Notes on Book IX

Let me first say that I recognize my post is quite long. This is due to my absence in class last Wednesday. This being the case, I have used the blog to present some of what I wanted to discuss. There are many interesting aspects in Book IX that I do not identify here, but would love to have a conversation on the subject with anyone interested. Note as well that all quotations of the Gita come from the Sargeant translation, and all quotations of the Bible are from the NISB.

Book IX is essential in understanding that the Gita, as a whole, is a Bhakti text. Although it preserves other ways of attaining Nirvana, it is a text ultimately concerned with devotion to Krishna – the highest path toward the escape of rebirth. This was stressed to all of us who attended the Edwin Bryant lectures and is further reinforced throughout the Gita itself, especially in Book XII

In going through Book IX again, I found that the ordering of the slokas revealed much about the intended message. The book begins with an announcement from Krishna to Arjuna: “This most secret thing I shall declare to you, who do not disbelieve (IX:1).” It is important to note that Arjuna is addressed as “you, who do not disbelieve.” Sloka three also says, “Men who have no faith…are born again.” It is clear that one must have faith to be devoted to Krishna. Slokas four through eleven reveal what one is to have faith in.

In sloka four Krishna says, “This whole universe is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect. All beings abide in Me; I do not abide in them (IX:4).” I will speak more on the importance of this wording later, but for now this sloka is the initial recognition of Krishna as the unmanifest in this book. Slokas five through ten work to elaborate his power as the unmanifest and emphasize this aspect of Krishna. Sloka eleven reinforces that Krishna, in his human form, is a manifestation of the unmanifest. Those who are “deluded,” or unbelieving, are not able to recognize Krishna as such. Lack of faith prevents one from having devotion towards Krishna. Slokas thirteen and fourteen are the closest we come, as Bryant pointed out, to understanding how one devotes oneself to Krishna. Although there is much to elaborate on, I would now like to examine more closely sloka twenty-nine.

I find sloka twenty-nine among the more interesting slokas because of its contrast to sloka four. As stated above, sloka four reads, “All beings abide in Me; I do not abide in them.” On the other hand, in sloka twenty-nine it is written, “I am the same (Self) in all beings; there is none disliked or dear to Me. But they who worship Me with devotion are in Me, and I am also in them (IX:29).” The contrast between the two slokas is significant in understanding why one is devoted to Krishna. As I understand it, Krishna is the bridge between us and his unmanifest aspect. The unmanifest does not abide in us, and we do not truly abide in it (IX:5). In order to escape the cycle of rebirth we need to establish a connection with the unmanifest, which could also be understood as Truth, or the way things truly are. Krishna, as a manifestation of the unmanifest, provides us a way in which we can connect to the unmanifest through devotion to him. The unmanifest has become a tangible object that we can direct our whole selves to rather than attempting to conceive it in itself. Part of my interest in this aspect of book IX comes from its correlation to Christian scripture.

Anyone who is familiar with Christianity will find many similarities to this faith throughout the Gita, and more specifically between the figures of Krishna and Christ. Therefore the similarities are not exclusive to book IX, but this is my current focus. In John 17:22-23 Jesus says, “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one….” I find the similarity in language striking. In this passage Jesus is praying on behalf of his current disciples as well as all those who will believe in their words. Jesus makes it clear that his purpose is to make the Father known to those he has been given, so that they may have eternal life (17:2). This corresponds directly to Krishna’s purpose of connecting his followers to the unmanifest. I understand the unmanifest and the Father as representing the same absolute Truth. The Truth abides in Krishna and Christ. Krishna and Christ abide in those devoted to them, so in effect, the Truth also abides in those devoted followers. This would not be possible otherwise, at least in such a way. More is to be said about attaining the unmanifest through ascetic practices.

Further, other aspects of book IX reinforce this correlation between Krishna and Christ. For this reason I took the time to examine the ordering of slokas in book IX earlier. The book began with identifying the necessity of faith. This faith is directed towards an understanding of Krishna as both the unmanifest and a human, or a manifestation of the unmanifest. In the same way, Christianity requires its followers to believe in the Jesus as fully divine and fully human. There could be a distinction between the two figures in this fully human aspect, but the correlation remains. Even more, devotion to Krishna allows an evil man to become righteous. “If even the evildoer worships Me with undivided devotion, He is to be thought of as righteous, for he has rightly resolved (IX:30).” This is similar to Christ as redeemer. Those who believe in him are cleansed of their sins.

What do you think about this correlation? How does it affect your understanding of both these religions? Specifically, how does this affect your understanding of the exclusivity of Christianity in that Christ is the only way to God? Are Krishna and Christ both manifestations of Truth, allowing different groups of people oneness with God?