Verse 18.65

Verse 18.65: “Infix thy mind in Me, be devoted to Me, offer service unto Me, render homage unto Me: so wilt thou assuredly come right unto Me. This I promise thee, (as) thou art dear unto Me. (1353)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

You do make me—the all-pervading God—the object of all your dealings, external as well as internal. The wind abides mingled throughout the sky, in that way you be within me in all your actions; Nay you make your mind my exclusive home (i.e. do not allow your mind to think of anything except myself at all times) and keep your ears stuffed up with exclusive hearing of my own praise. The saints purified by the knowledge of the self are but my own miniature forms: let your vision look fondly at them as a loving husband looks at his wife. I am the abode of all the objects and therefore (you) direct your tongue eternally to be fond of (uttering) my name, and keep it alive in that way. You do arrange all (your actions) in a way that all the actions of your hand and the movement of your feet, are all solely on my account.

Whatever actions, Oh Son of Pandu, you perform by way of obliging your own people (kinsmen) or strangers, will constitute the sacrifice through which you will become a good sacrificer, whom I shall own as my own. How far I should proceed teaching you things one after another? You do assume for yourself the position of a servant, and look upon others as my own forms and as such fit to be served. That will banish (from your heart) all hatred for beings and thus make you pay me homage (lit. salute) everywhere.

Your life will be fully charged with my spiritual Presence. And then there being total absence of a third party in this buzzing world, it would bring about (the great bliss of) complete privacy for you and for me. Then, whatever state of things might arise, there would remain only Myself for you and yourself for me, to enjoy each other’s company, and then our mutual happiness will automatically be enhanced: and then in that state, in which the bar in the form of the third party is removed, you will in the end be one with my essence, merging in my Person. When water is dried up, what is there to obstruct the reflection (that was in the water) from going and merging into the original disc (of the Sun or any other planet)? Or who is going to cause obstruction to the wind merging into the sky or what can prevent the waves merging into the sea? It is only on account of the body-form that you and I appear distinct: when therefore the body-form itself is eliminated you will be only myself and this is certain.

(You) do not entertain any misgivings about what 1 say; 1 swear by you (to guarantee its veracity), should you feel any hesitancy about it. To swear by your name amounts to swearing only by my self; but real love makes one forget bashfulness! Otherwise, one who is the very object of knowledge, and who is above worldly affairs on account of whom this world semblance is felt real, and whose command conquers even the destroyer-that one-Myself-God, the Satyasamkalpa (satya-saṅkalpa—one whose will cometh to pass) and the Father who is ever watchful in regard to the weal of the entire universe -why should He stoop to (such) objectionable swearing? But Oh Arjuna, I am fondly enamoured of you and have discarded the insignia of Godhood, with the result that I have become half (imperfect), while you have (on the other hand) become complete (perfected being steeped with my Spirit). This is like, Oh Dhananjaya, the king swearing by himself for securing his own ends”.

On this Arjuna exclaimed,

“Oh God, you should not indulge in such extravagant talk: our cause (the goal of salvation) is served through the remembrance of your name alone. You have settled down here to advise me and while doing this you resort to swearing: where is (thus) a limit to such a humorous acting on your part? A small ray of the Sun blows open a garden of lotus flowers, but on that excuse the entire world gets lit. The clouds shower (copious) rain that cools down the earth as also makes the sea full of water; (to say that the rain comes for) satisfying the thirst of the bird Chakora is only a pretence. Is it not, therefore, incumbent to say that I am only an excuse for (the bestowal of) your generosity, Oh you the King of donors and the sea of kindness.”

The lord said on this, “Let that alone. This is no occasion for such a say (praise). The means which I have preached you will undoubtedly make you attain Me. A crystal of salt gets dissolved the moment it is dropped into the sea; is there any reason for its remaining undissolved? In that way by worshipping me everywhere in all created things (wherein my indwelling spirit exists) and seeing my Presence in all things, you will completely lose your egotism and be only myself. I have thus shown to you how the range of means goes on widening-beginning with action and culminating in attaining me. First you have to dedicate all your actions to me, Oh Son of Pandu, and then the Divine (lit. my) peace will descend on you at all times and places. Afterwards when you have got full realization of my knowledge through this grace (i.e. Divine peace) of mind, you shall assuredly be merged in my Divine Form.

In such a state then, Oh Partha, there remains no distinction, such as the end (to be attained) and the means to attain it: nay, there remains nothing else for you to do. You have all along been dedicating all your actions to me with the result that you have today secured my grace and on the strength of this grace of mine, all obstacles in the way of fighting (on your part) will be removed. Once I am caught by fascination for you, I shall never leave you in the lurch.

This is the doctrine of Gita which I have delivered to you by advancing logical arguments backed by Scriptural authorities—the Gita which is capable of destroying Nescience along with (the display of) mundane existence and which makes my sole Presence visible (to my devotee) in all things. I have (also) preached to you in various ways the knowledge of my ‘Self’, and with the help of that knowledge, I have enabled you to drop off all ignorance which has led you wrongly to this delusion (which makes you prate about) religion and non-religion.