Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 2

English Translation

This is the Sovereign Knowledge, the Sovereign Profundity, the best sanctifire; directly realizable, righteous, very easy to practise and imperishable.

Detailed Commentary

।।9.2।। Explanation—*Rāja-vidyā*: This *vijñāna* and *jñāna* (knowledge combined with realization) is the sovereign of all studies, because upon knowing it perfectly, nothing else remains to be known. In the beginning of the seventh chapter, the Lord stated: “After knowing My complete form, nothing remains to be known.” At the end of the fifteenth chapter, it is said: “The undeluded person who knows Me to be beyond the *Kṣara* (perishable) and superior to the *Akṣara* (imperishable), he becomes *Sarvavit*” (knower of all), meaning nothing remains for him to know. This indicates that among all the forms of the Lord—with attributes and without attributes, manifest and unmanifest, with form and without form—the Lord’s *Saguṇa-Sākāra* (with attributes, with form) aspect holds special glory. *Rāja-guhyam*: Among all secrets in the world, this is the sovereign; for there is no greater secret in the world than this. Just as in a play, a character performing before everyone reveals his true identity, that revelation is exceptionally confidential; for in the role he plays, he keeps his true self hidden. Similarly, when the Lord performs His *Līlā* (divine play) in human form, non-devotees consider Him merely human and disregard Him. Therefore, the Lord does not reveal Himself to them (Gītā 7.25). But to His beloved devotees, the Lord reveals Himself. This revelation itself is an extremely confidential matter. *Pavitram idam*: There is no knowledge as pure as this *vidyā*; meaning this knowledge is the ultimate peak of purity. Even the greatest sinner, the most immoral, quickly becomes righteous through this knowledge, meaning he becomes pure and attains eternal peace (9.31). In the tenth chapter, Arjuna declared the Lord to be supremely pure—*Pavitraṁ Paramaṁ Bhavān* (10.12); in the fourth chapter, the Lord described knowledge as pure—*Na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha vidyate* (4.38). And here, by giving the epithets like *Rāja-vidyā*, He has described knowledge accompanied by *vijñāna* as pure. The implication is that the name, form, *Līlā*, abode, remembrance, chanting (*Kīrtana*), recitation (*Japa*), meditation (*Dhyāna*), knowledge (*Jñāna*) of the pure Supreme Being—all these are pure; meaning everything related to Bhagavān is pure and purifies all beings. *Uttamam*: This is the supreme best. There is no other object, person, event, or circumstance equal to it. This is the ultimate peak of excellence, because through this knowledge, My devotee becomes the best of all. He becomes so superior that even I obey his commands. Those who know and experience this knowledge accompanied by *vijñāna*, the Lord says, “They are in Me, and I am in them”—*Mayi te teṣu cāpyaham* (9.29); meaning they become absorbed in Me and become My very form. *Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ*: Its fruit is directly perceivable. The more one knows it, the more one experiences a unique transformation within oneself. By knowing this, one attains the supreme state—this is its direct result. *Dharmyaṁ*: This is righteous. All duties performed with a selfless attitude, aiming at the Supreme Being, fall under this righteousness. This knowledge accompanied by *vijñāna* is replete with all righteousness. In the second chapter, the Lord told Arjuna that there is no better path for a *Kṣatriya* than a righteous war—*Dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate* (2.31). This proves that all prescribed duties according to one's *varṇa* and *āśrama* are righteous. The means to attain Bhagavān and the characteristics of devotees are called *Dharmyāmṛta* by the Lord (Gītā 12.20), meaning these are all capable of leading to the attainment of the Lord and are therefore righteous. *Avyayam*: It never diminishes, and is therefore imperishable. The Lord said about His devotee, “My devotee never perishes”—*Na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati* (9.31). *Kartuṁ susukham*: It is very easy to perform. How simple it is to offer a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water to the Lord, considering it as His (9.26)! By offering things to the Lord, considering them as one's own, the Lord returns them manifold. By offering them considering them as His, the Lord gives Himself. What effort is there in this? Here, one only needs to rectify one's mistake. My attainment is easy, simple; because I am everywhere, so I am here; I am at all times, so I am now. Whatever is seen, heard, or understood, I am in it. All human beings are Mine, and I am theirs. But by not focusing on Me, and by focusing on *Prakṛti* (nature), they fail to attain Me and are repeatedly born and die. If they pay even a little attention to Me, My unworldliness and uniqueness become apparent to them, and they experience that they have no connection with *Prakṛti* and a profound connection with the Lord. Connection: Even though this *vidyā* is so simple and supreme, why do people not benefit from it? On this, it is said—