Of these four, ‘the wise’ is the foremost. Why?

Because of being constantly attached to Krishna and being single-minded in devotion to Him alone. The wise person has only one goal, to attain Krishna, the focussed devotion being the unifying force.

As for the others, they are mindful of Krishna only until the fulfilment of their desires. Their only goal is the attainment of their cherished objects, and devotion is seen as a means to that end.

Hence the wise alone are the foremost.

Here in the expression ‘athyartham’ (inexpressibly), the term ‘artha’ denotes that which cannot be adequately expressed.

That is, even Krishna the omniscient and omnipotent, is unable to express the degree of love between Himself and the Jñānin, since there is no such limit to this love —such is the meaning.

As in the case of Prahlāda, the foremost among the wise, it is said: —

“But he, with thoughts firmly fixed on Krishna while being bitten by the great serpents, felt no pain from the wounds, being immersed in rapturous mindfulness of Him.” (V.P. 1.17.39).

“तर्हि कथमेव न ज्ञायस ? इत्यत आह - त्रिभिः इति | तादात्म्यार्थं मयद् | तच्चोक्तम् - तादात्म्यार्थं विकारार्थं प्राचुर्यार्थं मयद् त्रिधा इति | नहि गुणकार्यभूता माया | गुणमयि इति च वक्ष्यति | सिद्धं च कार्यस्यापि तादात्म्यम् - तादात्म्यं कार्यधर्मादिः सम्योगो भिन्नवस्तुनोः इत्यादि व्यासयोगे ||” - Why does he (Arjuna) not know? This is explained in three ways. To show his attachment (to the attributes), the word माया is used. माया is used in three ways as Self, as modification and as effulgence. Not as Sri Durgadevi's actions, thus Gita-Kalpa. He speaks of गुणमयी as his attributes. His actions also subscribe to his Nature. One's inclination is compatible with one's nature, association is with two distinct objects, thus in Vyasa Yoga.

“भावैः पदार्थैः | सर्वे भावा दृश्यमाना गुणमया एत | इति दर्शयति - एभिः इति | ज्ञानिव्यावृत्त्यर्थम् - इदम् इति | गुणमयदेहादिकं दृष्टवेश्वरदेहोऽपि तादृश इति मायामोहित इत्यर्थः | जगाद् च व्यासयोगे - गौणान् ब्रह्मादिदेहादीन् दृष्ट्वा विष्णोरपीतृशः | देहादिरिति मन्वानो मोहितोऽज्ञो जनो भूशम् || इति | एभ्यः गुणमयेभ्यः | गुणेभ्यः परम् इति वक्ष्यमाणत्वात् | केवलो निर्गुणश्च | इत्यादि श्रुतिभ्यश्च | त्रैगुण्यवर्जितम् इति चोक्तम् ||” - One's inclination is compatible with one's nature, association is with two distinct objects. भावैः means by inclination. All objects become perceivable by us because of their attributes and inclinations. By these, they are seen; इदम् is used to show that they are not deluded. Seeing our own body consisting of threefold attributes, those who think that Lord's body is also similarly formed, are deluded people. Seeing the bodies of Brahma and others with attributes, those who consider that Sri Vishnu also is similarly formed of body, being deluded men are under bondage, thus in Vyas Yoga. एभ्यः means by things having attributes. Sri Vishnu having been spoken as beyond the (threefold) attributes, entirely formless, devoid of three-fold attributes.

“कथमनादिकाले मोहनत्ययो बहूनाम् ? इत्यत आह - देवी इति | अयमाशयः - माया होषा मोहिका | सा च मुष्ट्यादिकिडादिमद् देवसन्मन्वित्वादतिशक्तैः दुरत्यया | तथाहि देव शब्दार्थः पठन्ति - दिवु किडाविजिगिपाव्यवहारद्युतिमोदमद्वप्नकान्तिस्तुतिगतिषु इति | कथं देवी? मदीयत्वात् | अहं हि देव इति |” - The reasons why has this delusion not been surmounted ? This is explained here, saying divine is this illusion which deludes people by her great power. Therefore, luminous, sport or play, desire to conquer, splendour, adoration, pleasure, imagination, brilliance and movement are the attributes. Why is it Divine ? Because of its being under the control of the supreme Lord, who alone is the Lord.

“श्रीभूदुर्गति या भिन्ना महामाया तु वैष्णवी | तच्छक्त्यनन्तांशहीनाऽथापि तस्याऽश्रयात् प्रभोः | अनन्तब्रह्मगुद्रादेनस्याः शक्तिः कलाऽपि हि | तेषां दुरत्ययाऽप्येषा विना विष्णुप्रसादतः || इति व्यासयोगे | तर्हि न कथञ्चिदत्येतुं शक्यत इत्यत आह - मामेव इति | अन्यत् सर्वे परित्यज्य मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते | गुर्वादिवन्दनं च मय्येव समर्पयन्ति | स एव च तत्र स्थित्वा गुर्वादिर्भवतीत्यादि पश्यन्ति आह च नारदीये ||” - Shri, Bhu and Durga are the distinct three forms of the Great Illusion, of Sri Lakshmi. She does not partake the endless energies of the Lord, since she has taken refuge in Him. Because of such protection, Rudra, Brahma and other Gods do not possess even a small part of her manifestation. Without the grace of Sri Vishnu even they cannot overcome her power, thus in Vyasa Yoga.

“तर्हि न कथश्चिदत्येतुं शक्यत इत्यत आह - मामेव इति | अन्यत् सर्वे परित्यज्य मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते | गुर्वा दिवन्दनं च मय्येव समर्पयन्ति | आह च नारदीये - मत्सम्पत्या तु गुर्वादीन् भजन्ते मध्यमा नराः | मदुपाधितया तांश्च सर्वभूतानि चोत्तमाः | इति | आचार्यचैत्यवपुत्रा स्वगतिं व्याडिक्ष इति च |” - To the question how can माया be surmounted, Sri Krishna replies saying taking refuge in Me. The one who renounces all else, taking refuge in supreme Lord alone, his adoration to the Teacher etc. reaches him alone or he perceives that (the Teacher) has become great because supreme Lord is abiding in him. The intermediate human beings because of My being near him, propitiate the Teacher. The superior ones propitiate all the creatures, they being manifested in Me, thus in Narada Purana. Through your form of consciousness, which is in Mind of the Teacher, You yourself teach the wisdom about Yourself.

“तर्हि किमिति सर्वे नत्यायन् ? इत्यत आह - न माम् इति | दुष्कृतित्वान् मूढाः | अत एव नराधमाः | अपहतज्ञानवाच्च मूढाः | अत एव असुर भावमाश्रिताः | स च वक्ष्यते - प्रवृत्ते च निवृत्तिं इत्यादिना | अपहारोऽभिभवः | उक्तम् चैतद् व्यासयोगे - ज्ञानं स्वभावो जीवानां मायया चाभिभूयते || इति | असुरुतः असुराः | तच्चोक्तं नारदीये - ज्ञानप्रधाना देवास्तु असुराश्रतु रता असौ || इति |” - Why do all people not surrender to Him. This is explained in this verse. The are deprived of intelligence, because of their evil deeds. Same is the case with the mean ones among men, robbed of their Wisdom, they become bewildered in their intelligence. Therefore, they take shelter in demonic inclination. Here the word माययाऽपहता means robbed or concealed, stolen by the illusory energy. Awareness (ज्ञान) is the natural tendency of the one born; by illusion it becomes concealed. The one who is intent in satisfying the senses is असुर (unenlightened), thus in Vyasa Yoga. Among the Gods there is predominance of ज्ञान; among असुर enjoyment of senses is predominant, thus in Naarada Puraana.

“एकस्मिन्नेव भक्तिः इति एकभक्तिः | तच्चोक्तं गारुडे - मय्येव भक्तिर्नान्यत्र एकभक्तिः स उच्यते || इति ||” - Devotion in Me alone, singular devotion. Therefore it is said in Garuda Purana: “The devotion to Me alone and to no one else is said to be Singular Devotion”.

“बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान् भवति | तच्चोक्तं बाह्ये - जन्माभिर्बहुभिर्ज्ञात्वा ततो मां प्रतिपद्यते || इति |” - At the end of many lives he becomes aware, therefore, it is said in Brahma Puraana: “Being aware after taking many births, he attains to Me”.

“अन्यायतो अचेतनया तन्मेयत्वात्तु मायया | लक्ष्म्या वशगया लोको विष्णुनैव विमोहितः || ये तु विष्णुं प्रपद्यन्ते ते मायां तां तरन्ति हि | लक्ष्मीः सा जडमायाया देवता ते उभे अपि || विष्णोर्वशे ततोऽनन्यभक्त्या तं शरणं व्रजेत् | यादृशी तत्र भक्तिः स्यात् तादृश्यन्यत्र नैव चेत् || अनन्यभक्तिः सा ज्ञेया विष्णुवेव तु सा भवेत् | अन्येषु वैष्णवत्वेन लक्ष्मीब्रह्महरादिषु | कुर्याद् भक्तिं नान्यथा तु तदृशा एव ते यतः | एवं जानस्तमाप्नोति नान्यथा तु कथञ्चन || पूर्णं वस्तु यतो ह्येको वसुदेवो नचापरः | एवंविहुलभो लोके यत् सर्वे मिश्रयुजनः ||” - The unmanifest (Sri Lakshmi), verily, is what causes Illusion. People who are under the influence of Sri Lakshmi are essentially deluded by Sri Vishnu Himself. Those who propitiate Sri Vishnu, only they will surely cross over the Illusion. Gross Illusion and its presiding deity Sri Lakshmi both are subservient to Sri Vishnu. Therefore, everyone should surrender to Sri Vishnu with uncompromising devotion. The form of fullness of devotion is not possible to arise anywhere else. अनन्यभक्ति - uncompromising devotion should be known as that in which one is attuned to Sri Vishnu in all entirety. The devotion to Sri Lakshmi, Brahma, Rudra and others should be considered as devotion to Sri Vishnu, because they are all subservient to Him. Knowing thus, one reaches Him but not through any other means. The Complete One is Vasudeva alone, no one else. The ones who knows thus are very rare in the world, while all are, verily, the mixed aspirants.

17 *“Amongst these, the man of knowledge who shows constant application and has singleness of devotion, is one that excels; for, of the man of knowledge I am exceedingly beloved, and he too is beloved of me.”* (110)

The sick Soul in sorrow worships Me for securing relief from distress, the one eager to know does so out of longing to know; the third worships Me with desire to secure objective good; while the fourth has no desire whatever to satisfy, and therefore, he alone, the Man of knowledge—is My real devotee, since with the light of that knowledge, he dispels all darkness due to distinction, and then he is merged with My divine essence and in that way he abides as My devotee also. A crystal momentarily appears to the ordinary eye as water itself (on account of the motion of water running over it); even so is the man of realized vision and the wondrous beauty is beyond words. Let the wind be still, and it is one with sky. Even so is the man of knowledge once he is merged in My divine essence, it is vain talk to say that he is My devotee. The wind is naturally one with the essence of the sky, unless it is moved and made to blow: otherwise both these are one and the same thing. In that way, the man of knowledge while performing actions through his body-form (organs) appears as my devotee, yet he has already become one with me through the light of knowledge that shines in him, and he realizes that “I am his Soul,” and on My part, I hold him as My very soul through My all-enveloping love. How could separate dwelling in a body make him other than my Supreme spirit, when his acts in this life emanate from this highest life of Spirit beyond the limited life of his finitude.

'Teṣām jñāni nityayukta'—Among the four kinds of virtuous men, a man of wisdom is the best, because he is steadfast viz., he is constantly established in God. He thinks of nothing, besides God. As the cowherdesses while milking cows, churning curd and discharging other domestic duties, thought only of God* a man of wisdom while performing all the mundane and spiritual actions, is attached to God alone.

'Ekabhaktirviśiṣyate'—The man of wisdom, without having any desire of his own, has an exclusive devotion for God. So he is the best one.

Though all the four kinds, of virtuous men are engaged in God's devotion, yet the first three, have no exclusive devotion, because they have some desire or the other of their own. The seeker of wealth, seeks favourable circumstances, a sufferer seeks to do away with unfavourable circumstances, a seeker of knowledge, has a desire to know his self or Divinity. But, the man of wisdom (devout devotee) has exclusive devotion for God, without having any desire of his own.

'Priyo hi jñānino'tyarthamahaṃ sa ca mama priyaḥ'—I am extremely dear to the wise, because he has exclusive devotion to Me, without having any desire of his own. Therefore, he is extremely dear to Me.

Though all creatures, being fragments of God, are naturally

* The Gopīs of Vraja who, while milking cows, separating rice from dry, churning curd, smearing the courtyard with cow-dung, rocking babies and ladles, lulling a baby to sleep, watering the basil and sweeping the house, the divine songs of Lord Kṛṣṇa's life-story with full devotion in an array of delight with their minds constantly attached to Him are virtuous deserve congratulations.

dear to Him, and He brings up all of them, without any partiality, yet, those who have an inclination for Him, become especially dear, to Him.

When a devotee, becomes free from desires, axiomatic devotion (love) is aroused, in Him. This love, neither ends nor lessens, but increases every moment, and is limitless, endless and knows no satiety.

**Appendix**—The Lord has called His devotee who is exclusively devoted to him 'Jñānī' (wise) because 'All is God'—this is the real and final knowledge (wisdom), there is nothing beyond it. Therefore the devoted (devout) devotee, who has realized this knowledge, is a real Jñānī (Gītā 7/19). The reason is that such a devotee holds that there is no other entity besides God, while a man who applies his Viveka, holds that there are two entities—the real and the unreal. It means that here the term 'Jñānī' has not been used for the liberated self-realized soul but it has been used for the 'Jñānī' viz., the devoted (devout) devotee who has realized 'All is God'. In the Gītā, the Lord principally has called a devotee 'Jñānī' (7/16—18) because he is the highest and real 'Jñānī'. He loves God alone, therefore he is the best—'ekabhaktirviśiṣyate'.

The Lord's devotee who is the seeker of wealth is 'anityayukta' (not constantly established in God). The sufferers is less 'anityayukta' than the seeker of wealth. The seeker of knowledge is less 'anityayukta' than the sufferer. But a 'Jñānī' is totally 'nityayukta' (constantly established in God).

'Priyo hi jñānino'tyarthamaham sa ca mama priya'—this expression means that when a devotee has realized 'Vāsudevaḥ sarvam', then between that devotee and God there is relationship of true love alone, nothing else. In the scriptures, this has been called every moment—increasing love and infinite bliss.

*Link:—In the previous verse, Lord Kṛṣṇa declared the man of wisdom to be the best of all the four. The other three, are also not undervalued by Him. So He says in the next verse.*

तेषां चतुर्णां मध्ये ज्ञानी तत्त्ववित् तत्त्ववित्त्वात् नित्ययुक्तः भवति एकभक्तिश्च, अन्यस्य भजनीयस्य अदर्शनात् ; अतः स एकभक्तिः विशिष्यते विशेषं आधिक्यं आपद्यते, अतिरिच्यते इत्यर्थः । प्रियो हि यस्मात् अहं आत्मा ज्ञानिनः, अतः तस्य अहं अत्यर्थं प्रियः ; प्रसिद्धं हि लोके ``आत्मा प्रियो भवति'' इति । तस्मात् ज्ञानिनः आत्मत्वात् वासुदेवः प्रियो भवतीत्यर्थः । स च ज्ञानी मम वासुदेवस्य आत्मैवेति मम अत्यर्थं प्रियः ॥ न तर्हि आर्तादयः त्रयः वासुदेवस्य प्रियाः ? न ; किं तर्हि ?--

उन चार प्रकारके भक्तोंमें जो ज्ञानी हैं अर्थात् यथार्थ तत्त्वको जाननेवाला है वह तत्त्ववेत्ता होनेके कारण सदा मुझमें स्थित है और उसकी दृष्टिमें अन्य किसी भजनयोग्य वस्तुका अस्तित्व न रहनेके कारण वह केवल एक मुझ परमात्मामें ही अनन्य भक्तिवाला होता है। इसलिये वह अनन्य प्रेमी (ज्ञानी भक्त) श्रेष्ठ माना जाता है। (अन्य तीनोंकी अपेक्षा) अधिक— उच्च कोटिका समझा जाता है।

क्योंकि मैं ज्ञानीका आत्मा हूँ इसलिये उसको अत्यन्त प्रिय हूँ ।

संसारमें यह प्रसिद्ध ही है कि आत्मा ही प्रिय होता है । इसलिये ज्ञानीका आत्मा होनेके कारण भगवान् वासुदेव उसे अत्यन्त प्रिय होता है । यह अभिप्राय है ।

तथा वह ज्ञानी भी मुझ वासुदेवका आत्मा ही है, अतः वह मेरा अत्यन्त प्रिय है

(7.110) इनमें से जो आर्त है वह अपने दुःखनिवारण के हेतु भजता है, जिज्ञासु ज्ञान की इच्छा से भजता है, तीसरा अर्थप्राप्ति की इच्छा करता है,

(7.111) परन्तु चौथे को कुछ भी कार्य नहीं रहता। इसलिए भक्त उसी एक जो जानो जो कि ज्ञानी हो। (7.112) क्योंकि उसके लिए ज्ञान के प्रकाश से भेदरूपी अन्धकार का नाश हो जाता है, और एकता के कारण वह मद्रूप हो जाता है तथापि वह भक्त भी बना रहता है।

(7.113) परन्तु दूसरों को स्फटिक पर जैसे क्षणभर जल का भास होता है, वैसा उस ज्ञानी का हाल नहीं होता। उसका वर्णन अद्भुत है।

(7.114) जैसे वायु जब आकाश में विलीन हो जाती है तब क्या वायुत्व अलग नहीं रहता? वैसे ही यद्यपि उसका ऐक्य हो जाता है तथापि "भक्त" संज्ञा नहीं जाती।

(7.115) यदि हिलाकर वायु देखी जाय तो आकाश से भिन्न दिखाई देगी, अन्यथा आकाश तो स्वभावतः वैसा ही बना रहता है,

(7.116) वैसे ही वह शरीर से कर्म करता है इससे भक्त जान पड़ता है परन्तु आत्मानुभव के कारण वह मद्रूप ही है।

(7.117) ज्ञान का उदय होने के कारण वह मुझे अपना आत्मा ही समझता है इसलिए मैं भी हर्षयुक्त हो उसे वैसा ही समझता हूँ।

(7.118) अजी जीव के परे का संकेत पाकर जो व्यवहार करना जानता है वह क्या देह की भिन्नता के कारण आत्मा से भिन्न हो सकता है? उदारा: सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।

भावार्थ— उन भक्तों में नित्ययुक्त और अनन्य भक्ति वाला ज्ञानी सबसे श्रेष्ठ है क्योंकि ज्ञानी को मैं अत्यन्त प्रिय होता हूँ और मुझे भी वह प्रिय होता है।

व्याख्या— ऊपर कहे हुए उन भक्तों में ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त है। उसकी अनित्य पदार्थों में आसक्ति नहीं होती तथा सर्वत्र ब्रह्मदृष्टि होती है। इसी से वह एक-भक्ति (अनन्य भक्त) भी है, क्योंकि अन्य

तीन तो कुछ निमित्त लेकर भजन करते हैं, किन्तु ज्ञानी बिना किसी निमित्त के ही निरन्तर भजन करता है। यदि उसमें कोई वासना होती या कोई विशेष निमित्त होता तो उसकी एक भक्ति नहीं हो सकती थी। अथवा मैं अन्य हूँ तथा भगवान् अन्य है— यह भक्ति है और अभेद दृष्टि जिसमें जीव जगत् और भगवान् में कोई भेद नहीं रहता, एक-भक्ति है। इसके सिवाय आर्त, जिज्ञासु और अर्थार्थी भक्तों में तो कर्तापन रहता है, किन्तु ज्ञानी कर्तृत्व-भोक्तृत्व का बाध कर देता है। वह सबसे अभिन्न होकर भी सबसे असङ्ग होता है— यही उसकी एक-भक्ति है। ज्ञानी से भिन्न जो तीन प्रकार के भक्त हैं वे नित्ययुक्त भी नहीं हो सकते, क्योंकि उनकी पहले इदमाकार वृत्ति होती है और फिर भगवदाकार। इस प्रकार उनमें भेद-दृष्टि रहने के कारण भगवान् से उनका नित्य योग नहीं होता। ज्ञानी का तो भगवान् से भेद नहीं है, इसलिये कभी वियोग न होने के कारण वह नित्ययुक्त है। वह 'मैं ब्रह्म हूँ' ऐसा चिन्तन भी नहीं करता, क्योंकि उसे कभी भेद की अनुमति नहीं होती। श्रीअष्टावक्रजी कहते हैं—

येन दृष्टं परं ब्रह्म सोऽहं ब्रह्मेति चिन्तयेत्। किं चिन्तयति निश्चिन्तो द्वितीयं यो न पश्यति॥

यहाँ भक्ति 'भज् सेवायां' इस अर्थ में नहीं, प्रत्युत अपने-आप में वृत्ति का लगना ही समझना चाहिये। 'नित्ययुक्तः' यह ज्ञानी का विशेषण है। ज्ञान होने पर भी उसमें भक्ति है—यही उसकी विशेषता है।

‘तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्तः’—उन (अर्थार्थी, आर्त, जिज्ञासु और ज्ञानी) भक्तोंमें ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी भक्त श्रेष्ठ है; क्योंकि वह नित्ययुक्त है अर्थात् वह सदा-सर्वदा केवल भगवान्में ही लगा रहता है। भगवान्के सिवाय दूसरे किसीमें वह किंचिन्मात्र भी नहीं लगता। जैसे गोपियाँ गाय दुहते, दही बिलोते, धान कूटते आदि सभी लौकिक कार्य करते हुए भी भगवान् श्रीकृष्णमें चित्तवाली रहती हैं*, ऐसे ही वह ज्ञानी भक्त लौकिक और पारमार्थिक सब क्रियाएँ करते समय सदा-सर्वदा भगवान्से जुड़ा रहता है। भगवान्का सम्बन्ध रखते हुए ही उसकी

सब क्रियाएँ होती हैं।

‘एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते’—उस ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी भक्तका आकर्षण केवल भगवान्में होता है। उसकी अपनी कोई व्यक्तिगत इच्छा नहीं रहती। इसलिये वह श्रेष्ठ है।

अर्थार्थी आदि भक्तोंमें पूर्वसंस्कारोंके कारण जबतक व्यक्तिगत इच्छाएँ उत्पन्न होती रहती हैं, तबतक उनकी एकभक्ति नहीं होती अर्थात् केवल भगवान्में प्रेम नहीं होता। परन्तु उन भक्तोंमें इन इच्छाओंको नष्ट करनेका भाव भी होता रहता है और इच्छाओंके सर्वथा नष्ट होनेपर सभी भक्त भगवान्के प्रेमी और भगवान्के प्रेमास्पद हो जाते हैं।

* या दोहनेऽवहनने मथनोपलेपप्रेक्षेणाभिरुदितोक्षणमार्जनादौ।

गायन्ति चैनमनुरक्तधियोऽश्रुकण्ठो धन्या व्रजस्विय उरुक्रमचित्तयानाः ॥ (श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १०। ४४। १५)

‘जो गौओंका दूध दुहते समय, धान आदि कूटते समय, दही मथते समय, आँगन लीपते समय, बालकोंको पालनेमें झुलाते समय, रोते हुए बच्चोंको लोरी देते समय, तुलसी आदिको जलसे सींचते समय तथा झाड़ू देने आदि सब कर्मोंको करते समय प्रेमपूर्ण चित्तसे आँखोंमें आँसू भरकर गदगद कण्ठसे श्रीकृष्णकी दिव्य लीलाओंका गान करती रहती हैं, वे श्रीकृष्णमें निरन्तर चित्त लगाये रहनेवाली व्रजवासिनी गोपियाँ धन्य हैं।’

वहाँ भक्त और भगवान्में द्वैतका भाव न रहकर प्रेमाद्वैत (प्रेममें अद्वैत) हो जाता है।

ऐसे तो चारों भक्त भगवान्में नित्य-निरन्तर लगे रहते हैं; परन्तु तीन भक्तोंके भीतरमें कुछ-न-कुछ व्यक्तिगत इच्छा रहती है; जैसे—अर्थात् भक्त अनुकूलताकी इच्छा करते हैं, आर्त भक्त प्रतिकूलताकी मिटानेकी इच्छा करते हैं और जिज्ञासु भक्त अपने स्वरूपको या भगवतत्त्वको जाननेकी इच्छा करते हैं। ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी भक्तमें अपनी कोई इच्छा नहीं रहती; अतः वह एकभक्ति है।

**‘प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः’—** उस ज्ञानी प्रेमी भक्तको मैं अत्यन्त प्यारा हूँ। उसमें अपनी किंचिन्मात्र भी इच्छा नहीं है, केवल मेरेमें प्रेम है। इसलिये वह मेरेको अत्यन्त प्यारा है।

वास्तवमें तो भगवान्का अंश होनेसे सभी जीव स्वाभाविक ही भगवान्को प्यारे हैं। भगवान्के प्यारमें कोई निजी स्वार्थ नहीं है। जैसे माता अपने बच्चोंका पालन

**परिशिष्ट भाव—**भगवान्ने अपने प्रेमी भक्तको ‘ज्ञानी’ नामसे इसलिये कहा है कि ‘सब कुछ परमात्मा ही हैं’—यही वास्तविक और अन्तिम ज्ञान है, इससे आगे कुछ नहीं है। इसलिये ऐसा अनुभव करनेवाला प्रेमी भक्त ही वास्तविक ज्ञानी है (इसी अध्यायका उन्तीसवाँ श्लोक)। कारण कि ऐसे भक्तकी दृष्टिमें एक परमात्माके सिवाय दूसरी सत्ता है ही नहीं, जबकि विवेकी पुरुषकी दृष्टिमें सत् और असत्—दो सत्ता रहती है। तात्पर्य है कि यहाँ ‘ज्ञानी’ शब्द जीवन्मुक्त तत्त्वज्ञानीके लिये नहीं आया है, प्रत्युत ‘वासुदेवः सर्वम्’ का अनुभव करनेवाले ज्ञानी अर्थात् प्रेमी भक्तके लिये आया है। गीतामें भगवान्ने मुख्य रूपसे भक्तको ही ‘ज्ञानी’ कहा है (इसी अध्यायका सोलहवाँ, सत्रहवाँ और अठारहवाँ श्लोक); क्योंकि वही अन्तिम और असली ज्ञानी है। उसका केवल भगवान्में ही प्रेम होता है, इसलिये वह श्रेष्ठ है—‘एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते’।

भगवान्का अर्थात् भक्त अनित्ययुक्त (निरन्तर भगवान्में न लगा हुआ) होता है। अर्थार्थकी अपेक्षा आर्त कम अनित्ययुक्त होता है। आर्तकी अपेक्षा भी जिज्ञासु कम अनित्ययुक्त होता है। परन्तु ज्ञानी सर्वथा नित्ययुक्त होता है।

**‘प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः’** पदोंका तात्पर्य है कि ‘वासुदेवः सर्वम्’ का अनुभव होनेपर फिर भक्त और भगवान्—दोनोंमें परस्पर प्रेम-ही-प्रेम शेष रहता है। इसीको शास्त्रोंमें प्रतिक्षण वर्धमान प्रेम, अनन्तरस आदि नामोंसे कहा गया है।

सम्बन्ध—पूर्वश्लोकमें भगवान्ने ज्ञानी भक्तको अपना अत्यन्त प्यारा बताया, तो इससे यह असर पड़ता है कि भगवान्ने दूसरे भक्तोंका आदर नहीं किया। इसलिये भगवान् आगेके श्लोकमें कहते हैं—

**उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम्।**