Chapter 7

Gyaan Vigyana Yoga

ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग

Jñāna Vijñāna Yog•“Self-Knowledge and Enlightenment”•30 Verses

A Reading - Rantideb

Chapter 6 ended with reassurance that even an incomplete practice isn't wasted. Chapter 7 shifts register entirely, Krishna begins describing what he actually is, the source underlying everything perceivable and imperceivable, and why so few people who technically pursue him ever come to genuinely know him. Why this matters: it distinguishes between believing something intellectually and actually experiencing it as real, a gap most people live inside about their own stated values. In life, this is the chapter for the difference between saying you value something, honesty, family, growth, and actually organizing your daily choices around it consistently. The teaching is that real knowledge isn't collected like information, it's approached gradually through sustained devotion and attention, which is why Krishna says thousands seek him but only rare people actually come to know him as he is.

Chapter Summary

The seventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Gyaan Vigyana Yoga ". In this chapter, Krishna reveals that he is the Supreme Truth, the principal cause and the sustaining force of everything. He reveals his illusionary energy in this material world called Maya, which is very difficult to overcome but those who surrender their minds unto Him attain Him easily. He also describes the four types of people who surrender to Him in devotion and the four kinds that don't. Krishna confirms that He is the Ultimate Reality and those who realize this Truth reach the pinnacle of spiritual realization and unite with the Lord.

Verses in this Chapter (30)

Verse 1

श्री भगवानुवाच मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु।।7.1।।

The Lord said, "With your mind focused on Me, taking Me as your support, and practicing yoga - how can you, without doubt, know Me fully? Hear, O Arjuna."

Verse 2

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः। यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते।।7.2।।

I will declare to you in full this knowledge of God, along with the knowledge that makes it distinguished, knowing which nothing else remains to be known.

Verse 3

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्िचद्यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्िचन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।।7.3।।

Among thousands of men, some strive for perfection; even among those who strive for perfection, only some know Me; and among those who know Me, only some truly know Me.

Verse 4

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च। अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा।।7.4।।

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, Manas, Buddhi, and the ego-sense - thus My Prakriti is divided into eight parts.

Verse 5

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्। जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्।।7.5।।

This is My lower Prakṛti. But, O mighty-armed one, know that My higher nature is another. It is the life-principle (Jīva-bhūta), by which this universe is sustained.

Verse 6

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय। अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा।।7.6।।

Know that all beings have these two as the source of their birth. Therefore, I am the origin and the dissolver of the whole universe.

Verse 7

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय। मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव।।7.7।।

There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna. All this is strung on Me, like rows of gems on a thread.

Verse 8

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः। प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु।।7.8।।

I am the taste in the waters, O Arjuna! I am the light in the sun and the moon; the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas; sound in the ether; and manhood in men, I am.

Verse 9

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ। जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु।।7.9।।

I am the pure scent in the earth; I am the radiance in the fire; I am the life-force in all beings, and austerity in ascetics.

Verse 10

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्।।7.10।।

Know Me, O Arjuna, to be the primeval seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the discerning and the brilliance of the brilliant.

Verse 11

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्। धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ।।7.11।।

In the strong, I am strength, devoid of desire and passion. In all beings, I am the desire which is not contrary to Dharma, O Arjuna.

Verse 12

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये। मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि।।7.12।।

Know that all those states of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are from Me alone; however, I am not in them; rather, they are in Me.

Verse 13

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्। मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्।।7.13।।

The entire universe is deluded by these three states originating from the Gunas (of Prakrti), and fails to recognize Me, who am beyond them and immutable.

Verse 14

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।

(a) For this divine Maya or Mine, consisting of the three Gunas (assumed for purposes of sport), is hard to overcome. ৷৷ (b) ৷৷ But those who take refuge in Me alone shall pass beyond the Maya.

Verse 15

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः।।7.15।।

The evil-doers, the foolish, the lowest of men, those persons deprived of knowledge by delusion (Maya) and those who are dominated by a demoniac nature - they do not seek refuge in Me.

Verse 16

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन। आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ।।7.16।।

Four types of men of good deeds worship Me, O Arjuna: the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of wealth, and the men of knowledge.

Verse 17

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्ितर्विशिष्यते। प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः।।7.17।।

Of these, the man of knowledge, who is ever with Me in Yoga and devoted to the One only, is the foremost; for I am very dear to the man of knowledge, and he is also dear to Me.

Verse 18

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्। आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्।।7.18।।

All these are indeed generous, but I deem the man of knowledge to be My very self; for he, integrated, is devoted solely to Me as the highest end.

Verse 19

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते। वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।7.19।।

At the end of many births, the man of knowledge finds refuge in Me, realizing that 'Vasudeva is all.' It is very difficult to find such a great-souled person.

Verse 20

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः। तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया।।7.20।।

Controlled by their inherent nature, and deprived of knowledge by various desires, worldly-minded people resort to other gods, observing various disciplines.

Verse 21

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति। तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्।।7.21।।

Whichever devotee seeks to worship with faith whatever form, I make their faith steadfast.

Verse 22

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते। लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्।।7.22।।

Endowed with that faith, he worships that form and thereby gets the objects of his desire, granted in reality by Me alone.

Verse 23

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्। देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि।।7.23।।

But the fruit gained by these men of small understanding is limited. The worshippers of the gods will go to the gods, but My devotees will come to Me.

Verse 24

अव्यक्तं व्यक्ितमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः। परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्।।7.24।।

Not knowing My higher, immutable, and unsurpassed nature, the ignorant think of Me as an entity that has now become manifest, though I was previously unmanifest.

Verse 25

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः। मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्।।7.25।।

Veiled by my Maya, I am not manifest to all; this deluded world does not recognize me as the unborn and immutable.

Verse 26

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन। भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन।।7.26।।

I know all beings, O Arjuna, past, present, and those to come; but no one knows Me.

Verse 27

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत। सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।7.27।।

O Arjuna, all beings are deluded as soon as they are born, due to the delusion of the pairs of opposites springing from desire and hate.

Verse 28

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः।।7.28।।

But those who have done good deeds, whose sins have come to an end, are freed from the delusion of the pairs of opposites. They steadfastly worship Me, adhering to their vows.

Verse 29

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये। ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्।।7.29।।

Those who take refuge in Me and strive for deliverance from old age and death, know Brahman (or the Self) and all about the nature of that Self, and the entire Karma (or activities leading to rebirth).

Verse 30

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः। प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः।।7.30।।

And those who know Me with the Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva, and Adhiyajna, they too, with their minds fixed in meditation, know Me even at the hour of death.

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Verses

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