The Yoga of Royal Knowledge

श्रीभगवानुवाच। इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे। ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्॥

The Supreme Lord said: To you who are free from envy, I shall now reveal the most secret knowledge combined with realization, knowing which you shall be freed from inauspiciousness.

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्। प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्॥

This knowledge is the king of sciences, the king of secrets, supremely purifying, directly perceivable, righteous, joyful to practice, and imperishable.

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप। अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि॥

Those who have no faith in this dharma, O Arjuna, without reaching Me, return to the path of death and rebirth.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना। मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः॥

This entire universe is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them.

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्। भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः॥

And yet beings do not rest in Me. Behold My divine mystery! I sustain all beings, yet I am not in them — My Self is the source of all beings.

यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान्। तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय॥

As the mighty wind, moving everywhere, always rests in space, so know that all beings rest in Me.

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्। कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम्॥

At the end of a cosmic cycle, O Arjuna, all beings return to My prakriti (material nature), and at the beginning of the next cycle, I create them again.

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः। भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात्॥

Presiding over My own prakriti, I create this multitude of beings again and again, helpless under the influence of material nature.

न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय। उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु॥

O Arjuna, these actions do not bind Me. I remain as if neutral, seated detached, unattached to these actions.

मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्। हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते॥

Under My supervision, prakriti produces all moving and non-moving beings. By this cause, O Arjuna, the world revolves.

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम्। परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम्॥

Fools disregard Me when I appear in human form, not knowing My supreme nature as the Lord of all beings.

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः। राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः॥

Their hopes are vain, their actions are vain, their knowledge is vain. Devoid of discrimination, they embrace demonic and deluding nature.

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः। भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम्॥

But great souls, O Arjuna, taking shelter of the divine nature, worship Me with undivided minds, knowing Me as the imperishable origin of all beings.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः। नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते॥

Always chanting My glories, striving with steadfast vows, bowing down to Me with devotion, the eternally united ones worship Me.

ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते। एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्॥

Others, offering the sacrifice of knowledge, worship Me as one, as distinct, or in various forms — the universal form facing all directions.