Gita 9.34
Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु । मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥३४॥
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
In essence: Fix your mind on Me, be My devotee, worship Me, bow to Me - thus absorbed in Me as your supreme goal, you shall surely come to Me.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "This verse has four commands: think of Me, be devoted, sacrifice, bow. They seem simple, but I find even one of them difficult to sustain. How can I do all four?"
Guru: "When you love someone deeply - a child, a partner - how many separate instructions do you need to think about them?"
Sadhak: "None. I think about them naturally, constantly. It's not effort."
Guru: "And do you find it difficult to do things for them, to show them respect, to sacrifice for their wellbeing?"
Sadhak: "No, those things flow naturally from love."
Guru: "You've just discovered the secret of this verse. These four commands aren't separate tasks to be accomplished through willpower. They're natural expressions of love. When love for the Divine awakens, thinking of God becomes as natural as breathing, devotion flows without force, sacrifice becomes joy rather than burden, and bowing is not submission but celebration. The four become one when the heart is engaged."
Sadhak: "But what if I don't yet feel that love? How do I start?"
Guru: "Start with any one. Practice. 'Bhajasva mām' can begin as discipline before it becomes delight. Start thinking of God even when you don't feel devotion - the devotion will follow the attention. Start bowing even when you don't feel humble - the humility will follow the action. Love in the spiritual path isn't always the starting point; sometimes it's the fruit. You don't wait until you feel love to act lovingly - you act lovingly, and love awakens."
Sadhak: "And the guarantee - 'you shall come to Me' - how certain is that?"
Guru: "Notice the word 'eva' - it means 'certainly' or 'only.' Krishna is staking His word. If you engage yourself this way - 'yuktvā evam ātmānam' - uniting your whole self with Me as your supreme goal, the result is not maybe, not probably, but certainly. This is not Krishna's wish for you; it is His promise to you. The only variable is your engagement. If you are mat-parāyaṇaḥ - taking Him as your ultimate refuge - He guarantees arrival. Not hope. Guarantee."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Four-fold offering upon waking: Before rising from bed, practice all four elements: 1) Man-manā - let your first thought be of God: 'I am Yours.' 2) Mad-bhakta - feel love/devotion in your heart for the Divine. 3) Mad-yājī - dedicate the day as sacrifice: 'Everything I do today is offered to You.' 4) Namaskuru - physically bow your head (even while lying down) in surrender. This 2-minute practice sets the template for the day.
Continuous presence anchors: Choose 4 daily triggers - perhaps entering a doorway, starting your car, beginning a meal, checking your phone. At each trigger, practice one element: doorway = man-manā (think of God); car = mad-bhakta (feel devotion); meal = mad-yājī (offer as sacrifice); phone = namaskuru (inner bow of humility). These create a rhythm of remembrance throughout the day.
Mat-parāyaṇaḥ meditation: Before sleep, sit quietly and ask: 'What was my supreme goal today? What did my heart pursue most urgently?' Be honest. Then consciously reset: 'Tomorrow, let my supreme goal be God alone.' Visualize the guarantee: 'Mām eva eṣyasi - you shall come to Me.' Sleep in the confidence that this practice, sustained over time, leads inevitably to the Divine. Bow (internally or physically) and rest.