The Supreme Lord said: I now reveal to you, who are without envy, this most hidden treasure of knowledge of pure devotion, with direct realisation of Me, knowing which you will be liberated from inauspiciousness — from all that is opposed to devotion.

Know this to be the king of secrets, the king of knowledge, supreme, pure, and imperishable. It is known by direct realisation (by one eager to serve Me), it is the perfection of religion, and very easy to practise.

O conqueror of the enemy, men who have no faith in this hidden treasure of devotion to Me are unable to reach Me, and so they remain wandering on the path of death in the material world.

This entire universe is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest form, and all beings are situated in Me; yet I am not in them.

Again, they are not in Me. Behold My supreme mystical power of inconceivable oneness and difference (achintya-bhedabheda). I, Myself, am the mainstay and origin of all beings, but I am not in them.

Know that as the mighty wind blowing everywhere rests always in the sky, similarly, all beings rest in Me.

O son of Kunti, at the end of the millenium, all beings are merged in the material nature of three modes, which is My external potency; and at the beginning of a new millennium, I make them manifest again.

I control My potency of material nature, to repeatedly manifest the multitude of beings, who are helplessly controlled by their natures.

O conqueror of wealth, I remain detached and situated as neutral in the cosmic manifestation, sustenance, and withdrawal, and these functions cannot bind Me.

O Kaunteya, ordained by Me, My illusory potency produces this universe of moving and stationary beings. Thus it is manifest over and over again.

Not knowing the transcendental nature of My form of human features, ignorant persons blaspheme Me, the Supreme Lord of all beings, considering Me a mere mortal.

Their hopes, acts, knowledge, and thoughts all in vain, such persons acquire the ignorant and demoniac nature, which leads to their downfall.

But, O Partha, the great-hearted souls take refuge in the divine nature, and they whole-heartedly worship and adore Me, knowing Me as the eternal origin of all.

They continually chant My glories, strive to learn spiritual truths about Me, and faithfully follow the devotional practices. Bowing to Me and worshipping Me with devotion, they aspire for their eternal relationship with Me.

Others perform the ‘knowledge-sacrifice’ and worship Me in oneness, others worship Me in differentiation, and yet others worship Me in a multitude of ways as the universal form.

I am the Vedic Jyotistoma sacrifice and the five sacrifices to the Visvadeva demigods and others as enjoined in the Smriti-scriptures. I am the oblation to the ancestors, the food, and the mantra. I am the sacrificial ingredients such as ghee, I am the consecrated fire, and I am the act of offering.

I am the father and the mother of the universe, the ordainer of the living beings’ fruits of actions, the forefather, and the object of all knowledge. I am the purifying Om, the Rig-, Sama-, and Yajur-vedas.

And I am the goal, the maintainer, master, witness, refuge, guardian, and true friend. I am the universal manifestation, sustenance, and withdrawal. I am the reservoir, I am the original seed, I am the imperishable Supreme Lord.

O Arjuna, I give heat, and the rain comes and goes by My will. I am immortality and death. I am truth and untruth.

Persons who perform the fruitive ritualistic sacrifices prescribed in three of the Vedas worship Indra and other demigods. In fact, they worship Me, but in an indirect way. They drink the sacrificial remnants of the Soma beverage, purify themselves of sin, and pray to attain the heavenly plane. As the result of their piety, they reach heaven and enjoy celestial pleasures.

After enjoying the vast heavenly plane, upon the exhaustion of their pious merits they return to the human plane. In this way, persons desiring enjoyment who follow the Vedic rituals for demigod worship come and go — they undergo repeated birth and death in this material world.

I bear the responsibility of acquiring and protecting the necessities of My fully dependent devotees who are always absorbed in thought of Me, and who worship Me in every way.

O Kaunteya, the devotees of the demigods who have faith in worshipping them, are actually worshipping Me, but incorrectly.

I alone am the enjoyer and rewarder of all sacrifices, but being ignorant of My position, the demigod worshippers fall to take birth again.

The demigod worshippers reach the demigods, the forefather worshippers go to the plane of their ancestors, and the worshippers of the spirits go to the spirits. But those who worship Me come to Me.

If one offers Me with devotion a leaf, flower, fruit, or water, I affectionately accept that offering of the clean hearted devotee.

O Kaunteya, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, and whatever vow you may keep — do everything as an offering unto Me.

Acting thus, you will be freed from bondage to action and its auspicious or inauspicious results. With mind selflessly linked to Me, you will be perfectly liberated, and you will come to Me.

I am equal to all, so no one is My enemy or My friend. Yet, for those who serve Me with love, as they are bound by affection for Me, I am similarly bound by the tie of affection for them.

If even a very sinful person serves Me exclusively with devotion, he should be regarded as saintly, for his resolve is perfect.

He swiftly becomes a person of virtuous practices and attains constant peace. O son of Kunti, declare to the world that My devotee is never vanquished!
or:
O son of Kunti, declare to the world that My devotee is never vanquished. One who declares this swiftly becomes virtuous and attains eternal joy.

O son of Pritha, persons of low birth, women, merchants or labourers — they, too, attain the supreme destination by taking full refuge in Me.

So can there be any doubt that those brahmans and saintly kings who are pure devotees will achieve the supreme goal? Therefore, worship Me, since although this human body is temporary and a place of suffering, it is attained only after many births and it affords the best opportunity to render devotional service to Me.

Always think of Me, be my devotee, always worship Me and offer obeisances to Me. Thus offering yourself to Me and taking refuge in Me, you will come to Me.