श्री भगवानुवाच
मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः।
असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु।।7.1।।

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
mayyāsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśhrayaḥ
asanśhayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tach chhṛiṇu

Word-for-Word Translation

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; mayi—to me; āsakta-manāḥ—with the mind attached; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; yogam—bhakti yog; yuñjan—practicing; mat-āśhrayaḥ—surrendering to me; asanśhayam—free from doubt; samagram—completely; mām—me; yathā—how; jñāsyasi—you shall know; tat—that; śhṛiṇu—listen

Meaning

The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, hear how you shall, without doubt, know Me fully, with your mind intent on Me, practicing Yoga and taking refuge in Me."

Explanation

Having taught the discipline of steady meditation in the previous chapter, Kṛṣṇa now turns to reveal Himself directly — the aim toward which all yoga ultimately points. He promises Arjuna complete, doubt-free knowledge, but makes clear that this understanding opens only through a mind attached to Him and a life sheltered in Him, not through detached study alone. For a practitioner, this is an invitation to let devotion, not just intellect, be the doorway to real knowing.

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः।
यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते।।7.2।।

jñānaṁ te ’haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣhyāmyaśheṣhataḥ
yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo ’nyaj jñātavyam-avaśhiṣhyate

Word-for-Word Translation

jñānam—knowledge; te—unto you; aham—I; sa—with; vijñānam—wisdom; idam—this; vakṣhyāmi—shall reveal; aśheṣhataḥ—in full; yat—which; jñātvā—having known; na—not; iha—in this world; bhūyaḥ—further; anyat—anything else; jñātavyam—to be known; avaśhiṣhyate—remains

Meaning

I will declare to you in full this knowledge combined with realization, after knowing which nothing else remains to be known here.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa distinguishes two layers of what He is about to share: jñāna, conceptual knowledge, and vijñāna, the lived, realized wisdom that confirms it. He promises this teaching will be so complete that nothing essential remains unknown afterward — a bold claim that sets the scale for the rest of the chapter. It reminds us that hearing about God and truly knowing God are different, and the chapter ahead moves toward that fuller realization.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये।
यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।।7.3।।

manuṣhyāṇāṁ sahasreṣhu kaśhchid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaśhchin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

manuṣhyāṇām—of men; sahasreṣhu—out of many thousands; kaśhchit—someone; yatati—strives; siddhaye—for perfection; yatatām—of those who strive; api—even; siddhānām—of those who have achieved perfection; kaśhchit—someone; mām—me; vetti—knows; tattvataḥ—in truth

Meaning

Among thousands of men, one may perchance strive for perfection; even among those successful strivers, only one may perchance know Me in essence.

Explanation

Prabhupāda explains this verse in terms of graded stages: out of many ordinary, ignorant people, perhaps one becomes interested enough to ask about self-realization or strive for perfection; and among those who do reach some kind of perfection — even the impersonalist who merges into the Brahman effulgence — very few actually come to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in truth (tattvataḥ). Understanding Kṛṣṇa fully, including His transcendental form, qualities, and pastimes, is the rarest and highest attainment, far beyond simply achieving liberation or impersonal perfection. This guards against the common error of assuming any success in yoga or renunciation is equivalent to actual knowledge of the Lord.

भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च।
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा।।7.4।।

bhūmir-āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha
ahankāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā

Word-for-Word Translation

bhūmiḥ—earth; āpaḥ—water; analaḥ—fire; vāyuḥ—air; kham—space; manaḥ—mind; buddhiḥ—intellect; eva—certainly; cha—and; ahankāraḥ—ego; iti—thus; iyam—all these; me—my; bhinnā—divisions; prakṛitiḥ—material energy; aṣhṭadhā—eightfold

Meaning

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and egoism—thus is My Nature divided eightfold.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa begins describing His energies by naming the eight components of His inferior, material nature (aparā-prakṛti) — the five gross elements plus mind, intellect, and false ego. This whole material creation, though a separated, inferior energy of the Lord, is still His energy, not something independent of Him. Prabhupāda notes that these eight elements are the basis of all material activity and machinery, and that behind them stands a superior energy that directs them — a point developed fully in the next verse.

अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्।
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्।।7.5।।

apareyam itas tvanyāṁ prakṛitiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

Word-for-Word Translation

aparā—inferior; iyam—this; itaḥ—besides this; tu—but; anyām—another; prakṛitim—energy; viddhi—know; me—my; parām—superior; jīva-bhūtām—living beings; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; yayā—by whom; idam—this; dhāryate—the basis; jagat—the material world

Meaning

O mighty-armed Arjuna, this is the inferior Prakriti; know it as distinct from My higher Prakriti, the very life-element, by which this world is upheld.

Explanation

Beyond that eightfold inferior material energy, Kṛṣṇa now points to His superior energy (parā-prakṛti) — the living entities, the jīvas, who exploit and utilize material nature for their own purposes. Prabhupāda stresses that this is the crucial distinction refuting the materialist idea that life is merely a product or byproduct of matter: the inferior energy (matter) is by itself inert and can produce nothing on its own, and it is only the presence of the superior living energy that gives the material world its dynamic, functioning quality. Because the living entities belong to Kṛṣṇa's own superior, spiritual energy, they are qualitatively one with Him, though infinitesimal, and this is why the material machine of the body and universe operates at all.

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय।
अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा।।7.6।।

etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya
ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā

Word-for-Word Translation

etat yonīni—these two (energies) are the source of; bhūtāni—living beings; sarvāṇi—all; iti—that; upadhāraya—know; aham—I; kṛitsnasya—entire; jagataḥ—creation; prabhavaḥ—the source; pralayaḥ—dissolution; tathā—and

Meaning

Know that these two are the womb of all beings; thus, I am the source and dissolution of the whole universe.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now unites the two energies just described — matter and the living beings within it — as both proceeding from Him as their common womb. Since both the inferior material energy and the superior living energy originate in Him, He is simultaneously the material and the efficient cause of creation; Prabhupāda points to this verse as a direct answer to impersonalist philosophy, which imagines some formless, impersonal substance behind creation rather than the Supreme Person Himself. Kṛṣṇa declares Himself the origin and dissolution of the entire universe, not a distant creator but the very source and end of all that exists.

मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय।
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव।।7.7।।

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñchid asti dhanañjaya
mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva

Word-for-Word Translation

mattaḥ—than me; para-taram—superior; na—not; anyat kiñchit—anything else; asti—there is; dhanañjaya—Arjun, conqueror of wealth; mayi—in me; sarvam—all; idam—which we see; protam—is strung; sūtre—on a thread; maṇi-gaṇāḥ—beads; iva—like

Meaning

There is nothing higher than Me, O Arjuna. All this is strung on Me, like clusters of gems on a string.

Explanation

Using the simple, vivid image of gems strung on a thread, Kṛṣṇa explains how everything in creation depends on and is held together by Him, even while appearing diverse and separate. Nothing exists independent of that thread. It's a gentle metaphor for seeing unity behind the world's apparent multiplicity — every experience, every relationship, ultimately strung on the same underlying support.

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः।
प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु।।7.8।।

raso ’ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śhaśhi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣhu śhabdaḥ khe pauruṣhaṁ nṛiṣhu

Word-for-Word Translation

rasaḥ—taste; aham—I; apsu—in water; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; prabhā—the radiance; asmi—I am; śhaśhi-sūryayoḥ—of the moon and the sun; praṇavaḥ—the sacred syllable Om; sarva—in all; vedeṣhu—Vedas; śhabdaḥ—sound; khe—in ether; pauruṣham—ability; nṛiṣhu—in humans

Meaning

I am the flavor in water, O Arjuna; I am the light in the moon and the sun; I am the syllable Om in all the Vedas, sound in the ether and virility in men.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now illustrates His pervasive presence through everyday sensory experience — the taste of water, the light of sun and moon, the sacred sound Om, the strength in a man. Prabhupāda presents these as direct, verifiable evidence of Kṛṣṇa's existence and presence within creation, meant to answer the atheist who demands proof of God: one need not look beyond the taste of water or the light of the sun to encounter Him, since these very qualities are Kṛṣṇa's energies at work. The verse invites a practitioner to start recognizing Kṛṣṇa's presence in the ordinary textures of daily life, not only in temple or scripture.

पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ।
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु।।7.9।।

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁ cha tejaśh chāsmi vibhāvasau
jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣhu tapaśh chāsmi tapasviṣhu

Word-for-Word Translation

puṇyaḥ—pure; gandhaḥ—fragrance; pṛithivyām—of the earth; cha—and; tejaḥ—brilliance; cha—and; asmi—I am; vibhāvasau—in the fire; jīvanam—the life-force; sarva—in all; bhūteṣhu—beings; tapaḥ—penance; cha—and; asmi—I am; tapasviṣhu—of the ascetics

Meaning

I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and the brilliance in the fire, the life in all beings, and I am the austerity of ascetics.

Explanation

Continuing the same theme, Kṛṣṇa names Himself as the fragrance of earth, the brilliance of fire, the life-force within all beings, and the austerity of those who practice tapasya. Each example draws attention to a quality that gives something its essential character. The verse quietly builds the case that devotion doesn't require withdrawing from the world — the world itself, rightly seen, points back to Him.

बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्।
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्।।7.10।।

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

Word-for-Word Translation

bījam—the seed; mām—me; sarva-bhūtānām—of all beings; viddhi—know; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; sanātanam—the eternal; buddhiḥ—intellect; buddhi-matām—of the intelligent; asmi—(I) am; tejaḥ—splendor; tejasvinām—of the splendid; aham—I

Meaning

Know Me, O Arjuna, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent, and the splendour of the splendid objects.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now moves to more subtle qualities: He is the eternal seed of all beings, the intelligence within the intelligent, and the splendor within the splendid. Prabhupāda's point is that these capacities are Kṛṣṇa's own energy manifesting through a person, not something self-generated; therefore even the most intelligent or accomplished should feel no pride, since it is Kṛṣṇa acting through them rather than their own independent achievement. Recognizing this can inspire humility about one's own talents and gratitude toward their source.

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्।
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ।।7.11।।

balaṁ balavatāṁ chāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣhu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣhabha

Word-for-Word Translation

balam—strength; bala-vatām—of the strong; cha—and; aham—I; kāma—desire; rāga—passion; vivarjitam—devoid of; dharma-aviruddhaḥ—not conflicting with dharma; bhūteṣhu—in all beings; kāmaḥ—sexual activity; asmi—(I) am; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—Arjun, the best of the Bharats

Meaning

Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment, and in all beings, I am the desire in accordance with Dharma, O Arjuna.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa clarifies an important distinction here — the strength of the strong that He identifies with is strength free from selfish desire and attachment, and the desire He identifies with is desire that stays within the bounds of dharma. Prabhupāda specifies that this dharma-sanctioned desire refers to sexual union within marriage for begetting good children, not ordinary lust pursued for sense gratification, which is what the demoniac indulge in. This shows that not every expression of strength or desire is spiritual; only what is aligned with righteousness reflects Him.

ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये।
मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि।।7.12।।

ye chaiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāśh cha ye
matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṁ teṣhu te mayi

Word-for-Word Translation

ye—whatever; cha—and; eva—certainly; sāttvikāḥ—in the mode of goodness; bhāvāḥ—states of material existence; rājasāḥ—in the mode of passion; tāmasāḥ—in the mode of ignorance; cha—and; ye—whatever; mattaḥ—from me; eva—certainly; iti—thus; tān—those; viddhi—know; na—not; tu—but; aham—I; teṣhu—in them; te—they; mayi—in me

Meaning

Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active, and inert, know that they proceed from Me. They are in Me, yet I am not in them.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now addresses the three guṇas — goodness, passion, and ignorance — as also arising from Him, even though He remains transcendent to them and unaffected by their influence. This resolves a potential confusion from the previous verses: everything, even the lower qualities of nature, ultimately originates in Him, yet He is never bound or defined by them. It's a useful reminder that the source of a thing need not share the limitations of what it produces.

त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्।।7.13।।

tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ param avyayam

Word-for-Word Translation

tribhiḥ—by three; guṇa-mayaiḥ—consisting of the modes of material nature; bhāvaiḥ—states; ebhiḥ—all these; sarvam—whole; idam—this; jagat—universe; mohitam—deluded; na—not; abhijānāti—know; mām—me; ebhyaḥ—these; param—the supreme; avyayam—imperishable

Meaning

Deluded by these Natures, composed of the three qualities of Nature, all this world does not know Me as distinct from them and immutable.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now explains why the world at large fails to recognize Him — people remain absorbed in the three guṇas and so cannot perceive the imperishable reality standing beyond and above them. Prabhupāda's point is specific: this delusion is why even Kṛṣṇa's personal, transcendental form goes unrecognized when He appears before human eyes, since minds covered by the guṇas assume anyone with a form must be an ordinary material being like themselves. Spiritual practice is therefore about learning to look past those fluctuating qualities toward the changeless, transcendental person standing behind them.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।7.14।।

daivī hyeṣhā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te

Word-for-Word Translation

daivī—divine; hi—certainly; eṣhā—this; guṇa-mayī—consisting of the three modes of nature; mama—my; māyā—one of God’s energies. It that veils God’s true nature from souls who have not yet attained the eligibility for God-realization; duratyayā—very difficult to overcome; mām—unto me; eva—certainly; ye—who; prapadyante—surrender; māyām etām—this Maya; taranti—cross over; te—they

Meaning

Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, composed of the three qualities, is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone, can cross over this illusion.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa names this deluding influence māyā — His own divine energy, so powerful and difficult to overcome that neither great learning, austerity, nor mental speculation can cross it by one's own strength. Prabhupāda explains that the illusory energy binds the conditioned soul birth after birth into false identification with the body, and that no method of self-improvement undertaken independently of the Lord can free one from it. But the moment one simply surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, guided by a bona fide spiritual master and freed from the false ego of thinking oneself the doer, māyā's grip is at once broken, since surrender itself is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and liberation.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः।।7.15।।

na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

na—not; mām—unto me; duṣhkṛitinaḥ—the evil doers; mūḍhāḥ—the ignorant; prapadyante—surrender; nara-adhamāḥ—one who lazily follows one’s lower nature; māyayā—by God’s material energy; apahṛita jñānāḥ—those with deluded intellect; āsuram—demoniac; bhāvam—nature; āśhritāḥ—surrender

Meaning

The evil-doers and the deluded, who are the lowest of men, do not seek Me; those whose knowledge is destroyed by illusion follow the ways of demons.

Explanation

Having offered surrender as the way beyond illusion, Kṛṣṇa now describes four classes of persons who do not surrender: the grossly foolish (mūḍha), the lowest among men (narādhama), those whose knowledge has been stolen by illusion even though they may be learned (māyayāpahṛta-jñāna), and those of demoniac nature (āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ). Prabhupāda explains each is rooted in a stubborn false ego that refuses to bow down even when shown evidence of the Lord's supremacy — the mūḍha is like a beast of burden unwilling to acquire real knowledge, the narādhama has human intelligence but never uses it to inquire about God, the falsely learned may study Vedānta and even great scholarship yet cannot accept a personal Supreme Lord, and the demoniac actively oppose Him, as with Rāvaṇa and Kaṁsa. The verse is not a condemnation but a warning that pride, false learning, and irreligious conditioning are the real obstacles to surrender.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ।।7.16।।

chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha

Word-for-Word Translation

chatuḥ-vidhāḥ—four kinds; bhajante—worship; mām—me; janāḥ—people; su-kṛitinaḥ—those who are pious; arjuna—Arjun; ārtaḥ—the distressed; jijñāsuḥ—the seekers of knowledge; artha-arthī—the seekers of material gain; jñānī—those who are situated in knowledge; cha—and; bharata-ṛiṣhabha—The best amongst the Bharatas, Arjun

Meaning

Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna, and they are the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of wealth, and the wise, O Lord of the Bharatas.

Explanation

In contrast to the previous verse, Kṛṣṇa now praises four types of virtuous people who do turn to Him: the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of prosperity, and the wise. Prabhupāda notes that all four are called sukṛtina, pious, since it is only by the results of past good deeds that one comes to approach Kṛṣṇa at all — even the artha-arthī, who wants wealth or relief from distress, is still directing that desire toward the Lord rather than toward a demigod, which already sets him apart. This is reassuring for any practitioner — one need not have perfect motives to begin; devotion can start anywhere and mature over time.

तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः।।7.17।।

teṣhāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśhiṣhyate
priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa cha mama priyaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

teṣhām—amongst these; jñānī—those who are situated in knowledge; nitya-yuktaḥ—ever steadfast; eka—exclusively; bhaktiḥ—devotion; viśhiṣhyate—highest; priyaḥ—very dear; hi—certainly; jñāninaḥ—to the person in knowledge; atyartham—highly; aham—I; saḥ—he; cha—and; mama—to me; priyaḥ—dear

Meaning

Of them, the wise who are ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excel; for I am exceedingly dear to the wise, and they are dear to Me.

Explanation

Among these four, Kṛṣṇa singles out the wise, the jñānī, as especially dear to Him because their devotion is steady and undivided, resting on Him alone rather than on some desired outcome. Mutual affection is emphasized — Kṛṣṇa loves them intensely, and they love Him in return. It suggests that as understanding deepens, devotion naturally becomes less transactional and more a relationship valued for its own sake.

उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्।।7.18।।

udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tvātmaiva me matam
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim

Word-for-Word Translation

udārāḥ—noble; sarve—all; eva—indeed; ete—these; jñānī—those in knowledge; tu—but; ātmā eva—my very self; me—my; matam—opinion; āsthitaḥ—situated; saḥ—he; hi—certainly; yukta-ātmā—those who are united; mām—in me; eva—certainly; anuttamām—the supreme; gatim—goal

Meaning

Indeed, all these are noble; however, I consider the wise man as My very Self; for, he is steadfast in mind and established in Me alone as the supreme goal.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa softens the previous verse's ranking by affirming that all four types of devotees are noble, even as He holds the wise devotee especially close, considering that person His very own self. Such a soul's mind is completely fixed on Kṛṣṇa as life's highest goal. It's a balanced teaching — encouragement for beginners alongside a clear vision of where devotion is meant to lead.

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः।।7.19।।

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

bahūnām—many; janmanām—births; ante—after; jñāna-vān—one who is endowed with knowledge; mām—unto me; prapadyate—surrenders; vāsudevaḥ—Shree Krishna, the son of Vasudev; sarvam—all; iti—that; saḥ—that; mahā-ātmā—great soul; su-durlabhaḥ—very rare

Meaning

At the end of many births, the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vaasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul (Mahatma) is very hard to find.

Explanation

This verse describes the culmination of a long spiritual journey — after many lifetimes of striving, the wise soul finally surrenders, arriving at the specific realization "vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti," that Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the cause of all causes and all that exists is subordinate to and dependent on Him. Prabhupāda stresses that this exact realization, not mere philosophical knowledge or liberation, is what defines the mahātmā, and it is achieved only after many births of purification, through the association of pure devotees, since it cannot be reached by dry speculation alone. Kṛṣṇa calls such a great soul exceedingly rare, a sobering yet hopeful thought that real realization can take time, but each sincere step counts toward that eventual arrival.

कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः।
तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया।।7.20।।

kāmais tais tair hṛita-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ
taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛityā niyatāḥ svayā

Word-for-Word Translation

kāmaiḥ—by material desires; taiḥ taiḥ—by various; hṛita-jñānāḥ—whose knowledge has been carried away; prapadyante—surrender; anya—to other; devatāḥ—celestial gods; tam tam—the various; niyamam—rules and regulations; āsthāya—following; prakṛityā—by nature; niyatāḥ—controlled; svayā—by their own

Meaning

Those whose wisdom has been taken away by this or that desire, go to other gods, following this or that rite, led by their own nature.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now turns to those whose knowledge has been stolen by various material desires, leading them to worship demigods according to their own conditioned nature and the particular mode of material nature that governs them — Prabhupāda notes that Vedic injunctions do sanction worship of specific demigods for specific desired ends, but that this is prescribed for those not yet advanced enough for pure devotion, since ultimately it is Kṛṣṇa alone, seated in everyone's heart, who supplies the desired results through those demigods. Such demigod worship reflects a loss of full knowledge and yields only temporary results, since it is not real surrender to the Supreme; it is not condemned outright, but shown to be a roundabout, desire-driven path compared to direct surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति।
तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्।।7.21।।

yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śhraddhayārchitum ichchhati
tasya tasyāchalāṁ śhraddhāṁ tām eva vidadhāmyaham

Word-for-Word Translation

yaḥ yaḥ—whoever; yām yām—whichever; tanum—form; bhaktaḥ—devotee; śhraddhayā—with faith; architum—to worship; ichchhati—desires; tasya tasya—to him; achalām—steady; śhraddhām—faith; tām—in that; eva—certainly; vidadhāmi—bestow; aham—I

Meaning

Whatever form any devotee desires to worship with faith, I make that same faith of his firm and unflinching.

Explanation

Remarkably, Kṛṣṇa says He is the one who steadies and strengthens the faith of any sincere devotee, whatever particular form they choose to worship. This shows His generosity extends even to those still worshipping in a limited or indirect way — their sincerity itself is supported by Him. It reflects a spacious, non-sectarian compassion running through this chapter.

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते।
लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्।।7.22।।

sa tayā śhraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate
labhate cha tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān

Word-for-Word Translation

saḥ—he; tayā—with that; śhraddhayā—faith; yuktaḥ—endowed with; tasya—of that; ārādhanam—worship; īhate—tries to engange in; labhate—obtains; cha—and; tataḥ—from that; kāmān—desires; mayā—by me; eva—alone; vihitān—granted; hi—certainly; tān—those

Meaning

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that form and obtains his desired outcome, which is ordained by Me alone.

Explanation

Continuing that thought, Kṛṣṇa explains that when such devotees worship with steady faith, whatever they attain is, in truth, granted by Him alone, since He is the ultimate dispenser behind every deity and every outcome. Even results that appear to come from another source trace back to Him. This reframes all worship, however it's directed, as ultimately dependent on the one Supreme reality.

अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्।
देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि।।7.23।।

antavat tu phalaṁ teṣhāṁ tad bhavatyalpa-medhasām
devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api

Word-for-Word Translation

anta-vat—perishable; tu—but; phalam—fruit; teṣhām—by them; tat—that; bhavati—is; alpa-medhasām—people of small understanding; devān—to the celestial gods; deva-yajaḥ—the worshipers of the celestial gods; yānti—go; mat—my; bhaktāḥ—devotees; yānti—go; mām—to me; api—whereas

Meaning

Verily, the reward (fruit) that accrues to those men of small intelligence is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to them, whereas My devotees come to Me.

Explanation

Here Kṛṣṇa draws a crucial distinction in outcomes — worshippers of lesser gods obtain limited, perishable results, since they go only as far as their object of worship allows, while His own devotees come to Him directly. The difference isn't about Kṛṣṇa withholding grace but about the nature of what is sought. It's a quiet nudge toward setting one's aim on the highest, most enduring goal rather than temporary gains.

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्।।7.24।।

avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam

Word-for-Word Translation

avyaktam—formless; vyaktim—possessing a personality; āpannam—to have assumed; manyante—think; mām—me; abuddhayaḥ—less intelligent; param—Supreme; bhāvam—nature; ajānantaḥ—not understanding; mama—my; avyayam—imperishable; anuttamam—excellent

Meaning

The foolish think of Me, the Unmanifest, as having manifestation, not knowing My higher, immutable, and most excellent nature.

Explanation

Prabhupāda explains this verse as Kṛṣṇa's rebuttal of the impersonalist idea that the Supreme is essentially formless (avyakta) and that His appearance as a person is merely a temporary, material manifestation assumed for convenience. In fact, the truth is the opposite: Kṛṣṇa's original, eternal form is the transcendental Person, and it is the impersonal Brahman effulgence that is a secondary manifestation of His personal form, not the other way around. Those of small intelligence, unable to conceive of an unlimited being who can still possess a personal form, wrongly imagine His imperishable transcendental body to be something material and temporary like their own. Kṛṣṇa's real, eternal, blissful, and all-attractive form (sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha) is His topmost, most excellent nature, never subject to birth or destruction.

नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः।
मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्।।7.25।।

nāhaṁ prakāśhaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛitaḥ
mūḍho ’yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam

Word-for-Word Translation

na—not; aham—I; prakāśhaḥ—manifest; sarvasya—to everyone; yoga-māyā—God’s supreme (divine) energy; samāvṛitaḥ—veiled; mūḍhaḥ—deluded; ayam—these; na—not; abhijānāti—know; lokaḥ—persons; mām—me; ajam—unborn; avyayam—immutable

Meaning

I am not manifest to all, veiled as I am by the Yoga-Maya. This deluded world does not know Me, who am unborn and imperishable.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa explains that He remains hidden from most people, veiled by His yoga-māyā, so that the deluded world fails to recognize Him as unborn and eternal even while He is present before them. This isn't a punishment but the natural consequence of that veiling energy; without grace or sincere seeking, even direct proximity to the divine can go unrecognized. It underlines why humility and receptivity matter as much as proximity or knowledge.

वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन।
भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन।।7.26।।

vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni chārjuna
bhaviṣhyāṇi cha bhūtāni māṁ tu veda na kaśhchana

Word-for-Word Translation

veda—know; aham—I; samatītāni—the past; vartamānāni—the present; cha—and; arjuna—Arjun; bhaviṣhyāṇi—the future; cha—also; bhūtāni—all living beings; mām—me; tu—but; veda—knows; na kaśhchana—no one

Meaning

I know, O Arjuna, the beings of the past, the present, and the future; however, no one knows Me.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now speaks of His own unlimited awareness — knowing all beings across past, present, and future — while lamenting that hardly anyone truly knows Him in return. This asymmetry highlights both His omniscience and the rarity of genuine God-realization touched on earlier in the chapter. It's a call to aspire toward that reciprocal knowing, rather than assume familiarity with Kṛṣṇa based on hearing about Him alone.

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।7.27।।

ichchhā-dveṣha-samutthena dvandva-mohena bhārata
sarva-bhūtāni sammohaṁ sarge yānti parantapa

Word-for-Word Translation

ichchhā—desire; dveṣha—aversion; samutthena—arise from; dvandva—of duality; mohena—from the illusion; bhārata—Arjun, descendant of Bharat; sarva—all; bhūtāni—living beings; sammoham—into delusion; sarge—since birth; yānti—enter; parantapa—Arjun, conqueror of enemies

Meaning

O Bharata, all beings are subject to delusion at birth due to the delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion, O Parantapa.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now explains the root of the world's confusion at the moment of birth: the delusion arising from dualities like desire and aversion, pleasure and pain. Every being enters existence already caught in this push and pull, which colors perception from the very start. Recognizing this pattern in oneself is often the first step toward gradually working free of its grip through consistent practice.

येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्।
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः।।7.28।।

yeṣhāṁ tvanta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛiḍha-vratāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

yeṣhām—whose; tu—but; anta-gatam—completely destroyed; pāpam—sins; janānām—of persons; puṇya—pious; karmaṇām—activities; te—they; dvandva—of dualities; moha—illusion; nirmuktāḥ—free from; bhajante—worship; mām; dṛiḍha-vratāḥ—with determination

Meaning

But those men of virtuous deeds, whose sins have come to an end and who are freed from the delusion of the pairs of opposites, worship Me steadfastly, with their vows.

Explanation

In contrast, Kṛṣṇa describes those whose pious actions have exhausted their reactions to sin, freeing them from the grip of dualities described in the previous verse; such people worship Him with firm resolve. This shows a natural progression — sincere, righteous living gradually loosens delusion's hold, making steady devotion possible. It offers encouragement that ethical effort and devotional practice work together over time.

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये।
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्।।7.29।।

jarā-maraṇa-mokṣhāya mām āśhritya yatanti ye
te brahma tadviduḥ kṛitsnam adhyātmaṁ karma chākhilam

Word-for-Word Translation

jarā—from old age; maraṇa—and death; mokṣhāya—for liberation; mām—me; āśhritya—take shelter in; yatanti—strive; ye—who; te—they; brahma—Brahman; tat—that; viduḥ—know; kṛitsnam—everything; adhyātmam—the individual self; karma—karmic action; cha—and; akhilam—entire

Meaning

Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, realize in full that Brahman, the whole knowledge of the Self, and all action.

Explanation

Kṛṣṇa now speaks to those striving for freedom from the repeated suffering of old age and death, who take refuge in Him specifically for that purpose. Such seekers come to understand Brahman fully, along with the nature of the individual self and the working of karma. This shows how taking shelter in Kṛṣṇa isn't a narrow devotional add-on but opens into the fullest philosophical understanding as well.

साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः।
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः।।7.30।।

sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ cha ye viduḥ
prayāṇa-kāle ’pi cha māṁ te vidur yukta-chetasaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

sa-adhibhūta—governing principle of the field of matter; adhidaivam—governing principle of the celestial gods; mām—me; sa-adhiyajñam—governing principle of the Lord all sacrificial performances; cha—and; ye—who; viduḥ—know; prayāṇa—of death; kāle—at the time; api—even; cha—and; mām—me; te—they; viduḥ—know; yukta-chetasaḥ—in full consciousness of me

Meaning

Those who know Me with the Adhibhuta (pertaining to the elements), Adhidaiva (pertaining to the gods), and the Adhiyajna (pertaining to the sacrifice) know Me even at the time of death, remaining steadfast in mind.

Explanation

The chapter closes by describing those advanced souls who understand Kṛṣṇa in relation to the field of matter, the celestial governance of the universe, and the principle of sacrifice — and who, because of this steady understanding, remain conscious of Him even at the critical moment of death. This sets up the very question Arjuna will ask at the start of the next chapter, about these same terms. It suggests that a lifetime of consistent remembrance is what makes remembering Kṛṣṇa at death's threshold possible.