SUPREME KNOWLEDGE AND THE BIG MYSTERY

[gokulkr]

SUPREME KNOWLEDGE AND THE BIG MYSTERY

 

The Supreme Lord said: I shall reveal to you, who do not disbelieve,

the most profound secret of Self-knowledge and Self-realization.

Having known this you will be freed from the miseries of worldly

existence. (9.01)

 

This knowledge is the king of all knowledge, is the most secret, is

very sacred, it can be perceived by instinct, conforms to Dharma, is

very easy to practice, and is imperishable. (9.02)

 

O Arjuna, those who have no faith in this knowledge follow the cycle

of birth and death without attaining Me. (9.03)

 

This entire universe is pervaded by Me, the unmanifest Brahman. All

beings depend on (or remain in) Me (like a chain depends on gold). I

do not depend on them. (See also 7.12) (9.04)

 

>From a Dvaitic or dualistic view point, waves depend on the ocean,

the ocean does not depend on the waves. But, from a Advaitic or

non-dualistic point of view, as stated in verse 9.05 below, the

question of wave abiding in the ocean or the ocean abiding in the

wave does not arise, because there is no wave or ocean. It is water

only. Similarly, everything is a manifestation of Brahman only. (Gita

7.19)

 

And yet beings, in reality, do not remain in Me. Look at the power of

My divine mystery. Though the sustainer and creator of all beings, I

do not remain in them. (In reality, the chain does not depend on

gold; the chain is nothing but gold. Also, matter and energy are

different as well as non-different). (9.05)

 

Consider that all beings remain in Me (without any contact or without

producing any effect) as the mighty wind, moving everywhere,

eternally remains in space. (9.06)

 

All beings merge into My Prakriti at the end of a Kalpa (or a cycle

of 4.32 billion years), O Arjuna, and I create (or manifest) them

again at the beginning of the next Kalpa. (9.07)

 

Using My Prakriti I create, again and again, the entire multitude of

beings that are helpless, being under the control of (the Gunas of)

Prakriti. (9.08)

 

These acts of creation do not bind Me, O Arjuna, because I remain

indifferent and unattached to those acts. (9.09)

 

The Prakriti or nature, under My supervision, creates all animate and

inanimate objects; and thus the creation keeps on going, O Arjuna.

(See also 14.03) (9.10)

 

The ignorant ones, not knowing My supreme natures as the great Lord

of all beings, disregard Me when I assume human form. (9.11)

 

The ignorant persons having false hopes, false actions, and false

knowledge, possess the delusive (or Taamasika) qualities (See

16.04-18) of fiends and demons. (9.12)

 

But great souls, O Arjuna, who possess divine qualities (See

16.01-03) know Me as the (material and efficient) cause of creation

and imperishable, and worship Me single-mindedly. (9.13)

 

Persons of firm resolve worship Me with ever steadfast devotion by

always singing My glories, striving to attain Me, and prostrating

before Me. (9.14)

 

Some worship Me by knowledge sacrifice. Others worship the infinite

as the one in all (or non-dual), as the master of all (or dual), and

in various other ways. (9.15)

 

I am the ritual, I am the Yajna, I am the offering, I am the herb, I

am the mantra, I am the Ghee, I am the fire, and I am the oblation.

(See also 4.24) (9.16)

 

I am the supporter of the universe, the father, the mother, and the

grandfather. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier, the sacred

syllable OM, and also the Rig, the Yajur, and the Sama Vedas. (9.17)

 

I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the

refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the

substratum, and the imperishable seed. (See also 7.10 and 10.39)

(9.18)

 

I give heat, I send as well as withhold the rain, I am immortality as

well as death, I am also both the Sat and the Asat, O Arjuna.

(Brahman is everything, See also 13.12) (9.19)

 

The knowers of the three Vedas and the drinkers of the juice of Soma

(or devotion), whose sins are cleansed, worship Me by Yajna for

gaining heaven. As a result of their good Karma they go to heaven and

enjoy celestial sense pleasures. (9.20)

 

Having enjoyed the wide world of heavenly sense pleasures they return

to the mortal world upon exhaustion of their good Karma (or Punya).

Thus following the injunctions of three Vedas, the fruitive workers

take repeated birth and death. (See also 8.25) (9.21)

 

To those ever steadfast devotees, who always remember or worship Me

with single-minded contemplation, I personally take responsibility

for their welfare. (9.22)

 

O Arjuna, even those devotees who worship demigods with faith, they

too worship Me, but in an improper way. (9.23)

 

Because I alone am the enjoyer of all Yajna, and the Lord. But,

people do not know My true transcendental nature. Therefore, they

fall (into the repeated cycles of birth and death). (9.24)

 

Worshippers of the demigods go to the demigods, the worshippers of

the ancestors go to the ancestors, and the worshippers of the ghosts

go to the ghosts, but My devotees come to Me (and are not born

again). (See also 8.16) (9.25)

 

Whosoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with

devotion; I accept and eat the offering of devotion by the

pure-hearted. (9.26)

 

O Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as

oblation to the sacred fire, whatever charity you give, whatever

austerity you perform, do all that as an offering unto Me. (See also

12.10, 18.46) (9.27)

 

By this attitude of complete renunciation (or Samnyasa-yoga) you

shall be freed from the bondage, good and bad, of Karma. You shall be

liberated, and come to Me. (9.28)

 

The Self is present equally in all beings. There is no one hateful or

dear to Me. But, those who worship Me with devotion, they are with Me

and I am also with them. (See also 7.18) (9.29)

 

Even if the most sinful person resolves to worship Me with

single-minded loving devotion, such a person must be regarded as a

saint because of making the right resolution. (9.30)

 

Such a person soon becomes righteous and attains everlasting peace.

Be aware, O Arjuna, that My devotee never falls down. (9.31)

 

Anybody, including women, merchants, laborers, and the evil-minded

can attain the supreme goal by just surrendering unto My will (with

loving devotion), O Arjuna. (See also 18.66) (9.32)

 

Then, it should be very easy for the holy Braahmanas and devout royal

sages (to attain the Supreme state). Therefore, having obtained this

joyless and transient human life, one should always remember Me with

loving devotion. (9.33)

 

Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow down to

Me. Thus uniting yourself with Me, and setting Me as the supreme goal

and sole refuge, you shall certainly realize (or come to) Me. (9.34)