Knowledge and Realizationज्ञानविज्ञानयोग

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

mayy-āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ,
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu.

With your mind attached to me, O Arjuna, practicing yoga and taking refuge in me, hear how you will know me completely and without any doubt.

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः।
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते॥

jñānaṁ te ‘haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ,
yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo ‘nyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate.

I will teach you this knowledge in full, together with its direct realization. Once you know it, nothing further remains here to be known.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये।
यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः॥

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye,
yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ.

Among thousands of people, hardly one strives for perfection. And even among those who strive and succeed, hardly one knows me as I truly am.

Live it todayFew seek the truth sincerely; let quiet effort make you one of them.

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

bhūmir āpo ‘nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca,
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā.

Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and the sense of I: these are the eight divisions of my nature.

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

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām,
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat.

This is my lower nature. But know that I have another, higher nature, O mighty-armed one: it has become the living beings, and by it this whole world is upheld.

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय।
अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा॥

etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇīty upadhāraya,
ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā.

Understand that all beings arise from these two natures of mine. I am the origin of the whole universe, and I am also its dissolution.

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

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya,
mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva.

There is nothing higher than me, Arjuna. All this is strung upon me like pearls upon a thread.

Live it todayOne thread runs through every separate-looking thing.

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

raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ,
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu.

I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti, and the light of the moon and the sun. I am Om in all the Vedas, sound in space, and the strength in human beings.

Live it todayTaste a sip of water today as a touch of the Divine.

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

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau,
jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu.

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

Live it todayThe scent of rain on the earth is a quiet reminder of the Divine.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्।
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्॥

bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam,
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham.

Know me, O Arjuna, as the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the brilliance of the brilliant.

Live it todayYour sharpest thinking is a gift; use it with humility.

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्।
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ॥

balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam,
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo ‘smi bharatarṣabha.

In the strong, I am strength free from craving and attachment. In all beings, O Arjuna, I am desire that does not go against dharma.

Live it todayKeep your desires within dharma, and even they become sacred.

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

ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye,
matta eveti tān viddhi na tv ahaṁ teṣu te mayi.

Know that all states of being, whether of goodness, passion or inertia, come from me alone. Yet I am not in them; they are in me.

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्॥

tribhir guṇamayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat,
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam.

Bewildered by these three states born of the gunas, the whole world does not recognize me, who am beyond them and imperishable.

Live it todayMoods are passing weather; the Divine beyond them does not change.

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

daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā,
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

This divine maya of mine, woven of the three gunas, is hard to cross. But those who take refuge in me alone pass beyond it.

Live it todayWhat you cannot untangle alone, surrender helps you cross.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः॥

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ,
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ.

Wrongdoers, the deluded and the lowest of people do not turn to me. Their understanding stolen by maya, they cling to a demonic nature.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ॥

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna,
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha.

Four kinds of virtuous people worship me, O Arjuna: the one in distress, the one who longs to know, the one who seeks gain, and the one who has wisdom.

Live it todayWhatever brings you to prayer, pain or longing, the turning itself is good.

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः॥

teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate,
priyo hi jñānino ‘tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ.

Of these, the wise one excels, always united with me and devoted to me alone. For I am exceedingly dear to the wise, and the wise one is dear to me.

Live it todayDevotion that wants nothing else is the dearest kind.

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्॥

udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tv ātmaiva me matam,
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim.

All of these are noble, but I hold the wise one to be my very self. For, steady in yoga, that one rests in me alone as the highest goal.

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः॥

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate,
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.

At the end of many births, the one who has wisdom takes refuge in me, knowing that Vasudeva is everything. Such a great soul is very rare.

Live it todayPractice seeing the Divine in everyone you meet today.

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः।
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया॥

kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ‘nya-devatāḥ,
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā.

Those whose judgment has been carried off by one desire or another turn to other gods. Led by their own nature, they follow this observance or that.

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति।
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्॥

yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārcitum icchati,
tasya tasyācalāṁ śraddhāṁ tām eva vidadhāmy aham.

Whatever form a devotee wishes to worship with faith, I make that very faith of theirs firm and unshaken.

Live it todayPray in the form you love; sincere faith is made steady.

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते।
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्॥

sa tayā śraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate,
labhate ca tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān.

Filled with that faith, the devotee worships that form and gains from it what was desired. Yet those wishes are in truth granted by me alone.

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्।
देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि॥

antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām,
devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api.

But the fruit gained by those of limited understanding does not last. Those who worship the gods go to the gods; my devotees come to me.

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्॥

avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ,
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam.

The undiscerning think that I, the unmanifest, have come into being in a visible form. They do not know my higher nature, changeless and unsurpassed.

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः।
मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्॥

nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ,
mūḍho ‘yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam.

Veiled by my yoga maya, I am not revealed to all. This deluded world does not know me, the unborn and imperishable.

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन।
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन॥

vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni cārjuna,
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni māṁ tu veda na kaścana.

I know all beings that have been, that are, and that are yet to be, O Arjuna. But no one knows me.

Live it todayEven when you feel unseen, you are fully known.

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप॥

icchā-dveṣa-samutthena dvandva-mohena bhārata,
sarva-bhūtāni saṁmohaṁ sarge yānti parantapa.

Through the delusion of opposites, born of desire and aversion, O Arjuna, every being falls into confusion from the moment of birth.

Live it todayNotice how much confusion begins with simple liking and disliking.

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्।
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः॥

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām,
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ.

But people of good deeds, whose wrongdoing has come to an end, are freed from the delusion of opposites and worship me with firm resolve.

Live it todayKeep doing good; it clears the mind for steady devotion.

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये।
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्॥

jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya mām āśritya yatanti ye,
te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam.

Those who take refuge in me and strive for freedom from old age and death come to know Brahman fully, the inner self, and the whole of action.

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः।
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः॥

sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ ca ye viduḥ,
prayāṇa-kāle ‘pi ca māṁ te vidur yukta-cetasaḥ.

Those who know me together with the realm of beings, the realm of the gods and the Lord of sacrifice, their minds joined to me, know me even at the hour of death.