Chapter-7
KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABSOLUTE
Connection between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 :
- Text 6.47 explains that A yogi who always thinks of Me in devotion is the best (“mad gaten antaratmana...”)
→ Text 7.1 explains how to do so - Text 6.47– concentrate on Him In full faith
→ Faith comes from knowledge
→ Without knowledge one may doubt Krishna’s position - Therefore, in Chapters 7 to 12 – Krishna presents the “knowledge of himself” as Supreme Personality of Godhead, to inspire and strengthen Bhakti.
- Text 7.1 stresses on ‘Hearing’ – Acquiring knowledge by descending process, as the only process
BREAKDOWN OF CHAPTER-7
- Krishna requests Arjuna to hear of both His material and spiritual energies.
- Declares that the transcendentalist who succeeds in truly knowing Him is most rare.
- Krishna is the source of both matter and spirit
- Can be seen in the world when we view all existence as a combination of Krishna’s material and spiritual energies. He is also the active essence of everything
- Although Krishna is not under His energies, the three modes, all else in material existence is manifested by combination of goodness, passion and ignorance
- Those who surrender to Krishna (the controller of the modes) will cross beyond the delusion caused by three modes and come to know Him.
- Four kinds of men never surrender and four kinds of men do surrender
- Of those who surrender, the Jnani with no material desire is best but rare
Those who surrender to demigods and those who are impersonalists have no knowledge of Krishna and in their foolishness, do not surrender to Him.
- Living entities bewilderment is caused by maya’s forcing him to see dualities
- His freedom is caused by devotional service, which places him beyond those dualities
- By being conscious of Krishna in devotional service, one can know Him even at the time of death
Summary of Chapter-7
Text (7.1)
To always think of Krishna in devotion, one must hear about Krishna and His Supreme position. Now hear from Krishna Himself in this chapter
How to know Krishna in full?
- Hear from Him
- Practicing Bhakti Yoga, with
- Mind attached to Him
- In full consciousness of Him
Text (7.2)
In this chapter, Krishna “fully reveals knowledge of Himself” as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, source of both spiritual (numinous knowledge / Vijnana) and material (phenomenal knowledge / Jnana) existence
- Jnana – Phenomenal knowledge
- Vijnana – Numinous knowledge
Text (7.3)
Rarity of this Knowledge (Here Krishna says: “Who is qualified to receive this knowledge?”)
- Out of many thousands – one may endeavor for perfection
- Those achieved perfection – one may know me in truth (tattvatah)
Text (7.4 – 7.7)
Knowledge of the Absolute : Science of God analyzes the constitutional position of the God and His different energies, broadly the living entity and the material nature. That analysis is done here.
- ‘Prakriti’ (7.4)
- ‘Jiva’ (7.5)
- ‘Ishvara’ (7.6 – 7.7)
Krishna (God) discussed in 7.6-7.7
- Text 7.6 explains God is superior to both i.e. matter (7.4) and living entity (7.5)
- Cause of creation and cause of dissolution (7.6)
- Also He is the Maintainer of both / All depends on Him – But no-one can see Him just like no-one can see the thread that holds together a pearl necklace.
→ Analogy: Pearls on thread (7.7) - Krishna has no superior source/truth (7.7)
Text (7.8 – 7.11)
Krishna is the essence and cause of everything within the modes of material nature as follows:
1. Taste of Water – Taste is the active principle of water e.g. No-one likes seawater
- Attraction of water depends on purity of water
- Pure taste is one of the energies of the Lord
- Impersonalists perceive the Lord as the taste; but the personalists glorify the Lord for supplying the water
2. Light of Sun and moon – Originally comes from Brahmajyoti (impersonal effulgence)
3. OM of Vedic mantras
- Om is the transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hym
- Addresses the Supreme Lord
- Impersonalists prefer to vibrate Omkara because they are very much afraid of addressing Krishna by His innumerable names
4. Sound of Ether
5. Ability of Man
6. Fragrance of Earth – “Punya” refers to uncontaminated original flavor/smell/taste which permeates everything
- ‘Punya’ means that which is not decomposed or that which is original
7. Heat of Fire (Vibhavasau) – Fire in factories/cooking/digestive fire
- Indigestion is due to low temperature in the belly
8. Life of all living being – Duration of man’s life is also due to Krishna
- By Krishna’s grace one can prolong or diminish it
9. Penance of Ascetics
10. Original seed (Bijam) of all existence (Source of everything)
- Seed of all 8.4 million species
- Ref. Vedic Literatures: Brahman is the source of everything
o Krishna is Parabrahman – The Supreme Spirit
o Impersonal Brahman is situated in the personal aspect - Krishna is the original root of all that exists and thus He is the maintainer for everything (Ref. Katha Upanisad 2.2.13)
11. Intelligence of Intelligent
12. Prowess of all Powerful men
13. Strength of Strong – Devoid of passion and desires (strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression)
14. Regulated Sex life of Religious Principles (Dharma) – used for propagation of Krishna conscious children
Text (7.12)
Still Krishna is not within modes, but is origin of modes and therefore He is Nirguna.
Text (7.13)
Explains “Why people do not know and realize Him as the essence of all, if He is everywhere?”
- Because they are bewildered by three modes
- On the contrary, they think – Krishna is also under modes like me
- Real position of Krishna – “Above modes” and “inexhaustible
Text (7.14)
Explains how to get free of modes and how to understand Krishna
- Difficult by own endeavour
- Easy by surrender to Krishna
Text (7.15)
Duskritinas are impious people who do not surrender.
SUMMARISED THEME
FOUR CATEGORIES OF ‘DUSKRITNAS’ (MISCREANTS)
- 1. ‘MUDHAS’ – Grossly foolish like hard working asses (‘beasts of burden’)
- Attachment to the fruits – They are fruitive workers who want to enjoy the fruits of their labor by themselves and do not want to part with them for the Supreme
- Does not know for whom he should work
o Just like an ass works hard for his master but does not know for whom he works so hard
o Does not know that karma is meant for ‘yajna’ - Level of happiness
o For them, destructible material gains are life’s all in all, although they enjoy a very small fraction of the fruits of their labor
o Mudhas work hard but sleepless nights, no time for food; He suffers from ulcers, indigestion etc.
o Similarly an ass is satisfied by filling his stomach by a bundle of grass, sleeping for a while under the fear of being beaten, and satisfying his sex appetite at the risk of being repeatedly kicked by the opposite party - No time to hear for immortality of soul
o Analogy: swine eats night soil, not care for sweet meats
- 2. ‘NARADHAMAS’ – Lowest of Mankind (Please note: 3 definitions are underlined below
- ‘Nara’ means human being and ‘adhama’ means lowest
- Different categories of human species
o Uncivilized – Numerous lower forms of human life
o Civilized – Those who have regulated principles of social, political and religious life
o ‘Naradhamas’ – Socially and politically developed but no religious principles
▪ Nor is religion without God religion (Purpose of religion is explained in the next point) - Purpose of following religious principles – To know the Supreme Truth and man’s relation with Him
o Ref. Bg. 7.7 – “There is no authority above Him, He is the Supreme Truth”
o Civilized form of life – meant to revive man’s lost consciousness of his eternal relationship with the Supreme Truth
o Naradhama – Whoever loses the chance of human life to revive their lost relationship falls into this category - Example of losing the chance – Baby in mother’s womb promises to worship Him after taking birth, but he forgets as soon as he gets out and falls into maya
- Systems designed to revive the lost relationship with God
o It is the duty of the guardians of the children to revive dormant consciousness in them
o This is done by varnasrama system and 10 samskaras which are meant for purification and elevation
o 99.9% of population is Naradhama – Because they lack the Varnasrama system and purificatory samskaras - Effect of all powerful material energy on ‘Naradhamas’ – All their education is made null and void
- Hope for Naradhamas – Mercy of devotees e.g., Jagai and Madhai delivered by Nityananda Prabhu
o Vision of a true devotee – He sees all castes and species on the same platform (Bg. 5.18) - Recommendation of Lord Caitanya for Naradhamas
o Can also be delivered by submissive hearing process (which they usually neglect) - Unfortunate condition of Naradhamas – They refuse to give aural reception to the
messages of Godhead and thus Naradhamas neglect the prime duty of the human being
- 3. ‘MAYAYAPAHRTA JNANA’ – Knowledge stolen by illusory energy
- Range of their knowledge is only devoted to material world.
- Examples:
o They are mostly very learned, e.g. philosophers, literary, poets; but are misguided and they disobey the Supreme Lord
o Many mundane scholars of Bhagavad-gita also fall into this category because they consider Lord to be an ordinary human being
▪ Because they do not know that the blessed form of human life is designed after the eternal and transcendental feature of the Supreme Lord
- 4. ‘ASURAM BHAVAM ASRITAH’ – Envious towards God/Atheistic demons
- Their arguments:
o Supreme Lord can never descend in material world
▪ but, they are unable to give tangible reasons as to why Lord cannot descend
o He is subordinate to impersonal features
o Present illicit incarnations from factory of their brain - Yamunacarya’s comment on “knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead”
o He is unknowable to persons involved with atheistic principles
o Various proofs of Lord’s Supremacy
▪ Krishna – His uncommon qualities, features and activities
▪ Sastra – Confirmation by all the revealed scriptures in the quality of goodness
▪ Sadhu – Acknowledgement by famous authorities on the transcendental science
Text (7.16)
Describes Sukritinas, 4 kinds of pious peope who surrender unto the Lord.
Text (7.17)
Wise (Jnani) is the best, because he is:
- In full knowledge of the Absolute Truth, and free of material desires
- Engages in pure devotional service; Lord is very dear to him and he is dear to the Lord
- When one is in pure knowledge of the transcendence of the Supreme Lord, material contamination cannot touch him (study purport)
Text (7.18)
Wise is the best, but, all are mahatma/magnanimous, because, “all come to Him for fulfillment of desires”
Text (7.19)
Devotional Service is very rare
- Jnana ultimately leads to bhakti
- “Full knowledge” implies to know Vasudeva as cause of all causes and surrender unto Him.
Text (7.20 – 7.23)
- People whose intelligence is stolen by material desires often surrender to demigods (7.20)
- Their choice of worship depends upon the influence of the material modes
- However it is Krishna who supplies the faith offered by the worshipper. (7.21)
- It is only Krishna who bestows benefits through the demigods to the living entities. (7.22)
- Result of worshipping demigods – Only perishable results of no eternal benefit. (7.23)
SUMMARISED THEME
WHY ARE DEMIGOD WORSHIPERS ARE CALLED LESS INTELLIGENT (7.20 – 7.23)
- Intelligence stolen by material desires (Lust)– Fruits are limited and temporary (7.20 & 7.24)
- Basis of choice of worship – Different modes and Natures – Different demigods (7.20)
- Lack of knowledge of Krishna that:
- Krishna is the source of everything (7.6)
- Krishna makes faith steady, required by a living entity to worship the demigods (7.21)
- Krishna bestows benefits through the demigods to the living entities (7.22)
- Result: Go to demigod planets (7.23) (keeps one in the material world, a place of misery)
- Krishna’s devotees – Go to the supreme planet of Krishna
- Result of demigod worship are all perishable
- Result of devotional service unto Krishna is unlimited and eternal
Text (7.24 – 7.25)
“Impersonalists” are unintelligent – Due to their small knowledge, they do now know My higher nature which is imperishable and supreme. (7.24)
“Result” for Impersonalists (7.25)
Supreme Lord (Absolute Truth) hides from foolish and unintelligent
Gets covered by internal potency
They do not know Lord as “unborn and infallible”
SUMMARISED THEME
IMPERSONALISTS
- Their philosophy:
- Impersonal Brahman as Supreme
- Krishna’s form and pastimes are temporary manifestations of Brahman in contact with matter (Mayavada)
- They think of Krishna as an ordinary human, son of Vasudev and Devaki, or powerful living entity
- What knowledge they lack
- Krishna is imperishable and Supreme (7.24)
- Krishna is unborn and infallible (7.25)
- Krishna knows past, present and future (7.26)
Text (7.26)
Defeats that Krishna’s form is material, because Lord states here
- I am fully cognizant of past, present and future (indicates Krishna has no material body)
- I know all
- No one knows Me
Text (7.27)
Desire and hatred cause them to be bewildered by dualities
- What is the delusion/bewilderment – Controlled by illusory energy, one cannot understand Krishna
- Who can overcome delusion – One who
- Recognize Krishna’s supremacy and
- Become a devotee
Text (7.28)
Qualifications of a devotee to perform determined devotional service:
- Acted piously in this and previous life – Thus ceasing to act according to desire and hate
- Sinful actions are completely eradicated
- Freedom from dualities of delusion
Text (7.29)
Describes another kind of devotee (a 4th kind of sakama devotee), one with mixed intentions
(Devotion is mixed with desire of liberation from birth and death)
- One who, due to intelligence, desires freedom from old age and disease and take shelter of Krishna’s service
- Devotees are ‘Brahman’ – because:
→ In devotional service, they are acting as Brahman because know everything about transcendental activities
→ They understand Krishna as Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna (Bg. 7.30)
Text (7.30)
Result : Krishna conscious devotees can know Krishna at death and go to Him.
They are in full consciousness of Me and know Me as the:
- Supreme Lord
- ‘Adhibhuta’ – Governing principle of material manifestation
- ‘Adhidaiva’ – Governing principle of demigods
- ‘Adhiyajna’ – Governing principle of all methods of sacrifice