2. In this Chapter Krishna declares to Arjun
the most secret knowledge that is
known only by direct experience.
He calls this knowledge, not just secr
et (guhya), but most secret (guhyata
mam). It is knowledge hidden from all
but the knowers of Brahman - The
Supreme One, yet it can be spoken
about to those who
are approaching that knowledge. Essen
tially, Krishna is giving us the knowle
dge that inevitably leads to that
Supreme Knowledge.
3. It is most secret because it is utterly
incomprehensible, hidden to
a consciousness that is not awakened
and already purified to a marked
degree. For regarding those
not awakened and not purified it ca
n justly be said:
“ seeing they do not
perceive, and hearing they do not
listen, nor do they understand.”
(Matthew 13:13)
4. He
then tells us that this great knowledge is
both intellectual knowledge (jnana) and
the spiritual knowledge (vijnana) that comes
from true spiritual experience.
It is a knowing that is based on Being. In
other words, it is the knowing of an adept
yogi(skilful).
He proceeds to describe His nature as the
eternal Truth. He is everything that is
invisible and visible. He pervades everything
that exists. He creates everything, sustains
everything, and at the time of final
dissolution, absorbs everything into Himself,
to manifest them again when the next
creation begins.
5. In the midst of this creation,
preservation and dissolution of the
universe, the Lord stands as a silent
witness, unaffected and unattached,
the sole director and supervisor of
this Cosmic Prakriti created by Him.
6. “This whole universe is pervaded by
Me in My unmanifest aspect. All beings
abide in Me; I do not abide in them.”
(9:4)
It is a mistake to think of creation and
Spirit as two “layers” of reality like oil
and water. Rather, Unmanifest Spirit
(Avyakta) pervades everything.
7. There is no point of existence where Spirit is
not. On the other hand, there is the vast realm of
Spirit in which there is nothing–or no thing–at all.
Spirit pervades matter, but matter does not per
vade Spirit.
Nervertheless, there is an intimate connection bet
ween the two, for all relative existence exists within
the Unmanifest.
It is as if the whole universe is a holographic
projection where the ‘projected’ hologram (vyakta
prakriti) is actually unreal, and the invisible waves
creating the holographic presence (avyakta) are the
only Reality.
8. sri-bhagavan uvaca
idam tu te guhyatamam
pravaksyamy anasuyave
jnanam vijnana-sahitam
yaj jnatva moksyase ‘subhat
Sri Bhagavan said : This indeed to you most secret I
shall declare not-disbelieving one (or not-jealous
one), wisdom and discrimination combined, which
having known, you’ll be released from impurity.
9. Shloka 2
raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam
Royal-knowledge, royal secret, pure this supreme,
which can be plainly understood (before eyes)
dharmic, easily practised imperishable.
10. Shloka 3
asraddadhanah purusa
dharmasyasya parantapa
aprapya mam nivartante
mrtyu-samsara-vartmani
Those of no-faith men, this dharma O Scorcher
of foe (Arjuna), not attaining me return (to)
death-transmigration-path.
11. Shloka 4
maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah
By me pervaded this all universe, (by my)
unmanifest-aspect, in me abiding all beings, and
not I in them abiding.
