श्रीः
प्रपन्नपारिजाताय तोत्रवेत्रैकपाणये । ज्ञानमुद्राय कृष्णाय गीतामृतदुहे नमः ॥
ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय
Chapter 9. राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोगः
In Chapter 8 Akshara Brahma Yoga, Bhagavan Sri Krishna spoke about the importance of being a yogi. Those who follow the uttarayana path, reach Brahma loka, from where they attain krama-mukti by attaining Brahma-jnanam. The others return to this world and have to continue their sadhana until they attain Brahma-jnanam. These paths follow the death of the physical body. However, it is possible to realise Brahman here and in this body itself. When one gets this knowledge, that is, knowledge of the self and stays firmly yoked to the self, one remains ever-aware of one's own immortal nature - he lives in the state of yoga. He is the yogi - he has understood that his true nature transcends time and space. It is the ever-present existence-consciousness-bliss.
In Chapter 9, Bhagavan explains the importance of this knowledge (jnanam) and realisation (vijnanam). When the nature of Ishvara / Vasudeva is truly understood, one finds him everywhere in the material world as well. Everyday life is divinised, the person remains equanimous, the mind is quietened and the ego is surrendered. In a mind free of ripples, the self manifests clearly and 'aham brahma asmi' is no longer a theoretical possibility but one's own experienced truth.
The chapter starts with Bhagavan explaining the greatness of the knowledge - it is esoteric because it is about the self, which is hidden in the heart-cave. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi's mahavakyam is - हृदयकुहरमध्ये केवलं ब्रह्ममात्रं ह्यहमहमिति साक्षादात्मरूपेण भाति - in the cave of the (spiritual) heart, Brahman alone shines as "I". If we do not pay attention to it, or enquire into it, we do not realise it. Atma vichara points us to it - the sense of "I" that is experienced is the clue as to how to find the way to it.
Bhagavan also talks about the importance of shraddha, in reaching the truth. This shraddha arises when the mind is pure, the intellect is able to discriminate between the eternal and the non-eternal and dispassion for the non-eternal has been developed. The shraddha puts us on the spiritual path and brings about our association with the guru, and guides us into satsanga.
Bhagavan goes on to describe his all-pervading nature. Though the world of perceived objects is created by him, they do not have their own independent existence. He alone exists, as the source and substratum of all.
The example given here is that of space. Though wind moves everywhere (like the world of objects), it still remains in space (like how the world of objects remains in the substratum, which is Ishvara). Space is all-pervading, limitless and detached, like Vasudeva. Everything has one divine source - Vasudeva, which, as Bhagavan is soon to declare in chapter 10, is the aatma within each of the beings in the world. (अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूतशयः स्थितः - 10.20).
Bhagavad Gita reflects the Shruti in this regard - तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः सम्भूतः | आकाशाद्वायुः | वायोरग्निः | अग्नेरापः | अद्भ्यः पृथिवी | पृथिव्या ओषधयः | ओषधिभ्यो अन्नम् | अन्नात् पुरुषः | - Taittiriya Upanishad - Brahmanandavalli 2.1.
From that (Brahman), verily from this aatma, akasha (space) is born; from akasha air is born; from air fire is born; from fire water is born; from water the earth is born; from earth plants are born; from plants food is born, and from food, man is created.
The example given here is that of space. Though wind moves everywhere (like the world of objects), it still remains in space (like how the world of objects remains in the substratum, which is Ishvara). Space is all-pervading, limitless and detached, like Vasudeva. Everything has one divine source - Vasudeva, which, as Bhagavan is soon to declare in chapter 10, is the aatma within each of the beings in the world. (अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूतशयः स्थितः - 10.20).
Bhagavad Gita reflects the Shruti in this regard - तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः सम्भूतः | आकाशाद्वायुः | वायोरग्निः | अग्नेरापः | अद्भ्यः पृथिवी | पृथिव्या ओषधयः | ओषधिभ्यो अन्नम् | अन्नात् पुरुषः | - Taittiriya Upanishad - Brahmanandavalli 2.1.
From that (Brahman), verily from this aatma, akasha (space) is born; from akasha air is born; from air fire is born; from fire water is born; from water the earth is born; from earth plants are born; from plants food is born, and from food, man is created.
The cycle of birth and death is governed by prakriti, who is under the control of Vasudeva. Under his supervision, prakriti brings forth all entities, moving and non-moving. However Vasudeva remains the unimpacted witness. Hidden inside all creatures, he witnesses their actions and enlivens them. So why do we not realise that our true self is Ishvara / Vasudeva? The reason is in shloka 9.11 - we disregard Ishvara, having limited him to a specific form, without realising that he is both transcendant (the higher power around us) and immanent (my own self). We do not understand his true nature, which helps us recognise this as our own true nature. Our perception is limited to the surface, to the world of objects, names and forms, because we do not look inwards. This secret of Ishvara's nature is the rajavidya. One of Devi's names in the Lalitha Sahasranamam is अन्तर्मुखसमाराध्या बहिर्मुखसुदुर्लभा - easily worshipped by one looking inwards, difficult to find when turned outwards.
One of the most well-known shlokas of the Gita अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते। तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥(9.22) is in this chapter. Bhagavan talks about the role of anaya-bhakti. The bhakta has a one-pointed mind, and he has divinised his life by being absorbed in Ishvara, dedicating all his karma to Ishvara. He is never separated from Ishvara because his individuality has been surrendered. Those who pray for transient pleasures like heaven, and perform austerities for it, reach there and return after their punya is exhausted. In contrast, for the one with ananya bhakti - who worships Vasudeva as ananya - not separate from the self, his well-being is taken care of by Vasudeva. As Bhagavan Shankaracharya clarifies in the bhashyam, ananya bhakti means - they look upon Vasudeva as their own self, there is no separation between Vasudeva and them. (अनन्याः अपृथग्भूताः परं देवं नारायणम् आत्मत्वेन गताः सन्तः).
Yogakshemam:
The terms Yoga and kshema are usually explained as worldly life and spiritual life or as attaining whatever is not yet attained and its protection. However, considering that Gita is a Yoga shastram, this can also be explained as steady abidance in one's real nature. In chapter 6, Yoga had been defined as तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् (6.23) - know that giving up all assumed identities (which give sorrow), is Yoga. Steady abidance in this state, is kshema. When one identifies the self with Brahman, the one divine source and substratum of all, by destroying all assumed identities (mainly the jeeva-bhava), one is in Yoga. Preserving the state, is kshema.
The terms Yoga and kshema are usually explained as worldly life and spiritual life or as attaining whatever is not yet attained and its protection. However, considering that Gita is a Yoga shastram, this can also be explained as steady abidance in one's real nature. In chapter 6, Yoga had been defined as तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् (6.23) - know that giving up all assumed identities (which give sorrow), is Yoga. Steady abidance in this state, is kshema. When one identifies the self with Brahman, the one divine source and substratum of all, by destroying all assumed identities (mainly the jeeva-bhava), one is in Yoga. Preserving the state, is kshema.
This all-pervading infinite reality inside us, can be worshipped with pure bhavana behind the bhakti. What is offered with genuine love, is accepted by him. He says, offer everything to me - what you do, what you eat, what you offer in a yajna, what you donate, what you practice as austerity - do all of this as an offering to me. One is reminded of the story of the hunter Kannappa, who is considered the greatest devotee due to his pure bhavana, even though his methods of worship were unorthodox.
Shivananda lahari says
मार्गावर्तितपादुका पशुपतेरङ्गस्य कूर्चायते।
गण्डूषाम्बुनिषेचनं पुररिपोः दिव्याभिषेकायते।
किञ्चिद्भक्षितमांसशेषकबलं नव्योपहारायते।
भक्तिः किं न करोत्यहो वनचरो भक्तावतंसायते॥ (63)
The sandals worn on the feet become the cleaning brush, water carried in the mouth and spat on the Lord, becomes the abhisheka. Meat which is partly eaten, becomes the naivedyam. What does bhakti not do - it even makes the hunter wandering in the forest the greatest bhakta.
Even if one has led an unethical life before, the fact that he has chosen this path, absolves him of the sins.
Shivananda lahari says
मार्गावर्तितपादुका पशुपतेरङ्गस्य कूर्चायते।
गण्डूषाम्बुनिषेचनं पुररिपोः दिव्याभिषेकायते।
किञ्चिद्भक्षितमांसशेषकबलं नव्योपहारायते।
भक्तिः किं न करोत्यहो वनचरो भक्तावतंसायते॥ (63)
The sandals worn on the feet become the cleaning brush, water carried in the mouth and spat on the Lord, becomes the abhisheka. Meat which is partly eaten, becomes the naivedyam. What does bhakti not do - it even makes the hunter wandering in the forest the greatest bhakta.
Even if one has led an unethical life before, the fact that he has chosen this path, absolves him of the sins.
Bhagavan ends the chapter with the upadesha - fix your mind on me, sacrifice unto me, bow down to me, remain absorbed in me and seek me as your goal. Then you will attain me.
When we choose Ishvara over all else, we have chosen shreyas over preyas. Arjuna does this. Nachiketa does this, despite all the temptation that Lord Yama offered to him. When we choose this, we seek refuge in and surrender to the eternal. When we see the divine source and substratum, the mind quietens and every moment of life is divinised. But when we see the world as it appears externally and take it to be the reality, we do not see Ishvara in it. Thoughts arise, causing attachment and aversion, likes and dislikes. The feelings of I and Mine, become all-important. Enquiring into thoughts and tracing them to the source, is vichara. It leads us to the heart-center, which is where the self shines.
We can live in the continuous awareness of the all-pervading divinity which lies inside us. As Kenopanishad says - प्रतिबोधविदितं मतम् - each and every moment, each and every experience is rooted in this divinity which is the true nature of the self. This is the great secret which the Gita opens up our minds to - the raja vidya. By knowing the raja vidya, one is no longer limited to the body and mind, one realises one's oneness with Ishvara and that one is limitless and complete (purna) by his very nature. He attains immortality while living in this body.
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥
सर्वं श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु