Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 9

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 (Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga) in Hindi and English with meaning

Krishna calls this teaching the king of knowledge and the king of secrets: the whole world rests in him, yet he is not bound by it, and he can be reached by anyone through simple, loving devotion. Even a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water, offered with love, he accepts.

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Listen: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga

A calm computer-voiced recitation over soft music, checked line by line against the text. It is an aid to reading along, not a replacement for a priest or a family elder.

What chapter 9 is about

Chapters 7 and 8 spoke of Krishna’s nature and of remembering him. In chapter 9 he says he will now share the most secret knowledge (9.1), and calls it the king of all knowledge and the king of secrets: pure, something one can experience directly, and easy to practise (9.2). The whole world is pervaded by him and rests in him, as the wind moves everywhere yet always rests in space (9.4–9.6); he sends the worlds forth and draws them back, yet sits apart, untouched by it all (9.9).

Krishna then says that he is every part of worship: the ritual, the offering, the mantra, the fire, and also the father, mother and goal of the world (9.16–9.18). Rituals done for heaven bring heaven, but only until the merit runs out (9.21). By contrast, for those who think of him alone, he himself carries what they need and protects what they have (9.22, “yoga-kshemam vahamy aham”).

The best-loved verse comes next: whoever offers him with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, he accepts (9.26). Whatever you do, eat, offer or give, do it as an offering to him (9.27). He is the same to all beings (9.29); even a person who has done great wrong, once they turn to him wholeheartedly, soon becomes good, and “my devotee is never lost” (9.30–9.31). The chapter closes with a call that returns at the end of the Gita: fix your mind on me, be devoted to me (9.34). Reading it with the meanings takes about 20 minutes.

Verses 9.1–9.10: the royal secret: all rests in me

Krishna names the teaching, and explains how the world rests in him while he stays untouched by it.

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Verse 9.1

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

Shri Bhagavan uvacha
idam tu te guhyatamam pravakshyamy anasuyave,
jnanam vijnana-sahitam yaj jnatva mokshyase 'shubhat.

अर्थ: श्रीभगवान ने कहा: तुम दोष नहीं ढूँढते, इसलिए मैं तुम्हें यह सबसे गुप्त ज्ञान, उसके अनुभव (विज्ञान) के साथ, बताऊँगा, जिसे जानकर तुम सब अशुभ (दुख और बंधन) से छूट जाओगे।

Meaning: The Lord said: Because you do not find fault, I will tell you this most secret knowledge, together with its realisation; knowing it, you will be freed from all that is unholy and harmful.

Verse 9.2

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्।
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्॥

Raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam,
pratyakshavagamam dharmyam susukham kartum avyayam.

अर्थ: यह सब विद्याओं का राजा, सब रहस्यों का राजा, बहुत पवित्र और उत्तम है। इसे सीधे अनुभव से जाना जा सकता है, यह धर्म के अनुसार है, करने में बहुत सरल है और इसका फल कभी नष्ट नहीं होता।

Meaning: This is the king of knowledge, the king of secrets, supremely pure. It can be known by direct experience, it is in keeping with dharma, it is very easy to practise, and it never fades.

Verse 9.3

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप।
अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि॥

Ashraddadhanah purusha dharmasyasya parantapa,
aprapya mam nivartante mrityu-samsara-vartmani.

अर्थ: हे परंतप, जो लोग इस धर्म में श्रद्धा नहीं रखते, वे मुझे न पाकर मृत्यु से भरे संसार के मार्ग पर बार-बार लौटते रहते हैं।

Meaning: Those who have no faith in this teaching, Arjuna, do not reach me, and keep returning to the road of death and rebirth.

Verse 9.4

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना।
मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः॥

Maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina,
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani na chaham teshv avasthitah.

अर्थ: मेरे अव्यक्त (न दिखने वाले) रूप से यह सारा जगत व्याप्त है। सब प्राणी मुझमें स्थित हैं, पर मैं उनमें (सीमित होकर) स्थित नहीं हूँ।

Meaning: This whole world is pervaded by me in my unseen form. All beings rest in me, but I do not rest in them.

Verse 9.5

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

Na cha mat-sthani bhutani pashya me yogam aishvaram,
bhuta-bhrin na cha bhuta-stho mamatma bhuta-bhavanah.

अर्थ: और फिर भी प्राणी मुझमें स्थित नहीं हैं: मेरी इस ईश्वरीय योग-शक्ति को देखो। मैं सब प्राणियों को धारण करता हूँ और उन्हें उत्पन्न करता हूँ, फिर भी मेरा स्वरूप उनमें बँधा नहीं है।

Meaning: And yet beings do not rest in me: see my divine power! I support all beings and bring them into being, yet my self does not dwell in them.

Verse 9.6

यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान्।
तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय॥

Yathakasha-sthito nityam vayuh sarvatra-go mahan,
tatha sarvani bhutani mat-sthanity upadharaya.

अर्थ: जैसे हर जगह चलने वाली विशाल वायु सदा आकाश में ही रहती है, वैसे ही समझो कि सब प्राणी मुझमें स्थित हैं।

Meaning: Just as the mighty wind, moving everywhere, always rests in space, understand that in the same way all beings rest in me.

Verse 9.7

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्।
कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम्॥

Sarva-bhutani kaunteya prakritim yanti mamikam,
kalpa-kshaye punas tani kalpadau visrijamy aham.

अर्थ: हे कौन्तेय, कल्प (सृष्टि के एक युग-चक्र) के अंत में सब प्राणी मेरी प्रकृति में लीन हो जाते हैं, और कल्प की शुरुआत में मैं उन्हें फिर से रचता हूँ।

Meaning: At the end of a cosmic cycle (kalpa), Arjuna, all beings return into my nature; at the start of the next cycle I send them forth again.

Verse 9.8

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः।
भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात्॥

Prakritim svam avashtabhya visrijami punah punah,
bhuta-gramam imam kritsnam avasham prakriter vashat.

अर्थ: अपनी प्रकृति का सहारा लेकर मैं प्राणियों के इस पूरे समूह को, जो प्रकृति के वश में होने से परवश है, बार-बार रचता हूँ।

Meaning: Resting on my own nature, I send forth again and again this whole host of beings, who are not free, being under the sway of nature.

Verse 9.9

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

Na cha mam tani karmani nibadhnanti dhananjaya,
udasina-vad asinam asaktam teshu karmasu.

अर्थ: हे धनंजय, वे कर्म मुझे नहीं बाँधते, क्योंकि मैं उन कर्मों में आसक्त नहीं हूँ और एक तटस्थ व्यक्ति की तरह अलग रहता हूँ।

Meaning: Those actions do not bind me, Arjuna, for I remain unattached to them, sitting as one who stands apart.

Verse 9.10

मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्।
हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते॥

Mayadhyakshena prakritih suyate sa-characharam,
hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate.

अर्थ: मेरी देखरेख में प्रकृति चल और अचल सब कुछ उत्पन्न करती है। हे कौन्तेय, इसी कारण यह जगत घूमता (बदलता) रहता है।

Meaning: Under my watch, nature gives birth to all that moves and all that does not. Because of this, Arjuna, the world keeps turning.

Verses 9.11–9.19: those who miss him and those who worship

Those who see only a human form, the great souls who worship in many ways, and Krishna as every part of worship.

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Verse 9.11

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम्।
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम्॥

Avajananti mam mudha manushim tanum ashritam,
param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-maheshvaram.

अर्थ: मूढ़ लोग मुझे मानव शरीर में देखकर मेरा अनादर करते हैं, क्योंकि वे सब प्राणियों के महान ईश्वर के रूप में मेरे परम भाव को नहीं जानते।

Meaning: The deluded look down on me when I take a human form, not knowing my higher nature as the great Lord of all beings.

Verse 9.12

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः।
राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः॥

Moghasha mogha-karmano mogha-jnana vichetasah,
rakshasim asurim chaiva prakritim mohinim shritah.

अर्थ: ऐसे लोगों की आशाएँ, कर्म और ज्ञान सब व्यर्थ होते हैं; उनकी समझ भटकी हुई होती है और वे मोह में डालने वाले राक्षसी और आसुरी स्वभाव का सहारा लेते हैं।

Meaning: Their hopes are empty, their actions empty, their knowledge empty; their minds are lost, and they lean on a cruel and demonic nature that deludes them.

Verse 9.13

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः।
भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम्॥

Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakritim ashritah,
bhajanty ananya-manaso jnatva bhutadim avyayam.

अर्थ: पर हे पार्थ, दैवी स्वभाव वाले महात्मा मुझे सब प्राणियों का आदि (मूल) और अविनाशी जानकर, किसी और ओर मन न लगाकर मुझे भजते हैं।

Meaning: But the great souls, Partha, who take shelter in a divine nature, worship me with minds turned nowhere else, knowing me as the unchanging source of all beings.

Verse 9.14

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

Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantash cha dridha-vratah,
namasyantash cha mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate.

अर्थ: वे सदा मेरा कीर्तन (गुणगान) करते हुए, दृढ़ संकल्प से प्रयत्न करते हुए और भक्ति से मुझे नमस्कार करते हुए, सदा मुझसे जुड़े रहकर मेरी उपासना करते हैं।

Meaning: Always singing my praise, striving with firm resolve and bowing to me in devotion, they worship me, ever united with me.

Verse 9.15

ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते।
एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्॥

Jnana-yajnena chapy anye yajanto mam upasate,
ekatvena prithaktvena bahudha vishvato-mukham.

अर्थ: कुछ और लोग ज्ञान-यज्ञ के द्वारा मेरी उपासना करते हैं: कोई मुझे एक (अपने से अभिन्न) मानकर, कोई अलग मानकर, और कोई अनेक रूपों में, सब ओर मुख वाले के रूप में।

Meaning: Others worship me through the offering of knowledge: some as one with themselves, some as distinct, and some in many ways, as the one whose faces are everywhere.

Verse 9.16

अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम्।
मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम्॥

Aham kratur aham yajnah svadhaham aham aushadham,
mantro 'ham aham evajyam aham agnir aham hutam.

अर्थ: मैं ही क्रतु (वैदिक अनुष्ठान) हूँ, मैं ही यज्ञ हूँ, पितरों को दी जाने वाली स्वधा मैं हूँ, औषधि (अन्न) मैं हूँ, मंत्र मैं हूँ, घी मैं हूँ, अग्नि मैं हूँ और आहुति भी मैं ही हूँ।

Meaning: I am the Vedic rite, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering to the ancestors, I am the healing plant; I am the mantra, I am the ghee, I am the fire and I am the act of offering.

Verse 9.17

पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः।
वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च॥

Pitaham asya jagato mata dhata pitamahah,
vedyam pavitram omkara rik sama yajur eva cha.

अर्थ: मैं इस जगत का पिता, माता, धारण करने वाला और पितामह (दादा) हूँ। जानने योग्य, पवित्र करने वाला, ॐकार, और ऋग्वेद, सामवेद और यजुर्वेद भी मैं ही हूँ।

Meaning: I am the father of this world, its mother, its sustainer and its grandfather. I am what is to be known, the purifier, the syllable Om, and the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas.

Verse 9.18

गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्।
प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम्॥

Gatir bharta prabhuh sakshi nivasah sharanam suhrit,
prabhavah pralayah sthanam nidhanam bijam avyayam.

अर्थ: मैं लक्ष्य, पालने वाला, स्वामी, साक्षी, निवास, शरण और सच्चा मित्र हूँ। मैं ही उत्पत्ति, प्रलय, आधार, भंडार और कभी नष्ट न होने वाला बीज हूँ।

Meaning: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the home, the refuge and the friend. I am the origin and the dissolution, the ground, the treasure-house and the seed that never perishes.

Verse 9.19

तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च।
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन॥

Tapamy aham aham varsham nigrihnamy utsrijami cha,
amritam chaiva mrityush cha sad asach chaham arjuna.

अर्थ: हे अर्जुन, मैं ही (सूर्य बनकर) तपाता हूँ, मैं ही वर्षा को रोकता और बरसाता हूँ। अमृत और मृत्यु भी मैं हूँ, और सत् और असत् (जो है और जो नहीं दिखता) भी मैं ही हूँ।

Meaning: I give heat; I hold back the rain and send it down. I am immortality and also death, Arjuna; I am both what is and what is not.

Verses 9.20–9.25: heaven, return, and the Lord who provides

Why heaven gained by ritual does not last, and how Krishna cares for those who rely on him alone.

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Verse 9.20

त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोकमश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्॥

Trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa yajnair ishtva svar-gatim prarthayante,
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam ashnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan.

अर्थ: तीनों वेदों के कर्मकांड करने वाले, सोमरस पीने वाले और पाप से शुद्ध हुए लोग यज्ञों से मेरी पूजा करके स्वर्ग जाना चाहते हैं। वे अपने पुण्य से इंद्र का लोक पाकर स्वर्ग में देवताओं के दिव्य सुख भोगते हैं।

Meaning: Those who follow the rituals of the three Vedas, drink the soma and are cleansed of wrong worship me with sacrifices and pray to reach heaven. Gaining the holy world of Indra by their merit, they enjoy the divine pleasures of the gods in heaven.

Verse 9.21

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते॥

Te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam vishalam kshine punye martya-lokam vishanti,
evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna gatagatam kama-kama labhante.

अर्थ: उस विशाल स्वर्गलोक को भोगकर, पुण्य समाप्त होने पर वे फिर मनुष्यों के लोक में आ जाते हैं। इस तरह तीनों वेदों के कर्मकांड पर चलने वाले, सुख चाहने वाले लोग आते-जाते (जन्म लेते और मरते) रहते हैं।

Meaning: Having enjoyed that vast world of heaven, when their merit is used up they enter the world of mortals again. So those who follow the rituals of the three Vedas, seeking pleasures, keep coming and going.

Verse 9.22

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥

Ananyash chintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate,
tesham nityabhiyuktanam yoga-kshemam vahamy aham.

अर्थ: जो लोग किसी और ओर न देखकर केवल मेरा चिंतन करते हुए मेरी उपासना करते हैं, सदा मुझसे जुड़े उन लोगों का योगक्षेम मैं स्वयं वहन करता हूँ: जो उनके पास नहीं है वह जुटाता हूँ और जो है उसकी रक्षा करता हूँ।

Meaning: Those who worship me thinking of me alone, ever devoted, I myself carry their welfare: I bring them what they lack and keep safe what they have.

Verse 9.23

येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः।
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम्॥

Ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta yajante shraddhayanvitah,
te 'pi mam eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-purvakam.

अर्थ: हे कौन्तेय, जो भक्त श्रद्धा के साथ दूसरे देवताओं की पूजा करते हैं, वे भी वास्तव में मेरी ही पूजा करते हैं, पर सही समझ (विधि) के बिना।

Meaning: Even those who are devoted to other gods and worship them with faith are in fact worshipping me alone, Arjuna, though not in the fullest way.

Verse 9.24

अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च।
न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते॥

Aham hi sarva-yajnanam bhokta cha prabhur eva cha,
na tu mam abhijananti tattvenatash chyavanti te.

अर्थ: क्योंकि सब यज्ञों का भोक्ता (स्वीकार करने वाला) और स्वामी मैं ही हूँ। पर वे मुझे सच में नहीं पहचानते, इसलिए गिर जाते (फिर जन्म लेते) हैं।

Meaning: For I alone am the one who receives all offerings and the Lord of them. But they do not know me as I truly am, and so they fall back.

Verse 9.25

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्॥

Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrin yanti pitri-vratah,
bhutani yanti bhutejya yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam.

अर्थ: देवताओं की पूजा करने वाले देवताओं को पाते हैं, पितरों की पूजा करने वाले पितरों को, भूत-प्राणियों की पूजा करने वाले उन्हीं को, और मेरी पूजा करने वाले मुझे ही पाते हैं।

Meaning: 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.

Verses 9.26–9.34: a leaf, a flower, and the promise to the devotee

The simplest offering, making all of life an offering, and Krishna’s promise that no devotee is lost.

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Verse 9.26

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥

Patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayachchhati,
tad aham bhakty-upahritam ashnami prayatatmanah.

अर्थ: जो मुझे प्रेम से एक पत्ता, फूल, फल या जल अर्पित करता है, उस शुद्ध मन वाले की प्रेम से दी गई भेंट को मैं स्वीकार करता हूँ (ग्रहण करता हूँ)।

Meaning: Whoever offers me with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of love from a pure heart I accept.

Verse 9.27

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्।
यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम्॥

Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat,
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurushva mad-arpanam.

अर्थ: हे कौन्तेय, तुम जो कुछ करते हो, जो खाते हो, जो हवन करते हो, जो दान देते हो और जो तप करते हो, वह सब मुझे अर्पण करके करो।

Meaning: Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in the fire, whatever you give and whatever discipline you practise, Arjuna, do it as an offering to me.

Verse 9.28

शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः।
संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि॥

Shubhashubha-phalair evam mokshyase karma-bandhanaih,
sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma vimukto mam upaishyasi.

अर्थ: इस तरह तुम अच्छे और बुरे फल देने वाले कर्म के बंधनों से छूट जाओगे। संन्यास के योग से जुड़े मन वाले तुम मुक्त होकर मुझे पा लोगे।

Meaning: In this way you will be freed from the bonds of action that bring good and bad results. With your heart set on this yoga of letting go, you will be free and come to me.

Verse 9.29

समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः।
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम्॥

Samo 'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo 'sti na priyah,
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya mayi te teshu chapy aham.

अर्थ: मैं सब प्राणियों में समान हूँ; न कोई मुझे अप्रिय है, न (विशेष) प्रिय। पर जो प्रेम से मुझे भजते हैं, वे मुझमें हैं और मैं भी उनमें हूँ।

Meaning: I am the same to all beings; no one is hateful to me and no one is favoured. But those who worship me with love are in me, and I am in them.

Verse 9.30

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः॥

Api chet suduracharo bhajate mam ananya-bhak,
sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah.

अर्थ: यदि कोई बहुत बुरे आचरण वाला व्यक्ति भी अनन्य भाव से मुझे भजता है, तो उसे साधु ही मानना चाहिए, क्योंकि उसने सही निश्चय कर लिया है।

Meaning: Even if someone of very bad conduct worships me with undivided devotion, that person should be thought of as good, for they have made the right resolve.

Verse 9.31

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति॥

Kshipram bhavati dharmatma shashvach chhantim nigachchhati,
kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranashyati.

अर्थ: वह जल्दी ही धर्मात्मा बन जाता है और सदा रहने वाली शांति पाता है। हे कौन्तेय, निश्चित रूप से जान लो (यह घोषणा कर दो) कि मेरे भक्त का कभी नाश नहीं होता।

Meaning: Soon that person becomes righteous and finds lasting peace. Know this for certain, Arjuna, and declare it: my devotee is never lost.

Verse 9.32

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्॥

Mam hi partha vyapashritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah,
striyo vaishyas tatha shudras te 'pi yanti param gatim.

अर्थ: हे पार्थ, मेरी शरण लेकर वे लोग भी परम गति पाते हैं जिन्हें (उस समय का समाज) नीचा मानता था, चाहे स्त्रियाँ हों, वैश्य हों या शूद्र। (टीकाकार “पापयोनयः” को कभी अलग समूह, कभी बाकी नामों का विशेषण मानते हैं; श्लोक का भाव यह है कि भक्ति से कोई भी वंचित नहीं।)

Meaning: Partha, even those whom the society of the time held low, women, vaishyas and shudras, reach the highest goal by taking refuge in me. (Commentators read “papa-yonayah”, those of lowly birth, either as a separate group or as describing the others; the point of the verse is that no one is shut out from devotion.)

Verse 9.33

किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा।
अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम्॥

Kim punar brahmanah punya bhakta rajarshayas tatha,
anityam asukham lokam imam prapya bhajasva mam.

अर्थ: तो फिर पुण्यात्मा ब्राह्मणों और भक्त राजर्षियों का क्या कहना! इसलिए इस अस्थायी और सुखहीन संसार में आकर तुम मुझे भजो।

Meaning: How much more, then, the pure brahmins and the devoted royal sages! Having come into this passing and joyless world, worship me.

Verse 9.34

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु।
मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः॥

Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru,
mam evaishyasi yuktvaivam atmanam mat-parayanah.

अर्थ: मुझमें मन लगाओ, मेरे भक्त बनो, मेरी पूजा करो, मुझे नमस्कार करो। इस तरह अपने आप को मुझसे जोड़कर, मुझे ही अपना लक्ष्य मानकर, तुम मुझे ही पाओगे।

Meaning: Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, worship me, bow to me. Joining yourself to me in this way, with me as your goal, you will come to me.

Chapter colophon

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोगो नाम नवमोऽध्यायः॥

Om tat sad iti shrimad-bhagavad-gitasu upanishatsu brahma-vidyayam yoga-shastre
shri-krishnarjuna-samvade raja-vidya-raja-guhya-yogo nama navamo 'dhyayah.

अर्थ: ॐ तत् सत्। इस प्रकार उपनिषद रूपी श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता में, जो ब्रह्मविद्या और योगशास्त्र है, श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन के संवाद में “राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग” नाम का नौवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ।

Meaning: Om tat sat. Thus ends the ninth chapter, called “the yoga of the royal knowledge and the royal secret”, in the Bhagavad Gita, an Upanishad, the knowledge of Brahman and a scripture of yoga, in the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna.

Questions

What does “patram pushpam phalam toyam” (Gita 9.26) mean?

Krishna says that whoever offers him even a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water with love, he accepts it. What matters is not the size or cost of the offering but the love and the pure heart behind it. This is why simple offerings of tulsi leaves, flowers and water are so common in daily worship.

What does “yoga-kshemam vahamy aham” (Gita 9.22) mean?

“Yoga” here means gaining what one does not have, and “kshema” means keeping safe what one has. Krishna says that for those who rely on him alone, he himself carries both. It is a statement of care and trust, traditionally understood together with the Gita’s call to keep doing one’s duty.

Why is chapter 9 called the “royal knowledge, royal secret”?

In 9.2 Krishna calls this teaching the king among all kinds of knowledge and the king among secrets: the highest knowledge, and one that is not obvious until it is shown. Yet he also says it can be known by direct experience and is very easy to practise, since it rests on simple devotion that anyone can offer.

What does “na me bhaktah pranashyati” (Gita 9.31) mean?

“My devotee is never lost.” Krishna says this right after saying that even someone who has done great wrong, once they turn to him wholeheartedly, soon becomes good and finds lasting peace. He asks Arjuna to declare it with confidence, so it is read as a promise of hope that no one is beyond change.

Text and sources

The Sanskrit text is public domain. We checked all 34 verses and the colophon one by one against the chapter on Sanskrit Wikisource (“Bhagavadgita/Rajavidyarajaguhyayogah”) and the Srimad Bhagavad Gita text of IIT Kanpur’s Gita Supersite (heritage.iitk.ac.in), whose text the open “gita/gita” dataset also reproduces (we used only its Sanskrit), comparing them by program after normalising punctuation and spelling conventions. Where they differ we follow the Gita Press reading. Differences: in 9.21 we read “evam trayi-dharmam” with Wikisource and Gita Press, where IIT Kanpur and the dataset have “eva”; in 9.31 we write “pratijanihi” as one word, as in IIT Kanpur and Gita Press, where Wikisource has a space. The long-metre verses 9.20 and 9.21, which some editions print in four short lines, are given here in two lines, one half-verse per line, as on our other chapter pages. The transliteration and meanings are our own.

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