The battlefield of kurukṣētra is alive with tension. On one side stand the pāṇḍavāḥ, led by arjuna, and on the other, the kauravāḥ. In the heart of this chaos, the mahābhārata gives us a moment of stillness: a deep conversation between śrīkṛṣṇa and arjuna. As the armies wait, arjuna is torn by doubt and despair, and śrīkṛṣṇa becomes his guide, revealing truths that go far beyond the battlefield.
Chapter 7, called jñānavijñānayōgaḥ (the Yoga of knowledge and lived realization), marks a turning point in the gītā. Here, śrīkṛṣṇa shifts from discussing the nature of action and duty to unveiling the deeper mysteries of knowledge (jñāna) and realization (vijñāna). This is not just book learning or philosophy; it is the kind of understanding that transforms how you see yourself and the world.
Looking ahead, the next chapter turns to akṣarabrahmayōgaḥ, with questions about Brahman, the inner Self, action, remembrance at the time of death, and the imperishable goal. But here, in jñānavijñānayōgaḥ, the groundwork is laid: understanding and experience, knowledge and realization, are both needed to walk the spiritual path.
ōṃ śrī paramātmanē namaḥ
atha saptamō'dhyāyaḥ ।
jñānavijñānayōgaḥ
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Salutations to the Supreme Self. Now begins the seventh chapter, titled 'The Yoga of Knowledge and Realization.'
śrībhagavānuvācha
mayyāsaktamanāḥ pārtha yōgaṃ yuñjanmadāśrayaḥ ।
asaṃśayaṃ samagraṃ māṃ yathā jñāsyasi tachChṛṇu ॥ 1 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
The Blessed Lord said: O Arjuna, listen as I explain how, with your mind focused on Me, practicing Yoga and relying on Me as your sole support, you can come to know Me fully and without any doubt.
jñānaṃ tē'haṃ savijñānamidaṃ vakṣyāmyaśēṣataḥ ।
yajjñātvā nēha bhūyō'nyajjñātavyamavaśiṣyatē ॥ 2 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
I will explain to you fully this knowledge, along with direct realization, after knowing which there is nothing further left to be known in this world.
manuṣyāṇāṃ sahasrēṣu kaśchidyatati siddhayē ।
yatatāmapi siddhānāṃ kaśchinmāṃ vētti tattvataḥ ॥ 3 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Out of thousands of people, only a rare individual strives for spiritual accomplishment. Even among those who strive and reach perfection, only a rare one truly understands Me as I am.
bhūmirāpō'nalō vāyuḥ khaṃ manō buddhirēva cha ।
ahaṅkāra itīyaṃ mē bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā ॥ 4 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego are the eight distinct aspects into which My material nature is divided.
aparēyamitastvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi mē parām ।
jīvabhūtāṃ mahābāhō yayēdaṃ dhāryatē jagat ॥ 5 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
This lower nature of Mine has been described, but know that there is another, higher nature of Mine, which is the living principle that sustains the entire universe, O mighty-armed Arjuna.
ētadyōnīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya ।
ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathā ॥ 6 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Understand that all beings, without exception, arise from these two sources. I am both the origin and the dissolution of the entire universe.
mattaḥ parataraṃ nānyatkiñchidasti dhanañjaya ।
mayi sarvamidaṃ prōtaṃ sūtrē maṇigaṇā iva ॥ 7 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, there is nothing at all that is higher than Me. Everything in this world is held together by Me, just as pearls are strung on a thread.
rasō'hamapsu kauntēya prabhāsmi śaśisūryayōḥ ।
praṇavaḥ sarvavēdēṣu śabdaḥ khē pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu ॥ 8 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, I am the taste found in water, the radiance in the moon and the sun, the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas, the sound that pervades space, and the strength or vitality within men.
puṇyō gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṃ cha tējaśchāsmi vibhāvasau ।
jīvanaṃ sarvabhūtēṣu tapaśchāsmi tapasviṣu ॥ 9 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
I am the pure fragrance found in the earth, the brilliance present in fire, the life force within all living beings, and the spirit of austerity in those who practice discipline.
bījaṃ māṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viddhi pārtha sanātanam ।
buddhirbuddhimatāmasmi tējastējasvināmaham ॥ 10 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, understand that I am the everlasting seed from which all living beings arise. I am the intelligence found in the wise, and the brilliance and strength present in those who are powerful.
balaṃ balavatāṃ chāhaṃ kāmarāgavivarjitam ।
dharmāviruddhō bhūtēṣu kāmō'smi bharatarṣabha ॥ 11 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Among the strong, I am that strength which is free from selfish desire and attachment. In all beings, I am the desire that does not go against righteousness, Arjuna.
yē chaiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāstāmasāścha yē ।
matta ēvēti tānviddhi na tvahaṃ tēṣu tē mayi ॥ 12 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Whatever states or qualities exist in the world, whether they are pure, passionate, or inert, know that all of them arise from Me alone. Still, I am not contained within these qualities, though they exist within Me.
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairēbhiḥ sarvamidaṃ jagat ।
mōhitaṃ nābhijānāti māmēbhyaḥ paramavyayam ॥ 13 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
All of this world is confused by these three qualities of nature and their resulting states. Because of this delusion, people do not recognize Me, who am beyond these qualities and never subject to change.
daivī hyēṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā ।
māmēva yē prapadyantē māyāmētāṃ taranti tē ॥ 14 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
This divine power of mine, made up of the qualities of nature, is very hard to overcome. But those who seek refuge in me alone can cross beyond this illusion.
na māṃ duṣkṛtinō mūḍhāḥ prapadyantē narādhamāḥ ।
māyayāpahṛtajñānā āsuraṃ bhāvamāśritāḥ ॥ 15 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who act with malice and ignorance, who are the lowest among people, whose understanding is clouded by illusion, and who embrace a demonic mindset, do not turn to Me for refuge.
chaturvidhā bhajantē māṃ janāḥ sukṛtinō'rjuna ।
ārtō jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣabha ॥ 16 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, four types of virtuous people approach Me: those who are suffering, those who seek knowledge, those who desire material gain, and those who possess wisdom.
tēṣāṃ jñānī nityayukta ēkabhaktirviśiṣyatē ।
priyō hi jñāninō'tyarthamahaṃ sa cha mama priyaḥ ॥ 17 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Among these, the wise person who is always steadfast and devoted to the One stands out. I am extremely dear to this person of knowledge, and he is also very dear to Me.
udārāḥ sarva ēvaitē jñānī tvātmaiva mē matam ।
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmēvānuttamāṃ gatim ॥ 18 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
All these devotees are truly noble, but in My view, the person of knowledge is like My own Self. With unwavering mind, that person is devoted to Me alone as the highest goal.
bahūnāṃ janmanāmantē jñānavānmāṃ prapadyatē ।
vāsudēvaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ॥ 19 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
After countless lifetimes, a wise person comes to Me, realizing that Vasudeva is everything. Such a great soul is truly rare.
kāmaistaistairhṛtajñānāḥ prapadyantē'nyadēvatāḥ ।
taṃ taṃ niyamamāsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā ॥ 20 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those whose understanding has been clouded by various desires, and who are shaped by their own inherent tendencies, turn to other deities and follow specific rituals and disciplines connected to them.
yō yō yāṃ yāṃ tanuṃ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārchitumichChati ।
tasya tasyāchalāṃ śraddhāṃ tāmēva vidadhāmyaham ॥ 21 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Whenever a devotee wishes to worship any particular form with faith, I make that faith steady and unwavering in them.
sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhatē ।
labhatē cha tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitānhi tān ॥ 22 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Endowed with that faith, a person sincerely worships the chosen form and receives the objects of desire from that worship. Yet, it is truly I alone who grant those results.
antavattu phalaṃ tēṣāṃ tadbhavatyalpamēdhasām ।
dēvāndēvayajō yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi ॥ 23 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
The rewards gained by those with limited understanding are temporary. Those who worship the gods reach the gods, but My devotees come to Me.
avyaktaṃ vyaktimāpannaṃ manyantē māmabuddhayaḥ ।
paraṃ bhāvamajānantō mamāvyayamanuttamam ॥ 24 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who lack true understanding see Me as having taken on a visible form from an invisible state. They do not realize My supreme, unchanging, and unsurpassed nature.
nāhaṃ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yōgamāyāsamāvṛtaḥ ।
mūḍhō'yaṃ nābhijānāti lōkō māmajamavyayam ॥ 25 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Because I am covered by my own divine power, I am not visible to everyone. This confused world fails to recognize me as the one who is birthless and unchanging.
vēdāhaṃ samatītāni vartamānāni chārjuna ।
bhaviṣyāṇi cha bhūtāni māṃ tu vēda na kaśchana ॥ 26 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, I know all beings of the past, present, and future, but no one truly knows Me.
ichChādvēṣasamutthēna dvandvamōhēna bhārata ।
sarvabhūtāni sammōhaṃ sargē yānti parantapa ॥ 27 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
O Arjuna, all living beings are born into confusion because of the delusion created by the pairs of opposites, which arise from desire and aversion.
yēṣāṃ tvantagataṃ pāpaṃ janānāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām ।
tē dvandvamōhanirmuktā bhajantē māṃ dṛḍhavratāḥ ॥ 28 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
But those people whose sins have come to an end through virtuous actions, who are free from the confusion caused by dualities, and who are steadfast in their commitment, they worship Me with unwavering devotion.
jarāmaraṇamōkṣāya māmāśritya yatanti yē ।
tē brahma tadviduḥ kṛtsnamadhyātmaṃ karma chākhilam ॥ 29 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who earnestly seek freedom from aging and death by taking shelter in Me come to understand Brahman, the complete truth about the self, and the entirety of actions.
sādhibhūtādhidaivaṃ māṃ sādhiyajñaṃ cha yē viduḥ ।
prayāṇakālē'pi cha māṃ tē viduryuktachētasaḥ ॥ 30 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who understand Me as the essence behind the physical world, the divine forces, and the principle of sacrifice, and who keep their minds steady and focused, recognize Me even at the moment of death.
ōṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yōgaśāstrē
śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvādējñānavijñānayōgō nāma saptamō'dhyāyaḥ ॥7 ॥
Translation (bhāvārtha):
Thus ends the seventh chapter, called the Yoga of Knowledge and Realization, in the revered Bhagavad Gita, which is an Upanishad, a scripture of spiritual wisdom and discipline, presented as a dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna.
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