Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 14

naanyam gunebhyaha kartaaram yadaa drishtaanupashyati |
gunebhyashcha param vetti madbhaavam sodhigacchati || 19 ||
 
When the beholders views no other doer than the gunaas, and knows himself as transcending the gunaas, he attains my nature.
 
na : no
anyam : any other
gunebhyaha : gunaas
kartaaram : doer
yadaa : when
drishtaa : beholder
anupashyati : views
gunebhyaha : gunaas
cha : and
param : transcending
vetti : knows
madbhaavam : my nature
saha : he
adhigacchati : attains
 
Let us now introduce a new character into our recurring example, a CEO of a television channel. He is the father of the young child who, as we have seen earlier, is addicted to watching boxing matches. These matches are broadcast on the very same channel that the CEO owns. What is the difference between the child and the CEO? The CEO has set up the machinery of the television channel. He knows how the shows are recorded, edited and broadcast. When he comes home, he watches the channel as a detached observer. But the child, due to his addiction, gets affected by the blows received by the boxer in the boxing match.
 
The CEO keeps reminding his son to not get so attached to the boxing match since it is not real, it is just a television program. Once the child has identified himself as the boxer, he will have to accept all the consequences of that character in that particular TV show. In the same way, Shri Krishna urges us to not get trapped in the machine called Prakriti. If we identify with Prakriti, which is nothing but the three gunas, then we have to accept all its laws including birth, death, rebirth, joy, sorrow and so on. We have to understand that we neither do anything, nor do we experience the result of our actions. All action and reaction is within the realm of Prakriti. Once we establish ourselves as a witness, we understand that we have incorrectly taken on action and reaction upon ourselves.
 
Knowing this reality, however, does not mean that Prakriti will go away. Even if the child has stopped identifying with the boxer, the boxing match will be broadcast every day at 8 PM. Similarly, even if we are not bound by it, Prakriti will be tangible and visible to us during our waking hours. The entire universe, including the body that we are identified with, is made up of the three gunas of Prakriti. But despite it appearing to us as an apparent reality, Prakriti will be unable to bind us with its laws once we recognize it as an illusion, and not as reality. Once we are able to rise beyond identification with the three gunas, we will see Prakriti the way Ishvara sees Prakriti, as a detached observer. In this manner, when we realize our identity with Ishvara, we will attain the state of liberation, of self realization.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 6

yunjannevam sadaatmaanam yogi niyatamaanasaha |
shaantim nirvaanaparamaam matsamsthaamadhigacchati || 15 ||
 
In this manner, the yogi who has subdued his mind, who always engages his self in me, attains ultimate liberation-bearing peace, established in me.
 
yunjan : engaged
evam : in this manner
sadaa : always
aatmaanam : self
yogi : yogi
niyatamaanasaha : one who has controlled his mind
shaantim : peace that leads to
nirvaanaparamaam : ultimate liberation-bearing
matsamsthaam : established in me
adhigacchati : attains
 
Previously, Shri Krishna explained the prerequisites and the method of meditation. Now, he speaks about the result or the fruit of meditation. He says that meditation, if followed as the technique prescribed here, brings us that peace that yields self-realization.
 
The journey towards this end goal obviously will take a long time. But there are intermediate results along the way. One who begins to drop attachment and fascination for material objects attains a state of ever-increasing peace. However, this peace does not lead to liberation. It is not “nirvaana paramam”.
 
Only peace gained by meditating upon the self leads to liberation. Initially, the sense of peace is only present while meditating, but slowly remains with the seeker for longer periods of time. Till the final stage is reached, the person may falter in his journey. Once the final stage is reached, he will never turn back.
 
Now, what is the source or this peace? Shri Krishna says that it is he who is the source of this peace. One of the fundamental lessons of the Gita is that only the eternal essence can give everlasting bliss and peace. Everything else gives temporary peace. Therefore, Shri Krishna urges the seeker to comprehend this fact and stop going after objects in the material world for happiness and peace.
 

Bhagavad Gita Verse 39, Chapter 4

shraddhavaanllabhate jnyaanam tatparaha samyatendriyaha |
jnyaanam labdhvaa paraan shaantimachirenaadhigacchati || 39 ||
 
One who has faith, who is completely focused on attaining knowledge and has restrained the senses, obtains this knowledge. Having obtained this knowledge, he instantly attains ultimate peace.
 
shraddhavaan : one with faith
labhate : obtains
jnyaanam : knowledge
tatparaha : one who has complete focus on attaining knowledge
samyatendriyaha : one who has restrained the senses
jnyaanam : knowledge
labdhvaa : having obtained
paraan : ultimate
shaantim : peace
achirena : instantly
adhigacchati : attain
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna describes the attributes we need to cultivate in order to attain knowledge of self-realization. He point out three attributes : faith, focus, and sense control.
 
The most important qualification that we should have is shraddha, or faith. But what specifically should we have faith in? It is four things: faith in scriptures, in our teacher, in ourselves and in the truth of the eternal essence. Furthermore, this faith has to come out of utter conviction that the material world is not the be-all and end-all. There is an changeless eternal reality behind this ever-changing material world. Unless we are convinced that there is something beyond the material world, we will never develop true faith.
 
However, we have to be careful not to get stuck at level of faith. If our faith becomes too rigid and is guided by dogma rather than intellectual questioning, it will morph into superstition and fanaticism. Just like we learn to appreciate a technical subject such as algebra through inquiry and verification, so too should our faith use the same means to strengthen itself.
 
In addition to faith, Shri Krishna mentions two more attributes. First is tatparah, which is the keen intent and focus of the seeker to do what it takes to pursue the path chosen. Second is samyatindriyah, which is restraint and control over the senses. If sense restraint is absent, then our attention would quickly stray away from the spiritual path into the material world.
 
Now, if we develop these qualities and follow the path of knowledge, then we will know that we have gained knowledge through attainment of everlasting peace. As long as the ego is present, it generates noise or chatter in the form of selfish thoughts. It is like the background noise generated by our fridge that we have gotten used to. Knowledge of self-realization annihilates the ego, which eliminates the ego's noise, giving us everlasting peace. Ultimately, we are all seeking peace, which is beyond happiness.