Maharishi Mahesh Yogi On The Bhagavad-Gita - Chapter 7, Verse 20. "kamais tais tair hrta-jañah prapadyante 'nya-devatah tam tam niyamam asthya prakrtya niyatah svay"
"*Those whose knowledge has been carried away by this or that desire resort to other Gods, observing this or that rule, led by their own nature*" (B.G. 7 v 20). [image: Inline image 2] MMY 1965 unpublished photo MMY photo, large, high resolution, suitable for framing 8 x 10: http://www.rwilliams.us/archives/images/maharishi_large.jpg In his commentary of Chapter 7, verse 20, Maharishi makes the distinction between all the different Laws of Nature (Gods) that individually promote different streams of relative life and evolution as compared to the Home of all these Laws of Nature --- the ultimate basis and all encompassing WHOLENESS (Transcendental Pure Consciousness --- the Self) which is more than the collection of parts. Maharishi's commentary on Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7, Verse 20: The sequence of words is important. Contentment is gained by resorting to Being, desires are fulfilled by resorting to different Gods*. Gods are pleased through specific channels** of observances, and modes of observances may be selected according to one's own nature. This shows that there are various ways to please one God. Here the contrast is between resorting to Me and resorting to Gods. This verse shows how going through various desires one takes 'many births', as stated in the previous verse. Those for whom the goal of life is obscure keep themselves engaged in the activity of maintaining life. They see not why and for what life is to be maintained. All their intelligence and strength is used for the purpose of amassing more comforts of life, and their desires are concentrated on what will bring them greater material glories. In their attempt to fulfill their increasing desires, they turn to higher powers in Nature and follow the prescribed rites and ways to win their blessings. 'This or that rule' means some specific rites prescribed by the scriptures. 'As different men have different likes and dislikes, so also different Gods, or higher powers in Nature, have their own tastes, their own likes and dislikes.. The rites that are prescribed in the scriptures to please a certain God are set forth according to the nature of that God. Following those rites, the devotees of Gods receive blessings to fulfill their desires. 'Knowledge has been carried away' means Self Consciousness and Divine Consciousness, has been distorted, transcendental Self Consciousness has been replaced 'by this or that desire'. The teaching is that desire distorts the state of Being. Thinking and desiring are opposed to the state of Being. The state of Transcendental Consciousness, or the state of Being, which is gained during Transcendental Meditation, is disturbed when the mind comes out in some thought. What one thinks is immaterial in this case. It is the rising of a thought that brings the mind out of that state of Pure Consciousness. That is why the Lord says 'this or that desire'. Even if one thinks of God it is a thought, and with this thought the mind comes out of Pure Consciousness. So the teaching is that desire or thought takes one out of one's essential divine nature. Another teaching that is implied here is that it is not an arbitrary principle that desire inevitably forces the mind out of the inner divine nature of transcendental Self Consciousness. It is not true for everyone that knowledge is led away by this or that desire. To give this idea the Lord says 'those whose knowledge...'. This means there may be those whose knowledge is not carried away by desires. They are those for whom the state of transcendental Self Consciousness, or Being, is so concentratedly infused into the nature of their minds that even when they are out in the field of thought and action their consciousness is held by Being. In this state they may entertain this or that desire and engage themselves in any activity. They may even undertake to worship other Gods, but they will not lose their eternal freedom in Divine Consciousness. This verse does not mean to condemn desires and worship of other Gods according to one's 'own nature'; it only deplores the state of mind of those who have not gained a firm fixity of Being and who have not secured for themselves a steadfast state of Being --- who are like those who plunge into water without knowing how to swim. 'Safety first' should be the principle of everyone's life. The depth of the pond will swallow anyone who is unaware of how to maintain oneself on the surface.. The world of desire and action will rob anyone of his natural state of divine bliss if he has not equipped himself with the knowledge and experience of Being, which alone is capable of maintaining his state of divine freedom in his life in the world. * Maharishi brings to light that the Vedic Devata [Gods] are the Laws of Nature that administer the entire universe and maintain it in perfect order. They are the impulses of Creative Intelligence responsible for creation, maintenance, and evolution of everything in the universe; they are the creative powers of the cosmic dimension, permeating the whole creation. The Vedic Devata are the administrators of every aspect of creation; they are the lively intelligence present in every point, every grain, of creation. In the same way that the law of gravity exercises its 'rulership' over the attraction between different masses, the Vedic Devata exercise their administrative role over every form and function in creation. For example, the Vedic Devata that administers silence is called Shiva, and the Vedic Devata that administers dynamism is Vishnu. The Vedic Devata are not separate from the ultimate reality of the Self --- Atma --- the Unified Field of Natural Law. Every point of creation, manifest or unmanifest, animate or inanimate, microscopic or cosmic in dimension, in its ultimate reality is nothing but the Unified Field. Every individual Law of Nature or any collection of the Laws of Nature, acting under any circumstances within time and space, is nothing but the dynamics of the Unified Field --- the Vedic Devata. The Vedic Devata are the integral aspects of our own human physiology. They are embodied in every human being, and have the same forms and functions as described in the Vedic Literature. The Vedic Devata are present in the physiology of everyone, irrespective of ones caste or creed; irrespective of which political party one associates with, or in which geographical area one is born. The Vedic Devata therefore are not religious, philosophical, or poetic concepts, but a scientific reality. (Celebrating Vedic Devata in the Human Physiology, referring to the book by Raja Raam ) ** See Chapter 3, Verse 11.
