Sacred Scripture / Chapter 9
34 published verses from Srimad Bhagavad Gita (राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोगः). The Yoga of Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga. Krishna reveals sovereign knowledge joined with realization and describes the world as dependent on Him while He remains free from confinement and attachment. Cosmic creation and divine supervision lead into a contrast between delusion and wholehearted worship. He presents Himself as the source, support and components of sacred offering, then distinguishes finite heavenly rewards from constant devotion. Simple offerings and daily actions become expressions of dedication. Divine impartiality accompanies reciprocal devotion, and sincere resolve opens a path of moral transformation. The chapter affirms access to the supreme destination across its historical social categories and closes with an invitation to direct mind, worship and life toward Krishna.
Explore original Sanskrit, word-by-word padartha, trilingual translations, commentary, reflections, and modern life applications.
34 verses
Verse 9.1
idaṃ tu te guhyatamaṃ pravakṣyāmyanasūyave | jñānaṃ vijñānasahitaṃ yajjñātvā mokṣyase'śubhāt ||1||
To you who are free from fault-finding, I will explain this most hidden knowledge, joined with realized understanding; knowing it, you will be freed from what is harmful.
Verse 9.2
rājavidyā rājaguhyaṃ pavitramidamuttamam | pratyakṣāvagamaṃ dharmyaṃ susukhaṃ kartumavyayam ||2||
This is the sovereign knowledge and sovereign secret, the highest purifier, directly realizable, in accord with dharma, readily practiced and imperishable.
Verse 9.3
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa | aprāpya māṃ nivartante mṛtyusaṃsāravartmani ||3||
O scorcher of foes, people without faith in this dharma do not reach Me and return to the path of mortal existence and rebirth.
Verse 9.4
mayā tatamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagadavyaktamūrtinā | matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṃ teṣvavasthitaḥ ||4||
This entire world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form. All beings rest in Me, yet I do not dwell in them.
Verse 9.5
na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogamaiśvaram | bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ ||5||
And yet beings do not rest in Me: behold My sovereign yoga. My Self sustains and brings forth beings, without dwelling in them.
Verse 9.6
yathākāśasthito nityaṃ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān | tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya ||6||
Understand that just as the great wind, moving everywhere, always rests in space, so all beings rest in Me.
Verse 9.7
sarvabhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṃ yānti māmikām | kalpakṣaye punastāni kalpādau visṛjāmyaham ||7||
O son of Kunti, at the end of a cosmic cycle all beings enter My nature; at the beginning of a cycle I send them forth again.
Verse 9.8
prakṛtiṃ svāmavaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ | bhūtagrāmamimaṃ kṛtsnamavaśaṃ prakṛtervaśāt ||8||
Presiding over My own nature, I repeatedly bring forth this entire multitude of beings, which is helpless under nature's power.
Verse 9.9
na ca māṃ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya | udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṃ teṣu karmasu ||9||
O Dhananjaya, these actions do not bind Me, who remain as though unconcerned and unattached to those actions.
Verse 9.10
mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram | hetunānena kaunteya jagadviparivartate ||10||
Under My supervision, nature brings forth the moving and the unmoving. O son of Kunti, through this the world undergoes its changes.
Verse 9.11
avajānanti māṃ mūḍhā mānuṣīṃ tanumāśritam | paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mama bhūtamaheśvaram ||11||
The deluded disregard Me when I take a human body, not knowing My supreme nature as the great Lord of beings.
Verse 9.12
moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ | rākṣasīmāsurīṃ caiva prakṛtiṃ mohinīṃ śritāḥ ||12||
Their hopes, actions and knowledge are fruitless; lacking discernment, they have embraced a deluding nature that is rakshasic and asuric.
Verse 9.13
mahātmānastu māṃ pārtha daivīṃ prakṛtimāśritāḥ | bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam ||13||
But, O Partha, great souls who take refuge in the divine nature worship Me with undivided minds, knowing Me as the imperishable origin of beings.
Verse 9.14
satataṃ kīrtayanto māṃ yatantaśca dṛḍhavratāḥ | namasyantaśca māṃ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsate ||14||
Always praising Me, striving with firm vows, bowing to Me with devotion and ever united, they worship Me.
Verse 9.15
jñānayajñena cāpyanye yajanto māmupāsate | ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvatomukham ||15||
Others also worship Me through the sacrifice of knowledge, contemplating unity, distinction and My many forms facing everywhere.
Verse 9.16
ahaṃ kraturahaṃ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham | mantro'hamahamevājyamahamagnirahaṃ hutam ||16||
I am the Vedic rite, the sacrifice, the ancestral offering and the ritual herb; I am the mantra, the clarified butter, the fire and the offering placed in it.
Verse 9.17
pitāhamasya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ | vedyaṃ pavitramoṅkāra ṛksāma yajureva ca ||17||
I am this world's father, mother, sustainer and grandsire; I am what is to be known, the purifier, Om, and the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas.
Verse 9.18
gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt | prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṃ nidhānaṃ bījamavyayam ||18||
I am the destination, sustainer, Lord, witness, dwelling, refuge and friend; the origin, dissolution, foundation, resting place and imperishable seed.
Verse 9.19
tapāmyahamahaṃ varṣaṃ nigṛhṇāmyutsṛjāmi ca | amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna ||19||
I give heat; I withhold and release the rain. O Arjuna, I am immortality and death, being and nonbeing.
Verse 9.20
traividyā māṃ somapāḥ pūtapāpā yajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṃ prārthayante | te puṇyamāsādya surendralokamaśnanti divyāndivi devabhogān ||20||
Those versed in the three Vedas, drinkers of Soma purified of sin, worship Me through sacrifices and seek heaven. Reaching Indra's meritorious realm, they enjoy celestial delights there.
Verse 9.21
te taṃ bhuktvā svargalokaṃ viśālaṃ kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti | evaṃ trayīdharmamanuprapannā gatāgataṃ kāmakāmā labhante ||21||
After enjoying that vast heaven, they enter the mortal world when their merit is exhausted. Thus those following the three-Veda path and seeking desired pleasures undergo coming and going.
Verse 9.22
ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate | teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham ||22||
For those who worship Me with undivided contemplation and remain continually devoted, I bear the responsibility for obtaining what is needed and preserving what is attained.
Verse 9.23
ye'pyanyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | te'pi māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam ||23||
O son of Kunti, even devotees of other deities who worship with faith worship Me alone, though not according to the proper understanding or manner.
Verse 9.24
ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca | na tu māmabhijānanti tattvenātaścyavanti te ||24||
For I alone am the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices. But they do not know Me in truth, and therefore they fall away.
Verse 9.25
yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ | bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino'pi mām ||25||
Those devoted to the deities reach the deities; those devoted to the ancestors reach the ancestors; worshippers of spirits reach those spirits; those who worship Me reach Me.
Verse 9.26
patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati | tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ ||26||
Whoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water with devotion, I accept that devoted offering from the person of pure intention.
Verse 9.27
yatkaroṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhoṣi dadāsi yat | yattapasyasi kaunteya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam ||27||
O son of Kunti, whatever you do, eat, offer in sacrifice, give or undertake as austerity, do it as an offering to Me.
Verse 9.28
śubhāśubhaphalairevaṃ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ | saṃnyāsayogayuktātmā vimukto māmupaiṣyasi ||28||
Thus you will be freed from the bonds of action with their good and bad fruits. With your self joined to the yoga of renunciation, liberated, you will reach Me.
Verse 9.29
samo'haṃ sarvabhūteṣu na me dveṣyo'sti na priyaḥ | ye bhajanti tu māṃ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham ||29||
I am equal toward all beings; none is hated by Me and none favored. Yet those who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am also in them.
Verse 9.30
api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk | sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ ||30||
Even if someone of very bad conduct worships Me with undivided devotion, that person should be regarded as righteous, for the resolve has been rightly set.
Verse 9.31
kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṃ nigacchati | kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ||31||
That person soon becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare this: My devotee does not perish.
Verse 9.32
māṃ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye'pi syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ | striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste'pi yānti parāṃ gatim ||32||
O Partha, taking refuge in Me, even those of a birth termed sinful, as well as women, Vaishyas and Shudras, reach the supreme destination.
Verse 9.33
kiṃ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā | anityamasukhaṃ lokamimaṃ prāpya bhajasva mām ||33||
How much more, then, virtuous Brahmanas and devoted royal sages! Having come into this impermanent world without lasting happiness, worship Me.
Verse 9.34
manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru | māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṃ matparāyaṇaḥ ||34||
Fix your mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me and bow to Me. Thus uniting yourself with Me and taking Me as your highest aim, you will come to Me alone.
