiritual learning as well. A Guru provides *jñāna* through scriptures, but it is through the practice of *sadhana*—spiritual disciplines—that we purify our mind, ultimately leading to the wisdom of self-realization, or *vijñāna*.
Sage Ved Vyas exemplified this process. Before writing the *Shreemad Bhagavatam*, he desired a deeper, experiential understanding of God’s nature. Thus, he engaged in *bhakti-yog* (devotion), fully focusing on God to attain *vijñāna*.
As described in the *Bhagavatam* verse (1.7.4), Ved Vyas achieved a direct vision of the Divine, realizing God and His control over Maya, the material energy. This profound experience inspired him to write the scripture with true insight.
Here, Shree Krishna promises Arjun both forms of knowledge: theoretical understanding (*jñāna*) and wisdom (*vijñāna*). With this complete knowledge, Arjun would have nothing left to seek or understand.
Gita 7.3
मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |
यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: || 3||
manuṣhyāṇāṁ sahasreṣhu kaśhchid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaśhchin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
Meaning of Siddhi
In Sanskrit, "siddhi" encompasses various meanings, including supernatural power, success, accomplishment, fulfillment, healing, perfection, and more. In the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna uses it to signify spiritual perfection.
In Sanskrit, "siddhi" encompasses various meanings, including supernatural power, success, accomplishment, fulfillment, healing, perfection, and more. In the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna uses it to signify spiritual perfection.
Rare Attainment of Spiritual Perfection
Shree Krishna emphasizes that out of the countless souls, few attain human birth. Of these, only a small number strive for spiritual perfection, and even fewer know Him in His true essence. This highlights the rarity and significance of realizing the Supreme.
Shree Krishna emphasizes that out of the countless souls, few attain human birth. Of these, only a small number strive for spiritual perfection, and even fewer know Him in His true essence. This highlights the rarity and significance of realizing the Supreme.
Necessity of Bhakti (Devotion)
Even perfected souls cannot truly know God without bhakti or loving devotion. Practices focused solely on karm (actions), jñāna (knowledge), or haṭha yog (physical discipline) are insufficient unless devotion is integrated. Bhakti is essential to attain realization of the Divine.
Even perfected souls cannot truly know God without bhakti or loving devotion. Practices focused solely on karm (actions), jñāna (knowledge), or haṭha yog (physical discipline) are insufficient unless devotion is integrated. Bhakti is essential to attain realization of the Divine.
Scriptural References to Devotion
- BG 8.22: The Supreme Divine can only be known through devotion.
- BG 11.54: Unalloyed devotion grants divine vision and unity with God.
- BG 18.55: True understanding and consciousness of God come through loving devotion.
The Limitation of Jñāna
Spiritual aspirants who neglect devotion achieve only theoretical knowledge. (jñāna). Without vijñāna (experiential knowledge), they remain unable to fully know God or the Absolute Truth.
Spiritual aspirants who neglect devotion achieve only theoretical knowledge. (jñāna). Without vijñāna (experiential knowledge), they remain unable to fully know God or the Absolute Truth.
Transition to the Next Teaching
Shree Krishna concludes by noting the rarity of knowing Him truly and proceeds in the following verse to elaborate on His material and spiritual energies.
Shree Krishna concludes by noting the rarity of knowing Him truly and proceeds in the following verse to elaborate on His material and spiritual energies.
Gita 7.4
भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च |
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा || 4||
bhūmir-āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha
ahankāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā
Modern science categorizes matter into 118 elements on the Periodic Table, reflecting a complex understanding of energy and material forms. In contrast, Vedic philosophy, as outlined in the Bhagavad Gita, describes matter as prakṛiti, God’s material energy, which manifests in eight forms: five gross elements (space, air, fire, water, and earth) and three subtle elements (mind, intellect, and ego).
While science has evolved theories like Einstein’s Mass-Energy Equivalence and Quantum Theory, Vedic texts proposed a unified understanding of material energy over 5,000 years ago. Shree Krishna explained to Arjun that the universe’s diversity comes from a single divine energy, elaborated in the Taittirīya Upanishad. This energy flows from God’s will, creating the cosmos and all life forms. Krishna also introduces a superior energy: the soul energy, distinct from material energy.
Gita 7.5
अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् |
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् || 5||
apareyam itas tvanyāṁ prakṛitiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
Shree Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita that beyond the inferior material energy (prakṛiti), there exists a superior spiritual energy called jīva śhakti, encompassing all living souls. This energy is transcendental, unlike lifeless matter, and signifies a shift from material to spiritual understanding.
Philosophical debates in India have explored the relationship between God and the soul. Non-dualists claim the soul is God, but this raises logical inconsistencies, such as the soul’s susceptibility to ignorance and Maya's influence. Dualists, meanwhile, argue that God and the soul are separate, but this view does not fully align with Krishna’s teachings.
Shree Krishna clarifies that the soul is a part of God’s divine energy, and God, as the supreme source, governs both material and spiritual energies.
Saints like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj emphasize this unified yet distinct relationship: God is the Energetic, and the souls are His energy. This concept allows for both oneness and difference, much like fire’s simultaneous possession of heat and light. The scriptures affirm this balance, acknowledging the unity and diversity of God, souls, and matter.
Gita 7.6
एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय |
अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगत: प्रभव: प्रलयस्तथा || 6||
etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya
ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā
Living beings are composed of God’s two energies: jīva śhakti (sentient soul energy) and Maya (insentient material energy). Matter alone is lifeless, and the soul requires a body, so both combine to create life. Similarly, all of creation is a manifestation of God’s energies.
A cycle of creation lasts for 100 years of Brahma. At the end, God initiates dissolution, where all elements and energies merge back into prakṛiti, residing within Maha Vishnu. Souls that remain materially bound wait unmanifested until the next creation. When God wills it, the cycle restarts, making Him the source, sustainer, and resting place of the universe.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 26.10.2024
