The Science of Religion for Mankind - Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta: Yatharth Geeta

CHAPTER 7: IMMACULATE KNOWLEDGE

CHAPTER 7: IMMACULATE KNOWLEDGE

The foregooing chapters contain almost all the main issues that are brought up in the Geeta. There has been an elaborate presentation of the Way of Selfless Action and the Way of Knowledge; of the nature of action and yagya as well as the mode of the performance and their consequence, of the meaning of yog and its outcome; and of divine manifestation and varnasankar. The importance of waging war-of-action for the welfare of mankind even by men who abide in God has been stressed at length. In the Next chapters Krishn will take up some other supplementary questions, in the context of subjects that have already been touched upon, and whose resolution will be of assistance in the act of worship.

In the last verse of Chapter 6, the Yogeshwar himself laid the basis of a question by stating that the best yogi is one whose Self abides in God. What does abiding firmly in God mean? Many a yogi attain to God, but they feel something missing somewhere. When does that stage appear at which there is not even the least imperfection? When does perfect knowledge of God come about? Krishn now speaks the state in which such knowledge is attainted to.

1. “The Lord said, ‘Listen, O Parth, to how by taking refuge in me and practising yog with devotion, you shall know me beyond any doubt as the all-perfect Soul in all beings.’’

The essential precondition of this complete awareness of God should be carefully noted. If Arjun wishes to have such knowledge, he has to practise yog with devotion and by casting himself at God’s mercy. But there are several other aspects of the problem which Krishn is going to dwell upon, and he tells Arjun to listen carefully to him so that all his doubts are resolved. The importance of perfect knowledge of the many glories of God is stressed again.

2. “1 shall fully teach you this knowledge as well as the all-pervasive action that results from realization of God (vigyan), after which there remains nothing better in the world to know.’’

Krishn offers to enlighten Arjun fully on the knowledge of God along with the knowledge that is here called “vigyan’’ (See the interpretation of the word in Chapter 6, in the exposition of the eighth verse). Knowledge is the attainment, in the moment of accomplishment, of the substance of immortality (amrit-tattwa) that is generated by yagya. Direct perception of the essence of God is knowledge. But the other knowledge, called vigyan, is the attainment by a realized sage of the ability to act siumultaneously everywhere. It is the knowledge of how God at the same time operates in all beings. It is the knowledge of how he makes us undertake action and of how he enables the Self to travel across the way to the identical Supreme Spirit. This way of God is vigyan. Krishn tells Arjun that he is going to explain this knowledge to him fully, after knowing which there will be nothing better in the world for him to know. True knowers are much too few.

3. “Hardly does one man among thousands strive to know me and hardly does one among the thousands who strive for this know my essence.”

Only rarely does a man endeavour to realize God and, among those who strive to do so, there is scarcely a man who succeeds in knowing his reality by direct perception. Now, where is this total reality-the entire essence? Is it stationary at one place as a corporal body-a lump of matter, or is it all pervading? Krishn now speaks of this.

4. “I am the creator of all nature with its eight divisions-earth, water, fire, wind, ether, mind, intellect, and ego.’’

From Krishn, God, has arisen nature with all its components. This nature with its eight parts is the lower nature.

5. “This nature, O the mighty-armed, is the lower, insensate nature, but against it there is my conscious, living nature which animates the whole world.’’