bhagavad-giitaa adhyaaya 9 (English)

In this chapter, Kr's'n'a explains to Arjuna what he calls the most secret spiritual knowledge. One common question is that since the Bhagavad-giitaa is very well known, how can its teachings be a secret? Actually, even though the Bhagava-giitaa is well known and read and commented by lots of people, there are still mysteries in it that are difficult to understand. One of the mysteries is the term "imperceptible form" in the fourth verse. How can a form be imperceptible? How can something imperceptible have a form? In this case, Kr's'n'a's complete form is imperceptible for the mundane senses. Kr's'n'a goes on to explain that he is the supporter of the living entities, in the same way as the air is the supporter of the wind. In the eleventh verse, there are two possible translations, and this gives rise to a source of debate among the Vaishnavas. The debate is whether Kr's'n'a really inhabits a human body or only seems to be doing so. From most scriptures, the conclusion can be drawn that he actually does inhabit a human body. Later, he explains that the worshippers of ordinary gods reach the heavens, but they return to this earth after their pious merits are finished. He then explains that worshippers reach what they worship. The common editions of Bhagavad-giitaa contains some obvious errors in the twenty-sixth verse. This has been corrected here. Kr's'n'a also says that he is impartial to all living entities, and much of what he says are further clarifications of what he has said in earlier chapters. He also says that even a wicked person, who turns to him, should be considered virtuous, but that doesn't mean that he remains wicked! On the contrary, in the next verse, Kr's'n'a says that he quickly becomes virtuous, so someone who remains wicked has not really turned to Kr's'n'a. In the end, Kr's'n'a recommends Arjuna to make Kr's'n'a his final aim, and promises Arjuna that he will reach him.

Next adhyaaya

Â:iB:g:v:an:Øv:ac: Edö t:Ø t:ð g:ØÊt:m:ö )v:xy:amy:n:s:Üy:v:ð . wan:ö ev:wan:s:eht:ö y:jwatv:a m:<xy:s:ð\|S:ØB:at:Î / 1 /	S''rii Bhagavaan spoke: But I will explain to you, who are not spiteful, this most secret spiritual knowledge, together with mundane knowledge, after knowing which you will liberate yourself from misfortune. (1)
raj:ev:½a raj:g:ØÊö p:ev:*:em:dm:Ø¶:m:m:Î . )ty:x:av:g:m:ö D:my:þ s:Øs:ØK:ö kt:Øüm:vy:y:m:Î / 2 /	The royal knowledge is the royal secret, this topmost purifier, and is perceptibly comprehensible, righteous, very pleasant to perform, and imperishable. (2)
AÂ:¸D:an:aH p:Ø,\:a D:m:üsy:asy: p:rnt:p: . A)apy: m:aö en:v:t:ünt:ð m:àty:Øs:ös:arv:tm:üen: / 3 /	Persons who are distrusting this virtue, o Parantapa^*, return into the course of death and transmigration after failing to reach me. (3)
m:y:a t:t:em:dö s:v:þ j:g:dvy:Vt:m:Üet:ün:a . m:tsT:aen: s:v:üB:Üt:aen: n: c:ahö t:ð\v:v:¡sT:t:H / 4 /	This whole world is diffused by me as an imperceptible form. All living beings are situated in me and I am not placed in them, (4)
n: c: m:tsT:aen: B:Üt:aen: p:Sy: m:ð y:<g:m:òÃ:rm:Î . B:Üt:B:àÀ c: B:Üt:sT:< m:m:atm:a B:Üt:B:av:n:H / 5 /	and the living beings are not situated in me. See my powerful meditation! I am myself the creator of living beings, the supporter of the living beings and not situated in the living beings. (5)
y:T:akaS:¡sT:t:< en:ty:ö v:ay:ØH s:v:ü*:g:< m:han:Î . t:T:a s:v:aüeN: B:Üt:aen: m:tsT:an:ity:Øp:D:ary: / 6 /	Consider all living beings as situated in me, in the same way as the great all-pervading wind is eternally situated in the air! (6)
s:v:üB:Üt:aen: k>nt:ðy: )káet:ö y:a¡nt: m:aem:kam:Î . klp:x:y:ð p:Øn:st:aen: klp:ad> ev:s:àj:amy:hm:Î / 7 /	All living beings reach my nature at the end of a kalpa^, o Kuntii's son^. In the beginning of a kalpa I discharge them back. (7)
)káet:ö sv:am:v:ÄBy: ev:s:àj:aem: p:Øn:H p:Øn:H . B:Üt:g:Òam:em:m:ö kátsn:m:v:S:ö )kát:ðv:üS:at:Î / 8 /	After resting on my own nature, I, through the desire of nature, discharge this entire unwilling community of living beings again and again, (8)
n: c: m:aö t:aen: km:aüeN: en:b:¿:¡nt: D:n:Wj:y: . udas:in:v:das:in:m:s:Vt:ö t:ð\:Ø km:üs:Ø / 9 /	and these actions do not enchain me, o Dhananjjaya^*, as I am sitting like a neutral part, unattached to these actions. (9)
m:y:aDy:x:ðN: )káet:H s:Üy:t:ð s:c:rac:rm:Î . hðt:Øn:an:ðn: k>nt:ðy: j:g:e¾p:erv:t:üt:ð / 10 /	By me as a witness, nature is produced with mobile and immobile entities. For this reason, the world revolves, o Kuntii's son^*. (10)
Av:j:an:¡nt: m:aö m:ÜZa m:an:Ø\:iö t:n:Øm:aeÂ:t:m:Î . p:rö B:av:m:j:an:nt:< m:m: B:Üt:m:hðÃ:rm:Î / 11 /	Stupid people, unknowing my supreme condition, despise me, the great god of living beings, as I have inhabited a human body^*, (11)
m:<G:aS:a m:<G:km:üN:< m:<G:wan:a ev:c:ðt:s:H . rax:s:im:as:Øriö c:òv: )káet:ö m:<ehn:iö eÂ:t:aH / 12 /	since they are ignorant, with futile hope, futile actions, and futile knowledge, fixed on the confusing malevolent and even demoniac nature, (12)
m:hatm:an:st:Ø m:aö p:aT:ü dòv:iö )káet:m:aeÂ:t:aH . B:j:nty:n:ny:m:n:s:< watv:a B:Üt:aedm:vy:y:m:Î / 13 /	but the magnanimous souls with undistracted minds, who have rested on the divine nature, o Pr'thaa's son^*, adore me after knowing me as the imperishable origin of living beings. (13)
s:t:t:ö kit:üy:nt:< m:aö y:t:nt:Á: dàZv:Òt:aH . n:m:sy:nt:Á: m:aö B:Vty:a en:ty:y:ØVt:a up:as:t:ð / 14 /	The eternally united people, whose vows are fixed, who constantly glorify and connect with me, and salute me, worship me with devotion, (14)
wan:y:wðn: c:apy:ny:ð y:j:nt:< m:am:Øp:as:t:ð . Oktv:ðn: p:àT:Vtv:ðn: b:hÚD:a ev:Ã:t:<m:ØK:m:Î / 15 /	and still others worship me in many ways, honouring me with the sacrifice of knowledge, with oneness, with separateness, in every direction. (15)
Ahö #t:Ørhö y:wH sv:D:ahm:hm:>\:D:m:Î . m:n*:<\|hm:hm:ðv:ajy:m:hm:¡gn:rhö hÚt:m:Î / 16 /	I am the ceremony, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering, I am the herb. I am the mantra, I am even the clarified butter, I am the fire, I am the oblation. (16)
ep:t:ahm:sy: j:g:t:< m:at:a D:at:a ep:t:am:hH . v:ð½ö p:ev:*:m:<ökar ?kÏ s:am: y:j:Ørðv: c: / 17 /	I am the father, mother, supporter, and grandfather of this world, the knowworthy, the purifier, the syllable om, and even rk, saama, and yajuh', (17)
g:et:B:üt:aü )B:ØH s:ax:i en:v:as:H S:rN:ö s:ØÆt:Î . )B:v:H )l:y:H sT:an:ö en:D:an:ö b:ij:m:vy:y:m:Î / 18 /	the procedure, the maintainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the destruction, the continuance, the receptacle, the imperishable seed. (18)
t:p:amy:hm:hö v:\:þ en:g:àÇamy:Øts:àj:aem: c: . Am:àt:ö c:òv: m:àty:ØÁ: s:ds:cc:ahm:j:Øün: / 19 /	I give heat, I withhold the rain and bring it forth, and I am even immortality and death, existence and non-existence, o Arjuna. (19)
*:òev:½a m:aö s:<m:p:aH p:Üt:p:ap:a y:wòerÄÏv:a sv:g:üet:ö )aT:üy:nt:ð . t:ð p:ØNy:m:as:a½ s:ØrðndÒl:<km:Sn:¡nt: edvy:a¡ndev: dðv:B:<g:an:Î / 20 /	After sacrificing to me with sacrifices, the soma-sacrificers with threefold knowledge, who are purified from misfortune, long for going to heaven. After reaching the auspicious world of Surendra^*, they consume the divine pleasures of the gods in heaven. (20)
t:ð t:ö B:ØVtv:a sv:g:ül:<k÷ ev:S:al:ö x:iN:ð p:ØNy:ð m:ty:ül:<k÷ ev:S:¡nt: . Ov:ö *:y:iD:m:üm:n:Ø)p:Àa g:t:ag:t:ö kam:kam:a l:B:nt:ð / 21 /	After extensively enjoying that world of heaven, they enter the mortal world, when the merit is finished. Thus the wishers of wishes, who follow the triple duty, seize the going and coming. (21)
An:ny:aeÁ:nt:y:nt:< m:aö y:ð j:n:aH p:y:Øüp:as:t:ð . t:ð\:aö en:ty:aeB:y:ØVt:an:aö y:<g:x:ðm:ö v:hamy:hm:Î / 22 /	I bear the accomplishment of those eternally diligent people, who worship me while undistractedly thinking about me. (22)
y:ð\|py:ny:dðv:t:aB:Vt:a y:j:nt:ð Â:¹y:a¡nv:t:aH . t:ð\|ep: m:am:ðv: k>nt:ðy: y:j:nty:ev:eD:p:Üv:ükm:Î / 23 /	Moreover, even they, who are devoted to another divinity and arranges for worship accompanied by trust, worship me alone without following former rules, o Kuntii's son^*, (23)
Ahö eh s:v:üy:wan:aö B:<Vt:a c: )B:Ørðv: c: . n: t:Ø m:am:eB:j:an:¡nt: t:¶v:ðn:at:Áy:v:¡nt: t:ð / 24 /	for I am the enjoyer and even master of all sacrifices, but they don't recognize me accurately. Hence they deviate. (24)
y:a¡nt: dðv:v:Òt:a dðv:a¡np:t:äny:a¡nt: ep:t:àv:Òt:aH . B:Üt:aen: y:a¡nt: B:Üt:ðjy:a y:a¡nt: m:½aej:n:<\|ep: m:am:Î / 25 /	Those, who observe vows to the gods, reach the gods. Those, who observe vows to the ancestors, reach the ancestors. The worshippers of the spirits reach the spirits. My worshippers also reach me. (25)
p:*:ö p:Ø\p:ö Pl:ö t:<y:ö y:nm:ð B:Vt:H )y:cCet: . t:dhö B:Vty:Øp:Æt:m:Sn:aem: )y:t:atm:n:H / 26 /	I consume that leaf, flower, fruit, or water, which is an offering of the soul, presented by devotion, that a devotee offers to me.^* (26)
y:tkr<e\: y:dSn:aes: y:jj:Øh<e\: ddaes: y:t:Î . y:¶:p:sy:es: k>nt:ðy: t:tkÙ,\v: m:dp:üN:m:Î / 27 /	Make that, which you do for others, which you eat, which you offer, which you give, and the austerities which you undergo, into an offering to me, o Kuntii's son^*. (27)
S:ØB:aS:ØB:Pl:òrðv:ö m:<xy:s:ð km:üb:nD:n:òH . s:nny:as:y:<g:y:ØVt:atm:a ev:m:ØVt:< m:am:Øp:ò\y:es: / 28 /	In this way, you will free yourself from pleasant and unpleasant results and from the bondage of action. As a liberated soul, united through the yoga of renunciation, you will reach me. (28)
s:m:<\|hö s:v:üB:Üt:ð\:Ø n: m:ð ¾ð\y:<\|¡st: n: e)y:H . y:ð B:j:¡nt: t:Ø m:aö B:Vty:a m:ey: t:ð t:ð\:Ø c:apy:hm:Î / 29 /	I am impartial towards all living beings. I don't have any enemy or friend, but they, who adore me with devotion, are in me and I am also in them. (29)
Aep: c:ðts:ØdØrac:ar< B:j:t:ð m:am:n:ny:B:akÏ . s:aD:Ørðv: s: m:nt:vy:H s:my:gvy:v:es:t:< eh s:H / 30 /	Even a very wicked person, who turns to me with undistracted worship, should really be considered virtuous, for he is completely determined. (30)
ex:)ö B:v:et: D:m:aütm:a S:Ã:cCa¡nt:ö en:g:cCet: . k>nt:ðy: )et:j:an:ieh n: m:ð B:Vt:H )N:Sy:et: / 31 /	He quickly becomes virtuous and enters eternal peace. Admit, o Kuntii's son^*, that my devotee doesn't vanish, (31)
m:aö eh p:aT:ü vy:p:aeÂ:ty: y:ð\|ep: sy:ØH p:ap:y:<n:y:H . ¡s*:y:< v:òSy:ast:T:a S:ÜdÒast:ð\|ep: y:a¡nt: p:raö g:et:m:Î / 32 /	for after approaching me for refuge, o Pr'thaa's son^*, even they, who might be of inauspicious birth, women, businessmen as well as workers, also reach the highest state, (32)
ek÷ p:Øn:b:ÒaüÉN:aH p:ØNy:a B:Vt:a raj:\:üy:st:T:a . Aen:ty:m:s:ØK:ö l:<kem:m:ö )apy: B:j:sv: m:am:Î / 33 /	what to speak of the virtuous braahman'as as well as the devoted royal sages! After obtaining this unstable and unhappy world, turn to me! (33)
m:nm:n:a B:v: m:»Vt:< m:½aj:i m:aö n:m:skÙ, . m:am:ðv:ò\y:es: y:ØVtv:òv:m:atm:an:ö m:tp:ray:N:H / 34 /	Become a person who meditates on me, is devoted to me, and sacrifices to me! Perform homage to me! After uniting your self in this way, with me as your final aim, you will indeed go to me. (34)