"Arjuna, because you are free from envy, I shall reveal to you the most profound secret—a knowledge combined with direct realization. By understanding this, you will be liberated from all the miseries of material existence. This is the king of sciences, the supreme, sacred mystery; it is directly perceivable, aligns with the highest righteousness, is simple to practice, and yields imperishable results. Those who lack faith in this path fail to reach Me and remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death." "All of this vast cosmic manifestation is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form. While all beings exist within Me, I do not dwell within them. Look upon the mystery of My divine power: though I am the sustainer and creator of all beings, I remain independent, for My Self is not contained by them. Understand that just as the mighty wind, which moves everywhere, forever rests within the sky, so too do all beings rest within Me." "At the end of an age, all beings merge into My primordial nature, and at the beginning of the next, I manifest them again. I preside over My material nature, and by its force, I send forth these countless beings, again and again, even though they have no control over their own births. Yet, these acts do not bind Me; I remain as one indifferent, detached from these cosmic activities. Under My supreme supervision, Nature brings forth the animate and inanimate worlds, and for this reason, O Arjuna, the world constantly revolves." "Foolish people disregard Me, even when I appear in a human form, for they do not understand My higher nature as the Supreme Lord of all beings. Deluded by their own arrogance, their hopes are vain, their actions are hollow, and their knowledge is wasted. They are trapped in the base nature of the ignorant. But great souls, those who take refuge in My divine nature, worship Me with single-minded devotion, knowing Me to be the eternal, imperishable source of all creation. They are always glorifying Me, striving with firm resolve, and bowing before Me with unwavering love." "Others, through the sacrifice of knowledge, worship Me as the One, as the many, and as the All-Faced. I am the Vedic ritual, the sacrifice, the oblation, the sacred herb, the mantra, the melted butter, the fire, and the offering. I am the father, mother, sustainer, and grandfather of this universe. I am the goal of all knowledge, the purifier, the sacred syllable 'Om,' and the Vedas themselves. I am the ultimate goal, the supporter, the Master, the witness, the abode, the shelter, and the friend. I am the beginning, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house, and the eternal seed. I radiate heat as the sun, I withhold and release the rain, I am both immortality and death, and I am all that is manifest and unmanifest." "Those who strictly follow the rituals of the Vedas, drinking the sacred nectar and cleansing themselves of sin, seek to reach the heavenly realms through their sacrifices. They attain the paradise of the gods and enjoy celestial pleasures. Yet, when their merits are exhausted, they return to this mortal world. Thus, those who pursue the transitory rewards of desire remain caught in the cycle of coming and going." "However, there are those who worship Me alone, thinking of nothing else and remaining ever-united with Me. For them, I personally ensure the arrival of what they lack and protect what they already possess. Even those who worship other deities with sincere faith are, in effect, worshipping Me alone, though they do so in an irregular way. I am the Lord and the enjoyer of all sacrifices, but because people do not recognize Me in truth, they fall back into the path of mortality. Worshippers of the gods go to the gods, worshippers of ancestors reach the ancestors, and worshippers of spirits reach the spirits; but those who worship Me come to Me." "Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water—this I accept as a gift of love from a pure heart. Therefore, Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, and whatever austerity you perform, do it as an offering unto Me. By doing so, you will be freed from the bondage of actions—both good and bad. With your mind established in this Yoga of renunciation, you will be liberated and will come to Me." "I am impartial to all beings; no one is particularly hateful or dear to Me. Yet, those who worship Me with devotion reside in Me, and I dwell within them. Even if the most sinful person worships Me with exclusive devotion, he is to be considered righteous, for he has made the right resolution. He quickly becomes virtuous and attains lasting peace. You may proclaim it with certainty, Arjuna: My devotee never perishes. Those who take refuge in Me—even those of low birth, women, merchants, or workers—attain the supreme destination. How much more easily, then, do the saintly and the righteous reach Me? Since you have come to this transient and joyless world, commit yourself to My service." "Fix your mind upon Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow down to Me. Having united your entire being to Me, with Me as your supreme goal, you shall surely reach Me."