Bhagavad Gita Commentary–Fifty-Three–by Swami Nirmalananda Giri

Those Who Seek God

“Among those who are purified by their good deeds, there are four kinds of men who worship me: the world-weary, the seeker for knowledge, the seeker for happiness and the man of spiritual discrimination.” (Bhagavad Gita 7:16)
Now a great deal of people think they are religious, that they “seek the face of God,” but Krishna is presenting us with four broad categories of those who can be said to genuinely be seeking God. All others are only seeking their egos in some form and need not be seriously considered, such as those who are only cultivating the approval of others (or themselves) or who want to make a positive impression to cover their intentional negativity. We can look at each of the “real four” in turn.

The world-weary

Artas means those who are intensely troubled–bereft, afflicted, distressed, or suffering. Wisely they seek for relief in God, rather than try to distract themselves or deny their problems. Nor do they fool themselves with the “answers” and “good things” of the deluded world.

The seeker for knowledge

Jijnasus are those who desire knowledge and understanding, who really want to find the answers to the why and wherefore of themselves and their life, past, present, and future. They both think and realize that there is more to themselves and to life than they presently know. Like Socrates, they know that they know virtually nothing. But they yearn to know, realizing that without spiritual knowledge they are adrift on the ocean of relative existence without any sure hope. They will be satisfied with nothing less.

The seeker for happiness

Artharthi are those who seek attainment and welfare. When we consider the other three classifications it becomes obvious that the artharthi spoken of by Krishna are not seeking God for wealth or any material gain or security. Rather, they are seeking for the Paramartha, the Supreme Attainment: Liberation of the Spirit. The fundamental drive of such people is mumukshutwa: intense desire or yearning for liberation (moksha).

The man of spiritual discrimination

A jnani is one in whom true wisdom has arisen in the form of spiritual intuition, and who now consciously and very actively seeks the knowledge of Brahman which is itself Brahmanirvana, the state of enlightenment in Brahman. In Krishna’s listing the jnani is not a perfect knower of Brahman, otherwise he would not be a seeker, but he is a knower who is impelled by what he knows to seek Supreme Knowledge and the Supreme Knower. It is only natural that Krishna would continue, saying:

The highest seeker

“The man of discrimination is the highest of these. He is continually united with me. He devotes himself to me always, and to no other. For I am very dear to that man, and he is dear to me.” (Bhagavad Gita 7:17)

It is obvious from this verse that the jnani is a yogi, for he is “continually united” with God through his yoga practice. He is devoted to God and to no other for two reasons. First, he values God above all else. Second he knows that God alone is real, that all else is unreal and therefore unworthy of his dedication. But his valuation is not an impersonal “factoid.” Rather, God is dear (priya) to him and he is dear (priya) to God. Priya means both “dear” and “beloved.” Actually, Krishna uses two words: atyartham priya: “exceedingly dear”–even “extraordinarily dear.” So God fills the heart and mind of the jnani, just as God is fully intent on him. As Solomon sang: “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” (Song of Solomon 2:16. See also 6:3 and 7:10.)

Then Krishna tells us: “Certainly, all these [seekers] are noble: but the man of discrimination I see as my very Self. For he alone loves me because I am myself: the last and only goal of his devoted heart.” (Bhagavad Gita 7:18) The jnani does not love God because of what he can get from him–how different from the motivations of the worldlings. He loves God because He is worthy of his love. Our English word “worship” was originally “worthship”–accounting someone worthy. We do not love God for any trait or deed, but for What He is in His Essence. He is the ultimate and only Goal of all sentient beings. And devoted hearts alone reach that Goal.

Just a bit more: “Through many a long life his discrimination ripens: he makes me his refuge, knows that Brahman is all. How rare are such great ones!” (Bhagavad Gita 7:19)
The jnanis have “ripened” throughout many dedicated lives in which God alone has been their goal and refuge. For they know that God is All–Beginning and End. Rare indeed are such great ones. Yet, all of us are destined to be rare like them. Happy destiny!

Read the Bhagavad Gita online: The English text of the Gita posted on this Web Site is arranged according to the meter of the original Sanskrit text so it can be sung–as it is done every morning in our ashram and in most of the ashrams of India.