"Jnyani is Very Dear to Me"

   Bhagavan says, "Jnyani, the man of knowledge, is very dear to Me". (Ch. 7 Verse 17). Who is a jnyani is also explained in this verse. The person endowed with 'Knowledge' (jnyan) is steadfast, single-minded, totally devoted to Him. Further, it is also stated that 'shruddhavan labhate jnyan...| Knowledge is available only to those who are devoted to Him totally, with focused attention, single-minded, always thinking of Him.

   'Knowledge (Jnyan) is stated to be the one pertaining to the Lord, not the materialistic world. The knowledge pertaining to the materialistic world is of lower type (apara vidya). But this superior knowledge is higher, 'para vidya'. The knowledge pertaining to worldly sensuous life is of no use since it is ever-changing and is of mundane nature. The joy and happiness obtained from worldly knowledge is temporal, disappointing, sooner or later. It will not give a lasting, permanent happiness. Higher knowledge, on the other hand, pertains to liberation, emancipation, mukti and breaks the shackles of births and deaths, and gives eternal happiness. The embodied soul, indeed, looks for liberation!
   A jnyani is one who has taken to yoga (at the earliest?) and steadfastly adhered to it. Thus, he has excelled the ordinary mundane worldly seekers.  He has realized the futility of mundane existence. He has attained to the 'turiya' and thereby transcended 'time-space' bondage, duality, crossed beyond causality and karma klesha. He is sarvasha, sarvabhava and sarvarambha parityagi, nirasakta, in the Lord's own opinion,as stated by him!

  Thus, all those who aspire for the higher knowledge are yogi, blessed and redeemed! They are dear to Him.