Diya Scripture guide
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7: Knowing the Divine
Read all 30 verses of Bhagavad Gita chapter 7, The Yoga of Knowledge and Realization, in Sanskrit with transliteration and English translation.
The short answer
Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita, traditionally titled The Yoga of Knowledge and Realization, has 30 verses.
In Diya's summary: Krishna begins revealing how the Divine is known through nature and devotion. Below are all 30 verses of chapter 7 in Sanskrit, each with a transliteration and Diya's English translation.
Bhagavad Gita chapter 7 in English
Every verse below comes from Diya's Bhagavad Gita library, in verse order.
| Sanskrit and transliteration | English |
|---|---|
| 7.1 मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः। असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु॥ mayyāsaktamanāḥ pārtha yogaṃ yuñjanmadāśrayaḥ | asaṃśayaṃ samagraṃ māṃ yathā jñāsyasi tacchṛṇu || | With the mind intent on Me, O son of Pritha, taking refuge in Me, and practicing yoga, how you will without doubt know Me fully, that do you hear. |
| 7.2 ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः। यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते॥ jñānaṃ te’haṃ savijñānamidaṃ vakṣyāmyaśeṣataḥ | yajjñātvā neha bhūyo’nyajjñātavyamavaśiṣyate || | I shall teach you fully this knowledge together with realization. knowing it, nothing further remains to be known here. |
| 7.3 मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चिद्यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः॥ manuṣyāṇāṃ sahasreṣu kaścidyatati siddhaye | yatatāmapi siddhānāṃ kaścinmāṃ vetti tattvataḥ || | Among thousands of people, scarcely one strives for perfection. even among those who strive and attain perfection, scarcely one knows Me in truth. |
| 7.4 भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च। अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा॥ bhūmirāpo’nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca | ahaṅkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā || | Bhumi (earth), Ap (water), Anala (fire), Vayu (air), Kha (ether), mind, intellect, and egoism: thus is My prakriti divided eight-fold. |
| 7.5 अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्। जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्॥ apareyamitastvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi me parām | jīvabhūtāṃ mahābāho yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat || | This is truly My lower nature. But know My other, higher nature, O mighty-armed—the life-principle by which this universe is sustained. |
| 7.6 एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय। अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयस्तथा॥ etadyonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya | ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathā || | Know that these (two Prakritis) are truly the womb of all beings. I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe. |
| 7.7 मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय। मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव॥ mattaḥ parataraṃ nānyatkiñcidasti dhanañjaya | mayi sarvamidaṃ protaṃ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva || | There is nothing whatsoever higher than Me, O Dhananjaya. All this is strung on Me like clusters of jewels on a thread. |
| 7.8 रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः। प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु॥ raso’hamapsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśisūryayoḥ | praṇavaḥ sarvavedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu || | I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti; I am the radiance in the moon and sun, the syllable Om in all the Vedas, sound in space, and vigor in human beings. |
| 7.9 पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ। जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु॥ puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṃ ca tejaścāsmi vibhāvasau | jīvanaṃ sarvabhūteṣu tapaścāsmi tapasviṣu || | I am the pure fragrance in the earth and the brilliance in fire. I am the life in all beings and the austerity in ascetics. |
| 7.10 बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम्। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्॥ bījaṃ māṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viddhi pārtha sanātanam | buddhirbuddhimatāmasmi tejastejasvināmaham || | Know Me as the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the splendor of the splendid. |
| 7.11 बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्। धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ॥ balaṃ balavatāṃ cāhaṃ kāmarāgavivarjitam | dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo’smi bharatarṣabha || | Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment. I am, O bull among the Bharatas, desire in beings, unopposed to dharma. |
| 7.12 ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये। मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि नत्वहं तेषु ते मयि॥ ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāstāmasāśca ye | matta eveti tānviddhi natvahaṃ teṣu te mayi || | And whatever states pertaining to sattva, and those pertaining to rajas, and to tamas, know them to proceed from Me alone; still I am not in them, but they are in Me. |
| 7.13 त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत्। मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम्॥ tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairebhiḥ sarvamidaṃ jagat | mohitaṃ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ paramavyayam || | Deluded by these states, the modifications of the three guṇas (of prakriti), all this world does not know Me, beyond them, and immutable. |
| 7.14 दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया। मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते॥ daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā | māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṃ taranti te || | This divine maya of Mine, made of the three qualities, is difficult to cross. Those who take refuge in Me alone cross over it. |
| 7.15 न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः। माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः॥ na māṃ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ | māyayāpahṛtajñānā āsuraṃ bhāvamāśritāḥ || | They do not devote themselves to Me,—the evil-doers, the deluded, the lowest of people, deprived of discrimination by maya, and following the way of the asuras. |
| 7.16 चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन। आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ॥ caturvidhā bhajante māṃ janāḥ sukṛtino’rjuna | ārto jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha || | Four kinds of virtuous people worship Me, O Arjuna: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of material gain, and wise people, O bull among the Bharatas. |
| 7.17 तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते। प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः॥ teṣāṃ jñānī nityayukta ekabhaktirviśiṣyate | priyo hi jñānino’tyarthamahaṃ sa ca mama priyaḥ || | Of them, the wise person, ever-steadfast, (and fired) with devotion to the One, excels; for supremely dear am I to the wise, and he is dear to Me. |
| 7.18 उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्। आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम्॥ udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tvātmaiva me matam | āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmevānuttamāṃ gatim || | Noble indeed are they all, but the wise person I regard as My very Self; for with the mind steadfast, he is established in Me alone, as the supreme goal. |
| 7.19 बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते। वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः॥ bahūnāṃ janmanāmante jñānavānmāṃ prapadyate | vāsudevaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ || | At the end of many births, the person of wisdom takes refuge in Me, realising that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self). Very rare is that great soul. |
| 7.20 कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः। तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया॥ kāmaistaistairhṛtajñānāḥ prapadyante’nyadevatāḥ | taṃ taṃ niyamamāsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā || | Those whose discernment is carried away by particular desires turn to other gods, following various rites according to their own natures. |
| 7.21 यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति। तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्॥ yo yo yāṃ yāṃ tanuṃ bhaktaḥ śraddhayārcitumicchati | tasya tasyācalāṃ śraddhāṃ tāmeva vidadhāmyaham || | Whatsoever form any devotee seeks to worship with Shraddha,—that Shraddha of his do I make unwavering. |
| 7.22 स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते। लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान् हि तान्॥ sa tayā śraddhayā yuktastasyārādhanamīhate | labhate ca tataḥ kāmānmayaiva vihitān hi tān || | Joined with that Shraddha, he engages in the worship of that, and from it, gains his desires,—these being dispensed by Me alone. |
| 7.23 अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्। देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि॥ antavattu phalaṃ teṣāṃ tadbhavatyalpamedhasām | devāndevayajo yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi || | But the fruit (accruing) to these people of little understanding is limited. The worshippers of the devas go to the devas; My devotees too come to Me. |
| 7.24 अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते मामबुद्धयः। परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम्॥ avyaktaṃ vyaktimāpannaṃ manyante māmabuddhayaḥ | paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mamāvyayamanuttamam || | The foolish regard Me, the unmanifest, as come into manifestation, not knowing My supreme state,—immutable and transcendental. |
| 7.25 नाहं प्रकाशः सर्वस्य योगमायासमावृतः। मूढोऽयं नाभिजानाति लोको मामजमव्ययम्॥ nāhaṃ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyāsamāvṛtaḥ | mūḍho’yaṃ nābhijānāti loko māmajamavyayam || | Veiled by My yoga-maya, I am not manifest to everyone. This deluded world does not know Me as unborn and imperishable. |
| 7.26 वेदाहं समतीतानि वर्तमानानि चार्जुन। भविष्याणि च भूतानि मां तु वेद न कश्चन॥ vedāhaṃ samatītāni vartamānāni cārjuna | bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni māṃ tu veda na kaścana || | I know all beings—past, present, and future—but no one truly knows Me. |
| 7.27 इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत। सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप॥ icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata | sarvabhūtāni sammohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa || | By the delusion of opposites, arising from desire and aversion, O descendant of Bharata, all beings fall into delusion at birth, O subduer of foes. |
| 7.28 येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रताः॥ yeṣāṃ tvantagataṃ pāpaṃ janānāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām | te dvandvamohanirmuktā bhajante māṃ dṛḍhavratāḥ || | Those people of virtuous deeds, whose sin has come to an end,—they, freed from the delusion of opposites, worship Me with firm resolve. |
| 7.29 जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये। ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम्॥ jarāmaraṇamokṣāya māmāśritya yatanti ye | te brahma tadviduḥ kṛtsnamadhyātmaṃ karma cākhilam || | Those who strive for freedom from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, they know Brahman, the whole of Adhyatma, and karma in its entirety. |
| 7.30 साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदुः। प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतसः॥ sādhibhūtādhidaivaṃ māṃ sādhiyajñaṃ ca ye viduḥ | prayāṇakāle’pi ca māṃ te viduryuktacetasaḥ || | People who know Me with the Adhibhuta, the Adhidaiva, and the Adhiyajna, (continue to) know Me even at the time of death, steadfast in mind. |
You can read all 18 chapters in Diya. To see where chapter 7 sits in the whole text, start with the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, or read how to start the Bhagavad Gita as a beginner.
Previous chapter: Chapter 6: The Discipline of Meditation. Next chapter: Chapter 8: The Imperishable.
Related reading
Questions people ask
How many verses are in Bhagavad Gita chapter 7?
Chapter 7 has 30 verses.
What is chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita called?
Its traditional title is The Yoga of Knowledge and Realization. Diya calls it Knowing the Divine.
What is Bhagavad Gita chapter 7 about?
In Diya's summary: Krishna begins revealing how the Divine is known through nature and devotion.
Research notes
Sources
Follow the reading behind this article through the references below. Each source represents its own author, institution, or tradition.
- Bhagavad Gita chapter 7 (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
- Bhagavad Gita chapter titles (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
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