The Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom

श्रीभगवानुवाच। मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु॥

The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, hear how with your mind attached to Me, practicing yoga and taking refuge in Me, you shall know Me completely, free from doubt.

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः। यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते॥

I shall now reveal to you in full this knowledge combined with realized wisdom, knowing which nothing more remains to be known.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः॥

Among thousands of people, hardly one strives for perfection. And among those who strive and succeed, hardly one knows Me in truth.

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च। अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा॥

Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego — these eight constitute My separated material nature (lower prakriti).

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्। जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्॥

But beyond this lower nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, know My higher nature — the living beings (consciousness) by which this entire universe is sustained.

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय। अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा॥

Know that all living beings have their origin in these two natures. I am the source of the entire cosmos, and also its dissolution.

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय। मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव॥

There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः। प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु॥

I am the taste in water, O Arjuna, the radiance of the sun and moon, the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas, sound in ether, and ability in humans.

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ। जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु॥

I am the pure fragrance of the earth, the brilliance in fire, the life in all beings, and the austerity in ascetics.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्॥

Know Me to be the eternal seed of all beings, O Arjuna. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the brilliance of the brilliant.

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्। धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ॥

I am the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and attachment. I am desire in beings that is not contrary to dharma, O best of Bharatas.

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये। मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि॥

Know that all states of being — sattvic (pure), rajasic (passionate), and tamasic (ignorant) — arise from Me. But I am not in them; they are in Me.

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्। मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्॥

Deluded by these three qualities of nature (gunas), this whole world does not recognize Me, who am beyond them and imperishable.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते॥

This divine illusion (maya) of Mine, consisting of the three gunas, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender to Me alone cross beyond it.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः॥

The evil-doers, the foolish, the lowest of humans, those whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and those with demonic nature — these do not surrender to Me.