Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 2 (BG 9.2) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

9.2 राजविद्या the king of sciences? राजगुह्यम् kingly secret? पवित्रम् purifier? इदम् this? उत्तमम् highest? प्रत्यक्षावगमम् realisable by direct? intuitional knowledge? धर्म्यम् according to righteousness? सुसुखम् very easy? कर्तुम् to perform? अव्ययम् imperishable.Commentary In this verse Lord Krishna eulogies the knowledge of Brahman very highly in order to create a great interest in the spiritual aspirants for attaining It ickly.There is neither blind faith nor faithmongering in this royal science. The truth? the sovereign,secret (the Self or the Absolute) can be directly realised by intuition or immediate perception. The science of the Absolute is the most splendid of all sciences. It is the science of sciences. Of sciences the highest? of secrets the most profoun? of purifiers the supreme is this. The knowledge of Brahman is the best purifier. It reduces the roots of all Karmas and all the Karmas themselves which have been stored up in the course of many thousands of births? into ashes in the twinkling of an eye. It destroys Avidya along with its effects. An expiatory act (Prayaschitta) cannot destroy all sins. It removes the effect of a single sin? only to some extent. Even if it is removed the effect of that sin remains in a subtle state in the mind and forces him to do sinful acts in his next birth. But the knowledge of the Self destroys ickly all the sins in their gross and subtle states that are accumulated in the course of several thousands of births along with Avidya? their cause. That is the reason why it is a supreme purifier. The causal body of the Jiva is called MulaAvidya (rootignorance). The Avidya or the veil of ignorance that envelops the visible objects of this world is called Sthula Avidya or gross ignorance.The knowledge of the Self is not opposed to Dharma. It is the fruit of all actions done in many births without expectation of fruits. Further? the knowledge of the Absolute can very easily be attained. One may think that this knowledge will perish soon as it is easily obtained? when its effect is exhausted. It is not so. It is imperishable. It is everlasting. It shines for ever by its own Selfeffulgence. He who has tasted this nectar even once becomes immortal. Therefore the knowledge of the Absolute is certainly worth aciring. You will have to strive very hard to attain it anyhow in this birth? as it is very difficult to get a human birth. Strive hard every moment? for life is uncertain and the prize (final liberation) is great.

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Modern

# BG 9.2 The common understanding of dharma is that it consists of visiting temples on particular days of the week, observing fasts for prescribed periods, performing worship, and similar practices. From this perspective, Vedanta is not a dharma. However, when dharma is understood as the art of living an ideal life, then Vedanta is the supreme dharma—for it contains a scientific analysis and exposition of ideal living. The Blessed Lord Sri Krishna praises it, calling it the royal knowledge, the royal secret, the sacred and supreme. No knowledge, however royal, secret, supremely sacred it may be, has any value if it cannot be directly experienced. But this knowledge does not suffer from such a defect, for it is directly knowable—that is, it can be realized as one's own Self through direct experience. Similarly, this knowledge is in harmony with dharma; it is endowed with dharma. The word dharma has been explained in many places. Without the consciousness of the Self, a human being is merely an aggregate of gross and subtle inert elements, incapable of performing any action whatsoever. This conscious principle—the Self—is the true dharma and essential nature of a human being. The knowledge that the Blessed Lord imparts here is neither physical science nor psychology, but rather Self-knowledge—the knowledge of one's true nature. Dharma is not an external action performed in the world, but rather the path of spiritual unfoldment, which each individual must pursue for oneself. If the attainment of this knowledge were extremely difficult, then its existence would be meaningless, for no one would be inclined toward it. Just as the announcement by scientists that there is an inexhaustible store of gold available on Mars does not alleviate the poverty of the nation, so the Lord, to dispel the seeker's fear that this knowledge is difficult, declares that it is extremely simple to practice. For the dedicated and capable student, purification of mind and the attainment of the goal through knowledge is an extremely simple matter. Yet even if this knowledge were simple to practice, if its fruit were impermanent and perishable, no wise person would endeavor to attain it. But the Blessed Lord Himself establishes that the fruit of this knowledge is imperishable. Self-realization means becoming one with the eternal, beginningless, and endless Self—the sole, unique substratum of this apparent, visible world. Therefore, it is said that this knowledge is imperishable. Regarding those who do not strive for this eternal reality, in contrast to the seekers of knowledge, the Lord speaks thus—