The Supreme Lord said: O Partha, hear how by practicing yoga with mind attached to Me, taking refuge in Me, you shall know Me completely, without doubt.

I shall now declare to you in full this knowledge along with its realization, knowing which nothing further shall remain to be known.

Among thousands of men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego—these are My eight separated material energies.

Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed one, there is a superior energy of Mine, the living entities, by which this material world is sustained.

Know that all living beings have their origin in these two natures. I am the source and dissolution of the entire universe.

O Arjuna, there is nothing whatsoever higher than Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.

I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the sacred syllable Om in the Vedas, sound in ether, and ability in humans.

I am the pure fragrance in earth and the brilliance in fire. I am the life in all beings and the austerity in ascetics.

O Partha, know Me to be the eternal seed of all beings. I am the intelligence of the intelligent and the splendor of the splendid.

I am the strength of the strong, free from passion and desire. I am desire that is not contrary to dharma, O best of the Bharatas.

Know that all states of being—sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic—are manifested by My energy. I am not in them, but they are in Me.

Deluded by these three modes of nature, the whole world does not know Me, who am above these modes and imperishable.

This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

The evil-doers, the foolish, the lowest of mankind, those whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and those of demonic nature—they do not surrender unto Me.

Four kinds of virtuous people worship Me, O Arjuna: the distressed, the seekers of knowledge, the seekers of wealth, and the wise.

Of these, the wise one who is ever united with Me in single-minded devotion is the best. I am exceedingly dear to that wise one, and they are dear to Me.

All these are noble, but the wise one I regard as My very Self. For with mind fixed, they are established in Me as the supreme goal.

After many births, one who is in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be everything. Such a great soul is very rare.

Those whose knowledge is carried away by various desires worship other gods, following various rituals according to their own nature.

Whatever form a devotee wishes to worship with faith, I make that faith steady and unwavering.

Endowed with that faith, they worship that deity and obtain their desires, which are actually granted by Me alone.

But the fruit gained by those of small intelligence is limited. Worshippers of the gods go to the gods, but My devotees come to Me.

The unintelligent think that I, the unmanifest, have assumed this manifest form. They do not know My supreme nature, which is imperishable and unsurpassed.

I am not manifest to everyone, being veiled by My divine yoga-maya. This deluded world does not know Me, the unborn and imperishable.

O Arjuna, I know all beings in the past, present, and future, but no one knows Me.

O descendant of Bharata, O conqueror of foes, all beings are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities arising from desire and aversion.

But those whose sins have ended, who act virtuously, are freed from the delusion of dualities and worship Me with firm resolve.

Those who strive for liberation from old age and death, taking refuge in Me, know Brahman fully, the Self, and all action.

Those who know Me as the governing principle of material elements, of gods, and of sacrifice, know Me even at the time of death with their minds absorbed in Me.