Knowing and Experiencing God.
After the first six chapters on conscious living, Chapter 7 explores the purpose of your existence. Krishna now shifts gears, explaining the nature of ultimate reality rather than how to govern the mind. In summary, this is where spirituality takes on a human dimension. Krishna stops being Arjuna’s charioteer. He becomes the Divine’s voice.
Shift: From Practice to Understanding
Up till now, Krishna has guided Arjuna through activity, meditation, and detachment. But now he says:
“Arjuna, I will reveal to you both knowledge (jnana) and wisdom (vijnana). Once you know this, nothing else remains to be known.”
That is the turning point. Because knowing about God is not the same as experiencing God. Knowing about anything is similar to reading a recipe. Experiencing it means eating the dish. In Chapter 7, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Enough theory.” Let us talk about experience.”
Two types of knowledge
Krishna introduces two degrees of knowledge:
1. Dyhana –
Intellectual knowledge — understanding life rationally by reading, reasoning, and analysis.
2. Vijnana –
Experiential wisdom, or direct realization, in which truth becomes personal and alive. It’s like the difference between reading about swimming and diving into the ocean. Krishna’s message emphasizes that true spirituality begins with the heart and affects one’s way of life.
Understanding The Divine Energy
Krishna begins to unveil his actual cosmic identity. He expresses something bold for the first time in the Gita.
“I am the source of all creation. Everything arises from me. Everything dissolves into me.”
He divided his nature into two energies:
1. Lower energy (Apara Prakriti) refers to the physical world, including earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego.
2. Higher energy (Para Prakriti) – the consciousness that sustains all life, the soul that perceives and experiences. The body has reduced energy levels. The higher energy is the soul. Together, they generate life. The world is not distinct from God; God plays every part.
The Root of Ignorance
Krishna then drops a hard truth:
“Deluded by desire and attachment, people do not recognize me, the eternal truth behind all appearances.”
Sounds familiar? We seek relationships, celebrity, success, pleasure, money, and affirmation while ignoring the one source that provides value to everything. We become engrossed in the gleaming surface of life and overlook the ocean beneath. Krishna essentially states, “You don’t see me because you’re too busy worshipping distractions.”
Who Actually Seeks the Divine?
Krishna recognizes four types of individuals who approach him:
1. The distressed — those seeking relief from pain.
2. The inquisitive — those who want to unravel the mysteries of existence.
3. The seeker of wealth, who desires material blessings.
4. The enlightened seek truth for its own sake. But he makes it apparent.
“Among them, the wise one, who loves me for no reason, is dearest to me.”
At this level, dedication is not transactional. You don’t meditate to achieve something; you meditate because your soul cannot breathe without truth.
The Trap of Misguided Worship
Krishna does not condemn anyone for worshiping gods, idols, or rituals. He just says:
“Whatever form a person worships with faith, I strengthen that faith. But the results they gain are temporary. Those who seek me directly find the eternal.”
In other words, while all pathways can be sacred, not all lead to true freedom. If you worship achievement, you will achieve transitory success. If you idolize pleasure, you will only experience it temporarily. If you worship truth itself, you will discover permanence after death.
Important Conversation: Krishna & Arjuna
Arjuna:
“Krishna, people worship so many gods and follow so many paths. Are all these valid?”
Krishna:
“All paths are mine, Arjuna. I am the receiver of every act of faith. But those who understand the source behind all forms—they truly know me.”
Arjuna:
“Then why do most people not seek you directly?”
Krishna:
“Because their minds are clouded by ignorance. They mistake the temporary for the eternal. They chase shadows, not the light.”
Arjuna:
“And how can one find you?”
Krishna:
“Through devotion, purity, detachment, and surrender. When one sees me in all beings, and all beings in me—there is no separation left. That is true wisdom.”
The Spiritual Psychology of Chapter Seven
This chapter is not a theological lecture. It is a mirror. It prompts you to question: What do I really worship? Where do I spend my energy each day? Do I seek the truth or am I simply looking for comfort? Krishna does not demand blind trust. He demands clarity. He is urging, “Stop outsourcing your peace.” The divine isn’t up there; it’s you, without the delusion.”
Wisdom in Modern Life.
This chapter is incredibly relevant in today’s world. We live in an era of excessive knowledge and zero wisdom. We read thousands of “spiritual” quotes but cannot sit still for five minutes. Krishna’s solution? Shift from knowing to realizing. Don’t simply talk about mindfulness; live it. Don’t merely quote the Gita; embody it. Do not merely seek meaning; become still enough to feel it. When you stop chasing external approval, you start to hear your own inner voice, which Krishna describes as divine consciousness itself.
Essence of Chapter 7
Knowledge (dhyana) becomes wisdom (vijnana) only through experience. The Divine is the source of all things, including matter, thought, and soul. Ignorance causes us to pursue illusions; insight shows unity. All faiths lead to the same truth, but dedication combined with awareness results in release. The true devotee adores the Divine not out of necessity, but because of realization.
The knowledge of the Gita evolves chapter by chapter, just as human consciousness does. In Chapter 6, Krishna taught Arjuna how to rest his thoughts. In Chapter 7, he shows him how to use thato quiet to learn about and experience the root of all existence. You do not have to go anyplace to find God. You simply need to stop running from yourself. Because Krishna is not outdoors, talking from the skies. He is inside you, quietly waiting for you to listen.
