Chapter 9.1 Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga (Yoga of the Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret) Slokas 16-34
A devotee may wonder whether God is in a particular living being or nonliving object.
From Slokas 16 to 19, The Lord explains that not only He is in everything but He is everything.
16. Aham kratur aham yajnaha svadaaham aham aushadam
Mantroham aham evaajyam ahamagnir aham hutam
I am the kratu; I am the sacrifice; I am the offering (food) to pitris (ancestors); I am the medicinal herb and all the plants; I am the mantra; I am also the clarified butter; I am the fire; I am the oblation.
17 I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the sustainer and the grandsire; the (one) thing to be known, the purifier, (the syllable) Om, and also the Rik, the Saama and the Yajus also.
Kratu is a vedic ritual and Yajna is sacrificial worship. Svadhaa is the offering to the ancestors. Aushadham indicates food that is also medicinal. Mantra is something that is repeated and it protects us. Since the mantra protects us, we must protect the mantra by constantly repeating it and keeping it close to our heart.
Sloka 16 is somewhat similar to sloka 24 in chapter 4, where Sri Krishna says that He is the clarified butter, the fire, the offering and the act of offering in the famous verse starting as “Brahmarpanam Brahmahavir” that all of you are familiar with.
Further, in sloka 17, He says that He is the Father, the Mother, the sustainer and the grandfather (Pitaa mahah). He is the sound Om from which the universe evolved from. Om is therefore called as Shabdha Brahman (the sound of Brahman). He says that He is also the Rik, Yajur and Saama vedas. They deal with the origin, sustenance and the end of Prakriti.
The Lord is also the purifier of all the beings who surrender to Him.
Clay is the original substance and clay pots, clay oven and clay dolls are the results. It is like clay telling the pots, the oven and the dolls, “I am in every one of you”. Bhagavan is telling us that “I am in everyone and everything”.
18 I am the goal, the supporter, The Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure house and the seed imperishable.
19 (As sun) I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain; I am immortality and also death, both existence and nonexistence, O Arjuna!
Bhagavan Krishna now details more of His oneness with us all and emphasizes that He is the Imperishable seed of beings. The three pairs of opposite functions of giving heat and rain, death and Immortality and living and nonliving explains His control over all things.
Slokas 20-22 describe that whatever goal the human being sets and works at, he (she) gets. But what happens later is dependent on the goal that the person aimed for.
20 The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of soma, purified from sin, worshipping Me by sacrifices, pray for the way to heaven; they reach the holy world of the Lord of the gods (devas) and they enjoy in heaven the divine pleasures of the gods (devas).
21 They, having enjoyed the vast heaven - world, when their merits are exhausted, enter the world of the mortals; thus abiding by the injunctions of the three (Vedas), desiring (objects of) desires, they attain to the state of “going and returning” (samsaaraa).
The Lord here describes that some have learned the Vedas with heaven as their goal. Having reached heaven, they enjoy the pleasures of gods (devas). Once their merits are exhausted, they enter back into the world of life and death. This way they continue the state of “going and coming”. (finite world of experiences).
There is some misconception about heaven. As per our scriptures, Heaven is obtained by those whose goal is mainly going to heaven and they work for it by doing certain deeds.
But heaven is a temporary abode. When the “punyas” (as a result of good deeds) in their possession are spent after they stay in heaven for a duration of time, they have to return back to this world to live and enjoy and suffer like everyone else. As per the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads, the goal of a devotee should be to reach the Lord, not just heaven (since it is a temporary abode).
The Lord promises safety and stability for all the devotees in slokas 22-25.
22 Ananyaas chintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate
Teshaam nithyaabhi yuktaanaam yogakshemam vahaam yaham
To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever self-controlled, I secure for them that which is not already possessed and preserve for them what they already possess.
This is a promise from Bhagavan that He will provide us with what we don’t have (yoga) and prevent us from losing what we already have (kshema). He will provide us with what we need when the need arises, however small or big the need may be. But on one condition. The devotee must be focused on worshipping the Lord during his (her) daily transactions in life, whether that devotee is working, resting at home or vacationing.
We might pray to God for a project at work to be successful or to get promoted in our profession. We may also be praying to God for our child to get a college seat or for any of the numerous personal things we pray for. Here, Bhagavan promises to provide us with all of our needs. Our job is to worship Him all the time with faith in our hearts. He also promises that He will protect what we already have.
23 Even those devotees, who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me alone, O son of Kunti, (but) by the wrong method.
24 (For) I alone am the enjoyer in and the Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in essence, and hence they fall (return to this mortal world).
25. The worshippers of the devas (gods) go to the devas; to the pitrus or ancestors go the ancestor worshippers; to the bhutas or the elements go the worshippers of the bhutas; but My worshippers come to Me.
If a person worships to go to the world of Devas (Deva loka), he (she) will be granted his (her) wish. Devas have some supernatural powers within limitation. However, Devas are subject to a beginning and an end. If a person prays to go to the world of ancestors, (Pitru loka), their wishes are granted as well. The bhutas are between humans and devas in the scale of evolution. If the devotees worships to reach God, they reach Him and become one with Him.
26 Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati
Tadaham bhaktyupahrtam asnaami prayataatmanaha
“Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that I accept, offered by the pure minded with devotion”.
Bhagavan Krishna now reiterates that whatever is offered, whether it is a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, is accepted by Bhagavan as long as the attitude is one of devotion and with a pure heart. It does not say only expensive items like gold will be accepted. It also does not say how much quantity should be offered or that the more quantity and the more expensive items will return higher rewards as is normal in human interactions. This is the beauty of Bhagavan. He expects very little from us and gives us a lot in return.
Examples from our Hindu puranas and ithihasas;
1) When Krishna’s childhood friend Sudama tried to hide the flattened, dry rice (given by Sudama’s wife), it was forcefully taken from him and enjoyed by Lord Krishna.
2) The dried fruits offered by Sabari were happily eaten by Lord Rama.
3) Lord Siva accepted the venison and water that was already tasted by the tongue of His devotee, the hunter Kannappa.
4) The gruel offered by Vidura was happily accepted by Lord Krishna.
How does a devotee act in this complex world of things and beings?
27 Yat karosi yad ashnaasi yajjuhosi dadaasi yathu
Yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva madarpanam
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, whatever you practice as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering to me”.
Bhagavan Krishna tells Arjuna (and us) that whatever action that is undertaken by a human being must be done in the “spirit of yagna” (the spirit of sacrifice).
He points out the following five activities.
1) Any action (karma)
2) Eating
3) Yajnam (offerings in sacrifice)
4) Dhaanam (charity)
5) Tapas (austerity or penance).
These actions can be either doing office work, or giving money to the less privileged, or spreading your knowledge to those who are deficient and seek it, or it could be walking or praying or meditating.
Slokas 22,26 and 27 are to be memorized and contemplated upon in my humble opinion.
A sincere question arises in the devotees heart. “If heaven is temporary, how do we get the Permanent abode?”
28 Thus you shall be freed from the bonds of actions yielding good and evil fruits; with the mind steadfast in the yoga of renunciation, and liberated, thou shall come unto Me.
29 The same am I to all beings; to Me there is none hateful or dear; but those who worship Me with devotion, are in Me and I am also in them.
The Lord here says that he is impartial to all his creation. But those devotees who worship him with devotion merge with him and he merges with them. The Jivatman (the individual Self) merges with the Paramatman (Supreme Self).
30 Even if the most sinful worships Me, with devotion to no one else, he too, should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
31 Soon he becomes righteous and attains eternal peace, O Kaunteya, know for certain that My devotee is never destroyed.
32 For taking refuge in Me, they also, O Partha, who may be of a “sinful birth” – women, vaishyas as well as sudras even they attain the Supreme goal.
33 How much more (easily) then, the holy brahmanas and devoted Royal Saints attain the goal. Having obtained this impermanent and joyless world, you do worship Me devotedly.
Once a person gives oneself to Bhagavan, however sinful that person might have been, he (she), comes under the protection of Bhagavan. No more physical or financial protection is needed for that person. (if I can be humorous, no need for 401 K). It is taken care of by Bhagavan. In sloka 31, the Lord says, “na may bhaktha pranashyati” (My devotee is never destroyed).
Some casual readers of Bhagavad Gita may mistakenly think of sloka 32 to be condescending to certain groups. I have discussed this with many Swamijis from Chinmaya Mission as well as listened to Pujya Swami Chimamayananda’s pravachans. The following paragraph has some condensed quotes from Swami Chinmayananda’s commentary that will clarify this.
“Striyah” (“feminine minds”) is the fragile mental condition of deep affection and blinding attachment that causes a frame of mind that is “feminine”. That individual may be man or woman. Vaishyas (traders) refers to those who have calculating minds (always looking at the profits) and Sudras refer to those who have a mental attitude of dullness and slothfulness. These statements by Sri Vyasa (on behalf of Lord Krishna) refer to the mental conditioning of the people and not by birth or sex of the individual. The main point that Bhagavan is driving home here is that every devotee is protected and no one comes to harm.
34 Manmanaa bhava madbhaktho madyaaji maam namaskuru
Maamevaishyasi yuktvaivam aatmaanam matparaayanaaha
“Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me, having thus united your whole self to Me, taking Me as the supreme goal, you shall come to Me”.
This is the final and one of the many important slokas of this chapter. It should be memorized by all devotees in my humble opinion. Then we should meditate (dive deeper) on the meaning.
Lord Krishna gives us the simple solution to gaining moksha.
The following are commandments to be obeyed implicitly.
1) “Manmanaa” – “Fix your mind on Me”
This indicates the essence of Bhagavad Gita teaching. We are advised to deal with all the problems or opportunities the world throws at us with God fixed in our thoughts. What this does, is to free us from the shackles of thoughts like depression, anxiety and expectations. This way, the human being can execute their daily duties to the fullest.
2) “Madbhakthah” – “Be devoted to Me”
We are advised to work with bhakthi (devotion) to God and give credit for our achievements to God. This takes the pressure off the jiva, (the human being) and allows us to perform our daily activities in peace.
3) “Madyaaji” – “Sacrifice to Me”
We are advised to live a life of karma yoga dedicating all our actions and results of our actions to the Lord.
4) “Maam namaskuru” – “Bow down to Me”
This implies total surrender to Bhagavan at any and all circumstances. Prahalad and Draupadi were relieved from great danger by their total surrender to The Lord.
5) Maam eva vaishyasi” – “Taking Me as the supreme goal”
This is Goal setting of the highest order. This is not about how much education we can get, how much money can we make, how much higher can we go in the ladder of power and goals of that nature. The devotee sets reaching and uniting with God as the Supreme goal.
yuktvaivam aatmaanam matparaayanaaha
Om Tat Sad iti Srimad Bhagavadgitasu Upanishatsu Brahmavidyaayaam Yogashastre
Sri Krishnarjuna samvade Rajavidya Rajaguhya yogo naama navamo dhyaayaha
Thus, in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, in the Knowledge of Brahman, in the scripture of Yoga, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the ninth discourse titled “The Yoga of The Royal knowledge and Royal secret”.
Summary of chapter 9
In this chapter called Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga (Yoga of the Royal knowledge and Royal Secret), Lord Krishna gives Arjuna the Knowledge, which He calls a Royal secret. Those who have faith in this knowledge, and also practices it, gets to be free from the birth and death cycles. But those who object to his teaching, end up getting caught up in the birth and death cycles. Bhagavan Krishna reiterates that whatever is offered, whether it is a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, He accepts it as long as the attitude is one of devotion and with a pure heart.
Bhagavan Krishna tells Arjuna (and us) that whatever action that is undertaken by a human being must be done in the “spirit of yagna” (the spirit of sacrifice).
Bhagavan promises that He will provide us with what we don’t have (yoga) and protect us from losing what we already have (kshema). But on one condition. The devotee must be focused on worshipping the Lord during his (her) daily transactions in life.
Finally, He tells Arjuna (and us) to “Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me, having thus united your whole self to Me, taking Me as the supreme goal, you shall come to Me”.
Hari Om!
Dr.Shanmugam