striveth again, O descendant of Kuru, towards perfection.  And although unwilling, he still worketh on in consequence of that same former practice of his.  Even one that enquireth of devotion riseth above (the fruits of) the Divine Word.-[202] Striving with great efforts, the devotee, cleaned of all his sins, attaineth to perfection after many births, and then reacheth the supreme goal.  The devotee is superior to ascetics engaged in austerities; he is esteemed to be superior to even the man of knowledge.  The devotee is superior to those that are engaged in action.  Therefore, become a devotee, O Arjuna.  Even amongst all the devotees, he who, full of faith and with inner self resting on me, worshippeth me, is regarded by me to be the most devout.”

Section XXXI [(Bhagavad Gita Chapter VII)]

“The Holy One said, ’Listen, O son of Pritha, how, without doubt, thou mayst know me fully, fixing thy mind on me, practising devotion, and taking refuge in me.  I will now, without leaving anything speak to thee about knowledge and experience, knowing which there would be left nothing in this world (for thee) to know.  One among thousands of men striveth for perfection.  Of those even that are assiduous and have attained to perfection, only some one knoweth me truly.[203] Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, also understanding, and consciousness,—­thus hath my nature been divided eight-fold.  This is a lower (form of my) nature.  Different from this, know there is a higher (form of my) nature which is animate, O thou of mighty arms, and by which this universe is held.[204] Know that all creatures have these for their source.  I am the source of evolution and also of the dissolution of the entire universe.  There is nothing else, O Dhananjaya, that is higher than myself.  Upon me is all this like a row of pearls on a string.  Taste I am in the waters, O soil of Kunti, (and) I am the splendour of both the moon and the sun, I am the Om in all the Vedas, the sound in space, and the manliness in men.  I am the fragrant odour in earth, the splendour in fire, the life in all (living) creatures, and penance in ascetics.  Know me, O son of Pritha, to be the eternal seed of all beings.  I am the intelligence of all creatures endued with intelligence, the glory of all glorious objects.  I am also the strength of all that are endued with strength, (myself) freed from desire and thirst, and, O bull of Bharata’s race, am the desire, consistent with duty, in all creatures.[205] And all existences which are of the quality of goodness, and which are of the quality of passion and quality of darkness, know that they are, indeed, from me.  I am, however, not in them, but they are in me.  This entire universe, deluded by these three entities consisting of (these) three qualities knoweth not me that am beyond them and undecaying; since this illusion of mine, depending on the (three) qualities, is exceedingly marvellous and highly difficult of being transcended.  They that resort to me