Chapter 9

Krishna. Now will I open unto thee--whose heart Rejects not--that last lore, deepest-concealed, That farthest secret of My Heavens and Earths, Which but to know shall set thee free from ills,-- A royal lore! a Kingly mystery! Yea! for the soul such light as purgeth it From every sin; a light of holiness With inmost splendour shining; plain to see; Easy to walk by, inexhaustible!

Krishna. Now I will reveal to you, whose heart Is open, the final and most deeply hidden knowledge, The greatest secret of my heavens and earths. Simply knowing this secret will free you from suffering. Royal knowledge! A kingly mystery! Yes! A light for the soul that cleanses the soul Of every sin. A holy light Shining with an inner brilliance, plain to see, Easy to follow, and inexhaustible!

They that receive not this, failing in faith To grasp the greater wisdom, reach not Me, Destroyer of thy foes! They sink anew Into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!

Those who do not accept this lack the faith to grasp the greater wisdom and cannot reach me. Destroyer of your foes! They sink again into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!

By Me the whole vast Universe of things Is spread abroad;--by Me, the Unmanifest! In Me are all existences contained; Not I in them!

The entire vast universe is spread out by me, by me, the Unmanifest! All things are contained in me. But I am not contained in them!

Yet they are not contained, Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace The mystery majestical! My Being-- Creating all, sustaining all--still dwells Outside of all!

Yet those visible things are not contained! Accept and try to grasp This majestic mystery! My being Creates all and sustains all, yet remains Outside all!

See! as the shoreless airs Move in the measureless space, but are not space, [And space were space without the moving airs]; So all things are in Me, but are not I.

Look! The boundless winds Move through limitless space, but are not space. [And space would still be space without the moving winds.] In the same way, all things are in me, but are not me.

At closing of each Kalpa, Indian Prince! All things which be back to My Being come: At the beginning of each Kalpa, all Issue new-born from Me.

At the end of each Kalpa, Indian Prince, All things return to my being. At the beginning of each Kalpa, all things Are born anew from me.

By Energy And help of Prakriti my outer Self, Again, and yet again, I make go forth The realms of visible things--without their will-- All of them--by the power of Prakriti.

With the energy And help of Prakriti, my outer self, I bring forth the visible worlds again and again. All come forth without any choice of their own, Through the power of Prakriti.

Yet these great makings, Prince! involve Me not Enchain Me not! I sit apart from them, Other, and Higher, and Free; nowise attached!

Yet these great works, Prince, do not involve me. They do not bind me! I stand apart from them, Separate, higher, and free, with no attachment!

Thus doth the stuff of worlds, moulded by Me, Bring forth all that which is, moving or still, Living or lifeless! Thus the worlds go on!

So the substance of the worlds, shaped by me, Produces everything that exists, moving or still, Living or lifeless! This is how the worlds continue!

The minds untaught mistake Me, veiled in form;-- Naught see they of My secret Presence, nought Of My hid Nature, ruling all which lives. Vain hopes pursuing, vain deeds doing; fed On vainest knowledge, senselessly they seek An evil way, the way of brutes and fiends. But My Mahatmas, those of noble soul Who tread the path celestial, worship Me With hearts unwandering,--knowing Me the Source, Th' Eternal Source, of Life. Unendingly They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows Of reverence and love, with changeless faith Adoring Me. Yea, and those too adore, Who, offering sacrifice of wakened hearts, Have sense of one pervading Spirit's stress, One Force in every place, though manifold! I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer! I am the Funeral-Cake set for the dead! I am the healing herb! I am the ghee, The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns! I am-of all this boundless Universe- The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guard! The end of Learning! That which purifies In lustral water! I am OM! I am Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Ved; The Way, the Fosterer, the Lord, the Judge, The Witness; the Abode, the Refuge-House, The Friend, the Fountain and the Sea of Life Which sends, and swallows up; Treasure of Worlds And Treasure-Chamber! Seed and Seed-Sower, Whence endless harvests spring! Sun's heat is mine; Heaven's rain is mine to grant or to withhold; Death am I, and Immortal Life I am, Arjuna! SAT and ASAT, Visible Life, And Life Invisible!

The unwise misunderstand me, hidden in bodily form. They see nothing of my secret presence, nothing Of my hidden nature, which rules all living things. They pursue empty hopes and do pointless deeds. They feed On worthless knowledge and mindlessly follow An evil path, the path of beasts and demons. But my Mahatmas, those with noble souls Who follow the heavenly path, worship me With undivided hearts. They know me as the Source, The Eternal Source of Life. Without ceasing, They praise me and seek me. They keep their vows Of reverence and love. With unwavering faith, They worship me. Others also worship me By offering their awakened hearts in sacrifice. They recognize one Spirit present throughout all things, One Force everywhere, though it takes many forms! I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer! I am the offering of food made for the dead! I am the healing herb! I am the ghee, The Mantra, the flame, and the fuel that burns! Of all this boundless Universe, I am The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guardian! I am the ultimate goal of learning! I am the cleansing power Of ritual water! I am OM! I am Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Ved. I am the Way, the Sustainer, the Lord, the Judge, The Witness, the Home, the Shelter, The Friend, the Fountain and the Sea of Life That gives life and takes life back. I am the Treasure of Worlds And the Treasury! I am the Seed and the Sower, From whom endless harvests spring! The sun's heat is mine. Heaven's rain is mine to grant or withhold. I am Death, and I am Immortal Life, Arjuna! I am SAT and ASAT, Visible Life And Invisible Life!

Yea! those who learn The threefold Veds, who drink the Soma-wine, Purge sins, pay sacrifice--from Me they earn Passage to Swarga; where the meats divine

Yes! Those who study the three Veds, drink Soma-wine, cleanse their sins, and offer sacrifices earn passage to Swarga from me. In Swarga, the divine foods

Of great gods feed them in high Indra's heaven. Yet they, when that prodigious joy is o'er, Paradise spent, and wage for merits given, Come to the world of death and change once more.

They enjoy the delights of the great gods in Indra's high heaven. Yet when that immense joy is over, Their time in Paradise ends, and their good deeds have been fully rewarded. They return once more to the world of death and change.

They had their recompense! they stored their treasure, Following the threefold Scripture and its writ; Who seeketh such gaineth the fleeting pleasure Of joy which comes and goes! I grant them it!

They received their reward! They stored up their treasure, following the threefold Scripture and its teachings. Those who seek such rewards gain the fleeting pleasure of joy that comes and goes! I grant them that joy!

But to those blessed ones who worship Me, Turning not otherwhere, with minds set fast, I bring assurance of full bliss beyond.

But to those blessed people who worship me, Who turn nowhere else and keep their minds focused, I bring the assurance of complete bliss beyond.

Nay, and of hearts which follow other gods In simple faith, their prayers arise to me, O Kunti's Son! though they pray wrongfully; For I am the Receiver and the Lord Of every sacrifice, which these know not Rightfully; so they fall to earth again! Who follow gods go to their gods; who vow Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris; minds To evil Bhuts given o'er sink to the Bhuts; And whoso loveth Me cometh to Me. Whoso shall offer Me in faith and love A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water poured forth, That offering I accept, lovingly made With pious will. Whate'er thou doest, Prince! Eating or sacrificing, giving gifts, Praying or fasting, let it all be done For Me, as Mine. So shalt thou free thyself From Karmabandh, the chain which holdeth men To good and evil issue, so shalt come Safe unto Me-when thou art quit of flesh-- By faith and abdication joined to Me!

Even those who worship other gods With simple faith send their prayers to me, O Kunti's Son, though they worship in the wrong way. For I am the Receiver and the Lord Of every sacrifice. These worshippers do not understand me As I truly am, so they return to earth again. Those who follow gods go to their gods. Those who devote Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris. Those whose minds Are given over to evil Bhuts sink to the Bhuts. And whoever loves me comes to me. If anyone offers me, with faith and love, A leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water poured out, I accept that offering, lovingly made With a devout heart. Whatever you do, Prince, Whether eating, offering sacrifices, giving gifts, Praying, or fasting, do everything For me, as mine. Then you will free yourself From Karmabandh, the chain that binds people To good and evil results. Then you will come Safely to me when you leave your body, United with me through faith and renunciation.

I am alike for all! I know not hate, I know not favour! What is made is Mine! But them that worship Me with love, I love; They are in Me, and I in them!

I am the same toward all! I hate no one, And I favor no one! All creation is mine! But I love those who worship me with love. They are in me, and I am in them!

Nay, Prince! If one of evil life turn in his thought Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good; He hath the high way chosen; he shall grow Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace Which changes not. Thou Prince of India! Be certain none can perish, trusting Me! O Pritha's Son! whoso will turn to Me, Though they be born from the very womb of Sin, Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste Or lowly disregarded Sudra,--all Plant foot upon the highest path; how then The holy Brahmans and My Royal Saints? Ah! ye who into this ill world are come-- Fleeting and false--set your faith fast on Me! Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make Me your supremest joy! and, undivided, Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.

No, Prince! If someone who has lived an evil life turns their thoughts Fully toward me, count that person among the good. They have chosen the highest path. Soon they will become Righteous and find peace That never changes. Prince of India! Be certain that no one who trusts me can perish! Son of Pritha! Whoever turns to me, Even those born from the very womb of Sin, Whether woman or man, whether born into the Vaisya caste Or among the lowly, disregarded Sudra, all Set foot on the highest path. How much more, then, The holy Brahmans and my Royal Saints? Ah, all of you who have come into this troubled world, So fleeting and false, place your firm faith in me! Set your heart and mind on me! Worship me! Bring Offerings to me! Bow down before me! Make Me your greatest joy! With your devotion undivided, Your spirits will be guided to my rest.

HERE ENDS CHAPTER IX. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Entitled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog," Or "The Book of Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly Mystery."

Here ends Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad-Gita, Titled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog," Or "The Book of Religion through Royal Knowledge and the Royal Mystery."