Gita 9.15
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते। एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्॥
jñāna-yajñena cāpy anye yajanto mām upāsate | ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvato-mukham ||
In essence: Whether through non-dual knowledge, devotional separation, or seeing the Divine in countless forms - all paths of sincere worship reach the one universal Reality.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "This confuses me. How can 'oneness' and 'separateness' both be valid ways to worship the same God?"
Guru: "Consider the ocean. Is a wave one with the ocean or separate from it?"
Sadhak: "Both, I suppose. It's made of ocean, yet it has its own form."
Guru: "Exactly. Those who emphasize the water see oneness (ekatvena). Those who emphasize the wave see separateness (pṛthaktvena). Both are describing the same reality from different vantage points. Krishna honors both."
Sadhak: "But philosophically, only one can be ultimately true, right?"
Guru: "From the standpoint of the wave asking questions, perhaps. But what does the ocean care about wave-debates? The ocean is simply being ocean - manifesting as all waves while never being limited to any single wave. Krishna's point is: approach Me through any understanding, but approach Me."
Sadhak: "What about those who see God in everything - the viśvato-mukham way? Is that different from just pantheism?"
Guru: "There is a crucial difference. The pantheist says 'Everything is God' and may stop there. The viśvato-mukham worshipper says 'The face of God looks at me through everything' - this is not a philosophical statement but a lived orientation. They experience every encounter as a divine meeting. Their life becomes continuous worship because there is nothing that is not an altar."
Sadhak: "How do I know which approach is right for me?"
Guru: "What draws your heart? When you hear of the non-dual Absolute, does something leap in recognition? When you imagine a personal Lord who loves you, do tears come? When you see suffering in another being, do you feel moved to serve the Divine there? Your heart knows. Follow its pull. All roads lead home; Krishna says so Himself in this verse."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Today, identify which approach naturally draws you most: Do you resonate with 'I am That' (ekatvena)? Does your heart long for personal relationship with the Divine (pṛthaktvena)? Do you feel most alive when serving God in others (viśvato-mukham)? Whatever your dominant mode, begin the day with a practice aligned to it: self-inquiry, devotional prayer, or offering your day's work to the Divine in all beings.
Practice 'seeing the face' (viśvato-mukham) regardless of your primary path. In three different encounters today - with a loved one, a stranger, and something in nature - pause to recognize: 'Here too is a face of the Divine looking at me.' This practice makes the teaching of universal presence experiential rather than merely philosophical.
Reflect: 'How did I worship today? Through understanding? Through love? Through service?' Note which came naturally and which felt forced. Then do something from your least natural approach - if you're intellectual, spend a moment in simple devotional surrender; if you're devotional, contemplate the non-dual truth; if you're service-oriented, rest in the knowledge that the server, the served, and the serving are one. This integration practice honors the verse's inclusive vision.