The Spiritual Import of the Mahabharata and the Bhagavadgita : 14-1.

 Chapter 14: The Absolute Pervading the Universe-1.

A direct entry into religion proper is made in the ninth chapter of the Bhagavadgita, where the concept of God assumes a concrete form.

A living presence begins to be propounded, over and above the gospel of action and psychological integration which was explained in the earlier chapters, especially up to the sixth.

The rise of the consciousness of the human being to the state of perfection, by gradual stages, passes through a phenomenon known as religion, and the ninth chapter devotes itself to the exposition of a universal religion for humanity as a whole.

The chapter begins with the words :-

"Raja-vidya raja-guhyam pavitram idam uttamam,

pratyaksavagamam dharmyam susukham kartum avyayam."

A royal secret, as it were, is going to be expounded.

It is the kingly quintessence of knowledge, which is to be acquired by personal experience, and is not capable of acquisition merely by verbal testimony, sensory perception or logical reasoning.

This wisdom, this knowledge which has to be acquired by direct contact of Being with Being, intuition or experience, is the essence of what is known as dharma—pratyaksavagamam dharmyam.

Swami Krishnananda
To be continued  ....