07.13 – Krishna is concealed, but not contained, by the modes
When we come to know that Krishna is everywhere, we may naturally wonder: “Why can’t I perceive him everywhere or, for that matter, anywhere?”
The answer, Gita wisdom says, lies in nature. We are by nature spiritual, but at present our desire to enjoy material things has placed us in material nature. To help us experiment with material things, we have been given a material mind-body apparatus. This psychophysical mechanism works under subtle but strong forces of material nature known as modes that provide roadways for the traffic of consciousness between the spiritual and the material.
As we wish to enjoy material things, the modes direct our consciousness towards those things, thereby concealing spiritual reality, including the supreme spiritual reality, Krishna, as the Bhagavad-gita (07.13) indicates. Though the modes conceal Krishna, they don’t contain him; in fact, he contains them, as the previous verse (07.12) categorically asserts. The implications of this statement are enlightening and empowering.
Enlightening because Krishna’s perceptions, motivations and actions are not conditioned by the modes, as are ours. He always acts only out of pure spiritual love, never out of material desire. He has none of the deficiencies and defects that mar all the persons we know. Thus, he is an entirely different kind of person – omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent. He is eminently, supremely lovable.
Empowering because Krishna being the master of the modes is the director of the director of the traffic of our consciousness. When we show him our sincere desire to love him, he intervenes in the traffic. He reveals the beauty of his names, words, Deities and other such accessible manifestations. By thus attracting us to these specific manifestations, he empowers us to see beyond the covering of the modes. Gradually, we start perceiving his endearing, enlivening presence everywhere.
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07.13 – Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.