The Most Confidential Knowledge

Theme and purpose

Most confidential knowledge is the knowledge of pure bhakti. Kṛṣṇa creates, maintains and destroys this world by His majestic powers. Fools and jñānīs approach Kṛṣṇa in different ways. But direct bhakti to Kṛṣṇa is the best. Kṛṣṇa is specially inclined to a devotee and forgives him for accidental mistakes.

How this chapter connects

Sections and key teachings

1. 9.1–3 Kṛṣṇa glorifies the knowledge He is about to reveal
   3 subsections

   • 9.1 One has to be non-envious to know or realize Kṛṣṇa.
   • 9.2 Bhakti is the king of all knowledge, most confidential and is joyfully performed.
   • 9.3 The faithless cannot attain Kṛṣṇa
2. 9.4–10 Aiśvarya-jñāna – Kṛṣṇa’s relationship with this world
   3 subsections

   • 9.4–6 Kṛṣṇa pervades and maintains the entire material world by His energies, yet He is not in everything.
   • 9.7–9 The material world is created and destroyed periodically by Kṛṣṇa’s energies and His will, but all this work cannot bind Him.
   • 9.10 Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Director
3. 9.11–25 Different types of worshipers of Lord Kṛṣṇa
   5 subsections

   • 9.11–12 Fools consider Kṛṣṇa as an ordinary human
   • 9.13–14 Mahātmas or ananya-bhaktas worship Kṛṣṇa constantly with devotion
   • 9.15 Three kinds of jñānīs who worship Kṛṣṇa
   • 9.16–19 Worshiping Kṛṣṇa in His universal form (viśvarūpa upāsana) – Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading, ultimate shelter and cause of all causes
   • 9.20–25 Demigod worship (pratīkopāsanā) – is a wrong way of worshiping Kṛṣṇa; by piety one attains heaven, but comes back to earth. One’s destination depends on one’s worship. Better worship Kṛṣṇa.
4. 9.26–34 The glories of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti
   4 subsections

   • 9.26 Bhakti is simple. Kṛṣṇa accepts anything offered with devotion
   • 9.27–28 Do everything as an offering to Kṛṣṇa and thus be freed from bondage.
   • 9.29–31 Kṛṣṇa is equal to all, but specially inclined to a devotee. He forgives and purifies an imperfect devotee.
   • 9.32–34 People of sinful birth also can attain Kṛṣṇa. What to speak of qualified people? So worship Kṛṣṇa directly.

All verses

9.1–3

• 9.1
• 9.2
• 9.3

9.4–10

• 9.4
• 9.5
• 9.6
• 9.7
• 9.8
• 9.9
• 9.10

9.11–25

• 9.11
• 9.12
• 9.13
• 9.14
• 9.15
• 9.16
• 9.17
• 9.18
• 9.19
• 9.20
• 9.21
• 9.22
• 9.23
• 9.24
• 9.25

9.26–34

• 9.26
• 9.27
• 9.28
• 9.29
• 9.30
• 9.31
• 9.32
• 9.33
• 9.34