Gita 9.18
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् । प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥
gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt | prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam ||
In essence: Krishna is the ultimate plot twist - He is both where you're going and where you came from, both the one who watches and the only place you can truly rest.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "These all sound like nice poetic titles, but what do they mean practically? How does knowing Krishna is my 'goal' help me navigate daily life?"
Guru: "What are you navigating toward? What is it you actually want from life?"
Sadhak: "I want... peace, I suppose. Happiness. Security. Meaning."
Guru: "And where do you currently look for these?"
Sadhak: "In my work, my relationships, my practices. Wherever I think I might find them."
Guru: "And have you found them permanently in any of these places?"
Sadhak: "No. They come and go. Even when I achieve something I wanted, the satisfaction fades."
Guru: "This verse reveals why. You are seeking the goal in its manifestations rather than in its source. Peace, happiness, security, meaning - these are not things scattered across the world waiting to be collected. They are qualities of your own essence, which is not separate from Krishna. When He says 'I am the goal,' He is saying: 'What you truly seek, you already are. Stop searching in the furniture and remember you are the room.'"
Sadhak: "That sounds abstract. And what about 'sākṣī' - the witness? How is that helpful?"
Guru: "Close your eyes for a moment. Notice your thoughts. Who is noticing them?"
Sadhak: "I am... or my mind is..."
Guru: "But can you notice the one who is noticing? There is something simply aware - before you label it 'me' or 'mind.' That witnessing capacity is what sākṣī points to. It is present in every experience but is itself never experienced as an object. It cannot be hurt by what it witnesses, cannot be improved by pleasant sights or damaged by unpleasant ones. This is not a philosophical concept - it is your direct experience right now. Krishna says: 'That witness is Me.' When you rest as the witness rather than getting lost in the witnessed, you touch your divine nature."
Sadhak: "And 'suhṛt' - friend? How is an all-powerful God also a friend?"
Guru: "Think about what makes a true friend. Not someone who flatters you, but someone who wishes your genuine welfare, who sees you clearly and loves you anyway, who remains constant when others leave. Human friendships are limited by human capacity. But here is one Friend who knows everything about you - every hidden thought, every forgotten action, every secret shame - and still remains 'suhṛt,' well-wishing, without condition. This divine friendship doesn't depend on you being good enough. It simply is. Recognizing this changes everything about how you approach the divine - not cowering before a judge, but relaxing into the presence of one who truly, unconditionally, has your back."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Choose one attribute from this verse to be your theme for the day. If you choose 'sākṣī' (witness), practice throughout the day returning to the witnessing awareness behind all experience. If you choose 'suhṛt' (friend), feel the unconditional divine friendship supporting you in every situation. If you choose 'śaraṇa' (refuge), consciously take refuge in Krishna before each challenge. Write your chosen attribute somewhere visible as a reminder.
In moments of difficulty today - when stressed, confused, or troubled - pause and ask: 'If Krishna is my gati (goal), what am I really seeking right now? If He is my śaraṇa (refuge), can I rest in that refuge instead of resisting this moment? If He is my suhṛt (friend), how would I approach this knowing I have the ultimate ally?' This transforms problems from obstacles into opportunities to deepen relationship with the Divine.
Review your day through the lens of this verse. Where did you seek goals outside of Krishna? Where did you forget you had refuge available? Where did you act as if you were alone, forgetting the divine Friend? Don't judge yourself - simply notice. Then consciously release the day's experiences back into their source (prabhava/pralaya). Let everything - successes and failures - return to the divine storehouse (nidhāna). Rest in the recognition that what remains when all else is released is the imperishable seed (bījam avyayam) of your true nature.