Chapter 9 of 18
Yoga through the King of Sciences
The ninth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Raja Vidya Yoga. In this chapter, Krishna explains that He is Supreme and how this material existence is created, maintained and destroyed by His Yogmaya and all beings come and go under his supervision. He reveals the Role and the Importance of Bhakti (transcendental devotional service) towards our Spiritual Awakening. In such devotion, one must live for the God, offer everything that he possesses to Him and do everything for Him only. One who follows such devotion becomes free from the bonds of this material world and unites with the Lord.
34 of 34 verses available
श्रीभगवानुवाच | इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे | ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ||९-१||
Krishna tells Arjuna that He is about to share the deepest spiritual truth with him because Arjuna listens without cynicism or fault-finding. This is not just information to know intellectually, but wisdom to experience personally; understanding it can free a person from the suffering and binding effects of worldly life.
राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् | प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ||९-२||
Krishna says this spiritual wisdom is the highest knowledge and the deepest secret because it purifies the heart and can be experienced directly, not merely believed in. It follows the path of dharma, is joyful and practical to live by, and its benefit never fades away.
अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप | अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ||९-३||
Krishna says that without faith in this spiritual path, a person does not come to know or reach the Divine. They remain caught in the repeated cycle of worldly striving, death, and rebirth. This is not a call for blind belief, but an invitation to approach spiritual truth with sincerity and openness rather than rejecting it without trying to understand it.
मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना | मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ||९-४||
Krishna says that His unseen divine presence pervades the whole universe. Every being depends on Him and exists within His sustaining reality, yet He is not limited, contained, or bound by any individual being or object. This invites us to see the sacred presence behind all life while remembering that God is far greater than the world we can perceive.
न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् | भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ||९-५||
Krishna reveals a truth beyond ordinary logic: all beings depend on Him for their existence, yet He is not limited, contained, or affected by them. He sustains and brings forth the whole creation while remaining completely free and transcendent—this is the wonder of His divine power.
यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान् | तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ||९-६||
Krishna gives a simple image: the wind moves freely in every direction, yet it exists within the vast sky. In the same way, every living being exists within the Divine presence. We may feel separate and independent, but our life, strength, and existence are continually supported by God.
सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् | कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ||९-७||
Krishna says that all beings return to His divine nature when a cosmic cycle ends, and He brings them forth again when a new cycle begins. Life and creation are part of a vast divine rhythm, reminding us that nothing in this world is permanent and that the Supreme remains present through every beginning and ending.
प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः | भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् ||९-८||
Krishna says that through His divine power, the whole world of living beings comes into existence again and again. Bound by the laws of material nature, beings take birth and move through life’s cycles; this reminds us that creation is not random, but unfolds under a higher order.
न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय | उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ||९-९||
Krishna says that although He oversees the workings of creation, He is not trapped or bound by those actions, because He remains unattached. The teaching for us is to do our responsibilities sincerely without becoming possessive about the results; when action is free from clinging, it does not become a source of inner bondage.
मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् | हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ||९-१०||
Krishna says that Nature brings forth all living and non-living things, but it works under His guiding presence. The constantly changing cycle of creation, growth, decay, and renewal is not random; it unfolds within a larger divine order. Remembering this can help us see beyond our limited control and place greater trust in God’s wisdom.
अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् | परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ||९-११||
Krishna says that people who judge only by outward appearances fail to recognise the divine when it comes close to them in a human form. Seeing only the ordinary surface, they overlook His true nature as the Supreme Lord who sustains all beings. The verse invites us to look beyond appearances and ego, with humility and deeper understanding.
मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः | राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ||९-१२||
When people lose touch with higher values and act from delusion, even their hopes, efforts, and learning fail to give real fulfilment. Krishna warns against a destructive, self-centred mindset that clouds judgment and turns knowledge and action away from what is truly good.
महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः | भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ||९-१३||
Krishna says that noble souls take refuge in their higher, divine nature and turn to Him with undivided love. They understand that the Divine is the eternal source behind every living being, so their devotion is not casual—it becomes the steady centre of their thoughts and life.
सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः | नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ||९-१४||
True devotees keep their connection with God alive in every part of life. With steady effort, faith, humility, and loving remembrance, they worship Him not only through prayer but through a heart that remains devoted each day.
ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते | एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ||९-१५||
People approach the Divine in different ways. Some meditate on the one all-pervading reality, some worship God as present in every distinct being, and some honour the many forms through which the Divine is expressed. Krishna teaches that sincere spiritual seeking can recognise the same Supreme Presence from these different perspectives.
अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् | मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ||९-१६||
Krishna says that the Divine is present in every part of worship: the ritual, the prayer, the offerings, the fire, and even the one who offers. This reminds us that God is not limited to a temple or ceremony; when we act with sincerity and devotion, ordinary actions too can become an offering to the Divine.
पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः | वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ||९-१७||
Krishna says that the Divine is not distant from life: He is the caring father and mother of the world, the one who sustains all beings and gives the results of their actions. He is also the deepest truth to be known, the sacred sound Om, and the wisdom expressed through the Vedas. This verse invites us to see God as the source, support, and guiding presence behind all of life.
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् | प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ||९-१८||
Krishna says that the Divine is present in every essential support of life: the destination we seek, the strength that sustains us, the home we belong to, and the refuge we can turn to. God is also the silent witness within all experiences—the source from which life arises, the ground on which it exists, and the imperishable seed that remains even when everything changes or ends. Remembering this can bring deep trust: we are never truly without support or a true well-wisher.
तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च | अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ||९-१९||
Krishna says that the forces of nature and the whole cycle of life are expressions of the Divine: the sun’s heat, the coming and withholding of rain, life’s continuity, and death’s ending. He is present in what appears and what disappears, reminding us that no phase of life is outside His larger order.
त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते | ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक- मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ||९-२०||
Krishna says that people who follow Vedic rituals and sacrifices seeking heaven may attain the heavenly world and enjoy its refined pleasures. But their aim is still a reward, not lasting union with God; the verse prepares us to look beyond temporary heavenly enjoyment toward loving devotion to the Divine.
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति | एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ||९-२१||
Those who seek heavenly pleasures through ritual and good deeds do enjoy their rewards, but only for as long as their accumulated merit lasts. When that merit is spent, they return to mortal life; chasing temporary desires keeps a person moving through this repeated cycle of coming and going rather than reaching lasting freedom.
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते | तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ||९-२२||
Krishna assures those who turn to Him with single-hearted devotion and keep their connection with Him alive: He takes care of what they truly need and protects what is already good and valuable in their lives. This is not a promise that life will have no difficulties; it is an invitation to let faith replace the constant burden of trying to control and secure everything alone.
येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः | तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ||९-२३||
Krishna says that people who worship different deities with sincere faith are, in essence, also worshipping the one Supreme Reality. Yet when they see those deities as separate and ultimate, rather than recognising the Supreme behind all worship, their understanding remains incomplete. The verse honours sincere faith while pointing us towards a deeper sense of spiritual unity.
अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च | न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ||९-२४||
Krishna says that every act of worship and sacrifice ultimately reaches Him, because He is both its true receiver and its supreme source. But when people focus only on rituals or limited goals without recognising this deeper truth, they remain bound to temporary results and the cycle of worldly return.
यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः | भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ||९-२५||
Krishna says that our worship shapes the goal we move toward: those devoted to particular gods or ancestral rites reach those respective realms, while those who worship the Supreme with devotion attain Him. The verse invites us to reflect on where we are placing our deepest faith and attention, because our inner commitment guides the direction of our life and spiritual journey.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति | तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ||९-२६||
Krishna says that what matters most is not the size or cost of an offering, but the love and sincerity behind it. Even a simple leaf, flower, fruit, or a little water becomes precious when it is offered with a pure and devoted heart. True devotion is open to everyone, regardless of wealth or status.
यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् | यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ||९-२७||
Krishna asks Arjuna to bring God into every part of daily life—not only prayer or worship. Whatever you do, eat, give, or practise with discipline, offer it inwardly to Him. This attitude turns ordinary actions into devotion and helps free the mind from ego, attachment, and the burden of constantly claiming, “This is all for me.”
शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः | संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ||९-२८||
When you offer your actions and their results to God instead of clinging to success or fearing failure, you are no longer trapped by the consequences of good or bad deeds. This spirit of inner renunciation frees the heart and gradually leads you closer to the Divine.
समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः | ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ||९-२९||
God’s love and presence are equally available to every being; He does not play favourites or reject anyone. Yet when a person turns towards Him with sincere devotion, they begin to experience a close, living connection with Him—God dwells in their heart, and they live in God’s presence.
अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् | साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ||९-३०||
Even someone with a troubled past or seriously wrong habits can begin to change through wholehearted devotion to God. If their inner resolve has truly turned towards the right path, they should not be dismissed forever by their past; their sincere direction and transformation deserve to be recognised.
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति | कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ||९-३१||
A person who turns sincerely towards God does not remain trapped in their past mistakes. With genuine devotion, their character begins to change quickly, they move towards lasting inner peace, and Krishna assures Arjuna that a true devotee is never abandoned or spiritually lost.
मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः | स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ||९-३२||
Krishna says that no one is excluded from the path to the highest spiritual fulfilment. Whatever a person’s social position, past circumstances, or the labels society places on them, sincere refuge in God and loving devotion can lead them to the Supreme Goal. This verse affirms that spiritual worth is not limited by birth or status.
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा | अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ||९-३३||
Krishna says that those who are already virtuous and devoted can certainly reach Him. But His message is for everyone: this worldly life is temporary and cannot give lasting happiness, so use this precious human life to turn towards God with loving devotion.
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु | मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ||९-३४||
Keep your mind connected to Krishna, love Him with devotion, offer your worship and actions to Him, and bow with humility. When God becomes the centre and highest purpose of your life, your whole being is guided toward Him and you draw closer to spiritual freedom.
