Bg. 14.26

This verse answers the third question “How can one surpass the guṇas?” The word ca indicates exclusiveness. He who has attained knowledge of the difference of the jīva from the guṇas as described in verse 19 does not attain perfection of freedom from the guṇas by that alone. Having attained that nature, He who takes shelter (sevate) of Me, Kṛṣṇa alone, who am not touched by the guṇas of māyā, who am the controller of māyā, who appear in many forms such as Nārāyaṇa, who am composed of pure knowledge and bliss, who am the abode of precious qualities such as omniscience—he who takes shelter of Me alone by performing the process of bhakti yoga—that person surpasses the guṇas which are hard to surpass, and becomes suitable for, in other words attains (kalpate) his own inherent nature (brahma bhuyāya), the eight qualities of ātmā (no sin, no death, no old age, no hunger, no thirst, no lamentation, all desires are fulfilled, fully satisfied). It was shown previously that the word brahma can mean the jīva. Accordingly, by the topmost process of bhakti, which inherently distinguishes jīva from God, the jīva realizes his svarūpa. By bhakti one does not attain a disappearance of the svarūpa of the jīva through merging with brahman. Previously the Lord said that one attains similarity with the Lord (sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti, BG 8.5 and mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ BG 14.2). Saying brahma bhūyāya, the Lord simply explains the previous statements. By the statements such as verse 2 of this chapter (idaṁ jṣānam upāśritya), even in the state of liberation the jīva remains separate. In such śrutis as niraṣjanaḥ paramaṁ sāmyam upaiti: being free of contamination, he attains similarity with the supreme (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.3), there would seem to be oneness with the Lord indicated. However by examination, one must still conclude difference of the jīva from the supreme Brahman because of other śrutis showing inherent difference between jīva and the supreme Brahman in qualities such as smallness and greatness, which are eternal. Therefore the phrase brahma bhūta means that the jīva attains the state of manifesting the eight qualities and still remains distinct from the Lord. The statement brahmaiva san brahmāpyeti (Being Brahman, he attains Brahman) (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.6.) does not mean that he becomes the Lord. It must only mean that he becomes similar to the Lord and thus attains the Lord. The Viśva Prakāśa says that eva can mean resemblance (similarity) as well as exclusiveness (alone). Amara Kośa also says that vayā, yathā, tathā, eva, evam and sāmye (likeness) are equivalents. Thus brahma eva san brahma api eti means “he, becoming like the Lord with eight qualities, attains the Lord.” If this meaning were not taken the rest of the sentence would not make sense. There would be no meaning to “He, being brahman, then attains brahman.” [Note: How can he attain something if he already is that something?]