UB: श्री भगवानुवाच

मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगंयुञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मांयथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु।।7.1।।

7.1. The भगवान् said O पार्थ! Please listen to that (तद् श्रुणु) by which, having your mind committed (आसक्त मनाः) to Me (मयि), practising योगं (योगं युञ्जनम्) and taking refuge in Me (मद् आश्रयः) you shall understand Me (मां ज्ञास्यसि) fully (समग्रं), without any doubt (असंशयं).

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदंवक्ष्याम्यशेषतः। यज्ज्ञात्वा  नेहभूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते।।7.2।।

7.2 I (अहम्) will declare (वक्ष्यामि) to you in full (अशेषतः), this knowledge (इदं ज्ञानं) along with (स) विज्ञानं, knowing which (यज्ज्ञात्वा) nothing else (न अन्यद्) remains (वशिष्यते) to be known (भूय: ज्ञातव्यम्).

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यततिसिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानांकश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।।7.3।।

7.3 Among thousands (सहस्रेषु) of men (मनुष्याणां), a rare one (कश्चिद्) strives (यतति) for perfection (सिद्धये); even among those who make an effort (यतताम् अपि) and are prepared (सिद्धानां), a rare one (कश्चिद्) only knows (वेत्ति) Me (मां) in Reality (तत्त्वतः).

UB: 7:1/3 – 7.3 Right at the start, भगवान् has given three necessary qualities to know Him. The person must have अासक्त मन on Him meaning that he must be fully committed (uninterrupted yearning) to know the Truth, he must be a योगी (who is a योगी was discussed in CH 6) and he must take आश्रय in Him meaning that he must have conviction that if he makes efforts to know the Truth, the Truth Itself will lead him towards It. Without such a mind-frame, words of श्रीकृष्ण may be read/ heard by us but nothing will register in our minds. Second is an interesting point where भगवान् says that of so many people, hardly anyone makes any effort to know Him and of those make effort, lesser number actually attains Him. This सनातन सत्य was thus valid 5000 years back as is valid today as may be valid in the future too. Third, भगवान् says that He will give complete ज्ञान & विज्ञान about Himself to अर्जुन.  ज्ञान is knowledge of Him while विज्ञान is the means to attain knowledge of Him (akin to theory & practice). Nothing else will remain to be known about Him after hearing this – this is the assurance given to अर्जुन.

VA: ok so guys SA and I just had this discussion and need ur inputs – for background, Sunita brags about her BalVihar upbringing and claims to understand and follow Geeta teachings – so I mentioned to her that wanting/desiring diamond jewelry goes against Geeta teachings – she was quick to retract that it is ok as per Geeta teachings to “want/desire” jewelry as long as one doesn’t care if they get it or not. I was arguing that as per Geeta teachings it is not ok to  ‘want/desire’ jewelry – any thoughts from enlightened souls?

UB: No matter what Krishna says, wife is always right

VA: k so i take it Krishna supports me 🙂

UB: 😀. UB: This issue will come up from 7:20 onwards – so let us await this.

VG: which issue, Krishna advised arjuna on maintaining marital peace and harmony also?

UB: Hahaha – no. It is about kind of people who approach Him.

VG: 🙂

VB: 😀

PA: 😀. UB is not only well versed in the adhyatmic gyan but also an expert in the Worldly gyan. 👏🏻👍😄

UB: Expertise gained through hard on-the-ground beating …..

HB: Nice 7.1 to 7.3, liked the 3 qualities. I guess the universe conspires if one wants something sincerely, be it lord or jewellery 😆. VA, so long as u don’t expect anything in return for jewellery, Krishna is with u😉

VN: 😂😂

PA: 👍😂

UB: भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनोबुद्धिरेव च। अहङ्कार  इतीयं मेभिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा।।7.4।।

7.4. My (मे) nature (प्रकृति:) is divided (भिन्ना) eightfold (अष्टधा), such as the Earth (भूमि), the Water (आप:), the Fire (अनल:), the Wind (वायु), the Space (खं), the Mind (मन:), and also the Intellect (बुद्धि:) and the Ego (अहङ्कार:);

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मेपराम्। जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदंधार्यते जगत्।।7.5।।

7.5 This (इयम्) is My lower (अपरा) Prakrti (प्रकृति:). But (तु) O महाबाहो! know that My (मे) higher nature (परा प्रकृति:) is another. It is the life-principle (जीवभूतां), by which this universe (इदं जगत्) is sustained (धार्यते).

UB: 7:4/5 (1) – In these two verses, the entire Cosmology is conveyed – it is a rather simple dual aspect of परम् but wide in its conception/ application. One way to view परम् is as a person who is separate from us and this may have been our impression after reading first 6 chapters. भगवान् demolishes this idea and goes on to state that He is this Universe and everything within this Universe. He is made of two parts and both are अनादि – the अपरा प्रकृति & परा प्रकृति. These may be seen as matter & “beyond matter” or primary & secondary or invisible cause & visible cause. Both are Him only and both together make up our world including our own selves. In a typical creation of anything (say a pot), we have the material used for creation viz the material cause (उपादान कारण), namely clay used to make the pot and the creator or intelligence cause (निमित्त कारण), namely the potter. Both the potter & pot are separate entities and not the same. In the case of our universe however, both the उपादान & निमित्त कारण are one and the same as both belong to Him only. Subject & object is thus made of the same material. How is that possible? The मुंडक उपनिषद् says – As the web comes out of the spider, the Universe comes out of Him only. परा is also explained as the ‘perceiver or experiencer or the subject’ and अपरा as the ‘experienced or perceived or the object’. And yes, even our मन, बुद्धि & अहं-ness comes under अपरा viz object.

UB: 7:4/5 (2) – While both belong to Him, both परा & अपरा have different properties. These are:

One is सत्यम्, other is मिथ्य

One is निर्गुण, other is सगुण

One is निर्विकार, other is सविकार

One is स्वतंत्र, other is अस्वतंत्र

Behind every change, there is a changeless substratum. Movement of train can be perceived on the backdrop of a non-moving tree. Movement of two trains going adjacent at same speed can be detected when one looks at non-moving ground below. Moving picture on screen can be detected against backdrop of non-moving screen. अपरा प्रकृति is सविकार (changing) while परा प्रकृति is निर्विकार (non-changing). अपरा प्रकृति is dependent on परा प्रकृति and hence the former is called as मिथ्या while latter is called as सत्यम्. The former is also अस्वतंत्र while the latter is स्वतंत्र. अपरा is objectifying principle while परा has जीवभूतां or life or animating principle (life principle does not mean sentiency since even a rock will have both परा & अपरा ). Both परा & अपरा are Him only and whole Universe is nothing else but a mixture of अपरा & परा प्रकृति. However, while अपरा प्रकृति is व्यक्त (can be seen) while latter cannot be seen and thus अव्यक्त. So one does not have to search for It anywhere in the Universe since It is everywhere. It is in the clouds, It is in the pond, It is in the gutter, It is in the dog, It is in the donkey, It is in the waterfall, It is in the green leaves as well as dry leaves, It is within all humans as It is between two people too. All are in It since all have come from It only.

UB: 7:4/5 (3) – While both परा & अपरा are अनादि, at the time of सृष्टि (projection is a more valid word than creation), a state of अष्टधा happens when the undifferentiated अपरा प्रकृति becomes 8-fold. The पञ्च महाभूत are भूमि, अाप:, अग्नि, वायु & खं/आकाश and translated as Earth, water, Fire, Air and Space. These are not the physical Earth, water, etc but more subtle states of matter and may be seen as Solid, Liquid, Heat, Atmosphere & Space. What we see as water, fire, etc are actually the subtle elements mixed up through a process of पञ्चीकरण to form water, fire, etc. The details of this process is given in texts like पञ्चदशी or तत्व बोध and one may refer to these for more ज्ञान. And then we have three elements more subtle than पञ्च महाभूत viz मन, बुद्धि & अहंकार (or I-ness). These again are subtle states and our own मन, बुद्धि, etc are mixed up and are derivatives of the purer state. All these are अपरा प्रकृति including our own minds since all of them are सविकार (subject to change). Beauty is that while these may be secondary to परा प्रकृति, even these are part of the Divine but they run or are controlled by the परा प्रकृति or परम् or consciousness.

UB: 7:4/5 (4) – When a भक्ति filled person exclaims – तन मन धन सब है तेरा, this is not an emotional teary-weary cowardly cowing down to someone superior, it is literally the underpinning philosophical truth as per Gita. All three – तन, मन & धन are nothing else but projected out of अष्टधा only. How does one then conceive of this Universe? We may liken सृष्टि निर्माण to our projection of our dream life. Just like we have a dream persona where we fly planes, break doors, etc but in reality, both our dream persona and dream physical objects are projections of our own persona, this Universe may be seen as a similar projection. Just like our dream persona dies when we wake up, our so-called physical persona in this Universe dies when we wake up (meaning attain our original state of निर्वाण). They say that for a स्थितप्रज्ञ, even in their dream, they know that they are dreaming unlike our case where our dream persona is real for us while dreaming. When we attain निर्वाण, even while living in this world, we live with knowledge that this world is a make believe and not real. Lastly, just like we have a persona in our dream, we continue having a persona in waking world even after dream world collapses; similarly, we continue to live even after destruction of the physical world and once we attain मोक्ष. We then go beyond the confines of अपरा प्रकृति and regain the state of परा प्रकृति driven frame of life.

UB: 7:4/5 (5) – The interplay between Changeless & Changing is an everyday occurrence too. We may want to visit different restaurants and try out different menu but the people with whom we seek this experience remains unchanging. Companies try out different products and open shops in different markets but what is unchanging is focus on bottom line. A mountaineer may go to different peaks regularly to challenge himself and the joy derived from scaling peaks is unchanging. One may move around the city or the world the whole day and enjoy variety but this is done on security that one has an unchanging home to return to. A संयासी may move from place to place and engage with different people throughout his life but he is fixated on the changeless परम् which gives him the आधार to sustain life. The अव्ययम् gives us security while the changing gives us variety & depth. Only security will make life boring while only variety will make us edgy and ensure. Thus, while living amidst the changing world, if our आधार is the permanent परम्, we will be secure forever but if our आधार is built on temporal aspects (like friends, good memories, etc), we will have to be born again till we attain permanent आधार, our own permanent identity, the परम्.

HB: I liked the distinction between changeless and changing..

PS: Please elaborate on अनादि … what does it mean?

UB: अनादि means जिसका आदि न हो meaning beginning less

PS: Why is the idea of अनादि important to these verses, would the meaning change were it not mentioned?  And if “without beginning” is relevant, should there also be a “without end”?

UB: PS – अनादि word is key. We always talk of humans evolving from monkeys who in turn evolved from bacteria which in turn from Earth, from Sun….till we reach the primary particle 1/100th second after big bang. Even if reach an answer to this Q, we will then ask – why did big bang happen? उपनिषद् also does this exercise of infinite regress but they also realized that anything that has an आदि has to have an end too. And the inevitable Q is – if परम् also has an आदि, who created it? Then they observed around that any ‘change’ always has a ‘changeless’ substratum and thus came with the idea of परा प्रकृति which is eternal, अनादि. If a thing is अनादि, by default, it will not have an end. However, there are places where this point is also mentioned but at most places, the अनादि word is used more.

UB: Essentially the idea is that anything which has an आदि is, for this reason, subject to change, and anything that is subject to change is अपरा प्रकृति. 2:16 made exactly this point right at the start that only that is सत् or सत्यम् which is indestructible and eternal. Everything else is subject to change and thus असत् or मिथ्या. And since the substratum of all that is असत् has to be सत्, we are driven to conclude that there is indeed some aspect of the Universe that is सत्. This is what is called as परा प्रकृति and search for this eternal Truth or Reality is what Gita is seeking to convey. Simple logic really 😀

UB: एतद्योनीनि भूतानिसर्वाणीत्युपधारय।अहं कृत्स्नस्यजगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा।।7.6।।

7.6 Know that (इति उपधारय) all beings (सर्वाणी भूतानि) have these two (एतद्) for the source of their birth (योनीनि). Therefore, I am (अहं) the origin (प्रभवः) and the dissolution (तथा प्रलय:) of the whole universe (कृत्स्नस्य जगतः).

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्तिधनञ्जय।मयि सर्वमिदं  प्रोतं सूत्रेमणिगणा इव।।7.7।।

7.7. There (अस्ति) exists (अस्ति) nothing (न अन्यत् किञ्चिद्) beyond (परतरं) Me (मत्तः), O धनञ्जय; all this (इदं सर्वम्) is strung (प्रोतं) on Me (मयि) just as (इव) the groups of pearls (मणिगणा) on a string (सूत्रे)

UB: 7:6/7 – विष्णुसहस्रनाम has a name for परम् viz सूत्रमान. He is the सूत्र (meaning the thread), the आधार, on whom the प्रकृति rests on or is dependent on. सूत्र is invisible or अव्यक्त while मणि is visible or व्यक्त. But without the सूत्र, there is no string of pearls; without परम्, there is no Universe. Universe is thus the body of the परम्. At origin, the Universe projects from the परम्; at dissolution, the universe merges back into परम् just like dream originates within us when we go to sleep and dissolves into us when we wake up. Just like we are always there (both in dream and waking up state), परम् is always there when the Universe originates or dissolves. Where does अपरा प्रकृति go at the time of प्रलय or dissolution? It goes nowhere; it merges within परम् only. And when सृष्टि (or projection) happens, He projects what is already within Him as the व्यक्त Universe. So while Universe originates from within him, what is His own source? He has no source – He is the source and the end too. Beyond Him or Her or It, there is none else. He is eternal, शाश्वत and only that which is always present deserves the tag सत्यम्.

UB: रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मिशशिसूर्ययोः। प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दःखे पौरुषं नृषु।।7.8।।

7.8. O कौन्तेय! I  am (अहं अस्मि) the taste in waters; the light (प्रभा अस्मि) in the moon and the sun (शशिसूर्ययोः); the best hymn (OM)(प्रणवः) in the entire Vedas (सर्ववेदेषु); the sound (शब्दःखे) that exists in the space (or the mystic hymnal sound in the entire Vedas-a sound that is in the space) (खे); and the human-ness (पौरुषं) or vigour in humans (नृषु).

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मिविभावसौ। जीवनं सर्वभूतेषुतपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु।।7.9।।

7.9. I am the pure (पुण्यो) smell (गन्धः) in the earth (पृथिव्यां); I am also (च अस्मि) the brilliance (तेज:) in the fire (विभावसौ); I am (अस्मि) the life (जीवनं) in all beings (सर्वभूतेषु) and austerity (तप:) in the ascetics (तपस्विषु).

UB: 7:8/9 (1) – Conception of भगवान् in these verses overthrows the popular ideas of भगवान्. How does one do उपासना of the परम्? परा is expressed as something beyond the senses, the unseen सूत्र, but our senses & mind are primarily driven to cognize something that has a form. So is there a way out? भगवान् gives a way here. He says – look for the essence of all that you see around yourself. Beyond the form, there is an essence in everything – this essence is Me only. Our भगवान् says – look for the सूक्ष्म as against getting carried away by स्थूल. Once you are able to do such a type of उपासना, mind is already getting trained to locate for the essence in all and thus become सूक्ष्म in its outlook. Once such an habit gains momentum, one is already geared to locate the essence everywhere – over time, this mindset will take one to the doors of the essence of all, the परा प्रकृति, the ब्रह्म, the परम्. So inculcate a habit – wherever you see any aspect that impresses you, know that to me Me only. Nothing is outside me. Brilliance of आदि शंकर or Einstien is me only; Musical ability of पंडित भीमसेन जोशी is me only and the ability of working hard or dedication expressed by anyone is Me only. Thus any expression of greatness, grandeur or beauty or discipline or calmness or motherly love any other attribute is Me only. So if you want to have an experience of श्रीदेवी, see her in your own mother. Her obsessive undying love for you is nothing other than श्रीदेवी acting through your mother. So serve her if you want to serve Me. The very life we are living is Him only. One logical doubt may come – is idiocy of idiots and stupidity of stupids also Him only? Let us park this संशय for a while; we will return to it later.

UB: 7:8/9 (2) – One aspect of Vedic Cosmology will be touched upon here. The सृष्टि निर्माण happens in stages and the physical सृष्टि starts with आकाश followed by वायु, अग्नि, आप: and भू as a gradual devolution from सूक्ष्म to स्थूल. The quality of आकाश is शब्द, that of वायु is शब्द & स्पर्श, that of fire is शब्द, स्पर्श & रूप, water is शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप & रस and earth is शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप, रस & गंध (for details, refer आदि शंकर कृत तत्वबोध). भगवान् says there that these represent essences of physical space, air ,etc and know these essences to be Me only. प्रणव or OM is meant to be a essence of the वेद and भगवान् thus says that He is OM, the essence of the वेद. All that is best everywhere and all that is the essence of anything is HIM only. There is no other. All around you therefore, भगवान् is expressing HERSELF. How can one say that one cannot see or experience the भगवान्? So go ahead and cultivate this mindset of looking at essence in all as Me only.

VB: How does one cultivate the mindset of looking at essence in all as Me if I am also Me? Same Me is in me.

UB: This is indeed the puzzling bit of Gita, Upanishads, etc. And since this is difficult to conceive, they resort to analogies. The “me” that I am used to is a part of the larger “Me” just like wave is to an ocean. Wave is nothing else but rising of the ocean at a certain point of time. Any idea of the wave to ascribe a separate identity for itself different from the ocean is Avidya on the part of the wave. In reality, there is no other – there is ocean only. It is the force of the ocean that decides how big the wave should rise and where it should rise – so is our life vis a vis  परम्.

UB: More such ideas will come in Chapter 10 culminating in fascinating विश्वरूप दर्शन in CH 11 which may help us in taking us closer to this conception.

PA: Very very profound verses in the beginning of the chapter 7. Also, great question VB and great answer. Same idea conveyed in this beautiful mantra from Upanishads

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate || Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

1: Om, That (Outer World) is Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); This (Inner World) is also Purna (Full with Divine Consciousness); From Purna comes Purna (From the Fullness of Divine Consciousness the World is manifested) ,

2: Taking Purna from Purna, Purna Indeed Remains (Because Divine Consciousness is Non-Dual and Infinite).

3: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

UB: 👍👍👍 One of the most profound verses indeed

PK: Similar concept in 4:24 “Brahmarpanam brahmahavi,,,To a gyani ( wise person), BRAHM or   is the performer offering  BRAHM to the agni which is also BRAHM, invoking BRAHM and obtaining BRAHM as the ultimate salvation i.e.   everything pervasive is BRAHM

UB: Indeed 👍

PA: This is beautiful said and just trying to assimilate it. So in effect we all humans have a changing and a non changing aspect. The changing aspect is basically the 8 different elements of nature namely Akash(ether), wind, fire, water and earth. (स्थूल शरीर), Man(mind), buddi (intellect) and ego (ahankar). (सुखशन शरीर). And the non changing anadi or Aad or primal (Atma). When one dies the sthuhl body goes back to the 5 elements and the सूक्ष्म शरीर will travel ahead. Both the changing and the changeless parts are the lower and higher nature of the Lord. The analogy with dreams is very powerful as this whole reality is the wakeful dream where the Lord is the creator and when we sleep we also sort of create a reality that’s so real originating from Us. It reminds us that we have this part like god that creates this reality. We wake up and it’s gone! But we know that it’s a dream. This part THAT Knows that it’s a dream is the unchanging part. Like we say I slept well, I slept bad, I had a dream that I is THAT – unchangeable all knowing

HB: “Beyond the form, there is an essence, this essence is me”. I can think of only one essence underling all Sthula and sukshma, and that is Energy in its purest form. It is pervasive ( anadi) and drives galaxies, solar system, planets, satellite, matter, sub atomic particles and so on. It governs the animate and the inanimate. If we assume this definition, then param is energy.

HB: We are in it and it is in us.

PA: Beautifully said HB

UB: बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थसनातनम्। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमताम् अस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्।।7.10।।

7.10. O पार्थ! Know Me (विद्धि) as the eternal (सनातनम्) seed (बीजं) of all beings (सर्वभूतानां); I am (अस्मि) the intellect (बुद्धि:) of the intellectuals (र्बुद्धिमताम्) and the brilliance (तेज:) of the brilliant (तेजस्विनाम्).

UB: 7:10 (1) – The word बीजं ascribed to परम् is appreciable as He is popularly seen as सृष्टि निर्माण कर्ता. One must note that a बीज does not create a tree but merely projects it from within itself. परम् also thus merely projects all new lives. What are these projected from? Further, श्रीकृष्ण uses the word सनातनम् (eternal) for बीजं. Why so? Every new life on Earth is usually seen as an act of procreation of male & female. However, as per various Indian दर्शन शास्त्र, the act of procreation is just a निमित्त – it is individual’s own कर्म that is the cause of him or her taking a new life. Given this, परम् may be seen as one who ‘projects’ all new lives of all जीव in a certain manner out of the causal कर्म of all such beings. We saw earlier that all the spiritual merit one has attained remains with them. They carry this into their next life. Who guarantees this act of preservation of spiritual merit as well as making us face effects or consequences of our own कर्म in our future lives? It is परम् indeed who makes this possible. Hence, one of His names in the विष्णुसहस्रनाम is विधाता meaning one who determines the outcomes of all कर्म. परम् may be seen as One who provides a consistent ecosystem that facilitates cause – effect interplay to work smoothly or we can say that He projects all new lives based on causal कर्म of all beings on a continuous basis; hence He calls Himself as बीजं सनातनम्.

UB: 7:10 (2) – परम् is the intellect and brilliance among all. How do we understand this? We have to use an analogy (used earlier too I think) with a rider that all analogies have their own limitations. Force behind glowing of all bulbs is the electricity. Without electricity, no bulb can glow. Equally, depending on the wattage, the glow of each bulb varies and further the glow of bulbs covered with a cloth will be lower than other normal bulbs. However, the flow of electricity is common and consistent across all bulbs. Similarly, the brilliance and intelligence that plays out in all is not that of the जीव (bulb) but belongs to the domain of परम् (electricity). Presence of अहंभाव within the जीव (viz us) brings about limited-ness and we cover ourselves with a cloth meaning we use the instrument of our body for limited purposes. Therefore, the glow emanating out from each varies owing to our own indiscretions but if and when we remove this covering by making our मन & बुद्धि as fit receptacles, the बुद्धि and तेज of परम् will then flow from us fully and we will then in full glory. परम् does not show favouritism to one body as against another just like the Sun does not show favouritism in giving itself to all or electricity to all bulbs.

VG: finding chapter 7 little heavy

UB: I agree – it is ब्रह्म विद्या. We have to stretch ourselves to catch these ideas. But I promise that once you catch it, it will become addictive.

PA: In yogananda words all life is actually an interplay of light and shadow. Just like a projector in a film theatre projects light on a screen where one sees the drama being enacted looking so real; however a glance back at the projector one sees just a white beam of light coming from the room.  Looking at the drama on the screen one. Cries laughs and has all the emotions whereas turning ones glance at the white light emitting out of the projector room one is detached and just is in praise for this wonder of light and shadows. Stay with the param stay with the white light. It’s a beautiful example🙏🏻👍 Moon is lit up at night and looks beautiful but this light is the reflected light of the sun ☀ moon by itself cannot shine without the sun. Our ego makes us think that we are the cause us shining whereas the actual cause and effect is just the param. Just another example that I thought of sharing. 🙏

UB: Yes PA – this is also a perfectly valid example. 👍

PK: 🙏🙏. Nice example and very well put PA 🙏

UB: The अधिष्ठान देवता of the mind is the moon. The idea is that just like moon shines on the reflected light of the Sun, our mind works using the light of आत्मा reflected on it.

PA: Thanks PK and UB  🙏🙏

UB: बलं बलवतामस्मिकामरागविवर्जितम्।धर्माविरुद्धोभूतेषु कामोऽस्मिभरतर्षभ।।7.11।।

7.11 Of the strong (बलं), I am (अस्मि) the strength (बलवताम्) devoid of desire and attachment (काम राग विवर्जितम्) and in (all) beings (भूतेषु), I am (अस्मि) the desire (काम:) unopposed to धर्म (धर्म:अ-विरुद्ध:) O भरतर्षभ.

UB: 7:11 (1): This line by भगवान् is fascinating. He says that when we do a कर्म of the nature of काम but which is within the bounds of धर्म, we can say that परम् is acting through us for such कर्म. All काम is not to be seen as negative. परम् is काम within us that is unopposed to धर्म. Thus, to have sensual relations with one’s own spouse is धर्म and thus a valid काम. To aspire to become PM to serve people of the country is a valid काम. To practice hard and aspire to win Gold to make parents and society proud is a valid काम. Can we however conclude that having काम for others’ property to feed one’s own family is also a valid काम? Such simplistic extrapolation must be avoided. If robbing is done after one has genuinely tried all alternatives to income including begging, one may give a benefit of doubt to such a robbery. Also, if such a robbery is followed by प्रायश्चित and such a robber attempts to make good the loss caused to others on account of him, one can say that such a person has strayed on account of काम but since he has done प्रायश्चित कर्म (because he has repented), the blot arising from the काम कर्म has been erased. Else, indulging in a कर्म that is not one own’s सहज धर्म but instead done out of काम that  harms others cannot be seen as a valid काम. Thus, परम् is fine with all acts done by law abiding and rule abiding people who help others while pursuing valid काम.

UB: 7:11 (2): Equally, बलम्  must be used for acts that are devoid of काम & राग. If used otherwise, it is an expression of अहंकार and cannot be seen as an expression of परम् in a person. Therefore, the बलम् of महाराणा प्रताप is revered but that of Colonel Dyer castigated. बलम्  of श्रीआंजनेय is remembered forever not because of the wonderful expression of बलम् against राक्षसा: but because this best expression of बलम् had no iota of personal benefit or selfishness but it was the best He displayed his बलम् for परम् only – there was no sense of काम or राग in the use of such a बलम् and hence it will be remembered forever. Thus, we may say that the बलम् exhibited by श्रीआंजनेय is really that of परम् acting fully within him. If this verse is taken in a responsible way, it should be a relief for us and useless guilt for pursuing legitimate काम need not arise within us. However, we should guard against misuse of this verse and pursue अधर्म.

PA: Interesting analogy with the underlying devta of the mind is the moon yesterday. All mental and physical faculties used to take up a action in line with dharma or rather doing service to others with no selfish interest in whatever form and to raise arms to fight to protect society from people who want to fulfill their selfish motives of expansion and to colonize l is something where the param and the Force is  behind you. Undying strength and endurance. Strength flows through non attachment and non-selfish motives. Thoughts of me my I seems to only make us restless and lead to lack of strength.

UB: Undying strength and endurance 👏👏

UB: ये चैव सात्त्विका भावाराजसास्तामसाश्च ये। मत्त  एवेतितान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु तेमयि।।7.12।।

7.12. Those (ये च इव) beings [in the universe] born from सत्त्व (सात्त्विका) and from रजस् (राजसा:) and from तमस् (तामसा:) know (विद्धि) them to be from Me only (मत्त एेव इति); I am not in them (न तु अहं), but they are in Me (ते मयि).

UB: 7:12 (1) – Behind every physical expression, there is a non-physical idea. From a Universe perspective, while परम् may be seen as the potter, अष्टधा as clay used to make the pot, गुण-mix may be seen as the shape in which the pot is moulded. All of life is made up of three गुण – सत्व, रजस् & तमस्. These are not physical categories but key अध्यात्म categories. While परम् is beyond the गुण (गुण + अतीत), all of life including our own minds is enmeshed with गुण. They are as fundamental as sweetness to sugar or goldness to ornaments. Remove these and the objects no longer remain what they are. When a rush of compassion for poor consumes me, one may say that I am immersed in सत्व at that point of time. Now, this rush of compassion is not coming from a physical part of my body though some parts of my brain may get activated as a reaction owing to compassion.  गुण is thus given as something innate in each of us, in plants, in rocks, in animals and in fact all over the Universe. More on गुण in CH 14.

UB: 7:12 (2) – Now भगवान् declares it is He who projects the Universe with a certain गुण orientation as per His Divine Will. The entire Universe is thus within him. He quickly adds a puzzle. He says – while all beings are in Him, He is not in them. What is meant here? The गुणातीत परम् projected this world where every aspect has a नाम & रूप. A rock has a नाम, say “stone” & a रूप, say “round”. However, even if the rock is given no नाम and has another रूप, it still remains a rock. The “rock is-ness” has nothing to do with नाम & रूप.  Similarly, परम् represents Unity, the seeming variety within the Universe is bound by the Unity just like a flock of birds flying together has many birds bound together. Equally, the unity is not within the variety. The integrality is present in the diversity, but the diversity is not in the integrality. This is a peculiarity which we have to note when भगवान् says, “Everything is in Me, but I am not in anything.” This is because all particulars hang on the Universal. All flowers are in a garland but there is no garland in a single flower. The waves are in the ocean but there is no ocean in a single wave. The particulars cannot exist unless the Universal is there, but the Universal can exist without the particulars. Hence, “Everything is in Me, but I am not in them”

UB: 7:12 (3) – What is the message of this verse? We may have a unique identity with a certain type of गुण-mix. But this identity has come from the force that has emanated out of परम्. But the meaning of my life will come about if we connect with the whole viz the परम्. If we live as limited identifying with my dominant गुण, परम् does not shine through me or exist in me. But when I live as part of the whole like a single bird within a flock, we will fly beautifully with symmetry of Unity. In that stage, just like a single bird becomes one with many, once I unite with परम्, I become the परम् and live as परम्. This is the meaning one can take from this verse.

UB: त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदंजगत्। मोहितं नाभिजानातिमामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्।।7.13।।

7.13. Being deluded (मोहितं) by these (एभि:) expressions (भावै:) that are modifications of the three (त्रिभिर्गुणमय) this entire (सर्वम् इदं) world (जगत्) does not recognise (न अभिजानाति) Me (माम्) Who am (एभ्य:) distinct or beyond the three गुण (परम्) and changeless (अव्ययम्).

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम मायादुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्तेमायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।

7.14 (a) Because (हि) this (एषा) My Maya (मम माया) consisting of the three Gunas (assumed for purposes of लीला) (गुणमयी) is Divine (दैवी) and hard to overcome (दुर् अत्यया).  But those (ते) who take refuge in or seek (प्रपद्यन्ते) Me alone (माम् एव)  shall cross (तरन्ति) beyond this Maya (एतां मायां)

UB: 7:13/14 – Because we are infested with गुण, we impute our ideas based on limitedness on the परम्. We use words like ‘परम् is uncaring’ (like when we try to analyse राम) or ‘परम् is destructive’, etc. भगवान् is very clear here – He is अव्ययम्, the changeless substratum behind the change and he thus remains beyond the गुण-mix that is the trait of the Universe including our own minds. This गुण-mix is also referred to as माया. माया thus does not mean magic or illusion but something distinct from the changeless substratum. It has two aspects – आवरण शक्ति & विक्षेप शक्ति. While the former covers the vision of the Truth, the latter gives the vision of a lower limited reality as Truth. However, when one is able to go beyond माया and is able to connect with the अव्ययम् and hold on to it (like a log of wood while sinking in the river), he can survive the fury of the river of life (known as संसार) and cross his way to safety.

UB: न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्तेनराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरंभावमाश्रिताः।।7.15।।

7.15 The doers of wrong acts (दुष्कृतिनो), who are foolish (मूढाः), the most depraved among men (नर अधमाः), do not seek Me (न मां प्रपद्यन्ते). They are who are deprived or robbed (अपहृत) of (their) wisdom (ज्ञाना) by माया (मायया), and who resort to आसुर ways (आसुरं भावम्) do not take refuge in Me (आश्रिताः).

UB: 7:15 (1) – Who is one with आसुरी प्रवृति? Who is a theist & an atheist? Gita will not allow us to get away with popular ideas that a theist is one who “believes” in a personal God and an atheist as one who does not. And there is third word, Agnostic, for the guy sitting on the fence. असुर is one who does not seek परम्. What does seeking परम् mean? श्रीकृष्ण has conveyed thus far that परम् works in people who rely on पौरुषम् (self-reliant ones who value self-effort), whose काम is within the bounds of धर्म and whose बलम्  is used for purposes other than काम & राग apart as well as those who possess बुद्धि & तेज. परम् seekers are those who live life pursuing such “changeless” attributes. Those others who rely not on such attributes but instead live limited lives with shifting minds are the real atheists or असुर. Their acts remain in the realm of reverse psychology instead of dwelling in पौरुषम्, धार्मिक काम, etc. भगवान् uses strong language here. Such people are referred to as मूढ, अधम (low बुद्धि) among humans who indulge in acts that are not in keeping with धर्म. Because they do not seek परम्, wisdom eludes them. Therefore, they remain away from Him and are never able to conceive the Highest.

UB: 7:15 (2) – If we take a garland of pearls as an expression of परम्, the सूत्र becomes परा प्रकृति and the pearls as अपरा प्रकृति. In such a case, an atheist may be taken as one who sees each individual pearl as separate and is dazzled by difference of each such pearl. A परम् ज्ञानी is one who is constantly aware of the सूत्र that binds the pearl and thus sees beauty in each pearl owing to its connection with the सूत्र. And seekers like us may be defined as theists who see the pearls, are dazzled by them, unable to sense the presence of the सूत्र but do have conviction that there does appear to be some invisible सूत्र that binds all the pearls. Seekers are thus those who are pursuing life to discover the invisible link that binds all pearls.