In Bhagavad Gita 9.1, Krishna promises to reveal to Arjuna, who is free from envy, the most secret knowledge together with realisation, knowing which he will be freed from evil.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं
प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे
ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं
यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥ ९-१ ॥
idaṃ tu te guhyatamaṃ
pravakṣyāmyanasūyave
jñānaṃ vijñānasahitaṃ
yajjñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt
English transliteration idam tu te guhyatamam
pravakshyaamyanasooyave
jnaanam vijnaanasahitam
yajjnaatvaa mokshyase’shubhaat ॥ 9.1 ॥
Translation / Meaning
The Blessed Lord said: To you, who are free from envy, I shall now declare this most secret knowledge together with realisation, knowing which you will be freed from all that is inauspicious.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| इदम् idam | this |
| तु tu | now |
| ते te | to you |
| गुह्यतमम् guhyatamam | most secret |
| प्रवक्ष्यामि pravakṣyāmi | I shall declare |
| अनसूयवे anasūyave | to one free from envy |
| ज्ञानम् jñānam | knowledge |
| विज्ञानसहितम् vijñānasahitam | together with realisation vijñāna (realisation) + sahitam (together) |
| यत् yat | which |
| ज्ञात्वा jñātvā | knowing |
| मोक्ष्यसे mokṣyase | you will be freed |
| अशुभात् aśubhāt | from the inauspicious |
Word-wise Chanting
- i–daṃ tu te guh–ya–ta–maṃ 8 syllables i-dam tu te guh-ya-ta-mam
- pra–vakṣ–yām–ya–na–sū–ya–ve | 8 syllables pra-vaksh-yaam-ya-na-soo-ya-ve
- jñā–naṃ vi–jñā–na–sa–hi–taṃ 8 syllables jnaa-nam vi-jnaa-na-sa-hi-tam
- yaj–jñāt–vā mokṣ–ya–se–‘śu–bhāt || 9-1 8 syllables yaj-jnaat-vaa moksh-ya-se-‘shu-bhaat
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 9 Verse 1
Context
Chapter 9, the Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret, continues the teaching on the Divine begun in Chapter 7.
Meaning
Krishna calls this teaching guhyatama, the most secret, not because it is hidden by design but because it is understood only by a receptive heart. He gives it to Arjuna because he is anasūyu, free from envy and fault-finding. The knowledge comes with vijñāna, realisation, and it frees one from aśubha, all that binds and harms.
The quality required of the student is not cleverness but an open, generous heart. A mind that looks for faults cannot receive the deepest truths.
In Practice
Notice any habit of finding fault with teachers or teachings. Approach your study today with openness instead.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga (The Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.