विवेचन सारांश
Knowledge about The Paramātmā & surrendering to HIM Unites us with HIM

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अंग्रेज़ी - English
Sunday, 14 January 2024
Chapter 7: Jñāna-Vijñāna-Yoga
2/2 (Ślōka 8-30)
Interpreter: GĪTĀ PRAVĪṆA RUPAL SHUKLA


The seventh chapter of Bhagavadgītā is Jñāna-Vijñāna Yoga - The Yoga of Jñāna, the Knowledge of Nirguna Brahmā and Vijñāna, experience or the practical aspect of that knowledge.

The second session on this chapter started with the lighting of the lamp, and prayers offered to the Divine and our Guru. We are fortunate that because of our past karmas and due to HIS Grace, we have got the chance to learn the Gītā. Having embarked on this path; let us remain on this path and desist from leaving it midway.

Bhagavadgītā is one of the most important scriptures of our Śāstras. Bhagavadgītā is the gist of Vedas and Upanishads.It explains to us how we can practically apply this knowledge. In ancient days, the teachings of Sastras were meticulously followed. However in the present days, it has been diluted to a large extent. In a constantly changing environment we have to adapt to its practical applications,and directly following the Sastras may not be feasible. The knowledge of Śāstras were available to us from ancient times, as Shruti and Smriti. Shruti means ‘what has been heard’ and Smriti means ‘what has been remembered’. They were passed on from time immemorial in the form of Shruti and Smriti before writing skills were developed.

Our Sanatana Dharma has six Śāstras:

  • Shruti - The four Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Arthavaveda), and Six Vedangas (Siksha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta, Chhanda, Jyotisha)
  • Smriti - Manusmriti, Yagnavalkya, Parasara, etc
  • Ithihasa - Mahabharata and Ramayana
  • Purana - 18 Mahapuranas and 18 upapuranas
  • Agama - Vaishnava, the Saiva and the Saktha
  • Darshana - Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa.

Vedangas are written in sutra style and are the knowledge required for studying Vedas. Apart from these there are also 108 Upanishads (out of which 10 are principal Upanishads). Vedas were more about religious practices whereas Upanishads mainly focus on spiritual enlightenment. Agamas are another class of popular scriptures, and are the practical manual of divine worship. They are of three types. The followers of Vaishnava Agama, known as Vaishnavites, worship Vishnu, Narayana in the form of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. The followers of Saiva Agama are known as Saivites and they worship Shiva. Sakta Agamas (also known as Tantras) glorify Shakti and do Devi Upasana as the mother of Universe. The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas but they are Vedic in spirit and character.

Bhagavadgītā comes under all categories. It comes under Shruti as well as under Smriti, Itihasa and Purana. The gist of Vedas are Upanishads and the gist of Upanishads are in Bhagavadgītā.It is called Smriti as it is a part of Vedas. It is also called Shruti because Sri Shankaracharya gave Pramana or evidence as authentic lines in his Brahma Sutra. It is a part of Itihasa as it is depicted in the Bhishma Parva of Mahabharata. It is also Purana as Maharshi VedaVyasa ji composed Mahabharata. 

There are 18 chapters in Bhagavadgītā and each chapter is a yoga. As Sri Krishna had given HIS preachings in these chapters, HE is also called as Yogeswara.These chapters are broadly classified into Jnana yoga, Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga. Chapters 7,8,9,13 and15 fall under the category of Jnana yoga. In Geeta Pariwar, we do not learn Gita in the serial order, rather we learn it as a sequence of understanding. After completing some chapters in L1 and L2 we come to L3 and then learn this chapter 7 which comes under Jnana yoga. This is designed so as to make our understanding a little easier.

In this 7th chapter, as we saw in the preceding session, Bhagavān has vividly explained the two types of energies of HIS existence. The material energy, which comprises 8 factors, the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space), Mana, Buddhi and Ahankara. The other type of energy is spiritual energy or consciousness.

In this chapter Bhagavān is explaining the material and divine(spiritual) dimensions of HIS energies. In HIS Kshara form, HE is the manifested universe or the Prakriti that arises out of HIS Yogamaya power and that is HIS material dimension. In his Akshara form, HE is the eternal Brahman or consciousness which is HIS divine imperishable energy form. The entire Prakriti or manifested universe appears in HIM and merges or disappears into HIM. In the seventh sloka HE said HE is the single thread into which all the beads which are nothing but the various forms (bhutas) appearing in the manifested universe, are strung together. It should be noted that Sri Krishna here does not refer to the personalized form of Bhagavān, but the Paramātmā HIMSELF. Throughout the Mahabharata epic, verses spoken by Sri Krishna are referred to as ‘Vasudeva Uvacha’ or ‘Krishna Uvacha’. Only in these 700 slokas, sayings by Sri Krishna are mentioned as Bhagavān Uvacha. It signifies in these slokas of Bhagavadgita, it is Paramātmā HIMSELF speaking. Paramātmā is nothing other than Brahman which is eternal, and unmanifested. Parmatma HIMSELF had spoken Bhagavadgita. 

In the upcoming slokas 8th to 12th Bhagavān spoke of HIS own manifestation. HE explained this through the concept of Adhyaroopa-apavada. Adhyaroopa-apavada can be defined as false superimposition (adhyaroopa) followed by retraction (apavada). It is not possible to describe Brahmān. No example or attribute can be given to describe it. It is explained by showing that all attributes are false and they are negated. This is a method to describe this tough concept that I am not this, I am not this. Neti- Neti. Ishwara is everywhere and Ishwara is everything but at the same time, HE is nowhere and HE is not this, not that.  


7.8

raso'hamapsu kaunteya, prabhāsmi śaśisūryayoḥ,
praṇavaḥ(s) sarvavedeṣu, śabdaḥ(kh) khe pauruṣaṃ(n) nṛṣu. 7.8

Arjuna, I am the sapidity in water and the radiance in the moon and the sun; I am the sacred syllable OM in all the Vedas, the sound in ether, and virility in men.

Bhagavān said that HE is the taste in the water, HE is the light which illuminates sun and moon and HE is also the Pavitra word OM. Further HE is the sound in ether and HE is the strength in human beings. Pranava means the sacred syllable “OM”. The sound OM is also recognised as the sound of the ultimate reality as it is supposed to have been the first vibratory sound that emanated as the seed of creation. In Manduka Upanishad, AUM or OM is described as the imperishable Brahmān.  

In this shloka, Prabhu addressed Arjuna as Kaunteya, and in full affirmative HE addressed everything in the first person such as I am the taste in water, I am the brightness in sun and moon, I am the very pious OM, and I am the power in all sentient beings.

According to Sāṃkhya yoga, there are five elements. They come from five Tanmatras. Shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa, and gandha. From these 5 tanmatras, when shristi was created, senses and sense objects were created. From the Tamasika Guna of Tanmatras comes the Buddhi and Ahankara. Thus everything that we can imagine comes out of HIM. In other words He exists in everything in micro form.

7.9

puṇyo gandhaḥ(ph) pṛthivyāṃ(ñ) ca, tejaścāsmi vibhāvasau,
jīvanaṃ(m) sarvabhūteṣu, tapaścāsmi tapasviṣu. 7.9

I am the pure odour (the subtle principle of smell) in the earth and the brightness in fire; nay, I am the life in all beings and austerity in the ascetics.

Paramātmā asserted that HE is the pure fragrance of Prithvi, the earth. HE is the brightness in fire. HE is the life force in all beings and HE is also the Tapa or austerity. Further to the above sloka Sri Krishna declared that HE is the source of everything. The entire Universe is HIS extension. 

He is the life in all beings (Bhutesu). The 5 elements are also called Panchabhutas. From the Shabda originates the Akasha or space, from the smell comes the Prithvi or earth. From the taste comes the water and from the Rupa comes the Agni or fire. HE is the force providing the capacity of the Sadhus to perform the penance. HE is thus the microelement in all things and beings. HE is the force behind both the non-living and living matters.

7.10

bījaṃ(m) māṃ(m) sarvabhūtānāṃ(m), viddhi pārtha sanātanam,
buddhirbuddhimatāmasmi, tejastejasvināmaham. 7.10

Arjuna, know Me the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent; the glory of the glorious am I.

HE continued that HE is the eternal seed in all beings, the intelligence in all, and the perfection in any work. HE is everything. HE is the matter, the energy. HE is the Sukhma, virtual and also the Stula, gross objects of this universe. HE is all objects that can be seen, felt or imagined. HE is the micro organism and  also the macro beings.

In chapter 15, HE had affirmed that HE is in the hearts of everything.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्त: स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च |
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् || 15||
I am seated in the hearts of all living beings, and from Me come memory, knowledge, as well as forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas, am the author of the Vedant, and the knower of the meaning of the Vedas.

7.11

balaṃ(m) balavatāṃ(ñ) cāhaṃ(ṅ), kāmarāgavivarjitam,
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu, kāmo'smi bharatarṣabha. 7.11

Arjuna, of the mighty I am the might, free from passion and desire; in beings I am the sexual desire not conflicting with virtue or scriptural injunctions.

Bhagavān said that HE is the strength of strong, determined persons. But HE is not their strength when they perform works with desire and passion. When they perform actions which are not in accordance with the virtues, HE does not remain with them. HE is only the sattvik desire that arises in people. Dharma-aviruddhaḥ means not conflicting with Dharma.

7.12

ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā, rājasāstāmasāśca ye,
matta eveti tānviddhi, na tvahaṃ(n) teṣu te mayi. 7.12

Whatever other entities there are, born of Sattva (the quality of goodness), and those that are born of Rajas (the principle of activity) and Tamas (the principle of inertia), know them all as evolved from Me alone. In reality, however, neither do I exist in them, nor do they in Me.

Bhagavān said all the three gunas - sattvik (goodness), rajasik (passion) and tamasik (ignorance) all arise from HIM only. They are manifested by HIS energy. One should also know that although they are in HIM, but HE is beyond them.HE is not in them while they are in HIM. Everything good or bad all exists in HIS energy, but HE is not responsible for their utilisation. 

When children are given pocket money, parents expect them to spend it judiciously. At the same time they give the children the freedom to spend in any manner they wish. Similarly Bhagavān has given us Gunas and Vicharas. It is up to us what we do with the Gunas. 

Sri Sankaracharyaji had written in his Shatpadi Stotram:

सत्यपि भेदपगमे नाथ त्वहं न मामकीनस्त्वम्।
समुद्रो हि तरंगः क्वच्चन समुद्रो न तरंगः ॥ 3॥
Waves belong to the ocean but the ocean does not belong to the waves. Waves vanish and become water again. Waves may vanish but water always remains. Waves are forms formed in water.

Similarly we are the forms inside the supreme consciousness and will be destroyed and merge into it some time or the other. But consciousness always remains and never gets destroyed. Paramātmā would exist eternally.

The waves become drops of water and merge into the ocean. This concept can be extrapolated to understand what Moksha is. Moksha for a human being is like merging with the Paramātmā and never coming back again, akin to the drops of water not coming back from the ocean again.

This is possible only when we do our Antahkarana Shuddhi which means completely letting go of our ego and surrendering to Paramātmā. As long as we have dirt in our mind, we can not see or realise Paramātmā. This is similar to the fact that we can see our image clearly in the mirror only after removing the dust from the mirror properly. As long as there is dust on the mirror, images will not be clearly visible. 

Dust in our mind are our vikaras like kama, krodha or anger, lobha or greed etc. To remove the dust of vikaras we have to do Upasana. By doing so, we will arrive at Chitta Shuddhi. Then we can realise Brahman. Upasana can be done by the prescribed practices of Shravana, Manana, and Niridhysana. Shravana is to listen carefully again and again. Listening is our Shruti Parampara. Next step is Manana, that is getting convinced by logic or epistemology. This is followed by Nididhyasana or internalising what we have understood. Nididhyasana is very close to Samādhi. Samādhi is sama buddhi in which state we go close to Ishwara. This happens as our sins get reduced by constant remembrance of Ishwara and our Punyas get accumulated by our Sattvik karmas. Our Karmik account rebalancing takes place per the system. As we attend more and more Gītā classes, Shravana takes place and our sins get diminished. In order to get more Punyas, we all need to give more Sevas.

When we learn to control our mind and slowly get rid of our karmas, we get closer to HIM.

In chapter15 sloka 7 Bhagavān said:

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूत: सनातन: |
मन:षष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति || 7||
The embodied souls in this material world are My eternal fragmental parts. But bound by material nature, they are struggling with the six senses including the mind.

7.13

tribhirguṇamayairbhāvaiḥ(r), ebhiḥ(s) sarvamidaṃ(ñ) jagat,
mohitaṃ(n) nābhijānāti, māmebhyaḥ(ph) paRāmavyayam. 7.13

The whole of this creation is deluded by these objects evolved from the three modes of Prakṛti- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas; that is why the world fails to recognize Me, standing apart from these, the Imperishable.

The entire universe is deluded by the three types of Gunas originating from Prakṛti. Deluded by the Gunas, the people in this earth fail to realise the eternal Swarupa of Bhagavān. The Gunas are very overpowering. One has to cultivate the right balance in the Gunas, if one desires to realise Brahman. The imperishable nature of Brahmān will be visible only when one lets go of the desires and ego. 

7.14

daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī, mama māyā duratyayā,
māmeva ye prapadyante, māyāmetāṃ(n) taranti te. 7.14

For, this most wonderful Māyā (veil) of Mine, consisting of the three Guņas (modes of Nature), is extremely difficult to breakthrough; those, however, who constantly adore Me alone, are able to cross it.

We know it is extremely difficult to overcome attractions. Bhagavān said the same thing when he spoke “Mama maya duratyeya” which means it is very difficult to overcome my Maya. Everyone knows smoking is bad; still people do it. All the bad habits or bad actions are done because one gets deluded by Maya. Maya is Gunamayi made of 3 Gunas; Sattvik, Rajasik and Tamasik. Maya is highly illusionary. It is like water in a mirage. The entire world is Maya or an illusion created out of Prakṛti.

How do we cross over this maya? Taranti means crossover. One who takes refuge in Bhagavān alone would be able to get over this Maya. One who completely surrenders can only be rescued by Ishwara. 

During the Vastraharan episode of Draupadi in Mahabharata, as long as Draupadi was looking to other respectable assembled members for help, Sri Krishna did not come to her rescue. The minute she threw open her arms and cried out to Śrī Krishna, HE took her under HIS folds and nothing wrong could happen to her.

Similarly as long as a child is playing with the toys, the mother does not pick up the child. The minute the child cries and calls out for the mother and will not stop crying till the mother takes him into her lap, the mother comes running to lift the child.

As an embodied soul, we all have to perform our duties. It is neither prudent nor expected out of us that we leave behind all our responsibilities and run away to seclusion and meditate. Prabhu expects us to perform all our duties with niskama bhava, i.e., one should perform all duties with a non doer attitude and then completely surrender the results to Paramātmā without any duality in mind.

There is a beautiful Meerabai bhajana
Mere to giridhar gopal dusre na koyi
The meaning of this Bhajan is I have none other than Giridhara Gopal!

7.15

na māṃ(n) duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ(ph), prapadyante narādhamāḥ,
māyayāpahṛtajñānā, āsuraṃ(m) bhāvamāśritāḥ. 7.15

Those whose wisdom has been carried away by Māyā, and are of demoniac nature, such foolish and vile men of evil deeds do not adore Me.

There are four types of people who do not worship HIM.
  • Some are ignorant and do not know the truth,
  • others who do not make efforts to know Ishwara although they are capable of knowing
  • The third category are the deluded ones and
  • the fourth category are the people with demonic nature. 

7.16

caturvidhā bhajante māṃ(ñ), janāḥ(s) sukṛtino'rjuna,
ārto jijñāsurarthārthī, jñānī ca bharatarṣabha. 7.16

Four types of devotees of noble deeds worship Me, Arjuna, the seeker after worldly possessions, the afflicted, the seeker for knowledge, and the man of wisdom, O best of Bharatas.

There are four types of people who always engage in Bhagavān worship.
  • People who are distressed do worship. They are artah.
  • The people who are bhaktas or seekers of knowledge do worship. They are Jijnasu bhaktas.
  • The people wanting to acquire worldly possessions also worship HIM. They are artha-arthi bhaktas.
  • Further those who are Jnanis also worship HIM. 
According to Paramapujya Guruji, Bhaktas are better than Jnanis, for the simple reason that Jnani is one who has already realised Ishwara. He is aware of “Aham Brahmāsmi” and so he is one with the Paramātmā, and there is very little room for him to worship himself. On the other hand, a bhakta can worship Ishwara in any form of his choice and can rejoice.
  • Arjuna, Uddhava, and Janaka were all Jijnasu bhaktas.
  • Sudama was arthati bhakta.
  • Draupadi was artah. She called out to Bhagavān when she was in a very distressed condition. Same is the case with Uttara when Aswasthama was trying to kill her foetus when she was pregnant with Parikshit. The elephant also called out for Bhagavān in arta bhava. Arta bhava is when one calls out desperately for Bhagavān being highly distressed.

7.17

teṣāṃ(ñ) jñānī nityayukta, ekabhaktirviśiṣyate,
priyo hi jñānino'tyartham, ahaṃ(m) sa ca mama priyaḥ. 7.17

Of these, the best is the man of wisdom, ever established in identity with Me and possessed of exclusive devotion. For, I am extremely dear to the wise man who knows Me in reality, and he is extremely dear to Me.

Bhagavān considers Jnani as the one who is nearest and hence dearest to HIM. A Jnani worships steadfastly, unwaveringly and is exclusively devoted to Paramātmā and hence is very dear to HIM.

7.18

udārāḥ(s) sarva evaite, jñānī tvātmaiva me matam,
āsthitaḥ(s) sa hi yuktātmā, māmevānuttamāṃ(ṅ) gatim. 7.18

Indeed, all these are noble, but the man of wisdom is My very self; such is My view. For such a devotee, who has his mind and intellect merged in Me, is firmly established in Me alone as the highest goal.

7.18 writeup

7.19

bahūnāṃ(ñ) janmanāmante, jñānavānmāṃ(m) prapadyate,
vāsudevaḥ(s) sarvamiti, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. 7.19

In the very last of all births the enlightened person worships Me by realizing that all this is God. Such a great soul is very rare indeed.

Prabhu said although all his devotees are dear to HIM, but those who steadfastly fix their mind on HIM only, are obviously very close to HIM. They are the Jnanis. They have made HIM their supreme goal and hence HE considers them one with HIMSELF. One reaches that level of knowledge and eternal bliss after sustained efforts in several births. No one can be sure how many births one has to take in order to become a Jnani.

Once they are endowed with knowledge, they understand that the unmanifested Brahmān is the only truth. Such great souls are very rare.

7.20

kāmaistaistairhṛtajñānāḥ(ph), prapadyante'nyadevatāḥ,
taṃ(n) taṃ(n) niyamamāsthāya, prakṛtyā niyatāḥ(s) svayā. 7.20

Those whose wisdom has been carried away by various desires, being prompted by their own nature, worship other deities, adopting norms relating to each.

The people worship deities or devatas as per the prescribed rituals. They do so mainly to satisfy their material desires. Material desires have overshadowed their knowledge and they have forgotten the fact that Bhagavān is the source of everything. They have replaced the knowledge of manifested Brahmān with their material aspirations. They do worship, but that is not the best form of Upasana.

7.21

yo yo yāṃ(m) yāṃ(n) tanuṃ(m) bhaktaḥ(ś), śraddhayārcitumicchati,
tasya tasyācalāṃ(m) śraddhāṃ(n), tāmeva vidadhāmyaham. 7.21

Whatever celestial form a devotee (craving for some worldly object) chooses to worship with reverence, I stabilize the faith of that particular devotee in that very form.

In whichever form any devotee wants to worship HIM, HE strengthens their faith in that form. If one is worshipping HIM in the form of Bhagavān śiva, Bhagavān Vishnu, Mata Durga or any other deity form, HE strengthens his faith and belief all the more in that form. Our faith in that form of deity becomes stronger with the passage of time because Bhagavān is helping us.

7.22

sa tayā śraddhayā yuktaḥ(s), tasyārādhanamīhate,
labhate ca tataḥ(kh) kāmān, mayaiva vihitānhi tān. 7.22

Endowed with such faith, he worships that particular deity and obtains through that deity without doubt his desired enjoyments as verily ordained by Me.

Adorned with faith and trust, the devotee earnestly worships particular deities whom he believes can fulfil his desires. Bhagavān says his faith does not get wasted, HE arranges the results for which he is worshipping so earnestly. In ancient times people used to worship nature deities like Varuna, Agni or rain God Indra. The power to worship is supplied by the almighty and again the results are also provided by HIM alone.

7.23

antavattu phalaṃ(n) teṣāṃ(n), tadbhavatyalpaMedhāsām,
devāndevayajo yānti, madbhaktā yānti māmapi. 7.23

The fruit gained by these people of small understanding, however, is perishable. The worshippers of gods attain the gods; whereas My devotees, howsoever they worship Me, eventually come to Me and Me alone.

When someone worships a deity with a desire in his mind, his desire might get fulfilled but the fruits of his worship are short-lived. They are perishable in nature as all material pleasures are temporary. We all are people with limited intellect. We understand the concepts of Paramātmā and Moksha, but our desires take an upper hand and fulfilment of desires becomes our priority.

One will get results depending on the marg or path he chooses. If one chooses the sakaama bhakti path, one will get that. If one chooses Jnana marg, one gets to reach the Paramātmā. One progresses only in the particular path he chooses.

7.24

avyaktaṃ(m) vyaktimāpannaṃ(m), manyante māmabuddhayaḥ,
paraṃ bhāvamajānanto, mamāvyayamanuttamam. 7.24

Not knowing My supreme nature, unsurpassable and undecaying, the ignorant persons regard Me, who am the Supreme Spirit beyond the reach of mind and senses, and the embodiment of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss, to have assumed a finite form through birth as an ordinary human being.

People with limited intelligence do not understand HIS eternal, imperishable nature. They fail to comprehend the fact that HE is ever existing. It is not as if HE was formless earlier and has now come into this form. People with limited intellect often get confused. Did the personal form of Bhagavān manifest from the formless, or is it the other way round?

7.25

nāhaṃ(m) prakāśaḥ(s) sarvasya, yogamāyāsamāvṛtaḥ,
mūḍho'yaṃ(n) nābhijānāti, loko māmajamavyayam. 7.25

Veiled by My Yogamāyā, My divine potency, I am not manifest to all. Hence these ignorant folk fail to recognize Me, the birthless and imperishable Supreme Deity i.e., consider Me as subject to birth and death.

In this sloka Sri Krishna has clarified why people ponder over whether Bhagavān manifested from the formless or not. Here HE introduced the concept of Yogamaya. HE said being enveloped by Yogamaya, people lose this ability to know.

We have earlier seen people are deluded to material pleasures being engulfed by Maya. In this verse we are taught that people engulfed by the Yogamaya quality of Ishwara lose sight of the fact that HE is ever existent. Neither forms come out of HIM nor does HE come out of any form. HE is immutable (Avyayam); HE is unborn (Ajam).

7.26

vedāhaṃ(m) ṣamatītāni, vartamānāni cārjuna,
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni, māṃ(n) tu veda na kaścana. 7.26

Arjuna, I know all beings, past as well as present, nay, even those that are yet to come; but none, devoid of faith and devotion, knows Me.

Bhagavān said HE knows the past, present and the future as well. 

HE knows everything about what is happening, and what is going to happen in the future, but no one knows HIM. Being engulfed in Yogamaya, most people cannot know HIM.

7.27

icchādveṣasamutthena, dvandvamohena bhārata,
sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ(m), sarge yānti parantapa. 7.27

O valiant Arjuna, through delusion in the form of pairs of opposites (such as pleasure and pain etc.,) born of desire and aversion, all living creatures in this world are falling a prey to infatuation.

Men are deluded as soon as they are born. These delusions of Sukha-Dukha, Papa-Punya etc. arising out of desire and hatred, get transmitted into Sanskara and reach the Antahkarana of the Jīvātmā. All living beings in this material world are thus deluded. There are of course the very rare Jnanis who do not get deluded.

It is pertinent to know the story of Hastamalaka in this context.

Hastamalaka was the disciple of Sri Shankaracharya ji. He did not speak a single word till he was six years old. His worried parents took him to Sri Shankaracharya ji. At the very first sight, Sri Shankaracharya ji realized that he was an enriched Soul, a Jnani. He asked him a few questions like who are you and where you have come from etc. He replied to all the questions in sanskrit. His parents were taken aback. As a true Jnani, he didn't find it necessary to talk unnecessarily as he was always one with the Paramātmā.  Sri Shankarachary ji gave him the name Hastamalaka. Hastamalaka means an Amla placed on the palm. From whichever angle you look at it, it looks the same like a Jnani is in equanimity all the time.

7.28

yeṣāṃ(n) tvantagataṃ(m) pāpaṃ(ñ), janānāṃ(m) puṇyakarmaṇām,
te dvandvamohanirmuktā, bhajante māṃ(n) dṛḍhavratāḥ. 7.28

But those men of virtuous deeds, whose sins have come to an end, being freed from delusion in the form of pairs of opposites born of attraction and repulsion, worship Me with a firm resolve in every way.

Doers of good deeds are freed from delusion. Their sins have been destroyed. Their papas are about to be completed by their good karmas. Such people become free from the illusion of dualities. Such people worship GHIM with complete faith and steadiness as they know HIM as eternal Brahmān.

Since we have started on our Gītā journey, our Bhakti and Shraddha are also growing, and thus helping us in reducing our bad karmas.

7.29

jarāmaraṇamokṣāya, māmāśritya yatanti ye,
te brahma tadviduḥ(kh) kṛtsnam, adhyātmaṃ(ṅ) karma cākhilam. 7.29

They who, having taken refuge in Me, strive for deliverance from old age and death, know Brahma (the Absolute), the whole Adhyātma (the totality of Jīvas or embodied souls), and the entire field of Karma (action) as well as My integral being, comprising Adhibhūta (the field of Matter),

Those who take refuge in HIM, striving for liberation from old-age and death, come to know the Brahman, the Self, and the entire cycle of karmic action which is governed by the three Gunas. These devotees who surrender themselves completely to HIM, receive HIS divine grace.

7.30

sādhibhūtādhidaivaṃ(m) māṃ(m), sādhiyajñaṃ(ñ) ca ye viduḥ,
prayāṇakāle'pi ca māṃ(n), te viduryuktacetasaḥ. 7.30

Adhidaiva (Brahmā) and Adhiyajña (the unmanifest Divinity dwelling in the heart of all beings as their witness). And they who, possessed of a steadfast mind, know thus even at the hour of death, they too know Me alone.

  • ādhibhūt means matter
  • Adhidaiva means Brahman
  • Adhiyajna means Celestial God, Bhagavān Vishnu
Bhagavān concluded the chapter by declaring that Those enlightened souls who know HIM as the adhibhūta, adhidaiva, and as adhiyajña, are in full consciousness of HIM even at the time of death.

Remaining attached to Paramātmā at the time of death is very important as that decides one’s next birth. One can remain focused at the lotus feet only if one has practised focusing throughout his life.

The words “Om Tat Sat” have been declared as symbolic representations of the Supreme Absolute Truth. When we offer it at the feet of Bhagavān, whatever mistakes we would have committed while reading this Chapter gets erased.


The session came to an end with 2 minutes of nama sankirtana, followed by question and answer session

Questions and Answers:

 UdayaJi
Q. What is the difference between advaita and dvaita ?
A. Advaita is seeing only one Param Brahman. You and HE are not separate. Dvaita means duality. It is seeing yourself and Paramātmā as two separate entities- Jeevatma and Paramātmā.


PramodJi
Q. We should see Bhagavān in all objects. How should we behave when we think of Bhagavān in all objects?
A. Suppose your teacher is teaching you in the Gītā classes, and the same types of questions are repeatedly asked by the sadhaks. She sees Śrī Krishna in all human beings and thinks Sri Krishna is asking this question although it may be a repetition or irrelevant, then she answers it without any irritation. When children do mischief, we should tolerate them, thinking of them as Gopala swarupa. Again if somebody is speaking ill of us to someone else, we should have tolerance.

ManishJi
Q. How to become an introvert while being extrovert at the same time as most of us are Grihastas.
A. In the beginning allot some time to spiritual activities, like meditation, chanting or reading scriptures or simply focusing the mind on some Swarupa or form. You may begin with reading Sadhaka Sanjivani. Just read one page everyday.

Om tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ(m) yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvāde
jñānavijñānayogo nāma saptamo'dhyāyaḥ

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