Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 7 - Shloka (Verse) 17

व्याख्या--'तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्तः' उन (अर्थार्थी, आर्त, जिज्ञासु और ज्ञानी) भक्तोंमें ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी भक्त श्रेष्ठ है; क्योंकि वह नित्ययुक्त है अर्थात् वह सदा-सर्वदा केवल भगवान्में ही लगा रहता है। भगवान्के सिवाय दूसरे किसीमें वह किञ्चिन्मात्र भी नहीं लगता। जैसे गोपियाँ गाय दुहते, दही बिलोते, धान कूटते आदि सभी लौकिक कार्य करते हुए भी भगवान् श्रीकृष्णमें चित्तवाली रहती हैं (टिप्पणी प0 420.2), ऐसे ही वह ज्ञानी भक्त लौकिक और पारमार्थिक सब क्रियाएँ करते समय सदा-सर्वदा भगवान्से जुड़ा रहता है। भगवान्का सम्बन्ध रखते हुए ही उसकी सब क्रियाएँ होती हैं।

उन चार प्रकारके भक्तोंमें जो ज्ञानी है अर्थात् यथार्थ तत्त्वको जाननेवाला है वह तत्त्ववेत्ता होनेके कारण सदा मुझमें स्थित है और उसकी दृष्टिमें अन्य किसी भजनेयोग्य वस्तुका अस्तित्व न रहनेके कारण वह केवल एक मुझ परमात्मामें ही अनन्य भक्तिवाला होता है। इसलिये वह अनन्य प्रेमी ( ज्ञानी भक्त ) श्रेष्ठ माना जाता है। ( अन्य तीनोंकी अपेक्षा ) अधिक उच्च कोटिका समझा जाता है। क्योंकि मैं ज्ञानीका आत्मा हूँ इसलिये उसको अत्यन्त प्रिय हूँ। संसारमें यह प्रसिद्ध ही है कि आत्मा ही प्रिय होता है। इसलिये ज्ञानीका आत्मा होनेके कारण भगवान् वासुदेव उसे अत्यन्त प्रिय होता है। यह अभिप्राय है। तथा वह ज्ञानी भी मुझ वासुदेवका आत्मा ही है अतः वह मेरा अत्यन्त प्रिय है।

Anticipating a doubt regarding the equality of those four virtuous types who are turned towards God, He says "Of them" (teṣām). He states the reason for his (the Jñānī's) distinction with "For [I am] dear" (priyo hi).

"Being ever-steadfast" (nityayuktatvam) means having the mind always absorbed in the Self of the Lord. In this insubstantial cycle of existence (saṃsāra), the Lord alone is the essence; "I am He"—thus, having devotion, meaning a specific affection, towards the One, non-dual Lord who is completely non-different from oneself, is "single-minded devotion" (ekabhakti).

He explains the cause for its superiority with "For [I am] dear," etc. He validates the fame regarding the mutual status of being the object of love between the Lord and the Wise one with "For it is well known" (prasiddhaṃ hi).

Even if the Self is dear to the Wise one, how is Lord Vāsudeva dear to him? Anticipating this doubt, He says "Therefore" (tasmāt). The meaning is: I am the object of unconditional love for the Wise one because I am grasped as the supreme goal of human life and as the Self.

He reveals the Wise one's dearness to the Lord as well with "And he" (sa ca).

He states the superiority of the Wise one (Jñānī) over them. Among those four, the Wise one is distinguished, [meaning he] attains superiority.

Because, being a knower of the Reality (tattvavit), he is ever-steadfast (nityayukta); he never abandons My worship.

Because, having determined through Śruti texts like "One only without a second" and "That thou art," his devotion—which takes the form of a continuous stream of mental modifications—is directed towards Me, Lord Vāsudeva, who is non-different from the inner Self (pratyag-abhinna).

Devotion occurs towards an object that is the locus of love, and by both Śruti and popular renown, the Self (Ātman) is the locus of love.

"Hi" means "because"; [because] I am excessively, extremely dear to the Wise one as his own Self. And that Wise one is the very Self of Me, Vāsudeva; therefore, he is extremely dear to Me.

"Devotion in One alone" is [the meaning of] Ekabhakti (single-minded devotion).

And that is stated in the Garuda Purana: "Devotion in Me alone, and nowhere else—that is called Ekabhakti."

Are all these equal simply by the generic qualification of being "virtuous" (sukṛtinaḥ)? Addressing this, He says "Of them" (teṣām). Among them, the Wise one (Jñānī) is distinguished. Because he is ever-steadfast (nityayukta). The distressed (Ārta) and others are indeed desirous; upon the fulfillment of their desires, they do not remain engaged in My worship. But this one (the Jñānī) is ever-steadfast and has single-minded devotion (ekabhakti)—he worships with a singular feeling. For instance, the distressed (sick) worship the Sun, the seekers of knowledge worship Saraswati, and the seekers of wealth worship Kubera and others; thus, due to their desire for various objects, their "devotion to many" (anekabhakti) is observed.

The reason for his (the Jñānī's) being ever-steadfast and having single-minded devotion is "Hi" (for/because); because to the Wise one, I am excessively dear, precisely because of being the Self (Ātman). And the Self is dear because it is the object of unconditional love; also due to the Śruti text: "This [Self] is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than everything else, which is this innermost Self" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.8).

And that Wise one is dear to Me because [such] devotees are rare; this is the sentiment.

Among them, the Wise one (Jñānī) is distinguished. Why? Because he is ever-steadfast (nityayukta) and has single-minded devotion (ekabhakti). For him, for whom I am the sole object to be attained, the union with Me is eternal. For the others, however, the union with Me lasts only until the attainment of their desired objects.

Furthermore, the Wise one has devotion in Me alone; but the others have devotion in their desired object and in Me [only] as the means to that. Therefore, he alone is distinguished.

Moreover, I am "excessively" (atyartham) dear to the Wise one. Here, the word atyartham signifies that which is beyond expression; the manner in which I am dear to the Wise one cannot be expressed even by Me, the Omniscient and Omnipotent one—this is the meaning, because that dearness is devoid of any limit.

Just as in the case of Prahlada, the foremost among the wise—"He, with his mind attached to Krishna, while being bitten by great serpents, did not know [feel] his own body, being established in the bliss of His remembrance" (Vishnu Purana 1.17.39)—just so, he is also dear to Me.

Among these, the Wise one is the best; this He says with "Of them" (teṣām). Among them, the Wise one is distinguished.

The reasons there are: he is "ever-steadfast" (nityayukta). He is always devoted to Me; he whose devotion is in Me alone, the One, is he (ekabhakti).

Because the Wise one lacks identification with the body etc., there is an absence of mental distraction; therefore, "ever-steadfastness" and "single-pointed devotion" are possible [only for him], not for another.

For this very reason, indeed, I am extremely dear to him, and he to Me. Therefore, by these four causes beginning with "ever-steadfastness," he is the best; this is the meaning.

Thus, the distinction among devotees has been stated. Regarding that, He shows the superiority of the enlightened one with "Of them" (teṣām). He will state this very meaning later also [in the Mahabharata]: "My people (devotees) are heard to be of four kinds; they are indeed devotees. Among them, the Ekantins (single-minded) are the best, and they are devoted to no other Deity. I alone am their goal, and [the goal] of those who perform action without desire. But the remaining three devotees are considered to be desirous of fruits. All of them are subject to falling (mortal nature), but the awakened one partakes of liberation" (Mahabharata 12.341.33-35).

"Of them" (teṣām)—here the genitive case is used for specification/determination. "Is distinguished" (viśiṣyate) means he is the best. Is this merely for the sake of praise? Anticipating this doubt, He asks "Why?" (kutaḥ). He states that the two adjectives are intended to show the cause of superiority: "Ever-steadfast" (nityayuktaḥ) and "Single-minded devotion" (ekabhaktiḥ).

"For... the Wise one," etc. [in Ramanuja's commentary] implies that since the Attainer (Means) is Himself the Attained (End), the union (yoga) continues even in the state of fruition. Since the distressed (ārta) and the seeker of wealth (arthārthī) are determined to have a single eligibility (both seek material relief/gain), the dual number "of the other two" (itarayoḥ) is used [by Ramanuja]. By this, it is established that for the seeker of the self (jijñāsu or ātmārthī), there is no contemplation of the Supreme Self as an object of enjoyment in the state of fruition (Kaivalya).

"He whose devotion is in One" is Ekabhakti—this is a Vyadhikarana Bahuvrihi compound (where case endings of the component words differ). To show the non-difference between the object of worship and the fruit, which is intended by the word "One," the emphatic restriction "In One only" (ekasminneva) is used.

With "For I am dear..." (priyo hi), another reason is stated; with this intention, he says "Moreover" (kiñca). To express the highest limit [of love], he says "The word artha denotes the expressible meaning (abhidheya)."

Atyartham means exceeding the expressible; here, exceeding the expressible implies a distinction from other expressible objects. And that [distinction] is the "inability to be expressed"—with this intention, he says "To the Wise one, I..." Since the statement "impossible to express" is spoken by the Lord, it implies that it is impossible even for Him; with this intention, it is said [by Ramanuja] "By Me..." etc.

Objection: Whatever is unknown to the Omniscient One must be non-existent, and where He is incapable, there would be a lack of Lordship (omnipotence). To this he answers: "Of the dearness..." Ignorance regarding things like a sky-flower, which are based on non-existence, is not a defect (otherwise He would be deluded); similarly, because there is an absence of any limit (iyattā) [to this love], there is no word to denote it; thus, the non-use of such a word is not a cause [proof] of inability.

The fame indicated by the word "Hi" is illustrated with "Just as..." (yathā). By "foremost of the wise" [referring to Prahlada], it is intended that he possessed unsurpassed knowledge present from birth and remained unshaken by thousands of terrors and obstructing words. "The word Kṛṣi denotes existence (earth/being) and ṇa denotes beatitude (bliss)" (Mahabharata 5.70.5)—by the word Krishna here, His being the cause of bliss, etc., is intended. Or, it suggests the crushing of Kaliya performed in the eternal flow of Krishna avatars, or "Krishna" because He draws away (karṣaṇa) the sorrows of devotees. The sentiment is: despite the presence of causes of intense pain (serpents etc.), there was an absence of the experience of pain because he was intoxicated by another unsurpassed love. Even knowledge of his own self (soul) was to be sought for (absent) at that time, so what to speak of the knowledge of the body which is like a house? This is the meaning of "his own body" (ātmano gātram).

In "And he is dear to Me," the word atyartham (excessively) is also attached due to the force of the conjunction and the nature of the meaning; with this intention, he says "In that very manner" (tathaiva). The meaning is: Just as I—who am devoid of the three kinds of limitations (space, time, object), who am of the nature of unsurpassed bliss, and possess infinite auspicious qualities and glories—am dear to the Wise one, so too is this single Wise one the object of My unsurpassed love. Regarding "And he is dear to Me," some teachers suggest that even though the supremely generous Lord bears unsurpassed love, He feels dissatisfaction (a lack of satiety) because His love is conditioned by the love of the devotee (He always wants to give more).

चतुर्विध भक्तों की परस्पर तुलना करके भगवान् कहते हैं कि जो ज्ञानी भक्त मुझसे नित्ययुक्त है और आत्मस्वरूप के साथ जिसकी अनन्य भक्ति है वह सर्वश्रेष्ठ है क्योंकि आत्मतत्त्व से भिन्न किसी अन्य विषय में उसका मन विचरण नहीं करता है। जब तक साधक को अपने ध्येय का स्वरूप निश्चित रूप से ज्ञात नहीं होता है तब तक मन की एकाग्रता भी प्राप्त नहीं की जा सकती है। एक भक्ति का अर्थ है साधक के मन में आत्मसाक्षात्कार की ही एक वृत्ति बनी रहना।एक भक्ति को पाने के लिए साधक को अपने मन की विषयाभिमुखी प्रवृत्तियों को विषय से निवृत्त करना आवश्यक होता है। ज्ञानी व्यक्ति किसी वस्तु की प्राप्ति के लिए नहीं वरन् अपने मन की उन प्रवृत्तियों को नष्ट करने के लिए ईश्वर का आह्वान करता है जिसके कारण उसके मन की शक्ति का जगत् के मिथ्या आकर्षणों में व्यर्थ अपव्यय होता है। अत स्वाभाविक है कि आत्मस्वरूप में स्थित भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ऐसे ज्ञानी पुरुष को सर्वश्रेष्ठ मानते हैं जिसके मन में आत्मानुभूति के अतिरिक्त अन्य कोई कामना ही नहीं रहती।ज्ञानी को मैं अत्यन्त प्रिय हूँ। प्रेम का मापदण्ड है प्रियतम के साथ हुआ तादात्म्य। वास्तव में आत्मसमर्पण की धुन पर ही प्रेम का गीत गाया जाता है। निस्वार्थता प्रेम का आधार है। प्रेम की मांग है समस्त कालों एवं परिस्थितियों में बिना किसी प्रतिदान की आशा के सर्वस्व दान। प्रेम के इस स्वरूप को समझने पर ही ज्ञात होगा कि ज्ञानी भक्त का प्रेम ही वास्तविक शुद्ध और पूर्ण प्रेम होता है।एकपक्षीय प्रेम की परिसमाप्ति कभी पूर्णत्व में नहीं हो सकती। यहाँ भगवान् स्पष्ट कहते हैं ज्ञानी को मैं अत्यन्त प्रिय हूँ और मुझे वह अत्यन्त प्रिय है। इस कथन में एक मनोवैज्ञानिक सत्य छिपा हुआ है। प्रेम का यह सनातन नियम है कि वह निष्काम होने पर न केवल पूर्णता को प्राप्त होता है वरन् उसमें एक दुष्ट को भी आदर्श बनाने की विचित्र सार्मथ्य होती है।यह एक सुविचारित एवं सुविदित तथ्य है कि यदि किसी व्यक्ति का मन किसी एक विशेष भावना जैसे दुख द्वेष मत्सर करुणा से भर जाता है तो उसके समीपस्थ लोगों के मन पर भी उस तीव्र भावना का प्रभाव पड़ता है। अत यदि हम किसी को निस्वार्थ शुद्ध प्रेम दे सकें तो हमारे दुष्ट शत्रु का भी हृदय परिवर्तित हो सकता है। यह नियम है। यह मनोवैज्ञानिक सत्य भगवान् के इस कथन में स्पष्ट होता है कि ज्ञानी को मैं और मुझे ज्ञानी अत्यन्त प्रिय है।तब क्या आर्तादि भक्त भगवान् वासुदेव को प्रिय नहीं है ऐसी बात नहीं फिर क्या कहते हैं

[Commentary covering verses] from "Four kinds" (caturvidhā) up to "very rare" (sudurlabhaḥ). Those who worship Me are virtuous (sukṛtinaḥ). And they are four. All of these are noble (udārāḥ).

Because others [non-devotees] possess petty intellects; they beg for the relief of distress, wealth, etc., from living beings who possess bodies with hands, feet, and bellies equal [to their own], or even from those inferior to themselves.

However, compared to the Wise one (Jñānī), they [the other three] are of lesser being (nyūna-sattvāḥ); because in them, there exists that much difference—"I desire this from the Lord"—since the appearance of difference is evident.

The Wise one, however, relies [on Me] solely through non-difference; therefore, he is indeed non-different from Me. And for him, I alone am dear, not the fruit.

Therefore, "That Vāsudeva is everything"—by this very firm conviction, his heart has been purified.

In the analysis "One devotion whose" (ekā bhaktiḥ yasya), since the word bhakti belongs to the group of words beginning with priyā, the masculine transformation (puṃvadbhāva) of the preceding word (ekā becoming eka) does not occur when it follows. Considering this, [Madhvacharya] said: "In One only" (ekasminneva).

The word "his" (asya) should be supplied.

(Objection): Even so, due to the difference in case endings (vaidhikaraṇya), the Bahuvrihi compound is not established? (Answer): No, because it is established by Āgama (scriptural authority). That is why he said "And that" (tacca - referring to the Garuda Purana quote).

There too, the relative pronoun "whose" (yasya) should be supplied/understood.

Although being "virtuous" (sukṛti) is certain for all four, yet due to an excess of merit, and due to an excess of love arising from desirelessness—"Among them" (teṣām), the "Wise one" (Jñānī)—the knower of Reality, who has turned away from all desires—"is distinguished" (viśiṣyate), meaning he surpasses all. The meaning is that he is the most excellent.

Because he is "ever-steadfast" (nityayukta); his mind is always absorbed in the Lord, who is non-different from the inner Self, due to the absence of distractions. Therefore, he has "single-minded devotion" (ekabhakti)—he whose devotion (attachment) is in the one Lord alone; because for him, there is no other object of attachment.

"Hi" (For/Because)—since to the Wise one, I—the Supreme Self non-different from the inner Self—am "excessively" (atyartham), exceedingly "dear" (priya), meaning the object of unconditional love. And that Wise one is excessively dear to Me, the Supreme Lord. "The Self is exceedingly dear"—this is indeed well-known in the Śruti (scriptures) and the world; this is the meaning.

Having thus spoken of the four kinds, He states that among them, the Jñānī (Wise one), who performs worship for the sake of liberation, is the best, with the words "Of them" (teṣām). Among those aforesaid four kinds, the Jñānī is "ever-steadfast" (nityayuktaḥ)—meaning eternally united with Me.

Even compared to these four kinds, he is of "single-minded devotion" (ekabhaktiḥ)—performing exclusive worship with undeviating focus like a servant—he is distinguished because of his excellence.

He states his specific quality with "Dear" (priya). "Hi" means certainly; compared to the [ordinary] Wise one, "excessively" (atyartham)—in every sentiment (bhāva)—I alone am dear to him. Therefore, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, there is the Lord's statement: "They know nothing other than Me, and I [know nothing] even slightly [other than them]."

Among those four, the Jñānī—the knower of Reality—because he is a knower of Reality, becomes "ever-steadfast" (nityayukta) and is of "single-minded devotion" (ekabhakti), because he sees no other object worthy of worship. Therefore, he of single-minded devotion "is distinguished" (viśiṣyate)—he attains distinction or superiority; meaning he excels.

"For I am dear" (priyo hi)—since I am the very Self of the Wise one, therefore I am excessively dear to him. It is indeed well known in the world that one's own Self is dear. Therefore, the meaning is that Vāsudeva is dear to the Wise one because He is his very Self.

And that Wise one is the very Self of Me, Vāsudeva; therefore, he is excessively dear to Me.

(Objection): Then, are the three beginning with the distressed (Ārta) not dear to Vāsudeva? (Reply): No [it is not so]. (Question): Then what is the case?

Among these, the seeker of liberation (Mumukṣu)—My Jñānī—is considered the best; He states this with "Of them the Wise one" (teṣāṃ jñānī), etc. Eternal Union (Nityayoga)—whose characteristic has been described—he who possesses that is "ever-steadfast" (nityayukta). And being such, he possesses knowledge of My glory; and he has "single" (ekā)—meaning independent—devotion in Me alone, the Supreme Person (Puruṣottama), the Supreme Self, the Lord (Vibhava).

As for the others, their devotion is in their desired object, or in Me as the means to accomplish that; for this very reason, he (the Jñānī) is distinguished.

Not only is he distinguished, but [we are] mutually dear; He states this with "For I am dear" (priyo hi). I am "excessively" dear—the object of love—to the Wise one, and he is [dear] to Me because he worships [Me]. As stated in the Nibandha: "If the Wise one worships Krishna, there is no other higher than him."

Among all objects of 'myness' (mamatā), one's own Self is dear because it is of the nature of Bliss. That individual self is [dear] because it is a part of the Supreme Self who is Supreme Bliss; this is the meaning. [Therefore], there is dearness in the Supreme Self.

तेषाम् of them? ज्ञानी the wise? नित्ययुक्तः ever steadfast? एकभक्तिः whose devotion is to the One? विशिष्यते excels? प्रियः dear? हि verily? ज्ञानिनः of the wise? अत्यर्थम् exceedingly? अहम् I? सः he? च and? मम of Me? प्रियः dear.Commentary Ekabhaktih means unswerving? singleminded devotion to the Supreme Being.The JnaniBhakta is beyond all cults or creeds or formal religion or rules of society. As the wise man is constantly harmonised and as he is devoted to the One? he is regarded as superior to all the other devotees. As I am his very Self or Antaratma? I am extremely dear to him. Everybody loves his own Self most. The Self is very dear to everybody. The wise man is My very Self and he is ear to Me also. (Cf.II.49IX.29XII.14?17and19)

Tesam, of them, among the four; jnani, the man of Knowledge, the knower of Reality, is nitya-yuktah, endowed with constant steadfastness as a result of being a knower of Reality; and he also becomes eka-bhaktih, endowed with one-pointed devotion, because he finds no one else whom he can adore. Conseently, that person of one-pointed devotion visisyate, excels, becomes superior, i.e. he surpasses (the others).
Hi, since; I, the Self, am priyah, dear; jnaninah, to the man of Knowledge; therefore aham, I; am atyartham, very much; priyah, dear to him. It is indeed a well known fact in the world that the Self is dear. The meaning, therefore, is that Vasudeva, being the Self of the man of Knowledge, is dear to him. And sah, he, the man of Knowledge, being the very Self of Me who am Vasudeva; is very much priyah, dear; mama, to Me.
'If that be so, then the other three-the afflicted and the others-are not dear to Vasudeva?' 'This is not so!' 'What then?'

Of these four, 'the man of knowledge' is the foremost. Why? Because of being ever with Me in Yoga and devoted to the One only. To the man of knowledge the attainment of Myself being the only end in view, he is ever with Me. As for the others, they contemplate on Me only until the fulfilment of their desires. But to the man of knowledge, there is single-minded devotion to Me only. Unlike him, the others, want only the objects of their desire and they are devoted to Me only as a means for gaining them. Hence he, the man of knowledge, alone is the foremost. Further I am very dear to the man of knowledge. Here the term 'artha' in relation to the expression 'athyartham' denotes 'what cannot be expressed adeately.' That is, even I, the omniscient and omnipotent, is unable to express how much I am dear to the Jnanin, since there is no such limit as 'this much' for this love. Such is the meaning. As in the case of Prahlada, the foremost among men of knowledge, it is said: 'But he with his thoughts firmly fixed on Krsna while being bitten by the great serpents, felt no pain from the wounds, being immersed in rapturous recollections of Him' (V. P., 1.17.39). I reciprocate this love infinitely.