Charitamrith

māṁ cha yo ’vyabhichāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

Those who serve me with unalloyed devotion rise above the three modes of material nature and come to the level of Brahman.

Having explained the traits of those who are situated beyond the three guṇas, Shree Krishna now reveals the one and only method of transcending these modes of material nature. The above verse indicates that mere knowledge of the self and its distinction with the body is not enough. With the help of bhakti yog, the mind has to be fixed on the Supreme Lord, Shree Krishna. Then alone will the mind become nirguṇa (untouched by the three modes), just as Shree Krishna is nirguṇa.

Many people are of the view that if the mind is fixed upon the personal form of God, it will not rise to the transcendental platform. Only when it is attached to the formless Brahman, will the mind become transcendental to the modes of material nature. However, this verse refutes such a view. Although the personal form of God possesses infinite guṇas (qualities), these are all divine and beyond the modes of material nature. Hence, the personal form of God is also nirguṇa (beyond the three material modes). Sage Ved Vyas explains how the personal form of God is nirguṇa:

yastu nirguṇa ityuktaḥ śhāstreṣhu jagadīśhvaraḥ

prākṛitairheya sanyuktairguṇairhīnatvamuchyate (Padma Purāṇ)[v3]

“Wherever the scriptures refer to God as nirguṇa (without attributes), they mean that he is without material attributes. Nevertheless, his divine personality is not devoid of qualities—he possesses infinite divine attributes.”

This verse also reveals the proper object of meditation. Transcendental meditation does not mean to meditate upon nothingness. The entity transcendental to the three modes of material nature is God. And so, only when the object of our meditation is God can it truly be called transcendental meditation.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣhṭhāham amṛitasyāvyayasya cha
śhāśhvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya cha

I am am the basis of the formless Brahman, the immortal and imperishable, of eternal dharma, and of unending divine bliss.

The previous verse may give rise to the question about the relationship between Shree Krishna and the formless Brahman. It was previously stated that the all-powerful God has both aspects to his personality—the formless and the personal form. Here, Shree Krishna reveals that the Brahman which the jñānīs worship is the light from the personal form of God. Padma Purāṇ states:

yannakhenduruchirbrahma dheyaṁ brahmādibhiḥ suraiḥ

guṇatrayamatītaṁ taṁ vande vṛindāvaneśhvaram (Patal Khand 77.60)[v4]

“The light that emanates from the toe nails of the feet of the Lord of Vrindavan, Shree Krishna, is the transcendental Brahman that the jñānīs and even the celestial gods meditate upon.” Similarly, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said:

tāṅhāra aṅgera śhuddha kiraṇa-maṇḍala

upaniṣhat kahe tāṅre brahma sunirmala (Chaitanya Charitāmṛit, Ādi Leela 2.12) [v5]

“The effulgence emanating from the divine body of God is described by the Upaniṣhads as Brahman.” Thus, in this verse, Shree Krishna unequivocally confirms that the panacea for the disease of the three guṇas is to engage in unwavering devotion to the personal form of the Supreme Lord.