Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7
(Compiled notes)
Note: This is a series of study notes from the translation of Bhagavad Gita by Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (ISKCON founder) and titled as "Bhagvad Gita as it is". The copyright and content is that of Prabhupada & publishers. My part is simply distilling the knowledge from my self study and notes to share here in simple abridged form.
Gyan Vigyan Yoga - The Cosmic Yoga of the Absolute Truth
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7.3 - मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये । यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वत: ॥ ३ ॥
Out of thousand of men, some take interest in Spirituality. Out of those few, hardly any know Me in Truth.
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7.7 - मत्त: परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय । मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥ ७ ॥
Nothing in this cosmic manifestation is above Me. By Me the cosmic manifestation is strung like the pearls in necklace.
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7.8 - God is personal + impersonal simultaneously…
Explanation: The impersonalist perceives the presence of the Lord in water by its taste, and the personalist also glorifies the Lord for His kindly supplying tasty water to quench man’s thirst. That is the way of perceiving the Supreme. Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.
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7.11 - ...धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ॥ ११ ॥
sexual experiences in life, performed according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Kṛṣṇa conscious.
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7.14 - दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया । मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ १४ ॥
This divine Maya of Mine is very difficult to overcome. Only those who surrender to Me are able to overcome it.
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7.15 - न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढा: प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमा: । माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिता: ॥ १५ ॥
these 4 types of people: (1) grossly foolish persons, (2) the lowest of mankind, (3) the deluded speculators and (4) the professed atheists, as above mentioned, never surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead in spite of all scriptural and authoritative advice.
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7.16 - चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन । आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ १६ ॥
The following 4 types of devotees surrender to Me at all times. 1) Ones in distress, 2) the Spiritually inclined, 3) the seekers of wealth and 4) the wise (ie who are astute at observing and learning from life experiences.)
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7.17 - तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते । प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रिय: ॥ १७ ॥
Of these 4 types of devotees, the one who always seeks to know Me in Truth without motives, is dearest to Me.
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7.19 - बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते । वासुदेव: सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभ: ॥ १९ ॥
After many many births, such a rare devotee is able to fully surrender to Me, knowing Me as the cause of everything.
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7.26 - वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन । भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन ॥ २६ ॥
I know the past present and future of everyone and everything but noone knows Me fully.
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This is possible only because the Lord is above Maya, above material nature and beyond any affects of Karmic influences. Knowing this the spiritually inclined accept the Lord as supreme and willingly surrender to Him in Love, awe and respect.
My chosen verse from this chapter:
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ १४ ॥
This divine Maya of Mine is very difficult to overcome. Only those who surrender to Me are able to overcome it.
This verse clearly explains that without the Lords sanction, one cannot overcome Maya -- the false identification with "I me mine" -- no matter how much one tries. But if one simply surrenders the ego at the Lords feet and works unattached but with enthusiasm to please the Lord, the Lords blessings follow and wonderful things happen around the person.
This surrender (of ego) to the Lord is at the core of Bhakti Yoga.
