Shrimad Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shree Bhagavan said: With the mind attached to ME, O Arjuna (O Partha, the son of Pritha); practicing Bhakti Yoga, surrendering to me completely, free from doubt, as you shall know ME listen to that. (1)

I unto you shall reveal in full this knowledge with wisdom which having known further not anything else remains to be known in this world. (2)

Of men, out of many thousands; someone strives for perfection, of those who strive, even of those who have achieved perfection; someone knows me in truth. (3)

Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space, Mind, Intellect certainly and Ego; thus, all these eightfold are My different aspects of nature. Besides this infinite; know another nature, MY superior knowledge; O Arjuna (O Mahabaho, the mighty armed one), the basis by which the living beings are held in this material world. (4-5)

Know that these two (energies) are the source of all living beings; I am the source of the entire creation and dissolution. (6)

There is not anything else superior than ME, O Arjuna (O Dhananjaya, the conqueror of wealth); in ME all which we see is strung like beads on a thread. (7)

I am the taste in water; Arjuna, the son of Kunti; I am the radiance of the moon and the sun; the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas; the sound in the sky and manhood in men. (8)

I am the pure fragrance of the earth and the brilliance in the fire; and the life-force in all beings and I am penance of the ascetics. (9)

Know me to be the eternal seed of all beings, O Arjuna (O Partha, the son of Pritha); I am the intellect of the intelligent; I am the splendor of the splendid. (10)

I am the strength of the strong; and devoid of desire, passion; not conflicting with dharma, I am the sexual activity in all beings; O best of the Bharatas. (11)

Whatever the states of material existence and they certainly in the mode of goodness, in the mode of passion and in the mode of ignorance; thus whatever, know those from ME, in ME but certainly not I in them. (12)

This whole universe; consisting of the modes of material nature, all these deluded by three states; these not know ME, the Supreme, the imperishable. (13)

Certainly, divine; this consisting of the three modes of nature, My Maya (God’s external energy) is very difficult to overcome. They who surrender unto me, certainly cross over this Maya. (14)

The evil doers, the ignorant, one who lazily follows one’s lower nature and those with deluded intellect by Maya (God’s material energy) resort to demoniac nature; do not surrender unto ME. (15)

Four kinds of pious people worship ME, O Arjuna; the distressed, the inquisitive, the seeker of wealth and the wise, O best of the Bharatas. (16)

Amongst these; those who are situated in knowledge, ever steadfast, with highest exclusive devotion; certainly, to the person in knowledge, I am highly-very dear and he very dear to ME. (17)

Indeed, those in knowledge; all these are noble certainly. But in MY opinion, those who are united in ME, the Supreme Goal; he is situated in MY VERY SELF certainly. (18)

At the end of many births; one who is endowed with knowledge attains ME, Vasudeva (Lord Shree Krishna, the son of Vasudev): everything, that great soul is very rare. (19)

By various, whose knowledge has been carried away by material desires; surrender to other celestial Gods following the various rules and regulations controlled by nature by their own. (20)

Whoever, whichever form; devotee desires to worship with faith; I, certainly bestow to him steady faith in that. (21)

He, endowed with that faith of that, tries to engage in worship; and from that then obtains the desires, for those certainly are granted by ME alone. (22)

But that fruit obtained by them, the people of little understanding is perishable. The worshipers of the celestial gods go to the celestial gods; whereas, my devotees go to me. (23)

Formless ME to have assumed a personality, think the less intelligent; not understanding MY imperishable excellent Supreme nature. (24)

Veiled by Yoga Maya (God’s supreme divine energy), I am not manifest to everyone; these deluded persons do not know ME; the unborn, the immutable. (25)

I know the past, the present and, Arjuna, the future; also, all the living beings; but no one knows ME. (26)

Desire, aversion, arise from the duality; from the illusion, Arjuna, descendant of Bharata. All the living beings enter into delusion since birth; O Arjuna (O Parantapa, the conqueror of enemies). (27)

But persons of pious activities, whose sins have completely destroyed; they become free from illusion of dualities; worship ME with determination. (28)

Those who take shelter in ME and strive for liberation from old age and death; they know everything, that Brahmana, the individual self and the entire karmic action. Those who know ME as the Adhibhuta (the governing principle of the field of matter); as the Adhidaiva (governing principle of the Celestial Gods) and as the Adhiyajna (governing principle of the Lord of all sacrificial performances); they even at the time of death know of me in full consciousness. (29-30)