During Pitru Paksha we should be reading or listening the Bhagavad gita chapter 7 mahatmya and verses and giving the boon to forefathers, which will liberate them from problems and in return they will bless us.
The Glories of Chapter Seven of the Bhagavad Gita from the Padma Purana
Lord Shiva said, “My dear Parvati, now I will tell you the glories of the Seventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, hearing which, one feels his ears have been filled with divine nectar.
Pataliputra is the name of one large town, which has many large gates. In that town lived a brahmana of the name Shankukarna He had taken to the occupation of a businessman, and had amassed a very large wealth. But he had never performed any type of devotional activities, nor had he performed the necessary ritualistic performances for the sake of his forefathers. He became very rich, so much that even great kings would dine at his house. Shankukarna was also the most miserly of persons, and he kept his wealth buried under the ground.
Once, when that brahmana was going along with his children and other relatives for the purpose of his fourth marriage, they stopped at one place to rest for the night. While he was sleeping, a snake came and bit him. When his sons and relatives realized that a snake had bitten him, they called for the doctors and mantra-chanters. But no one was able to help Shankukarna, and shortly he died. After that he attained the body of a Preta-Sarp, a snake-ghost. The only thing he was able to think about was his wealth, which was buried close to the house where he had lived. He had not even informed his own family of the whereabouts of his wealth. Even in the form of a Preta-Sarp he resided at the place where his wealth was buried, so that no one else could take that wealth. After some time he became tired of being trapped in the form of a Preta-Sarp and he appeared in dreams to his sons and requested them to help him. In the morning, when his lazy sons woke up, they told each other about the dream they had seen. One of his sons took a large digging instrument in his hands and went to the place the father had indicated that he was living. When he reached that place he realized that he was not aware of the exact spot where the wealth was buried. That son was exceptionally greedy, and he searched for a long time, until he came across a snake-hole, which he promptly started to dig out.
Shortly a very large and fearful looking snake came out of that hole and spoke the following, “Oh, fool, who are you? Why have you come here? Who has sent you? And why are you digging at this place? Reply to my questions at once.”
The son replied, “I am your son. My name is Shiva. In a dream last night, I saw that there were hidden treasures buried at this place and I came to take them. When he heard Shiva speaking that way the Preta-Sarp started to laugh and said, “If you are my son, then why are you not performing the necessary rituals to free me from this hellish situation. Due to greed in my last life, I attained this body and now you are heading the same way.”
The son inquired, “My dear father, kindly tell me how you can be freed from this hellish situation?” The Preta-Sarp said, “Not by any kind of charity, tapasya or yajna, only by reciting of the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita will I be able to become free from the wheel of birth and death. My dear son kindly perform the shraddha ceremony and on that day, invite a Brahmana, who is in the habit of chanting the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita and feed him very sumptuously.”
Thereafter, Shiva, along with his other brother fulfilled the instructions of their father and while the Brahmana was chanting the Seventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Sankukarna gave up that frightful body of a Preta-Sarp and attained a divine four-armed body. At that time he blessed his sons and informed them where his wealth was and then left for Vaikuntha.
Those sons, whose minds had become fixed in devotion to Lord Krishna, used that wealth for building temples, digging wells and kinds, and distributing foodstuffs. They all engaged daily in the recitation of the Seventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita. And very quickly they attained the lotus feet of Lord Krishna.
Lord Shiva said, “My dear Parvati, I have told you the wonderful glories of the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. Anyone, who hears this description, will be freed from all sinful reactions.”
Chapter 7 – Jñāna-Vijñāna Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge and Realisation)
Shloka 7.1: śhrī-bhagavān uvācha | mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśhrayaḥ | asaṁśhayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tach chhṛiṇu || 7.1 ||
English: The Blessed Lord said: O Partha, listen how, with your mind attached to Me, practicing yoga and taking shelter in Me, you will come to know Me fully, without doubt.
Hindi: भगवान ने कहा: हे पार्थ, सुनो कि कैसे तुम मुझमें मन को लगाकर, योग का अभ्यास करते हुए, और मेरी शरण में रहते हुए, मुझे पूरी तरह और बिना संदेह के जान सकोगे।
Shloka 7.2: jñānaṁ te ’haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣhyāmyaśheṣhataḥ | yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo ’nyaj jñātavyaṁ avaśhiṣhyate || 7.2 ||
English: I shall now declare to you in full this knowledge combined with realization, which, having known, nothing else remains to be known in this world.
Hindi: मैं अब तुम्हें यह ज्ञान और विज्ञान पूरी तरह से बताऊँगा, जिसे जान लेने के बाद इस संसार में कुछ भी और जानना शेष नहीं रहता।
Shloka 7.3: manuṣhyāṇāṁ sahasreṣhu kaśhchid yatati siddhaye | yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaśhchin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ || 7.3 ||
English: Among thousands of men, hardly one strives for perfection; and among those who strive and succeed, hardly one knows Me in truth.
Hindi: हजारों मनुष्यों में से कोई एक सिद्धि के लिए प्रयास करता है, और उन प्रयास करने वालों में से भी कोई एक ही मुझे सही रूप से जानता है।
Shloka 7.4: bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha | ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā || 7.4 ||
English: Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego—these constitute My eightfold divided material nature.
Hindi: पृथ्वी, जल, अग्नि, वायु, आकाश, मन, बुद्धि, और अहंकार—ये मेरी आठ प्रकार की विभाजित भौतिक प्रकृति हैं।
Shloka 7.5: apareyam itas tvanyāṁ prakṛitiṁ viddhi me parām | jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat || 7.5 ||
English: Beyond this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, know that I have another, higher nature, which is the life force that sustains the universe.
Hindi: इस निम्न प्रकृति से परे, हे महाबाहु अर्जुन, जानो कि मेरी एक और, उच्च प्रकृति भी है, जो इस संसार को धारण करने वाली जीव शक्ति है।
Shloka 7.6: etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya | ahaṁ kṛitsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā || 7.6 ||
English: Know that all living beings have evolved from these two natures. I am the origin and also the dissolution of the entire universe.
Hindi: जान लो कि सभी जीव इन दो प्रकृतियों से उत्पन्न हुए हैं। मैं इस सम्पूर्ण जगत का उत्पत्ति स्रोत और विलय भी हूँ।
Shloka 7.7: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñchid asti dhanañjaya | mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva || 7.7 ||
English: O Dhananjaya (Arjuna), there is nothing higher than Me. Everything rests in Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.
Hindi: हे धनंजय (अर्जुन), मुझसे ऊपर कुछ भी नहीं है। सब कुछ मुझमें उसी प्रकार स्थित है जैसे मणियाँ धागे में पिरोई हुई होती हैं।
Shloka 7.8: raso ’ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śhaśhi-sūryayoḥ | praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣhu śhabdaḥ khe pauruṣhaṁ nṛiṣhu || 7.8 ||
English: I am the taste in water, O Kaunteya (Arjuna), the light in the sun and moon, the Om in all the Vedas, the sound in space, and the ability in humans.
Hindi: हे कौन्तेय (अर्जुन), मैं जल में रस हूँ, सूर्य और चंद्रमा में प्रकाश हूँ, सभी वेदों में ॐ हूँ, आकाश में ध्वनि हूँ, और मनुष्यों में शक्ति हूँ।
Shloka 7.9: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁ cha tejaśh chāsmi vibhāvasau | jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣhu tapaśh chāsmi tapasviṣhu || 7.9 ||
English: I am the pure fragrance in the earth and the brilliance in fire. I am the life in all living beings, and I am the austerity in ascetics.
Hindi: मैं पृथ्वी में शुद्ध सुगंध हूँ और अग्नि में तेज हूँ। मैं सभी जीवों में जीवन हूँ, और तपस्वियों में तपस्या हूँ।
Shloka 7.10: bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam | buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham || 7.10 ||
English: O Partha (Arjuna), know Me to be the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent, and the splendor of the splendid.
Hindi: हे पार्थ (अर्जुन), मुझे सभी प्राणियों का सनातन बीज जानो। मैं बुद्धिमानों की बुद्धि हूँ और तेजस्वियों का तेज हूँ।
Shloka 7.11: balaṁ balavatāṁ chāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam | dharmāviruddho bhūteṣhu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣhabha || 7.11 ||
English: I am the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and attachment. I am the desire in beings that is in accordance with dharma, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna).
Hindi: मैं बलवानों का बल हूँ, जो कामना और आसक्ति से रहित है। मैं प्राणियों में वह इच्छा हूँ जो धर्म के अनुकूल है, हे भरतश्रेष्ठ (अर्जुन)।
Shloka 7.12: ye chaiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāśh cha ye | matta eveti tān viddhi na tvahaṁ teṣhu te mayi || 7.12 ||
English: All states of being—whether they be of goodness (sattva), passion (rajas), or ignorance (tamas)—are manifested from Me alone. I am not in them; they are in Me.
Hindi: सभी प्रकार की स्थितियाँ—चाहे वे सत्वगुण, रजोगुण, या तमोगुण की हों—मुझसे ही उत्पन्न होती हैं। मैं उनमें नहीं हूँ; वे मुझमें हैं।
Shloka 7.13: tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat | mohitaṁ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ param avyayam || 7.13 ||
English: Deluded by the three modes (gunas)—goodness, passion, and ignorance—the entire world fails to recognize Me, who am beyond these modes and imperishable.
Hindi: संपूर्ण जगत इन तीनों गुणों—सत्व, रज, और तम—से मोहित होकर मुझे नहीं जानता, जो इन गुणों से परम और अविनाशी हूँ।
Shloka 7.14: daivī hy eṣhā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā | mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te || 7.14 ||
English: My divine energy (maya), consisting of the three modes of nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
Hindi: मेरी यह दैवी माया, जो तीनों गुणों से युक्त है, अत्यंत कठिनाई से पार होने वाली है। लेकिन जो मेरी शरण में आते हैं, वे इसे सरलता से पार कर जाते हैं।
Shloka 7.15: na māṁ duṣhkṛitino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ | māyayāpahṛita-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśhritāḥ || 7.15 ||
English: Those miscreants who are deluded, the lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake in the demonic nature, do not surrender unto Me.
Hindi: जो दुष्कर्मी और मूढ़ हैं, जो मनुष्यों में सबसे निचले स्तर के हैं, जिनका ज्ञान माया द्वारा छीन लिया गया है, और जो असुर प्रवृत्ति को अपनाए हुए हैं, वे मेरी शरण में नहीं आते।
Shloka 7.16: chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna | ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha || 7.16 ||
English: O Arjuna, four kinds of pious people worship Me—the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the wealth-seeker, and the wise, O best among the Bharatas.
Hindi: हे अर्जुन, चार प्रकार के सुकर्मी लोग मेरी भक्ति करते हैं—कष्ट में पड़े हुए, ज्ञान की खोज करने वाले, धन के इच्छुक, और ज्ञानी, हे भरतश्रेष्ठ।
Shloka 7.17: teṣhāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśhiṣhyate | priyo hi jñānino ’tyartham ahaṁ sa cha mama priyaḥ || 7.17 ||
English: Among these, the wise, who are always steadfast and exclusively devoted to Me, are the best. I am very dear to the wise, and they are dear to Me.
Hindi: इनमें से ज्ञानी, जो सदा मुझमें स्थित हैं और मुझमें ही अभिन्न भक्ति करते हैं, वे श्रेष्ठ हैं। मैं ज्ञानी को अत्यधिक प्रिय हूँ, और वह मुझे प्रिय है।
Shloka 7.18: udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tvātmaiva me matam | āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā mām evānuttamāṁ gatim || 7.18 ||
English: Indeed, all these are noble, but the wise one, who is steadfast in devotion, is truly Myself. Such a person, situated in steady union, attains Me as the supreme goal.
Hindi: निस्संदेह, ये सभी उदार हैं, लेकिन ज्ञानी, जो भक्ति में स्थित है, वास्तव में मुझसा है। ऐसा व्यक्ति, स्थिर योग में स्थित होकर, मुझे परम लक्ष्य के रूप में प्राप्त करता है।
Shloka 7.19: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate | vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ || 7.19 ||
English: After many births, the wise person finally surrenders unto Me, realizing that I, Vasudeva, am everything. Such a great soul is very rare.
Hindi: अनेक जन्मों के बाद, ज्ञानी व्यक्ति अंत में मेरी शरण में आता है, यह जानकर कि मैं, वासुदेव, ही सब कुछ हूँ। ऐसा महात्मा बहुत दुर्लभ होता है।
Shloka 7.20: kāmais tais tair hṛita-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ | taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛityā niyatāḥ svayā || 7.20 ||
English: Those whose knowledge has been stolen by desires surrender to various other gods, following different rules and rites, according to their own nature.
Hindi: जिनका ज्ञान विभिन्न इच्छाओं द्वारा छीन लिया गया है, वे अन्य देवताओं की शरण में जाते हैं, और अपनी प्रकृति के अनुसार विभिन्न नियमों का पालन करते हैं।
Shloka 7.21: yo yo yāṁ yāṁ tanuṁ bhaktaḥ śhraddhayārchitum ichchhati | tasya tasyāchalaṁ śhraddhāṁ tām eva vidadhāmyaham || 7.21 ||
English: Whatever form a devotee desires to worship with faith, I make that faith of his steadfast.
Hindi: जो भी भक्त जिस रूप की श्रद्धा से पूजा करना चाहता है, मैं उसकी उस श्रद्धा को अचल बना देता हूँ।
Shloka 7.22: sa tayā śhraddhayā yuktas tasyārādhanam īhate | labhate cha tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān || 7.22 ||
English: Endowed with such faith, he seeks the worship of that particular deity and obtains his desires, as indeed these are granted by Me alone.
Hindi: उस श्रद्धा से युक्त होकर, वह उस विशेष देवता की आराधना करता है और अपनी इच्छाएँ प्राप्त करता है, क्योंकि वे सब वास्तव में मुझसे ही प्रदत्त हैं।
Shloka 7.23: antavat tu phalaṁ teṣhāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām | devān deva-yajo yānti mad-bhaktā yānti mām api || 7.23 ||
English: The fruits gained by such people of small understanding are finite. Worshippers of the gods go to the gods, but My devotees come to Me.
Hindi: ऐसे अल्प-बुद्धि वाले लोगों द्वारा प्राप्त फल नाशवान होते हैं। देवताओं की पूजा करने वाले देवताओं को प्राप्त होते हैं, लेकिन मेरे भक्त मुझे प्राप्त होते हैं।
Shloka 7.24: avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ | paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mamāvyayam anuttamam || 7.24 ||
English: Unintelligent people, not knowing My higher, immutable, and supreme nature, think that I, the unmanifest, have become manifest.
Hindi: मूढ़ लोग, मेरी उच्च, अविनाशी, और सर्वोच्च प्रकृति को न जानकर, यह मानते हैं कि मैं अव्यक्त से व्यक्त हो गया हूँ।
Shloka 7.25: nāhaṁ prakāśhaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛitaḥ | mūḍho ’yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam || 7.25 ||
English: I am not manifest to everyone, being veiled by My yoga-maya (divine energy). The deluded world does not know Me as the unborn and imperishable.
Hindi: मैं सबके लिए प्रत्यक्ष नहीं हूँ, क्योंकि मैं अपनी योग माया से आच्छादित हूँ। यह मूढ़ संसार मुझे अजन्मा और अविनाशी नहीं जानता।
Shloka 7.26: vedo ’haṁ samatītāni vartamānāni chārjuna | bhaviṣhyāṇi cha bhūtāni māṁ tu veda na kaśhchana || 7.26 ||
English: O Arjuna, I know everything about the past, the present, and the future, but no one truly knows Me.
Hindi: हे अर्जुन, मैं भूत, वर्तमान, और भविष्य सभी के बारे में जानता हूँ, लेकिन कोई भी वास्तव में मुझे नहीं जानता।
Shloka 7.27: icchā-dveṣha-samutthena dvandva-mohena bhārata | sarva-bhūtāni sammohaṁ sarge yānti parantapa || 7.27 ||
English: O descendant of Bharata, all living beings are deluded at birth by the dualities of desire and hatred, O Parantapa (Arjuna).
Hindi: हे भरतवंशी, सभी जीव जन्म से ही इच्छा और द्वेष के द्वंद्व से मोहित हो जाते हैं, हे परंतप (अर्जुन)।
Shloka 7.28: yeṣhāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām | te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛiḍha-vratāḥ || 7.28 ||
English: But those who are free from sin, whose actions are pious, and who are free from the delusion of dualities, worship Me with firm determination.
Hindi: लेकिन वे लोग जो पापों से मुक्त हैं, जिनके कर्म पुण्य हैं, और जो द्वंद्व के मोह से मुक्त हैं, वे मेरी दृढ़ निष्ठा से भक्ति करते हैं।
Shloka 7.29: jarā-maraṇa-mokṣhāya mām āśhritya yatanti ye | te brahma tad viduḥ kṛitsnam adhyātmaṁ karma chākhilam || 7.29 ||
English: Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, come to know Brahman, the self, and all about karma.
Hindi: जो लोग बुढ़ापे और मृत्यु से मुक्ति के लिए मेरी शरण में प्रयास करते हैं, वे ब्रह्म, आत्मा, और संपूर्ण कर्म को जान लेते हैं।
Shloka 7.30: sādhibhūtādhidaivaṁ māṁ sādhiyajñaṁ cha ye viduḥ | prayāṇa-kāle ’pi cha māṁ te vidur yukta-chetasaḥ || 7.30 ||
English: Those who know Me as the governing principle of the material manifestation, the demigods, and of all sacrifices, such individuals, even at the time of death, have their minds fully engaged in Me.
Hindi: जो लोग मुझे भौतिक प्रकृति, देवताओं, और सभी यज्ञों के शासक सिद्धांत के रूप में जानते हैं, वे व्यक्ति मृत्यु के समय भी मुझमें पूरी तरह स्थिर मन से लगे रहते हैं।
