Bhagavad Geetha Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga — The Path of Royal Yoga

Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga

The Path of Royal Yoga

Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar

Arjuna, you are devoid of negative traits and therefore, I AM giving this great knowledge of science by knowing which you will be freed from the tragic oriented worldly life. This science include the secret of all knowledge and it is totally in accordance with Dharma (comprehensive righteousness) and easy to practise and this knowledge is indestructible. Arjuna, those who do not have faith or belief in Dharma (comprehensive righteous way of life), such people without attaining ME rotate in the wheel of births and deaths and go through the suffering phenomena in each birth. Arjuna, from my Unmanifest Formless Supreme Being, the creation (including living and non- living) has manifested and it is also complete and Divine because it has manifested from ME at MY WILL and it (creation) is within ME, yet I AM not bound by it.

Note: The Supreme Being is Formless, Unmanifest, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, All-pervading, All-knowledgeable Entity, and from this Supreme Being at ITS WILL the creation has manifested within Time and Space and this manifested creation is within HIM (Supreme Being). HE has spread HIMSELF in every atom of the creation, therefore it is complete, meaning it is also nothing but the same Supreme Being. However, the Supreme Being is beyond Time and Space, therefore HE is not bound by HIS own creation because HE is beyond creation. The entire living beings are within ME, I AM the cause for their creation and sustenance, yet I AM not attached to these living beings and non-living beings (five elements of nature). This is how MY Divine Power exists and you perceive that.

Note: Here, Lord Krushna is saying that, HE as Supreme Being is the cause for all the Living beings to manifest and HE is possessing all of them within HIM and HE is the support for their survival, yet HE is not attached to them and HE remains by HIMSELF. Thus, HE expresses operation of HIS Divine Power in the creation and asks Arjuna to perceive it. Just as the wind is always in the sky, so is the creation (living and non-living) created by ME is ever within ME.

Note: The wind is ever associated with the sky (ethereal aspect). In Sanskrit terms, Aakaasha and Vaayu are always together and also Vaayu/ Wind moves within the sky space. Similarly, creation is like wind and Supreme Being/ GOD/ Universal Consciousness/ Cosmic Consciousness is like Aakaasha or Ethereal aspect which is non-moving, Eternal and Ever-existing, and the creation is always within IT. This phenomena is well exhibited in HIS Vishwaroopa darshana where HE has shown the entire creation within HIM. At the end of the Cosmic Time scale apportioned to each creation (Sanathana Dharma envisages infinite number of creations), the entire creation dissolves into ME and I keep holding them and re-create them once again at the beginning of the new creation as a matter of continuity in the cosmic time scale.

Note: Just as Galaxies disappearing into a black- hole and new Galaxies are being born. All the dissolved creation (living and non-living) which abide in ME after the great dissolution, I re-create them again and again according to their earlier Karmic status.

Note: All the living beings especially human beings need not think that all their Karma (Good and Bad actions) have come to an end with the final dissolution of creation at the apportioned cosmic time scale, but all the living beings are held in unmanifest form by the Supreme Being in IT and IT recreates the creation again and again according to their Karmic status which they possessed at the time of dissolution of creation. Arjuna, I AM unattached and indifferent to this process of creation and dissolution though I am the cause for the said process (because there is no self interest), and therefore these MY actions do not become Karma and bind ME. Notes: Though the God is the creator of the creation yet HE has no selfish interest to gain from the process therefore HIS action of creation and dissolution does not become Karma and bind HIM. I, as the centre become the cause for the whole creation having living and non-living beings, Galaxies, Nebulas, etc. and the entire creation rotating around ME. People of low intelligence are foolish enough to think of ME (GOD) as nothing more than a normal person. I have taken Human Form by Super imposing MY own Maaya (imagery phenomena) which in fact is not true, but like a mirage for the sake of reorganising this world time to time. Those people who always run after the fulfilment of their worldly desires and doing wrong actions (Bad Karma) and always negatively intelligent with demonic and destructive mentality are gripped by intense delusion. Those who are divine in nature will become aware that I AM indestructible and pervading in all beings (all living and non-living beings), I AM the Non-changing Supreme Being, Eternal and Everlasting. Having this knowledge, they focus on ME and worship ME (Meditate on ME) always, even though they are in midst of Karma Yoga, in order to attain ME. The people of Jnana Yoga intellectually worship ME only mentally as traits free Supreme Being (mental yagna), and other people worship ME in MY various manifested God forms as Supreme Being.

Note: The Sanathan worshipers, although they worship the various manifested forms of that ONE GOD/Supreme Being, yet they are always aware that the Supreme Being is ultimately Formless, All-pervading and beyond any traits. Through the worship of manifested form knowing that Supreme Being as Formless and Universal, it is easy for the common people to attach with God emotionally when they see HIM in the forms as expressed by HIM (not any one man's imagination) and they interact with that form as if they are doing with another person. This makes them very closer to God because they see God as friend, father, protector, giver of requirements, etc. That's how they interact with the manifested form of God and realize the GOD through their emotions and finally transcending the emotions experiencing HIM, both in the form as that they have worshiped and also as the formless Unbounded, All-pervading, Everlasting, Supremely Blissful, Eternal Being. I AM the doer of Yagna; I AM the Yagna Fire and beneficiary is MYSELF; I AM the Medicinal Herbs (Aushadhi), and the other sacrificial things given to fire God; I AM the Mantra; I AM the purified ghee; I AM the engulfing fire of all those things and the entire process of Havan/ Yagna/ Homa is MYSELF.

Note: Here Lord Shree Krushna is unveiling that, what all the human beings offer through Yagna (sacrificial fire) and every act of the Yagna is HIMSELF and at the same time HE is the ONE who receives and passes it on to the respective God forms of the Supreme Being to whom it has been offered by the devotee. So, the intention of this stanza is to say that every act in the Homa that the devotee does is as holy as HIMSELF. Entire creation is within ME and I AM it's father and mother and I AM also the Holy sound AAAum and Rig Veda, Saama Veda and Yajur Veda.

Note: Those who follow the three Vedas, for them AAAum is the root, but here Lord Shree Krushna has said in clear words that the AAAum and all the three Vedas are within HIM, implying that HE is beyond that. Therefore, HE is the ONE who is the cause for the Holy sound AAAum and the three Vedas. Therefore, a devotee can realise HIM only if he transcends AAAum because AAAum is not only the root of three Vedas but also the root of creation. Therefore, AAAum is also called as Mahaa Maaya i.e., a subtlest wave between the Supreme Being and the creation. Therefore, by repeating a Divine Name which is a Cosmic Code that opens Individual Consciousness to Universal Consciousness, the devotee finally reaches transcending AAAum, the real abode of the Supreme Being/ GOD, as HE is beyond everything that has been created by HIM, yet HE is present in every atom of the creation because creation has come forth from HIM through AAAum and also the Vedas and the material creation meaning the matter. The fourth Veda known as Atarvana Veda is an addition to the three Vedas added by realised great sages and saints which is technical in nature derived out of the cosmic sound OOM and therefore it has both positive and negative sides as well. All the infinite Multi-Verses has manifested from the Supreme Being through AAAUMKARA itself. Thus, the cosmic sound AAAum is the key to know the secrets of the creation. Thus, GOD is the controller of AAAum because it has manifested at HIS WILL and this AAAum is the root of entire Multiverse creation, and thereby AAAum is the owner of the entire creation because creation has come forth from AAAum. Here we can understand through an example that, there can be many kites but all the threads are together held by a man, who is the flyer. The kites are the Multiverse creation and the threads of this Multiverse creation is AAAum, and the owner of the AAAum is SUPREME BEING/ GOD who is represented by the man there. The man who is flying the kites has the control of all the kites through the threads he is holding. The Creation is controlled by it's roots which is AAAum, which in turn has it's roots in the Supreme Being. Here we can understand that Lord Krushna was holding a flute which was captivating all the Living beings around HIM, symbolically indicating that the AAAum sound produced by the Flute is the root of creation which is under HIS control. I AM the Ultimate and the ONLY worthy Being to be realised. I AM the ONE who is the cause for the creation and the maintenance of it. I AM the owner of the creation. I AM the Ultimate Abode in which everyone seeks to rest forever and never to return. I AM the ONE who seeks nothing from anyone but do good to all. I AM the supporter and the cause for the dissolution of the creation into ME. I AM the SUPREME BEING who is Indestructible, Eternal, Ever-existing, and I AM everything and everything is MYSELF. I AM the witness to all that goes on in the creation. I radiate as Sun for the living beings. I AM the cause for rainfall. Arjuna, I AM the immortality and also the cause for death and I AM the Sath (truth absolute) and I AM also Asath (that which is not true).

Note: The creation where the living beings live requires light and heat which the SUPREME BEING in the form of Sun radiates light and heat. Therefore, people of Sanathana Dharma worship Sun as a direct form of God calling Him - Soorya Naarayana. Soorya represents the Sun and Naarayana represents the Supreme Being. Here, Soorya is for the creation to sustain and also Sun represents Individual Consciousness/ Soul and Naarayana represents UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS/ SUPREME BEING/ GOD. Therefore, Sun worship is seen through all civilizations that had existed and disappeared. Sanathana Dharma alone survived ever since the beginning of the creation and will survive eternally till the creation is withdrawn into the SUPREME BEING/ GOD by way of Mahaa Pralaya/ Armageddon. Therefore, Sun worship enlightens us in a limited way through the Gayathri Mantra framed by Vishva Mitra for the Sun and Nature (five elements) as Goddess Gayatri in form "OOM Bhur Buvah Swah Tath Savithur Vareenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Diyo Yonaha Prachodayaath ". It is time to understand that following the Gayatri mantra restricts us to realize and to be within the nature. It does not offer the devotee/seeker to reach the SUPREME BEING/ GOD and to dissolve oneself into the SUPREME BEING i.e., Moksha (Dissemination of Individual Consciousness into the Universal Consciousness). Therefore, the Divine Sanaathan Naama Mantras alone makes the Seeker to transcend the nature/ Maaya (mirage) or waves of Maaya and reach the Supreme Being. The Naama Mantras are nothing but the Cosmic Codes in which the Cosmic Consciousness is embedded like a tree in the seed and when meditated upon, gradually it takes the Seeker beyond Maaya and blossom the Cosmic consciousness on the Individual Consciousness whereby Individual becomes a tool in the hands of God. The Seeker who is meditating with Sanathan Naama Mantra will gradually experience the Cosmic Consciousness hidden in the Naama Mantra and the seeker's Individual Consciousness infuses into that Universal Consciousness just as river infusing into the Sea, attaining Moksha i.e. immortality. Those who follow the three Vedic traditions namely Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda and follow the duties envisaged in them with the intention of reaching the heaven (Swarga), such people through those good deeds reach the divine planes like heaven and enjoy the fruits of their action till the fruits are over. Those who attain Heavan (Swarga) through their good deeds as envisaged in Vedas, after their accumulated fruits of the good deeds is spent over enjoying all the glories of the Heaven (Swarga), they return to earth and once again indulge in performing good karma and once again they return to Swarga (Heaven) as they are desirous of enjoying heavenly planes. Thus they indulge themselves in the process of ascending and descending.

Note: Once again, Lord Shree Krushna is making it clear that the Divine duties envisaged in the three Vedas can only help in attaining Swarga (Heaven) not Moksha (Dissolution of Individual Consciousness/ Soul in the Universal Consciousness/ GOD forever ). Therefore, a seeker of Swarga (Heaven) is different from a seeker of GOD and Moksha. Whoever constantly thinks of ME and worship ME with devotion, I will take care of their well- being as well as their Spiritual Evolution (Yoga) by MYSELF.

Note: Here, a devotee/ seeker should carefully understand that, the meaning of " MYSELF will take care of him". The seeker should not forget that GOD/ SUPREME BEING impliedly means HIS grace will always be there on the devotee but HE does not take his karma. The seeker alone has to go through the good and bad happenings that are created by his own accumulated karma of several births. But as a devotee, God's grace helps him to go through his Karma in a relatively reasonable way. In other words, there will always be a silver lining in dark clouds for HIS devotees. Those who worship MY God forms will reach the same God forms and I AM the receiver of their worship of those God forms and I AM the receiver of their fire sacrifices given in Homa etc. given to those God forms. Such devotees do not know My ultimate nature as Supreme Being or as God of all Gods because of their desire filled worship. Therefore they tend to take rebirths again and again until they realise ME as the Supreme Being.

Note: A devotee's worship will never be lost and whichever God form he is worshipping, the same God form intuitively guides him towards the Supreme Being/Supreme GOD ultimately. The devotees who worship MY different God forms, do not know ME as the SUPREME BEING who is the receiver of all of their offering given through Homas and Yagnas. Therefore, they will be subjected to rebirth. In course of time such a devotee will be guided by the God form whom he is worshiping to directly turn towards that One Supreme Being who is the master of all (Lord Krushna/ Naaraayana). Worshipping many God forms is the fundamental concept of Sanathana Dharma. However, Sanathana Dharma proclaims that there is only ONE SUPREME BEING/ Supreme God who reflects HIMSELF in varied Gods and Goddesses forms to run the creation, and also blessing and fulfilling the righteous desires of such devotees. Worshipping these Gods and Goddesses forms is inbuilt in Sanathana Dharma with an underlying understanding that all their worship of many God forms finally end up with the Supreme Being/ Supreme GOD (Lord Krushna/ Naaraayana). Therefore, it is necessary for the devotee of Sanathana Dharma to know who the Supreme Being is. Though there are different sections of people worshiping different God forms , they should know that there is ONE Supreme Being/GOD worshipped through their different forms of worship. " Ekam Sath Viprah Bahudha Vadanthi ", meaning that there is only one Supreme Truth ( Supreme Being / God ) and the people of knowledge (devotees) who are at different spiritually evolutionary levels worship HIM in varied forms. Those who worship MY different God forms will reach those God's abodes after death. Those who worship their dead forefathers, they will reach their forefather's planes of existence (Pithru Loka). Those who worship spirits they reach the spirit planes. Those who worship ME (i.e., Supreme GOD/ Supreme Being) they will reach ME, from where there is no return again (no re-birth).

Note: This is a great scientific psychological phenomena that is being explained by Lord Krushna. Here, HE is explaining about conditioning of the mind exclusively over a particular form of the divinity, thereby aligning the mind to a particular frequency in the creation where that particular God form is operating in the Nature. Therefore, conditioning the mind is the dangerous phenomena where the devotee becomes a spider and get caught in its own web. Therefore, the devotee must be very clear about the concept of Supreme Being/Supreme GOD which he could attain, if he worships or meditates upon HIM along with worshiping any particular God form for obtaining righteous benefit. Whichever devotee offers with utmost devotion and love towards ME a fruit, a flower, a leaf or even ordinary water, I accept it with same love and affection and grace him.

Note: Here, the word leaf's mean in Sanathana Dharma like Tulasi leaves, Mango leaves, Bilva leaves, Beetle leaves and Peepal leaves and off- course flowers and even water if given with full devotion and dedication, GOD is ready to accept the same without any conditions. So, here the importance is given to the amount of devotion towards the Supreme Being/ GOD than the quantum of offerings. Therefore, the Lord Krushna says whatever is offered by a devotee, even if water is offered with utmost devotion, HE is willing to accept the same with same love, and grace the devotee according to his spiritual desire latent in his mind. Arjuna, whatever action you do, whatever you eat, and whatever sacrifice you do in the Homa, whatever charity you do, whatever penance you do, all those you offer it to ME with devotion. Dedicate all your actions to ME with a renunciant (unattached) state of mind. You will be freed from the bondage of the fruits (reactions) of your actions (karma) and you will reach ME. I AM equally present in all the living beings. Nobody is of MY dislike or nobody is of MY like. I have equanimity towards all. Whoever worships ME with devotion and dedication, I will be in alignment with them and they too will be aligned to ME. Even if the greatest sinner meditates on ME with devotion and dedication, he too will gradually become a good person and moves towards righteousness and derive eternal peace. Arjuna, know the truth that MY devotees will never be damned nor let down. Arjuna, " Women, merchants, skilled people and sinners too, if they surrender to ME whole heartedly and worship ME with devotion, they too will gradually attain the Supreme State (Moksha meaning reaching the ABODE of GOD)".

Note: Here, specifically Shree Krushna referred to women who are generally revered by the followers of the Sanathana Dharma as Goddesses in the Social order. However, they are generally tied down by the demanding attention required for their families as they are the anchor of the family. They generally offer devotion to Gods and Goddesses praying for the well-being of their children, Husband and family as whole. Off-course, there are many women who directly take to Spiritual order because of their past life instinct and they generally, and exclusively devote themselves to God and they attain the Supreme Being, because of the nature of life that they have adapted. The Vaishyas, who are generally the merchants and their profession is involved in making profits in their business, though off-course they are serving the society by way of transferring the manufactured, prepared or grown food grains at one place to the other place where they are doing business, and making it available to all people in that area. Off-course there are various other business in varied forms. Business involves making profits, rightly or wrongly, reasonably or unreasonably. Therefore, they find less time, and attitude to become detached devotees. If such people really by heart take to Spiritual Saadhana, they too can reach the Supreme Being/GOD. Shudras, who are basically skilled people working in varied ways, they become the foundation of the society and without their skills, the other layers of the society cannot survive. For example, if a farmer does not grow the food grains, whole society will be deprived of food and without food nothing can go on. Similarly, a plumber, if he does not help to set the water pipes properly, problems arise. Therefore, these services are very important in life. And similarly others. These skilled people find less time to detach themselves from their Karma Yoga, and do devotion and other spiritual practises to evolve to higher order. If they really take-off themselves in a detached way and practise spiritual practises along with their Karma yoga, they too will reach God without fail. Off-course the sinner, always bent upon doing wrong actions causing harm to the society. Even such a person, if turns towards God and adapts Right Spiritual Practises with devotion, he too can gradually reach God through evolutionary process. The holy spiritual seekers and the Kings of Divine order who practise totally righteous way of life realising that human life is transient and devoid of permanent happiness, they too will always worship ME and attain ME. Arjuna, focus your mind on ME, be devote-full to ME, worship ME, bow down to ME and focus your consciousness on ME so that you can attain ME.

Note: All that Lord Krushna emphasises is that, one pointed devotion or Meditation or Japa on HIM, in whichever name and form (naama roopa) is important, so that the entire consciousness of the Individual/devotee is constantly aligned to the Supreme Being. However, this type of practise one may find it difficult unless one exclusively devotes his time for this. But, in present worldly life this can be easily practised in the midst of our activities (envisaged duties) as and when we find time, we can sit and meditate or do Manana (Repeating the Divine Name only mentally) while walking or while doing light activities where greater concentration is not required, or allotting certain time in a day where the seeker can sit and Meditate or do Japa (Repeating the Divine Name using a rosary having 108 beads) or do Japa of any number of maalas as time permits. If any one of these Right Spiritual Practises is adopted in life, it is as good as one doing Saadhana like an ascetic along with Karma Yoga (action). This type of adaption of Spiritual Saadhana in the worldly life in the midst of Karma Yoga, the seeker can purify his accumulated Karma and Runa (emotional debt) of past lives faster, and will be able to reach the Supreme Being easily. HERE ENDS THE RAJA VIDHYA, RAJA GUHYA YOGA Moksha is attainable only by following the path of DHARMA (righteous way of life) . Following the path of Dharma leads to the knowledge of philosophy of life. This knowledge in turn leads to MEDITATION. Sincere, devotional and regular meditation on God (Universal Being), ultimately results in Moksha. Only Meditation is capable of purifying the accumulated karma of innumerable births, Thus Dharma and Meditation are the key to attain Moksha, as envisaged in Shloka 21 of chapter Sixteen of Garuda purana i.e., Moksha Dharma Niroopanam.