The Yoga of Knowledge and Realisation · 30shlokas · Sanskrit with Hindi & English meaning
Chapter 7 Overview — Jnana Vijnana Yoga
Chapter 7 marks a turning point in the Bhagavad Gita: the teaching shifts from the general (how to act and meditate) to the specific (who Krishna actually is). This chapter begins the great theophany — the progressive revelation of the Divine nature — that culminates in the cosmic vision of Chapter 11. Here, in 30 verses, Krishna reveals the dual nature of his reality: his lower nature (Apara Prakriti), which constitutes the entire material world, and his higher nature (Para Prakriti), the consciousness that sustains all life.
The central claim of Chapter 7 is both simple and staggering: there is nothing beyond Krishna. Everything that exists — earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, ego — is his lower nature. The life-force that animates every living being is his higher nature. And Krishna is the substratum upon which both natures rest. "I am the taste in water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable Om in the Vedas, the sound in space, the ability in human beings." The Divine is not distant. It is the very substance of what is experienced in every moment.
Chapter 7 also honestly addresses why most people do not recognise this truth: Maya — the divine creative power that generates the appearance of multiplicity and individuality. Maya is "divine" not in the sense of being good, but in the sense of being the Lord's own power. "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome." Only by surrendering to the Divine can one cross this veil.
Key Teachings of Chapter 7
Para and Apara Prakriti — Two Natures of the Divine
Krishna describes his two fundamental natures. Apara Prakriti (lower nature) is the eightfold material world: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and false ego — the stuff of which the physical universe is made. Para Prakriti (higher nature) is the life-principle, the consciousness that animates all beings. Both are aspects of the same Divine reality. This is not dualism — it is a single reality seen at two levels of subtlety.
Maya — The Mystery of Cosmic Illusion
Chapter 7's most challenging teaching is on Maya — not illusion in the sense that the world does not exist, but illusion in the sense that we misidentify what the world IS. We see separate, independent objects when actually there is a single, interdependent consciousness expressing itself in infinite forms. Maya is the force that makes the One appear as many, the eternal appear as temporal, the Self appear as ego. "Hard to pierce is My maya — but those who surrender to Me alone cross over it."
The Four Types of Devotees
Krishna identifies four types of people who approach the Divine: the distressed (seeking relief from suffering), the curious (seeking knowledge), the materially ambitious (seeking worldly goals), and the wise (seeking the Divine for its own sake). He honours all four, but says the wise devotee — who knows that God and the devotee are one, who worships without wanting anything other than God — is "dearest to Me and I am dear to them." This is the highest relationship the Gita envisions.
Practical Wisdom — Applying Chapter 7 Today
Chapter 7's teaching that the Divine is immanent in all sensory experience — the taste of water, the light of the moon, the sound in space — transforms ordinary moments into sacred encounters. When you eat mindfully and notice the actual taste, you are tasting what Krishna calls "Me in water." When you watch the sunrise and feel something open in your chest, that opening is the Para Prakriti recognising itself. The Gita does not ask you to leave the world to find God. It asks you to look more carefully at the world you are already in.
Sri Bhagavan said: Arjuna, now listen how with the mind attached to Me (through exclusive love) and practising Yoga with absolute dependence on Me, you will know Me (the
श्रीभगवान् बोले- हे पार्थ! अनन्य प्रेम से मुझ में आसक्त चित्त तथा अनन्य भाव से मेरे परायण होकर योग में लगा हुआ तू जिस प्रकार से सम्पूर्ण विभूति, बल, ऐश्वर्यादि गुणों से युक्त, सबके आत्मरूप मुझको संशयरहित जानेगा, उसको सुन ।।१।।
I shall unfold to you in its entirety this wisdom (Knowledge of God in His absolute formless aspect) along with the Knowledge of the qualified aspect of God (both with form and without form), having known which nothing else remains yet to be known in this world. (2)
मैं तेरे लिये इस विज्ञान सहित तत्त्व ज्ञान को सम्पूर्णतया कहूँगा, जिसको जानकर संसार में फिर और कुछ भी जानने योग्य शेष नहीं रह जाता ।।२।।
Hardly one among thousands of men strives to ralize Me; of those striving Yogis, again, some rare one (devoting himself exclusively to Me) knows Me in reality.
एक मेरे परायण होकर मुझको तत्त्व से अर्थात् यथार्थ रूप से जानता है ।।
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, reason and also ego; these constitute My nature eightfold
पृथ्वी, जल, अग्नि, वायु, आकाश, मन, बुद्धि और अहंकार भी—इस प्रकार यह आठ प्रकार से विभाजित मेरी प्रकृति है।
Chapter 7 · Verse 5
अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्।
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्।।
This is My lower nature; but beyond this, O mighty-armed one, know My higher nature, the life-principle by which this entire universe is sustained.
यह आठ प्रकार के भेदोंवाली तो अपरा अर्थात् मेरी जड़ प्रकृति है और हे महाबाहो ! इससे दूसरी को, जिससे यह सम्पूर्ण जगत् धारण किया जाता है, मेरी जीवरूपा परा अर्थात् चेतन प्रकृति जान।।
Arjuna, know that all beings have evolved from this twofold Prakrti, and that I am the source of the entire creation, and into Me again it disappears. (6)
हे अर्जुन ! तू ऐसा समझ कि सम्पूर्ण भूत इन दोनों प्रकृतियों से ही उत्पन्न होने वाले हैं और मैं सम्पूर्ण जगत् का प्रभव तथा प्रलय हूँ अर्थात् सम्पूर्ण जगत् का मूल कारण हूँ ।। ६ ।।
Arjuna, I am the sapidity in water and the light of the moon and the sun; I am the sacred syllable OM in all the Vedas, the sound in ether; and the manlinss in men. (8)
हे अर्जुन ! मैं जल में रस हूँ, चन्द्रमा और सूर्य में प्रकाश हूँ, सम्पूर्ण वेदों में ओंकार हूं तथा आकाश में शब्द और पुरुषों में पुरुषत्व हूँ ।। ८ ।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 9
पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ ।
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ।। ९ ।।
I am the sacred fragrance of the earth and the brilliance in fire; I am the life in all beings and the austerity in ascetics.
मैं पृथ्वी में पवित्र गन्ध और अग्नि में तेज हूँ तथा
Arjuna, know Me the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent; the glory of the glorious am I. (10)
हे अर्जुन ! तू सम्पूर्ण भूतों का सनातन बीज मुझ को ही जान । मैं बुद्धिमानों की बुद्धि और तेजस्वियों का तेज हूँ ।। १० ।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 11
Arjuna, of the mightly I am the might, free from passion and desire; in beings I am the sexual desire not conflicting with virtue or scriptural injunctions. (11)
Chapter 7 · Verse 12
ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये।
मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि।।१२।।
Whatever other entities there are, born of Sattva (the quality of goodness), and those that are born of Rajas (the principal of activity) and Tamas (the principal of intertia), know them all as evolved from Me alone. In reality, however, neither do I exist in them, nor they in Me. (12)
और भी जो सत्त्वगुण से उत्पन्न होने वाले भाव हैं और जो रजोगुण से तथा तमोगुण से होने वाले भाव हैं, उन सबको तू 'मुझसे ही होने वाले हैं' ऐसा जान। परंतु वास्तव में उनमें मैं और वे मुझमें नहीं हैं।।१२।।
The whole of this creation is deluded by these objects evolved from the three modes of Prakrti-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas; that is why the world fails to recognize Me, standing apart from these and impersihable. (13)
गुणों के कार्यरूप सात्त्विक, राजस और तामस — इन तीनों प्रकार के भावों से यह सब संसार — प्राणि-समुदाय मोहित हो रहा है, इसीलिये इन तीनों गुणों से परे मुझ अविनाशी को नहीं जानता ।। १३ ।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 14
For this most wonderful Maya (veil) of Mine, consisting of the three Gunas (modes of Nature), is extremely difficult to break through; those, however, who constantly adore Me alone are able to cross it. (14)
Chapter 7 · Verse 15
न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः।।१५।।
Those whose wisdom has been carried away by Maya, and who have embraced the demoniac nature, such foolish and vile men of evil deeds do not adore Me. (15)
माया के द्वारा जिनका ज्ञान हरा जा चुका है ऐसे आसुर-स्वभाव को धारण किये हुए, मनुष्यों में नीच, दूषित कर्म करने वाले मूढ लोग मुझको नहीं भजते ।।१५।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 16
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ।।१६।।
O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, four kinds of virtuous men worship Me: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the man of wisdom.
हे भरतश्रेष्ठ अर्जुन! चार प्रकार के पुण्यकर्मा मनुष्य मेरा भजन करते हैं—आर्त (दुखी), जिज्ञासु (ज्ञान की इच्छा रखने वाला), अर्थार्थी (धन की इच्छा रखने वाला) और ज्ञानी।
Chapter 7 · Verse 17
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते ।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः ।। १७ ।।
Of these best is the man of wisdom, ever established in indentity with Me and possessed of exclusive devotion. For I am extremely dear to the wise man (who knows Me in reality), and he is extremely dear to me. (17)
उनमें नित्य मुझ में एकीभाव से स्थित अनन्य प्रेम भक्ति वाला ज्ञानी भक्त अति उत्तम है, क्योंकि मुझको तत्त्व से जानने वाले ज्ञानी को मैं अत्यन्त प्रिय हूँ और वह ज्ञानी मुझे अत्यन्त प्रिय है ।। १७ ।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 18
उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्।।१८।।
Indeed all these are noble, but the man of wisdom is My very self: such is My view. For such a devotee, who has his mind and intellect merged in Me, is firmly established in Me alone, the highest goal. (18)
ये सभी उदार हैं, परंतु ज्ञानी तो साक्षात् मेरा स्वरूप ही है, ऐसा मेरा मत है, क्योंकि वह मद्गत मन-बुद्धिवाला ज्ञानी भक्त अति उत्तम गतिस्वरूप मुझ में ही अच्छी प्रकार स्थित है ।।१८।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 19
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।१९।।
In the very last of all births the enlightened soul worships Me, realizing that all this is God. Such a great soul is very rare. (19)
बहुत जन्मों के अन्त के जन्म में तत्त्व ज्ञान को प्राप्त पुरुष, सब कुछ वासुदेव ही है-इस प्रकार मुझ को भजता है, वह महात्मा अत्यन्त दुर्लभ है ।।१९।।
Those whose wisdom has been carried away by various desires, being prompted by their own nature, worship other deities adopting rules relating to each. (20)
उन-उन भोगों की कामना द्वारा जिनका ज्ञान हरा जा चुका है, वे लोग अपने स्वभाव से प्रेरित होकर उस-उस नियम को धारण करके अन्य देवताओं को भजते हैं अर्थात् पूजते हैं ।।२०।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 21
यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति ।
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम् ।।२१।।
Whatever celestial form a devotee (craving
जो-जो सकाम भक्त जिस-जिस देवता के स्वरूप को श्रद्धा से पूजना चाहता है, उस-उस भक्त की श्रद्धा को मैं उसी देवता के प्रति स्थिर करता हूँ ।।२१।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 22
स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते।
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान्।।२२।।
Endowed with such faith he worship that particular deity and obtains through him without doubt his desired enjoyments as ordained by Myself. (22)
वह पुरुष उस श्रद्धा से युक्त होकर उस देवता का पूजन करता है और उस देवता से मेरे द्वारा ही विधान किये हुए उन इच्छित भोगों को निःसन्देह प्राप्त करता है ।।२२।।
But finite is the fruit gained by those of small intelligence; the worshipers of the gods go to the gods, but My devotees come to Me.
परंतु उन अल्प बुद्धिवालों का वह फल नाशवान् है तथा वे देवताओं को पूजने वाले देवताओं को प्राप्त होते हैं और मेरे भक्त चाहे जैसे ही भजें, अन्त में वे मुझ को ही प्राप्त होते हैं ।।२३।।
Not knowing My unsurpassable and undecaying supreme nature, the ignorant believe Me, the supreme Spirit beyond the reach of mind and senses, the embodiment of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss, to have assumed a finite form through birth (as an ordinary human being). (24)
बुद्धिहीन पुरुष मेरे अनुत्तम अविनाशी परम भाव को न जानते हुए मन-इन्द्रियों से परे मुझ सच्चिदानन्दघन परमात्मा को मनुष्य की भाँति जन्म कर व्यक्ति भाव को प्राप्त हुआ मानते हैं ।।२४।।
Veiled by My divine power, I am not manifest to all; this deluded world does not recognize Me as the unborn and imperishable.
मैं अपनी योगमाया से ढका हुआ सबके लिए प्रकट नहीं होता हूँ, इसलिए यह अज्ञानी संसार मुझे जन्मरहित और अविनाशी के रूप में नहीं जान पाता।
Chapter 7 · Verse 26
वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन।
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन।।२६।।
Arjuna, I know all beings, past as well as present, nay, even those that are yet to come; but none (devoid of faith and reverence) knows Me.
हे अर्जुन ! पूर्व में व्यतीत हुए और वर्तमान में स्थित तथा आगे होने वाले सब भूतों को मैं जानता हूँ, परंतु मुझको कोई भी श्रद्धा-भक्तिरहित पुरुष नहीं जानता ।। २६ ।।
O valiant Arjuna, through delusion in the shape of pairs of opposites (such as pleasure and pain etc.), born of desire and hatred, all living creatures in this world are falling a prey to infatuation. (27)
हे भरतवंशी अर्जुन ! संसार में इच्छा और द्वेष से उत्पन्न सुख-दुःखादि द्वन्द्वरूप मोह से सम्पूर्ण प्राणी अत्यन्त अज्ञता को प्राप्त हो रहे हैं ।।२७।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 28
येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्।
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः।।२८।।
But those people of virtuous deeds, whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of dualities, worship Me with firm resolve.
परंतु निष्काम भाव से श्रेष्ठ कर्मों का आचरण करने वाले जिन पुरुषों का पाप नष्ट हो गया है, वे राग-द्वेषजनित द्वन्द्वरूप मोह से मुक्त दृढनिश्चयी भक्त मुझ को सब प्रकार से भजते हैं ।।२८।।
Chapter 7 · Verse 29
साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः।
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः।।२९।।
Those who know Me as the governing principle of the material world, the divine realms, and all sacrifices, even at the hour of death, with their minds steadfast in Me, they truly know Me.
जो पुरुष अधिभूत और अधिदैव के सहित तथा अधियज्ञ के सहित (सबका आत्मरूप) मुझे अन्तकाल में भी जानते हैं वे युक्तचित्त वाले पुरुष मुझे जानते हैं अर्थात् प्राप्त हो जाते हैं।
Chapter 7 · Verse 30
जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये।
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्।।३०।।
They who, having taken refuge in Me, strive for deliverance from old age and death know Brahma (the Absolute), the whole Adhyatma (the totality of Jivas or embodies souls), and the entire field of Karma (action) as well as
जो मेरे शरण होकर जरा और मरण से छूटने के लिये यत्न करते हैं, वे पुरुष उस ब्रह्म को, सम्पूर्ण अध्यात्मको, सम्पूर्ण कर्म को जानते हैं।
What is the difference between Jnana (knowledge) and Vijnana (realisation)?
Jnana refers to intellectual or scriptural knowledge — understanding the principles of Brahman, Atman, Maya, and liberation. Vijnana is experiential or realised wisdom — the direct, living recognition of these truths within one's own awareness. Chapter 7 promises to impart both: the theoretical understanding and the means by which it becomes lived experience.
What is Maya in the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7?
Maya is the Divine creative power that generates the appearance of a world of separate, independent objects and individuals. It consists of the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) and makes the One Brahman appear as many. Krishna calls Maya "difficult to overcome" but says those who surrender to Him alone can cross beyond it. Maya is not simple illusion — it is the mechanism by which the infinite expresses itself as the finite.
Adhyatmas