1Krishna.     Now will I open unto thee--whose heart     Rejects not--that last lore, deepest-concealed,     That farthest secret of My Heavens and Earths,     Which but to know shall set thee free from ills,--     A royal lore! a Kingly mystery!     Yea! for the soul such light as purgeth it     From every sin; a light of holiness     With inmost splendour shining; plain to see;     Easy to walk by, inexhaustible!          They that receive not this, failing in faith     To grasp the greater wisdom, reach not Me,     Destroyer of thy foes! They sink anew     Into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!          By Me the whole vast Universe of things     Is spread abroad;--by Me, the Unmanifest!     In Me are all existences contained;     Not I in them!          Yet they are not contained,     Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace     The mystery majestical! My Being--     Creating all, sustaining all--still dwells     Outside of all!          See! as the shoreless airs     Move in the measureless space, but are not space,     [And space were space without the moving airs];     So all things are in Me, but are not I.          At closing of each Kalpa, Indian Prince!     All things which be back to My Being come:     At the beginning of each Kalpa, all     Issue new-born from Me.          By Energy     And help of Prakriti my outer Self,     Again, and yet again, I make go forth     The realms of visible things--without their will--     All of them--by the power of Prakriti.          Yet these great makings, Prince! involve Me not     Enchain Me not! I sit apart from them,     Other, and Higher, and Free; nowise attached!          Thus doth the stuff of worlds, moulded by Me,     Bring forth all that which is, moving or still,     Living or lifeless! Thus the worlds go on!          The minds untaught mistake Me, veiled in form;--     Naught see they of My secret Presence, nought     Of My hid Nature, ruling all which lives.     Vain hopes pursuing, vain deeds doing; fed     On vainest knowledge, senselessly they seek     An evil way, the way of brutes and fiends.     But My Mahatmas, those of noble soul     Who tread the path celestial, worship Me     With hearts unwandering,--knowing Me the Source,     Th' Eternal Source, of Life. Unendingly     They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows     Of reverence and love, with changeless faith     Adoring Me. Yea, and those too adore,     Who, offering sacrifice of wakened hearts,     Have sense of one pervading Spirit's stress,     One Force in every place, though manifold!     I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer!     I am the Funeral-Cake set for the dead!     I am the healing herb! I am the ghee,     The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns!     I am-of all this boundless Universe-     The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guard!     The end of Learning! That which purifies     In lustral water! I am OM! I am     Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Ved;     The Way, the Fosterer, the Lord, the Judge,     The Witness; the Abode, the Refuge-House,     The Friend, the Fountain and the Sea of Life     Which sends, and swallows up; Treasure of Worlds     And Treasure-Chamber! Seed and Seed-Sower,     Whence endless harvests spring! Sun's heat is mine;     Heaven's rain is mine to grant or to withhold;     Death am I, and Immortal Life I am,     Arjuna! SAT and ASAT, Visible Life,     And Life Invisible!          Yea! those who learn     The threefold Veds, who drink the Soma-wine,     Purge sins, pay sacrifice--from Me they earn     Passage to Swarga; where the meats divine          Of great gods feed them in high Indra's heaven.     Yet they, when that prodigious joy is o'er,     Paradise spent, and wage for merits given,     Come to the world of death and change once more.          They had their recompense! they stored their treasure,     Following the threefold Scripture and its writ;     Who seeketh such gaineth the fleeting pleasure     Of joy which comes and goes! I grant them it!          But to those blessed ones who worship Me,     Turning not otherwhere, with minds set fast,     I bring assurance of full bliss beyond.          Nay, and of hearts which follow other gods     In simple faith, their prayers arise to me,     O Kunti's Son! though they pray wrongfully;     For I am the Receiver and the Lord     Of every sacrifice, which these know not     Rightfully; so they fall to earth again!     Who follow gods go to their gods; who vow     Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris; minds     To evil Bhuts given o'er sink to the Bhuts;     And whoso loveth Me cometh to Me.     Whoso shall offer Me in faith and love     A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water poured forth,     That offering I accept, lovingly made     With pious will. Whate'er thou doest, Prince!     Eating or sacrificing, giving gifts,     Praying or fasting, let it all be done     For Me, as Mine. So shalt thou free thyself     From Karmabandh, the chain which holdeth men     To good and evil issue, so shalt come     Safe unto Me-when thou art quit of flesh--     By faith and abdication joined to Me!          I am alike for all! I know not hate,     I know not favour! What is made is Mine!     But them that worship Me with love, I love;     They are in Me, and I in them!          Nay, Prince!     If one of evil life turn in his thought     Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good;     He hath the high way chosen; he shall grow     Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace     Which changes not. Thou Prince of India!     Be certain none can perish, trusting Me!     O Pritha's Son! whoso will turn to Me,     Though they be born from the very womb of Sin,     Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste     Or lowly disregarded Sudra,--all     Plant foot upon the highest path; how then     The holy Brahmans and My Royal Saints?     Ah! ye who into this ill world are come--     Fleeting and false--set your faith fast on Me!     Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring     Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make     Me your supremest joy! and, undivided,     Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.          HERE ENDS CHAPTER IX. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,     Entitled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog,"     Or "The Book of Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly     Mystery."