Chapter 9 · 34 verses

The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग

This is the most confidential and simplest knowledge. Krishna says he accepts even a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water offered with love, and that his devotee never perishes.

This English meaning is newly written by Bhajan Dhun and is still being reviewed by scholars.

1. 9.1

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे ।
   ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥९.१॥

   The Lord said: Because you do not find fault, I will now tell you this most secret knowledge together with realisation, knowing which you will be freed from all that is inauspicious.

2. 9.2

   राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ।
   प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ॥९.२॥

   It is the king of sciences, the king of secrets, supremely purifying. It is directly experienced, in harmony with dharma, very easy to practise and imperishable.

3. 9.3

   अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप ।
   अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥९.३॥

   O scorcher of foes, those who have no faith in this dharma do not reach me and return to the path of death and worldly existence.

4. 9.4

   मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।
   मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥९.४॥

   This whole universe is pervaded by me in my unmanifest form. All beings rest in me, but I do not rest in them.

5. 9.5

   न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।
   भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥९.५॥

   And yet beings do not rest in me — behold my divine power! I sustain beings and bring them into existence, yet my Self does not dwell in them.

6. 9.6

   यथाऽऽकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान् ।
   तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ॥९.६॥

   Just as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in space, know that all beings rest in me in the same way.

7. 9.7

   सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।
   कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥९.७॥

   O son of Kunti, at the end of a cosmic cycle all beings merge into my nature; at the beginning of the next cycle I send them forth again.

8. 9.8

   प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः ।
   भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् ॥९.८॥

   Taking hold of my own nature, I send forth again and again this whole multitude of beings, helpless under the sway of nature.

9. 9.9

   न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ।
   उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ॥९.९॥

   These actions do not bind me, O Dhananjaya, for I remain like one indifferent, unattached to them.

10. 9.10

    मयाऽध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् ।
    हेतुनाऽनेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ॥९.१०॥

    Under my supervision, nature brings forth all that moves and does not move; because of this, O son of Kunti, the world keeps revolving.

11. 9.11

    अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् ।
    परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥९.११॥

    The deluded disregard me when I take a human form, not knowing my higher nature as the great Lord of all beings.

12. 9.12

    मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः ।
    राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ॥९.१२॥

    Their hopes, actions and knowledge are in vain; lacking discernment, they take on the deluding nature of fiends and demons.

13. 9.13

    महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः ।
    भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥९.१३॥

    But the great souls, O Partha, who take refuge in the divine nature, worship me with undivided minds, knowing me as the imperishable source of all beings.

14. 9.14

    सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः ।
    नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥९.१४॥

    Always singing my glories, striving with firm resolve and bowing to me in devotion, they worship me, ever united with me.

15. 9.15

    ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते ।
    एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥९.१५॥

    Others worship me through the sacrifice of knowledge — as the One, as distinct, and in many ways, as the one whose face is everywhere.

16. 9.16

    अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाऽहमहमौषधम् ।
    मंत्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥९.१६॥

    I am the ritual, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering to the ancestors, I am the healing herb, I am the mantra, I am the ghee, I am the fire and I am the act of offering.

17. 9.17

    पिताऽहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः ।
    वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक् साम यजुरेव च ॥९.१७॥

    I am the father of this universe, the mother, the sustainer and the grandsire; the object of knowledge, the purifier, the syllable Om, and the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas.

18. 9.18

    गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् ।
    प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥९.१८॥

    I am the goal, the support, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the friend; the origin and the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house and the imperishable seed.

19. 9.19

    तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च ।
    अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ॥९.१९॥

    I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain. I am immortality and also death, O Arjuna; I am both being and non-being.

20. 9.20

    त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते ।
    ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥९.२०॥

    Those who follow the rituals of the three Vedas, drinking soma and purified of sin, worship me with sacrifices and pray for heaven. Reaching the holy world of Indra through their merit, they enjoy the divine pleasures of the gods.

21. 9.21

    ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।
    एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥९.२१॥

    Having enjoyed that vast heaven, they return to the mortal world when their merit is exhausted. Thus, following the Vedic rites with desire for pleasures, they keep coming and going.

22. 9.22

    अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।
    तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥९.२२॥

    To those who worship me alone, thinking of nothing else, ever devoted, I bring what they lack and preserve what they have.

23. 9.23

    येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः ।
    तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥९.२३॥

    Even devotees who worship other gods with faith worship me alone, O son of Kunti, though not in the proper way.

24. 9.24

    अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च ।
    न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥९.२४॥

    For I alone am the enjoyer and the Lord of all sacrifices. But they do not know me in truth, and so they fall back.

25. 9.25

    यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितृन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः ।
    भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥९.२५॥

    Worshippers of the gods go to the gods, worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors, worshippers of spirits go to the spirits, and those who worship me come to me.

26. 9.26

    पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति ।
    तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥९.२६॥

    Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of love from a pure heart I accept.

27. 9.27

    यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् ।
    यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥९.२७॥

    Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give and whatever austerity you practise, O son of Kunti, do it as an offering to me.

28. 9.28

    शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः ।
    संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥९.२८॥

    Thus you will be freed from the bonds of action and their good and bad results. With your mind set on renunciation and yoga, you will be liberated and come to me.

29. 9.29

    समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः ।
    ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥९.२९॥

    I am the same towards all beings; no one is hateful or dear to me. But those who worship me with devotion are in me, and I am in them.

30. 9.30

    अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् ।
    साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥९.३०॥

    Even if a person of very bad conduct worships me with undivided devotion, they should be regarded as good, for they have resolved rightly.

31. 9.31

    क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।
    कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥९.३१॥

    Soon they become righteous and attain lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly: my devotee never perishes.

32. 9.32

    मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः ।
    स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥९.३२॥

    O Partha, those who take refuge in me — even those of lowly birth, women, vaishyas and shudras — they too reach the supreme goal.

33. 9.33

    किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा ।
    अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥९.३३॥

    How much more then the virtuous Brahmins and devoted royal sages! Having come into this transient, joyless world, worship me.

34. 9.34

    मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
    मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥९.३४॥

    Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, worship me and bow to me. Thus uniting yourself with me and making me your supreme goal, you will come to me.