Jnana Vijnana Yoga: Shlokas 19 to 25
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 6, Dhyana Yoga before studying chapter 7 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of the previous set of shlokas, 12 to 18 of chapter 7 here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
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Verses 7.19 to 7.25
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते | वासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: || 19||
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
बहूनां (bahūnām) – many; जन्मनामन्ते (janmanāmante) – after many births; ज्ञानवान् (jñānavān) – the wise; मां (mām) – to me; प्रपद्यते (prapadyate) – surrenders; वासुदेवः (vāsudevaḥ) – Vasudeva; सर्वमिति (sarvamiti) – is everything; स (saḥ) – he; महात्मा (mahātmā) – great soul; सुदुर्लभः (sudurlabhaḥ) – very rare;
After many births of spiritual practice and wisdom, one who is endowed with knowledge finally surrenders to Me, realizing and understanding that everything, indeed all that is, is Vasudeva. Such a great soul, who comes to this profound realization, is very rare.
कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञाना: प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवता: | तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियता: स्वया || 20||
kāmais tais tair hṛita-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛityā niyatāḥ svayā
कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः (kāmaistairhṛtajñānāḥ) – whose knowledge is stolen by various desires; प्रपद्यन्ते (prapadyante) – surrender; अन्यदेवताः (anyadevatāḥ) – to other gods; तं तं (taṃ taṃ) – to that; नियमम् (niyamam) – regulation; आस्थाय (āsthāya) – following; प्रकृत्या (prakṛtyā) – by nature; नियताः (niyatāḥ) – controlled; स्वया (svayā) – by their own;
Those whose wisdom and knowledge are overshadowed by various material desires end up surrendering to and worshiping the celestial gods. Influenced by their inherent nature, they engage in specific rituals and practices meant to propitiate these devatās, following the path determined by their desires and nature.
यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्त: श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति | तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् || 21||
yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śhraddhayārchitum ichchhati tasya tasyāchalāṁ śhraddhāṁ tām eva vidadhāmyaham
यो यो (yo yo) – whoever; यां यां (yāṃ yāṃ) – whichever; तनुं (tanuṃ) – form; भक्तः (bhaktaḥ) – devotee; श्रद्धया (śraddhayā) – with faith; अर्चितुम् (arcitum) – to worship; इच्छति (icchati) – desires; तस्य तस्य (tasya tasya) – of him; अचलां (acalāṃ) – unflinching; श्रद्धां (śraddhāṃ) – faith; ताम् (tām) – that; एव (eva) – certainly; विदधामि (vidadhāmi) – I bestow; अहम् (aham) – I;
Whichever celestial form a devotee chooses to worship with steadfast faith, I, in my support, make that faith of the devotee steady and unwavering in that chosen form.
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते | लभते च तत: कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् || 22||
sa tayā śhraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate labhate cha tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān
स (saḥ) – he; तया (tayā) – by that; श्रद्धया (śraddhayā) – faith; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) – endowed; तस्य (tasya) – his; आराधनम् (ārādhanam) – worship; ईहते (īhate) – endeavors; लभते (labhate) – obtains; च (ca) – and; ततः (tataḥ) – from that; कामान् (kāmān) – desires; मया (mayā) – by Me; एव (eva) – alone; विहितान् (vihitān) – granted; हि (hi) – certainly; तान् (tān) – those;
Endowed with faith, the devotee worships a specific celestial god and seeks to obtain their desires. These desires are indeed fulfilled, yet in reality, it is I alone who orchestrates and grants these benefits.
अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम् | देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि || 23||
antavat tu phalaṁ teṣhāṁ tad bhavatyalpa-medhasām devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api
अन्तवत् (antavat) – perishable; तु (tu) – but; फलम् (phalam) – result; तेषां (teṣām) – of them; तत् (tat) – that; भवति (bhavati) – is; अल्पमेधसाम् (alpamedhasām) – of the less intelligent; देवान् (devān) – to the gods; देवयजो (devayajo) – the worshipers of the gods; यान्ति (yānti) – go; मद्भक्ताः (madbhaktāḥ) – My devotees; यान्ति (yānti) – go; माम् (mām) – to Me; अपि (api) – also.
The fruits gained by these individuals of limited understanding are impermanent and perishable. Those who worship the celestial gods attain their realms, but those who worship Me come to My divine abode.
अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धय: | परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् || 24||
avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam
अव्यक्तम् (avyaktam) – unmanifest; व्यक्तिम् (vyaktim) – manifested; आपन्नम् (āpannam) – having obtained; मन्यन्ते (manyante) – think; माम् (mām) – Me; अबुद्धयः (abuddhayaḥ) – less intelligent; परम् (param) – supreme; भावम् (bhāvam) – nature; अजानन्तः (ajānantaḥ) – not knowing; मम (mama) – My; अव्ययम् (avyayam) – imperishable; अनुत्तमम् (anuttamam) – the best.
The less intelligent and ignorant think of Me, the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna, as previously formless and now manifest in a personal form. They fail to grasp the imperishable, exalted, and supreme nature of My true, unmanifest self.
नाहं प्रकाश: सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृत: | मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम् || 25||
nāhaṁ prakāśhaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛitaḥ mūḍho ’yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam
न (na) – not; अहम् (aham) – I; प्रकाशः (prakāśaḥ) – manifest; सर्वस्य (sarvasya) – to everyone; योगमायासमावृतः (yogamāyāsamāvṛtaḥ) – covered by yoga-māyā; मूढः (mūḍhaḥ) – the fool; अयम् (ayam) – this; न (na) – not; अभिजानाति (abhijānāti) – can understand; लोकः (lokaḥ) – people; माम् (mām) – Me; अजम् (ajam) – unborn; अव्ययम् (avyayam) – inexhaustible.
I am not manifest to everyone, veiled as I am by My divine Yogmaya energy. Thus, hidden by My divine power, those without knowledge do not recognize Me as the unborn and unchangeable.
Intellectuals vs Devotees
Intellectual people tend to look down upon bhaktas and consider themselves to be superior as they are engaged in the brainy act of acquiring knowledge. Whereas, Shree Krishna declares that a jñānī spends several lifetimes cultivating knowledge and only when his or her jñāna matures do they finally realize the power of bhakti and surrender to God.
The concept of bhakti is given a lot of importance in various texts of Vedanta, including the Upanishads. The Śvetāśvatara Upanishad (6.23) reinforces the importance of devotion as:
यस्य देवे परा भक्तिर्यथा देवे तथा गुरौ। तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः॥
Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau; tasyaite kathitā hyarthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ.
Unto those great souls who have supreme devotion to God and as much devotion to their guru, all the divine Vedic knowledge get illuminated and their deep meanings are automatically revealed
Knowledge helps develop faith and faith helps develop bhakti.
The Srimad Bhagavatam offers extensive discussions on bhakti. A beautiful verse from this text (11.2.42) states:
भक्ति: परेशानुभवो विरक्ति-रन्यत्र चैष त्रिक एककाल: । प्रपद्यमानस्य यथाश्नत: स्यु-स्तुष्टि: पुष्टि: क्षुदपायोऽनुघासम् ॥ ४२ ॥
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam
Devotion, the immediate realization of the Supreme Lord, and a growing disinterest in worldly affairs all manifest concurrently in one who seeks refuge in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This process in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously with each morsel of food that a person is consuming.
Through devotion, a person develops detachment or vairagya, and sees the self in its true nature, which is a key step towards liberation.
The Ramayana also offers practical examples of bhakti. The devotion of Hanuman to Lord Rama is exemplary. His unwavering devotion and dedication, as described in the Sundara Kanda, shows the power of faith and devotion in overcoming life’s challenges.
Requirements for bhakti
Although bhakti is the best path, Shri Krishna says that the souls that surrender to Him are enlightened souls and they are very rare. If you remember, Krishna mentioned in 7.3 how only very few attain Him. We should all strive to be among these rarest of rare souls. If we learn the teachings of Bhagavad Gita with humility and practice the teachings in our lives, we can reach this goal within this lifetime itself.
When Krishna described the sukṛitinaḥs, the third category of people were the Artha-arthī – the seekers of worldly possessions. For people who belong to this category, Krishna cautions them that if they choose to worship the demi gods for short term material gains, they may attain worldly success and they may reach higher planets, however they will eventually have to come back to earth. This is something we should all keep in mind. That the demi gods can give us success, prosperity, etc however, they cannot give us liberation. Only the Supreme personality of Godhead can give us liberation. So even if we are seeking worldly possessions, it is still better to worship Krishna and surrender to Him instead of pursuing various demigods.
Thus, Krishna advises even those who seek worldly possessions to direct their worship towards Him. By doing so, their material pursuits become aligned with a higher spiritual purpose. This alignment is not about renouncing all material desires but rather transforming them through devotion to the Supreme. It is a path of integrating one’s material aspirations with spiritual growth.
Material success should just be the means, not the goal
While material success can be a part of one’s life journey, it should not be the sole focus. True fulfillment and liberation lie in recognizing and aligning with the eternal, transcendent reality that is Shri Krishna.
When we are kids, we play a lot of imaginative games. We may treat a piece of stick as a microphone and sing through it, we may wear a piece of rope around our neck and pretend that it is a stethoscope and that we are the doctor, etc. In these cases, responsible parents always encourage the kids. Because they know that this will strengthen their confidence in themselves and help them when they eventually become singers or doctors or whatever else they want to become.
Just like that, when humans in lower levels of consciousness pursue the demigods for material gains, The supreme Lord Krishna says that he actually helps strengthen their faith in those demigods. Yes, our faith in demigods can also develop only by the grace of the supreme Lord only. And whatever benefits the demigods provide is also under the guidance and permission of the supreme Lord only.
The two aspects of the Supreme
These souls eventually perfect their faith and realize the existence of the Supreme Lord and become devoted to Him, although this may take many births as explained by Krishna in the 6th chapter. The key point to understand is that the supreme Lord alone is absolute and permanent. Everything else is temporary. And the supreme Lord alone can help us achieve liberation from all sorts of miseries and bondage.
We keep referring to the ‘Supreme Personality of Godhead’ or the ‘Supreme Lord’. So is this supreme God having a form or is he formless? For ages, people have been debating whether the Supreme Lord is a formless God, or if He exists in His personal-form. Even those who agree to both aspects of God’s personality are sometimes confused. Which of them precedes the other, and which of them is the original God? Did the personal form of God manifest from the formless, or is it the other way round? We have discussed this earlier in the commentary for Verses 4.5 and 4.6 as well.
The Srimad Bhagavatam is filled with stories and teachings about Lord Krishna. Here, Krishna is depicted in his personal form, full of beauty, charm, and divine qualities. He plays the flute, dances with the gopis, and engages in various pastimes. This depiction aligns with the saguna aspect of Bhagawan, where He is seen with specific attributes and a personal form.
However, the Upanishads often speak of the Supreme as formless, infinite, and beyond human perception. This formless aspect, or nirguna, is beyond attributes, beyond time and space, and is the ultimate reality of the universe.
Through the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna provides insight into this debate. In Chapter 11, Krishna reveals his universal form to Arjuna, showing that all forms and manifestations are part of Him. He encompasses everything, both form and formlessness. This indicates that the Supreme can manifest in personal form while still being the infinite, formless reality.
So, which precedes the other? Did the personal form of God manifest from the formless, or is it the other way around? According to many interpretations, especially in Vedanta philosophy, both aspects are eternal. The personal form of God, like Shri Krishna or Lord Rama, is not a creation from the formless but an eternal truth. Similarly, the formless aspect is not derived from the personal form.
Here in this verse 7.24, Shree Krishna Himself resolves this debate by stating that God exists in the spiritual realm eternally in His divine form. And the divine light that emanates from His transcendental body is the formless Brahman. They are not separate or different, they are two facets of the same ultimate reality.
However, the divine form of Shri Krishna is hidden from most people by His Yogmaya, His potent energy that is responsible for all manifestations. Thus, His divine form is not visible or understandable to everyone. It’s only those souls who have completely surrendered to Krishna that receive Yogamaya’s divine grace and are able to truly know and perceive Him.
The key to seeing and understanding Krishna’s divine form is through pure devotion and total surrender to Him. This devotion and surrender help us break free from the illusions of Maya, allowing us to truly know the Supreme God.
Nine forms of Bhakti
We earlier discussed the various processes of bhakti. Srimad Bhagavatam and Ramcharitmanas outline slightly different categorizations of devotion (bhakti) in their respective texts. Both describe nine types of devotion, known as “navadha bhakti,” but they differ in their categorization and elaboration. Here, I will outline the nine types of devotion as mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam and the navadha bhakti mentioned in the Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas.
Navadha Bhakti as mentioned in the Ramcharitmanas:
- प्रथम भगति संतन कर संगा |
Prathama bhagati santan kara sanga.
The first step towards devotion is to maintain the association of saintly people and pure devotees (Satsanga). The best way to learn is by observation of people who lead by example.
- दूसरि रति मम कथा प्रसंगा ||
Dusari rati mama katha prasanga.
The second step is to enjoy listening to kathas or stories about the glories and pastimes of the Lord. Katha is an Indian style of storytelling by saints relating to the Lord. By listening to katha the ears are open for the Lord to enter our heart and soul.
- गुर पद पंकज सेवा तीसरि भगति अमान |
Guru pada pankaja seva tisari bhagati amaan.
The third step towards devotion is to selflessly serve the Guru’s lotus feet without any pride or arrogance. If a disciple is not in proximity to their Guru, they can serve the guru by following their teachings. One who performs this selfless service, without thought of reward, shall attain Bhagavan’s grace.
- चौथि भगति मम गुन गन करइ कपट तज गान ||
Chauthi bhagati mama guna gana karai kapata taja gana.
The fourth step towards devotion is to earnestly praise Lord’s virtues with a heart which is clear from all shrewdness, fraud, and cunningness. Being cunning interrupts our spiritual progress. An innocent heart is the key to divine blessings. A pure heart can spread love and peace in the world.
- मंत्र जाप मम दृढ़ बिस्वासा | पंचम भजन सो बेद प्रकासा ||
Mantra jaap mama dridha visvasa; Panchama bhajana so beda prakasa.
Vedas reveal that chanting Lord’s name with steadfast faith is the fifth step towards devotion. Just chanting the name is not sufficient. Faith is important and that is what gives us the inner strength.
- छठ दम सील बिरति बहु करमा | निरत निरंतर सज्जन धर्मा ||
Chhatha dama seela birati bahu karma; Nirata nirantara sajjana dharma.
Always performing duties like a devoted religious person and practicing self-control, good character, and detachment from manifold activities is the sixth step towards devotion. Regular prayers and meditation are essential to discipline and purify our mind.
- सातव सम मोहि मय जग देखा | मोते संत अधिक करि लेखा ||
Saatava sama mohi maya jaga dekha; Mote santa adhika kari lekha.
Perceiving the world as Bhagavan Himself and regarding the saints higher than the Lord is the seventh step towards devotion. Lord Rama here emphasizes that if human beings perceive the world as Bhagavan, then they will not harm others and harmony will prevail. Moreover, if human beings will listen and follow what Saints preach wholeheartedly there would be peace, love, and compassion all around the world.
- आठव जथा लाभ संतोषा | सपनेहु नहिं देखहि परदोषा ||
Aathava jatha labha santosha; Sapanehu nahin dekhahi paradhosa.
The eight steps towards devotion is a stage when a person has no desires left and is content with whatever they have. And does not see faults in others, even in dreams. We should not see ourselves superior to other human beings. If we point out faults in others, we are at a serious risk of limiting our own happiness and because of this we cannot make this world a happy place.
- नवम सरल सब सन छनहीना | मम भरोस हिय हरष न दीना ||
Navama sarala sab sana chanahina; Mama bharosa hiya harasha na deena.
The ninth point is to have full faith in the Lord and become childlike innocent with no deception. The immovable faith in Lord leads to a stage which has no room for depression during failures or ecstasy in success. We can then remain calm in all situations, and this helps us think logically and make decisions wisely.
Then Shri Ram concludes his message by saying that “whoever possesses these nine forms of devotion, regardless of whether they are man, woman or any other creature, is very dear to me, O good lady, as for yourself, you are blessed with unflinching devotion of all these types. The prize that is rarely won by great yogis is within your easy reach today. The most incomparable fruit of seeing me is that the soul attains its natural state (of union with Bhagavan).”
The nine types of devotion as mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam (7.5.23)
- Hearing (Śravaṇam, श्रवणम्) – The act of listening to scriptures, stories, and glories of the Lord.
- Chanting (Kīrtanam, कीर्तनम्) – Reciting or singing the Lord’s names, glories, and pastimes.
- Remembering (Smaranam, स्मरणम्) – Keeping the Lord in one’s thoughts and consciousness.
- Serving the Lord’s Lotus Feet (Pāda-Sevanam, पाद-सेवनम्) – Offering service to the feet of the deity, which is a gesture of humility and devotion.
- Deity-Worship (Arcanam, अर्चनम्) – Ritual worship of the deity form of the Lord through various offerings and rituals.
- Praying (Vandanam, वन्दनम्) – Offering prayers, praises, and supplications to the Lord.
- Executing Orders (Dāsyam, दास्यम्) – Acting as a servant of the Lord by fulfilling His commands or desires.
- Serving as a Friend (Sākhyam, साख्यम्) – Developing a relationship with the Lord based on friendship and mutual affection.
- Complete Surrender (Ātma-Nivedanam, आत्म-निवेदनम्) – Offering oneself wholly to the Lord, surrendering one’s ego and individual will completely.
Here are examples of these nine types of bhakti:
- Emperor Pariksit’s Spiritual Journey through Hearing: Emperor Pariksit reached a high spiritual level solely by listening to the profound teachings of Sri Sukadeva Gosvami. His attainment of spiritual knowledge and realization came about through the powerful process of hearing from a realized soul, demonstrating the immense value of receiving wisdom from a knowledgeable authority.
- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami’s Path of Recitation: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami achieved spiritual enlightenment by faithfully reciting the sacred texts he learned from his father, Sri Vyasadeva. This act of verbatim recitation of transcendental messages illustrates the potency of preserving and sharing spiritual knowledge as received from a guru.
- Maharaj Prahlada’s Constant Remembrance of the Lord: Inspired by the teachings of Sri Narada Muni, Maharaj Prahlada found spiritual success by continuously remembering Lord Vishnu. His unceasing meditation and devotion to the Lord, even in challenging circumstances, stand as a testament to the power of constant remembrance.
- Lakshmi Ji’s Devotion through Service: Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, achieved spiritual fulfillment by devotedly serving the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. Her unwavering service and dedication highlight the significance of serving the Divine with love and humility.
- King Prthu’s Worship of the Lord: King Prthu attained spiritual accomplishment through his sincere and devout worship of the Lord. His story underscores the importance of worship as a means to connect with and honor the divine.
- Akrura’s Spiritual Success through Prayer: Akrura, known as a charioteer, reached spiritual heights by chanting heartfelt prayers to the Lord. His experience shows the transformative power of prayer in elevating one’s consciousness and connecting with the divine.
- Hanuman’s Obedience to Lord Rama: Hanuman, also known as Mahavira and a devoted follower of Lord Sri Ramacandra, achieved spiritual greatness by diligently executing the Lord’s orders. His devotion and unwavering commitment to Lord Rama’s service exemplify the path of dedicated service to the Divine.
- Arjuna’s Friendship with Lord Krishna: Arjuna, the famed warrior of the Mahabharata, attained perfection by forming a deep friendship with Lord Krishna, who imparted the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita. This relationship between the divine and a devotee highlights the unique path of developing a personal and intimate connection with God.
- Emperor Bali’s Complete Surrender: Emperor Bali reached spiritual success by surrendering everything to Lord Vishnu, including his own body. His story of total surrender and devotion demonstrates the ultimate act of letting go of one’s ego and material possessions in favor of complete submission to the will of the Divine.
Sravanam is the easiest and the Bhagavad Gita helps us practice sravanam easily. In my opinion, it should be followed by smaranam, where we constantly think about the Lord.
Lord Chaitanya established the kirtan movement and it is another form of devotion that is easy to indulge in Kaliyuga.
So, together, performing Sravanam by reading/ hearing the Bhagavad Gita, Kirtanam by chanting the holy name of the Lord and smaranam, thinking about the Lord all the time, we can easily develop our Bhakti and attain Krishna.
You can find the next and concluding shlokas of chapter 7 here:
Hare Krishna.
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi