The Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom

श्रीभगवानुवाच |...

The Supreme Lord said: O son of Pritha, hear now how, by practicing yoga with the mind fixed on Me and taking refuge in Me, you shall know Me completely, without any doubt.

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः |...

I shall now declare to you in full this knowledge combined with direct realisation, knowing which nothing further remains to be known in this world.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये |...

Among thousands of men, perhaps one endeavors for perfection; and of those who endeavor and reach perfection, perhaps one truly knows Me in truth.

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च |...

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego—these eight constitute My separated lower nature (apara prakriti).

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् |...

But beyond this lower nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, know My other, higher nature (para prakriti), which consists of living beings by which this universe is sustained.

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय |...

Know that all beings have their origin in these two natures. I am the source of the entire universe and also its dissolution.

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय |...

There is nothing whatsoever higher than Me, O conqueror of wealth. All this is strung on Me like clusters of gems on a thread.

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः |...

O son of Kunti, I am the taste in water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable Om in all the Vedas, the sound in ether, and the ability in man.

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ |...

I am the pure fragrance of the earth and the brilliance in fire. I am the life in all beings and the austerity in ascetics.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् |...

Know Me, O son of Pritha, as the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the splendour of the splendid.

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् |...

I am the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and attachment. I am desire in beings when that desire is not contrary to dharma, O chief of the Bharatas.

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये |...

Know that all states of being—whether of goodness (sattva), passion (rajas), or inertia (tamas)—proceed from Me alone. Yet I am not in them; they are in Me.

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् |...

Deluded by these three states of being, composed of the three guṇas, the entire world does not know Me, who am beyond them and imperishable.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया |...

This divine energy of Mine, composed of the three guṇas, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me alone cross over this illusion.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः |...

Those who are evildoers, the lowest of mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who take shelter of a demonic nature—such persons do not surrender to Me.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन |...

O best of the Bharatas, four types of virtuous persons worship Me: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the wise.

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते |...

Of these, the wise one, ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels. I am exceedingly dear to the wise, and he is dear to Me.

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् |...

All of these are indeed magnanimous, but I regard the wise one as My very Self. For with his mind absorbed in Me, he is established in Me as the supreme goal.

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते |...

At the end of many births, the man of wisdom surrenders to Me, knowing 'Vasudeva is all.' Such a great soul is very rare.

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः |...

Those whose knowledge has been carried away by various desires surrender to other deities, following various rules and rituals, being compelled by their own nature.

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति |...

Whatever form a devotee desires to worship with faith, I make that very faith steady and unwavering.

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते |...

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that deity and obtains his desires—those very boons being granted by Me alone.

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् |...

But the fruit gained by those of lesser intelligence is perishable. The worshippers of the gods go to the gods; My devotees come to Me.

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः |...

Unintelligent persons who do not know My supreme, imperishable, and unsurpassable nature think that I, the Unmanifest, have taken a manifested form.

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः |...

I am not revealed to everyone, being covered by My divine yoga-māyā. This deluded world does not know Me as unborn and inexhaustible.

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन |...

O Arjuna, I know all beings past, present, and future. But no one knows Me.

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत |...

O conqueror of enemies, all beings are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities arising from desire and hatred.

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |...

But those persons of virtuous deeds whose sins have come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me with firm resolve.

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये |...

Those who strive for liberation from old age and death by taking refuge in Me come to know Brahman in its entirety, the Self (Adhyatma), and all action.

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः |...

Those who know Me, together with the realm of matter (adhibhūta), the realm of the divine (adhidaiva), and the realm of sacrifice (adhiyajña), know Me even at the moment of death, with their minds unified.