Royal Knowledge and the Royal Secret
34 versesश्रीभगवानुवाच। इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे। ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca idaṃ tu te guhyatamaṃ pravakṣyāmyanasūyave jñānaṃ vijñānasahitaṃ yajjñātvā mokṣyase.aśubhāt
Now I will speak to you who are not given to carping of that most mysterious knowledge accompanied by experience by knowing which you will be released from evil.
Open passageराजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्। प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ॥
rājavidyā rājaguhyaṃ pavitramidamuttamam pratyakṣāvagamaṃ dharmyaṃ susukhaṃ kartumavyayam
It is the chief among the sciences, the chief among the mysteries. It is the best means of sanctification. It is imperishable, not opposed to the sacred law. It is to be apprehended directly, and is easy to practise.
Open passageअश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप। अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa aprāpya māṃ nivartante mṛtyusaṃsāravartmani
O terror of your foes! those men who have no faith in this holy doctrine, return to the path of this mortal world, without attaining to me.
Open passageमया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना। मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥
mayā tatamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagadavyaktamūrtinā matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṃ teṣvavasthitaḥ
This whole universe is pervaded by me in an unperceived form. All entities live in me, but I do not live in them. Nor yet do all entities live in me.
Open passageन च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्। भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogamaiśvaram bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ
See my divine power. Supporting all entities and producing all entities
Open passageयथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान्। तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ॥
yathākāśasthito nityaṃ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya
my self lives not in (those) entities. As the great and ubiquitous atmosphere always remains in space know that similarly all entities live in me.
Open passageसर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्। कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥
sarvabhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṃ yānti māmikām kalpakṣaye punastāni kalpādau visṛjāmyaham
At the expiration of a Kalpa , O son of Kuntī ! all entities enter my nature and at the beginning of a Kalpa, I again bring them forth.
Open passageप्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः। भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् ॥
prakṛtiṃ svāmavaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ bhūtagrāmamimaṃ kṛtsnamavaśaṃ prakṛtervaśāt
Taking the control of my own nature I bring forth again and again this whole collection of entities without a will of its own by the power of nature. But
Open passageन च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय। उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ॥
na ca māṃ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṃ teṣu karmasu
O Arjuna ! these actions do not fetter me who remain like one unconcerned and who am unattached to those actions.
Open passageमयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्। हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ॥
mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagadviparivartate
Nature gives birth to movables and immovables through me, the supervisor, and by reason of that, O son of Kuntī! the universe revolves. Deluded people of vain hopes
Open passageअवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम्। परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥
avajānanti māṃ mūḍhā mānuṣīṃ tanumāśritam paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mama bhūtamaheśvaram
vain acts
Open passageमोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः। राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ॥
moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ rākṣasīmāsurīṃ caiva prakṛtiṃ mohinīṃ śritāḥ
vain knowledge
Open passageमहात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः। भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥
mahātmānastu māṃ pārtha daivīṃ prakṛtimāśritāḥ bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam
whose minds are disordered and who are inclined to the delusive nature of Asuras and Rākṣasas not knowing my highest nature as great lord of all entities disregard me as I have assumed a human body. But the high-souled ones O son of Pṛthā! who are inclined to the godlike nature knowing me as the inexhaustible source of (all) entities
Open passageसततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः। नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥
satataṃ kīrtayanto māṃ yatantaśca dṛḍhavratāḥ namasyantaśca māṃ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsate
worship me with minds not (turned) elsewhere. Constantly glorifying me, and exerting themselves, firm in their vows, and saluting me with reverence,
Open passageज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते। एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥
jñānayajñena cāpyanye yajanto māmupāsate ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvatomukham
they worship me, being always devoted. And others again, offering up the sacrifice of knowledge, worship me as one, as distinct, and as all-pervading in numerous forms.
Open passageअहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम्। मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥
ahaṃ kraturahaṃ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham mantro.ahamahamevājyamahamagnirahaṃ hutam
I am the Kratu, I am the Yajña, I am the Svadhā, I the product of the herbs. I am the sacred verse. I too am the sacrificial butter, and I the fire, I the offering. I am the father of this universe
Open passageपिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः। वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ॥
pitāhamasya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ vedyaṃ pavitramoṃkāra ṛksāma yajureva ca
the mother the creator the grandsire the thing to be known the means of sanctification the syllable Om the Ṛk Sāman and Yajus also
Open passageगतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्। प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṃ nidhānaṃ bījamavyayam
the goal the sustainer the lord the supervisor the residence the asylum the friend the source and that in which it merges the support the receptacle and the inexhaustible seed.
Open passageतपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च। अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ॥
tapāmyahamahaṃ varṣaṃ nigṛhṇāmyutsṛjāmi ca amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna
I cause heat and I send forth and stop showers. I am immortality and also death and I, O Arjuna! am that which is and that which is not.
Open passageत्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते। ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक- मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥
traividyā māṃ somapāḥ pūtapāpā yajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṃ prārthayante te puṇyamāsādya surendralokaṃ aśnanti divyāndivi devabhogān
Those who know the three (branches of) knowledge who drink the Soma juice whose sins are washed away offer sacrifices and pray to me for a passage into heaven and reaching the holy world of the lord of gods they enjoy in the celestial regions the celestial pleasures of the gods. And having enjoyed that great heavenly world
Open passageते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति। एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥
te taṃ bhuktvā svargalokaṃ viśālaṃ kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti evaṃ trayīdharmamanuprapannā gatāgataṃ kāmakāmā labhante
they enter the mortal world when (their) merit is exhausted. Thus those who wish for objects of desire and resort to the ordinances of the three ( Vedas )
Open passageअनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते। तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥
ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham
obtain (as the fruit) going and coming. To those men who worship me meditating on me and on no one else and who are constantly devoted I give new gifts and preserve what is acquired by them.
Open passageयेऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥
ye.apyanyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ te.api māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam
Even those O son of Kuntī! who being devotees of other divinities worship with faith
Open passageअहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च। न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥
ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca na tu māmabhijānanti tattvenātaścyavanti te
worship me only, (but) irregularly. For I am the enjoyer as well as the lord of all sacrifices. But they know me not truly therefore do they fall.
Open passageयान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः। भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥
yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino.api mām
Those who make vows to the gods go to the gods those who make vows to the manes go to the manes, those who worship the Bhūtas go to the Bhūtas and those likewise who worship me go to me.
Open passageपत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति। तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥
patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
Whoever with devotion offers me leaf, flower, fruit, water, that, presented with devotion, I accept from him whose self is pure.
Open passageयत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्। यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥
yatkaroṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhoṣi dadāsi yat yattapasyasi kaunteya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam
Whatever you do, O son of Kuntī! whatever you eat, whatever sacrifice you make, whatever you give, whatever penance you perform, do that as offered to me.
Open passageशुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः। संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥
śubhāśubhaphalairevaṃ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ saṃnyāsayogayuktātmā vimukto māmupaiṣyasi
Thus will you be released from the bonds of action the fruits of which are agreeable or disagreeable. And with your self possessed of (this) devotion, (this) renunciation you will be released (from the bonds of action) and will come to me.
Open passageसमोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः। ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥
samo.ahaṃ sarvabhūteṣu na me dveṣyo.asti na priyaḥ ye bhajanti tu māṃ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham
I am alike to all beings to me none is hateful, none dear. But those who worship me with devotion (dwell) in me, and I too in them.
Open passageअपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्। साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥
api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ
Even if a very ill-conducted man worships me, not worshipping any one else, he must certainly be deemed to be good, for he has well resolved.
Open passageक्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति। कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥
kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṃ nigacchati kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
He soon becomes devout of heart, and obtains lasting tranquillity. (You may) affirm, O son of Kuntī! that my devotee is never ruined. For, O son of Pṛthā! even those who are of sinful birth, women, Vaiśyas
Open passageमां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः। स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥
māṃ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye.api syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste.api yānti parāṃ gatim
and Śūdras likewise, resorting to me, attain the supreme goal.
Open passageकिं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा। अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥
kiṃ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā anityamasukhaṃ lokamimaṃ prāpya bhajasva mām
What then (need be said of) holy Brāhmaṇas and royal saints who are (my) devotees? Coming to this transient unhappy world, worship me.
Open passageमन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥
manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṃ matparāyaṇaḥ
(Place your) mind on me, become my devotee, my worshipper reverence me, and thus making me your highest goal, and devoting your self to abstraction, you will certainly come to me.
Open passage