Chapter 9 Shloka 15
ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते।
एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम्।।१५।।
Describing the varied methods of Upasana, the Lord says:
Many worship Me (as Vaishvanar or the Universal Form) through the yagya of knowledge, knowing Me to be as none different from them (regarding everything as Vaasudeva – the Lord Himself) whilst many others worship Me in varied forms, and some others worship, believing themselves to be different from Me.
Little one, explaining the Upasana of various types of devotees, the Lord says:
1. Some worship Me through gyan yagya.
2. They worship My Essence that pervades all manifest forms.
3. They worship My Vaishvanar form – as the Supreme Lord who abides in this entire universe.
4. They worship Me in all the manifest forms of creation. They serve Me by serving the world, seeing it they think of me, they have a reverential attitude towards My creation, endeavouring to attain Me through their devotional service.
Actually, they seek to merge in the totality of the Whole.
Such worshippers endeavour through the strength of their intellect:
a) to annihilate the ego;
b) to erase their mental attachments;
c) to cast off the feeling of doership;
d) to offer themselves as oblation in the Yagya of the Supreme.
They perform noble deeds for the welfare of the world and seek to erase all trace of themselves.
They offer through their yagya:
a) the oblation of their attachment and ego;
b) the oblation of their moha and ignorance;
c) the oblation of their entire world.
Some worshippers perform the yagya of knowledge, dwelling in non-duality and believing themselves to be an integral part of their Supreme Lord. Others perform the yagya of devotion, believing the ‘I’ to be distinct from the Lord. Still others worship the Essence of the Atma in varied ways. But remember little one, all of them worship only God.
