When Krishna told Arjuna to fix his mind upon him, Arjuna naturally wondered how one does so. Sensing Arjuna's mental question, Krishna speaks without waiting for Arjuna to ask, enthused to be speaking directly about devotion, by which he can be known completely. In the previous six chapters, knowledge of the individual spiritual self's likeness to Brahman, the nature of the Brahman feature of the Absolute, and its Paramatma feature has been described. In this chapter, knowledge of the Bhagavan feature of Godhead will be discussed. Bhagavan is the personal lovable aspect of Godhead, replete with eternal form, abode, associates, and pastimes.
Reality exists, it is cognizant of itself, and it has a purpose.
As Brahman, Godhead exists. As Paramatma, cognizance comes into play, and as Bhagavan, a cognizant existence plays. This play, the inner life of the Absolute, is the lila of Bhagavan, which overflows into the world of our experience when Bhagavan enters this plane from time to time. Knowing this feature of Godhead amounts to knowing him completely. Knowledge of Bhagavan, which includes his saktis, is required if one is to practice the devotional yoga Krishna has characterized as the best of all at the end of the previous chapter.