Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 64

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः ।
इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥

Transliteration

sarvaguhyatamaṃ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ .
iṣṭo.asi me dṛḍhamiti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam ॥

Meaning

Hear again my supreme word, the most secret of all. Because you are dearly loved by me, I will tell you what is for your good.

Word meanings

सर्वगुह्यतमम् – most secret of all
भूयः – again
शृणु – hear
मे – my
परमम् – supreme
वचः – word
इष्टः – beloved
असि – you are
मे – by me
दृढम् – dearly, firmly
इति – thus
ततः – therefore
वक्ष्यामि – I will tell
ते – to you
हितम् – what is beneficial

Anvaya (word order)

सर्वगुह्यतमं मे परमं वचः भूयः शृणु; (त्वं) मे दृढम् इष्टः असि इति ततः ते हितं वक्ष्यामि ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna said, 'Do as you wish.' Yet it seems he does not want to leave Arjuna alone with the burden of decision. Love compels him to speak once more. Bhuyah shrinu — hear again. This 'again' is like the affection of a mother or father who, having granted freedom, still wishes to explain one more time.

Sarva-guhyatamam — the most secret of all. The previous verse spoke of 'more secret' knowledge; now comes the 'most secret', the supreme mystery. Chapter 9 (9.1) was called raja-vidya raja-guhya, the royal knowledge and royal secret; here Krishna goes further still, to speak the most secret of all secrets. It comes in the next two verses (18.65–66) — undivided devotion and total surrender.

Krishna gives the reason: ishto 'si me dridham iti — because you are dearly loved by me. The deepest secret is given not on the basis of intellectual qualification but on the basis of love. This shows that the relationship between God and devotee is not merely that of teacher and student, but of love. To one who is dear to him, the Lord opens his heart.

Tato vakshyami te hitam — therefore I will tell you what is for your good. Hita means that which is truly beneficial, even if not immediately pleasant. Shankara says the Lord speaks this supremely beneficial word because of his firm love for Arjuna. Ramanuja adds that this supreme word concerns the secret of devotion, the highest of all teachings.

Context

In the previous verse Krishna asked Arjuna to reflect and decide for himself. This verse says that, out of love, he will once again speak his most secret word. That supreme word follows in the next two verses (18.65–66) — undivided devotion and total surrender.

Life lesson

True love grants freedom yet continues to guide. Do not hesitate to speak for the real good of those you love. The deepest secret of God is revealed not by force of intellect but through a relationship of love.

Key terms

Sarva-guhyatama: Most secret of all secret teachings
Parama vachah: The supreme word, the highest teaching
Ishta: Beloved
Hita: True welfare, what is genuinely good