Gita 07.29 – Detect misery to correct it

Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-07-29-detect-misery-to-correct-it/

jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya
mām āśritya yatanti ye
te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam
adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam (Bg 7.29)

Word-to-word:
jarā — from old age; maraṇa — and death; mokṣāya — for the purpose of liberation; mām — Me; āśritya — taking shelter of; yatanti — endeavor; ye — all those who; te — such persons; brahma — Brahman; tat — actually that; viduḥ — they know; kṛtsnam — everything; adhyātmam — transcendental; karma — activities; ca — also; akhilam — entirely.

Translation:
Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are actually Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental activities.

Explanation:
jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya: To attain liberation from old age and death,
mām āśritya yatanti ye: those who endeavour, taking shelter of Me,
te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam: they come to know Brahman in full
adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam: and they understand the entire field of spiritual knowledge and action.

Kṛṣṇa introduces two significant terms here—brahma and adhyātma—and also mentions karma. Although the word “karma” has appeared many times before, its usage in this particular context feels unfamiliar. This shift naturally leads to Arjuna’s questions in the next chapter. Earlier, in 7.16, Kṛṣṇa spoke of four categories of people who come to surrender to Him: catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha—the distressed, the inquisitive, the seekers of wealth, and the wise.

Here in 7.29, Kṛṣṇa speaks of another group of people who approach Him. They may fit within one of the four categories mentioned earlier, or they may be considered a fifth category altogether. These knowledgeable individuals understand the inherent miseries of material existence. Later, in the thirteenth chapter, when Kṛṣṇa outlines the characteristics of knowledge (13.8–12), He states janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam—the ability to systematically perceive the suffering caused by birth, old age, disease, and death. Recognizing these as miseries is a hallmark of true knowledge. This clear recognition becomes the first step toward transcending them.

Just as a disease must first be diagnosed before it can be treated, similarly, the miseries of material life must be recognized before they can be overcome. Early diagnosis is always best. When a disease is detected in its initial stages, it is less malevolent and can often be countered and cured. This is especially evident in the case of cancer. If cancer is detected at an advanced stage, it becomes extremely difficult to treat. However, if it is identified early, treatment is relatively easier and the chances of remission are far higher.

Cancer often develops subtly. It begins with normal cells that start growing disproportionately. What may initially appear as a small lump in the body can gradually turn into a tumor, and only later is it revealed to be cancerous. Hence, early detection is the key.

Likewise, we all suffer the miseries of material existence, although there may be phases in our lives when we are, relatively speaking, in a comfortable position. When things seem comfortable, the natural human tendency is to assume that this situation will continue indefinitely. Relying on that assumption, we fail to recognize that we may actually be heading toward danger.

It is like someone speeding down a road that ends in a drop from a cliff. The road appears smooth, but beyond a point it simply disappears. As the person gains more and more momentum, the danger increases. The earlier the driver realizes the reality of the situation, the sooner they can apply the brakes, change course, and save themselves.

Similarly, in material existence, we are all moving toward old age, disease, and death. As we progress toward these inevitabilities, the “momentum” we carry is shaped by our attachments and worldly desires. This momentum keeps us from slowing down. The more we indulge, the stronger our attachments become, and the more feverishly we chase bodily gratification. In doing so, we bind ourselves ever more tightly to the body.

It is like fastening ourselves to a vehicle that is headed toward a cliff. The sooner we recognize what is happening, the sooner we can stop tying ourselves to that doomed vehicle. Recognizing the danger in time allows us to step out before the fall.

Similarly, when we understand that old age, disease, and death are both inevitable and imminent—inevitable meaning they cannot be stopped, and imminent meaning they will come sooner than we expect—we begin to see life differently. Some may argue: “These things happen to everyone, so why bother thinking about them at all?” The problem with this assumption is that it implies there is nothing anyone can do about the suffering they bring.

However, if we understand our spiritual identity—if we recognize that we are souls who can rise above bodily consciousness to spiritual consciousness—then we can go beyond the bodily conception of life. When we raise our awareness in this way, we realize that although the body will inevitably perish, we do not have to suffer the body’s miseries. Death and destruction are events that befall the body alone. For us as souls, death is primarily a transition from one body to another.

To perceive death not as an end but as a transition, we need higher wisdom, and we need to invest our consciousness in a higher reality.

Wise people understand that God, Kṛṣṇa, is the highest spiritual reality. When we invest our consciousness in Him, we rise above the miseries of material existence (jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya) and ultimately attain liberation from old age and death.

Sometimes, when a group or set is referred to, mentioning only one or two members of that set implies the rest. For example, at the beginning of the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated: athāto brahma jijñāsā; janmādy asya yataḥ. Here the word janma—birth—is explicitly mentioned, while the other aspects, maintenance and destruction, are understood to be included. If sṛṣṭi is referred to, sthiti and pralaya naturally go along with it.

Similarly, in this verse, when jarā (old age) and maraṇa (death) are mentioned, janma (birth) and vyādhi (disease) are implicitly included.

Those who understand that the miseries of material life are both imminent and inevitable seriously strive to devote themselves to Kṛṣṇa. By doing so, they elevate their consciousness above the material level, come to understand spiritual reality (te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam), and progressively spiritualize all their activities (adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam).

Thank you.