"Knowledge of the Absolute"

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Truth, the supreme cause and power supporting all that exists - spiritual and material. Virtuous and devoted souls surrender themselves to Him, but sinners find other objects for worship.
So, we have begun the second part of the Bhagavad-gita, which consists of three sections of 6 chapters each. This means that the Bhagavad-gita has a structure that carries a special purpose. Bhagavad-gita is not an ordinary work, it is a dialogue between God and a person who finds himself in the most difficult situation that you can get on this planet.
This conversation took place on the Kurukshetra field before the decisive battle of good and evil. And the main warrior Arjuna needed to make very serious decisions, he had to sacrifice his attachments for a great idea, for a mission, for a higher purpose. However, the first time he didn’t succeed, and Arjuna decided to abandon the battle, turning to the system of renunciation and simply doing training in order to thoroughly understand how to behave in difficult situations. But Krishna explained to him that abandoning the battle is not the best solution, since he can refuse the battle on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, but he still will not be able to refuse the fight in his own heart.
Our whole life is an ongoing struggle either with external obstacles or with internal ones. And as in any war, you must have good weapons in order to win the battle with an equally experienced opponent. And this weapon is given to us in the Bhagavad-gita - a weapon consisting of spiritual knowledge that allows us to make the right decisions no matter what difficult situation we are in. And before us is not just a task, we have a super task - to solve the problems of birth, illness, old age and death. And there is a solution to this problem - it is called holiness, and the weapon of the saint is divine knowledge, which is fully represented in this universal work.

TEXT 1


sri-bhagavan 
uvcha mayi asakta-manah partha yogic 
yunjan mad-ashrayah 
asamsayam samagram mam 
yatha jnasyasi tach chrina
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Supreme Lord said; mayi - on Me; asakta-manah - one whose mind is concentrated; partha - O son of Prtha; yogam - self-realization; yunjan - one who practices; mat-asrayah - knowing Me (Krsna conscious); asamsayam - certainly; samagram - in full measure; mam - Me; yatha - how; jnasyasi - you will understand; tat - about that; shrinu - listen.
The Supreme Lord said: A now, O son of Prtha, hear how by giving yourself to Me, by concentrating your mind on Me and casting aside all doubts, you can fully understand Me by going through yoga.

TEXT 2


jnanam te 'ham sa- 
vijnanam idam waksyamy asesatah 
yaj jnatva neha bhuyo' nyaj 
jnatyam avashisyate
jnanam - knowledge of the material world; those to you; aham - I; sa - together with; vijnanam - by spiritual knowledge; idam is that; vaksyami - I will explain; asesatah - completely; yat - which; jnatva - knowing; na - not; iha - here (in this world); bhuyah - more; anyat - other; jnatavyam - what you need to know; avasisyate - remains.
Now I will reveal to you in full the knowledge about the material and spiritual nature. When you master it, nothing unknown will remain for you.

TEXT 3


manusyanam sahasresu 
kashchid yatati siddhaye 
yatatam api siddhanam 
kashchin mam vetti tattvatah
manusyanam - of the people; sahasresu - among many thousands; kaschet - anyone; yatati - strives; siddhaye - to perfection; yatatam - striving for perfection; api - verily; siddhanam - those who have attained perfection; kaschet - anyone; mam - Me; vetti - knows; tattvatah - verily.
Of the many thousands of people, hardly one strives for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one truly knows Me.

TEXT 4


bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh 
kham mano buddhir eva ca 
ahankara itiyam me 
bhinna prakrtir astadha
bhumih - the earth; apah - water; analah - fire; vayuh — air; kham — ether; manah - the mind; buddhih - the mind; eva - unconditionally; ca - i; ahankarah - the false ego; iti - in this way; iyam - this; me - Mine; bhinna - separated; prakrtih - energy; ashtadha - consisting of eight species.
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, mind and false ego - these eight elements make up My separate material energy.

TEXT 5


apareyam itas tv anyam 
prakritim viddhi me param 
jiva-bhutam maha-baho 
yayedam dharyate jagat
apara - the lowest; iyam - this; itah - therefore; tu - but; anyam - another; prakritim - energy; viddhi - know; me - Mine; param - the highest; jiva-bhutam - (consisting of) living entities; maha-baho - O mighty-armed; yaya - by which; idam - this; dharyate - is used; jagat - the material world.
In addition to this lower energy, O mighty Arjuna, there is another, My higher energy, consisting of living beings who use what is created by material, lower energy.

TEXT 6


etad-yonini bhutani 
sarvanity upadharaya 
aham kritsnasya jagatah 
prabhavah pralayas tatha
etat - in these (two natures); yonini - originating; bhutani - beings; sarvani - everything; iti - like that; upadharaya - know; aham - I; krtsnasya - which includes everything; jagatah - of the world; prabhavah - the source of origin; pralayah - destruction; tatha also.
In these two natures all created beings begin. Know that I am the beginning and end of everything in this world, which is a combination of matter and spirit.

TEXT 7


mattah parataram nanyat 
kincid asti dhananjaya 
mayi sarvam idam protam sutre 
mani-gana iva
mattah - of Me; para-taram - exceeding; na - not; anyat kincit - anything else; asti - exists; dhananjaya - <$!> O conqueror of wealth; mayi - in Me; sarvam - vsC; idam - this (everything that we see around); protam - strung; sutra — on the thread; mani-ganah - pearls; willow - how.
O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth above Me. All things rest on Me, like pearls strung on a thread.

TEXT 8


Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya 
prabhasmi sashi-suryayoh 
pranavah sarva-vedesu 
sabdah khe paurusham nrishu
rasah — taste; aham - I; apsu - in water; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; prabha — light; asmi - (I) is; sasi-suryayoh - of the moon and the sun; pranavah - the combination of the three letters a-y-m; sarva - in all; vedesu - in the Vedas; sabdah — sound; khe - on the air; paurusham - ability; nриуu - in people.
O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, and I am the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am a sound on the air and talent in a person.

TEXT 9


punyo gandhah prithivyam ca 
tejash chasmi vibhavasau 
jivanam sarva-bhutesu 
tapas chasmi tapasvishu
punyah - the original; gandhah - aroma; prithivyam - of the earth; ca — also; tejah - heat; ca — also; asmi - (I) is; vibhavasau - on fire; jivanam - life; sarva - in all; bhutesu - in the living entities; tapah - asceticism; ca — also; asmi - (I) is; tapasvishu - in ascetics.
I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat of fire. I am the life of all living things and the asceticism of all ascetics.

TEXT 10


bijam mam sarva-bhutanam 
viddhi partha sanatanam 
buddhir buddhimatam asmi 
tejas tejasvinam aham
bijam - by seed; mam - Me; sarva-bhutanam - of all living entities; viddhi - know; partha - O son of Prtha; sanatanam - the original, eternal; buddhih - the mind; buddhi-matam - of the intelligent; asmi - (I) is; tejah - power; tejasvinam - the powerful; aham - ya
O son of Prtha, know that I am the primordial seed of all beings, the rational mind and the mighty might.

TEXT 11


balam balavatam chaham 
kama-raga-vivarjitam 
dharmaviruddho bhutesu 
kamo 'media bharatarshabha
balam - power; bala-vatam - of the strong; ca - i; aham - I; kama - passion; raga - affection; vivarjitam - free; dharma-aviruddhah - not contrary to the laws of religion; bhutesu - in the living entities; kamah - sex life; asmi - (I) is; bharata-rishabha - O leader of Bharat.
I am the strength of the strong, free from passion and desire. I am a sex life that does not contradict the laws of religion, O leader Bharat.

TEXT 12


ye caiva sattvika bhava 
rajasas tamasash ca ye 
matta eveti tan viddhi 
on tv aham tesu te mayi
ye - which; ca - i; eva - unconditionally; sattvikah - related to the mode of goodness; bhavah - the state of being; rajasah - related to the mode of passion; tamasah - related to the mode of ignorance; ca — also; ye - which; mattah - from Me; eva - unconditionally; iti - in this way; tan - te; viddhi - know; na - not; tu - but; aham - I; tesu - in them; those are they; mayi is in Me.
Know that all states of being, whether in goodness, passion or ignorance, are created by My energy. I am everything, and at the same time I stand apart from everything. I am not subject to the modes of nature - they are subject to Me.

TEXT 13


tribhir guna-mayair bhavair 
ebhih sarvam idam jagat 
mohitam nabhjanati 
mam ebhyah param avyayam
tribhih - by three; guna-mayaih - consisting of the gunas; bhavaih - by the states of being; ebhih - by these; sarvam - all; idam - this; jagat - the universe; mohitam - plunged into illusion; na abhijanati - does not know; mam - Me; ebhyah - of this; param - the Supreme; avyayam - the inexhaustible.
Plunged into the illusion of the three modes of nature [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, standing above the modes and inexhaustible.

TEXT 14


daivi hi esha guna-mayi 
mother maya duratyaya 
mam eva ye prapadyante 
mayam etam taranti te
daivi - divine; hi - unconditionally; esa - this; guna-mayi - consisting of the three modes of material nature; my mother; maya - energy; duratyaya - one that is very difficult to overcome; mam - to me; eva - unconditionally; ye - which; prapadyante - surrendered; mayam etam - this illusory energy; taranti - overcome; those are them.
It is incredibly difficult to overcome the influence of My divine energy, consisting of the three modes of material nature. But the one who surrendered to Me easily leaves her power.

TEXT 15


na mam dushkritino mudhah 
prapadyante naradhamah 
mayayapahrta-jnana 
asuram bhavam ashritah
na - not; mam - to me; duskrtinah - the wicked; mudhah - fools; prapadyante - surrender; nara-adhamah — the lowest of men; mayaya - by illusory energy; apahrita - stolen; jnanah - those whose knowledge; asuram - demonic; bhavam - nature; asritah - accepting.
Ignorant and stupid sinners, the lowest of people, as well as those whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and demonic godless people never surrender to Me.

TEXT 16


chatur-vidha bhajante mam 
janah sukritino 'rjuna 
arto jijnasur artharthi 
jnani ca bharatarshabha
catuh-vidhah - belonging to the four categories; bhajante - they serve; mam - to me; janah - people; su-kritinah - pious; arjuna - O Arjuna; artah - the afflicted; jijnasuh — inquisitive; artha-arthi - seeking to get rich; jnani - knowing the true nature of things; ca — also; bharata-rishabha - O best of Bharat.
O best of Bharat, four types of righteous people embark on the path of devotional service to Me: the afflicted, seeking wealth, the curious, and those who seek to understand the Absolute Truth.

TEXT 17


tesam jnani nitya-yukta 
eka-bhaktir visishyate 
prio hee jnanino 'tyartham 
aham sa ca mother priyah
tesam - among them; jnani - a person with perfect knowledge; nitya-yuktah - constantly engaged; eka - only; bhaktih - (absorbed) in devotional service; visisyate - stands out; priyah - very dear; hi - unconditionally; jnaninah - one who has knowledge; atyartham - very; aham - I; sah — he; ca — also; mom is mine; priyah - dear.
The best of them is one who has perfect knowledge and who fully devotes himself to pure devotional service to Me. I am very dear to such a devotee, and he is very dear to Me.

TEXT 18


udarah sarva evaite 
jnani tv atmaiva me matam 
astghitah sa hi yuktatma 
mam evanuttamam gatim
udarah - the exalted; sarve — everything; eva - undoubtedly; ete — these; jnani - one who has knowledge; tu - but; atma eva - just like I Am; me - Mine; matam - opinion; asthitah - come; sah — he; hi - unconditionally; yukta-atma - engaged in devotional service; mam - to me; eva - without fail; anuttamam - to the highest; gatim - towards the goal.
All these devotees, no doubt, are exalted souls, but I think that of all those who have realized Me, I am similar to Myself. Serving Me with transcendental love, he will certainly come to Me, the highest and most cherished goal.

TEXT 19


bahunam janmanam ante 
jnanavan mam prapadyate 
vasudevah sarvam iti 
sa mahatma su-durlabhah
bahunam - of many; janmanam - of births; ante - at the end; jnana-van - one who has perfect knowledge; mam - to me; prapadyate - surrenders; vasudevah - the Supreme Lord, Krsna; sarvam - everything; iti - like that; sah — that; maha-atma - a great soul; su-durlabhah - very rare.
He who, having gone through many births and deaths, has gained perfect knowledge, is surrendering to Me, for he understood that I am the cause of all causes and everything. Such a great soul is very rare.

TEXT 20


kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah 
prapadyante 'nya-devatah 
there tam niyamam asthaya 
prakritya niyatah svaya
kamaih - by desires; taiih taiih - varied; hrta - taken away; jnanah - those whose knowledge; prapadyante - surrender; anya - to others; devatah - the demigods; there there are those; niyamam - the precepts; asthaya - following; prakrtya - to nature; niyatah - subordinates; piling - his own.
Those who have been deprived of their material desires, accept the worship of the demigods and worship them, following the instructions of the Vedas corresponding to the nature of these people.

TEXT 21


yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah 
sraddhayarchitum ichchati 
tasya tasyachalam sraddham 
tam eva vidadhami aham
yah yah - which; yam yam - to whom; tanum - the image (demigod); bhaktah - a devotee; sraddhaya - with faith; architum — to worship; iccathi - desires; tasya tasya - of that; achalam - unshakable; sraddham - faith; there - that; eva - unconditionally; vidadhami - I give; aham - ya
I abide in everyone's heart as the Supersoul, and when a person wants to worship one or another demigod, I strengthen his faith in this demigod so that he can surrender himself to him.

TEXT 22


sa thaya sraddhaya yuktas 
tasyaradhanam ihate 
labhate ca tatah kaman 
mayaiva wihitan hi tan
sah — he; taya - by that; sraddhaya - by inspiration; yuktah - endowed with; tasya — of this (demigod); aradhanam - to worship; ihate - seeks; labhate - gains; ca - i; tatah - because of this; kaman - desired; maya - by Me; eva - only; vihitan - given; hi - certainly; tan - those.
With such faith, one worships this demigod and achieves what is desired. But in fact, all the blessings that he receives, I give alone.

TEXT 23


antavat tu phalam tesam 
tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam 
devan deva-yajo yanti 
mad-bhakta yanti mam api
anta-wat - short-lived; tu - but; phalam - the fruit; tesam - them; tat - that; bhavati - becomes; alpa-medhasam - of foolish people; devan - to the demigods; deva-yajah - those who worship the demigods; yanti - go; mat - to Me; bhaktah - the devotees; yanti - go; mam — to Me; api also.
Foolish people worship the demigods, but the fruits they acquire are scarce and transient. Those who worship the demigods enter the planets of the demigods, but those who are devoted to Me attain My highest abode.

TEXT 24


avyaktam vyaktim apannam 
manante mam abuddhayah 
param bhavam ajananto 
mamavyayam anuttamam
avyaktam - the unmanifest; vyaktim - the person; apannam - attained; manyante - they think; mam - Me; abuddhayah - people without intelligence; param - transcendental; bhavam - being; ajanantah - not knowing; mom is Mine; avyayam - imperishable; anuttamam - unsurpassed.
People who are without reason and do not know Me as I Am, believe that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was not a person before, but now I have become one. Because of the scarcity of their knowledge, they do not understand that I have a higher nature, absolute and imperishable.

TEXT 25


naham prakasah sarvasya 
yoga-maya-samavritah 
mudho 'yam nabhjanati 
loko mam ajam avyayam
na - not; aham - I; prakasah - manifested; sarvasya - to everyone; yoga-maya - by internal energy; samavritah - hidden; mudhah - fools; ayam - of this; na - not; abhijanati - understand; lokah - people; mam - Me; ajam - of the unborn; avyayam - inexhaustible.
I never reveal Myself to fools and ignoramuses. My internal energy hides Me from them, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and inexhaustible.

TEXT 26


vedaham samatitani 
vartamanani carjuna 
bhavisyani ca bhutani 
mam tu veda na kashchana
veda - I know; aham - I; samatitani - past events; vartamanani - those that occur in the present; ca - i; arjuna - O Arjuna; bhavisyani - those that will happen in the future; ca — also; bhutani - (all) living entities; mam - Me; tu - but; veda - knows; on - no; kashcana - anyone.
O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that happened in the past, is happening now and will happen in the future. I also know all living things, but nobody knows me.

TEXT 27


ichcha-dvesa-samutthena 
dvandva-mohena bharata 
sarva-bhutani sammokham 
sarge yanti parantapa
iccha - out of desire; dvesa - and hatred; samuttena - arising; dvandva - of the dual; mohena - by illusion; bharata - O descendant of Bharata; sarva — everything; bhutani - living entities; sammoham - into the illusion; sarge - at the time of birth; yanti - go; parantapa - O conqueror of enemies.
O descendant of Bharata, O conqueror of enemies, all living beings, appearing on the light, find themselves in the grip of an illusory duality arising from desire and hatred.

TEXT 28


yesham tv anta-gatam papam 
jananam punya-pockets 
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta 
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
yesam - of whom; tu - but; anta-gatam - annihilated; Papamas <$!> sin; jananam - of the people; punya — the pious; pockets - those whose past actions; those are they; dvandva - from duality; moha - and illusions; nirmuktah - liberated; bhajante - devotional service; mam - to me; drdha-vratah - with determination.
Anyone who has committed pious deeds in this and in past lives and has completely denied sin, leaves the control of illusory duality and devotes himself to serving Me with determination.

TEXT 29


jara-marana-mokshaya 
mam ashritya yatanti ye 
te brahma tad viduh kritsnam 
adhyatmam karma chakhilam
jara - from old age; marana - and death; moksaya - for liberation; mam — in Me; ashrtya - finding shelter; yatanti - aspire; ye - what; those are they; brahma - Brahman; tat - that; viduh — they know; krtsnam - entirely; adhyatmam - spiritual; karma - activity; ca - i; akhilam - completely.
Such intelligent people, seeking to free themselves from the captivity of old age and death, take refuge in Me and serve Me with love. They are already, in fact, Brahman, for they perfectly understood the laws of spiritual activity.

TEXT 30


sadhibhutadhidaivam mam 
sadhijajnam ca ye ye viduh 
prayana-kale 'pi ca mam 
te vidur yukta-cetasah
sa-adhibhuta - commanding the material cosmos; adhidaivam - and by all the demigods; mam - Me; sa-adhiyajnam - one who commands all the sacrifices; ca — also; ye - which; viduh — they know; prayana — of death; kale - at the moment; apie <$!> even; ca - i; mam - Me; those are they; viduh — they know; yukta-cetasah - those whose mind is focused on Me.
Those who always think of Me and who understand that I, the Supreme Lord, the lord of the material cosmos, the lord of all demigods and sacrifices, will recognize Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even on his deathbed.