Chapter IX- Krishna. Now will I open unto thee- whose heart
- Rejects not- that last lore, deepest-concealed,
- That farthest secret of My Heavens and Earths,
- Which but to know shall set thee free from ills,-
- A royal lore! a Kingly mystery!
- Yea! for the soul such light as purgeth it
- From every sin; a light of holiness
- With inmost splendour shining; plain to see;
- Easy to walk by, inexhaustible!
- They that receive not this, failing in faith
- To grasp the greater wisdom, reach not Me,
- Destroyer of thy foes! They sink anew
- Into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!
- By Me the whole vast Universe of things
- Is spread abroad;- by Me, the Unmanifest!
- In Me are all existences contained;
- Not I in them!
- Yet they are not contained,
- Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace
- The mystery majestical! My Being-
- Creating all, sustaining all- still dwells
- Outside of all!
- See! as the shoreless airs
- Move in the measureless space, but are not space,
- [And space were space without the moving airs];
- So all things are in Me, but are not I.
- At closing of each Kalpa, Indian Prince!
- All things which be back to My Being come:
- At the beginning of each Kalpa, all
- Issue new-born from Me.
- By Energy
- And help of Prakriti, my outer Self,
- Again, and yet again, I make go forth
- The realms of visible things- without their will-
- All of them- by the power of Prakriti.
- Yet these great makings, Prince! involve Me not
- Enchain Me not ! I sit apart from them,
- Other, and Higher, and Free; nowise attached!
- Thus doth the stuff of worlds, moulded by Me,
- Bring forth all that which is, moving or still,
- Living or lifeless! Thus the worlds go on!
- The minds untaught mistake Me, veiled in form;-
- Naught see they of My secret Presence, nought
- Of My hid Nature, ruling all which lives.
- Vain hopes pursuing, vain deeds doing; fed
- On vainest knowledge, senselessly they seek
- An evil way, the way of brutes and fiends.
- But My Mahatmas, those of noble soul
- Who tread the path celestial, worship Me
- With hearts unwandering,- knowing Me the Source,
- Th' Eternal Source, of Life. Unendingly
- They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows
- Of reverence and love, with changeless faith
- Adoring Me. Yea, and those too adore,
- Who, offering sacrifice of wakened hearts,
- Have sense of one pervading Spirit's stress,
- One Force in every place, though manifold!
- I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer!
- I am the Funeral-Cake set for the dead!
- I am the healing herb! I am the ghee,
- The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns!
- I am- of all this boundless Universe-
- The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guard!
- The end of Learning! That which purifies
- In lustral water! I am OM! I am
- Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Ved;
- The Way, the Fosterer, the Lord, the Judge,
- The Witness; the Abode, the Refuge-House,
- The Friend, the Fountain and the Sea of Life
- Which sends, and swallows up; Treasure of Worlds
- And Treasure-Chamber! Seed and Seed-Sower,
- Whence endless harvests spring! Sun's heat is mine;
- Heaven's rain is mine to grant or to withhold;
- Death am I, and Immortal Life I am,
- Arjuna! SAT and ASAT, Visible Life,
- And Life Invisible!
- Yea! those who learn
- The threefold Veds, who drink the Soma-wine,
- Purge sins, pay sacrifice- from Me they earn
- Passage to Swarga; where the meats divine
- Of great gods feed them in high Indra's heaven.
- Yet they, when that prodigious joy is o'er,
- Paradise spent, and wage for merits given,
- Come to the world of death and change once more.
- They had their recompense! they stored their treasure,
- Following the threefold Scripture and its writ;
- Who seeketh such gaineth the fleeting pleasure
- Of joy which comes and goes! I grant them it!
- But to those blessed ones who worship Me,
- Turning not otherwhere, with minds set fast,
- I bring assurance of full bliss beyond.
- Nay, and of hearts which follow other gods
- In simple faith, their prayers arise to me,
- O Kunti's Son! though they pray wrongfully;
- For I am the Receiver and the Lord
- Of every sacrifice, which these know not
- Rightfully; so they fall to earth again!
- Who follow gods go to their gods; who vow
- Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris; minds
- To evil Bhuts given o'er sink to the Bhuts;
- And whoso loveth Me cometh to Me.
- Whoso shall offer Me in faith and love
- A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water poured forth,
- That offering I accept, lovingly made
- With pious will. Whate'er thou doest, Prince!
- Eating or sacrificing, giving gifts,
- Praying or fasting, let it all be done
- For Me, as Mine. So shalt thou free thyself
- From Karmabandh, the chain which holdeth men
- To good and evil issue, so shalt come
- Safe unto Me- when thou art quit of flesh-
- By faith and abdication joined to Me!
- I am alike for all! I know not hate,
- I know not favour! What is made is Mine!
- But them that worship Me with love, I love;
- They are in Me, and I in them!
- Nay, Prince!
- If one of evil life turn in his thought
- Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good;
- He hath the high way chosen; he shall grow
- Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace
- Which changes not. Thou Prince of India!
- Be certain none can perish, trusting Me!
- O Pritha's Son! whoso will turn to Me,
- Though they be born from the very womb of Sin,
- Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste
- Or lowly disregarded Sudra,- all
- Plant foot upon the highest path; how then
- The holy Brahmans and My Royal Saints?
- Ah! ye who into this ill world are come-
- Fleeting and false- set your faith fast on Me!
- Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring
- Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make
- Me your supremest joy! and, undivided,
- Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.
- HERE ENDETH Chapter IX OF THE
- BHAGAVAD-GITA,
- Entitled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog,"
- Or "The Book of Religion by the Kingly Knowledge
- and the Kingly Mystery."
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