Chapter 7

Krishna. Learn now, dear Prince! how, if thy soul be set Ever on Me--still exercising Yog, Still making Me thy Refuge--thou shalt come Most surely unto perfect hold of Me. I will declare to thee that utmost lore, Whole and particular, which, when thou knowest, Leaveth no more to know here in this world.

Krishna. Listen now, dear Prince! If your soul is always focused on me, and you keep practicing Yog and making me your refuge, you will come to know me fully and with certainty. I will teach you the highest wisdom, in full and in detail. Once you know this wisdom, nothing more will remain for you to know in this world.

Of many thousand mortals, one, perchance, Striveth for Truth; and of those few that strive-- Nay, and rise high--one only--here and there-- Knoweth Me, as I am, the very Truth.

Out of many thousands of people, perhaps one seeks Truth. Even among the few who strive and rise high, only a rare person knows me as I am, the very Truth.

Earth, water, flame, air, ether, life, and mind, And individuality--those eight Make up the showing of Me, Manifest.

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, life, mind, And individuality: these eight Make up my manifest form.

These be my lower Nature; learn the higher, Whereby, thou Valiant One! this Universe Is, by its principle of life, produced; Whereby the worlds of visible things are born As from a Yoni. Know! I am that womb: I make and I unmake this Universe: Than me there is no other Master, Prince! No other Maker! All these hang on me As hangs a row of pearls upon its string. I am the fresh taste of the water; I The silver of the moon, the gold o' the sun, The word of worship in the Veds, the thrill That passeth in the ether, and the strength Of man's shed seed. I am the good sweet smell Of the moistened earth, I am the fire's red light, The vital air moving in all which moves, The holiness of hallowed souls, the root Undying, whence hath sprung whatever is; The wisdom of the wise, the intellect Of the informed, the greatness of the great. The splendour of the splendid. Kunti's Son! These am I, free from passion and desire; Yet am I right desire in all who yearn, Chief of the Bharatas! for all those moods, Soothfast, or passionate, or ignorant, Which Nature frames, deduce from me; but all Are merged in me--not I in them! The world-- Deceived by those three qualities of being-- Wotteth not Me Who am outside them all, Above them all, Eternal! Hard it is To pierce that veil divine of various shows Which hideth Me; yet they who worship Me Pierce it and pass beyond.

These are my lower Nature. Learn about my higher Nature, through whose life-giving power, brave warrior, this Universe comes into being. Through this higher Nature, all visible worlds are born as from a Yoni, a womb. Know that I am that womb. I create and destroy this Universe. There is no Master beyond me, Prince, and no other Maker. All things depend on me, like a row of pearls strung on a thread. I am the fresh taste of water. I am the moon's silver light and the sun's golden light, the sacred word of worship in the Veds, the vibration that travels through the ether, and the strength in a man's released seed. I am the sweet scent of damp earth. I am the red light of fire, the breath of life in everything that moves, the holiness of holy souls, the undying root from which everything has grown. I am the wisdom of the wise, the understanding of the learned, the greatness of the great, and the splendor of the splendid. Kunti's Son, I am all these, free from passion and desire. Yet I am righteous desire in all who long, chief of the Bharatas. All those states of being, whether truthful, passionate, or ignorant, that Nature forms come from me. But all are contained in me, not I in them. The world, deceived by these three qualities of being, does not know me. I am beyond all three qualities, above them all, eternal. It is hard to pierce that divine veil of many appearances that hides me. Yet those who worship me pierce that veil and pass beyond.

I am not known To evil-doers, nor to foolish ones, Nor to the base and churlish; nor to those Whose mind is cheated by the show of things, Nor those that take the way of Asuras.¹²

I am unknown to evildoers, to the foolish, and to the vile and rude. Nor am I known to those whose minds are deceived by appearances, or to those who follow the path of Asuras.¹²

Four sorts of mortals know me: he who weeps, Arjuna! and the man who yearns to know; And he who toils to help; and he who sits Certain of me, enlightened.

Four kinds of people know me, Arjuna: those who weep, Those who long to understand, Those who work to help, and those who sit Enlightened, certain of me.

Of these four, O Prince of India! highest, nearest, best That last is, the devout soul, wise, intent Upon "The One." Dear, above all, am I To him; and he is dearest unto me! All four are good, and seek me; but mine own, The true of heart, the faithful--stayed on me, Taking me as their utmost blessedness, They are not "mine,"but I--even I myself! At end of many births to Me they come! Yet hard the wise Mahatma is to find, That man who sayeth, "All is Vasudev!"¹³

Of these four, O Prince of India, the highest, closest, and best is the last: the devout soul, wise and focused on "The One." I am dear to him above all, and he is dearest to me! All four are good and seek me. But those truly devoted to me, whose hearts are faithful and fixed on me, who see me as their greatest joy, are not merely "mine," but are my very self! After many births, they come to me! Yet it is hard to find the wise Mahatma, the man who says, "All is Vasudev!"¹³

There be those, too, whose knowledge, turned aside By this desire or that, gives them to serve Some lower gods, with various rites, constrained By that which mouldeth them. Unto all such-- Worship what shrine they will, what shapes, in faith-- 'Tis I who give them faith! I am content! The heart thus asking favour from its God, Darkened but ardent, hath the end it craves, The lesser blessing--but 'tis I who give! Yet soon is withered what small fruit they reap: Those men of little minds, who worship so, Go where they worship, passing with their gods. But Mine come unto me! Blind are the eyes Which deem th' Unmanifested manifest, Not comprehending Me in my true Self! Imperishable, viewless, undeclared, Hidden behind my magic veil of shows, I am not seen by all; I am not known-- Unborn and changeless--to the idle world. But I, Arjuna! know all things which were, And all which are, and all which are to be, Albeit not one among them knoweth Me!

There are also people whose understanding is led astray By one desire or another. They worship Lesser gods through various rituals, driven By the forces that shape them. For all such people, Whatever shrine or form they worship with faith, I am the one who gives them faith! I am content! A heart that asks its god for a favor, Though clouded in understanding, is devoted and gets what it seeks: A lesser blessing. But I am the one who gives it! Yet the small rewards these people gain soon fade. These people of little understanding, who worship this way, Go to the gods they worship and pass away with those gods. But my followers come to me! People are blind When they think I, the unseen, have taken visible form. They do not understand my true self! I cannot perish. I am invisible and unrevealed, Hidden behind my magical veil of appearances. Not everyone sees me. The thoughtless world does not know me, Though I am unborn and unchanging. But I, Arjuna, know all that has been, All that is, and all that is yet to be, Though not one of them knows me!

By passion for the "pairs of opposites," By those twain snares of Like and Dislike, Prince! All creatures live bewildered, save some few Who, quit of sins, holy in act, informed, Freed from the "opposites,"and fixed in faith, Cleave unto Me.

Passion for the "pairs of opposites," the twin traps of Like and Dislike, leaves all creatures confused, Prince! Only a few escape this confusion. They are free from sin, upright in action, and wise. Free from the "opposites" and firm in faith, they hold fast to me.

Who cleave, who seek in Me Refuge from birth¹⁴ and death, those have the Truth! Those know Me BRAHMA; know Me Soul of Souls, The ADHYATMAN; know KARMA, my work; Know I am ADHIBHUTA, Lord of Life, And ADHIDAIVA, Lord of all the Gods, And ADHIYAJNA, Lord of Sacrifice; Worship Me well, with hearts of love and faith, And find and hold me in the hour of death.

Those who stay close to me and seek in me refuge from birth¹⁴ and death have the Truth! They know me as BRAHMA, the Soul of Souls, the ADHYATMAN. They know KARMA, my work. They know I am ADHIBHUTA, Lord of Life, and ADHIDAIVA, Lord of all the Gods, and ADHIYAJNA, Lord of Sacrifice. Worship me well, with hearts full of love and faith, and find me and hold on to me at the hour of death.

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER VII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Entitled "Vijnanayog," Or "The Book of Religion by Discernment."

Here ends Chapter VII of the Bhagavad-Gita, Titled "Vijnanayog," Or "The Book of Religion through Discernment."