FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 7.1

శ్రీభగవానువాచ మయ్యాసక్తమనా: పార్థ యోగం యుఞ్జన్మదాశ్రయ: । అసంశయం సమగ్రం మాం యథా జ్ఞాస్యసి తచ్ఛృణు ॥ ౧ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
[mayy aasakta-manaah paartha]
yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
[yogam yunjan mad-aashrayah]
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
[asamshayam samagram maam]
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
[yathaa jnaasyasi tach chrinu]
Word-for-word
śrī - bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said mayi — to Me āsakta - manāḥ — mind attached pārtha — O son of Pṛthā yogam — self-realization yuñjan — practicing mat - āśrayaḥ — in consciousness of Me (Kṛṣṇa consciousness) asaṁśayam — without doubt samagram — completely mām — Me yathā — how jñāsyasi — you can know tat — that śṛṇu — try to hear .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī - bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Lord said
mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
mayi
to Me
āsakta - manāḥ
mind attached
pārtha
O son of Pṛthā
yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
yogam
self-realization
yuñjan
practicing
mat - āśrayaḥ
in consciousness of Me (Kṛṣṇa consciousness)
asaṁśayam
without doubt
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
samagram
completely
mām
Me
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
yathā
how
jñāsyasi
you can know
tat
that
śṛṇu
try to hear .
Important Words
  • āsakta - manāḥ — mind attached
    Compound: āsakta (clinging, glued) + manāḥ (mind). Not casual interest but adhesion. The first ingredient Kṛṣṇa names — before yoga, before refuge — because without a mind that sticks, the other two cannot operate.
  • yogam — self-realization
    Here yoga is the active linking, not seated meditation alone. Paired with yuñjan (practicing), it names the second ingredient: ongoing disciplined engagement, not occasional thought.
  • mat - āśrayaḥ — in consciousness of Me, taking refuge in Me
    Compound: mat (Me) + āśraya (shelter, recourse). The third ingredient. Refuge is not added to yoga — it underwrites it. Without Kṛṣṇa as the actual shelter, the practice has nowhere to stand.
  • samagram — completely, in full
    Kṛṣṇa does not promise partial knowledge. The word excludes the possibility of a residue. Compare with chapter 2's khaṇḍa knowledge — here the offer is whole.
  • asaṁśayam — without doubt
    Privative compound: a- (not) + saṁśaya (doubt). The result is not merely correct but uncontested in the heart. Doubt is the chronic illness of the spiritual life; this verse promises its full healing — but only under all three conditions above.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.
Purport

In this Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, the nature of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is fully described. Kṛṣṇa is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Kṛṣṇa and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Kṛṣṇa are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, or in other words Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one’s mind upon Kṛṣṇa, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahma-jyotir or localized Paramātmā realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth, because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, and everything is revealed to the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness one knows that Kṛṣṇa is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only steppingstones on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically knows about brahma-jyotir and Paramātmā in full. By practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full – namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature, and their manifestations with paraphernalia. One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa the Supreme is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which śravaṇam is the first and most important. The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chṛṇu, or “Hear from Me.” No one can be a greater authority than Kṛṣṇa, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity to become a perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious person. One has therefore to learn from Kṛṣṇa directly or from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa – and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of the First Canto as follows: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare “To hear about Kṛṣṇa from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gītā, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is dwelling in everyone’s heart, acts as a best-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Kṛṣṇa from the Bhāgavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead.” ( Bhāg. 1.2.17–21) Therefore only by hearing from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one understand the science of Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
1. The Lord said: With your mind attached to Me, establishing a relationship with Me, surrendered to Me alone, you will know Me in My complete form, without doubt. Please listen.
Commentary

When will I take shelter of Mahāprabhu’s feet, which are a sweet ocean of mercy, made of eternal bliss? Then, somehow or other, I will attain the nectar of prema through the path of bhakti, which shuns liberation. The seventh chapter describes the powers of Kṛṣṇa, the powers of the Lord who is most worthy of worship. The four types of persons who worship and do not worship Kṛṣṇa are also described. In the first six chapters of the Gītā, jṣāna and aṣṭāṅga-yoga which lead to liberation, and depend upon niṣkāma-karma-yoga which first purifies the heart, have been described. In the middle six chapters, two types of bhakti will be described: that bhakti which yields sālokya and other types of liberation by being either without desire or with desire, because of mixture of karma, jṣāna or other elements; and the main type of bhakti which yields liberation in the form of becoming an associate of the Lord with prema. This type of bhakti is independent of karma, jṣāna or other processes, and, moreover, independently yields all goals such as Svarga and mokṣa without performance of any other process. Though easy to perform for all people, it is most rare. yat karmabhir yat tapasā jṣāna-vairāgyataś ca yat yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ṣjasā svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathaṣcid yadi vāṣchati Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.32-33 “But the śruti says tam eva viditvā ati mṛtyum eti: knowing it, one surpasses death (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.15). How can you then say that without knowledge, just by bhakti, one attains liberation?” This is not a correct conclusion. The meaning of that śruti statement is: knowing Paramātmā (tam), having direct realization of Paramātmā (the word tat refers to Paramātmā, not jīva), one surpasses death. It does not mean “Knowing the individual soul (tvaṁ padārtham), or prakṛti or any existing object at all, one surpasses death.” Just as the cause of tasting sugar is the tongue, not the eye or ear, so the cause of tasting the para-brahman, is bhakti. It is possible to grasp the Brahman which is beyond the guṇas only by the process of bhakti which is also beyond the guṇas, and not by sattvic knowledge of the ātmā being different from the body (ātma-jṣāna). This is understood from the Lord’s statement bhaktyāham ekayā grahyaḥ: I am obtained only by bhakti. (SB 11.14.11) And I will elaborate on this in the commentary on the verse bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yas cāsmi tattvataḥ: I can be known as I am only by bhakti. (BG 18.55) And the accomplishment of liberation through jṣāna and aṣṭāṅga-yoga is brought about only through the influence of bhakti which is a subordinate element within those practices. It is stated in many places in the scriptures that without bhakti, those two processes are insignificant. Moreover, because of the absence of the word eva (only) after viditvā, there is another meaning. This sentence without eva does not indicate that exclusively by knowing Paramātmā, one attains liberation. Rather, knowing Paramātmā or not knowing, one attains liberation. Therefore, one can get liberation by knowledge beyond the guṇas—knowledge of Paramātmā, which arises through bhakti; and sometimes also, one can attain liberation without Paramātmā knowledge arising from bhakti—by bhakti alone. It is just like eating matsyaṇḍika which cannot be tasted, due to malfunction of the tongue. But gradually taste is restored and as well, the sickness is destroyed (one action accomplishes two results). According to Amara Kośa, matsyaṇḍika is a transformation of sugar. [Note: Perhaps the previous sentence is a quotation from some scripture, and thus in the next sentence Viśvanātha explains the meaning of the word matsyaṇḍika.] nanv īśvaro 'nubhajato 'viduṣo 'pi sākṣāc chreyas tanoty agada-rāja ivopayuktaḥ It is true that the Supreme Lord Himself awards His blessings even to an ignorant worshiper, just as the best medicine works even when taken by a person ignorant of its ingredients. SB 10.47.59 In the Mokṣa Dharma, there is a statement made about Nārāyaṇa:

yo vai sādhana sampattiḥ puruṣārtha catuṣṭhaye tayā vinā tad āpnoti naro nārāyaṇāśrayaḥ Even without performing actions for attaining the four puruṣārthas (artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa), the person who surrenders to Nārāyaṇa attains the goal. As quoted above already, Bhāgavatam says: Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.32-33 yan-nāma sakṛc chravaṇāt pukkaśo ’pi vimucyate saṁsārāt Not to speak of seeing You personally, merely by hearing the holy name of Your Lordship only once, even caṇḍālas, men of the lowest class, are freed from saṁsāra. SB 6.16.44 Thus, according to many such statements in the scriptures, liberation can be attained by bhakti alone. Now, let us return to the verse. “In Your statement at the end of the last chapter (yoginām api sarveṣām), I have understood that You have indicated the unique quality of Your own devotee who absorbs his mind in You (mad gatenāntarātmanā) and has faith in You. But what type of devotee is he? One would expect that he is qualified with knowledge (jṣāna) and realization (vijṣāna).” The Lord then answers in two verses. Realization will occur gradually in proportion to the intensity of the worship. bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo 'nu-ghāsam Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. SB 11.2.42 Just as by eating a handful of food one does not attain satisfaction or nourishment but by taking a lot of food one does get satisfaction and nourishment, when you have attained the stage of attachment to Me (mayy āsakta manāḥ) in My form of Śyāmasundara with yellow cloth, you will know Me. Hear how (yathā) you will realize Me clearly. What type of yoga is this? You will gradually attain a relationship with Me (saṁyogam yuṣjan). You will take shelter of Me alone, not karma or jṣāna (mad-āśrayaḥ), since you are My ananya-bhakta. You will be absolutely without doubt about which is better—My impersonal aspect or My personal aspect, as indicated later in chapter 12 with My words: kleśo ’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate Those who are attached to the impersonal aspect endure great difficulties. The impersonal goal gives difficulties for one a body. BG 12.5 Moreover, that Brahman is just an expression of My greatness, as I, in the form of Matsya, say to Satyavrata: madīyaṁ mahimānaṁ ca paraṁ brahmeti śabditam vetsyasy anugṛhītaṁ me sampraśnair vivṛtaṁ hṛdi You will be thoroughly advised and favored by Me, and because of your inquiries, everything about My glories, which are known as paraṁ brahma, will be manifest within your heart. SB 8.24.38 In the Gītā I will later say, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham: I am the basis of Brahman. Thus, in comparison to knowledge about Me in My personal form, which is complete (samagram), this knowledge of impersonal Brahman is incomplete. Therefore you will know Me completely (samagraṁ mām), without doubt.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
1. The Lord said: With your mind attached to Me, establishing a relationship with Me, surrendered to Me alone, you will know Me in My complete form, without doubt. Please listen.
Commentary

The seventh chapter describes the powers of the Lord, most worthy of worship, and the four types of worshipper and non-worshipper. The first six chapters have spoken mainly of the svarūpa of the jīva, the worshipper, and the means to realize this. The middle six chapters speak of the svarūpa of Lord, the object of worship, and the means to realize Him. Though Arjuna did not ask about what type of form should be worshipped and how to absorb the mind in that object (mad gatena antar ātmanā śraddhavān bhajate yo mām) after these were mentioned by the Lord at the end of the last chapter, the Lord eager to describe this out of His merciful nature, now begins to speak. With your mind completely absorbed in Me (mayy āsakta manaḥ), who am the speaker and the object of your worship, you, or any other similar person, who takes shelter of Me with exclusive love in the any of the four higher rasas (dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya or mādhurya) (mad āśrayaḥ), and who engages himself in bhakti yoga with such practices as surrender (yogam yuṣjan), should listen attentively to what I will say, so that there will no longer be doubts. You will have no doubt that I alone am the supreme truth, being fully convinced of My supreme position (asaṁśayam), by which knowledge you will know Me, as the Lord of all, complete with My associates, My powers and My place (samagram), O son of Pṛthā. One should not say that He will teach this knowledge entirely (samagram in another sense). That is because it is impossible to know everything about the Lord who is infinite. The smṛti says: kārtsnyena nājo’py abhidhātum īśaḥ Even Lord Brahmā himself would be incapable of describing the pastimes of the Lord entirely. SB 12.4.39

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

The beginning is 'mayy‑asakta‑manah' ‑ 'with mind attached to Me'. 'Yoga yunjah' ‑ 'by practicing self‑realization in 'mad‑ asrayah', 'full consciousness of Me' (Krsna consciousness). Here is the process being described: first one has to attach his mind to Krsna ‑ 'asakta'. This is the stage prior to 'bhava'. It is very advanced stage that comes from hearing about Krsna and developing a taste for Krsna. And beyond that taste (ruci) is that 'asakta'. And when one's mind is attached to Krsna, then by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Krsna ‑ 'asamsayam samagram', "without a doubt", 'mam yatha jnasyasi', "you can know Me completely." How to do this, to get one's mind attached to Krsna, to practice Krsna consciousness in that state? How to know Krsna fully by doing that without a doubt, completely ‑ 'tac chrnu',"try to hear from Me now!" 'Hear from Me', it is because this knowledge is beyond the modes. This is the only access we have to the descending source. 'Hear from Me O son of Prtha! How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me'. ‑ that means 'ananya bhakti' which is described, latter on the 8th Chapter. Bhakti only, free from desires for karma or jnana. 'Jnana karmady anavrtam/ anukulyena krsnanusilanam' ‑ this is the 'process' of cultivating Krsna consciousness as described by Rupa Goswami. This is what is described here by Krsna. "With mind attached to Me" ‑ this means that Krsna can only be known by someone who is very much in love with Him, who is attached to Him, completely. In that way Krsna can be known in full. But actually, Krsna cannot be known in full because He is unlimited. Still, one should know Him as much as possible. "Free from doubt" ‑ this freedom from doubt is possible by knowing Krsna in full. Knowing Him in full is knowing that He is the complete realization of the Absolute Truth ‑ not Brahman or Paramatma. And by hearing about Krsna, one will know Him fully , without a doubt. The complete realization of the Absolute Truth ‑ the non‑dual knowledge of the Absolute Truth ‑ that is Bhagavan realization. Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: " One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krsna the Supreme is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which sravanam is the first and most important. The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chrnu, or ``Hear from Me.'' No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity to become a perfectly Krsna conscious person. One has therefore to learn from Krsna directly or from a pure devotee of Krsna‑‑and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Srimad‑Bhagavatam this process of understanding Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of the First Canto as follows:

srnvatam sva‑kathah krsnah punya‑sravana‑kirtanah hrdy antah‑stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrt satam

nasta‑prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata‑sevaya bhagavaty uttama‑sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

tada rajas‑tamo‑bhavah kama‑lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham sthitam sattve prasidati

evam prasanna‑manaso bhagavad‑bhakti‑yogatah bhagavat‑tattva‑vijnanam mukta‑sangasya jayate bhidyate hrdaya‑granthis chidyante sarva‑samsayah ksiyante casya karmani drsta evatmanisvare

``To hear about Krsna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad‑gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krsna, Lord Krsna, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a best‑wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krsna from the Bhagavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti‑yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asamsayam‑samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personali Godhead.'' (SB. 1.2.17‑21) Therefore only by hearing from Krsna or from His devotee in Krsna consciousness can one understand the science of Krsna."

[Summary of the Sections of this Chapter: What we will hear in this Chapter is knowledge of the Absolute Truth. We will hear in the first three verses, the importance about hearing about Krsna as the process. This is Section A. Then, in Section B we will hear about Krsna ‑ how to see Him everywhere by understanding Him as the source of both the material and spiritual energies and that everything is a combination of these two energies (every single thing that we see is simply a combination of those two energies). Therefore Arjuna, even in the battlefield can see Krsna everywhere ‑ 'mad‑gatenantar‑atmana'. In Section C, we will understand what stops people from surrendering to Krsna as 'everything'. That is the modes of material nature and therefore one should surrender to Krsna and pass beyond the modes. In Section D, we will hear about who has knowledge and does surrender to Krsna, and who lacks knowledge and doesn't surrender to Krsna. In Section E, we will hear about another type of persons who have no knowledge and they do surrender, but to the wrong 'thing' ‑ to the demigods and to the 'impersonal'. They don't surrender to Krsna. In Section F, we will hear about the bewilderment of the living entity. What is that thing that bewilders the living entity and how and what frees him and liberates him and fixes his mind on Krsna, through knowledge of Krsna.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

To always think of Krishna in devotion, one must hear about Krishna and His Supreme position. Now

hear from Krishna Himself in this chapter

How to know Krishna in full?
Hear from Him
Practicing Bhakti Yoga, with
Mind attached to Him
In full consciousness of Him
Focus of Learning

(a) Full and scientific knowledge is Krishna and not impersonal Brahman or Paramatma

“In full” – means to know Absolute Truth, living entity, material nature and their manifestations and paraphernalia
“Without doubt” – refers to firm faith that Krishna is the ultimate knowledge and realization

(b) Krishna Consciousness process reveals full knowledge – because mind is fully attached to Krishna

(Bg. 6.47)

(c) Process to concentrate mind – nine fold process; first and foremost – Sravanam (Indicated by

word ‘tac-chrnu’)

(d) Whom to hear from – only Krishna or pure devotee/not non-devotee scholar

(e) Process of understanding Krishna, Supreme Personality of Godhead, by hearing (Ref. SB 1.2.17-

21) – Steps for advancement are as follows:

Hearing about Krishna or from Him
By such hearing, Krishna in the heart acts as best wishing friend
Krishna purifies the devotee who is constantly engaged
Natural development of dormant transcendental knowledge
By more hearing, one becomes fixed in devotional service
Freedom from modes of passion and ignorance
Material lust and avarice are diminished
One becomes steady in pure goodness
One becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly
Hard knot of material affection is severed
One comes to the stage of ‘asamsayam samagram’ (complete understanding of Supreme Absolute Truth)

(f) Conclusion: Only way to understand the science of Krishna – By hearing from Krishna or from His

devotees

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION I

Rare understanding of Krishna and His energies is obtained through proper hearing
To truly know a thing requires, more than existential data, an awareness of its relation to the Absolute, Sri Krishna. Therefore one can know everything phenomenal (material) and numinous (spiritual) simply by hearing of Krishna and His energies
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
7.1 O Partha, mayi asaktamanah, having the mind fixed on Me- one whose mind (manah) is fixed (asakta) on Me (mayi) who am the supreme God possessed on the alification going to be spoken of-. Yogam yunjan, practising the Yoga of Meditation, concentrating the mind-. Madasrayah, taking refuge in Me-one to whom I Myself, the supreme Lord, am the refuge (asraya) is madasrayah-. Anyone who hankers after some human objective resorts to some rite such as the Agnihotra etc., austerity or charity, which is the means to its attainment. This yogi, however, accepts only Me as his refuge; rejecting any other means, he keeps his mind fixed on Me alone. Srnu, hear; tat, that, which is being spoken of by Me; as to yatha, how, the process by which; you who, having become thus, jnasyasi, will know; mam, Me; asamsayam, with certainty, without doubt, that the Lord is such indeed; and samagram, in fullness, possessed of such alities as greatness, strength, power, majesty, etc. [Strength-physical; power-mental; etc. refers to omniscience and will.] in their fullness.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
7.1 The Lord said Listen attentively to My words imparting knowledge to you, by which you will understand Me indubitably and fully - Me, the object of the Yogic contemplation in which you are engaged with a mind so deeply bound to Me by virtue of overwhelming love that it would disintegrate instantaneously the moment it is out of touch with My essential nature, attributes, deeds and glories, and with your very self resting so completely on Me that it would break up when bereft of Me.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
7.1 See comment under 7.2
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
7.1 The Blessed Lord said O Arjuna, hear how you shall without doubt know Me fully, with the mind intent on Me, practising Yoga and taking refuge in Me.
Commentary

7.1 मयि on Me? आसक्तमनाः with mind intent? पार्थ O Partha? योगम् Yoga? युञ्जन् practising? मदाश्रयः taking refuge in Me? असंशयम् without doubt? समग्रम् wholly? माम् Me? यथा how? ज्ञास्यसि shall know? तत् that? श्रृणु hear.Commentary He who wishes to attain some result or reward performs the ritual known as Agnihotra or does charity? sinks wells? builds hospitals? resting places? etc.? with Sakama Bhavana (with an inner profit motive) and attains them. But the Yogi on the contrary practises Yoga with a steadfast mind and takes refuge in the Lord alone? with the mind wholly fixed on Him? on His lofty attributes such as omnipotence? omniscience? omnipresence? infinite love? beauty? grace? strength? mercy? inexhaustible wealth? ineffable splendour? pristine glory and purity.The servant of a king? though he constantly serves the king? has not got his mind fixed on him. The mind is ever fixed on his wife and children. Unlike the servant? fix your mind on Me? (the allpervading One)? and take refuge in Me alone. Practise control of the mind in accordance with the instructions given in chapter VI. Then you will know Me and My infinite attributes in full.If you sing the glory and the attributes of the Lord? you will develop love for Him and then your mind will be fixed on Him. Intense love for the Lord is real devotion. You must get full knowledge of the Self without any doubt.He who has taken refuge in the Lord? and he who is trying to fix or has fixed his mind on the Lord cannot bear the separation from the Lord even for a second.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
7.1 The Blessed Lord said O Partha, hear how you, having the mind fixed on Me, practising the Yoga of Meditation and taking refuge in Me, will know Me with certainly and in fulness.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
7.1 "Lord Shri Krishna said: Listen, O Arjuna! And I will tell thee how thou shalt know Me in my Full perfection, practising meditation with thy mind devoted to Me, and having Me for thy refuge.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 6.47 BG 9.1 BG 12.2 SB 1.2.11 SB 11.14.21 SB 2.9.31 CC Madhya 22.2 CC Ādi 7.141 CC Madhya 20.122 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23BRS 1.2.2
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hear how, with mind attached to Me, in yoga, taking refuge in Me — you can know Me fully without doubt.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize that complete knowledge of Kṛṣṇa requires attachment, yoga, and refuge — together.
  • Don't expect full understanding while keeping Him at arm's length.
  • Move closer with all three.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the three (attachment / yoga / refuge) is least cultivated?
  • What invites me closer this week?
Analogy

Like a swimmer learning a stroke not from a manual on the shore but only by getting in the water with a guide — knowledge of Kṛṣṇa requires entering the current of attachment-yoga-refuge. He does not say 'understand Me'; He says 'practicing yoga, with mind fastened on Me, taking shelter of Me — then you will know.' All three at once, like three threads of a single rope.

Stories
Nārada and the cobbler

When Nārada Muni asked Viṣṇu what kind of devotee was dearest to Him, the Lord pointed not to the brāhmaṇa reciting Vedas in solitude but to a simple cobbler who passed the day stitching shoes — yet whose mind never left Kṛṣṇa.

The brāhmaṇa knew the words; the cobbler had āsakta-manāḥ — mind clinging to the Lord through every needle-stroke. Knowledge in full came not by the texts alone but by the mind that would not leave Him.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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