सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः श्रृणु मे परमं वचः ।
इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥ १८.६४ ॥

sarva-guhyatamam bhūya: śṛṇu me paramam vaca: |
iṣṭo’si me dṛḍham-iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam || 18.64 ||

Hidden truths unfolded

After telling Arjuna that he should decide on his own in choosing whatever course he wished to adopt (yathecchasi tathā kuru), before Arjuna responded, Krishna felt like making a pratijñā (sworn declaration) himself, describing it as the most paramount secret of spiritual life, seeking and attainment.

Normally such eulogistic descriptions are intended to generate added interest in the listener as also to make the proposition extremely covetable, so that what is being said is absorbed with adequate interest and attention. Human psychology has great susceptibility and inclination towards such secret propositions.

Listen, once again, to my supreme word of utmost secrecy, which I shall divulge to you, who are unflinchingly dear to me.

The message becomes the most profound secret (sarva-guhyatamam), because of the depth and the zenith of spiritual wisdom it represents. Generally in any pursuit, some mark, visible discipline or physical restraint, will be there. Here Krishna dispenses with all such notes. He centres the entire pursuit on the mind itself, focusing on the renunciational majesty.

It is for all people to understand the special relevance of the message and imbibe its essence, as Arjuna did. A Teacher will disclose the hidden truths to the student or disciple, only when persuaded by two important factors. One is the intensity of devotion the seeker has to the Teacher; devotional proximity ranks supreme in spiritual seeking. The other is the delicate note of intimacy the Teacher naturally feels towards the disciple. Arjuna was already a relative and friend of Krishna. He further assigned Krishna the role of the spiritual Teacher in Kurukṣetra, when he got into a quagmire, and found no other source of deliverance.

From the few words that Krishna uttered on listening to Arjuna’s confession, Arjuna felt clearly that such words could come only from an enlightened person. So he felt sure that Krishna, his brother-in-law, was truly a spiritual Teacher. He immediately declared his complete refuge in all pious fervour (2.7).

But if Krishna’s description about Arjuna as “sakhā ceti – you are a friend” (4.3) is considered in a larger context, it implies that in the good student is also the budding Teacher. Thus there should be a deep spiritual harmony between the accomplished Teacher and the devout disciple. In that case, as between friends, the Teacher feels confident to reveal the most hidden truths, finding that the student will unhesitatingly imbibe the message and be faithful to apply it wholeheartedly. It is the dedicated student that always ripens into a Teacher.