Bhagavat gita adetailed study-chapter 9 -Brahmavidya the royal secret

May 14, 2009

Bhagavatgita a detailed study

chapter9- Brahmavidhya the royal secret

Sree bhagavaan uvaacha

1. idham thu the guhyathamam pravakshyaami anasooyave

jnaanam vijnaanasahitham yath jnaathvaa mokshyase

aSubhaath

I am going to explain to you the most secret knowledge with its practice knowing which you will be free from all evil.

This is the elaboration of the jnana and vijnana outlined in the seventh chapter. Jnana is the knowledge of Brahman and vijnana is the practice of the path of attaining Brhaman. In othetr words jana and vijnana together means theory and practice. It is called guhayathama or most secret because it is most difficult to comprehend and only told to those who have faith and do not cavil. Asooya is to cavil or finding fault with something due to lack of faith, usually in something or someone possessing good qualities. Krishna says by knowing this one can get rid of evil tendencies which cause transmigraton.

2. raajavidhyaa raja guhyam pavithram idham utthamam

prathyakshaavagamam Dharmyam susukham karthum

avyayam

This is the royal science and royal secret and it is the best and pure.

It is in accordance with dharma and capable of direct perception. It is imperishable and easy to practice.

The Brahmavidhya, is called rajavidhya and most secret , rajaguhyam , pure, pavithram and the greatest, utthamam. By learning which , said Krishna, in the previous sloka, one will be liberated from evil. This is called rajavidhya because it is the science of great minds and it is rajaguhyam, royal secret, because the great-minded alone are capable of keeping the secret knowledge

This self knowledge, is directly perceivable,prathyakshaavagamam, in accordance with dharma, dharmyam, and easy to do, karthum susukham. It is directly perceivable to those who have the insight, it is in accordance with dharma as it provides the means of attaining the supreme good. It is said to be easy to practise in the sense to the one who has the right knowledge and skill to do a thing comes easily to him. It is avyaya, imperishable, since the attainment of it results in eternel bliss.

To cite an example, surgery on the heart or the brain, is the most difficult to understand, and it is secret in the sense that it is taught only to those who are qualified for it and not to everyone who wants to know. In this sense it is rajavidhya, known only to eminent surgeons, the kings of surgery and rajaguhyam royal secret known only to those. But once they know how to do it and have the necessary ability to do it become s easy to do . Susukham karthum. Also they must have absolute faith in what they have learnt or else they may start having doubts. Once he becomes a qualified and experienced, that is he has jnana and vijnana, the surgeon simply does even 12 operations or more in a day with as much ease as he drinks a cup of coffee. If thisis the case even with the worldly things how n much more it could be so with brahmavidhya knowing which one never returns to te earth but attains the Lord!

3. aSrddhaDhaanaaH purushaaH Dharmasya asya paranthapa

aprapya maam nivarthanthe mrthyusamsaaravarthmani

Those who have no faith in this discipline return to this world of death and transmigration without attaining Me.

The necessary qualification for this Brahmavidhya is sraddha and those who has no faith, do not reach the ultimate even after many births. Any goal can be reached only by steadfast and faithful plan of action, and it is more so with respect to Brahmavidhya the means of attaining the highest goal. Krishna has indicated that Arjuna has the qualification required for Brahmavidhya by saying 'pravakshyAmi anasooyavE' in the very first sloka of the adhyaya. This means only one who does not cavil deserves this instruction. The tendency to cavil comes from lack of faith. That is why Krishna says in the last adhyaya, "never tell this to one who has no faith or devotion."