Bhagavagd Gita - Session 29- Track 2902

In chapter n°8 this exposition is taken forward and we are told that this reality basically is adhiyajña, is the Lord to whom all is offered, it is the one who isakṣara brahma, it is the immutable, imperishable Reality; this was already explained in 2nd chapter but it is now it is explained much more explicitly that this akṣara brahman, manifests through svabhāva, through manifests karma, through the karma arises the entire bhūta(s), all the beings of the earth and these objects are enjoyed by the Jiva which is the aṁśaḥ of the Supreme and the instruments through which the Jiva experiences all the beings of the earth, all the creatures are faculties; these faculties of will and of knowledge and of sense, these are called ‘gods’ in the Vedic language, the ‘Devas’, and all this is the totality of the whole universe. So if you want to understand the whole of the universe, the origin of the universe that everything is covered in these words, akṣara brahman, svabhāva, karma, adhibhūta, adhidaiva, adhiyajña. If you understand these words the entirety, the totality of the whole world is explained.

We are now ready to enter into the finest statement, so we are now in the secret as it were. Sri Krishna takes us to the greatest formulation of the knowledge of the Supreme. This is the knowledge without which the question that Arjuna had asked cannot be answered. And deliberately this statement is made in such a way that you are awakened as it were from slumber, because it states this proposition in a form which self contradictory and when you hear self contradictions you are immediately awakened because it jars on your mind and you begin to ask the question: how can it be? And it is precisely what you should do when you hear this 9th chapter. What are these statements which are self contradictory (apparently, they are not really self contradictory, but apparently)?

Now let us read:

idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave |

jñānaṁ vijñānasahitaṁ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ’śubhāt ||1|| (IX)

“I will expound unto you, you who are devoid of any jealousy, the profoundest secret of knowledge and realisation by knowing which you will be released from evil of the world process.”

jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ: this is the supreme secret of secrets which I shall now expound to you and once you know this there will remain no sense of indecision in your mind and all that evil is confronted by you will be removed.

rājavidyā rājaguhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam |

pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham kartum avyayam ||2|| (IX)

“This knowledge is the sovereign knowledge, a sovereign Mystery, best sanctity, pavitram idam uttamam, it is absolutely holly, secret most. It is known, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, it is known only by direct experience”. At present it is only a statement in language and therefore it is intellectual but in itself this knowledge is verified in experience. It is not a knowledge in which it is believed in because intellectually it seems possible or probable or hypothetically sound, it is something which you can verify, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, by direct experience you can have it; dharmyaṁ, “It is perfection of Dharma”, it is a knowledge which is so powerful that it manifest in action: to know it and not to be active after knowing it is not possible. To know it and not to act rightly is not possible, therefore this knowledge is dharmyaṁ; susukham, that knowledge to know it and not to be delighted is not possible. It is a knowledge once you know it your heart will be filled.

So, it is a synthesis of the three things: knowledge, action and devotion. Devotion is the aspect of susukham, it is emotionally perfectly satisfying, most delightful; dharmyaṁ, having known it you are bound to do the right action and you will be impelled to do the right action. It will manifest itself to do the right action:

pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham kartumavyayam ||,

“It is easy of accomplishment and yet imperishable.” It is this knowledge which can never be destroyed because it is a knowledge of the Imperishable. So is the object is imperishable, the knowledge also is imperishable.