राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग

The Blessed Lord said However, to you who are not given to cavilling I shall speak of this highest secret itself, which is Knowledge [Jnana may mean Brahman that is Consciousness, or Its knowledge gathered from the Vedas (paroksa-jnana). Vijnana is direct experience (aparoksa-jnana).] combined with experience, by realizing which you shall be free from evil.

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

This is the Sovereign Knowledge, the Sovereign Profundity, the best sanctifire; directly realizable, righteous, very easy to practise and imperishable.

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् |

O destroyer of foes, persons who are regardless of this Dharma (knowledge of the Self) certainly go round and round, without reaching Me, along the path of transmigration which is fraught with death.

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप |

This whole world is prevaded by Me in My unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I am not contained in them!

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना |

Nor do the beings dwell in Me. Behod My divine Yoga! I am the sustainer and originator of beings, but My Self is not contained in the beings.

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् |

Understand thus that just as the voluminous wind moving everywhere is ever present in space, similarly all beings abide in Me.

यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान् |

O son Kunti, all the beings go back at the end of a cycle to My Prakrti. I project them forth again at the beginning of a cycle.

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् |

Keeping My own prakrti under control, I project forth again and again the whole of this multitude of beings which are powerless owing to the influence of (their own) nature.

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः |

O Dhananjaya (Arjuna), nor do those actions bind Me, remaining (as I do) like one unconcerned with, and unattached to, those actions.

न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय |

Under Me as the supervisor, the Prakrti produces (the world) of the moving and the non-moving things. Owing to this reason, O son of Kunti, the world revolves.

मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् |

Not knowing My supreme nature as the Lord of all beings, foolish people disregard Me who have taken a human body.

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् |

Of vain hopes, of vain actions, of vain knowledge, and senseless, they become verily possessed of the deceptive disposition of fiends and demons.

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः |

O son of Prtha, the noble ones, being possessed of divine nature, surely adore Me with single-mindedness, knowing Me as the immutable source of all objects.

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः |

Always glorifying Me and striving, the men of firm vows worship Me by paying obeisance to Me and being ever endowed with devotion.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः |

Others verily worship Me by adoring exclusively through the sacrifice of the knowledge of oneness; (others worship Me) multifariously, and (others) as the multiformed existing variously.

ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते |

I am the kratu, I am the yajna, I am the svadha, I am the ausadha, I am the mantra, I Myself am the ajya, I am the fire, and I am the act of offering.

अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् |

Of this world I am the father, mother, ordainer, (and the), grand-father; I am the knowable, the sancitifier, the syllable Om as also Rk, Sama and Yajus.

पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः |

(I am) the fruit of actions, the nourisher, the Lord, witness, abode, refuge, friend, origin, end, foundation, store and the imperishable seed.

गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् |

O Arjuna, I give heat, I withhold and pour down rain. I am verily the nectar, and also death existence and nonexistence.

तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च |

Those who are versed in the Vedas, who are drinkers of Soma and are purified of sin, pray for the heavenly goal by worshipping Me through sacrifices. Having reached the place (world) of the king of gods, which is the result of righteousness, they enjoy in heaven th divine pleasure of gods.

त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा

After having enjoyed that vast heavenly world, they enter into the human world on the exhaustion of their merit. Thus, those who follow the rites and duties prescribed in the three Vedas, and are desirous of pleasures, attain the state of going and returning.

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं

For those who worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते |

Even those who, being devoted to other deities and endowed with faith, worship (them), they also, O son of Kunti, worship Me alone (though) following the wrong method.

येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः |

I indeed am the enjoyer as also the Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in reality. Therefore they fall.

अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च |

Votaries of the gods reach the gods; the votarites of the manes go to the manes; the worshippers of the Beings reach the Beings; and those who worship Me reach Me.

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः |

Whoever offers Me with devotion-a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I accept that (gift) of the pure-hearted man which has been devotionally presented.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति |

O son of Kunti, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as a sacrifice, whatever you give and whatever austerities you undertake, (all) that you offer to Me.

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् |

Thus, you will become free from bondage in the form of actions which are productive of good and bad results. Havng your mind inbued with the yoga of renunciation and becoming free, you will attain Me.

शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः |

I am impartial towards all beings; to Me there is none detastable or none dear. But those who worship Me with devotion, they exist in Me, and I too exist in them.

समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः |

Even if a man of very bad conduct worships Me with one-pointed devotion, he is to be considered verily good; for he has resolved rightly.

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् |

He soon becomes possessed of a virtuous mind; he attains everlasting peace. Do you proclain boldly, O son of Kunti, that My devotee does not get ruined.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति |

For, O son of Prtha, even those who are born of sin-women, Vaisyas, as also Sudras [S.'s construction of this portion is: women, Vaisyas as also Sudras, and even others who are born of sin (i.e., those who are born low and are of vile deeds, viz Mlecchas, Pukkasas and others). M.S. also takes papa-yonayah (born of sin) as a separate phrase, and classifies women and others only as those darred from Vedic study, etc.-Tr.]-, even they reach the highest Goal by taking shelter under Me.

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः |

What to speak of the holy Brahmanas as also of devout kind-sages! Having come to this ephemeral and miserable world, do you worship Me.

किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा |

Having your mind fixed on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, and bow down to Me. By concentrating your mind and accepting Me as the supreme Goal, you shall surely attain Me who am thus the Self.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु |