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The Glories of the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita from the Padma Purana

Lord Shiva said. “My dear Parvati, now I will relate to you the glories of the Ninth Chanter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita.

There was a town of the name Mahismati on the bank of the Narmada River, where one brahmana of the name Madhava lived. That brahmana very strictly followed all the injunctions of the Vedas, and possessed all the good qualities of the brahminical class. Due to his being so learned, he would receive a lot of charity. And with his accumulated wealth, he started to perform a great fire-sacrifice. For offering in sacrifice, one goat was bought, and when they started to cleanse that goat in preparation for it’s sacrifice, to everyone’s great surprise the goat started to laugh and in a loud voice said; “Oh, brahmana, what is the benefit of performing so many fire-sacrifices that simply bind us up in the wheel of birth and death. Just see my position due to my performing so many fire-sacrifices.”

When everyone gathered there heard the words of the goat, they became curious, and that brahmana inquired with folded hands, “how did you become goat? In your previous life, which caste did you belong to and what activities did you perform?” The goat replied, “Oh, brahmana, in my previous birth I was born in a very pure brahmana family and I very carefully performed all the ritualistic activities enjoined in the Vedas.

One day my wife wished to worship Durga, so that our child might be cured of his disease, for this purpose she requested me to bring one goat. When we sacrificed the goat at the temple of Mother Durga; the goat cursed me, “Oh, sinful, lowest of all, you wish to make my children fatherless. For this reason you will also take birth as a goat.” Oh, Madhava, when the time for my death came I attained this body of a goat but by the grace of Lord Govinda I can remember my previous births. If you wish to hear one other interesting story then I will tell you.

In the place known as Kurukshetra which is capable of giving liberation, there once lived a king of the name Chandrasharma, who was in the dynasty of the sun-god. Once, at the time of the solar-eclipse, the king wished to give charity to one brahmana. Included in that charity was a Sudra, whose body was completely black. After going with his priest and taking bath in the sacred lake, putting on clean cloth and applying sandalwood, he returned to his place. With devotion he gave charity to a qualified Brahmana. After he had presented the charity, all of a sudden from that black Sudras’s heart, one very sinful chandala (dog-eater) appeared and after a little while, a female chandala appeared from that black sudras’s body, and together they went close to the brahmana.

All of a sudden they entered in to the body of the brahmana. That brahmana remained undisturbed and started to chant the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, while remembering Lord Govinda. The king witnessing all these activities was stunned, unable to say anything. As soon as the words of the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita came on the lips of that brahmana, the Vishnudutas appeared there and chased away those two chandalas. At that time the king inquired from the brahmana, “Oh, learned one, who were those two persons and which mantra did you chant? Which deity did you remember?” The brahmana replied, “Taking the form of a chandala, sin personified appeared, along with offense personified in the form of that female chandala. At that time I started chanting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which is capable of releasing one from all fearful situations. By reciting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, I am always able to remember the lotus-feet of Lord Govinda”.

Upon hearing this the king learned the chanting of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Ninth Chapter, from the brahmana. Gradually he managed to attain the lotus-feet of Lord Govinda. When Madhava heard this discourse from the goat, he immediately freed the goat and started to engage in reciting the Ninth Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-gita daily and thus he also gained the lotus-feet of Lord Govinda.

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Comment by Paramananda das on April 22, 2019 at 4:13am

Chapter 9, Verse 1
The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence.

Chapter 9, Verse 2
This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.

Chapter 9, Verse 3
Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world.

Chapter 9, Verse 4
By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.

Chapter 9, Verse 5
And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation.

Chapter 9, Verse 6
As the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in ethereal space know that in the same manner all beings rest in Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 7
O son of Kunti, at the end of the millennium every material manifestation enters into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency I again create.

Chapter 9, Verse 8
The whole cosmic order is under Me. By My will it is manifested again and again, and by My will it is annihilated at the end.

Chapter 9, Verse 9
O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever detached, seated as though neutral.

Chapter 9, Verse 10
This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.

Chapter 9, Verse 11
Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.

Chapter 9, Verse 12
Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.

Chapter 9, Verse 13
O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.

Chapter 9, Verse 14
Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

Chapter 9, Verse 15
Others, who are engaged in the cultivation of knowledge, worship the Supreme Lord as the one without a second, diverse in many, and in the universal form.

Chapter 9, Verse 16
But it is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental chant. I am the butter and the fire and the offering.

Chapter 9, Verse 17
I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support, and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable om. I am also the Rk, the Sama, and the Yajur [Vedas].

Chapter 9, Verse 18
I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Chapter 9, Verse 19
O Arjuna, I control heat, the rain and the drought. I am immortality, and I am also death personified. Both being and nonbeing are in Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 20
Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. They take birth on the planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights.

Chapter 9, Verse 21
When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.

Chapter 9, Verse 22
But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form-to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

Chapter 9, Verse 23
Whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kunti, is really meant for Me alone, but it is offered without true understanding.

Chapter 9, Verse 24
I am the only enjoyer and the only object of sacrifice. Those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down.

Chapter 9, Verse 25
Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 26
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit a water, I will accept it.

Chapter 9, Verse 27
O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 28
In this way you will be freed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this principle of renunciation you will be liberated and come to Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 29
I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.

Chapter 9, Verse 30
Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.

Chapter 9, Verse 31
He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.

Chapter 9, Verse 32
O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination.

Chapter 9, Verse 33
How much greater then are the brahmanas, the righteous, the devotees and saintly kings who in this temporary miserable world engage in loving service unto Me.

Chapter 9, Verse 34
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.

Comment by Paramananda das on April 22, 2019 at 4:16am

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary
The fundamental principles distinguishing the different kinds of devotees of the Supreme Lord were discussed in the previous chapter. Now Lord Krishna reveals in this chapter:

The glorious magnificence and greatness of the object of devotion, the Parama Purusa or Supreme Being will be delineated.

The importance of the saintly devotees of the Supreme Lord will be explained.

The nature of bhakti or pure love in devotion will be examined.

Lord Krishna uses the word anusuyave which means without duplicity. Such a sincere person is naturally honest and of a spiritual disposition is also trusting. When such a person hears of the unlimited glories and matchless attributes of the Supreme Lord Krishna even though they are being revealed by Him; such persons have full unadulterated faith, trust and confidence that His words apply eternally and are undoubtedly without question the absolute reality. Such persons are qualified to comprehend this knowledge by which realising and then implementing it into one's everyday life they shall be relieved of all reactions and impurities which are obstacles in the path to attainment of the Supreme Lord.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary
In the seventh and eighth chapters Lord Krishna described: 1) The paramount position of the Supreme Lord. 2) The various types of devotees of the Supreme Lord. 3) Bhakti or pure loving devotion as the only way to attain the Supreme Lord. 4) That atma tattva or soul realisation is a prerequisite for attaining the Supreme Lord. 5) Only the devotees who have achieved the above attain liberation and the Supreme Lord. 6) Those who lack sufficient knowledge and soul realisation are reborn again and again.

In this chapter Lord Krishna begins revealing confidential information about the Supreme Lord as well as the glory and extraordinary power of the devotees. Now in order to express the greatness of spiritual knowledge and to censure those in ignorance with little or no faith in Him; Lord Krishna uses the word anasuyave meaning to those without envy and duplicity He will reveal this guhyatamam or confidential knowledge. The wisdom of righteousness by which the atma or soul is known as distinct from the physical body which is even more confidential and the most confidential of all is knowledge about the Supreme Lord because such wisdom is only attained solely by pure, loving devotion which gives direct perception of the Supreme Lord in reality. Once this wisdom is incorporated into one's everyday life experience, wisdom of the Supreme Lord, His method of worship and the daily regulated practice that follows such wisdom frees one from the dross and impurities o material existence and removes all the obstacles and things antagonistic to attaining the Supreme Lord Krishna.

Comment by Paramananda das on April 22, 2019 at 4:18am
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