Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 9 of 18 · 34 verses
A leaf, a flower, a fruit, some water: offered with love, enough.
राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोगः · Rāja-vidyā-rāja-guhya-yoga
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Krishna calls this teaching the royal knowledge and the royal secret, something that can be directly experienced and is easy to practise. He explains that the whole world is pervaded by him in his unseen form: all beings rest in him, yet he is not bound by them, just as the wind moves in space. Through his prakriti, his own nature, he sends forth the worlds again and again while remaining uninvolved, like a witness. He describes himself as the ritual, the offering, the father and mother of the world and its final refuge, and he promises to care for those who think of him with undivided bhakti (loving devotion). He accepts even a leaf, flower, fruit or water offered with love, asks that all actions be offered to him, and says that anyone who takes refuge in him, including women, vaishyas and shudras, reaches the highest goal (9.32); traditions have read the wording of this verse in different ways, but it is widely cited as opening the path of devotion to all.
Devotion (bhakti)The divineFaith (shraddha)Action (karma)Anushtubh (shloka): 4 × 8 syllablesTrishtubh: 4 × 11 syllables
Krishna lowers his voice, as if sharing a secret: "This is the king of all knowledge, and the king of secrets."
"All beings rest in me, as the wind rests in the sky, yet I am not caught by them."
He names himself the ritual and the offering, the father and mother of the world, its friend and refuge.
Then a gentle promise: "Those who think only of me, I carry what they need."
"A leaf, a flower, a fruit, a little water, given with love, I gladly accept."
"Whatever you do, eat or give, make it an offering to me. Fix your mind on me, and you will come to me."
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे ।ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥
idaṃ tu te guhyatamaṃ pravakṣyāmyanasūyave |jñānaṃ vijñānasahitaṃ yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt ||
Krishna said: Since you do not find fault, I will now tell you this most secret knowledge, together with its realisation. Knowing it, you will be freed from all that is harmful.
राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ।प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ॥
rājavidyā rājaguhyaṃ pavitramidamuttamam |pratyakṣāvagamaṃ dharmyaṃ susukhaṃ kartumavyayam ||
This is the king of knowledge and the king of secrets, purest and highest. It can be directly experienced, it is in harmony with dharma, it is very easy to practise, and it never fades.
अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप ।अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa |aprāpya māṃ nivartante mṛtyusaṃsāravartmani ||
People who have no faith in this teaching do not reach me, Arjuna. They come back to the path of death and repeated birth.
मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥
mayā tatamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagadavyaktamūrtinā |matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṃ teṣvavasthitaḥ ||
This whole world is pervaded by me in my unseen form. All beings rest in me, but I do not rest in them.
न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogamaiśvaram |bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ ||
And yet beings do not rest in me: see my divine power. My self supports all beings and brings them into being, yet does not dwell in them.
यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान् ।तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ॥
yathākāśasthito nityaṃ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān |tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya ||
Just as the mighty wind, moving everywhere, always rests in space, understand that all beings rest in me in the same way.
सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥
sarvabhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṃ yānti māmikām |kalpakṣaye punastāni kalpādau visṛjāmyaham ||
At the end of a cosmic age, Arjuna, all beings go back into my nature. At the start of the next age, I send them forth again.
प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः ।भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् ॥
prakṛtiṃ svāmavaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ |bhūtagrāmamimaṃ kṛtsnamavaśaṃ prakṛtervaśāt ||
Taking hold of my own nature, I send forth this whole host of beings again and again. They are helpless, under the power of nature.
न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनंजय ।उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ॥
na ca māṃ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanaṃjaya |udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṃ teṣu karmasu ||
These actions do not bind me, Arjuna, for I sit as if indifferent, unattached to those actions.
मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् ।हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ॥
mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram |hetunānena kaunteya jagadviparivartate ||
Under my watch, nature gives birth to all that moves and does not move. Because of this, Arjuna, the world keeps turning.
अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् ।परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥
avajānanti māṃ mūḍhā mānuṣīṃ tanumāśritam |paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mama bhūtamaheśvaram ||
The deluded look down on me when I take a human form, not knowing my higher nature as the great lord of all beings.
मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः ।राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ॥
moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ |rākṣasīmāsurīṃ caiva prakṛtiṃ mohinīṃ śritāḥ ||
Their hopes, actions and knowledge are in vain. Without true understanding, they cling to a deluding nature that is cruel and demonic.
महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः ।भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥
mahātmānastu māṃ pārtha daivīṃ prakṛtimāśritāḥ |bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam ||
But great souls, Arjuna, who rest in the divine nature, worship me with minds turned to nothing else, knowing me as the unchanging source of all beings.
सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः ।नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥
satataṃ kīrtayanto māṃ yatantaśca dṛḍhavratāḥ |namasyantaśca māṃ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsate ||
Always singing my praise, striving with firm vows, bowing to me with devotion, they worship me, ever steady.
ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते ।एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥
jñānayajñena cāpyanye yajanto māmupāsate |ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvatomukham ||
Others worship me through the offering of knowledge: some as the one, some as distinct, and some in many ways, as the one whose faces are everywhere.
अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् ।मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥
ahaṃ kraturahaṃ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham |mantro'hamahamevājyamahamagnirahaṃ hutam ||
I am the ritual, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering to the ancestors, I am the healing herb. I am the sacred chant, I am the ghee, I am the fire, and I am the act of offering.
पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः ।वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ॥
pitāhamasya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ |vedyaṃ pavitramoṃkāra ṛksāma yajureva ca ||
I am the father of this world, its mother, its supporter and its grandsire. I am what is to be known, the purifier, the syllable Om, and the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas.
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् ।प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt |prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṃ nidhānaṃ bījamavyayam ||
I am the goal, the sustainer, the lord, the witness, the home, the refuge and the friend. I am the origin and the dissolution, the resting place, the storehouse and the seed that never decays.
तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च ।अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ॥
tapāmyahamahaṃ varṣaṃ nigṛhṇāmyutsṛjāmi ca |amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna ||
I give heat. I hold back the rain and I send it forth. I am immortality and also death, Arjuna; I am both what is and what is not.
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापायज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते ।ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक-मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥
traividyā māṃ somapāḥ pūtapāpāyajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṃ prārthayante |te puṇyamāsādya surendraloka-maśnanti divyāndivi devabhogān ||
Those who follow the three Vedas, drink the soma and are cleansed of wrongdoing worship me with sacrifices and pray to reach heaven. Reaching the holy world of Indra, they enjoy the pleasures of the gods there.
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालंक्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्नागतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥
te taṃ bhuktvā svargalokaṃ viśālaṃkṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti |evaṃ trayīdharmamanuprapannāgatāgataṃ kāmakāmā labhante ||
Having enjoyed that vast heaven, when their merit is used up they return to the world of mortals. So, following the Vedic rituals and seeking pleasures, they keep coming and going.
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥
ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate |teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham ||
Those people who worship me, thinking of me alone, and are always devoted, I carry what they need and protect what they have.
येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥
ye'pyanyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ |te'pi māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam ||
Even those devotees who worship other gods with faith are in fact worshipping me, Arjuna, though not in the proper way.
अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च ।न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥
ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca |na tu māmabhijānanti tattvenātaścyavanti te ||
For I am the one who enjoys all sacrifices and their lord. But they do not know me truly, and so they fall back.
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः ।भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥
yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ |bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino'pi mām ||
Those devoted to the gods go to the gods; those devoted to the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship spirits go to the spirits; and those who worship me come to me.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति ।तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥
patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati |tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ ||
Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of love from a pure heart I accept.
यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् ।यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥
yatkaroṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhoṣi dadāsi yat |yattapasyasi kaunteya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam ||
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever discipline you practise, Arjuna, do it as an offering to me.
शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः ।संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥
śubhāśubhaphalairevaṃ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ |saṃnyāsayogayuktātmā vimukto māmupaiṣyasi ||
In this way you will be freed from the bonds of action, with their good and bad results. With your mind steady in this yoga of renunciation, you will be free and will come to me.
समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः ।ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥
samo'haṃ sarvabhūteṣu na me dveṣyo'sti na priyaḥ |ye bhajanti tu māṃ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham ||
I am the same to all beings. No one is hateful to me and no one is favoured. But those who worship me with devotion are in me, and I am in them.
अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् ।साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥
api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk |sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ ||
Even if a person of very bad conduct worships me with undivided devotion, that person should be considered good, for they have made the right resolve.
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।कौन्तेय प्रति जानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥
kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṃ nigacchati |kaunteya prati jānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ||
Such a person quickly becomes righteous and reaches lasting peace. Know for certain, Arjuna, that my devotee never perishes.
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः ।स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥
māṃ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye'pi syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ |striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste'pi yānti parāṃ gatim ||
Arjuna, those who take refuge in me, even those of lowly birth, and women, vaishyas and shudras, they too reach the highest goal.
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा ।अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥
kiṃ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā |anityamasukhaṃ lokamimaṃ prāpya bhajasva mām ||
How much more, then, the pure brahmins and devoted royal sages. Having come into this passing, unhappy world, worship me.
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥
manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru |māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṃ matparāyaṇaḥ ||
Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, worship me and bow to me. Uniting yourself with me in this way, with me as your goal, you will come to me.
Hindu schools of thought read the Gita in different ways. These notes describe each reading; none is presented as the only correct one.
Shankara reads the puzzle of 9.4 and 9.5, beings are in me and yet not in me, as showing that the world rests on Brahman only as an appearance, while Brahman itself remains untouched.
Ramanuja stresses the Lord's accessibility in this chapter: he accepts the simplest loving offering (9.26) and himself takes on the care of his devotees (9.22), showing his great kindness.
What does Krishna call the teaching of this chapter?
What example does Krishna give for how all beings rest in him?
Why do the actions of creation not bind Krishna?
What happens to those who reach heaven through Vedic rituals, once their merit is used up?
What does "yoga-kshema" in 9.22 refer to?
Which four simple offerings does Krishna name in 9.26?
What does Krishna say about how he regards all beings?
What does Krishna say should be done with everything one does, eats and gives?
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