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CHAPTER SEVEN Knowledge of the AbsoluteTEXT 1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son
of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full
consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free
from doubt. TEXT 2: I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both
phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for
you to know. TEXT 3: Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for
perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in
truth. TEXT 4: Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and
false ego – all together these eight constitute My separated material
energies. TEXT 5: Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another,
superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are
exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature. TEXT 6: All created beings have their source in these two natures.
Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for
certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution. TEXT 7: O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me.
Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread. TEXT 8: O son of Kuntī, I am the taste of water, the light of the
sun and the moon, the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man. TEXT 9: I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat
in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all
ascetics. TEXT 10: O son of Pṛthā, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the
intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men. TEXT 11: I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and
desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord
of the Bhāratas [Arjuna]. TEXT 12: Know that all states of being – be they of goodness,
passion or ignorance – are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense,
everything, but I am independent. I am not under the modes of material
nature, for they, on the contrary, are within Me. TEXT 13: Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and
ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and
inexhaustible. TEXT 14: This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes
of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered
unto Me can easily cross beyond it. TEXT 15: Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest
among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the
atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me. TEXT 16: O best among the Bhāratas, four kinds of pious men begin
to render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth,
the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute. TEXT 17: Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is
always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him,
and he is dear to Me. TEXT 18: All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but
he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self.
Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the
highest and most perfect goal. TEXT 19: After many births and deaths, he who is actually in
knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and
all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. TEXT 20: Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material
desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and
regulations of worship according to their own natures. TEXT 21: I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one
desires to worship some demigod, I make his faith steady so that he can
devote himself to that particular deity. TEXT 22: Endowed with such a faith, he endeavors to worship a
particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits
are bestowed by Me alone. TEXT 23: Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their
fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the
planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet. TEXT 24: Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think
that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality.
Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is
imperishable and supreme. TEXT 25: I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For
them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that
I am unborn and infallible. TEXT 26: O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know
everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present,
and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me
no one knows. TEXT 27: O scion of Bharata, O conqueror of the foe, all living
entities are born into delusion, bewildered by dualities arisen from desire
and hate. TEXT 28: Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in
this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from
the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with
determination. TEXT 29: Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation
from old age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are
actually Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental
activities. TEXT 30: Those in full consciousness of Me, who know Me, the Supreme Lord, to be the governing principle of the material manifestation, of the demigods, and of all methods of sacrifice, can understand and know Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even at the time of death.
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