The Royal Secretराजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग

इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्॥

idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave,
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ‘śubhāt.

To you, who are free of envy, I will reveal this most secret knowledge together with its realization. Knowing it, you will be set free from all that is inauspicious.

Live it todayCome to wisdom without fault-finding, and it opens to you.

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्।
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम्॥

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam,
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam.

This is the king of all knowledge, the king of all secrets, the supreme purifier. It is known by direct experience, it is in harmony with dharma, it is joyful to practice, and it never fades.

Live it todayThe highest truth is not a burden; it is a joy to practice.

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप।
अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि॥

aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa,
aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.

Those who have no faith in this dharma, O Arjuna, do not reach me. They return to the path of death and worldly existence.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना।
मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः॥

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā,
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ.

This entire universe is pervaded by me in my unmanifest form. All beings rest in me, but I do not rest in them.

Live it todayWherever you are, you are held within the Divine.

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्।
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः॥

na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram,
bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ.

And yet beings do not rest in me: behold my divine power. My Self sustains all beings and brings them forth, yet it does not dwell in them.

यथाऽऽकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान्।
तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय॥

yathā ‘ ‘kāśa-sthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatra-go mahān,
tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mat-sthānīty upadhāraya.

Just as the mighty wind, moving everywhere, always rests within space, know that in the same way all beings rest in me.

Live it todayHowever far you wander, you move within the Divine.

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम्।
कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम्॥

sarva-bhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām,
kalpa-kṣaye punas tāni kalpādau visṛjāmy aham.

At the end of a cosmic age, O son of Kunti, all beings return into my nature. At the start of the next age, I bring them forth again.

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः।
भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात्॥

prakṛtiṁ svām avaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ,
bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśāt.

Taking hold of my own nature, I send forth this whole host of beings again and again, powerless as they are under the sway of nature.

न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय।
उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु॥

na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya,
udāsīna-vad āsīnam asaktaṁ teṣu karmasu.

These actions do not bind me, O Arjuna, for I remain like one who sits apart, unattached to all those actions.

Live it todayAct fully, but hold your actions lightly.

मयाऽध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम्।
हेतुनाऽनेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते॥

mayā ‘dhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram,
hetunā ‘nena kaunteya jagad viparivartate.

Under my watch, nature brings forth all that moves and all that is still. Because of this, O son of Kunti, the world keeps turning.

Live it todayThe world turns under a watchful presence; you need not carry it alone.

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम्।
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम्॥

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam,
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram.

The deluded look down on me when I take on a human form, not knowing my higher nature as the great Lord of all beings.

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः।
राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः॥

moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ,
rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ.

Their hopes are empty, their actions fruitless, their knowledge useless, and their minds confused. They take on the deceiving nature of fiends and demons.

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः।
भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम्॥

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ,
bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam.

But the great souls, O Arjuna, who take shelter in the divine nature, worship me with minds turned to nothing else, knowing me as the imperishable source of all beings.

Live it todayLean toward the divine side of your own nature today.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः।
नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते॥

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ,
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā nitya-yuktā upāsate.

Always singing my praise, striving with firm resolve and bowing to me in devotion, they worship me, ever united with me.

Live it todaySing, bow, keep trying; that is everyday devotion.

ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते।
एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्॥

jñāna-yajñena cāpy anye yajanto mām upāsate,
ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvato-mukham.

Others, offering the sacrifice of knowledge, worship me, whose face is turned everywhere, seeing me as the One, as distinct, or as the many.

Live it todayThere are many honest ways to seek the Divine.

अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाऽहमहमौषधम्।
मंत्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम्॥

ahaṁ kratur ahaṁ yajñaḥ svadhā ‘ham aham auṣadham,
maṁtro ‘ham aham evājyam aham agnir ahaṁ hutam.

I am the ritual and I am the sacrifice. I am the offering to the ancestors and the healing herb. I am the sacred chant, the ghee, the fire, and the act of offering.

Live it todayA lamp or a flower: treat each small ritual as touching the Divine.

पिताऽहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः।
वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक् साम यजुरेव च॥

pitā ‘ham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ,
vedyaṁ pavitram oṁkāra ṛk sāma yajur eva ca.

I am the father of this world, its mother, its upholder and its grandsire. I am what is to be known, the purifier, the syllable Om, and the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas.

Live it todaySpeak to the Divine as you would to a parent.

गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्।
प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम्॥

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt,
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam.

I am the goal, the support, the master, the witness, the home, the refuge and the friend. I am the origin and the dissolution, the ground, the storehouse and the seed that never perishes.

Live it todayWhen you feel alone, remember: the Divine is your refuge and friend.

तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च।
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन॥

tapāmy aham ahaṁ varṣaṁ nigṛhṇāmy utsṛjāmi ca,
amṛtaṁ caiva mṛtyuś ca sad asac cāham arjuna.

I give heat, and I hold back and send forth the rain. I am deathlessness and also death, O Arjuna; I am both what is and what is not.

त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा
यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक-
मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान्॥

traividyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā
yajñair iṣṭvā svar-gatiṁ prārthayante,
te puṇyam āsādya surendra-loka-
maśnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān.

Those versed in the three Vedas, who drink the soma and are cleansed of sin, worship me through sacrifices and pray for the way to heaven. Reaching the holy world of Indra, they enjoy the divine pleasures of the gods in heaven.

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते॥

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ
kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti,
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante.

Having enjoyed that vast heaven, they return to the world of mortals once their merit is spent. So those who follow the Vedic rites while longing for pleasures keep going and coming again.

Live it todayPleasure earned is pleasure spent; seek what never runs out.

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate,
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham.

To those who worship me with undivided devotion, ever united with me, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

Live it todayGive your heart fully; you will be looked after.

येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम्॥

ye ‘py anya-devatā bhaktā yajante śraddhayā ‘nvitāḥ,
te ‘pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam.

Even those devoted to other gods, who worship them with faith, are worshipping me alone, O son of Kunti, though not in the prescribed way.

अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च।
न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते॥

ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca,
na tu mām abhijānanti tattvenātaś cyavanti te.

For I alone am the enjoyer and the lord of all sacrifices. But they do not know me as I truly am, and so they fall back.

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान् पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम्॥

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ,
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ‘pi mām.

Those devoted to the gods go to the gods, those devoted to the ancestors go to the ancestors, and those who worship spirits go to the spirits. And those who worship me come to me.

Live it todayWhat you give yourself to is where you end up.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati,
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ.

Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of love from a pure heart I accept.

Live it todayThe smallest offering, given with love, is enough.

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्।
यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम्॥

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat,
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam.

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever you practice as discipline, O Arjuna, do it as an offering to me.

Live it todayOffer today’s ordinary work as worship.

शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः।
संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि॥

śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase karma-bandhanaiḥ,
saṁnyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi.

In this way you will be freed from the bonds of action, with their good and bad results. With your heart joined in the yoga of renunciation, you will be set free and will come to me.

Live it todayOffer your work, and its results stop weighing on you.

समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः।
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम्॥

samo ‘haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo ‘sti na priyaḥ,
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham.

I am the same toward all beings; no one is hateful to me and no one is favored. But those who worship me with devotion are in me, and I am in them.

Live it todayNo one is shut out; love is what draws you close.

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः॥

api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk,
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ.

Even if one of very bad conduct worships me with undivided devotion, that one is to be regarded as righteous, for the resolve has been rightly made.

Live it todayThe turning counts more than the past that preceded it.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति॥

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati,
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati.

Such a person soon becomes righteous and finds lasting peace. Declare it with confidence, O son of Kunti: my devotee never perishes.

Live it todayHold on to your devotion; it will not let you be lost.

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम्॥

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ‘pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ,
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ‘pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

Those who take refuge in me, O Arjuna, even those who may be of sinful birth, as well as women, Vaishyas and Shudras: they too reach the highest goal.

किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा।
अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम्॥

kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā,
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām.

How much more, then, the virtuous Brahmins and the devoted royal sages. Having come into this passing and joyless world, worship me.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु।
मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः॥

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru,
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ.

Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, offer to me, bow to me. So shall you come to me, having made me your supreme goal.

Live it todayGive the day a direction and the mind will follow it.