Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 29

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये ।
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् ॥

Transliteration

jarāmaraṇamokṣāya māmāśritya yatanti ye .
te brahma tadviduḥ kṛtsnamadhyātmaṃ karma cākhilam ॥

Meaning

Those who strive for freedom from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, know Brahman, the whole of the individual self (adhyatma), and all about action (karma).

Word meanings

जरामरणमोक्षाय – for freedom from old age and death
माम् – in Me
आश्रित्य – taking refuge
यतन्ति – strive
ये – those who
ते – they
ब्रह्म – Brahman
तत् – that
विदुः – know
कृत्स्नम् – the whole
अध्यात्मम् – the individual self, what pertains to the self
कर्म – action
च – and
अखिलम् – entire

Anvaya (word order)

ये जरामरणमोक्षाय माम् आश्रित्य यतन्ति, ते तत् ब्रह्म, कृत्स्नम् अध्यात्मम्, अखिलं कर्म च विदुः ।

Explanation

In the last two verses of the chapter Krishna describes the complete knowledge gained by His devotees, and at the same time introduces technical terms that will be explained in the eighth chapter.

Jara-marana-mokshaya mam ashritya yatanti ye — those who strive for release from old age and death, taking refuge in Me. Life's deepest sufferings — ageing, disease and death — are tied to the body. One who truly seeks freedom from them must seek the truth beyond the body. Yet this effort is not made by one's own strength alone, but mam ashritya — taking refuge in the Lord. This is the surrender of 7.14.

Such seekers come to know three things fully. Tad brahma — that supreme Brahman, the root of all. Kritsnam adhyatmam — the whole of adhyatma, the principle of the self within. Karma chakhilam — all of karma, the process of creation and the mystery of action. Shankara says they know Brahman, the entire reality concerning the inner Self, and the whole of action.

Ramanuja offers a particular view here: he says this verse speaks of seekers who worship the Lord in order to attain the pure state of the self (kaivalya). They need to know the nature of their own self and its bondage to karma.

The terms in this verse — Brahman, adhyatma, karma — and those of the next awaken curiosity in Arjuna, which appears as questions at the beginning of the eighth chapter.

Context

Verse 7.28 described devotees free from the opposites and firm in resolve; this verse says they know Brahman, the individual self and action. The next verse (7.30) adds adhibhuta, adhidaiva and adhiyajna and concludes the chapter; Arjuna asks about these very terms in 8.1–2.

Life lesson

Instead of fearing old age and death, seek the truth beyond them. Gain in life the kind of knowledge that does not end with the body. Effort made while taking refuge in God is the greatest security.

Key terms

Jara-marana: old age and death
Brahman: the supreme reality, root of all
Adhyatma: the principle pertaining to the self
Karma (akhila): the whole mystery of action and the process of creation