Bhagavad Gita - Adhyay 7 - Knowledge and Wisdom - (Jnana Vignana Yoga) - Post 8

 

In the first 6 chapters, Shri Krishna has covered all the knowledge required for a person to lift himself from the material realm to heights of perfection. However in these chapters Arjun remained unmoved. Arjun has not assimilated the knowledge but he needs to ponder over it to transform it to wisdom. 

This happens with all of us. Also there is a huge gap between knowing and doing. We all speak words of wisdom but very few are able to bring it to the reality. 

In Chapter 6, Shri Krishna talked about meditation techniques. But Arjun still had a question, what or whom do we meditate upon?. In this chapter, Shri Krishna answers this question. He urges us to meditate upon him and began speaking to us as Ishvara. Shri Krishna ensures that we shall know him completely through knowledge combined with wisdom.

In this chapter, Shri Krishna explained to Arjun "now I will give you complete knowledge of wisdom, which leaves nothing further to be known in this world. Out of thousands of people, only one achieves perfection and rest who are giving their efforts, in reality they are the one who really knows me in essence. At the end of many births, the wise man comes to me, saying Vasudevay Sarvam -(means Vasudeva is everything)."

Shri Krishna explains two aspects of Ishvara, the lower and the higher. The lower aspect of Shri Krishna talks about the five elements (Panch tattva) along with mind, ego and intellect. While the higher aspect comprises life-giving force which is also the experiences, the subject. Ishvara is the ultimate cause of the universe. To give an example, Shri Krishna gives an illustration of his manifestations that is fragrance on earth and brightness in fire.  

Further Arjun asked Shri Krishna "What are the veils that keeps us away from Ishvara?". Shri Krishna answers that it is one's Maya, which is nothing but made of three gunas, Sattva represents harmony, Rajas represents action and Tamas represents Inertia. The combination of these three forces creates the universe.

According to Shree Krishna there are two types of people: those who perform evil actions and those who perform good actions. The good action performers are called devotees and these devotees are further divided into four types: The distressed, the inquisitive, the seeker of liberation and the wise. Among all these the wise devotees are very dear to Ishvara because they see Ishvara in themselves, nothing else. The other three types of devotees seek Ishvara for something finite. Ishvara is not against this because it strengthens their faith and weakens their ego. Till this happens, Ishvara delivers the results through those finite deities. 

Ishvara's true nature is beyond three Gunas, also it is beyond our mind, body, senses which are unborn and unchanging. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is beyond space and time but at the beginning of creation, most of us bound by Maya are under the sway of space, time and the three Gunas. 

In the conclusion of this chapter, Shri Krishna says only those who aspire Ishvara in his true nature, whose Karma Yoga purifies his mind to prepare for this task can know him, but we need to learn the means by which we can gradually train ourselves to go beyond the finite notion of Ishvara.