Chapter - VII
THE UNITIVE WAY OF WISDOM SYNTHESIS
(Jnana-Vijnana-Yoga)
[1]
Sribhagavan said:
Having a mind attached to Me, O Partha (Arjuna), and joining unitively through yoga, and having Me as refuge, how you will know Me without any doubt, comprehensively, that do hear.
Manifest Self (Paramatma) is talking through Krishna’s mouth. The same truth is reiterated again. The person should control his mind from getting astray and develop an attachment to nothing else but Manifest Self. He should try to attain closeness with It through yoga and having the Paramatma as the refuge, he should attain the knowledge of God without an iota of doubt.
But how can somebody remove the doubts from his mind? Krishna gives the answer in the forthcoming verses!
[2]
I shall teach you this (pure) wisdom together with this (applied) knowledge, without any omission, knowing which, there will be nothing more here left over that should be known.
What is being told here would remove all doubts from the mind. This knowledge is extremely important because it is based on claim that upon receiving this knowledge, the person will become all knowing and by no chance will there remain anything that remains to be known.
[3]
Among thousands of men, one perchance strives for perfection. Even among the striving who have attained, one perchance knows Me according to proper principles.
This verse further reveals the importance of the knowledge that Manifest Self (Paramatma) is going to impart through Krishna’s mouth. He says categorically only a handful strive to achieve perfection and out of those handful there is again a small percentage that gets to know God according to proper principles. It is clear there may be innumerable people who wear religiosity on their sleeves, very few attempt spiritual excellence and out of those few, just one or two are able to create that desired link of the self with the Manifest Self.
Thus only a handful get to know the secret that is being told here, though there may be a lot many who would try to achieve perfection in their own way. The methodology of achieving perfection is important and it is this methodology that needs to be known. Answer is being given by Krishna here.
Another point that this verse makes clear is that perfection in this life is nothing else but knowing God according to proper principles. This is a clear inference from Krishna’s wordings here and all those who gauge success in life on the basis of other achievements need to note this.
[4]
Earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, reason also, and consciousness of individuality, thus here is divided My eightfold nature.
This verse too is one that, as per us, needs to be retranslated and re-understood. In verse two, Manifest Self prepares us to say that It will teach something, knowing which, there will be nothing that will remain to be known. Then It says that one in thousand strives for perfection. The percentage of one who obtains perfection must be far lower. Even from amongst them, the likelihood of those who really reach God is very negligible. Ideally, after this, there ought to be a description of those who know Him, the way He ought to be known. But, instead of talking about that path to God, that has eluded a great majority, there is this reference to earth, water, fire, air, sky, etc.
Is knowledge of earth, water, fire, air, sky, etc. enough to enable us to achieve perfection? Surely you will realize that this is not the case. Krishna’s wordings themselves suggest that only a few will understand the real significance of this verse.
Again, you will have to believe in our interpretation of Vedas to understand this. We have already said that the war of Mahabharata had the Vedic teachings as the background. Krishna refers to the same Vedic characters of AgniDeva, VayuDeva, etc. We have already proved in the BOOK, that these seven are not the names of five material elements along with mind and reason but they are reference to the seven names of the Devatas, who took birth in fourteen bodies. (You are invited to read the BOOK carefully to know more about these fourteen). We have given countless proofs in the BOOK to prove that the divine personalities of the Vedas (like VayuDeva, AgniDeva, etc.), would come to live as Ali, Husain and others. It is these personalities who are being identified here. These are men whose footsteps would lead us to perfection. It has been confirmed even from Krishna’s mouth. Very few are aware of this and even fewer achieve perfection “according to proper principles”.
A hint of this, unknowingly, has been given by NG himself, when he says that Gita has erred here as well:
“We find also in verses 8 and 9 that these actual gross aspects of nature are not viewed as matter but as values to which human beings are related and which enter consciousness more directly. Thus the unitive nature of the Absolute is established. But in this preliminary enumeration, the Gita wishes to err if at all, on the side of actuality, rather than on the side of far-fetched theory.”
The reference to ‘me bhinna prakriti’ (my distinct divided nature) further confirms that the aforementioned Devatas are distinct or manifest consequence of division of Noor or Power created by Manifest Self and their nature confirms with the nature of Manifest Self, who is doing the talking through the mouth of Krishna. Otherwise, the presence of Manifest Self can be seen in innumerable things other than the ones mentioned here. (A look at the personalities of these 14 Devatas with seven names will reveal that what all has been told as the nature of Manifest Self, their personality is an exact replica of the same and there is no dissimilarity with the nature of Manifest Self or of God).
There is another point that can be proved from NG’s comment that we have quoted. He says: “These actual gross aspects of nature are not viewed as matter but as values to which human beings are related and which enter consciousness more directly.” We have shown time and again that the gross aspects of nature are actually the Devatas. What NG is further confirming here is that these Devatas have a role to play in our consciousness, something that we have already proved, both from Upanishads as well as the traditions of these Devatas (Ahlulbayt).
Aren’t the things clear? We have given proofs in the Vedas that Sky has been used for Mohammad, Air has been used for Ali, Water has been used for Hasan and all verses referring to Agni are in fact talking of Husain. Mind and reason are perhaps Jafar and Musa, two more of the seven names of the Ahlubayt. The gross earth is also referred to as “pure fragrance” in verse 9, which we have shown in the BOOK, is reference to Fatima - Mohammad’s daughter married to Ali. Through these Devatas or Ahlubayt (Pure Ones), we are directly related to God. They are the ones who are responsible for consciousness. They are ones in whom God’s nature got divided. They together form the Manifest Self of God. This and this alone is the secret that a lot many aspired to know but only a few were successful.
The verse 6 even tells us that we owe our life to them. With all material influences being denounced so vigorously here in Gita, only a mind entrenched in materialism would believe that we owe our life to earth, water, fire, air and sky. Even if we accept this as true, because these material things really have influence on our body, how could we owe our life to mind and reason, which are inherent parts of our body!
We again request you to ponder over the cause that led to the war of Mahabharata. The modes of worship pertaining to these Devatas, we have claimed, was the reason for war. There was one party that was deifying them as gods while the other, led by Krishna, wanted to show their true place. This is the reason why the subject returns again and again to the subject of Devatas. At all times you will find that their role in our life is highlighted again and again. Unable to understand all this, commentators like NG have concluded that it is Gita that has erred. How sad!
[5]
This is the non-transcendental (apara=immanent). Know the other to be my nature, which is transcendental, constituting life, O Mighty-Armed (Arjuna), by which the phenomenal world is sustained.
Refer to the Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad in the BOOK or other similar examples through which we have shown how the same non-transcendental became transcendental, constituting life, and took birth in human form. It is clearly stated in various Upanishads that the phenomenal world is sustained by these fourteen Manus or Devatas, of which one is the Devi. Some Upanishads have even called them as lords of the fourteen spheres or as rulers of our organs of senses and action. Can there be greater evidence required? Particularly so when Krishna too is confirming that they sustain the phenomenal world.
Also, we have seen in Vishnu Purana how this entire cosmos will wind up when the last of these Devatas will be killed, thereby confirming that the sustenance of the world is dependent on their presence as human beings, within the world. The same is being mentioned by Krishna in the aforementioned verse.
[6]
Know that all beings have this as their common source (womb). I am the becoming as also the dissolution of all this (phenomenal) world (jagat)
The fact that ‘all beings’ is used here show that it were the same divine beings who were subject of discussion in earlier verses too when words like agni, vayu, akash, etc. were used. Paramatma confirms these Divine Beings owe their life to the Paramatma. Again attempt is to show the real place and importance of these Divine Beings between Manifest Self and us. But these Divine Beings are not God
Moreover, it cannot be digested how the commentaries relate to material things, when the entire previous discussion is to lead us away from all material things and devote all our actions only to God.
Fact is that we all owe our lives to the Devatas, whose origin is due to the division of the Noor or Light created by the Manifest Self of God into fourteen powers similar to the original one.
Consequent to giving the Devatas their true importance, subject returns to the topic of Manifest Self and declares in the next line that Manifest Self is Superior Most and even the Devatas owe their presence due to Him.
This was important as the cause of Mahabharata was to uphold the true position of the Devatas. People of the period had either started worshipping the Devatas or left the Devatas altogether and started living in forests where they tried to reach God directly through chants, etc.
The use of the world ‘yoni’ (womb) in the first line suggest that it is not just a superficial statement but all lives have emerged from them, just as a child is born out of womb. That two of the Devatas – Siva and Sakti – are still worshipped as progenitors of all beings is common knowledge. Siva is associated with the male phallus and Sakti is the creative power from which emanated the entire cosmos. That Siva is another name for the power that was to be later called Vayu (or Ali) and Sakti (or Parvati) were names of Fatima too has been proved in the BOOK. We have seen in Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad how the Manifest Self (Paramatma) created the One Noor of Brahma. This became large and then divided to become more and consequently these fourteen Devatas were created; subsequently the entire cosmos was created out of the powers of the fourteen. It is also clearly stated that all the beings emanated from the Manifest Self and they will also dissolve into the Manifest Self. This and nothing else is being confirmed here through the mouth of Krishna. Otherwise, is it possible that life be born out of the womb of fire or water or mind or reason and also dissolve in the womb of fire or water or mind or reason?
[7]
Nothing else is higher than Me, O Winner of Wealth (Arjuna). In Me all this is strung as a classified series (ganah) of precious beads on a string.
Manifest Self is even higher than the Devatas. It knew that people of the time had started considering these Devatas as gods. This can be understood by looking at the beliefs of the common people today, many of whom still call Agni, Indra, etc. as gods. This belief has been denied time and again by Messengers, even though the importance of the Devatas is retained. Paramatma also stresses that even they (the Devatas) owe their origin due to It and in It alone all of them are strung as a “classified series of precious beads on a string.”
This also explains the actions and deeds of the Ahlulbayt when they came to live on this earth. On several occasions Ali or Hasan or Husain or others said that the earth, the sun and the moon, etc. were created because of them. Has anybody else ever made a claim like this? We won’t find anybody else in history, because this was too big a claim for anybody to dare. Even those kings who called themselves as gods could not muster courage to claim so and we find no such reference in the entire history.
A very profound example of this is found in the history of Moses when face to face with the Pharaoh, who made all people to worship him as god. Moses said that “my God is one who makes the sun rise in the east and set in the west. If you are the god, then you make it come out from the west and set in the east.” The Pharaoh who called himself god had no answer. On the other hand we find these Devatas being so powerful that they made the sun reverse its direction or split the moon into two, miracles which were performed in the desert of Arabia but were visible as far as India. Despite this they never allowed anybody to call themselves as god and their entire life can be seen as full of devotion and supplication to the Almighty God. Why won’t it be when Paramatma Itself has said here that they are the ones who have identified God in the manner He ought to be known?
It is sad part of history though that these Devatas came to be regarded as gods and people began to worship them. Even at the time of Krishna, people had forgotten the Absolute God and it were these Devatas and others, who were worshipped as gods. Krishna was sent as a messenger to re-deliver the truth about their identity.
Also, we will find in the Islamic history Ali took a very strict stance against those who had started calling him as god. Scholars might not know but Ali knew that this war was not being fought for the first time. Even on earlier occasions, such wars have been fought with those who had bestowed the stature of gods on the Devatas. With great effort, the Messengers of God had been able to create a demarcation between Absolute God and the Devatas – God’s preferred creations. And Ali would have been the last person to see the same starting all over again.
[8]
I am the taste in waters, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), I am the light of the moon and the sun, I am Aum (numinous exclamation) in all the Vedas, sound in the sky and the human quality in men.
People of Krishna’s period were relating water, moon and sun and also Aum to the Devatas. That is why Paramatma feels the need to clarify the relationship through the mouth of Krishna.
One thing that cannot escape attention is that Paramatma says It is the human quality in men. Muslims too recount certain traditions as per which all good acts are related to God. That means that all those who perform in-human deeds are actually performing actions that are un-Godly.
Moreover, reference to water, moon and sun is significant. These are also the names of the Devatas in Vedas. Since there is a clear reference to Vedas, it is clear that Krishna had those names in mind while uttering these words. Aum too, we have shown in the BOOK, signify the 14 Devatas leading us towards God. Aum was an attempt to remember that relationship between us with the Manifest Self through the Devatas. Unfortunately, the later day priests continued to recite the syllable ‘Aum’ several times over in a day but forgot its true significance.
Even if we accept that the material water, moon and sun are being discussed, it has explicitly been stated in the Upanishads and Vedas that the Manifest Self of God, which comprises the fourteen Devatas, commands all of these. In spite of this, it is clearly stated that their entire glimmer, all their shine, and all their virtues, are due to the power of God.
Clear reference to the Vedas and Aum is significant as Vedic beliefs were the cause of fight between Krishna’s army and that of Duryodhana. Krishna preached that Devatas are the ones responsible for consciousness, they are the guides and the leaders and it is they who have taken up the task of leading each of us towards the worship of God. But worship has to be performed of none else but God.
[9]
I am the holy fragrance of the earth (divinity) and also the brilliance of the luminary (presence), the vital principle in all beings, and the (essence of) austerity in all ascetics.
The purpose of this is to tell us that all those who are of such stature that we can be tempted to call them as god are actually creations of God Himself. Those who have taken earth and the luminary things for material earth and sun, moon and fire, are wrong.
For earth, gandhah (smell or perfume) and punyah (holy or pure) are used. That means earth is described as one with pure or holy smell. Likewise, the term ‘vibhavasu’ (luminary) is usually taken for fire, moon and sun. Says NG: “The object of the author is to refer here to the holy presences suggested in all bright objects, including fire. The light itself is referred to as tejas (brilliance) which is related to that aspect of consciousness called taijasa (the brilliant) which is at the basis of dreams.”
Since the word ‘brilliance’ and not ‘brilliant’ is used, we are of the opinion that the brilliance of the luminary persons (or Noor) is being talked about here. We should remember that God is telling a secret about attaining perfection and these mundane references to material objects do not have the power to do anything, leave alone bestow perfection on us. It has been clearly stated that only a few are able to know God in the manner He ought to be known. The succeeding line, which talks of ‘tapas’ (the ‘burning’ of spiritual discipline, ascetism) further confirms our view as there can be no relationship between material objects with spirituality. Even NG has agreed that the ‘tapas’ being mentioned is a human quality or a personal attitude. Says NG: “A perfectly self-controlled man represents the Absolute in essence.”
The meaning here is so clear that the commentators have no choice but to say that it stands for certain men of merit. Who are those men of merit? Answer is available only with us.
The succeeding verses too, we will notice, talk about the same subject.
[10]
Know Me, O Partha (Arjuna), to be the perennial seed of all beings; I am the reason of the intelligent, and I am the brightness of (those who are) the brilliant.
The way in which commentators have erred in understanding these verses from Gita, we should be thankful the brightness and brilliance mentioned here has not been understood to be that of the shining objects.
Fact is that since the people of the time had begun to worship the Devatas and had removed God from their acts of worship, the entire passage here is meant to tell them the real truth about the relationship between the Devatas and the God. Even prior to Gita, we have seen several cases mentioned in the Upanishads where sages like Yajnavalkya and others went to the congregations of priests and princes and tried to tell them the real purport of their various actions. The fact that Yajnavalkya had to say this in the congregations of priests and the learned confirm that even they had forgotten the true teachings and had begun to follow a ritualistic life.
Yajnavalkya is a contemporary of Krishna and was elder to Krishna. Krishna too tried to rectify the mistaken beliefs of people. This led to a full-fledged war where there were those who found refuge in the Vedas and worshipped the heroes of Vedas blindly as comprising one army and those who accepted Krishna as an Avatar of God and yet believed in the Vedas, comprising the other army. This apparently small difference between the believes of the two armies was in fact such a great difference that Krishna has called it the war between truth and evil and made it obligatory on Arjuna to kill those in the other camp or die fighting for this cause.
Present day humanity too is going through similar deviations. There are people who do not know the identity of the torchbearers to the true path viz. the Devatas (Ahlulbayt) and their designated role in showing us the true path. And there are those who go to the extent of worshipping them (some worship one or two, some worship the Devi) and do not know that our entire acts of worship should be for God and God alone. Same is the case with Muslims. There is a sect that has discarded the Ahlulbayt altogether and there is another that at times give them so much value that it appears they have forgotten the God. Both have erred. Zulmat (Forces of Darkness) have seen to it yet again that we digress from knowing the true identity of the Devatas (Ahlulbayt or the Forces of Noor) because Zulmat knows very well it will be defeated the day people will identify the torchbearers and begin treading their path to reach God.
[11]
I am the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and passion. In beings I am desire which is not contrary to righteousness (dharma), O Leader of the Bharatas (Arjuna).
We invite you to read the two lines carefully. The use of the word ‘beings’ in the second line suggests that the first line does not refer to those who come in the ambit of ‘beings’. Difference between Manifest Self and the ‘beings’ (viz. the Devatas) is being mentioned. Manifest Self (Paramatma) is devoid of desire and passion but the Devatas possess desire. However, after saying this, the Manifest Self also says desire is not contrary to righteousness thereby signifying we should not take the comment negatively as the Devatas are on the righteous path despite having desires. Paramatma also knew that when these Devatas will take birth as Ahlulbayt, people would get confuse about whether they are like humans with desires and passions and whether they are different. That is why Paramatma, in the Quran, takes a guarantee about the Ahlulbayt being free from all evil, even an iota of it.
Desire can be for a good cause too. For instance, there can be a desire that truth prevails or injustice and evil vanquished. This will be the desire of the righteous.
[12]
Even those manifestations recognized as according with existence (sattviki), and active or dominant (rajasi), and dark or inert (tamasi), know them even to be My own. I am not in them but they are in Me.
Three terms sattviki, rajasi and tamasi are being introduced here. Be prepared to read a lot more about them in the succeeding chapters.
The purpose of this verse is clear. It is stated that all the manifestations have their origin in God. Even so they are dark or inert (tamasi). This shows that things, which are considered dark or inert, like, Satan (Zulmat), too have been created by the Manifest Self. Quran too has talked of the forces of Zulmat (darkness) and forces of Noor (Light) as two opposing forces, created by God, so that mankind can undergo the test that God wants each of us to give.
There are people who disagree with this and say that God is all good and nothing evil or bad has been created by Him. It is a big discussion and out of purview of this commentary. We would restrict ourselves to say that those who say so have not understood the purpose of their creation. We have not been created angels – as robots who would do only what they have been assigned to do. We are prone to do good as well as bad. Both paths are open to us. We have a free choice. But we are expected to pass the examination by choosing the path of the Noor and discard Zulmat. Moreover, Quran itself says it is the creator of both Noor and Zulmat. If Zulmat is nothing but absence of Noor or Light, why would God say He is the creator of both? Is it possible that something which is not in existence be created? Here too, in Gita, Paramatma is confirming that all three paths viz. sattvik, rajasik and tamasik have been created by God but it is desired that man will follow the sattvik path in order to excel in life and become Purushottam (Ashraful Makhooqat) by uniting his atma (self) with the Paramatma (Manifest Self).
[13]
Deluded by these three manifestations (of value) this whole world is unable to know Me who am beyond them and unexpended.
Had the test been easy, each of us would have passed it. But it isn’t so! Man gets deluded by these three manifestations viz. sattva, rajas and tamas. The world gets confused and is unable to identify God who is beyond these manifestations and unexpended.
That these have been created as illusions is mentioned in the next verse. Those people are worth being rewarded who identify reality despite it being embedded in a maze of illusions and thus emerge victorious in this worldly test.
[14]
Verily this divine illusion of Mine (maya) made up of the manifestations (of value-gunah), is hard to surmount. Those who seek Me alone, pass over this illusion.
It is stated that these illusions present in the world do not allow men to reach God. Those who seek God alone pass over the illusion and attain Him. That is why it is essential that God and none else should be the purpose of our worship.
[15]
Not Me do evil-doers, foolish, attain, lowest among men; their wisdom being distracted by illusion (maya), affiliated as they are to the demonic (or non-intelligent) aspect of nature.
Those who perform evil acts have been described as foolish. If you see, this is the converse of wisdom. The evil-doers, it has been clearly stated are the lowest among men, affiliated to the dark or tamasik manifestation, and such people never attain God. Dark or tamasik nature has been described as Zulmat (darkness) in Quran.
See that Paramatma’s definition of lowest among men is different from the definitions created by us. It is clearly stated that evil-deeds are the basis of Paramatma’s standardization while we have created the lowest on the basis of birth. Righteousness, on the other hand, has already been described as having its origin in Paramatma. One who performs evil-deeds distances himself from God and thus becomes lowest. It has already been said that the true zenith of humanity is to attain union with God. Such a person would be an epitome of righteousness and good deeds. (Read about the lives of Ahlulbayt on earth and you will realize that they were the highest examples of righteousness.)
Tamas (Zulmat) is the demonic aspect of nature. Zulmat too has the power to creep inside us just as Noor has the power to guide us from inside. It has been said that the Devatas are related to the higher levels of our self. As we climb the steep climb of righteousness (leading our self towards purity), our self starts gaining proximity of the Manifest Self until a level is reached where the it attains union with the Manifest Self. This is the state of salvation or moksha. This is the state of shahadat or nijaat.
[16]
Four kinds of the (doers of the) good are intent on Me, Arjuna; the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of the goods of life, and the wise, O Leader of the Bharatas (Arjuna).
In this verse, Paramatma says there are four kinds of people who seek God. First category is that of the distressed. This person is intent on seeking God so as to get relief from his misery. Once the misery has been removed, it is not sure whether the person would still seek God with same intensity. The second is the seeker of knowledge. This person too wants to know answers to certain questions and once those answers are known, his interest wanes away and he might not seek God with the same fervour. The third is one who seeks God because he wishes to seek the goods of life. This person is selfish and is sure to forget God once he has obtained the goods. The fourth is the wise person. He realizes through wisdom that the purpose of his creation is to get united with God. This would ensure his eternal life. This person continues to seek God at all times – good and bad. This fourth state is the best of all.
[17]
Of these the wise men, forever united and unitively affiliated with the Absolute excels, for dear to the utmost limit am I to the wise, and he is dear to Me.
Wisdom has been held in so much esteem. It is unfortunate that men blind to wisdom relinquishes the path of God and seek refuge in wayside faqirs and other men like themselves, even when they have the capability to reach far higher levels of spirituality than those faqirs themselves.
Wise person is always dear to God. And the wise holds the God dearest to him. He remains united and unitively seeks God through the path laid down by His messengers.
[18]
Honourable are all these, but My firm opinion is that the wise one is the Self itself. He of unitively established Self indeed remains in My path which has nothing higher.
All those who seek God are honourable but the best of these is one who seeks God with wisdom. Wise one elevates his self to the level that it attains union with the Manifest Self and thus becomes Self itself. This person remains on the one and only straight path (the sirat-e-mustaqeem) and reaches the highest levels. It is this person who attains salvation, as we have seen that salvation has been related to realization of the Self.
Another explanation can be given. Since people of the time were worshipping the Devatas and attempt was being made to lead them to the worship of God, ‘honourable to all these’ could refer to the Devatas. All Devatas are honourable but Paramatma’s firm opinion is that the wise person is one who unites with the Self itself.
[19]
After many births the wise man attains Me. Such a great Self, thinking Vasudeva to be all is rare indeed to find.
The system of rebirth is again being endorsed here. Man who traverses on the God’s path keeps taking birth in conditions more suitable to attaining unity with the Absolute. Those who perform righteous deeds and have not been able to attain the union sometimes even take birth in the family of the Devatas or yogis. Once they get to know the true path through wisdom, they become united with the Absolute.
The second half of the verse again confirms the Self’s relationship with VasuDeva. We have seen that VasuDeva is an oft-repeated name in the Vedas. This is the name of one of the fourteen Devatas. However, it appears from this verse that VasuDeva is another name for Manifest Self of God and the Devata was referred to by this name because he displayed some particular nature of God. We say so because in verse 4, we have already seen that Manifest Self’s nature was bestowed on various Devatas. Verse 4 states:
Earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, reason also, and consciousness of individuality, thus here is divided My eightfold nature.
To confirm whether VasuDeva has been indeed used for Paramatma, we tried to explore the Upanishads. We found the answer in Amrtabindu-Upanishad of Krishna-Yajurveda, which says:
Two Vidyas (sciences) are fit to be known, viz., Sabdabrahman and Parabrahman. One who has completely mastered Sabdabrahman attains Parabrahman. Having studied well the books, the learned man should persevere studiously in Jnana (the acquisition of knowledge) and Vijnana (Self-realisation according to such knowledge). Then he should discard the whole of the books, as a person in quest of grain gives up the straw. Though there are cows of different colours, yet their milk is of the same colour. Like milk is seen Jnana, and like cows are seen the different kinds of forms (in the universe). As ghee is latent in milk, so is Vijnana (Self-realisation) latent in every being. Through churning always the Manas with the churning stick of Manas and the string of Jnana, Parabrahman that is partless, calm and quiescent should be brought out like fire from the wood. I am that Brahman. That Vasudeva who is support of all beings, who lives in all and who protects all creatures is Myself. That Vasudeva is Myself.
[20]
Their wisdom distracted by such (or) such (other) desire (counterparts) they attain to other divinities, committed to obligations such or such belonging to each, prompted by their own particular nature (in each case).
Since ‘other divinities’ are being talked about here, it gives credence to our understanding earlier that divinities or Devatas were being mentioned. It is clearly said that those trying to use their wisdom too are prone to getting distracted. Eventually they end up worshipping one divinity or the other. Ultimate worship should be of the God and none else!
[21]
By whichever (particular) form such and such a devotee with faith wishes to worship, each to his own faith I confirm.
As we are repeatedly mentioning, worship of Paramatma is held to be high in esteem, but role of divinities (Devatas) are not discounted. They have a important role to play.
Devotion is important! And so is faith! Anybody who comes to Paramatma with devotion and faith is welcome. It is not important what form of worship he adheres to. Ultimate aim is to worship the Absolute.
It is also not important to what faith or religion s/he belongs to. Paramatma is here confirming that all forms of faith are welcome. But yes, the worship has to be done of either the Manifest Self or the Absolute God and none else.
[22]
He, endowed with that faith, seeks the worship of such a one, and from him obtains his desires, the benefits being decreed by Me.
Manifest Self is referring to the condition of the people of his time. There were people who worshipped one Devata or the other. Instead of believing all the fourteen Devatas as part of the Manifest Self of God, there were some who had chosen one or the other Devatas.
It is clearly stated that even if the person seeks the worship of only one of these Devatas, knowing fully well that they are not gods but preferred creations of God, and desires his motives, then his prayers are fulfilled by God, who holds these Devatas as extremely dear.
We know now that the Devatas took birth as Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husain and others. There are several Shias who address their prayers directly to them or even to sons of these Ahlulbayt like Abbas and others. You ask them and they would say that their prayers are getting fulfilled. In this verse, God has clarified the reason why all such prayers are heard yet states clearly in the next verse that people who do so are men of small intelligence. Likewise, there are people who seek prayers from the Devi or from one or the other Deva. Their prayers too are being heard for the same reason described above.
[23]
Terminable indeed is the benefit (accruing) to these of small intelligence; sacrificers to the divinities go to the divinities, but My devotees come to Me.
Paramatma clearly states that even though It grants benefits to people who worship these divinities individually, such people are men of small intelligence. Those who worship the God or His Manifest Self become united with Him. Alternatively, those who sacrifice to the divinities go to the divinities. What happens to them thereafter or how the two modes of prayers are different has not been clearly told at this juncture. But it is made clear they are men of small intelligence.
[24]
Unreasoning persons consider Me as the unmanifest come to the manifestation; not knowing My supreme (value), unexpended, with no superior.
There are people who believe there was nothing and then the Manifest Self appeared. These people have been described as unreasoning persons, who do not know that the Manifest Self of God too has a supreme value, which is unexpended and with no superior. This is the Non-Manifest Absolute God about which Paramatma will talk later too in Gita.
This description confirms our viewpoint to the full. We have said that it is the Manifest Self of God who is doing the talking and who has taken it as its responsibility to lead the entire world to the worship of the Non-Manifest Absolute God. This verse also confirms our conclusion about the Absolute creating the Manifest and the Manifest leading to creation of the fourteen Devatas, who became the guardians of the fourteen spheres when the cosmos was created.
What we find is that though the Paramatma (Manifest Self) is talking of higher powers than the Devatas and is also talking of a need to worship the Paramatma, it is also mentioning of its own supreme, unexpended Absolute Form, with no superior, thereby confirming that attempt to bring people to worship of the Paramatma too is the first step and eventually a higher power will be presented. All our worship and all our acts should be dedicated to the Absolute God and none else but since the people were worshipping Devatas and so many other things (as we will see later in Gita), the first attempt was to bring them to the worship of Manifest Self. But ultimate aim is to bring them to the worship of Absolute, who is the Creator of all, including the Manifest Self.
We will show later in this commentary that Absolute is referred to at a few places as Third Person ‘He’ and ‘Him’ whereas Manifest Self is referring to Itself in First Person as ‘I’ and ‘Me’. We have shown in the Book ‘Muslims and the Straight Path’ how exactly the same pattern is used in the Quran. Words are coming out from the mouth of Mohammad (as they are coming out from the mouth of Krishna in Gita), but it is the Manifest Self (Rooh or Paramatma) who is doing the talking in First Person and referring to the worship of the Absolute God (Qadir-e-Mutlaq), referred to in Third Person. Difference between Gita and Quran is only that the stress on the worship of Absolute God increases manifold later in Quran though Manifest Self is still doing the talking in the Quran and even says at one place “We too give death and birth”. In Quran, we have seen that while First Person is used whenever there is mention of sending Prophets, sending scriptures, punishing the people or tribes and even guiding people, whenever there is mention of prostrating or worshipping, Absolute God in Third Person is talked about.
[25]
I am not revealed brightly to all; shrouded as I am by the illusive effect of negative reality (yoga-maya) this deluded world does not know Me, unborn, unexpended.
It is not easy to understand the true nature of God, neither the Manifest Self. Innumerable people have tried to reach Him and have got confused. That is why it has been repeatedly said that one must reach God through the path shown by those who are the dearest to Him. These are the Devatas.
We invite you to read some of the supplications to God that have been told to us by the Ahlulbayt. The sublime nature of these supplications would give you an idea why these Devatas have been held as ideal for showing the path to attainment of unity with the Absolute. It is unfortunate that even the Shia Muslims, who claim to be the true adherents of the path of Ahlulbayt, have not realized the true position of Ahlulbayt in showing the path to reach the Absolute.
[26]
I know the beings that are past, present and to come, O Arjuna, but no one knows Me.
Manifest Self of God has only recently said that there is a power that is superior to It. Other than the Absolute God, the Manifest Self is superior to all else. It has been bestowed the knowledge of the past, present and what is to happen. Yet, people are unaware of Its true character.
The words of the Manifest Self here confirm the content of the hymns of the Vedas. It says that it knows of the things to come. This is an answer to those who would show doubts regarding our commentary of the Vedas which show the Vedas prophesizing the events that would happen to in the future when the Devatas would take birth in human form.
[27]
From the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from attraction and repulsion, O Bharata (Arjuna), all beings, on being created, are subject to confusion (of values), O Burner of the Foe (Arjuna).
Confusion is inherent in all of us. This is because of the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from attraction and repulsion in all the beings. The same self within us help us attain union with the Manifest Self whereas the lower half of the same self seeks the pleasures of the world. Opposites have been put inside us. It is up to us to seek the truth through applying our wisdom. Carriers of Noor have repeatedly tried to show the path of betterment. It is up to us whether we pass the test.
[28]
But those persons of pure deeds whose sin has come to an end, freed from the conflict of pairs of opposites, adore Me with a firm resolve.
This again is an absolutist view and can only be reference to the Devatas, though it is very much possible for us to become like them. After showing the true position of the Devatas, after saying that the Manifest Self should be worshipped and those who worship one or the other of the Devatas are lacking in intelligence, the true position of the Devatas is again highlighted.
They are the persons of pure deeds whose sin has come to an end. We have seen that both Quran and Upanishads respectively have described Ahlulbayt and Devatas as pure and sinless. This is the reason why Ahlulbayt are also called Masooms (Pure or free from sin). Gita too is endorsing the same view.
It is also stated that they are freed from the conflict of opposites. This is a very important statement. This is so because the Devatas were being presented as torchbearers, who had come to show the way. Therefore, it was essential that we should have a guarantee from God, whose manifest proofs they were, that they were truthful, freed from the conflict of opposites. This statement of Manifest Self in Gita confirms that all their acts, all their deeds, all their thoughts, all their words, were freed form the conflict of opposites and they were all truthful indeed. A similar verse in Quran too guarantees the truthfulness of the Ahlubayt. It asks us to be on the side of those who are truthful. At another instance, at the time of Mubahila, Quran explicitly confirmed to the truthfulness of these Ahlubayt.
[29]
Whoever resorting to Me, strive for liberation from decay and death, they know That, that Absolute, all that constitutes Self-knowledge, and everything pertaining to action.
Again, the loftier position of the Absolute in relation to the Manifest Self is mentioned. It is said that whoever wishes to tread the path shown by the Manifest Self to attain liberation from decay and death, has to realize the Absolute. Self-knowledge too culminates in the Absolute. All actions too culminate in the Absolute. That - the Absolute - is the Ultimate aim of us all.
Note that the words decay and death have been used here. Gita says on an occasion that our evil deeds are leading to the decay of the world. Also, those in the camps of the Kauravas have already been called as dead. This is an invitation to all of us to leave the path of death and decay and come to the worship of the Absolute.
[30]
Those who know Me, taking together what refers to existential (adhibhuta), hypostatic (adhidaiva) and sacrificial (adhiyajna) aspects, they know Me in a unitive spirit, even at the time of their departure.
The three stages – of the Absolute, of the Manifest Self and of the Devatas when they would take birth on earth – are again summarized. This is the trinity, we have proved. Those who are aware of these stages are thus aware of the unitive path to reach God. It is they who will gain oneness with this Paramatma or Manifest Self or Divine Spirit, when they will depart from this world.
Note, the Chapter had started with the subject with Manifest Self saying It was going to teach the wisdom, and saying that after this knowledge there would be nothing left to be known. It was also stated that several people tried to know the truth but only a handful were successful. That truth, we now know, is the three-fold relationship that is to be known. This is the true concept of trinity. This is the knowledge of the relationship between the Absolute God, the Manifest Self, the Devatas with us. This is the path to salvation. This is the sirat-e-mustaqeem (the straight path) of the Muslims.
Thus ends in the Upanishads of the Songs of God, in the Science of the Wisdom of the Absolute, in the Dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the Seventh Chapter entitled Unitive Way of Wisdom Synthesis.
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