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← Chapter 9: The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret

Verse 9.2

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् | प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ||२||

Transliteration (IAST)

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

Word-by-Word Meanings

rāja-vidyā-king of knowledge
rāja-guhyam-king of secrets
pavitram-purifying
pratyakṣa-directly perceivable
dharmyam-righteous
su-sukham-very joyful
avyayam-imperishable

Translation

This knowledge is the king of sciences, the king of secrets, supremely purifying, directly realizable, righteous, joyful to practice, and imperishable.

Commentary

Krishna elevates this teaching above all others by calling it 'rāja-vidyā' - the sovereign science. The term 'pratyakṣāvagamam' indicates it is not mere theory but directly experienceable. Its description as 'su-sukham' counters the notion that spiritual practice must be austere.

Themes

jnanadharmabhakti