Page 53 - Amrit Varta - Issue Feb. 2023 - English

Vol. 27, No.1, February 2023 MA ANANDAMAYEE AMRIT VARTA 41

Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita

Sri Chinmoy
(continued from before)
In the seventh chapter Sri Krishna tells his beloved disciple that out of His
infinite Bounty He will give him all that He has and all that He is: Infinity and
Eternity. In return He expects only two things from the disciple: Yoga and
dependence. We may call this dependence as devoted surrender, which is the
indivisible oneness of the finite with the Infinite. To know Sri Krishna is to
know the Supreme Knowledge. To realize Sri Krishna is to realize the life of
everything in essence.
Manushyânâm sahasreshu…. i.e. Among thousands of individuals, scarcely
one strives for spiritual perfection and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely
one knows Me in essence i.e. in Real form. (7.3).
It seems as if this third verse is throwing cold water (discouraging) on the
seeker. This is not at all Krishna’s intention, because Krishna is not only all
Wisdom but also all Compassion. He wants to tell Arjuna what actually takes
place in the spiritual race. This Supreme Knowledge is not for one who has
childish curiosity, shallow enthusiasm, weak determination, flickering devotion
and/or conditional surrender. Any of these undivine qualities will, hinder the
path of spirituality.
The sixth and the seventh verses of the seventh chapter describes the relation
between Sri Krishna and the universe. “I am the beginning and the end of the
universe. I am the Source of creation and I am the place of dissolution. Beyond
Me, there is nothing. This whole universe is threaded upon Me as pearls on a
string.” (7.6-7).
There are three qualities of My Prakriti or Nature: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
denoting harmony, activity and inactivity. Sri Krishna says, “These three qualities
are from Me and in Me, but I am not in them. (7.12) Sattva is the chief quality
of nature. It embodies harmony. The possessor of the sattvic quality has
undoubtedly a heart of gold. He knows that his life has significance. His breath
is pure, patience is luminous, unparallel is his fortitude and infallible is his
certainty. He wants to live in the truth of the present, past and future. He wants
to transcend soulfully.