Gita 07.26 – Krishnas omniscience harmonizes with his omnibenevolence

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-07-26-krishnas-omniscience-harmonizes-with-his-omnibenevolence/

vedāhaṁ samatītāni
vartamānāni cārjuna
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni
māṁ tu veda na kaścana (Bg 7.26)

Word-to-word:
veda — know; aham — I; samatītāni — completely past; vartamānāni — present; ca — and; arjuna — O Arjuna; bhaviṣyāṇi — future; ca — also; bhūtāni — all living entities; mām — Me; tu — but; veda — knows; na — not; kaścana — anyone.

Translation:
O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows.

Explanation:
vedāhaṁ samatītāni: I fully know all that has happened in the past.
vartamānāni cārjuna: I know the present as well, O Arjuna.
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni: And I know the future of all living beings.
māṁ tu veda na kaścana: But Me—no one truly knows.

Kṛṣṇa is proclaiming His omniscience—one of the defining attributes of God. Typically, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence are considered His core characteristics. Among these, omniscience is highlighted here because of the context.

In the previous section, Kṛṣṇa explained that those who are hṛta-jñānāḥ or abuddhayaḥ surrender to beings other than Him. He then stated that this happens because their knowledge is covered by māyā. This raises a natural question: if māyā covers everyone, does it cover Kṛṣṇa as well?

Kṛṣṇa answers this indirectly. Although He said in the previous verse, yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ, He makes it clear here that He Himself is never covered. He is omniscient.

An earlier verse that points toward Kṛṣṇa’s omniscience is 4.5, where He states: bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha parantapa—both of us have passed through many lifetimes. I remember all of them, but you do not, O Arjuna.

There, the distinction is made between Kṛṣṇa’s unfailing memory and the soul’s forgetfulness. Even though Arjuna is not a conditioned soul, he still does not remember his previous births. That difference is further clarified and emphasized here in 7.26, where Kṛṣṇa declares vedāhaṁ samatītāni—I know everything: past, present, and future.

Kṛṣṇa had also hinted at this earlier when He said that He is beyond the three modes of material nature: mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam (7.13).

Sometimes skeptics or atheists claim that the very defining attributes of God are inherently self-contradictory. They argue that if God is omniscient, then He cannot be omnipotent, and if He is omnipotent, then He cannot be omniscient. Their reasoning is that God cannot be both.

They say that if He knows the future, then He must be unable to change it—because it is already known and fixed. And if He can change it, then He could not have truly known it beforehand. Therefore, according to them, God can be either omniscient or omnipotent, but not both.

Actually, we need to understand that God’s attributes are not like the static attributes of material objects. Consider, for example, someone who is extremely tall. That extraordinary height might help the person win an award as the tallest individual in the world—perhaps even an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. But the same height can also create practical difficulties. The person may have to stoop excessively to pass through ordinary doorways, and some doors might be nearly impossible to enter.

If such a person goes to a movie theater, those seated behind may complain because their view is blocked. In this case, a single attribute can sometimes be a cause of celebration and at other times a cause of consternation. It can perplex or irritate people, depending on the situation, especially if one is not mindful or considerate.

God’s attributes, however, are categorically different; they do not conflict with one another or create such limitations.

When we attribute similar limitations to God, we are operating with only a superficial understanding of Him. God is omnipotent and omniscient, but beyond all that, He is omnibenevolent. He is an all-loving person, and His various attributes are always engaged in the service of His omnibenevolence.

When Kṛṣṇa desires, He can manifest His omnipotence. When He desires, He can manifest His omniscience. And when He does not wish to display them, He may choose not to manifest any of these attributes. Kṛṣṇa is not bound or constrained by His qualities. In fact, He is not bound by anything at all.

For example, when Kṛṣṇa is playing hide-and-seek after stealing butter—hiding from Mother Yaśodā—does He already know whether she will catch Him or punish Him? Does He think, “I am God, but I am just acting like a small naughty boy”?

When Kṛṣṇa performs a pastime, He becomes completely absorbed in it. That absorption allows Him to relish the activity fully. He delights in the sweetness of the moment precisely because He chooses to engage in it wholeheartedly.

Similarly, when we understand that Kṛṣṇa is līlā-dhāma—the abode of unlimited pastimes—and that everything He does is meant to facilitate those pastimes and reciprocate love, it becomes clear why He may temporarily choose to conceal certain attributes. If, for a particular pastime, His omniscience would interfere, He may set it aside. At other times, if His omnipotence would get in the way, He may conceal that as well.

For example, when Kṛṣṇa’s parents ask Him to lift a large vessel and bring it to them, the vessel may be far too heavy for a small child. Kṛṣṇa then imitates what He has seen strong wrestlers do—slapping their thighs and arms to emphasize their strength and create an intimidating sound. Kṛṣṇa is very small, but He playfully imitates them and tries to lift the heavy vessel. He strains and shakes and shakes again, but when He cannot lift it, He becomes embarrassed, blushes, and runs to hide behind Mother Yaśodā’s sari, shy about His apparent lack of strength.

This only intensifies the affection of His parents. Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja laugh lovingly, thinking, “Such a sweet boy!” And Kṛṣṇa reciprocates that deepening affection through this charming display of childlike helplessness.

Thus, Kṛṣṇa is never confined by His attributes. He manifests whatever qualities are needed to perform His pastimes, and at other times He can withdraw them. In the context of this verse, the essential point is that Kṛṣṇa is never in illusion, never bound, and is always fully enlightened and liberated. When we understand this, we can place our faith in Him without reservation. We can be confident that He has the power to enlighten and liberate us, and therefore our duty is simply to understand His will and act accordingly.

Just as a patient gains confidence upon seeing that a doctor is competent—that he has healed others and knows how to heal him as well—the patient naturally feels assured: let me simply follow whatever the doctor advises. Similarly, when we understand that Kṛṣṇa is never touched by illusion, we develop the confidence to surrender to Him.

Thank you.