Diya Scripture guide
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9: The Royal Secret
Read all 34 verses of Bhagavad Gita chapter 9, The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret, in Sanskrit with transliteration and English translation.
The short answer
Chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita, traditionally titled The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret, has 34 verses.
In Diya's summary: Krishna reveals the intimate, sustaining presence of the Divine. Below are all 34 verses of chapter 9 in Sanskrit, each with a transliteration and Diya's English translation.
Bhagavad Gita chapter 9 in English
Every verse below comes from Diya's Bhagavad Gita library, in verse order.
| Sanskrit and transliteration | English |
|---|---|
| 9.1 इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे। ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्॥ idaṃ tu te guhyatamaṃ pravakṣyāmyanasūyave | jñānaṃ vijñānasahitaṃ yajjñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt || | To you, who do not carp, shall I now declare this, the most profound knowledge, united with realisation, having known which, you will be free from evil (Samsara). |
| 9.2 राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्। प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्॥ rājavidyā rājaguhyaṃ pavitramidamuttamam | pratyakṣāvagamaṃ dharmyaṃ susukhaṃ kartumavyayam || | This is truly the king of knowledge and the king of secrets, the supreme purifier, directly realizable, in accord with dharma, easy to practice, and imperishable. |
| 9.3 अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप। अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि॥ aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa | aprāpya māṃ nivartante mṛtyusaṃsāravartmani || | Persons without Shraddha for this dharma, return, O subduer of foes, without attaining Me, to the path of re-birth fraught with death. |
| 9.4 मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना। मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः॥ mayā tatamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagadavyaktamūrtinā | matsthāni sarvabhūtāni na cāhaṃ teṣvavasthitaḥ || | All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form: all beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them. |
| 9.5 न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्। भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः॥ na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogamaiśvaram | bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ || | Nor do beings exist in Me (in reality), behold My Divine yoga! Bringing forth and supporting the beings, My Self does not dwell in them. |
| 9.6 यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान्। तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय॥ yathākāśasthito nityaṃ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān | tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya || | As the mighty wind, moving always everywhere, rests ever in the space, know you, that even so do all beings rest in Me. |
| 9.7 सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्। कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम्॥ sarvabhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṃ yānti māmikām | kalpakṣaye punastāni kalpādau visṛjāmyaham || | At the end of a Kalpa, O son of Kunti, all beings go back to My prakriti: at the beginning of (another) Kalpa, I send them forth again. |
| 9.8 प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः। भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात्॥ prakṛtiṃ svāmavaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ | bhūtagrāmamimaṃ kṛtsnamavaśaṃ prakṛtervaśāt || | Animating My prakriti, I project again and again this whole multitude of beings, helpless under the sway of prakriti. |
| 9.9 न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय। उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु॥ na ca māṃ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya | udāsīnavadāsīnamasaktaṃ teṣu karmasu || | These acts do not bind Me, sitting as one neutral, unattached to them. |
| 9.10 मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्। हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते॥ mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram | hetunānena kaunteya jagadviparivartate || | Under My supervision, prakriti brings forth the moving and the unmoving; because of this, O son of Kunti, the world revolves. |
| 9.11 अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम्। परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम्॥ avajānanti māṃ mūḍhā mānuṣīṃ tanumāśritam | paraṃ bhāvamajānanto mama bhūtamaheśvaram || | Fools disregard Me when I dwell in human form, not knowing My higher nature as the great Lord of beings. |
| 9.12 मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः। राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः॥ moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ | rākṣasīmāsurīṃ caiva prakṛtiṃ mohinīṃ śritāḥ || | Of vain hopes, of vain works, of vain knowledge, and senseless, they are possessed of the delusive nature of rakshasas and asuras. |
| 9.13 महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः। भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम्॥ mahātmānastu māṃ pārtha daivīṃ prakṛtimāśritāḥ | bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam || | But the great-souled ones, O son of Pritha, possessed of the Divine prakriti, knowing Me to be the origin of beings, and immutable, worship Me with a single mind. |
| 9.14 सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः। नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते॥ satataṃ kīrtayanto māṃ yatantaśca dṛḍhavratāḥ | namasyantaśca māṃ bhaktyā nityayuktā upāsate || | Always glorifying Me, striving with firm vows, bowing in devotion, and steadfast in practice, they worship Me. |
| 9.15 ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते। एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्॥ jñānayajñena cāpyanye yajanto māmupāsate | ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvatomukham || | Others, too, sacrificing by the yajna of knowledge (i.e., seeing the Self in all), worship Me the All-Formed, as one, as distinct, as manifold. |
| 9.16 अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम्। मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम्॥ ahaṃ kraturahaṃ yajñaḥ svadhāhamahamauṣadham | mantro’hamahamevājyamahamagnirahaṃ hutam || | I am the Kratu, I the yajna, I the Svadha, I the Aushadham, I the Mantra, I the Ajyam, I the fire, and I the oblation. |
| 9.17 पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः। वेद्यं पवित्रमोङ्कार ऋक् साम यजुरेव च॥ pitāhamasya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ | vedyaṃ pavitramoṅkāra ṛk sāma yajureva ca || | I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the sustainer, the Grandfather; the Purifier, the (one) thing to be known, (the syllable) Om, and also the Rik, Saman and Yajus. |
| 9.18 गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्। प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम्॥ gatirbhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṃ suhṛt | prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṃ nidhānaṃ bījamavyayam || | I am the goal, the sustainer, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the storehouse, and the imperishable seed. |
| 9.19 तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च। अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन॥ tapāmyahamahaṃ varṣaṃ nigṛhṇāmyutsṛjāmi ca | amṛtaṃ caiva mṛtyuśca sadasaccāhamarjuna || | (As sun) I give heat: I withhold and send forth rain; I am immortality and also death; being and non-being am I, O Arjuna,. |
| 9.20 त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते। ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोकमश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्॥ traividyā māṃ somapāḥ pūtapāpā yajñairiṣṭvā svargatiṃ prārthayante | te puṇyamāsādya surendralokamaśnanti divyāndivi devabhogān || | The knowers of the three Vedas, worshipping Me by yajna, drinking the Soma, and (thus) being purified from sin, pray for passage to heaven; reaching the holy world of the Lord of the devas, they enjoy in heaven the divine pleasures of the devas. |
| 9.21 ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति। एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते॥ te taṃ bhuktvā svargalokaṃ viśālaṃ kṣīṇe puṇye martyalokaṃ viśanti | evaṃ trayīdharmamanuprapannā gatāgataṃ kāmakāmā labhante || | Having enjoyed the vast heavenly world, they enter the mortal world, on the exhaustion of their merit: Thus, abiding by the ordinances of the three (Vedas), desiring desires, they (constantly) come and go. |
| 9.22 अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते। तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥ ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate | teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham || | For those who worship Me, thinking of no other, and who are ever steadfast, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have. |
| 9.23 येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः। तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम्॥ ye’pyanyadevatā bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ | te’pi māmeva kaunteya yajantyavidhipūrvakam || | Even devotees of other deities who worship them with faith are truly in fact worshiping Me, O son of Kunti, though not according to the proper understanding. |
| 9.24 अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च। न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते॥ ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca | na tu māmabhijānanti tattvenātaścyavanti te || | Because I alone am the Enjoyer, and Lord of all Yajnas; but because they do not know Me in reality, they return, (to the mortal world). |
| 9.25 यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः। भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्॥ yānti devavratā devān pitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ | bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti madyājino’pi mām || | Votaries of the devas go to the devas; to the Pitris, go their votaries; to the bhutas, go the Bhuta worshippers; My votaries too come to Me. |
| 9.26 पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति। तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥ patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati | tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ || | Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water—I accept that loving offering from the pure-hearted person. |
| 9.27 यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्। यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम्॥ yatkaroṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhoṣi dadāsi yat | yattapasyasi kaunteya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam || | Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, and whatever austerity you undertake, O son of Kunti, do that as an offering to Me. |
| 9.28 शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः। संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि॥ śubhāśubhaphalairevaṃ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ | saṃnyāsayogayuktātmā vimukto māmupaiṣyasi || | Thus will you be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results: with the heart steadfast in the yoga of renunciation, and liberated, you will come to Me. |
| 9.29 समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः। ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम्॥ samo’haṃ sarvabhūteṣu na me dveṣyo’sti na priyaḥ | ye bhajanti tu māṃ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpyaham || | I am the same to all beings: to Me there is truly none hateful or dear. But those who worship Me with devotion, are in Me, and I too am in them. |
| 9.30 अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्। साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः॥ api cetsudurācāro bhajate māmananyabhāk | sādhureva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasito hi saḥ || | Even if a person of very wrongful conduct worships Me with exclusive devotion, that person is to be regarded as righteous, for the resolve is rightly directed. |
| 9.31 क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति। कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति॥ kṣipraṃ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṃ nigacchati | kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati || | Soon does he become righteous, and attain eternal Peace. O son of Kunti, boldly canst you proclaim that My devotee is never destroyed. |
| 9.32 मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः। स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्॥ māṃ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye’pi syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ | striyo vaiśyāstathā śūdrāste’pi yānti parāṃ gatim || | For those who take refuge in Me, O Partha—even those regarded within the verse's social framework as being of 'low birth,' including women, vaishyas, and shudras—also attain the supreme goal. |
| 9.33 किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा। अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम्॥ kiṃ punarbrāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayastathā | anityamasukhaṃ lokamimaṃ prāpya bhajasva mām || | What need to mention holy brahmins, and devoted Rajarshis! Having obtained this transient, joyless world, worship you Me. |
| 9.34 मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः॥ manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṃ namaskuru | māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivamātmānaṃ matparāyaṇaḥ || | Fix your mind on Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and bow to Me. Thus joining yourself to Me and taking Me as your highest goal, you will come to Me. |
You can read all 18 chapters in Diya. To see where chapter 9 sits in the whole text, start with the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, or read how to start the Bhagavad Gita as a beginner.
Previous chapter: Chapter 8: The Imperishable. Next chapter: Chapter 10: Divine Manifestations.
Related reading
Questions people ask
How many verses are in Bhagavad Gita chapter 9?
Chapter 9 has 34 verses.
What is chapter 9 of the Bhagavad Gita called?
Its traditional title is The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret. Diya calls it The Royal Secret.
What is Bhagavad Gita chapter 9 about?
In Diya's summary: Krishna reveals the intimate, sustaining presence of the Divine.
Research notes
Sources
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- Bhagavad Gita chapter 9 (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
- Bhagavad Gita chapter titles (Diya Gita library)
DiyaPublished by Houdini Apps, LLC
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