Gita 9: Yoga of Royal and Discriminatory Knowledge

1. Introduction and summary of Chapter 9- The Yoga of Royal and Discriminatory Knowledge
2. Chapter reading - Yoga of Royal and Discriminatory Knowledge (Gandhi's Gita, Sivananda):
3. Key topics:
   1. Verses 1-3: The King of Sciences (“the essence of Dharma”) and the Mysterious Sovereign Secret (only through direct experience and faith can they be known). Atmanvidya
   2. Verses 4-6: The “paradox” of the Lord's sovereign power
   3. Verses 7-10: creation (Srishti), preservation and destruction (Pralaya) of the universe
   4. Verses 11-15: Fools and enlightened (Bhakti Yoga-Devotion and Jnana Yoga). Incarnations
   5. Verses 16-19: Universal Form of the Lord
   6. Verses 20-25: Failure to follow Vedic law and not Bhakti. Worship of other Gods. Rewards of Nishkama Karma (action performed without any expectation of its fruits or results) and Sakama Karma (or Kamya Karma, selfish actions)
   7. Verses 26-34: Bhakti Yoga (Devotional Path) and surrender to the Lord (Brahman) through Karma Yoga (Nishkama Karma)
4. Reading the versified adaptation of this chapter
5. Analysis of each verse and its comments from chapter 9 (Gita Makaranadam by Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
6. Readings by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna related to the Chapter 9- The Yoga of Royal and Discriminatory Knowledge
7. Exercises of Chapter 9- Rajavidya-rajaguhya Yoga

In the previous chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna observed that Arjuna had faith (“you who do not censure” Bhagavad Gita 9-1) and therefore was already prepared to know the mysterious knowledge (“the king of sciences») and the sovereign secret (“the king of mysteries”), that is, the eternal and absolute Truth, which can only be known through direct experience (“discriminatory knowledge”).

If the Yogi does not have faith in this knowledge (Jnana), he will not realize the Lord nor will he be freed from death (“they return again and again to the path of the world of death” Bhagavad Gita 11-3), if he has it he will be liberated of evil.

Sri Krishna explained to Arjuna that this Knowledge is the essence of Dharma:

Sri Krishna stated the following paradox “everyone is in Him, but He is not in them”:

«This entire cosmic manifestation is permeated by Me in My unmanifested form. All living beings dwell in Me, but I do not dwell in them» Bhagavad Gita 9-4.

And then he gave the answer to this paradox: this mystery (miracle) was his only power.

«And yet, living beings do not remain in Me. Here is the mystery of My divine energy! Although I am the Creator and Sustainer of all living beings, I am not influenced by them or material nature» Bhagavad Gita 9-5.

That is, all creation is from the Lord (Sat-Chit-Ananda, Allah, Brahman or whatever you want to call him), the visible and the invisible, and therefore all beings are in Him, however He transcends everything, since He is the author of everything, thus we could deduce that beings are not in He.

And Sri Krishna explained this secret to him in terms of Prakriti and Kalpa: at the end of a Kalpa or “night of Brahma” (destruction of the universe) all beings are absorbed in His Prakriti, at the beginning of a Kalpa or “day of Brahma” (evolution or manifestation of the universe) gives them life:

«At the end of a cycle (Kalpa) all beings, Ο son of Kunti, enter My Prakriti (primary material energy), and at the beginning of a cycle I manifest them again» Bhagavad Gita 9-7.

Prakriti refers to the basic matter of the universe. In Chapter 14 The Yoga of the Differentiation of the Three Gunas of the Bhagavad Gita is explained in detail:

And again Sri Krishna reaffirmed to Arjuna that all his Kauravas cousins ​​whom he had to fight were already dead because of His Prakriti:

«Recourse to My Prakriti, I send again and again this multitude of powerless beings under the dominion of Prakriti» Bhagavad Gita 9-1.

And yet, the Lord is not acting in this entire process:

«But all this activity does not bind Me, remaining indifferent, without I tying myself to it» Bhagavad Gita 9-9.

Commentary by Swami Vidya Prakashananda on this verse:

«The impurity caused by ignorance is only cleansed with Knowledge. The subtle body needs purification. And the purifying agents are Nishkama Karma, meditation, worship of God and other similar practices. Of all of them, Knowledge is the best and greatest purifier.
Each individual has to find that Knowledge for himself.»

The rest of this summary on the subject “Yoga of Royal and Discriminatory Knowledge” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Chapter 9 verse 26- Rajavidya-rajaguhya Yoga (Swami Vidya Prakashananda)

Subject Example (Es):

Subject Example (Es):

Parabrahman - Divine Manifestations - Para-Bhakti (Vivekananda)