Bhagavad Geetha Chapter 7: Jnana Vignyana Yoga — Knowledge of Science and Wisdom

Chapter 7: Jnana Vignyana Yoga

Knowledge of Science and Wisdom

Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar

Lord Krushna said to Arjuna, "Arjuna, focus all your interest on ME and try to know various aspects of MY nature, MY ability and fullness, and ME as the essence of all the living beings. Such a knowledge now I AM going to give you. Listen carefully ". Now I AM going to give you such knowledge by knowing which there will be nothing to know beyond that. Among many human beings only one person will try to know ME, and among such persons only one will be able to realize ME in totality. MY nature is expressed in the Universe in the form of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Ether (sky), Mind, Intellect and Ego (Individuality) i.e., in eight forms. The first five of MY nature is divided into non-living and the remaining three are living forces. Arjuna, all the aspects of nature described by ME earlier (eight-fold Maaya) have manifested from MY nature itself and I AM the cause for their nature. And therefore know the truth that, I AM everything (cause for manifestation of nature and dissolution of it and yet I AM beyond that). Arjuna, there is no second thing than ME as the Supreme Being. The entire creation is just like beads tied together in a Rosary (Japa-Mala). Arjuna, I AM the essence in the water, light in the Sun and Moon, and 'AAAum' in the Vedas which is the sound of energy and Consciousness in one combination in the sky and manly force in Men. I AM that refined smell of the Earth, Radiance (Heat) in the Fire, and among all the living beings I AM the Consciousness (Individual Consciousnesses in the Living beings). I AM also the purity in people who practises Austerities (Spiritual cleansing process).

Note: The Spiritual Seeker practises certain things such as abstaining from eating meat because violence is involved in it i.e. killing the animal and eating its dead body, abstaining from food derived from negative means, not thinking to harm or do bad to others, periodical fasting etc.. This acts of Purity is divine in nature which exactly Lord Krushna means. I AM the seed of the consciousness among all the living beings. I AM the Intelligence among intelligent people and radiance among Meditators (seekers practising Right Spiritual Practises). Arjuna, among the mighty, I AM the might devoid of attachment and desires; The efficiency, among the efficient; and I AM the desire among the living beings which is in accordance with the scriptures or as accorded by the scriptures. Whatever that manifest from Positive trait (Sathwa Guna), Semi-positive trait (Rajo Guna) and Negative trait (Thamo Guna), they have all manifested from ME alone (within time and space), but yet neither I AM in them nor they are within ME.

Note: Lord Krushna says here, that all those things that arise from Positive, Semi-positive and Negative traits, HE is the cause for them. But further says, neither HE is of those three traits nor those three traits exists in HIM. Here HE means, HE is beyond the three traits though all the three traits manifest from HIM for the cause of the creation. When Lord manifests within the creation in terms of Time and Space HE will be associated mainly with the Positive trait but not when He is beyond. Arjuna, the above said three traits through their influence are becoming the cause (attraction and attachments) for all interactions in the creation. Therefore, it is difficult to know ME who is beyond these three traits. The beautiful and attractive world created by these three traits is nothing but an illusory reality that I have cast upon the world, but those who have constantly focused on ME and worship ME (Meditate on ME), they will cross over this Maaya ( Illusory phenomena ) and free themselves from the grip of this world. Those who are engulfed by this Maaya develop demonic (Selfish and destructive) attitude in them, and such foolish people who does bad actions do not worship ME. Arjuna, MY devotees are of four types. One who worship ME for financial gains, the other worships ME for his problems (finance, health etc.), some worship ME for the sake of seeking ME (for realization of GOD), and some who are enlightened also worship ME for their "Moksha" (final dissolution into ME). Devotees who have constantly focused on ME and worship ME with great love, devotion and with Knowledge about ME are the best devotees, because they know ME and MY true Nature through knowledge. Therefore they are closer to ME.

Note: It is necessary to have a proper concept about God and that concept should stand the scrutiny of Science, Sense, Logic, Reasoning and Questioning. By constant Questioning and Verification one arrives at the right and true concept of God so that the seeker can adopt Right Spiritual practices to realize that Supreme Being. Arjuna, the earlier said devotees are all great, but a seeker of knowledge has virtually become MYSELF because through his mind, intellect and knowledge, he is established in ME. After purification of Karma through several births one treads into the path of knowledge (seeking the realization of the Supreme Being). Even among them rarely one will be able to realize ME in totality. Those who are carried away by desires, such people worship MY different God forms (MY different God forms are for carrying out various activities of the creation at different layers) for the fulfilment of their desires propelled by their instincts. And they worship according to their prescribed norms of worship and get their desires fulfilled. Whoever worships whichever Divine Manifestation of MINE (God form) with devotion, I guide them to their respective God forms (Divine forms as they are aligned with a specific layer of the creation), fulfilling their desires. Such people worship their required Divine forms for the fulfilment of their desires and those Divine forms will fulfil their desires, in accordance with the principles prescribed by ME. Those who worship MY God forms for their fulfilment of desires and such desires fulfilled are transient in nature. Those who worship MY different God forms, they reach the abode of such God forms but those who worship ME directly in whichever manner in the end they reach ME.

Note: It is easily mistaken in Sanathana Dharma that there are many-many Gods for the people to follow and worship. In fact, Sanathana Dharma envisages only one GOD/Supreme Being/Universal Consciousness which can be worshipped directly to attain HIM or the same Supreme Being has taken innumerable Divine Forms governing different layers of the creation and therefore they look different in their nature, yet they are all from ONE Supreme Being. Worshipping any one God form of the Supreme Being ultimately leads to that very Supreme Being because that God form is part and parcel of the Supreme Being ITSELF. A devotee who is worshipping a particular God form after realizing that God form, the same God form will guide him towards the ultimate Supreme Being which is both in form as well as Formless, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-pervading, All-knowing ONE. Therefore, worshipping various God forms of the Supreme Being is nothing but climbing steps towards ultimate reality which is only the ONE that exist in reality. This phenomenon is made available to the people of Sanathana Dharma by great sages and saints who have realized these varied God forms operating at different layers of this creation and handed over this knowledge to mankind and the way of worship through which they can attain fulfilment of their desires by worshipping a particular divine form. A yogi who seeks Moksha will directly meditate upon the Supreme Being so as to disseminate his Individual Consciousness (Self) into the Universal Consciousness (Supreme Being/GOD) so as to never to return into the cycle of births and deaths. Therefore, for the people of Sanathana Dharma many God forms and ONE Supreme Being is one and the same, and it should not be mistaken for many many Gods. It is like various sweets with various names yet the sweetness in all the sweets is one and the same which is comparable to the Supreme Being pervading in every aspect of creation including many-many God forms which HE has assumed for the maintenance of the creation which are within Time and Space. There is a Vedic proclamation that all the salutations made to different God forms will ultimately reach the Supreme Being only. The people of low intellect think of ME as a human being because of MY human form like any other human being, not knowing that I AM the highest, Indestructible Supreme Being. The people think of ME like any other being subjected to birth and death. They cannot understand that I lurk behind Maaya (MY own Expressed Mirage), and they rarely understand ME that I AM the Omnipotent, Unborn, Indestructible, Ever-existing Supreme Being.

Note: Here, Lord Krushna explains HIS true nature of BEING. Supreme Being cannot be easily understood except by those who unflinchingly seek the attainment of HIM. Arjuna, I know what all happened in the past and what is happening in the present and what is going to happen in the future including that of all those living beings that are going to take birth. Unless one has great devotion and dedication, no man can know MY THIS truth. The desires that create hatred, happiness and sorrows, and all those dualities of the living beings are due to infatuation with the worldly phenomena. Those with their good and best deeds will be able to dissolve their sins and they will overcome the dualities of the world and thereby worship ME with great focus and faith. Those who totally surrender to ME with an intention to overcome old-age and death, such persons will naturally come to know about the nature of right Spiritual Practises, nature of the Supreme Being and the secret of right action. Those who worship ME physically (Adhiboutic), mentally (Adi daivik) and through their Spirit (Aatma-Spiritually), such people will even at the time of death think of ME only and finally they reach ME. HERE ENDS THE JNANA VIJNYANA YOGA Ever since the manifestation of the creation, creation is on the constant move within time and space subjecting itself to infinite number of changes. Creation is ever dynamic and ever changing with destruction and regeneration as a constant phenomena going on at appropriate times .