"The Most Secret Knowledge"

Lord Krishna is the supreme divine person and the highest object of worship. The soul is eternally connected with Him through transcendental devotional service (bhakti). Having revived his pure love and devotion to Krsna, one returns to the spiritual realm.
SECRET SECRET
In each chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, more and more hidden secrets about spiritual reality are revealed. Usually a person cares what the Lord has done for him, or rather, what He has not yet done for him. But chapter nine talks about what a person can do for the Lord. Therefore, this section is called the most secret knowledge. It is stated in the Vedas that one who understands this chapter of the Bhagavad-gita will surely get out of the influence of material energy and get rid of material suffering, even if he continues to remain in this world.
In previous chapters we tried to understand the difference between the body and soul of a person, and now we need to understand the difference between material and spiritual activities. Spiritual activity is called devotional service and consists of 9 types: listening, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping, offering prayers, fulfilling the orders of the Lord, friendship with Him, and fully surrendering to Him. Engaged in these types of spiritual activities, a person fully spiritualizes his consciousness. And when, as a result of this, his heart is completely purified, he becomes able to understand the desires of God.

TEXT 1


sri-bhagavan uvcha 
idam tu te guhyatamam 
pravaksyamy anasuyave 
jnanam vijnana-sahitam 
yaj jnatva mokshyase 'subhat
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said; idam is that; tu - but; those to you; guhya-tamam - the most secret; pravaksyami - I am speaking; anasuyave - to the unenvious; jnanam - knowledge; vijnana - knowledge reinforced by experience; sahitam - followed by; yat - which; jnatva - having realized; mokshyase — you will be free; asubhat - from excruciating material existence.
The Supreme Lord said: Dear Arjuna, because you will never envy Me, I will reveal to you the most secret knowledge and wisdom, with which you can be freed from all material sufferings.

TEXT 2


raja-vidya raja-guhyam 
pavitram idam uttamam 
pratyakshavagamam dharmyam 
su-sukham kartum avyayam
raja-vidya - the king of knowledge; raja-guhyam - the king of innermost knowledge; pavitram - the purest; idam is that; uttamam - transcendental; pratyaksa - through direct experience; avagamam - comprehensible; dharmyam - which is the law of religion; su-sukham - very joyful; kartum - perform; avyayam - the eternal.
This knowledge is the king of knowledge, the most secret of secrets. This is pure knowledge, and since it gives a person a living experience of comprehending the nature of his “I”, it is a perfect religion. Knowledge is eternal, and comprehension of it is joyful.

TEXT 3


ashraddadhanah purusa 
dharmasyasya parantapa 
aprapya mam nivartante 
mrtyu-samsara-vartmani
ashraddadhanah - those who do not have faith; purusah - people; dharmasya - a form of religion; asya - these; parantapa - O conqueror of enemies; aprapya - not reaching; mam - Me; nivartante - return; mrtyu - of death; samsara - in the material world; vartmani - on the way.
Those who engage in devotional service without faith will never reach Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore, they return to the cycle of samsara, being born again and again and dying in the material world.

TEXT 4


maya tatam idam sarvam 
jagad avyakta-murtina 
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani 
na chaham tesv avasthitah
maya - by Me; tatam - permeated; idam is that; sarvam - everything; jagat - the universe; avyakta-murtina — possessing an unmanifest form; mat-sthani - those who are in Me; sarva-bhutani - all living entities; na - not; ca — also; aham - I; tesu - in them; avasthitah - situated.
In My unmanifest form, I pervade the entire universe. All beings abide in Me, but I am not in them.

TEXT 5


na ca mat-sthani bhutani 
pasya me yogam aishvaram 
bhuta-bhrin na ca bhuta-stho 
mamatma bhuta-bhavanah
na - not; ca — also; mat-sthani - those who are in Me; bhutani - the created; pasya - see; me - Mine; yogam aishvaram - inconceivable mystic power; bhuta-bhrit - the keeper of all living entities; na - not; ca — also; bhuta-sthah - situated in the universe; mom is Mine; atma - I; bhuta-bhavanah - the source of everything.
And at the same time, everything created is outside of Me. Behold My Mystical Power! Being the support of all living beings and abiding everywhere, I am not part of the material universe, for I myself am the source of creation.

TEXT 6


yathakasha-sthito nityam 
vayuh sarvatra-go Mahan 
tatha sarvani bhutani 
mat-sthanity upadharaya
yatha - how; akasha-sthitah - situated in the sky; nityam - always; vayuh - the wind; sarvatra-gah - blowing everywhere; mahan - the great; tatha - like that; sarvani bhutani — all created living entities; mat-sthani - those who rest in Me; iti - in this way; upadharaya - understand.
Know that all created beings rest in Me just as the mighty wind, flying everywhere, always remains in the sky.

TEXT 7


sarva-bhutani kaunteya 
prakritim yanti mamikam 
kalpa-ksaye punas tani 
kalpadau visridjam aham
sarva-bhutani - all created beings; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; prakrtim - into nature; yanti - enter; mamikam - mine; kalpa-ksaye - at the end of an era; punah - again; tani — te; kalpa-adau - at the beginning of an era; visridge - I create; aham - ya
O son of Kunti, at the end of each kalpa, the entire material universe enters into My nature, and at the beginning of the next I with His energy I create it again.

TEXT 8


prakrtim svam 
avastabhya visrijami punah punah 
bhuta-gramam imam kritsnam 
avasham prakriter vashat
prakrtim - into material nature; svam - His; avastabhya - by entering; visridge - I create; punah punah - again and again; bhuta-gramam - the universe; imam is that; krtsnam - entirely; avasam - by itself; prakrteh - of nature; vasat - by will.
All cosmos is in My power. Obedient to My will, it itself arises again and again, and at the end of each kalpa according to My will perishes.

TEXT 9


na ca mam tani karmani 
nibadhnanti dhananjaya 
udasina-vad asinam 
asaktam tesu karmasu
na - not; ca — also; mam - Me; tani — te; karmani - acts; nibadhnanti - bind; dhananjaya - O conqueror of wealth; udasina-wat - as indifferent; asinam - of being; asaktam - without attachment; tesu - in those; karmasu - acts.
O Dhananjaya, all this does not bind Me. Being aloof from this material activity, I remain as if uninvolved in it.

TEXT 10


mayadhyaksena prakrtih 
suyate sa-caracharam 
hetunanena kaunteya 
jagad viparivartate
maya - by Me; adhyaksena - under supervision; prakrtih - material nature; suyate — appears; sa - together; cara-acaram - moving and still living entities; hetuna - for a reason; anena is that; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; jagat - the universe; viparivartate - acts.
Being one of My energies, O son of Kunti, material nature acts under My supervision, producing into the light all moving and still beings. Under her leadership, the universe again and again arises and is destroyed.

TEXT 11


avajananti mam mudha 
manushim tanum ashritam 
param bhavam ajananto 
mother bhuta-mahesvaram
avajananti - ridicule; mam - Me; mudhah - fools; manusim - human; tanum — the body; asritam - accepting; param - transcendental; bhavam - nature; ajanantah - not knowing; mom is mine; bhuta - of everything; maha-isvaram - the supreme master.
Fools laugh at Me when I come to the material world in the form of a person. They do not know My spiritual nature of the supreme ruler of all things.

TEXT 12


moghasha mogha-karmano 
mogha-jnana vicetasah 
rakshasim asurim caiva 
prakritim mohimim sritah
mogha-asah - deceived in their hopes; mogha-pockets - deceived in fruitive activities; mogha-jnanah - deceived in their attempts to gain knowledge; vicetasah - misled; raksasim - to the demonic; asurim - godless; ca - i; eva - unconditionally; prakritim - to nature; mohinim - misleading; sриtah - seeking shelter.
Lost and bewildered, they hold demonic, godless views, and therefore their hopes for liberation never come true, and all their attempts to succeed and gain knowledge fail.

TEXT 13


mahatmanas tu mam partha 
daivim prakritim ashritah 
bhajanty ananya-manaso 
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
maha-atmanah - great souls; tu - but; mam — to Me; partha - O son of Prtha; daivim - to the divine; prakrtim - to nature; asritah - they come, seeking protection; bhajanti - they serve; ananya-manasah - those whose mind does not deviate; jnatva - having realized; bhuta - of creation; adim - the source; avyayam - inexhaustible.
O son of Prtha, those who are free from error, great souls, are under the protection of divine nature. They serve Me with love and devotion, for they know that I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original and inexhaustible.

TEXT 14


satatam kirtayanto mam 
yatantas ca dridha- 
vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya 
nitya-yukta upasate
satatam - always; kirtayantah - glorifying; mam - Me; yatantah - making efforts; ca — also; drdha-vratah - with determination; namasyantah - bowing; ca — also; mam - to me; bhaktya - with devotion; nitya-yuktah - constantly employed; upasate - worship.
Ceaselessly glorifying Me, serving Me with great determination, prostrating before Me, these great souls always worship Me with love and devotion.

TEXT 15


jnana-yajnena chapy anye 
yajanto mam upasate 
ekatvena prithaktena 
bahudha visvato-mukham
jnana-yajnena - by gaining knowledge; ca — also; api - unconditionally; anye - others; yajantah - sacrificers; mam - to me; upasate - worship; ekatvena - by unity; prithaktena - by distinction; bahudha - in the multitude; visvatah-mukham - who took on universal form.
Others, those whose sacrifice consists in gaining knowledge, worship the Supreme Lord as one who is one and indivisible, who spreads Himself in many forms and takes on a universal form.

TEXT 16


aham kratur aham yajnah 
svadhaham aham ausadham 
mantro 'ham aham evajyam 
aham agnir aham hutam
aham - I; kratuh - the Vedic rite; aham - I; yajnah - the sacrifice prescribed in smrti; svadha — offering; aham - I; aham - I; ausadham - healing herb; mantrah - the transcendental hymn; aham - I; aham - I; eva - unconditionally; ajyam - ghee; aham - I; agnih - fire; aham - I; hutam - sacrificed.
But the Vedic rite, the sacrifice, the offerings to the ancestors, the healing grass and the transcendental hymn are all I. I am oil, fire and what is sacrificed.

TEXT 17


pitaham asya jagato 
mata dhata pitamahah 
vedyam pavitram omkara 
rika sama yajur eva ca
pita — father; aham - I; asya - of this; jagatah - of the universe; mata - mother; dhata - the keeper; pitamahah - grandfather; vedyam - that which should be understood; pavitram - that which purifies; om-kara - the syllable om; rik - the Rig Veda; sama — the Sama Veda; yajuh - the Yajur Veda; eva - unconditionally; ca - and.
I am the father and mother of this universe, its support and progenitor. I am the goal of knowledge, the purifying power and the syllable om, as well as the Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Yajur Veda.

TEXT 18


gatir bharta prabhuh sakshi 
nivasah sharanam suhrt 
prabhavah pralayyah sthanam 
nidhanam bijam avyayam
gatih - the goal; bharta - the keeper; prabhuh - master; sakshi - witness; nivasah — the abode; saranam - shelter; su-hrt — the closest friend; prabhavah - creation; pralayah - destruction; sthanam - the foundation; nidhanam - the place of tranquility; bijam - the seed; avyayam - the eternal.
I am the goal and the keeper, the lord and witness, the abode, the refuge and the closest friend. I am creation and destruction, the basis of all that exists, a place of tranquility and eternal seed.

TEXT 19


tapamy aham aham warsham 
nigrichnamy utsrigi ca 
amritam caiva mrtyush ca 
sad asach caham arjuna
tapami - giving warmth; aham - I; aham - I; varsam - rain; nigrikhnam - I stop; utsridge - I send; ca - i; amritam - immortality; ca - i; eva - of course; mrtyuh — death; ca - i; sat - spirit; asat - matter; ca - i; aham - I; arjuna - O Arjuna.
O Arjuna, it is I who bestow warmth, send and stop the rains. I am immortality and I am personified death. Both matter and spirit rest in Me.

TEXT 20



trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa 
yajnair ishtva svar-gatim prarthaiante 
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam 
asnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan
trai-vidyah - experts on the three Vedas; mam - to me; soma-pah - drinking soma juice; puta - washed away; papah — those whose sins; yajnaih - by sacrifice; istva - giving worship; svah-gatim - the path to heaven; prarthaiante - beg; those are they; punyam - of the pious; asadya - having achieved; sura-indra - Indra; lokam - of the world; asnanti - eat; divyan - heavenly; divi - in paradise; deva-bhogan - the pleasures of celestials.
Those who study the Vedas and drink soma juice in the hope of going to the heavenly planets also worship Me in their own way. Having washed away the consequences of past sins, they are born on the pious paradise planet of Indra, where they enjoy the joys that are available only to celestials.

TEXT 21


te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam vishalam 
ksine punye martya-lokam vishanti 
evam tray-dharmam anuprapanna 
gatagatam kama-kama labhante
those are they; there is one; bhuktva - having tasted; svarga-lokam - heaven; visalam - huge; ksine - when exhausted; punye — the consequences of their pious deeds; martya-lokam - on mortal earth; visanti - fall; evam - like that; trayi - of the three Vedas; dharmam - to the teaching; anuprapannah - following; gata-agatam - death and birth; kama-kamah - those who desire sensual pleasures; labhante - receive.
Having experienced the pleasures of paradise and having exhausted the supply of pious karma, they again return to mortal land. So those who follow the laws of the three Vedas for the sake of satisfying their own feelings receive only a series of births and deaths as a reward.

TEXT 22


ananyas cintayanto mam 
ye janah paryupasate 
tesam nityabhiiyuktanam 
yoga-kshemam waham aham
ananyah - not having another (object); cintayantah - focusing; mam - on Me; ye - which; janah - people; paryupasate - duly worshiped; tesam - them; nitya - always; abhiuktanam - not straying from the path of devotional service; yoga - necessary; kshemam - protection; wahami - I carry; aham - ya
But to those who always worship Me with undivided devotion, focusing their minds on My spiritual image, I give what they lack and keep what they have.

TEXT 23


ye 'pi anya-devata-bhakta 
yajante sraddhayanvitah 
te' pi mam eva kaunteya 
yajanti avidhi-purvakam
ye - which; api - also; anya - to others; devata - to the gods; bhaktah - the devotees; yajante - worship; sraddhaya anvitah - endowed with faith; those are they; api - also; mam - to me; eva - only; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; yajanti - worship; avidhi-purvakam - not as it should.
Those who faithfully worship other gods actually worship Me alone, O son of Kunti, but they do it wrong.

TEXT 24


aham hi sarva-yajnanam 
bhokta ca prabhur eva ca 
na tu mam abhijananti 
tattvenatas chyavanti te
aham - I; hi - unconditionally; sarva — of all; yajnanam - of the sacrifice; bhokta - the enjoyer; ca - i; prabhuh - the Lord; eva - undoubtedly; ca - i; na - not; tu - but; mam - Me; abhijananti - they know; tattvena - verily; atah - therefore; syavanti - fall; those are them.
I am the only one who enjoys and commands all the sacrifices. Therefore, those who have not understood My true spiritual nature are doomed to fall.

TEXT 25


yanti deva-vrata devan 
pitЌn yanti pitri- 
vratah bhutani yanti bhutejya 
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
yanti - go; deva-vratah - worshipers of the demigods; devan - to the demigods; pitЌn - to the ancestors; yanti - go; pitri-vratah - worshiping ancestors; bhutani - to ghosts and spirits; yanti - go; bhuta-ijyah - worshipers of ghosts and spirits; yanti - go; mat - to Me; yajinah - the devotees; api - but; Mom - to Me.
Those who worship the demigods will be born among the demigods; worshiping ancestors will go to the ancestors; those who worship spirits and ghosts will be born in these forms of life; those who worship Me will live with Me.

TEXT 26


patram pushpam phalam toyam 
yo me bhaktya prayacchati 
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam 
asnami prayatat manah
patram - a sheet; puspam — the flower; phalam - the fruit; toyam - water; yah - which; me - to me; bhaktya - with devotion; prayacchati - offers; tat - that; aham - I; bhakti-upahrtam - <$!> offered with love and devotion; asnami - accept; prayata-atmanah - from one whose consciousness is pure.
If a person with love and devotion brings me a leaf, flower, fruit or some water, I will certainly accept his offering.

TEXT 27


yat karoshi yad ashnasi 
yaj juhoshi dadasi yat 
yat tapasyasi kaunteya 
tat kurushva mad-arpanam
yat - what; karoshi — you do; yat - what; asnasi - eat; yat - what; juhoshi - you offer; dadasi - you give; yat - what; yat - what; tapasyasi - you perform as austerity; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; tat - that; kurushva - do; mat - to Me; arpanam - (as) an offering.
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you bring gifts, whatever you give and whatever tapasya you perform, do it, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.

TEXT 28


subhashubha-phalair evam 
mokshyase karma-bandhanaih 
sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma 
vimukto mam upaisyasi
subha - of the auspicious; asubha - of the unfavorable; phalaih - the consequences; evam - in this way; moksyase — you will be liberated; karma - activities; bandhanaih - by fetters; sannyasa - by surrender; yoga - on yoga; yukta-atma - the concentrated mind; vimuktah - liberated; mam - Me; upaisyasi - you will reach.
In this way you will be freed from the burden of karmic activity and its good and bad consequences. By focusing on Me and acting in the spirit of self-denial, you will attain liberation and come to Me.

TEXT 29


samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu 
na me dveshyo' sti na priyah 
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya 
mayi te tesu chapy aham
samah - equally related; aham - I; sarva-bhutesu - to all living entities; na - not; me - to me; dvesyah - is hated; asti - is; on - no; priyah - dear; ye - which; bhajanti - engaged in transcendental service; tu - but; mam - to me; bhaktya - with devotion; mayi - in Me; those are they (such people); tesu - in them; ca — also; api - unconditionally; aham - ya
I have no hostility or addiction to anyone. I treat everyone the same. But he who serves Me with love and devotion is My friend. He is always in My heart, and I am also his friend.

TEXT 30


api chet su-foolaro 
bhajate mam ananya-bhak 
sadhur eva sa mantavyah 
samyag vyavasito hi sah
api - even; even - if; su-fools - a person who performs the most disgusting acts; bhajate - serves with devotion; mam - to me; ananya-bhak - purposeful; sadhuh - the saint; eva - unconditionally; sah — he; mantavyah - one who should be considered; samyak - completely; vyavasitah - full of determination; hi - of course; sah - he.
Even if a person engaged in devotional service performs the most disgusting act, he should still be considered holy, for he is determined to follow the right path.

TEXT 31


ksipram bhavati dharmatma 
sasvach-chantim nigaccati 
kaunteya pratijanihi 
na me bhaktah pranashyati
ksipram - very fast; bhavati - becomes; dharma-atma — the righteous; sasvat-santim - eternal rest; nigaccati - attains; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; pratijanihi - declare; na - not; me - Mine; bhaktah - a devotee; pranasyati - perishes.
He quickly becomes virtuous and acquires eternal peace. O son of Kunti, boldly declare to everyone that My devotee will never perish.

TEXT 32


mam hi partha vyapashrtya 
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah 
striyo vaishyas tatha sudras 
te' pi yanti param gatim
mam — to Me; hi - of course; partha - O son of Prtha; vyapasrtya - having come to take shelter; ye - which; api - even; syuh - would be; papa-yonayah - of low origin; striyah - women; vaisyah - the merchants; tatha - also; sudrah - ordinary workers; te api - even they; yanti - go; param - to the highest; gatim - towards the goal.
O son of Prtha, having surrendered unto Me, even people of low descent, women, vaisyas [merchants] and sudras [workers] can reach the highest abode.

TEXT 33


Kim punar brahmanah punya 
bhak so as radzharshayas tatha 
anityam asukham lokam 
Imam prapya bhadzhasva moms
kim - how; punah - again; brahmanah - brahmanas; punyah - the pious; bhaktah - the devotees; raja-rsayah - the righteous kings; tatha - also; anityam - perishable; asukham - full of misery; lokam - the planet; imam - this; prapya - having gained; bhajasva - devote yourself to loving service; Mom - To me.
What, then, is to speak of pious brahmanas, devotees, and righteous kings? Therefore, once you find yourself in this mortal, full of suffering world, devote yourself entirely to the loving service of Me.

TEXT 34


man-mana bhava mad-bhakto 
mad-yaji mam namaskuru 
mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam 
atmanam mat-parayanah
mat-manah - always thinking of Me; bhava - become; mat - to Me; bhaktah - a devotee; mat - to Me; yaji - worshiper; mam - to me; namas-kuru - bow down; mam — to Me; eva - completely; esyasi - you will come; yuktva - having sunk; evam - like that; atmanam - his soul; mat-parayanah - a devotee of Me.

Always think of Me, become My devotee, fall before Me, and worship Me. Fully focused on Me, you will certainly come to Me.