Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 23

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

What does the Lord do, with these men of mean mentality and foolish endeavours? He delineates his dispensation:

The Votaries of Minor Gods 20-23

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 23

Antavat tu phalam tesham tad bhavati alpa medhasam I
Devan deva yajah yanti madbhaktah yanti mam api II sloka 23
अन्तवत् तु फलं तेषां तद भवति अल्प मेधसां ।
देवान् देव यजः यन्ति मद्भ क्ताः यान्ति माम अपि ।। श्लोक २३

But the fruit that accrues to those men of small intellect is finite. The worshippers of the gods go to the gods; My devotees come to me.

Endeavours are practically the same in all the mines. But there is a difference between seekers of iron and seekers of diamonds. All men seek to enrich life  and to add to happiness. Men of small intellect are they who are unable to distinguish between the fleeting happiness and the lasting happiness. The earthly temperament attainments and happinesses deified are called the little gods; whereas the permanent spiritual attainments and bliss ever belong to Iswara. The ignorant seek the former while the enlightened seek the latter.

Why is that all do not seek Iswara? This is answered in the next sloka.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 22

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

What does the Lord do, with these men of mean mentality and foolish endeavours? He delineates his dispensation:

The Votaries of Minor Gods 20-23

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 22

Adivan Satakopan - 1st Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt

Sa taya shraddhaya yuktah tasya aradhanam ihate I

Labhate cha tatah kaman maya eva vihitan hitan II sloka 22

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तः तस्य आराधनं ईहते ।

लभते च ततः कामान मया एव विहितान हितान ।। श्लोक २२

Endowed with that faith, he engages in the worship of that form, and from it he obtains his desires, which are being actually ordained by Me.

The river, the well, the lake, the spring - these are the sources from which water can be availed of; But the grand source of all of these is the rain, without which all of these come to nought.Similar to this is the grace of the Lord which gives the start, sustenance and the support to all beings. All the needs of all beings come from the same cosmic source. But men of mediocre understanding take it that help comes to them from the gods they worship.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 21

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

What does the Lord do, with these men of mean mentality and foolish endeavours? He delineates his dispensation:

The Votaries of Minor Gods 20-23

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 21

Yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah shradhaya architum ichchati I

Tasya tasya chalam shradham tameva vidadhami aham II sloka 21

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रधया अर्चितुं इच्छति ।
तस्य तस्य चलां श्रधां तं एव विदधामि अहं ।। श्लोक २१

Whatever form any devotee with faith wishes to worship, I make that faith of his steady.

 Children are very particular to have sweetmeats shaped to their liking, such as a cow, a horse or an elephant. The confectioner supplies them sweets according to their tastes. The way of the Lord is more generous than that. His grace descends suited to the attainments of individuals. The worship of the little gods is not altogether erroneous or sinful as some theologians would have it. It is but a stepping stone to the adoration of the Almighty. The Lord therefore provides the ways and means for the ordinary people to evolve stage by stage in their paths of devotion. 

Chapter 4, stanza 11 & Chapter 9, stanza 23 may also be looked into for classification.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 20

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

What do they do, who are devoid of devotion and wisdom? Their ways are dilated on:

The Votaries of Minor Gods 20-23

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 20

Alayelai Krishna

Kamaih taih taih hrtajnanah prapadyante anya devatah I

Tam tam niyamam asthaya prakrutya niyatah svaya II sloka 20

कामैः तैः तैः ह्र्तज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्ते  अन्य देवताः ।

तं तं नियमं आस्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया ।। श्लोक २०

But those whose discrimination has been led astray by this or that desire, go to other gods, following this or that rite constrained by their own nature.

When it is Vasudeva who has become all that is, the question of other gods existing independent of Him does not arise. His limited aspects are, out of courtesy called other gods. The minor officers of a government are necessarily under its sovereign. When the good will of the head of the regime is obtained, those of the petty officers are contained in it. But the courtier must be worthy of the sovereign. o get at the king is difficult; but the benefit that ensues from it is great. To get at the little officer-holders is easy; and the returns thereof are correspondingly small. Analogous to this, getting the grace of god is difficult, but all conducive to jnana, bhakti and mukti. People given to worldly desires do not take to the worship of Iswara. The low desires in them makes them mistake the little ends for great ones. Accordingly, they choose to propitiate minor deities with suitable rites. Their attainments and nature are as low as that

 Healing disease, winning litigation, walking on water - trifling psychic powers such as these, appeal to most men of base mental make. But the true devotees give no thought to those vulgar things. They are solely intent on gaining the gracious vision of the Lord.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 19

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission
The jnani is further extolled :-
Four Types of Virtuous Men - 16-19
1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 19

Ahobila - Prahlada Narasimhar

Bahunam janmanam ante gyanavan mam prapadyante I

Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah II sloka 19

बहूनां जन्मनां अन्ते ज्ञानवान माम प्रपद्यन्ते ।

वासुदेवः सर्वं इति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ।। श्लोक १९

At the end of many births, the man of wisdom takes refuge in me, realising that Vasudeva is all that is. Rare indeed is such a great soul.

 When a sadhaka begins to give practical shape to his learning that it is God who has become everything, he is styled a jnani even in that initial stage. But quite a number of sadhakas take innumerable births before they gain complete realisation and get fixed in the truth that God alone puts on the appearance of the phenomenon. The man who has attained this acme of realisation is indeed rare in the world. He is verily a god among men. The 3rd stanza of this chapter also deals with this great soul.

The practise of this tenet of vedanta contributes directly and indirectly to the welfare of the world. By viewing all beings as veritable divinities, the sadhaka elevates himself in spiritual stature. This is the benefit directly derived. The indirect benefit consists in the others being unconsciously divinized. The more one is deified, the more the devil in one is eradicated.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 18

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

The other three are not to be under valued; for :-
Four Types of Virtuous Men - 16-19
1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 18

Udarah sarva evai te jnani tu atma eva me matam I
Asthitah sa hi yuktatma mam eva anuttamam gatim II sloka 18
उदाराः सर्व एवै ते जननि तु आत्मा एव मे मतं ।
आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा माम एव अनुत्तमं गतिं ईई श्लोक १८

Noble indeed are all these; but the wise man, I deem to be my very self. For, steadfast in mind, he is established in me alone, as the supreme goal.

The devotees are all favourites of the Lord. Among them again, he who practises the devotion of non-separation stands foremost. As the fuel consigned to fire becomes itself fire, the jnani  absorbed in Iswara who is a blaze of jnana, becomesone with him. 

A master is naturally drawn to a servant who serves him wholeheartedly and to the best of his ability. When their mutual love and fidelity get firm - rooted the master may some day entrust the management of his entire property to the servant. Akin to this act of man, the Lord holds his devotee as his own self.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 17

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

But who stands supreme amongst these four? :-

Four Types of Virtuous Men - 16-19

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 17

Alarnatha Vishnu

Tesham gyani nitya yuktah eka bhaktih vishishyate I

Priyah hi gyaninah ati artham aham sah cha mama priyah II sloka 17 

तेषां ग्यानि नित्य युक्तः एक भक्तिः विषिश्यते ।

प्रियः हि ज्ञानिनः अति अर्थं  अहं सः च मम प्रियः ।। श्लोक १७

Of these the wise man, ever steadfast and devoted to the one, excels; for supremely dear am I to the wise and he is dear to Me.

It is but natural for beings to love themselves. The jnani  cognises Brahman as the real entity and the very essence in himself. He is therefore supremely attached to the reality in himself. That reality gives the jnani his individuality. This is how the jnani excels. 

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 16

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

Who are they who get drawn to the Lord? They are delineated :-
Four Types of Virtuous Men - 16-19

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 16

Chatur Vidhah bhajante mam janah sukritinah arjuna I

Artah jigyasuh artharthigyani cha bharata rishabha II sloka 16

चतुर विधाः भजन्ते माम जनाः सुकृतिनः अर्जुन ।
आर्तः जिज्ञासुः अर्थार्थि ज्ञानी च भरत ऋषभ ।। श्लोक १६

Four types of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna; the man in distress, the man seeking knowledge, the man seeking wealth and the man imbued with wisdom, O best of the Bharatas.

Distress comes to beings in one form or another and at some time or the other. Avoidance of it is impossible to the embodied. Just as medicine is resorted to, to cure disease, the way of the devoted is to supplicate the Divine for deliverance from distress. When the modesty of Queen Draupadi was at stake in the assembly of the Kauravas, she piteously sought the protection Krishna and his help did come to save he from the situation. The lives of many a devotee bear testimony to the fact that the Lord comes to the rescue of the pious in distress. 

The man seeking knowledge is here designated as jignasu. It is not given to all to become seekers of God-knowledge. The rare few who seek, obtaining it unmistakably. The Lord sees to it that the spiritual thirst of the devotee never goes unslaked. 

The man seeking wealth usually works for it and that is the proper way. One type of devotee, work for it, praying to the Lord at the same time for the easy acquisition of wealth. Another type of devotee have no time to toil for wealth; at the same time they are in need of it for their holy undertakings. They ardently appeal to the Lord and he sends them the required resources. 

The man imbued with wisdom is here classified as jnani,  the one who has realised the truth.

Among the people who believe in God, these are the four types who seek to contact him, each according to his understanding and attainments. all the four groups are virtuous because of their right understanding  and right doings.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 15

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

Who are they who alienate themselves from Iswara? They are marked out :-
The Maya of the Three Gunas 13-15

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 15

Dhruva ascending to heaven

Na mam dushkritinah mudhah papadyante naradhamah I

Mayaya pahratajnana asuram bhavam ashritah II sloka 15

न माम दुष्कृतिनः मूढाः प्रपध्यन्ते  नराधमाः ।

मायया पःरत ज्ञान आसुरं भावम् आश्रिताः ।। श्लोक १५

The evil doers, the deluded, the lowest of men, deprived of discrimination by Maya and following the way of the asuras, do not seek refuge in Me.

Asuras are they who delight in deceit, falsehood and torture of beings. Their ways are elaborately dealt with in Chapter 16. They stand against the worship of the divine. Practise of cruelty is their past time.

Evil deeds hide the noble traits in man and expose the base ones. the perpetrators of wickedness become progressively deluded. They are unable to discern between the divine and the unholy. They are therefore the lowest of men. The question of pursuing any good path and pulling up in ethical life does not arise in their cases. Their understanding gets completely distorted. That it is Iswara who manifests Himself as the universe, is something beyond their ken. They detest everything pertaining to the divine. The deluded have therefore no alternative to self destruction. 

The way of the sieve is to let the fine thinsg pass through and hold the coarse things to itself. Likewise the way of the wicked is to let the merits go and hold the evils fast. 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 14

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Maya of the Three Gunas 13-15

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 14

Daivi hi esha gunamayi mama maya duratyaya I

Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te II sloka 14

दैवी हि एष गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
माम एव ये प्रपध्यन्ते  मायां एतं तरन्ति ते ।। श्लोक १४

Verily this divine illusion of mine, made up of the gunas, is hard to surmount; but those who take refuge in me alone, they cross over this illusion.

Daivi maya the divine illusion, is the cloak that the lord has assumed. It serves as his body. Maha mayah is one of the apellations of Vishnu. He who is an expert in creating the illusion is the meaning of this term. He has hidden his reality in the garb of  nature. All the same, he deigns to disclose himself to those who take refuge in him. The reality in him being known, the assumed garb of maya vanishes. It is like the disappearance of the phantom of the snake when the rope is perceived in its reality.

Who are they that alienate themselves from the Lord? They are marked out in the next sloka

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 13

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

The Maya of the Three Gunas 13-15

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 13

Saving Ajamila

Tribhih guna mayaih bhavaih ebhih sarvam idam jagat I

Mohitam na abhi janati mam ebhyah param avyayam II sloka 13

त्रिभिः गुण मयैः भावैः एभिः सर्वं इदं जगत ।

मोहितं न अभि जानाति माम एभ्यः परम् अव्ययं ।। श्लोक १३

Deluded by these threefold dispositions of Prakriti - the gunas, this world does not know me, who am above them and immutable. 

Brahman here is designated as Param which means beyond the One beyond the ken of the intellect and the senses. This reality undergoes no modification and so it is immutable.

Those who see a cinema take no note of the screen on which it is projected. The phenomenal universe is made of the three gunas; likes and dislikes in all forms are also born of the three gunas. People entangled in these three categories are immersed in their experiences of the phenomenal existence and they take no note of the basis which is unaffected by all these modifications. The chitakasa or Brahman the pure consciousness remains as the substratum of the perceived universe.They who are bound by the gunas are unable to cognise it

How shall one extricate oneself from this delusion? The answer comes in the next sloka

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 12

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Chidbhavananda's translation of The Bhagavad Gita, published by Ramakrishna Mission

The excellence in Beings come from God 10-12

1 Gita Sloka  every day - Chapter 7 - Jnana Vignana Yoga - Sloka 12

Sages in Naimisaranyam Forest

Ye cha eva sattvikah bhavah rajasah tamasah cha ye I

Mattah eva iti tan vidi na tva aham teshi te mayi II sloka 12
ये च एव सात्त्विकः भावः रजसः तमसः च हये ।
मत्तः एव इति तान् विदि न तव अहं तेषि ते मयि ।। श्लोक १२

And whatever beings are of Sattva, Rajas or of  tamas, know them to proceed from me, still I am not in them, they are in me. 

Prakriti or nature constituted of the three categories - sattva, rajas and tamas - has its origins and sustenance in Iswara.

But it is not like the curd coming from milk. Just as a piece of rope appears as a snake in twilight, the Lord puts on the appearance  of nature through his inscrutable maya. The rope, the original stuff, does not depend for its being on snake the assumed reality; but the seeming snake depends for its existence on the rope, the reality. To put it in another way, the unreal snake is a superimposition on Iswara. The power of appearing as the prakriti is inherent in Him. This is the meaning of "I am not in them, they are in Me".

The goal of human life is to transcend the perception of the universe and to get fixed in the vision of Iswara. 

A holy man used to smile seeing the colours produced by the chandelier in the lamp. He smiled because the seeming universe are as untrue as  these colours