SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-REALIZATION

[gokulkr 1]

SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-REALIZATION

The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, listen how you shall know Me

completely without any doubt, with your mind absorbed in Me, taking

refuge in Me, and performing yogic practices. (7.01)

 

I shall fully explain to you the Self-knowledge together with

Self-realization after knowing that nothing more remains to be

known in this world. (7.02)

 

Scarcely one out of thousands of persons strives for perfection of

Self-realization. Scarcely any one of the striving, or even the

perfected persons, truly understands Me. (7.03)

 

The mind, intellect, ego, ether, air, fire, water, and earth are

the eightfold transformation of My Prakriti. (See also 13.05)

(7.04)

 

That which creates diversity, and all that can be seen or known is

called Prakriti. Prakriti is also the material cause or the

material out of which everything is made. Prakriti is the original

source of the material world consisting of three Gunas, and eight

basic elements out of which everything in this universe has evolved

according to Saamkhya doctrine. Prakriti is also referred to as

Asat, perishable, body, matter, nature, material nature, Maya,

Mahat Brahma, field, creation, and manifest state.

 

This Prakriti is My lower energy. My other higher energy is the

Purusha by which this entire universe is sustained, O Arjuna.

(7.05)

 

Purusha is the consciousness that observes, witnesses, watches, and

supervises Prakrti. It is the spiritual energy or the efficient

cause of the universe. This is also referred to as Sat,

imperishable, Atma, consciousness, spirit, self, soul, energy,

field knower, creator, and the unmanifest state. Prakriti and

Purusha are not two independent identities but the two aspects of

Brahman, the Absolute Reality.

 

Know that all creatures have evolved from this twofold energy, and

Brahman is the origin as well as the dissolution of the entire

universe. (See also 13.26) (7.06)

 

O Arjuna, there is nothing higher than Brahman. Everything in the

universe is strung on Brahman like jewels on the thread of a

necklace. (7.07)

 

O Arjuna, I am the sapidity in the water, I am the radiance in the

sun and the moon, the sacred syllable OM in all the Vedas, the

sound in the ether, and the manhood in men. (7.08)

 

I am the sweet fragrance in the earth. I am the heat in the fire,

the life in all living beings, and the austerity in the ascetics.

(7.09)

 

O Arjuna, know Me to be the eternal seed of all creatures. I am the

intelligence of the intelligent, and the brilliance of the

brilliant. (See also 9.18 and 10.39) (7.10)

 

I am the strength, that is devoid of lust and attachment, of the

strong. I am the lust (or Kaama) in human beings that is in accord

with Dharma (for procreation), O Arjuna. (7.11)

 

Know that the three Gunas, Saattvika, Raajasika, and Taamasika,

also emanate from Me. I am not in (or dependent on) the Gunas, but

the Gunas are in (or dependent on) Me. (See also 9.04 and 9.05)

(7.12)

 

Human beings are deluded by these three Gunas of nature; therefore,

they do not know Me who is above these Gunas and eternal. (7.13)

 

My divine Maya consisting of three Gunas or states of mind is

difficult to overcome. Only they who surrender unto Me cross over

this Maya. (See also 14.26, 15.19, and 18.66) (7.14)

 

The evil doers, the ignorant, the lowest persons who are attached

to demonic nature, and whose intellect has been taken away by Maya

do not worship or seek Me. (7.15)

 

Four types of virtuous ones worship or seek Me, O Arjuna. They are:

the distressed, the seeker of Self-knowledge, the seeker of wealth,

and the wise one who knows the Supreme. (7.16)

 

Among them the wise one, who is ever united with Me and whose

devotion is single minded, is the best. Because, I am very dear to

the wise, and the wise is very dear to Me. (7.17)

 

All these (seekers) are indeed noble, but I regard the wise as My

very Self, because the one who is steadfast becomes one with the

Supreme Being. (See also 9.29) (7.18)

 

After many births the wise ones resort (or surrender) to Me by

realizing that everything is (a manifestation of) Brahman indeed.

Such a great soul is very rare. (7.19)

 

They, whose wisdom has been carried away by various desires

impelled by their own Sanskaara, resort to other gods (or deities)

and practice various religious rites. (7.20)

 

Whosoever desires to worship whatever deity (using whatever name,

form, and method) with faith, I make their faith steady in that

very deity. (7.21)

 

Endowed with steady faith they worship that deity, and fulfill

their wishes through that deity. Those wishes are, indeed, granted

only by Me. (7.22)

 

Such (material) gains of these less intelligent human beings are

temporary. The worshipers of Devas go to Devas, but My devotees

come to Me. (7.23)

 

The ignorant think of Me, the Para-Brahman, as having no form or

personality and I can take (any physical) form; because (these)

people are not being able to comprehend My supreme imperishable and

incomparable existence. (7.24)

 

The word 'Avyakta' has been used in verses 2.25, 2.28, 7.24, 8.18,

8.20, 8.21, 9.04, 12.01, 12.03, 12.05, and 13.05. It takes

different meaning according to the context. Avyakta does not mean

formless; it means unmanifest or a transcendental form that is

invisible to our physical eyes. It is used in the sense of

unmanifest Prakriti, and also in the sense of Para-Brahman. The

Para-Brahman or absolute consciousness is higher than both Brahman

and the unmanifest Prakriti. Para-Brahman (or Krishna) is

imperishable, without any origin and end. Para-Brahman is not

formless. It has Divya Roopa, a transcendental form and Supreme

Personality. The ignorant think of the Lord as formless because He

is not visible. Because:

 

Veiled by My divine Maya, I am not known by all. Therefore, the

ignorant one does not know Me as the unborn and eternal Brahman.

(7.25)

 

I know, O Arjuna, the beings of the past, of the present, and those

of the future, but no one really knows Me. (7.26)

 

All beings in this world are in utter ignorance due to the delusion

of dualities born of likes and dislikes, O Arjuna. (7.27)

 

Persons of virtuous (or unselfish) deeds, whose Karma has come to

an end, become free from the delusion of dualities and worship Me

with firm resolve. (7.28)

 

Those who strive for freedom from (the cycles of birth) old age and

death by taking refuge in Me know Brahman, the individual self, and

Karma in its entirety. (7.29)

 

The steadfast persons, who know that Brahman is everything, the

Adhibhoota, the Adhidaiva, and the Adhiyajna, remember Me even at

the time of death (and attain Me). (See also 8.04) (7.30)