Books
The Bhagavad- Gita As It Is
Collier 1968
With Introduction, Translation and Authorized Purport by
A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
ACHARYA, INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
COLLIER BOOKS, NEW YORK
COLLIER-MACMILLAN LTD., LONDON
TO
SRILA VALADEVA VIDYABHUSANA
who presented so nicely
Govinda Bhashya" Commentary
On
Vedanta philosophy
SETTING THE SCENE
THE BHAGAVAD GITA IS a battlefield dialogue between Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Arjuna, His friend, devotee, and disciple. The dialogue consists of seven hundred verses, in which the Lord brings Arjuna from the dark bewilderment of material consciousness to the stage of serene and joyful enlightenment regarding everything—literally.
Krishna’s purpose in coming into this world is nicely described in the Fourth Chapter, and there is no need to go over that here. But a note regarding the activities of Krishna and Arjuna, explaining how They came to be on that battlefield, ought to be quite helpful to the reader whose knowledge of Vedic literature is scant or nil. That literature is the most extensive, comprehensive, scientifically precise and ancient scriptural material now existing in the world. It presents the paths of knowledge of the Absolute Truth in all aspects and from all angles of vision, clearly and elaborately.
Srila Vyasadeva is an incarnation of God Who appeared on earth at about the same time as Krishna, the Original Person. Vyasadeva’s purpose was to reconstruct and compile the Vedic wisdom so that it could be understood by the people of the coming age—the Kali Yuga, or Age of Quarrel. It is to Vyasadeva that we can attribute all the Vedic knowledge now in existence, for it was He Who put it into writing. The people of previous times having the capacity for perfect memory of such topics, writing was until then unnecessary.
Part of Vyasadeva’s work includes The Mahabharata, a chronicle of events leading up to the initiation of the Age of Kali. "Mahabharata" means, literally, "Great Bharata," Bharata being a ruler of the world during a now forgotten past epoch. The Mahabharata traces not only the doings of Bharata the Great, but of his descendants as well, coming ultimately down to the story of Dhritarashtra and Pandu, the sons of King Vichitravirya. Now, Dhritarashtra was the elder son, but he was born blind, and so the throne that otherwise would have been his devolved upon his younger brother, Pandu. Pandu had five sons—Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva; and Dhritarashtra had a hundred, chief amongst whom was Duryodhana, a great politician and administrator.
Dhritarashtra never came to accept his brother’s pre-eminence over him, and he raised his sons with the determination that they—and not Pandu’s offspring—should someday reign over the world. Duryodhana and his many brothers thus grew to manhood in possession of their father’s ambitions, his pride, and his greed. What’s more, Pandu died at an early age, and his five boys came under the guardianship of Dhritarashtra, his other brother Vidura, and the venerated "grandfather" of the clan, Bhisma. Dhritarashtra plotted against the lives of the Pandavas (the sons of Pandu) and their mother Pritha, also called Kunti. But the blind conspirator’s plans were foiled by a variety of people and circumstances: chiefly the saintly intervention of Vidura, and the loving protection of Krishna, Kunti’s Nephew, thus also a Relative.
Now, the warrior-politicians of that time were called Kshatriyas, and they lived by a code of chivalry, much as the warrior class of Europe did only recently. Part of the Kshatriya code forbade them to turn away from a challenge to a fight—or to a gambling match. In this way, ultimately, the brilliant Duryodhana was able to cheat the five brothers of their kingdom, their wife Droupadi—and even their freedom, forcing them to spend twelve years hiding. When this time was up, the Pandavas returned to the court of Duryodhana and asked him to grant them some kind of administrative post—for it was also part of the Kshatriya code that a warrior might not enter into service or business, but must make his living as a ruler of some kind. The Pandavas were willing to accept a village each from their now magnificent cousin, but Duryodhana had no mercy or regard for them. He informed them that he couldn’t spare so much as enough land in which to drive a needle.
Thus rebuked, Arjuna and his brothers resorted to arms, and a global war of tremendous scope was initiated. Yudhisthira was the eldest of the Pandavas, and it was to place him upon the throne—or to oppose him—that great warriors from all the corners of the earth assembled. According to Vedic sources, the Battle of Kurukshetra lasted for eighteen days, and took the unimaginable toll of 640 million lives! This becomes somewhat more comprehensible when we recognize that the Vedic civilization was a highly advanced society, possessed not only of nuclear weapons more subtle than ours today, but also of air, water, and psychic weapons of devastating power.
As the armies were gathering, Sri Krishna, Cousin to both sides in the fight, attempted to mediate on behalf of the Pandavas, but He found Duryodhana determined to rule the world in his own way, and anxious to be done forever with these bothersome men, whose very existence challenged his right to the crown.
Whereas the Pandavas, pure devotees of the Lord and men of the highest moral stature, recognized Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhritarashtra’s sons had no such qualifications, and no such powers of recognition. Yet Krishna offered to participate in the war according to the desire of the antagonists. As God, He would not Personally take a hand; but whoever so desired might avail himself of Krishna’s army—and the other side could have Krishna Himself, as an advisor and helper. Duryodhana, the genius politician, snatched at the armed forces of his Cousin, while Yudhisthira was equally anxious to have Krishna Himself.
In this way, Krishna became the Charioteer of Arjuna, taking it upon Himself to drive the fabled bowman’s chariot. This brings us up to the point at which The Bhagavad Gita begins, with the armies arrayed and ready for combat, and Dhritarashtra anxiously inquiring of his secretary Samjaya, "What did they do?"
The scene is set, with only the need for a brief note regarding this translation and the accompanying commentary:
The general pattern in translating The Bhagavad Gita into English—followed by so many writers of so many such works—is to brush aside the Personality of Krishna in order to make room for the translator’s own concepts and philosophies. The history of The Mahabharata is taken as quaint mythology, and Krishna becomes a poetic device, an instrument for the presentation of some anonymous genius’ concepts, or at best a historical minor personage. But the Person Krishna is both the goal and the substance of The Gita, so far as The Gita speaks of Itself. This translation, then, and the commentary which accompanies it, has as its purpose the determination to direct the reader to Krishna, rather than away from Him. In this, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s work is unique among all the translations and commentaries available in this language. Unique also is the fact that The Bhagavad Gita is thus made wholly consistent and comprehensible. Krishna being the Speaker of The Gita, and Its ultimate goal as well, this is necessarily the only translation that can present this great scripture in Its true terms.
My special thanks are due to my God-brothers Sri Hayagriva Das Brahmachary (Howard Wheeler, M.A.) for his assistance in polishing the manuscript and to Sri Brahmananda Das Brahmachary (Bruce Scharf) for arranging publication, and my thanks are due to Mr. James O. Wade of The Macmillan Company, New York, for his willing co-operation in presenting this great contribution of our beloved Spiritual Master.
RAYARAMA DAS BRAHMACHARY
(Raymond Marais)
Editor
 16 August 1968
Janmastami
(Appearance Day of Lord Krishna)
Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple
26 Second Avenue
New York, N.Y.
SWAMI BHAKTIVEDANTA
CHANTING GOD’S SONG IN AMERICA
ALLEN GINSBERG
Kali Yuga we really are in it, heavy metal Age, where Spiritual common sense seems like magic because we’re ensnared in brainwash network—the mechanical conditioning of our unconditioned consciousness.
I grow old, and see that renunciation is what happens. The “action” leads there—calm realization of sense-desire illusoriness in youth, or on deathbed at worst.
Even Tantric path (exploration of sensory limits) leads to liberation (relaxation) from sensory grasping (i.e. desire). Because senses are mechanical and repetitious. Infinite in sensation during their apparent minute, in that sense Blakean Eternal.
But trapped in that Infinite, who needs it? As bad as being Srivaka Buddha, the Nirvana-junkie.
Time, space,
neither life nor death is the answer
—Ezra Pound, Canto 115
How terrible to be trapped (Ourselves!) in that worst the Kali Yuga. Well, at least nothing more bad can happen, we’re at the bottom of the material barrel. All them rotten apples of knowledge!
How funny, also, given the illusory nature of all this cosmic planet-history. America, Rome, China, Maya! And how lovely, that nobody else in other Yugas will suffer as much as we! Everybody else already saved but us! What an honor! And even we’re saved by Vishnu the Preserver if not Shiva the Great Changer or Buddha the Great Emptiness or Christ the Great Sufferer-for-us or Chango the Great Red Creator or Allah the Great Compassionate One or Jaweh the Great Unspeakable Word or Tao the Great Undefinable or Whitman the Great Self Contradictor!
And here is Krishna with his Magic Mantra, sung by Swami Bhaktivedanta in America, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, 100 years after the Emersonian Transcendentalists.
Before this Age of linear media conditioned our minds, nobody had to learn to read and pore over Ancient Tomes describing the Ignorant Blissful Mind—from Vedas to Einstein the same waves of Illusion are described in detail as relative Illusion. In fact, the first printed text on earth, Chinese version of Prajna Paramita, announced that all language to be printed and multiplied henceforth was a giant Vanity inasmuch as the Great Phenomenon as we see it neither exists nor does not exist.
Now XX Century, many versions of Bhagavad Gita appear on our shores, sophisticates such as Sri Isherwood and other princes of prose help turn the Wheel of doctrine-teaching.
We’ve reached the end of Matter:
“…What
do they think they will attain
by their ships
that death has not
already given
them? Their ships
should be directed
inward upon . But I
am an old man. I
have had enough."
W. C. Williams, for Eleanor & Bill Monahan
The Text (Bhagavad Gita) is awesome. The vision of the Universal Form (Chapter XI) is equal to any Sublime poesy of the West, superior in detailed image to Dante’s final Cantos’ Paradise vision. Many bellies, many leaves.
The purports or explanations of Swami Bhaktivedanta are transparent and exquisitely detailed—expositions presented here for the first time to common public Western mind—a storehouse of devotion, learning, scholarship, Hindu granny-wisdom, sincerity, gaiety and sweet transcendental insight.
Condemnation of the World is harsh, Transvaluation or transcendental transformation is unutterable relief. Swami Bhaktivedanta came to USA and went swiftly to the Archetype Spiritual Neighborhood, the New York Lower East Side, and installed intact an ancient perfectly preserved piece of street India. He adorned a storefront as his Ashram and adored Krishna therein and by patience and good humor singing chanting and expounding Sanskrit terminology day by day established Krishna Consciousness in the psychedelic (mind-manifesting) center of America East. He and his children sang the first summer through in Tompkins Park. Upaya—skillful means—is the Sanskrit word for this divine Tact. To choose to attend to the Lower East Side, what kindness and humility and intelligence! And a second center for chanting Krishna’s Name was thereafter established in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury at the height of the spiritual crisis and breakthrough renowned in that city, mid-sixties twentieth century.
The Hare Krishna Mantra’s now a household word in America (through the appointed Beatles among other Musicians and Bards). Or will be before the end of present decade, "this Prophecy Merlin shall make, for I live before his time." "Covers The Earth," said an old media advertisement for a household paint. The personal vibration set up by chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare is a universal pleasure: a tranquillity at realization of the community of tender hearts; a vibration which inevitably affects all men, naked or in uniform.
It seems like Magic because we are so locked into our heads, so hung up in the metallic illusions of Kali Yuga that manifestation of our natural Sacred Heart desire is a rare fortune. This rare fortune (as Thoreau and Whitman our natural-hearted forefathers prophesied) is our heritage, our own truest Self, our own community of selves, our own true America.
A NOTE OF APPRECIATION FOR THIS VOLUME
FROM DENISE LEVERTOV
Swami Bhaktivedanta’s disciples in New York dance and chant Hare Krishna—Hare Rama with an honest, simple fervor that is very moving. Talking to a young devotee, I was somewhat appalled by his fundamentalism, yet at the same time I felt a reverence for his gentleness, and saw an unassailable radiance in his eyes. I listened to the recording of the Swami himself chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and recognized that he pronounced each syllable with what in Hebrew is called Kavronah—that is, prayerful understanding, the opposite of a mere mechanical repetition. What lies in back of these evidences of a strong spiritual life?
Most people of any education know at least the name of The Bhagavad Gita, and many have read at least some of it in one of the several available translations. But it is not as yet, I think one can agree, a common part of our cultural milieu—that is, it is not absorbed and incorporated into our lives to any extent. And this is probably less because it is alien per se than because we have lacked just the kind of close interpretive commentary upon it that Swami Bhaktivedanta has here provided, a commentary written from not only a scholar’s but a practitioner’s, a dedicated lifelong devotee’s, point of view.
Being, myself, what could best be described as a syncretist, I cannot subscribe to the belief in the exclusive wisdom of The Bhagavad Gita which some, at least, of the Swami’s adherents seem to hold (I am thinking here of the same young man whose gentleness and shining eyes impressed me so favorably). And as a believer in political activism I naturally wonder if the disciples of the Krishna Consciousness movement, who believe as I also do in non-violence, are not nevertheless too passive in their at titude to the war and to social injustice. But even if that is so, I feel certain that they do have something in their lives that is of inestimable value: an inner serenity that makes them better, kinder human beings than, in all probability, they were before they arrived at their present beliefs. And though I cannot believe that any one religion or any of the "wisdom books" of any cultural tradition possesses a monopoly of the truth, yet my sense that the study of The Bhagavad Gita would be valuable for thinking people, in this time of extreme crisis especially, arises more from the little I have seen of the changed lives of those who do study it than from the mere received knowledge that it is considered one of the great spiritual texts.
Apparently devotees take quite literally the story of the Battlefield of Kurukshetra where Arjuna receives divine wisdom directly from Krishna, who has taken on the form of his Charioteer. Many—like myself—will take this symbolically, not literally, and look on it as a soul-story, in which the battlefield is interior and the God who speaks is the God within us. It surely doesn’t matter very much whether one is a fundamentalist or, instead, considers this book to be yet another of mankind’s metaphors of individuation and regeneration, if through it we live more fully.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA
THOMAS MERTON
The word Gita means "Song." Just as in the Bible the Song of Solomon has traditionally been known as "The Song of Songs" because it was interpreted to symbolize the ultimate union of Israel with God (in terms of human married love), so The Bhagavad Gita is, for Hinduism, the great and unsurpassed Song that finds the secret of human life in the unquestioning surrender to and awareness of Krishna.
While The Vedas provide Hinduism with its basic ideas of cult and sacrifice and The Upanishads develop its metaphysic of contemplation, The Bhagavad Gita can be seen as the great treatise on the "Active Life." But it is really something more, for it tends to fuse worship, action and contemplation in a fulfillment of daily duty which transcends all three by virtue of a higher consciousness: a consciousness of acting passively, of being an obedient instrument of a transcendent will. The Vedas, The Upanishads, and The Gita can be seen as the main literary supports for the great religious civilization of India, the oldest surviving culture in the world. The fact that The Gita remains utterly vital today can be judged by the way such great reformers as Mohandas Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave both spontaneously based their lives and actions on it, and indeed commented on it in detail for their disciples. The present translation and commentary is another manifestation of the permanent living importance of The Gita. Swami Bhaktivedanta brings to the West a salutary reminder that our highly activistic and one-sided culture is faced with a crisis that may end in self-destruction because it lacks the inner depth of an authentic metaphysical consciousness. Without such depth, our moral and political protestations are just so much verbiage. If, in the West, God can no longer be experienced as other than "dead," it is because of an inner split and self-alienation which have characterized the Western mind in its single-minded dedication to only half of life: that which is exterior, objective, and quantitative. The "death of God" and the consequent death of genuine moral sense, respect for life, for humanity, for value, has expressed the death of an inner subjective quality of life: a quality which in the traditional religions was experienced in terms of God-consciousness. Not concentration on an idea or concept of God, still less on an image of God, but a sense of presence, of an ultimate ground of reality and meaning, from which life and love could spontaneously flower.
Realization of the Supreme "Player" whose "Play" (Lilä) is manifested in the million-formed, inexhaustible richness of beings and events, is what gives us the key to the meaning of life. Once we live in awareness of the cosmic dance and move in time with the Dancer, our life attains its true dimension. It is at once more serious and less serious than the life of one who does not sense this inner cosmic dynamism. To live without this illuminated consciousness is to live as a beast of burden, carrying one’s life with tragic seriousness as a huge, incomprehensible weight (see Camus’ interpretation of the Myth of Sisyphus). The weight of the burden is the seriousness with which one takes one’s own individual and separate self. To live with the true consciousness of life centered in Another is to lose one’s self-important seriousness and thus to live life as "play" in union with a Cosmic Player. It is He alone that one takes seriously. But to take Him seriously is to find joy and spontaneity in everything, for everything is gift and grace. In other words, to live selfishly is to bear life as an intolerable burden. To live selflessly is to live in joy, realizing by experience that life itself is love and gift. To be a lover and a giver is to be a channel through which the Supreme Giver manifests His love in the world.
But The Gita presents a problem to some who read it in the present context of violence and war which mark the crisis of the West. The Gita appears to accept and to justify war. Arjuna is exhorted to submit his will to Krishna by going to war against his enemies, who are also his own kin, because war is his duty as a Prince and warrior. Here we are uneasily reminded of the fact that in Hinduism as well as in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, there is a concept of a "Holy War" which is "willed by God" and we are furthermore reminded of the fact that, historically, this concept has been secularized and inflated beyond measure. It has now "escalated" to the point where slaughter, violence, revolution, the annihilation of enemies, the extermination of entire populations and even genocide have become a way of life. There is hardly a nation on earth today that is not to some extent committed to a philosophy or to a mystique of violence. One way or other, whether on the left or on the right, whether in defense of a bloated establishment or of an improvised guerrilla government in the jungle, whether in terms of a police state or in terms of a ghetto revolution, the human race is polarizing itself into camps armed with everything from Molotov cocktails to the most sophisticated technological instruments of death. At such a time, the doctrine that "war is the will of God" can be disastrous if it is not handled with extreme care. For everyone seems in practice to be thinking along some such lines, with the exception of a few sensitive and well-meaning souls (mostly the kind of people who will read this book).
The Gita is not a justification of war, nor does it propound a war-making mystique. War is accepted in the context of a particular kind of ancient culture in which it could be and was subject to all kinds of limitations. (It is instructive to compare the severe religious limitations on war in the Christian Middle Ages with the subsequent development of war by nation states in modern times—backed of course by the religious establishment. ) Arjuna has an instinctive repugnance for war, and that is the chief reason why war is chosen as the example of the most repellent kind of duty. The Gita is saying that even in what appears to be most "unspiritual" one can act with pure intentions and thus be guided by Krishna consciousness. This consciousness itself will impose the most strict limitations on one’s use of violence because that use will not be directed by one’s own selfish interests, still less by cruelty, sadism, and mere blood lust.
The discoveries of Freud and others in modern times have, of course, alerted us to the fact that there are certain imperatives of culture and of conscience which appear pure on the surface and are in fact bestial in their roots. The greatest inhumanities have been perpetrated in the name of "humanity," "civilization," "progress," "freedom," "my country," and of course "God." This reminds us that in the cultivation of an inner spiritual consciousness there is a perpetual danger of self-deception, narcissism, self-righteous evasion of truth. In other words the standard temptation of religious and spiritually minded people is to cultivate an inner sense of rightness or of peace, and make this subjective feeling the final test of everything. As long as this feeling of rightness remains with them, they will do anything under the sun. But this inner feeling (as Auschwitz and the Eichmann case have shown) can coexist with the ultimate in human corruption.
The hazard of the spiritual quest is of course that its genuineness cannot be left to our own isolated subjective judgment alone. The fact that I am turned on doesn’t prove anything whatever. (Nor does the fact that I am turned off.) We do not simply create our own lives on our own terms. Any attempt to do so is ultimately an affirmation of our individual self as ultimate and supreme. This is a self-idolatry which is diametrically opposed to "Krishna consciousness" or to any other authentic form of religious or metaphysical consciousness.
The Gita sees that the basic problem of man is his endemic refusal to live by a will other than his own. For in striving to live entirely by his own individual will, instead of becoming free, man is enslaved by forces even more exterior and more delusory than his own transient fancies. He projects himself out of the present into the future. He tries to make for himself a future that accords with his own fantasy, and thereby escape from a present reality which he does not fully accept. And yet, when he moves into the future he wanted to create for himself, it becomes a present that is once again repugnant to him. And yet this is precisely what he has "made" for himself—it is his own karma. In accepting the present in all its reality as something to be dealt with precisely as it is, man comes to grips at once with his karma and with a providential will which, ultimately, is more his own than what he currently experiences, on a superficial level, as "his own will." It is in surrendenng a false and illusory liberty on the superficial level that man unites himself with the inner ground of reality and freedom in himself which is the will of God, of Krishna, of Providence, of Tao. These concepts do not all exactly coincide, but they have much in common. It is by remaining open to an infinite number of unexpected possibilities which transcend his own imagination and capacity to plan that man really fulfills his own need for freedom. The Gita, like the Gospels, teaches us to live in awareness of an inner truth that exceeds the grasp of our thought and cannot be subject to our own control. In following mere appetite for power, we are slaves of our own appetite. In obedience to that inner truth we are at last free.
INTRODUCTION
THE BHAGAVAD GITA is also known as The Geetopanishad. It is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upanishads in Vedic literature.
There are many commentaries on The Bhagavad Gita, and the necessity for another should be explained on the following basis: an American lady asked me to recommend an English edition of The Bhagavad Gita which she could read. I was unable to do so in good conscience. Of course, there are many translations, but of those I have seen—not only in America, but also in India—none can be said to be authoritative, because in almost every one of them the author has expressed his personal opinion through the commentaries, without touching the spirit of The Bhagavad Gita as it is.
The spirit of The Bhagavad Gita is mentioned in The Gita Itself. It is like this: if we want to take a particular medicine, then we have to follow the directions written on the label of the bottle. We cannot take the medicine according to our own directions, or the directions of a friend not in knowledge of this medicine. We must follow the directions on the label or the directions of our physician. The Bhagavad Gita also should be accepted as it is directed by the Speaker Himself. The Speaker is Lord Sri Krishna. He is mentioned on every page as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or "Bhagavan." Bhagavan sometimes means any powerful person or demigod, but here it means Krishna. This is confirmed by all the great teachers, including Shankara and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In India there are many authorities on Vedic knowledge, and they have virtually all accepted Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should therefore accept The Bhagavad Gita as it is directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.
Now, in the Fourth Chapter, the Lord tells Arjuna that this Yoga system of The Bhagavad Gita was first spoken to the Sun-god:
The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of Yoga to the Sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of Mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshaku. This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in the course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science, as it is, appears to be lost.
Arjuna was neither a great scholar nor a Vedantist, but a great soldier. A soldier is not supposed to be scholarly, and so Arjuna was selected to understand The Bhagavad Gita because of one qualification only: He was a devotee of the Lord. This indicates that The Bhagavad Gita is especially meant for the devotee of the Lord.
There are three kinds of transcendentalists: the yogi, the impersonalist, and the Bhakta, or devotee. Krishna says to Arjuna, "I am making you the first man of the disciplic succession. The old succession is broken. I wish to re-establish the line of teaching which was passed down from the Sun-god. So you become the authority of The Bhagavad Gita." The Bhagavad Gita is directed to the devotee of the Lord, who is directly in touch with the Lord as a friend. To learn The Bhagavad Gita, one should be like Arjuna: a devotee having a direct relationship with the Lord. This is more helpful than Yoga or impersonal philosophical speculation.
A devotee can be in relationship with the Lord in five different ways:
1. He may have a passive relationship;
2. He may have an active relationship;
3. He may be in friendship;
4. He may have the relationship of a parent; and
5. He may have the relationship of conjugal lover of the Lord.
Arjuna was a devotee in relationship with the Lord as a friend. This friendship is different from friendship in the mundane world. This kind of friendship is transcendental. Everyone has some relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, in our present status, we have forgotten that eternal tie. Yet each of the millions upon millions of living beings has its particular relationship. By the process of service one can revive one’s original status with the Lord.
Now, Arjuna was a devotee and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship. Thus, The Bhagavad Gita was explained to him. How he accepted it should be noted. This is mentioned in the Tenth Chapter. After hearing The Bhagavad Gita from the Lord, Arjuna accepted Krishna as the Supreme Brahman. Every living being is Brahman, or Spirit, but the Supreme Living Being is the Supreme Brahman. Arjuna accepted Krishna as pure—free from all material contamination; as the Supreme Enjoyer; as the foremost Person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; never born; and greatest. Now, one may say that, since Krishna and Arjuna were friends, Arjuna was only saying these things to his friend. But Arjuna mentions that Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself, but by Narada, Vyasa, and numerous other great persons.
Therefore, Arjuna says, "Whatever You have spoken to me, I accept as perfect. Your Personality is very difficult to understand. You cannot be known even by the demigods." This means that even persons greater than human beings cannot know Krishna. How, then, can a human being know Krishna, unless he is a devotee?
In studying The Bhagavad Gita, one should not think that he is the equal of Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who wants to understand The Bhagavad Gita should accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise it is very hard to understand, and it becomes a great mystery.
This Bhagavad Gita is meant for delivering persons from the nescience of this material entanglement. Everyone is in difficulty, just as Arjuna was on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. Not only Arjuna, but each of us is full of anxieties because of this material entanglement. Our existence is eternal, but somehow we are put into this position which is Asat. Asat means unreal.
Unless one is inquiring as to why he is suffering, he is not a perfect human being. Humanity begins when this inquiry is awakened in the mind. Every activity of the human being is said to be a failure unless this inquiry is present. One should ask, "Where am I from? Where am I going? Why am I here?" When these inquiries are awakened in the mind of a sane human being, then he can understand The Bhagavad Gita. He must also have respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna comes here just to establish the real work of life, which man forgets. Out of many, many human beings, The Bhagavad Gita is directed to the one who seeks to understand his position. The Lord has great mercy for human beings. Therefore, He spoke The Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna to enlighten him. Arjuna was actually above all such ignorance, but he was put into ignorance on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra just to ask what life was all about, so that our mission of human life could be perfected.
It is the prelimInary study of the Science of God which is explained here. The first question is: What is the cause? Next: What is the constitutional position of the living entities in respect to the Controller? Living entities are not controllers. If I say, "I am not controlled, I am free," I do not speak well for my sanity. In this conditioned state of life, at any rate, we are all controlled. Next we may consider prakriti, or Nature. Then Time—the duration of the existence or manifestation of this created universe. Then karma, or activity. The living beings are all engaged in different activities. All cosmic manifestation is engaged in activity.
So, we have to learn from The Bhagavad Gita what God is. What is the nature of the living entity? Its relationship with the Supreme Controller? What is prakriti, the cosmic manifestation? What is the control of Time? And what are the activities of the living entities?
In The Bhagavad Gita it is established that the Supreme, or Krishna—or Brahman, or whatever you like—the Supreme Controller is greatest of all. The living beings are controlled. The Lord has control over universal affairs—the material Nature. Material Nature is not independent. It is working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. When we see wonderful things happening, we should know that behind these manifestations there is a Controller. Matter belongs to the inferior Nature, or prakriti; and the living entities are explained as being of the superior Nature. Prakriti means "who is controlled." Prakriti is female. A husband controls the activities of his wife. Prakriti is also subordinate, predominated. The Lord—the Supreme Personality of Godhead—is the Predominator, and prakriti—the living entities and material Nature—is predominated over. So, according to The Bhagavad Gita the living entities, although they are part and parcel of the Supreme, are taken as prakriti. It is clearly mentioned in the Seventh Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita that this material Nature is prakriti and that the living entities are also prakriti. The constitution of the material, or inferior prakriti, is divided into three modes: the mode of goodness, the mode of passion, and the mode of ignorance. Above these modes is eternal Time. By the combinations of these modes and the control of eternal Time, the activities, called karma, come into being. These activities have been going on from time immemorial, and we are suffering from—or enjoying—the fruits of these activities, just as in the present life we enjoy the fruits of our activities. It is as though I am a businessman who has worked very hard and intelligently and has amassed a large bank balance. I am the enjoyer of the fruits of my activities. Again, if I open a business with a large amount of money and lose it all, I am the sufferer. Similarly, in the field of life, we enjoy the different fruits of our work. Now, these things—the Supreme, the living entities, prakriti or Nature, Time, and karma are explained in The Bhagavad Gita.
Of these five, the Lord, Time, prakriti, and the living entity are permanent and eternal. The manifestations of prakriti are temporary, but not false, as some philosophers say. According to the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, the manifestations are quite real, but temporary. They are like the clouds which appear during the rainy season but disappear during the dry season. These manifestations occur at certain intervals, and then they disappear and the vegetation dries up. Nevertheless, this process of Nature is working eternally.
Material Nature is separated energy of the Supreme Lord. The living entities are also energy of the Lord, but they are not separated. They are eternally related to the Lord. So, the Lord, Nature, the entity, and Time are all eternal. Karma is not eternal. The effects of karma may be old, and we may be suffering from the results of activity performed in time immemorial, but we are able to change our activities. We simply do not know which activities will give us release from these material entanglements. This is explained in The Bhagavad Gita.
The position of God is that of Supreme Consciousness. The entities, being parts and parcels, are also consciousness. The entity is prakriti, or Nature, and so also is material energy; but the living entities are conscious, and matter is not. Therefore, the entity is called the higher energy. But the living being is never supremely conscious at any stage. The Supreme Consciousness, explained in The Bhagavad Gita as the Lord, is conscious, and the living beings are conscious: the entity of his limited body, and the Lord infinitely. The Lord lives in the heart of every being. Therefore, He has the consciousness of all living entities.
The Supersoul is living in each heart as the Controller. He is giving directions to act as He desires. The living entity, however, forgets what to do. He determines to act in one way, then becomes entangled in his own actions and reactions, and achieves only frustration. When he gives up one body for another, as one changes a dress, the reactions of his past activities remain with him, determining his next birth. Actions can be changed when a living being is in goodness and, in that state of sanity, he chooses to end his entanglement.
So, of the five items, all are eternal, except karma. Now, the entity’s consciousness and the Lord’s consciousness are both transcendental. They are not generated by association with matter. The theory that some material combination can generate consciousness is rejected in The Bhagavad Gita. Just as a light may be reflected according to the color of the glass, consciousness is reflected in the material world. But it does not depend upon matter for its existence.
The Supreme Consciousness is different from the consciousness of the living entity in this way: the Supreme Lord says that when He descends into the material world, His consciousness is not materially affected. If He had been contaminated by contact with matter, He could not have spoken The Bhagavad Gita. However, we living entities are contaminated by the material world. The Bhagavad Gita teaches that we must purify our activities in order to draw our consciousness back from that material entanglement. This purification of activity is called Bhakti, or devotional service. This means although devotees’ activities appear to be ordinary, they are actually purified. One may appear to work like an ordinary man, but the activities of a devotee of the Lord are not contaminated by the three modes.
When our consciousness is contaminated by matter, this is called our conditioned state. The false ego is the belief that one is the product of this matter. One who is absorbed in this bodily conception, as Arjuna was, must get free from it. This is a preliminary for one who wants liberation. Freedom from this material consciousness is called Mukti. In The Srimad Bhagwatam, also, Mukti is used to mean liberation from this material concept, and return to pure consciousness. The whole aim of The Bhagavad Gita is to teach us to reach this state of pure consciousness. On the last page of The Bhagavad Gita, Krishna asks Arjuna if he is now in purified consciousness. And this implies action in accordance with the directions of the Lord.
So, consciousness is there, but because we are only parts, we tend to be affected by the modes of Nature. That is the difference between the individual living entities and the Supreme Lord. In contamination, consciousness says, "I am the Lord. I am the Enjoyer." Every material being thinks this. Consciousness has two psychic divisions: One says, "I am the Creator," and the other says, "I am the Enjoyer." Actually, the Lord is the Creator and the Enjoyer. The entity co-operates like a part in a machine. In the body, for example, there are hands, legs, eyes, etc. But these parts are not the enjoyers. The stomach is the enjoyer. All the parts of the body are engaged in satisfying the stomach. All food should be given to the stomach. You can become healthy throughout your entire body when the parts of the body co-operate with the stomach. Similarly, the Lord is the Enjoyer, and we living beings have only to co-operate with Him. If the fingers try to enjoy the food, they are unable. They must give the food to the stomach in order to receive the benefit of it.
The central figure in existence is the Supreme Lord. The entities, by co-operation, can enjoy. If a master is satisfied, his servants are also satisfied, of course. The entities have this tendency to create and enjoy because the Lord has it, and the entities are His parts and parcels.
We find, in The Bhagavad Gita, that the Lord, the entities, manifestation, Time, and action are completely explained. Taken together, this complete whole is called the Absolute Truth, Sri Krishna. The impersonal Brahman is also subordinate to the Complete Person. It is explicitly explained in The Brahma Sutra as being like the rays of the sun emanating from the sun disc. Brahman realization of the Absolute Truth is therefore incomplete. The Supreme Personality is above Brahman. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is called Sat-Chit-Ananda.
Brahman realization is realization of His "Sat," or eternal Feature. Supersoul realization is realization of His "Sat-Chit" aspect—eternity and knowledge. But, realization of the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, is realization of all Features—"Sat-Chit-Ananda"—in full Vigraha, or Form. The Lord has Form. He is a Transcendental Person. This is confirmed in all Vedic literature. Just as we are persons, so is the Ultimate Truth. Realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is realization of all Features of the Absolute Truth. The complete whole Personality must have all that we see and all that we do not see.
This phenomenal world is complete by itself. The twenty-four elements of which this manifestation is comprised are complete in this universe. No further outside energy is needed. When the time is come, the universe will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the Complete. Small completes exist in the whole Complete. Incomplete knowledge results from misunderstanding of the Complete Absolute Truth.
The Bhagavad Gita is complete. The Vedic knowledge is infallible. Here is an example of how the Hindus accept Vedic knowledge as complete: Cow dung is sacred, according to Vedic scripture. If one touches the dung of an animal, he must bathe his whole body, and yet cow dung can purify an impure place or person, according to Vedic scripture. This seems contradictory, but because it is a Vedic injunction, we accept it, and, by that acceptance, we make no mistake. It has been found by modern chemists that cow dung is a composition of antiseptic properties.
Vedic knowledge is complete, as it is above all doubts or errors. And The Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge comes down from higher sources. It is not like our material independent research work, which is imperfect. We must receive this knowledge from the spiritual master, through the disciplic succession, which began with the Lord Himself.
Just as Arjuna accepted The Bhagavad Gita without any cutting, so we too must accept The Bhagavad Gita without any cutting, interpretation, or whimsy. We should accept it as perfect knowledge, spoken by the Lord Himself. Only the Lord could have given this infallible knowledge. A living entity would not be able to.
A living being in the mundane world has four defects:
1. He is sure to commit mistakes;
2. He is sure to be illusioned;
3. He has a tendency to cheat; and
4. His senses are imperfect.
With these four defects, one cannot offer perfect information. But Vedic knowledge was imparted by God in the heart of Brahma, the first living being in our universe, who passed it down through his sons and disciples.
Except for the Lord, no one is the proprietor of anything. The Lord is the original Creator. He is the Creator of Brahma, the original being in our universe. Therefore, we should accept things given to us by the Lord as our allotment. Arjuna had decided not to fight. He told the Lord that he could not enjoy the kingdom if he killed his relatives to obtain it. This was due to his bodily concept of himself, and thus his relationship with uncles, brothers, nephews, and so forth—all these relationships pertaining to the body. But, finally, Arjuna agreed to work for the Lord’s enjoyment. We should not act like ordinary animals. Human life is meant for something else. Vedic literature is meant for human beings, not for animals. An animal can kill without sin because he is bound by the modes of his nature. But if a man kills, he is responsible. He has a choice in his actions.
In The Bhagavad Gita activities are explained as determined by the three modes of Nature. Thus, there are actions performed in ignorance, actions performed in passion, and actions performed in goodness. There are also three kinds of eatables: food eaten in ignorance, in passion, and in goodness. These are clearly described.
Therefore, if we properly follow the instructions in The Bhagavad Gita, our lives will be purified and we will reach our ultimate destination. This destination is also explained in The Bhagavad Gita:
Beyond this material sky there is a spiritual sky. This material sky is temporary, and at the end of this universe it will be annihilated. That is the law of material Nature. But there is another Nature which is eternal. The soul is eternal just as the Lord is eternal. We have an intimate relationship with the Lord, and we are qualitatively equal to the Lord. The transcendental Abode is also eternal. And the association of the Lord and the living entities in the transcendental Abode is the ultimate aim of human life.
The Lord is so kind to the living entities because the living entities all have a claim to being sons of the Lord. The Lord says that, of every type of living being, whatever it may be, He is the Father. The Lord wishes to reclaim all these souls, to have them back in the eternal sky. The entities can be restored to the eternal sky once they are free of illusion. So, He comes Himself, in different incarnations, or else He sends his confidential servants as Son or as teachers, to reclaim the conditioned souls. This reclaiming is no sectarian religious process. It is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the Eternal Lord.
Sanatan Dharma means the eternal religion. This word eternal is explained as something without beginning and without any end. We must accept it like this. The word religion is somewhat different from Sanatan Dharma. It means faith, and faith may change from one object to another. But Sanatan Dharma means that which cannot be changed. Liquidity cannot be taken from water. Heat cannot be taken from fire. Similarly, Sanatan Dharma cannot be taken from the living entities. We must find out the eternal function of the eternal living entities in order to know what Sanatan Dharma is. Ramanujacharya says this has no beginning and no end. Some may feel that this is a somewhat sectarian concept, but if we look deeper, we will see that Sanatan Dharma is the business of all the people of the world—nay, of all the living entities in the universe.
Now a particular religious faith may have some beginning in the history of human society, but Sanatan Dharma lies outside of history, as it belongs to the living beings who have no birth and who never die. They continue to live after the destruction of the material body, just as they lived before its formation.
Let us try to understand this eternal religion from the Sanskrit word root for "dharma." This word root, dhr, means to sustain. Therefore, dharma is that quality which remains always and which cannot be taken away. When we speak of fire, it is concluded that light and heat will be there. Otherwise we cannot call it fire. In a similar way, we must find the constant companion of the living being. That eternal part or quality is his religion.
When Sanatan Goswami asked Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu about swarup, or the real constitution of the living being, the Lord replied that the real constitution of the entity is to render service to the Lord. Extending this, we see that one being serves another living being in some capacity, and thus enjoys its life. An animal serves a man, a friend serves his friend, mother serves child, husband serves wife, Mr. A serves Mr. B, Mr. B serves Mr. C, and so on. There is no exception to service in the society of living beings. The politician convinces the voter of his capacity for service and thus gets his job. The artisan serves the merchant; the store owner serves his customer. In fact, no living being is exempted from rendering service to others. Service, then, is a thing which is the constant companion of the living being, and it can be concluded that rendering service is the eternal religion of the eternal living entity.
When a man claims allegiance to some designated faith or sect, such as Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian, this is not eternal. Such faiths can be changed. The Muslim may become a Christian, or the Christian may become a Hindu. Such changeable faith, therefore, is not religion. However, if one be Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, one is always a servant. So the particular faith is not the religion; but service is the religion.
We are in a relationship of service to the Supreme Lord. He is the Enjoyer, and we are His servants. We are created for His enjoyment, and if we accept that position, it makes us happy. Going back to our earlier example, fingers cannot be independently happy without the co-operation of the stomach. Similarly, the living entity cannot be happy without rendering service to the Supreme Lord.
Worship of demigods is not approved in The Bhagavad Gita because, in the Seventh Chapter, twenty-eighth verse, the Lord says, "Only those who are cast adrift by lust worship the demigods and not the Lord."
Now, when we speak of Krishna, we should remember that this is not a sectarian name. Krishna means all pleasure. Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is the Reservoir of Pleasure. Our consciousness seeks happiness because we are part and parcel of the Lord. The Lord is always happy, and if we dovetail our activities with His, we will partake of His happiness.
The Lord incarnates in order to show us His joyous Nature and Pastimes. When Krishna was at Vrindaban, His activities with His friends, the cowherd boys, His girl friends, and all His other Pastimes were full of happiness. The whole population of Vrindaban was mad after Him. At this time, He even restricted His father from worshiping the demigods, to show us that no one need worship any god but Him.
The purpose of human life is to return to the Abode of the Lord. This is described in The Bhagavad Gita, the description of the eternal sky. This is in the Eighth Chapter, verses nineteen and twenty. We have a material concept of the sky, with the sun. stars, moon, etc. But the Lord says that in the eternal sky there is no need of sun or moon, nor of fire or electricity, because the spiritual sky is already illuminated by the Brahmajyoti, the rays of the Supreme Lord. The Brahmajyoti is in the spiritual sky., wherein the planet is named Vaikuntha and Goloka. The Lord resides eternally in His Supreme Abode, but He can be approached from here also.
The Lord comes to manifest His real Form, Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigraha, so that we don’t have to imagine what He is like. However, although the Lord comes among us and plays with us like a human being, we should not think that He is one of us. It is because of His omnipotence that He can come among us and show us His Pastimes.
There are innumerable planets in the Brahmajyoti, just as there are in the material sky, but all these planets are spiritual, not material. The Lord says that anyone who can approach the spiritual sky need not return to this material sky. In the material sky, even if we live on the highest planet, which is called Brahmaloka, we must still suffer the miseries of material existence. These miseries are four: birth, death, disease, and old age; no material being is free of them.
The Lord says that the living entities are traveling from one planet to another. We need not rely upon mechanical arrangements to go to other planets. For anyone who wants to go to another planet, such as the moon, The Bhagavad Gita instructs that there is a simple formula—even to go to the highest planet. If we practice the process of worshiping the particular demigod of the particular planet, we can go there.
Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures. I [Krishna] am seated in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship demigods, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity. Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of that demigod and obtains his desires—but in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone. Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees reach My Supreme Abode.
In this way, we can go to the sun, the moon, or any other planet. However, The Bhagavad Gita advises us not to go to any of these material planets, not even the Brahmaloka, which can only be reached by mechanical means after forty thousand years. In the spiritual sky there are innumerable planets which are never annihilated, but there is one called Krishnaloka Vrindaban, which is the Supreme Planet.
The Bhagavad Gita gives us the opportunity to leave this material world and to go to that eternal existence in the eternal Abode of the Lord.
The description of this material world is given in the Fifteenth Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita. The material world is described as an Aswattha (Pipal) tree, which has its roots upward. Do you know of a tree which has its roots upward? We have experience of this if we stand on the bank of a river or reservoir. We can see, in the reflection, that the tree’s roots are upward and its branches are downward. So this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world, just as the reflection of the tree from the bank is seen to be upside down. This material world is called shadow. In the shadow there cannot be any substance, yet we can understand from the shadow that there is a substance. In the reflection of the spiritual world there is no happiness, but in the spiritual world itself there is real happiness.
The Lord suggests that the eternal spiritual world can be reached by one who is nirmana moha. Let us examine this phrase. We are all after designations. Artificially, we seek designations. Someone wants to become Sir, or Lord, or President, or King, or rich. These designations belong to the body, but we do not. We are not body; we are pure spirit soul. As long as we are attached to such designations, we are associated with the three modes or qualities of material Nature. The Lord says that these attachments are due to our lust: We want to be lords over the material Nature. And, as long as we want to lord it over material Nature, there is no chance of going back to the spiritual Kingdom of God. That eternal Kingdom, which is not destructible like this material world, can be approached only by one who is not bewildered or attracted by this material Nature. One who is attracted by Devotional Service to the Lord can go to that eternal Kingdom.
Our senses are so imperfect that we cannot even see all the planets that exist in the material sky. Vedic literature gives us information of many worlds that exist there. But one should hanker after the spiritual sky and the Supreme Kingdom. When one reaches the Supreme Kingdom, he doesn’t have to return to the material world.
Now, a question may be raised: How do we approach the Abode of the Supreme Lord? In the Eighth Chapter, verses five through eight, the means for approaching the Lord’s Supreme Abode are given: At the time of death, if one thinks of Krishna and remembers the Form of Krishna, and then quits the present body, he surely approaches the spiritual Kingdom. Just as the transcendental nature of the Lord is Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigraha, so the Lord has His Form, but this Form is eternal. This present body of ours is not Sat-Chit-Ananda. This body is Asat, or perishable, full of ignorance, and not happy.
The Lord says that when one quits this material body remembering the Form of Sri Krishna, he at once achieves his Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigraha—the spiritual existence. This also applies to rebirth in this world. A man dies when his next birth has been decided by higher authorities. The acts of this life are a preparation ground for the next life. We are preparing for the next life by the activities of this life. So, if we make preparations to go to the Abode of the Lord, we get a spiritual body, or spiritual nature, like the Lord has.
Now, there are different kinds of transcendentalists, as we have already explained. There is the "Brahman-Vadi," the "Paramatman-Vadi," and the devotee. In the spiritual sky, or Brahmajyoti, there are innumerable spiritual planets. The number of these planets is far greater than all the universes of the material world. The spiritual world represents three-fourths of the creation. One-fourth of the creation consists of innumerable universes like this one. Each universe has millions and millions of planets, but all of these universes together comprise only one-fourth of the whole Creation.
Now, one who wishes to go to the spiritual Abode and wishes to enjoy the association of the Supreme Lord enters into a planet of the spiritual sky. There are many names for these planets. Any transcendentalist who, at the time of death, thinks of the Brahmajyoti, or Supersoul, or Sri Krishna, enters the spiritual sky, but only the devotees may go to the Lord. The Lord further says that there is no doubt of this. One should not disbelieve. When the Lord speaks, we should not reject any part of what He says. Arjuna, whom we should emulate, says, "I believe everything that You have said." The Lord tells us that at the time of death, whoever thinks of Him will enter into the spiritual sky. There should be no doubt of this.
The Bhagavad Gita also describes how one should act in order to enter into the spiritual Kingdom. Material Nature is a display of one of the energies of the Supreme Lord. In The Vishnu Purana, the energies of the Supreme Lord have been summarized. The Lord has diverse, innumerable energies, of which we cannot conceive. But great learned souls have summarized all of these energies into three categories: The first is the superior, or internal, potency of the Lord. That energy is transcendental. Next is the marginal energy, which lies between the spiritual and the material. Originally, all the living entities belong to the internal superior energy. The third energy, matter, is in the mode of ignorance. Material energy is also from God. And we can, at death, either leave this material world or remain here. Therefore, we are called marginal.
We are accustomed to think in terms of material energy. How can we transfer our thinking of material energy into thinking of spiritual energy? There is so much literature of the material world, like novels, newspapers, etc. We must transfer our reading from these to the spiritual Vedic literature. The learned sages wrote a great deal of literature, like the Puranas. In The Chaitanya Charitamrita there is a verse which reads: "The conditioned souls have forgotten their eternal relationship with the Lord, and are engrossed in thinking of material things. They should just transfer their thinking to the Lord. He has created so many Vedas for this purpose."
At first, there were four Vedas. Then, He explained them by the Puranas. Then, for those incapable of understanding these, He gave The Mahabharata, in which there is The Bhagavad Gita. Then The Vedanta Sutra, which summarizes all Vedic knowledge. Last, The Vedanta Sutra was explained in The Srimad Bhagwatam.
Just as the materialist is always engaged in reading materialistic literature, so the devotee centers his reading capacity in this literature, so kindly presented by Vyasadeva, so that at the time of death the devotee may think of the Lord and go to Him.
Krishna advises Arjuna not simply to go on remembering Him and give up his material duty. The Lord never suggests anything impractical. To maintain the material body, one has to work. The working world is divided into four parts: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra. Each one works in a different way, as learned man, administrator, mercantiler, or laborer. The Lord advises us not to give up work, but to remember Him always, along with the struggle for existence. This is Krishna consciousness. Unless one does this, it is not possible to go to the Lord.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu practiced Kirtan, or chanting. One should always chant the Name of the Lord, because the Name of the Lord and the Lord are not different. Lord Chaitanya’s instructions to always chant the Name of Krishna, and Krishna’s injunction to remember Him always, are not different. The Lord and His Name are not different from each other. In the absolute status, there is no difference between one thing and another. Since the Lord is Absolute, there is no difference between His Name and Himself: He is omnipresent. We should know Him always, twenty-four hours a day. How is this possible?
A very crude example is given by the great teachers: It is like a married woman who is in love with another man. Such an attachment is necessarily very strong. Now, the woman always wants to show her husband that she is busy in family affairs so that he won’t suspect her having a lover. However, she is always thinking of her lover, although she carries on her household duties well—in fact, with greater care than she might if she had no lover. In the same way, we must establish our love for the Lord, and carry out our duties well.
Krishna did not advise Arjuna to go off to the Himalayas to practice Yoga. When the Lord described the system of Yoga to him, Arjuna declined, saying that it was too difficult for him. But then the Lord said that one who thinks always of Him is the greatest yogi, the supermost seer, and the best devotee. The Lord said, "As a warrior, you cannot give up your fighting; but devote all your actions to Me." He also says that if one is completely surrendered to Him there is no doubting.
One has to learn this process of Krishna consciousness. To do so, one should approach a person who is fixed firmly in this consciousness. The mind is always flying from this thing to that, serving no real benefit. One must learn to fix the mind always on the Supreme Lord. The mind is very restless and difficult to manage, but one can concentrate the ear on the sound of Krishna. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can be approached by one who is constantly thinking of Him in this way.
These processes are given in The Bhagavad Gita. No one is barred from them. Hearing of Lord Krishna is possible for everyone, even a human being in the lowest status of life. Laborer, tradesman, or woman—these are counted in the category of less fully developed intelligence; but the Lord says that even one lower than this—anyone, in fact, who accepts this principle of devotional service and accepts the Supreme Lord as the highest Goal of life—can approach the perfection of human existence. This is the one permanent solution of life.
This is the sum and substance of The Bhagavad Gita.
The conclusion is that The Bhagavad Gita is a transcendental literature that should be read very carefully. If one follows the instructions, he can be freed of all fears and sufferings in this life and attain a spiritual birth in the next life.
Another result is that if one reads The Bhagavad Gita seriously and reverently, then the reactions of his past deeds will no longer affect him. The Lord says, in the end, that He Himself takes the responsibility to indemnify all the reactions of sins for one who comes to Him. One cleanses himself daily by bathing in water, but for one who once bathes in the sacred Ganges water of The Bhagavad Gita, the dirt of past sins is washed away for all time. If one reads The Bhagavad Gita regularly and attentively, no other literature is needed.
In the present age, people are engaged by so many things that they have no time to devote their energy to other topics. However, one who simply reads The Bhagavad Gita need not read any other Vedic literature. The Bhagavad Gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. It is said that one who drinks the water of the Ganges will be freed from sin. Similarly, one who studies The Bhagavad Gita has no need of any other literature whatever. Lord Krishna is the original Vishnu, the Ultimate End of all knowledge and of all seeking after knowledge.
THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION
“Evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh” Bhagavad Gita, ch. IV/2. This Bhagavad Gita As It Is is received through this disciplic succession:
1, Krishna; 2, Brahma; 3, Narada; 4, Vyasa; 5, Madhva; 6, Padmanabha; 7, Nrihari; 8, Madhava; 9, Akshobhya; 10, Jaya Tirtha; 11, Jnanasindhu; 12, Dayanidhi; 13, Vidyanidhi; 14, Rajendra; 15, Jayadharma; 16, Purusottama; 17, Brahmanya Tirtha; 18, Vyasa Tirtha; 19, Lakshmipati; 20, Madhavendra Puri; 21, Iswara Puri (Nityananda, Advaita); 22, Lord Chaitanya; 23, Rupa (Swarupa, Sanatan); 24, Raghunath, Jiva; 25, Krishnadas; 26, Narottama; 27, Visvanath; 28, (Baladev) Jagganatha; 29, Bhaktivinode; 30, Gour Kishore; 31, Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati; 32, Sri Bhaktivedanta, Swami.
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OBSERVING THE ARMIES ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF KURUKSHETRA
PURPORT
THE BHAGAVAD GITA is the widely read theistic science summarized in The Gita Mahatma (Glorification of the Gita). There it says that one should read The Bhagavad Gita very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of Sri Krishna, and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations. The example of clear understanding is in The Bhagavad Gita Itself, in the way the teaching is understood by Arjuna, who heard The Gita directly from the Lord. If somebody is fortunate enough to understand The Bhagavad Gita in that line of disciplic succession, without motivated interpretation, then he surpasses all studies of Vedic wisdom and all scriptures of the world. One will find in The Bhagavad Gita all that is contained in other scriptures, but the reader will also find things which are not to be found elsewhere. That is the specific standard of The Gita. It is the perfect theistic science because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna.
The topics discussed by Dhritarashtra and Samjaya, as described in The Mahabharata, form the basic principle of this great philosophy. It is understood that this philosophy evolved on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage from the immemorial time of the Vedic age. It was spoken by the Lord when He was present Personally on this planet for the guidance of Mankind.
The word Dharmakshetre (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna. Dhritarashtra, the father of Arjuna’s enemies, the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the ultimate victory of his sons. In his doubt, he inquired from his secretary Samjaya, "What did my sons and the sons of Pandu do?" He was confident that both his sons and the sons of his younger brother Pandu were assembled in that Field of Kurukshetra for a determined engagement of the war. Still, his inquiry is very significant. He did not want a compromise between the cousin-brothers, and he wanted to be sure of the fate of his sons on the battlefield. Because it was arranged to be fought in the place of pilgrimage, Kurukshetra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship—even for the denizens of Heaven—Dhritarashtra became very fearful about the influence of the holy ground on the outcome of the battle. Dhritarashtra knew very well that this would influence Arjuna and the sons of Pandu favorably, because by nature they were all virtuous. Samjaya was a student of the sage Vyasa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vyasa, Samjaya was able to envision the Battlefield of Kurukshetra even while he was in the room of Dhritarashtra.
Both the Pandavas and the sons of Dhritarashtra belong to the same family, but Dhritarashtra’s mind is disclosed herein. He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus and he separated the sons of Pandu from the family heritage. One can thus understand the specific position of Dhritarashtra in relationship with his nephews, the sons of Pandu. As in the paddy field the unnecessary plants are taken out and real paddy plants are shoved in, so it is expected from the very beginning of these topics that, in the religious field of Kurukshetra where the Father of religion, Sri Krishna, was present, the unwanted plants, Dhritarashtra’s son Duryodhana and others, would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons, headed by Yudhisthira, would be established by the Lord. That is the significance of the Sanskrit words Dharmakshetre and Kurukshetre, apart from their usual historical and Vedic importance.
PURPORT
DHRITARASHTRA was blind from his very birth. Unfortunately, he was also bereft of spiritual vision. He knew very well that his sons were equally blind in the matter of religiousness, and he was sure that they could never reach an understanding with the Pandavas, who were all pious since birth. Still he was doubtful about the influence of the place of pilgrimage, and Samjaya could understand the motive of his asking about the situation on the battlefield. He wanted, therefore, to encourage the King in his despondency, and thus he assured him that his sons were not going to make any sort of compromise under the influence of the holy field. He therefore informed the King that his son, after seeing the military force of the Pandavas, at once went to the commander in chief, Dronacharya, to inform him of the real position. Although Duryodhana is mentioned as the king, he still had to go to the commander, on account of the seriousness of the situation. He was therefore quite fit to be a politician. But his diplomatic behavior could not disguise his fearful mind when he saw the military arrangement of the Pandavas.
PURPORT
DURYODHANA, a great diplomat, wanted to point out the defects in Dronacharya, the great Brahmin commander in chief. Dronacharya had had some political quarrel with King Drupada, the father of Droupadi, who was Arjuna’s wife. As a result of this quarrel Drupada had performed a great sacrifice, by which he received the benediction of having a son who would be able to kill Dronacharya. Dronacharya knew this perfectly well and yet, as a liberal Brahmin, he did not hesitate to impart all his military secrets when the son of Drupada, Dhristadumnya, was entrusted to him for military education. Now, on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, Dhristadumnya took the side of the Pandavas, and it was he who arranged their military phalanx, after having learned the art from Dronacharya. Duryodhana pointed out this mistake of Dronacharya so that he might be alert in the fighting. By this he wanted to point out also that he should not be lenient in fighting with the Pandavas, who were also his affectionate students. Arjuna, especially, was his most affectionate and brilliant student. He also warned that leniency in the fight with the other party would create havoc for themselves.
9: There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.
10: Our strength is immeasurable and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited.
PURPORT
HEREIN an estimation of comparative strength is made by Duryodhana. He thinks that the strength of his armed forces is immeasurable, being specifically protected by the most experienced general, Grandfather Bhisma. On the other hand, the forces of the Pandavas are limited, being protected by a less experienced general, Bhima, who is like a fig in the presence of Bhisma. Duryodhana was always envious of Bhima because he knew perfectly well that if he should die at all, he would only be killed by Bhima. But at the same time he was confident of his victory on account of the presence of Bhisma, who was a far superior general. His conclusion that he would come out of the battle victorious was well ascertained.
PURPORT
IN CONTRAST with the conchshell blown by Bhismadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Krishna and Arjuna are described as transcendental. The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory on the other side, because Krishna was with the Pandavas. Yayastu padu putranam yesam pakse janardana. Victory is always with persons like the sons of Pandu, because Lord Krishna is associated with them. And whenever the Lord is present, the Goddess of Fortune is also there because the Goddess of Fortune never lives alone without her husband. Therefore, Victory and Fortune were awaiting Arjuna, as is indicated by the transcendental sound produced by the conchshell of Vishnu, or Lord Krishna. Besides that, the chariot on which both the friends were seated was donated by the Agni (Firegod) to Arjuna, and this indicated that that chariot was meant for conquering all sides, wherever it was drawn, over all the three worlds.
PURPORT
HRISHIKESHA is a name for Lord Krishna because He is the Owner of all senses. The living entities are part and parcel of Him, and therefore the senses of the living entities are also part and parcel of His senses. The impersonalists cannot account for the senses of the living entities, and therefore they are always anxious to describe all living entities as sense-less, or impersonal. The Lord, situated in the hearts of all living entities, directs their senses. But, He directs in terms of the surrender of the living entity, and in the case of a pure devotee, He directly controls the senses. Here on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, the Lord directly controls the transcendental senses of Arjuna, and thus His particular Name in that connection. The Lord has different Names in terms of His activities. For example, His Name is Madhusudana because He kills the demon named Madhu; His Name is Govinda because He gives pleasure to the cows and to the senses; His Name is Vasudeva because He appeared as the son of Vasudeva; His Name is Devakinandana because He accepted Devaki as His mother; His Name is Yasodanandana because He awarded His childhood Pastimes to Yasoda at Vrindaban; His Name is Parthasarathi because He worked as Charioteer of His friend Arjuna. Similarly, His Name is Hrishikesha because He gave direction to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Dhanamjaya is a name for Arjuna, because he helped his elder brother in fetching wealth, when they were required by the King to make expenditures for different sacrifices. Similarly, Bhima is known as Vrikodara because he could eat as voraciously as he could perform Herculean tasks, such as killing the demon Hiramba. So, the particular types of conchshell blown by the different personalities on the side of the Pandavas, beginning from the Lord’s, were all very encouraging to the fighting soldiers. On the other side there were no such credits, nor was there the presence of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Director, nor that of the Goddess of Fortune. So they were predestined to lose the battle, and that was the message announced by the sounds of the conchshells.
PURPORT
WHEN BHISMA and the others on the side of Duryodhana blew their respective conchshells, there was no heartaching on the part of the Pandavas. Such occurrences are not mentioned, but in this particular verse it is mentioned that the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra were shattered by the sounds vibrated by the Pandava’s party. This is due to the Pandavas, and their confidence in Lord Krishna. One who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord has nothing to fear, even in the midst of the greatest calamity.
PURPORT
THE BATTLE was just about to begin. It is understood from the above statements that the sons of Dhritarashtra were more or less disheartened by the unexpected military force of the Pandavas, who were endowed with the direct instructions of Lord Krishna on the battlefield. The emblem of Hanuman on Arjuna’s banners, as mentioned here, is another sign of victory, because Hanuman cooperated with Lord Rama in the battle between Rama and Ravana, and Lord Rama emerged victorious. Now both Rama and Hanuman were present on the chariot of Arjuna to help him. Lord Krishna is Rama Himself, and wherever there is Lord Rama, His eternal servitor Hanuman and His eternal consort Sita, the Goddess of Fortune, are also present. Therefore, Arjuna had no cause to fear any enemies whatever. And, above all, the Lord of the Senses—Lord Krishna—was personally present to give him direction. Thus, all good counsel was available for Arjuna in the matter of executing the battle. In such auspicious conditions, arranged by the Lord for His eternal devotee, lay the signs of assured victory.
PURPORT
ALTHOUGH LORD KRISHNA is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, out of His causeless mercy He was engaged in the service of His friend. He never fails in His affection for His devotees, and thus He is addressed herein as the Infallible. As Charioteer, He had to carry out the orders of Arjuna. Since He did not hesitate to do so, He is addressed as the Infallible. Although He had accepted the position of a Charioteer to His devotee, there was no chance of His Supreme position being challenged. In all circumstances, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hrishikesha, the Lord of the Total Senses. The relationship between the Lord and His servitor is very sweet and transcendental. The servitor is always ready to render a service to the Lord and, similarly, the Lord is always seeking an opportunity to render some service to the devotee. He takes greater pleasure in His pure devotee assuming the advantageous position of ordering Him than He does in being the Giver of orders. As Master, everyone is under His orders and no one is above Him to order Him. But when he finds that a pure devotee is ordering Him, He obtains transcendental pleasure.
As a pure devotee of the Lord, Arjuna had no desire to fight with his cousin-brothers, but he was forced to come onto the battlefield by the obstinacy of Duryodhana, who was never agreeable to any terms of peaceful negotiation. Therefore, he was very anxious to see who the leading persons present on the battlefield were. Although there was no question of a peacemaking endeavor, he wanted to see them again, and to see how much they were bent upon demanding an unwanted war.
PURPORT
AS THE SUPERSOUL of all living entities, Lord Krishna could understand what was going on in the mind of Arjuna. The use of the word Hrishikesha in this connection indicates that He knew everything. And the word Partha, or the son of Pritha, is also similarly significant. As a friend He wanted to inform Arjuna that because Arjuna was the son of Pritha, the sister of His own father Vasudeva, He had agreed to be Charioteer to Arjuna. Now what did Arjuna mean by beholding the Kurus? Did he want to stop there and not fight? Krishna never expected such things from the son of His aunt Pritha. The mind of Arjuna was thus predicated by the Lord in friendly joking.
PURPORT
ANY MAN who has genuine devotion to the Lord has all the good qualities which are found in godly persons or in the demigods. Whereas the non-devotee, however advanced he may be in material qualifications through education and culture, will lack in godly qualities. As such, Arjuna, just after seeing his kinsmen, friends, and relatives on the battlefield, was at once overwhelmed by compassion for those who had so decided to fight amongst themselves. So far as his soldiers were concerned, he was sympathetic from the beginning, but he felt compassion even for the soldiers of the opposite party, foreseeing their imminent death. And so thinking, the limbs of his body began to quiver, and his mouth became dry. He was more or less astonished to see their fighting spirit. Practically the whole community, all in blood relationship with Arjuna, came there to fight against him. This was too much for a devotee like Arjuna. Although it is not mentioned here, still one can easily imagine that not only were Arjuna’s bodily limbs quivering and his mouth drying up, but that he was also crying out of compassion. Such symptoms in Arjuna were not due to weakness, but to his softheartedness, a characteristic of a pure devotee of the Lord. It is said therefore: "One who has unflinching devotion for the Personality of Godhead has all the good qualities of the demigods. But one who is not a devotee of the Lord has only material qualifications, which are of little value. This is because he is hovering on the mental plane, and is certain to be attracted by the glaring material energy.”
PURPORT
DUE TO HIS IMPATIENCE, Arjuna was unable to stay on the battlefield, and he was forgetting himself on account of the weakness of his mind. Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in such a bewildering condition of existence. Such fearfulness and loss of mental equilibrium take place in persons who are too much affected by material conditions. Arjuna envisioned only unhappiness in the battlefield—namely, he was not going to be happy even by gaining victory over the foe. When a man sees only the frustration of his expectations, he thinks ‘Why am I here?’ Everyone is interested in himself and his own welfare. No one is interested in the Supreme Self, Krishna. Arjuna is supposed to show disregard for self-interest by the Will of the Lord. Real self-interest is Vishnu, or Krishna. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers the symptoms of bodily degradations. Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle would only be a cause of lamentation for him.
PURPORT
WITHOUT KNOWING one’s self-interest in Vishnu, conditioned souls are attracted by bodily relationships, hoping to be happy in such situations. By such a blind conception of life one forgets the causes of material happiness also. Arjuna appears to have even forgotten the moral codes for a warrior. It is said that two kinds of men—namely, the Kshatriya who dies directly in front of the battlefield, and the person in the renounced order of life absolutely devoted to spiritual culture—are eligible for entering into the sun-globe, which is so powerful and dazzling. Arjuna is reluctant even to kill his enemies, let alone his relatives. He thought that by killing his kinsmen there would be no happiness in his life, and therefore he was not willing to fight, just as a person who does not feel any hunger is not inclined to cook. He has now decided to go into the forest and live a secluded life in frustration. As a Kshatriya, he required a kingdom for his subsistence, because the Warriors cannot engage themselves in any other occupation. But Arjuna had no kingdom. His sole opportunity for gaining one lay in fighting with his cousin-brothers and reclaiming the kingdom he originally inherited from his father, which he does not want to do. Therefore he considers himself fit for going to the forest and living a secluded life of frustration.
PURPORT
ARJUNA HAS addressed Lord Krishna as Govinda because Krishna is the object of all pleasures for the cows and for the senses. By using this significant word, Arjuna intends Krishna to understand what will satisfy his senses. Actually, Govinda is not meant for satisfying our senses; but, if we try to satisfy the senses of Govinda, then automatically our senses are satisfied. Materially everyone wants to satisfy his senses and he wants God to be the order-supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord can satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that one may covet. But when one takes the opposite way—when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own, then by the Grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied. Arjuna’s deep affection for community and family members is exhibited herewith, partly due to his natural compassion for them. He is not, therefore, prepared to fight with them. Everyone wants to show his opulence to friends and relatives, but Arjuna fears that all his relatives and friends will be killed in the battlefield and he will be unable to share his opulence after victory. This is a typical calculation of material life. The transcendental life is, however, apart from such calculations. Since a devotee wants to satisfy the desires of the Lord, he can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulence for the service of the Lord; and if the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing. Arjuna did not want to kill his relatives and if there were any need for killing them he desired that Krishna kill them Personally. At this point he did not know that Krishna had already killed them before their coming onto the battlefield, and that Arjuna was only to become an instrument for Krishna. This fact is disclosed in the subsequent chapters of The Bhagavad Gita. As a natural devotee of the Lord, Arjuna did not want to retaliate against his miscreant cousins and brothers, but it was the Lord’s plan that they all be killed. The devotee of the Lord does not retaliate against the wrongdoer, but the Lord does not tolerate any mischief done to the devotee by the miscreants. The Lord can excuse a person on His own account, but He excuses nobody who has done harm to His devotees. Therefore the Lord was determined to kill the miscreants, although Arjuna wanted to excuse them.
PURPORT
ACCORDING TO VEDIC injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: 1) the poison giver, 2) the one who sets fire to the house, 3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, 4) one who plunders riches, 5) one who occupies another’s land, and 6) one who kidnaps the wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors. The killing of aggressors is quite befitting any ordinary man; but Arjuna was not an ordinary person. He was saintly by character and therefore he wanted to deal with them accordingly. Saintliness is not, however, for a Kshatriya. A responsible man involved in the administration of a state should not be cowardly. Of course, he is required to be saintly in his behavior. For example, Lord Rama was so saintly that people were anxious to live in His kingdom (Rama Rajya); yet Lord Rama never showed any example of cowardliness. Ravana was an aggressor against Rama, having kidnapped Lord Rama’s wife Sita; and Lord Rama gave him sufficiently stern lessons, unparalleled in the history of the world. In Arjuna’s case, however, one should consider the special type of aggressors—namely, his own grandfather, own teacher, friends, sons, grandsons, etc. Because of them, Arjuna thought that he should not take the severe steps necessary against ordinary aggressors. Besides that, saintly persons are advised to forgive. Such injunctions for saintly persons are more important than any political emergency. Arjuna considered that rather than kill his own kinsmen for political reasons, it would be better to forgive them on grounds of religiousness and saintly behavior. He did not, therefore, consider such killing business profitable simply for the matter of temporary bodily happiness. After all, kingdoms and the pleasures derived therefrom are not permanent, so why should he risk his life and eternal salvation by killing his own kinsmen? Arjuna’s addressing of Krishna as Madhava, or the Husband of the Goddess of Fortune, is also significant in this connection. He wanted to point out to Krishna that, as Husband of the Goddess of Fortune, He should not induce Arjuna to take up a matter which would ultimately bring about misfortune. Krishna, however, never brings misfortune to anyone, much less to His devotees.
PURPORT
IN THE SYSTEM of the Varnasram, there are many principles and religious traditions to help the members of the family grow properly in spiritual values. The elderly members are responsible for such purifying processes in the family, beginning from birth to death. But on the death of elderly members, such family traditions of purification might stop, and the remaining minor family members would develop irreligious habits, thereby losing their chance for spiritual salvation. Therefore, for no purpose should the elderly members of the family be slain.
PURPORT
GOOD POPULATION in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity, and spiritual progress in life. The Vedic religion’s principles were so designed that the good population might prevail in society for the all-around spiritual progress of state and community. Such population in society depends on the chastity and faithfulness of its womanhood. As the children are very prone to being misled, similarly, women are also very prone to degradation. Therefore, both the children and the women require protection by the elderly members of the family. By being engaged in various religious practices, women may not be misled into adultery. According to the sage Chankya Pandit, women are not very intelligent generally, and therefore not trustworthy. So the different family traditions of religious activities should always engage them, and thus their chastity and devotion would give birth to a good population, eligible for participating in the Varnasram system. On the failure of such Varnasram Dharma, naturally the women become free to act and free to mix with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted population.
PURPORT
ACCORDING TO THE RULES and regulations of fruitive activities, there is the need for offering periodical food and water to the forefathers of the family. The food and water offering to the deceased forefathers is done by worship of Vishnu, because eating the remnants of food offered to Vishnu can deliver one from all kinds of sinful actions. The forefathers may be suffering from various types of sinful reactions, and some of them cannot even acquire a gross material body, and are forced to remain in subtle bodies, as ghosts. Thus, when remnants of Prasadam food are offered to the forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life. Such help rendered to forefathers is a family tradition, and those who are not in devotional life are required to perform such rituals. One who is engaged in the devotional life is not required to perform such actions. Simply by performing devotional service, one can deliver hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all kinds of miserable life. It is stated in The Srimad Bhagwatam: "Anyone who has taken shelter of the Lotus Feet of Mukunda, the Giver of liberation, giving up all obligations, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers." Such obligations are automatically fulfilled by performance of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
THE FOUR ORDERS of human society, combined with family welfare activities as they are set forth by the institution of the Sanatan Dharma, or Varnasram Dharma, are designed to enable the human being to attain his ultimate salvation. Therefore, the breaking of the Sanatan Dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life—Vishnu, God. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who are led by such leaders are sure to be brought into chaos.
PURPORT
IT IS THE CUSTOM—according to Kshatriya fighting principles—that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, in such an enigmatic position, decided he would not fight even if he were attacked by the enemy. He did not care how much the other party was bent upon fighting. All these symptoms are due to softheartedness resulting from his being a great devotee of the Lord.
PURPORT
WHILE OBSERVING the situation of his enemy, Arjuna stood up on the chariot, but he was by now so afflicted with lamentation that he sat down again, setting aside his bow and arrows. Such a kind and softhearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit for receiving self-knowledge.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the First Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra.
2
CONTENTS OF THE GITA SUMMARIZED
PURPORT
THE SANSKRIT word Bhagavan is explained by the great authority, Parasara Muni, the father of Vyasadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, entire strength, entire fame, entire beauty, entire knowledge, and entire renunciation is called Bhagavan. There are many persons who are very rich, very powerful, very beautiful, very famous, very learned, and very much detached—but no one can claim that he is possessor of all these opulences entirely. Such a claim is applicable to Krishna only, and as such He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No living entity, including Brahma, can possess such opulence—neither Lord Shiva, nor even Narayana can possess such opulence as fully as Krishna. By analytical study of such possessions, it is concluded in The Brahma Samhita by Lord Brahma himself that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nobody is equal to or above Him. He is the Primeval Lord, or Bhagavan, known as Govinda, and He is the Supreme Cause of all causes. It is stated as follows: "There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavan, but Krishna is Supreme over all of them, because none can excel Him. He is the Supreme Person and His Body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. He is the Primeval Lord Govinda, and the Cause of all causes."
In The Bhagwatam also there is a list of many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Krishna is described therein as the Original Personality, from Whom many, many incarnations and Personalities of Godhead expand. It is stated in this way: "All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
Therefore, Krishna is the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, the Source of both Supersoul and the impersonal Brahman.
In the presence of the Supreme Person, Arjuna’s lamentation for his kinsmen is certainly unbecoming; and therefore Krishna expressed His surprise with the word kutas, "wherefrom." Such unmanly sentiments were never expected from a person belonging to the civilized class of men known as Aryans. The word Aryan is applicable to persons who know the value of life and have a civilization based on spiritual realization. Persons who are led by the material conception of life do not know that the aim of life is realization of the Absolute Truth, Vishnu, or Bhagavan. Such persons are captivated by the external features of the material world, and therefore they do not know what liberation is. Persons who have no knowledge of liberation from material bondage are called non-Aryans. Arjuna was trying to deviate from his prescribed duties, declining to fight, although he was a Kshatriya, or warrior. This act of cowardice is described as befitting the non-Aryans. Such deviation from duty does not help one in the progress of spiritual life, nor does it even give one the opportunity of becoming famous in this world. Lord Krishna did not approve of the so-called compassion of Arjuna for his kinsmen.
PURPORT
ARJUNA BECAME perplexed in this connection, not knowing whether he should execute the fighting with the risk of committing unnecessary violence, although it is the duty of the Kshatriyas; or whether he should not, and prefer instead to live by begging, because if he did not conquer the enemy, begging would be the only means left for his living. There was no certainty of victory, because either side might emerge victorious. Even if there were victory awaiting them, because their cause was justified, still, if the sons of Dhritarashtra should die in battle, it would be very difficult to live in their absence. Under the circumstances, that would be another kind of defeat. All these considerations by Arjuna definitely prove that he was not only a great devotee of the Lord, but that he was also highly enlightened and had complete control over his mind and senses. His desire to live by begging, although he was born in the royal household, is another sign of detachment. He was fully in the quality of forbearance, as all these qualities, combined with his faith in the words of instruction of Sri Krishna (his Spiritual Master), give evidence. It is concluded that Arjuna was quite fit for liberation. Unless the senses are controlled, there is no chance of elevation to the platform of knowledge, and without knowledge and devotion there is no chance of liberation. Arjuna was competent in all these attributes, over and above his enormous attributes in his material relationships.
PURPORT
BY NATURE’S OWN WAY the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and it behooves one therefore to approach the bona fide spiritual master who can give one the proper guidance for executing the purpose of life. All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life, which happen without our desire. They appear like a forest fire, which takes place without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear, without our wanting such confusion. Nobody wants fire, and yet it takes place and we are perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that, in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master, who is in the disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not therefore remain in material perplexities, but should approach such a teacher—this is the purport of this verse.
Who is the man in material perplexities? It is he who does not understand the problems of life. In The Garga Upanishad this is described as follows: "He is a miserly man who does not solve the problems of life as a human, and who thus quits this world like the cats and dogs—without understanding the science of self-realization. He is called a miserly man." This human form of life is a most valuable asset for the living entity who can utilize it for solving the problems of life. Therefore, one who does not utilize this opportunity is a miser. On the other hand, there is the Brahmana, or the Brahmin who is intelligent enough to utilize this body for solving all the problems of life.
The Kripanas, or miserly persons, waste their time in being overly affectionate for family, society, country, etc. in the material conception of life. One is often attached to family life, to wife, children, and other members on the basis of "skin disease." The Kripanas think that they are able to protect their family members from death; or the Kripana thinks that his family or society can save him from death. Such family attachment can be found even in the lower animals, who also take care of children. Being intelligent, Arjuna could understand that his affection for family members and his wish to protect them from death were the causes of his perplexities. Although he could understand that his duty to fight was awaiting him, still, on account of miserly weakness, he could not discharge the duty. He is therefore asking Lord Krishna, the Supreme Spiritual Master, to make a definite solution. He offers himself to Krishna as a disciple; he wants to stop friendly talks. Talks between the master and disciple are serious, and now Arjuna wants to talk very seriously before the recognized Spiritual Master. Krishna is therefore the Original Spiritual Master in the science of The Bhagavad Gita, and Arjuna is the original disciple in understanding The Gita. How Arjuna understands The Bhagavad Gita is stated in The Gita itself. And yet foolish mundane scholars explain that one need not submit to Krishna as a Person, but to the Unborn within Krishna. There is no difference between Krishna’s within and without; and one who has no sense of this understanding is the greatest fool; the greatest pretender.
PURPORT
THE LORD at once took the position of the Teacher and chastised the student, calling him, indirectly, a fool. The Lord said, You are talking like a learned man, but you do not know that one who is learned—one who knows what is body and what is soul—does not lament for any stage of the body, neither in the living nor in the dead condition. As explained in later chapters, it will be clear that knowledge means to know matter and spirit and the Controller of both. Arjuna argued that religious principles should be given more importance than politics or sociology, but he did not know that knowledge of matter, soul and the Supreme is more important than religious formularies. And, because he was lacking in that knowledge, he should not have posed himself as a very learned man. As he did not happen to be a very learned man, he was consequently lamenting for something which is unworthy of lamentation. The body is born and is destined to be vanquished today or tomorrow. Therefore, the body is not as important as the soul. One who knows this is actually learned, and for him there is no cause for lamentation in any stage of the material body.
PURPORT
IN THE VEDAS, in The Katha Upanishad as well as in The Svetasvataro Upanishad, it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Maintainer of innumerable living entities, in terms of their different situations, according to individual work and the reaction to work. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is also, by His plenary portions, alive in the heart of every living entity. Only saintly persons who can see, within and without, the same Supreme Personality of Godhead can actually attain to perfect peace eternal. The same Vedic truth enumerated herein is given to Arjuna—and, in that connection, to all persons in the world who pose themselves as very learned but factually have but a poor fund of knowledge. The Lord says clearly that He Himself, Arjuna, and all the kings who are assembled on the battlefield are eternally individual beings, and that the Lord is eternally the Maintainer of the individual living entities, both in their conditioned as well as in their liberated situation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme individual Person, and Arjuna, the Lord’s eternal associate, and all the kings assembled there, are individual, eternal persons. It is not that they did not exist as individuals in the past and it is not that they will not remain as eternal persons. Their individuality existed in the past and their individuality will continue in the future without interruption. Therefore, there is no cause for lamentation for anyone of the individual living entities.
The Mayavadi, or impersonal, theory that after liberation the individual soul, separated by the covering of Maya, or Illusion, will merge into the impersonal Brahman without individual existence is not supported herein by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Authority. Nor is the theory that we only think of individuality in the conditioned state supported herein. Krishna clearly says that in the future also the individuality of the Lord and others, as it is confirmed in the Upanishads, will continue eternally. This statement of Krishna is authoritative because Krishna cannot be subject to Illusion. If individuality is not a fact, then Krishna would not have stressed it so much—even for the future. The Mayavadi may argue that the individuality spoken of by Krishna is not spiritual, but material. Even accepting the argument that the individuality is material, then how can one distinguish Krishna’s individuality? Krishna affirms His individuality in the past and confirms His individuality in the future also. He has confirmed His individuality in many ways, and impersonal Brahman has been declared as subordinate to Him. Krishna has maintained spiritual individuality all along, and if He is accepted as an ordinary conditioned soul in individual consciousness, then His Bhagavad Gita has no value as an authoritative scripture. A common man with all the defects of human frailty is unable to teach that which is worth hearing. The Bhagavad Gita is above such literature. No mundane book compares with The Bhagavad Gita. When one accepts Krishna as an ordinary man, The Bhagavad Gita loses all importance. The Mayavadi argues that the plurality mentioned in this verse is conventional and that the plurality refers to the body. But previous to this verse such a bodily conception has already been condemned. After condemning the bodily conception of the living entities, how was it possible for Krishna to place a conventional proposition on the body again? Therefore, the plurality is on spiritual grounds, as is confirmed by great teachers like Sri Ramanuja. It is clearly mentioned in many places in The Bhagavad Gita that this spiritual plurality is understood by those who are devotees of the Lord. Those who are envious of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead have no bona fide access to this great literature. The non-devotee’s approach to the teachings of The Bhagavad Gita is something like a bee licking on a bottle of honey. One cannot have a taste of honey unless one can taste within the bottle. Similarly, the mysticism of The Bhagavad Gita can be understood only by devotees, and no one else can taste it, as is stated in the Fourth Chapter of the book. Nor can The Gita be touched by persons who envy the very existence of the Lord. Therefore, the Mayavadi explanation of The Gita is a most misleading presentation of the whole truth. Lord Chaitanya has forbidden us to read commentaries made by the Mayavadis, and warns that one who takes to an understanding of the Mayavadi philosophy loses all power to understand the real mystery of The Gita. If individuality refers to the empirical universe, then there is no need for teaching by the Lord. The plurality of the individual souls and of the Lord is an eternal fact, and it is confirmed by the Vedas as above mentioned.
PURPORT
SINCE EVERY LIVING entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body at every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man—although the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body itself, in transmigrating from one to another; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth—either material or spiritual—there was no cause for lamentation by Arjuna on account of death, either over Bhisma or over Drona, for whom he was so concerned. Rather, he should rejoice at their changing bodies from old to new ones, thereby rejuvenating their energy. Such changes of body are meant for varieties of enjoyment or suffering by the living entiy, according to one’s own work in this Iife. So Bhisma and Drona, being noble souls, were surely going to have either spiritual bodies in the next life, or at least life in godly bodies for superior enjoyment of material existence. In either case, there was no cause for lamentation.
Any man who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the individual soul, the Supersoul, and Nature—both material and spiritual—is called a Dheera, or a most sober man. Such a man is never deluded by the change of bodies by the living entities.
PURPORT
THERE IS NO ENDURANCE of the changing body. That the body is changing every moment by the actions and reactions of different cells is admitted by modern medical science, and thus growth and old age are taking place. But the spiritual soul exists permanently, remaining the same in all the changing circumstances of the body and the mind. That is the difference between matter and spirit. By nature the body is ever changing, and the soul is eternal. This conclusion is established by all classes of seers of the truth, impersonalist and personalist. In The Vishnu Puranam also this truth has been established. It is stated there that Vishnu and His Abodes all have self-illuminated spiritual existence. The words existent and non-existent refer only to spirit and matter. That is the version of all seers of truth.
This is the beginning of the instruction by the Lord to the living entities who are bewildered by the influence of ignorance. Removal of this ignorance means re-establishment of the eternal relationship between the worshiper and the worshipable, and the consequent understanding of the difference between part and parcel living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself, the difference between oneself and the Supreme being understood as the relationship between the part and the whole. In the Vedanta Sutras, as well as in The Srimad Bhagwatam, the Supreme has been accepted as the origin of all emanations. Such emanations are experienced by superior and inferior natural sequences. The living entities belong to the superior Nature, as will be revealed in the Seventh Chapter. Although there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, the energetic is accepted as the Supreme, and energy or Nature is accepted as the subordinate. The relationship of the living entities, therefore, is to be always subordinate to the Supreme Lord, as with the Master and the servant, or the Teacher and the taught. Such clear knowledge is impossible to grasp under the spell of ignorance, and to drive away such ignorance the Lord teaches The Bhagavad Gita for the enlightenment of all beings for all time.
PURPORT
THIS VERSE more clearly explains the real nature of the soul, which is spread all over the body. Anyone can understand what is spread all over the body: it is consciousness. Everyone is conscious about the pains and pleasures of the body in part or as a whole. This spreading of consciousness is limited within one’s own body. The pains and pleasures of one body are unknown to another. Therefore, each and every body contains an individual soul, and the symptom of the soul’s presence is perceived as individual consciousness.
PURPORT
WHEN AN EMBODIED BEING is hurt by fatal weapons, it is to be known that the living entity within the body is not killed. The spirit soul is so small that it is impossible to kill him by any material weapon. Nor is the living entity killable in any case, because of his spiritual constitution. What is killed or is supposed to be killed is the body only. This, however, does not at all encourage killing of the body. The Vedic injunction is "Mahimsyat sarva bhutani," never commit violence to anyone. The understanding that a living entity is not killed does not encourage animal slaughter. Killing the body of anyone without authority is abominable, and is punishable by the law of the state as well as by the law of the Lord. Arjuna, however, is being engaged in killing for the principle of religion, and not whimsically.
PURPORT
EVERYTHING HAS its utility, and a man who is situated in complete knowledge knows how and where to apply a thing for its proper utility. Similarly, violence also has its use, and how to apply violence rests with the person in knowledge. Although the Justice of the Peace awards capital punishment to a person condemned for murder, the Justice of the Peace cannot be blamed, because he orders violence to another according to the codes of justice. In The Manusamhita, the lawbook for Mankind, it is supported that a murderer should be condemned to death so that in his next life he will not have to suffer for the great sin he has committed. Therefore, the king’s punishment of hanging a murderer is actually beneficial. Similarly, when Krishna orders fighting, it must be concluded that violence is for Supreme Justice; and, as such, Arjuna should follow the instruction, knowing well that such violence, committed in the act of fighting for justice, is not at all violence; because at any rate, the man—or rather, the soul—cannot be killed. For the administration of justice, so-called violence is permitted. A surgical operation is not meant to kill the patient, but is for his cure. Therefore, the fighting to be executed by Arjuna, under the instruction of Krishna, is with full knowledge; and so there is no possibility of sinful reaction.
PURPORT
CHANGE OF BODY by the atomic individual soul is an accepted fact. Even some of the modern scientists who do not believe in the existence of the soul, but at the same time cannot explain the source of energy from the heart, have to accept continuous changes of body which appear from childhood to boyhood, and from boyhood to youth, and again from youth to old age. From old age, the change is transferred to another body. This has already been explained in the previous verse.
Transference of the atomic individual soul to another body is also made possible by the Grace of the Supersoul. The Supersoul fulfills the desire of the soul as one friend fulfills the desire of another. The Vedas, such as The Mundaka Upanishad, as well as The Svetasvataro Upanishad, confirm this concept of two kinds of souls by comparing them to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is simply watching his friend. Of these two birds—although they are the same in quality—one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing his activities. Krishna is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the servant. Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the cause of one’s changing his position from one tree to another, or from one body to another. The Jiva soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept the other bird as the Supreme Spiritual Master—as Arjuna has agreed to do by voluntary surrender unto Krishna for instruction—the subordinate bird immediately becomes free from all lamentations. Both The Katha Upanishad and The Svetasvataro Upanishad confirm this statement.
PURPORT
As DESCRIBED ABOVE, the magnitude of the soul is such that, for our material calculation, he cannot be detected even by the most powerful microscope; therefore, he is invisible. As far as his existence is concerned, nobody can establish his experimental stability beyond the proof of Sruti, or Vedic wisdom. We have to accept this truth because there is no other source for understanding the existence of the soul, although it is a fact by perception. There are many things we have to accept solely on grounds of superior authority. No one can deny the existence of his father, based upon the authority of his mother; there is no other source of understanding the identity of the father, except on the authority of the mother. Similarly, there is no other source of understanding the soul except by studying the Vedas. In other words, the soul is inconceivable to human experimental knowledge. The soul is consciousness and conscious—that also is the statement of the Vedas, and we have to accept that. Unlike the bodily changes, there is no change for the soul. As eternally unchangeable, he remains atomic always in comparison to the infinite Supreme Soul. The Supreme Soul is infinite and the atomic soul is infinitesimal. Therefore, the infinitesimal soul, being unchangeable, can never become equal to the infinite Soul, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This concept is repeated in the Vedas in different ways, just to confirm the stability of the conception of the soul. Repetition of something is necessary in order that we understand the matter thoroughly, without error.
PURPORT
THERE IS ALWAYS a class of philosophers, akin to the Buddhists, who do not believe in the existence of the soul beyond the body. When Lord Krishna spoke The Bhagavad Gita, it appears that such philosophers existed, and were known as the Lokayatik and Baibhasikas. These philosophers maintained that life symptoms take place at a certain mature condition of the material combination. The modern material scientist and materialist philosophers think similarly. According to them, the body is a combination of physical elements, and at a certain stage the life symptoms develop by interaction of these elements. The science of anthropology is largely based on this philosophy. Currently, many pseudo-religions—now becoming fashionable in America—are also adhering to this concept, as well as to the nihilistic, nondevotional Buddhist sects.
Even if Arjuna did not believe in the existence of the soul—as in the Baibhasika philosophy—there would still have been no cause for lamentation. Nobody would lament the loss of a certain bulk of chemicals and stop discharging his prescribed duties. On the other hand, in modern science and scientific warfare, so many tons of chemicals are wasted in achieving victory over the enemy. According to the Baibhasika philosophy, the so-called soul or Atma vanishes along with the deterioration of the body. So, in any case, whether Arjuna accepted the Vedic conclusion that there is an atomic soul, or whether he did not believe in the existence of the soul, he had no reason for lamenting. According to this theory, since there are so many entities generating out of matter every moment, and so many of them are being vanquished at every moment, there is no need to grieve for such an incidence. However, since he was not risking rebirth of the soul, Arjuna had no reason to be afraid of being affected with sinful activities due to killing his grandfather and teacher. But, at the same time, Krishna sarcastically addressed Arjuna as Mahavaho, Mighty-armed, because He, at least, did not accept the theory of the Baibhasikas, which leaves aside the Vedic wisdom. As a Kshatriya, Arjuna belonged to the Vedic culture, and it behooved him that he continue to follow its principles.
PURPORT
ACCORDING TO LOGICIANS, one has to take birth according to one’s activities of life. And, after finishing one term of activities, one has to die to take birth for the next. In this way the cycle of birth and death is revolving, one after the other, without liberation. This cycle of birth and death does not, however, support murder, slaughter, and war unnecessarily. But, at the same time, violence and war are inevitable factors in human society for keeping law and order. The Battle of Kurukshetra, being the will of the Supreme, was an inevitable event, and to fight for the right cause is the duty of a Kshatriya. Why should he be afraid of, or aggrieved at, the death of his relatives, since he was discharging his proper duty? He did not deserve to break the law, thereby becoming subjected to the reactions of sinful acts, of which he was so afraid. By ceasing from the discharge of his proper duty, he would not be able to stop the death of his relatives, and he would be degraded on account of his selection of the wrong path of action.
PURPORT
LORD KRISHNA NOW directly says that Arjuna should fight for the sake of fighting, because Krishna desires the battle. There is no consideration of happiness or distress, profit or gain, victory or defeat in the activities of Krishna consciousness. That everything should be performed for the sake of Krishna is transcendental consciousness; so there is no reaction from material activities. Anyone who acts for his sense gratification, either in goodness or in passion, is liable to the reaction—good or bad. Anyone who has completely surrendered himself in the activities of Krishna consciousness is no longer obliged to anyone, nor is he a debtor to anyone, as we are in the ordinary course of activities. It is said: "Anyone who has completely surrendered unto Krishna, Mukunda, giving up all other duties, is no longer a debtor, nor is he obliged to anyone—not the demigods, nor the sages, nor the people in general; nor kinsmen, nor humanity nor forefathers." That is the indirect hint given by Krishna to Arjuna in this verse, and the matter will be more clearly explained in the following verses.
PURPORT
ACTIVITY IN KRISHNA consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Krishna without expectation of sense gratification, is the highest transcendental quality of work. Even a small beginning of such activity finds no impediment, nor can that small beginning be lost at any stage. Any work begun on the material plane has to be done nicely till the end, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure. But any work begun in Krishna consciousness has a permanent effect, even though not finished. The performer of such work is therefore not at a loss even if his work in Krishna consciousness is incomplete. One per cent done in Krishna consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from the point of 2 per cent. Whereas, in material activity, without 100 per cent success there is no profit. There is a nice verse in this connection in The Srimad Bhagwatam. It says: "If someone gives up his occupational duties and works in Krishna consciousness, and then again falls down on account of not being complete in such activities; still, what loss is there on his part? And, what can one gain if one performs his material activities very perfectly?" Or, as the Christians say: "What profiteth a man if he gain the whole world yet suffers the loss of his eternal soul?"
Material activities, and the results of such actions, will end with the body. But work in Krishna consciousness will carry the person again to Krishna consciousness, even after the loss of this body. At least one is sure to have a chance in the next life of being born into human society, either in the family of a great cultured Brahmin, or else in a rich aristocratic family that will give the man a further chance for elevation. That is the unique quality of work done in Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
SAMADHI means "fixed mind." The Vedic dictionary, the Niruktih, says, "When the mind is fixed for understanding the self, this is called Samadhi." Samadhi is never possible for persons interested in material sense enjoyment, nor for those who are bewildered by such temporary things. They are more or less condemned by the process of material energy.
PURPORT
THERE ARE THREE considerations here: prescribed duties, capricious work, and inaction. Prescribed duties mean activities in terms of one’s position in the modes of material Nature. Capricious work means actions without the sanction of authority; and inaction means not performing one’s prescribed duties. The Lord advised that Arjuna not be inactive, but that he be active in his duty without being attached to the result. One who is attached to the result of his work is also the cause of the action. Thus he is the enjoyer or sufferer of the result of such actions.
As far as prescribed duties are concerned, they can be fitted into three subdivisions: routine work, emergency work, and desired activities. Routine work, in terms of the scriptural injunctions, is done without desire for results. As one has to do it, obligatory work is action in the modes of goodness. Work with results becomes the cause of bondage, and so such work is not auspicious. Everyone has his proprietary right in regard to his duties, but should act without attachment to the result; thus such disinterested obligatory duties doubtlessly lead one to the path of liberation.
Arjuna was advised by the Lord to fight as a matter of duty, without attachment to the result. His non-participation in the battle is another side of attachment. Such attachment never leads one to the path of salvation. Any attachment, positive or negative, is cause for bondage. Inaction is sinful. Therefore, fighting as a matter of duty was the only auspicious path to salvation for Arjuna.
PURPORT
THERE ARE MANY good examples, in the lives of the great devotees of the Lord, of those who became indifferent to the rituals of the Vedas simply by devotional service to the Lord. When a person factually understands Krishna and one’s relationship with Krishna, one naturally becomes completely indifferent to the rituals of fruitive activities, even though he may be an experienced Brahmin. Sri Madhavendra Puri, a great devotee and Acharya in the line of devotees, says: "O Lord, in my prayers three times a day, all glory to You; O, bathing I offer my obeisances unto You; O, demigods! O, forefathers! please excuse me for my inability to offer you my respects. Now wherever I sit, I am able to remember the great descendant of the Yadu dynasty [Krishna], the enemy of Kamsa; and thereby I can get myself freed from all sinful bondage. I think this is sufficient for me."
PURPORT
THE WORD Muni means one who can agitate his mind in various ways for mental speculation, without coming to a factual conclusion. It is said that every Muni has a different angle of vision, and unless one Muni is different in view from another, he cannot be called a Muni in the strict sense of the term. But a sthitadhir Muni, the kind mentioned herein by the Lord, is different from an ordinary Muni. The sthitadhir Muni is always in Krishna consciousness, for he has finished all his business with creative speculation. He is called prasanta nihsesa manorathantaram, or one who has surpassed the stage of mental speculations and has come to the conclusion that Lord Sri Krishna, Vasudeva, is everything. He is called the Muni fixed in mind. Such a fully Krishna conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries: those due to Nature, to other beings, and to the frailties of one’s own body. Such a Muni accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and sees that his miseries, by the Grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest. Similarly, when he is happy he gives credit to the Lord, thinking himself unworthy of that happiness. He realizes that it is due only to the Lord’s Grace that he is in such a comfortable condition, and thus able to render better service to the Lord. And, for the service of the Lord, he is always daring and active, and is not influenced by attachment or detachment. Attachment means accepting things for one’s own sense gratification, and detachment is the absence of such sensual attachment. But one fixed in Krishna consciousness has neither attachment nor detachment, because his life is dedicated in the service of the Lord. Consequently, he is not at all angry even when his attempts are unsuccessful. A Krishna conscious person is always steady in his determination.
PURPORT
THERE IS ALWAYS some upheaval in the material world which may be good or evil. One who is not agitated by such material upheavals, who is without affection for the good or evil, is to be understood as fixed in Krishna consciousness. As long as one is in the material world, there is always the possibility of good and evil because this world is full of duality. But one who is fixed in Krishna consciousness is not affected by good and evil, because he is simply concerned with Krishna, Who is all Good Absolute. Such consciousness in Krishna situates one in a perfect transcendental position called, technically, Samadhi.
PURPORT
ONE WHO IS NOT Krishna conscious is subjected to material desires while contemplating the objects of senses. The senses require real engagements, and if they are not engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, they will certainly seek engagement in the service of materialism. In the material world everyone, including Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma—to say nothing of other demigods in the heavenly planets—is subjected to the influence of sense objects; and the only method to get out of this puzzle of material existence is to become Krishna conscious. Lord Shiva once was deep in meditation, but when the beautiful maid Parvati agitated him for sense pleasure, he agreed to the proposal and as a result Kartikeya was born. When Haridas Thakur was a young devotee of the Lord, he was similarly allured by the incarnation of Maya Devi; but Haridas easily passed the test because of his unalloyed devotion to Lord Krishna. A sincere devotee of the Lord learns to hate all material sense enjoyment due to his higher taste for spiritual enjoyment in the association of the Lord. That is the secret of success. One who is not, therefore, in Krishna consciousness, however powerful he may be in controlling the senses by artificial repression, is sure ultimately to fall, for the slightest thought of sense pleasure will drive him to gratify his desires.
PURPORT
IT IS ALREADY explained that one may externally control the senses by some artificial process, but unless the senses are engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, there is every chance of a fall. Although the person in full Krishna consciousness may apparently be on the sensual plane, actually, because of his being Krishna conscious, he has no attachment to, or detachment from, such sensual activities. The Krishna conscious person is concerned only with the satisfaction of Krishna, and nothing else. Therefore he is transcendental to all attachment or detachment. If Krishna wants, the devotee can do anything which is ordinarily undesirable; and if Krishna does not want, he will not do anything which he would have ordinarily done for his own satisfaction. Therefore, to act or not to act is within his control because he acts only under the dictation of Krishna. This consciousness is the causeless mercy of the Lord, which the devotee can achieve in spite of his being attached to the sensual platform.
PURPORT
THERE ARE TWO CLASSES of intelligent men. The one is intelligent in material activities for sense gratification; and the other is introspective, and awake to the cultivation of self-realization. Activities of the introspective sage, or thoughtful man, are night for persons materially absorbed. Materialistic persons remain asleep during such a night due to their ignorance of self-realization. The introspective sage, however, remains alert in that night of the materialistic men. Such sages feel transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of spiritual culture; whereas the man in materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties of sense pleasure, feeling sometimes happy and sometimes distressed in his sleeping condition. The introspective man is always indifferent to materialistic happiness and distress. He goes on with his self-realization activities undisturbed by material reactions.
PURPORT
ONE CAN ATTAIN Krishna consciousness or divine life at once, within a second—or one may not attain such a state of life even after millions of births. It is only a matter of understanding and accepting the fact. Khatvamga Maharaj attained this state of life just a few minutes before his death, by surrendering unto Krishna. Nirvana means ending the process of materialistic life. According to Buddhist philosophy, there is only void after this material life, but The Bhagavad Gita teaches differently. Actual life begins after the completion of this material life. For the gross materialist it is sufficient to know that one has to end this materialistic way of life; but for persons who are spiritually advanced, there is another life after this materialistic one. Therefore, before ending this life, if one fortunately becomes Krishna conscious, certainly he at once attains the stage of Brahman nirvana. There is no difference between the Kingdom of God and the devotional service of the Lord. Since both of them are on the Absolute plane, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is to have attained the spiritual Kingdom. In the material world there are activities of sense gratification, whereas in the spiritual world there are activities of Krishna consciousness. Therefore, attainment of Krishna consciousness even during this life is immediate attainment of Brahman, and one who is situated in Krishna consciousness has certainly already entered into the Kingdom of God.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur has summarized this Second Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita as being the Contents for the whole text. In The Bhagavad Gita, the subject matters are Karmayoga, Jnanayoga, and Bhaktiyoga. In the Second Chapter, Karmayoga and Jnanayoga have been clearly discussed; and a glimpse of Bhaktiyoga has also been given.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Second Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of its Contents.
3
KARMAYOGA
PURPORT
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead Sri Krishna has very elaborately described the constitution of the soul in the previous chapter, with a view to delivering His intimate friend Arjuna from the ocean of material grief. And the path of realization has been recommended: Buddhiyoga, or Krishna consciousness. Sometimes this Krishna consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Krishna conscious by chanting the holy Name of Lord Krishna. But without being trained in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, it is not advisable to chant the holy Name of Krishna in a secluded place, where one may acquire only cheap adoration from the innocent public. Arjuna thought of Krishna consciousness or Buddhiyoga, intelligence in spiritual advancement of knowledge, as something like retirement from active life, the practice of penance and austerity at a secluded place. In other words, he wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krishna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his Master, and questioned Krishna as to his best course of action. In answer, Lord Krishna elaborately explained Karmayoga, or work in Krishna consciousness, in this Third Chapter.
PURPORT
IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, as a prelude to The Bhagavad Gita, many different paths were explained, namely Samkhyayoga, Buddhiyoga, controlling the senses by intelligence, work without fruitive desire, the position of the neophyte, etc. This was all presented unsystematically. A more organized outline of the path would be necessary for action and understanding. Arjuna, therefore, wanted to clear up these apparently confusing matters so that any common man could accept them without misinterpretation. Although Krishna had no intention of confusing Arjuna by any jugglery of words, Arjuna could not follow the process of Krishna consciousness—either by inertia or active service. In other words, by his questions he is clearing the path of Krishna consciousness for all students who are serious about understanding the mystery of The Bhagavad Gita.
PURPORT
IN THE SECOND CHAPTER, verse thirty-nine, the Lord has explained two kinds of procedure—namely Samkhyayoga and Karmayoga, or Buddhiyoga. In this verse, the Lord explains the same more clearly. Samkhyayoga, or the analytical study of the nature of spirit and matter, is the subject for persons who are inclined to speculate and understand things by experimental knowledge and philosophy. The other class of men work in Krishna consciousness, as is explained in verse sixty-one of the same Second Chapter. The Lord has explained, also, in verse thirty-nine, that by working under the principles of Buddhiyoga, or Krishna consciousness, one can be relieved from the bonds of action, and furthermore there is no flaw in the process. The same principle is more clearly explained in verse sixty-one—that this Buddhiyoga is to depend entirely on the Supreme (or, more specifically, on Krishna)—and in this way all the senses can be brought under control very easily. Therefore, both the Yogas are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism; while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Krishna, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Krishna consciousness. This is also stated in The Bhagavad Gita. The whole process is to understand the real position of the self in relation to the Superself. The indirect process is philosophical speculation, by which, gradually, one may come to the point of Krishna consciousness; and the other process is by directly connecting with everything in Krishna consciousness. Out of these two, the path of Krishna consciousness is better, because the philosophical process does not purify the senses. Krishna consciousness is itself the purifying process, and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime.
PURPORT
THE RENOUNCED ORDER of life can be adopted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without the purifying process, one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life (Sannyas). According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting Sannyas, or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Narayana, God; but Lord Krishna does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart, Sannyas is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if somebody takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord. Salpam api asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: Even the slight performance of such a principle enables one to overcome great difficulties.
PURPORT
THIS IS NOT A QUESTION of embodied life; it is the nature of the soul itself to be always active. The proof is that without the presence of the spirit soul there is no movement of the material body. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul, and therefore it is to be understood that the soul is always active, and cannot stop even for a moment. As such, the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Krishna consciousness; otherwise it will be engaged in the occupations dictated by the illusory energy. In contact with material energy, the spirit soul acquires material modes, and to purify the soul from such affinities it is necessary to engage it in the prescribed duties enjoined in the Shastras, or scriptures. But if the soul is engaged in his natural function of Krishna consciousness, whatever he is able to do is good for him. The Srimad Bhagwatam affirms this: “If somebody takes to Krishna consciousness, even though he may not follow the prescribed duties in the Shastras or execute the devotional service properly, or even if he falls down from the standard, there is no loss or evil for him. And even though he carries out all the injunctions for purification in the Shastras, what does it avail him if he is not Krishna conscious?” So the purifying process is necessary for reaching this point. Sannyas, or any purifying process, is meant for helping one to reach the ultimate goal of becoming Krishna conscious, without which everything is considered a failure.
PURPORT
INSTEAD OF BECOMING a pseudo-transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one’s own business and execute the purpose of life, which is to get free from material bondage and enter into the Kingdom of God. The Svarthagati, or goal of self-interest, is to reach Vishnu. The whole Varna and Asrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Krishna consciousness. For self-realization, one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the Shastras, and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who "works" only for the sake of making a living.
PURPORT
SINCE ONE HAS TO WORK even for the simple maintenance of the body, the prescribed duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that that purpose can be fulfilled. Yajna means Lord Vishnu, or sacrificial performances. All sacrificial performances are meant for the satisfaction of Lord Vishnu. The Vedas enjoin: "Yajna vai Vishnu." In other words, the same purpose is served whether you perform prescribed Yajnas or directly serve Lord Vishnu. Krishna consciousness is, therefore, the performance of Yajna as it is prescribed here in this verse. The Varnasram institution also aims at this, satisfying Lord Vishnu. “Varnasrama acarata purusena parah puman Vishnu aradhyate.”
Therefore, one has to work for the satisfaction of Vishnu. Any other work done in this material world will be a cause of bondage, for both good and evil work have their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer. One has only to work in Krishna consciousness, to satisfy Krishna or Vishnu, and while performing such activities one is supposed to be in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work, and in the beginning this process requires very good and expert guidance. One should therefore act very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Krishna, or under the direct instruction of Krishna (under Whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Krishna. This practice will not only save one from the reactions of work, but will also gradually raise one to the platform of the transcendental loving service of the Lord—which alone can uplift one to the Kingdom of God.
PURPORT
THE MATERIAL CREATION by the Lord of creatures (Vishnu) is a sort of chance offered to the conditioned souls to come back to Home—back to Godhead. All living entities within the material creation are conditioned by material Nature because of their forgetfulness of their relationship to Vishnu, or Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Vedic principles are to help us understand this eternal relationship. The Lord says that the purport of the Vedas is to understand Him. In the Vedic hymns it is said, Patim visvasya atma iswaram: The Lord of the living entities is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu.
Vishnu is the Lord of all living creatures, all worlds, and all beauties, and the Protector of everyone. The Lord created this material world for the conditioned souls to learn how to perform Yajnas for the satisfaction of Vishnu, so that while in the material world they can live very comfortably without anxiety in life. Then, after finishing the present material body, they can enter into the Kingdom of God. That is the whole program for the conditioned souls. By performance of Yajna, the conditioned souls gradually become Krishna conscious, and become godly in all respects. In this Age of Kali, the Samkirtan Yajna, or chanting the holy Names of God, is recommended by the Vedic scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for deliverance of all men. Samkirtan Yajna and Krishna consciousness go well together. Lord Krishna in His devotional form (as Lord Chaitanya) is worshiped in The Srimad Bhagwatam as follows, with special reference to the Samkirtan Yajna: "In this Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient brain substance will worship the Lord, Who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of Samkirtan Yajna." Although other Yajnas prescribed in the Vedic literature are not easy to perform in this Age of Kali, the Samkirtan Yajna is the easiest and is sublime for all purposes, as is recommended in The Bhagavad Gita.
PURPORT
THE DEMIGODS ARE empowered administrators of material affairs. The supply of air, light, water, and all other benedictions for maintenance of the body and soul of every living entity are entrusted to the demigods, who are innumerable assistants in different parts of the Body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their pleasures and displeasures are dependent on the performance of Yajnas by human beings. Some of the Yajnas are meant for satisfying the particular demigods, but even in so doing, Lord Vishnu is worshiped in all Yajnas as the chief Beneficiary. It is stated also in The Bhagavad Gita that Krishna Himself is the Beneficiary of all kinds of Yajnas. “Bhoktaram yajna tapasam.” Therefore, ultimate satisfaction of the Lord is the chief purpose of all Yajnas. When these sacrifices are perfectly performed, naturally the demigods in charge of the different departments of supply are pleased, and there is no scarcity in the flow of natural products.
Performance of Yajnas has many side benefits, ultimately leading to liberation from the material bondage. By performance of sacrifice, all activities become purified, as is stated in the Vedas. As will be explained in the following verse, by performance of Yajnas, the eatables become sanctified, and by eating sanctified foodstuffs, one’s very existence becomes purified; by the purification of existence, finer tissues in the memory become sanctified; and memory being sanctified, one can think of the path of liberation, and all these combined together lead to Krishna consciousness, the great necessity of present-day society.
PURPORT
YAJNARTHE KARMA, or the necessity for work for the satisfaction of Vishnu only, is more expressly stated in this verse. If we have to work for the satisfaction of the Yajna Purusa—Vishnu—then we must find the direction of work in Brahman, or the transcendental Vedas. The Vedas are therefore codes of working direction. Anything performed without the direction of the Vedas is called Vikarma, or unauthorized work, or sinful work. Therefore, one should always take direction from the Vedas to be saved from the reaction of work. As one has to work in ordinary life by the direction of the state, similarly, one has to work under direction of the supreme state of the Lord. Such instructions in the Vedas are directly manifested from the breathing of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said: "All the four Vedas—namely Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda, and Atharvaveda—are emanations from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead." The Lord, being potent, can speak by His breathing air, as is confirmed in The Brahma Samhita, for the Lord has the omnipotence to perform through each of his senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing, and He can impregnate by His eyes. It is said that He glanced over the material Nature and thus fathered all the living entities. So, after impregnating the conditioned soul into the womb of material Nature, He gave His direction in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material Nature are all eager for material enjoyment. And the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one’s perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished this so-called enjoyment. It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation; therefore, the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of Yajna by becoming Krishna conscious. Those who have not followed the Vedic injunction may adopt the principles of Krishna consciousness, and that will take the place of performance of Vedic Yajnas, or karma.
PURPORT
THE MAMMONIST PHILOSOPHY—of work very hard and enjoy sense gratification—is condemned herewith by the Lord. For those who want to enjoy this material world, the above-mentioned cycle of sacrifices is absolutely necessary. One who does not follow such regulations is living a very risky life, being condemned more and more. By Nature’s law, this human form of life is specifically meant for self-realization, in either of the three ways—namely Karmayoga, Jnanayoga, or Bhaktiyoga. There is no necessity of rigidly following the perfonrmnces of the prescribed Yajnas. Such transcendentalists are above vice and virtue. But those who are engaged in sense gratification require purification by the above-mentioned cycle of Yajna performances. There are different kinds of activities. Those who are not Krishna conscious are certainly engaged in sensory consciousness, and therefore they need to execute pious work. The Yajna system is planned in such a way that the sensory conscious persons may satisfy their desires without becoming entangled in the reactions to such sense gratifying work. The prosperity of the world depends not on our own efforts, but on the background arrangement of the Supreme Lord, directly carried out by the demigods. Therefore, these sacrifices are directly aimed at the particular demigod mentioned in the Vedas. Indirectly, it is the practice of Krishna consciousness, because when one masters the performances of Yajnas, one is sure to become Krishna conscious. If, having performed Yajnas, one does not become Krishna conscious, such principles are counted as only moral codes. One should not, of course, limit his progress to the point of moral codes, but should transcend them, to attain Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
A PERSON WHO IS fully Krishna conscious, and by his acts in Krishna consciousness is fully satisfied, no longer has anything to perform as his duty. Due to his becoming Krishna conscious, all the dirty things within are instantly cleansed, ordinarily an effect of many, many thousands of Yajna performances. By such clearing of consciousness one becomes fully confident of his eternal position in relationship with the Supreme. His duty thus becomes self-illuminated by the Grace of the Lord, and therefore he no longer has anything to do in terms of the Vedic injunctions. Such a Krishna conscious person is no longer interested in material activities, and no longer takes pleasure in material arrangements like wine, women, and similar infatuations.
PURPORT
THIS SUPREME IS the Personality of Godhead for the devotees, and liberation for the impersonalists. A person acting for Krishna, or in Krishna consciousness, under proper guidance and without attachment to the result of the work, is certainly making progress toward the supreme goal of life. Indirectly, Arjuna is told that he should fight the Battle of Kurukshetra without attachment, in the interest of Krishna, because Krishna wanted him to fight. To be a good man or a non-violent man is also a personal attachment, but to act on behalf of the Supreme’s desire is to act without attachment for the result. That is the perfect action of the highest degree, recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna.
Vedic rituals, like prescribed sacrifices, are performed by persons for purification of impious activities that were performed in the field of sense gratification. But a person who is acting in Krishna consciousness is transcendental to the actions and reactions of good or evil work. A Krishna conscious person has no attachment for the result, but acts on behalf of Krishna alone. He engages in all kinds of activities, but is completely non-attached.
PURPORT
KINGS LIKE JANAKA and others were all self-realized souls; consequently they had no obligation to perform the prescribed duties in the Vedas. Nonetheless, they performed all prescribed activities just to set examples for the people in general. Janaka was the father of Sita, and father-in-law of Lord Sri Rama. A great devotee of the Lord like King Janaka was transcendentally situated, but because he was the King of Mithila (a subdivision of Behar province in India) he had to teach his subjects how to act. In the Battle of Kurukshetra, the Lord wanted to teach people in general that violence is also necessary in a situation where good arguments fail. Before the Battle of Kurukshetra there was every effort to avoid the war, even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the other party was determined to fight. So in such a right cause, there is a necessity for fighting. Therefore, although one who is situated in Krishna consciousness may not have any interest in the world, he still works to teach the public how to live and how to act. Experienced persons in Krishna consciousness can act in such a way that others will follow, and this is explained in the following verse.
PURPORT
EVERYTHING BEING in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead, and naturally existing in all Truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to perform. One who must receive the results of work has some designated duty, but one who has nothing to achieve within the three planetary systems certainly has no duty. And yet Lord Krishna is engaged on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra as the Leader of the Kshatriyas, because the Kshatriyas are duty-bound to give protection to the distressed. Although He is above all the regulations of revealed scriptures, He does not do anything which is not directed in the revealed scriptures.
PURPORT
VARNASAMKARA IS unwanted population which disturbs the peace of the general society. In order to check this social disturbance, there are prescribed rules and regulations by which the population can automatically become peaceful and organized for spiritual progress in life. When Lord Krishna descends, naturally He deals with such rules and regulations in order to maintain the prestige and necessity of such important performances. The Lord is said to be the Father of all living entities, and if the living entities are misguided indirectly, the responsibility goes to the Lord. Therefore, whenever there is a general disregard of such regulative principles, the Lord Himself descends and corrects the society. We should, however, note carefully that although we have to follow the footsteps of the Lord, we still have to remember that we cannot imitate Him. Following and imitating are not on the same level. We cannot imitate the Lord by lifting Govardhan Hill, as the Lord did in His childhood. It is impossible for any human being. We have to follow His instructions, but we may not imitate Him at any length. The Srimad Bhagwatam affirms this as follows: "One should simply follow the instructions of the Controllers and should not imitate them in their activities. Their instructions are all good for us and any intelligent person must perform them as instructed. However, one should guard against trying to imitate their actions. One should not try to drink the ocean of poison, imitating Lord Shiva."
We should always remember the position of the Iswaras, those who can actually control the movements of the sun and moon. Without such power, one cannot imitate the Iswara, or the Super-powerful. The example set herein is very appropriate. Lord Shiva drank poison to the extent of swallowing an ocean, but if any common man tries to drink even a fragment of such a poison, he will be killed. There are many pseudo-devotees of Lord Shiva who want to indulge in smoking Ganja (marijuana) and similar intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by so imitating the acts of Lord Shiva they are calling death very near. Similarly, there are some pseudo-devotees of Lord Krishna who prefer to imitate the Lord in the matter of his Rasalila, or Dance of Love, forgetting their inability to lift the Govardhan Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply endeavor to follow their instructions; nor should one try to occupy the post of the powerful without qualification. There are so many "incarnations" of God without the powers of the Supreme Godhead.
PURPORT
Two persons—one in Krishna consciousness and the other in material consciousness—working on the same level, may appear to be working on the same platform, but there is a wide gulf of difference in their respective positions. The person in material consciousness is convinced by false ego that he is the doer of everything. With him there is no consideration that the mechanism of the body is produced by material Nature, or that material Nature is under the supervision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The materialistic person has no knowledge that ultimately he is under the control of Krishna. The person in false ego takes all credit for doing everything independently, and that is the symptom of his nescience. He does not know that this gross and subtle body is the creation of material Nature, under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such his bodily and mental activities should be engaged in the service of Krishna in Krishna consciousness. He does not know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Hrishikesha, or the Master of All Senses. But due to his long misuse of the senses, he is factually bewildered by the false ego, and that is the cause of his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krishna.
PURPORT
THE KNOWER OF THE Absolute Truth is convinced of his awkward position in material association. He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, and that his position should not be in the material creation. He knows his real identity as part and parcel of the Supreme, Who is eternal bliss and knowledge; and he realizes that somehow or other he is now entrapped in the material conception of life. In his pure state of existence he is meant to dovetail his activities in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He therefore engages himself in the activities of Krishna consciousness and becomes naturally unattached to the activities of the material senses, which are all circumstantial and temporary. He knows that his material condition of life is under the supreme control of the Lord; consequently he is not disturbed by any kind of material reaction, which he considers to be the mercy of the Lord. According to The Srimad Bhagwatam, one who knows the Absolute Truth in three different features—namely Brahman, Paramatma, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead—is called Tattvavit, for he knows also his own factual position in relationship with the Supreme.
PURPORT
MEN WHO ARE ignorant cannot appreciate activities in Krishna consciousness, and therefore Lord Krishna advises us not to disturb them and simply waste valuable time. But the devotees of the Lord are more kind than the Lord, because they understand the purpose of the Lord. Consequently they undertake all kinds of risks, even to the point of approaching ignorant men to try to engage them in the acts of Krishna consciousness—which are absolutely necessary for the human being.
PURPORT
THIS VERSE clearly indicates the whole purpose of The Bhagavad Gita. The Lord instructs that one has to become fully Krishna conscious to discharge duties, as if in military discipline. Such an injunction may make things a little difficult, but that is the constitutional position of the living entity. The living entity cannot be happy independent of the co-operation of the Supreme Lord, because the eternal constitutional position of the living entity is to become subordinate to the desires of the Lord. Arjuna was therefore ordered by Sri Krishna to fight as if the Lord were his military commander. One has to sacrifice everything for the good will of the Supreme Lord, and at the same time discharge his prescribed duties without claims of proprietorship. Arjuna did not have to consider the order of the Lord; he had only to execute His order. The Supreme Lord is the Soul of all souls, therefore one who depends solely and wholly on the Supreme Soul without personal consideration, or in other words one who is fully Krishna conscious, is called Adhyatmacetasa, full of self-knowledge. One has to act on the order of the master. One should not expect any fruitive result. The cashier may count millions of dollars for his employer, but he does not claim a cent out of the great amount of money. Similarly, one has to take it for granted that nothing in the world belongs to any individual person, but everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the real purport of Krishna saying "unto Me." And when one acts in such Krishna consciousness, certainly he does not claim proprietorship over anything; so this consciousness is called Nirmama, or "nothing is mine." And if there is any reluctance to execute such a stern order which is without consideration of so-called kinsmen in the bodily relationship, that reluctance should be thrown off; in this way one may become without feverish mentality or lethargy. Everyone, according to his quality and position, has a particular type of work to discharge, and all such duties may be discharged in Krishna consciousness, as described above. That will lead one to the path of liberation.
PURPORT
THIS INJUNCTION of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the essence of all Vedic wisdom, and therefore is eternally true without exception. As the Vedas are eternal, so this truth of Krishna consciousness is also eternal. One should have firm faith in this injunction, without envying the Lord. There are many so-called philosophers who write comments on The Bhagavad Gita but have no faith in Krishna. They will never be liberated from the bondage of fruitive action. But an ordinary man with firm faith in the eternal injunctions of the Lord, even though unable to execute such orders, becomes liberated from the bondage of the law of karma. In the beginning of Krishna consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord, but because one is not resentful of this principle, and works sincerely without consideration of defeat and hopelessness, he will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
A LIVING ENTITY, as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality, is originally spiritual and pure as well as free from all contaminations of matter. Therefore, by nature the living entity is not subjected to the sins of the material world. But factually, when the living entity is in contact with the material Nature, he acts in many sinful ways without hesitation. As such, Arjuna’s question to Krishna is very sanguine, as to the perverted nature of the living entities. Although the living entity sometimes does not want to act in sin, he is still forced to act. This force is not, however, impelled by the Supersoul living with the living entity, but must be due to other causes. And that is explained in the next verse by the Lord.
PURPORT
THERE ARE THREE degrees of covering of the pure living entity, and thereby the pure consciousness of the living entity, or Krishna consciousness, is embarrassed by non-manifestation. This covering is but lust, under different manifestations like smoke in the fire, dust on the mirror, and the womb about the embryo. When lust is compared to smoke it is understood that the fire of the living spark can be a little perceived. In other words, when the living entity exhibits his Krishna consciousness slightly, he may be likened to the fire covered by smoke. Although fire is necessary where there is smoke, there is no overt manifestation of fire in the early stage. This stage can be compared with the beginning of Krishna consciousness. The comparison of the dust of the mirror refers to the cleansing process of the mirror of the mind by so many spiritual methods. The best process is to chant the holy Names of the Lord. The comparison of the embryo being covered by the womb is an analogy illustrating the most awkward position, for the child in the womb is so helpless that it cannot even move. This stage of living condition can be compared also to the trees. The trees are living entities, but they have been put into that condition of life by such a great exhibition of lust that they are almost void of all consciousness. The covered mirror is compared to the birds and beasts, and smoke-covered fire is compared to the human being. In the form of a human being, the living entity can perceive a little Krishna consciousness, and if he makes further development, the fire of spiritual life can be kindled in the human form. By careful handling of the smoke in the fire, the fire can be made to blaze, and therefore the human form of life is a chance for the living entity to escape the entanglement of material existence. In the human form of life, one can conquer the enemy, lust, by culture of Krishna consciousness under able guidance.
PURPORT
THIS THIRD CHAPTER of The Bhagavad Gita is conclusively directive to Krishna consciousness, through knowing oneself as the eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without considering impersonal voidness as the ultimate end. In the material existence of life, one is certainly influenced by propensities of lust and desire for dominating the resources of material Nature. Such desire for overlording and sense gratification are the greatest enemies of the conditioned soul; but by the strength of Krishna consciousness, one can conquer the material senses and the mind, along with the intelligence. One may not give up work and prescribed duties all of a sudden, but by gradually developing one’s Krishna consciousness, one can be situated in a transcendental position without being influenced by the material senses and the mind—by steady intelligence directed toward one’s pure identity. This is the sum total of this chapter. In the immature stage of material existence, philosophical speculations and artificial attempts to control the senses by the so-called practice of yogic postures can never help a man toward spiritual life. He must be trained in Krishna consciousness by higher intelligence.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Third Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Karmayoga, or the acting of one’s prescribed duty in Krishna consciousness.
4
TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE
PURPORT
HEREIN WE FIND the history of The Bhagavad Gita traced from a remote time, when it was delivered to the kings of all planets. The royal order is especially dedicated to the protection of the inhabitants, and as such its members should also understand the science of The Bhagavad Gita, in order to rule the citizens and protect them from the onslaught of the material bondage to lust. Human life is meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge, in eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens, by education, culture, and devotion. In other words, the executive heads of all states are intended to spread the science of Krishna consciousness so that the people may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful path, utilizing the opportunity of the human form of life.
PURPORT
THERE ARE TWO classes of men, namely the devotee and the demon. The Lord selected Arjuna as the recipient of this great science owing to his being the devotee of the Lord, but for the demon it is not possible to understand this great, mysterious science. There are a number of editions of this great book of knowledge, and some of them are commented upon by the devotees, and some of them are commented upon by the demons. Commentary by the devotees is real, whereas that of the demons is useless. Arjuna is recognized by the Lord as a devotee; therefore, one who follows the line of Arjuna in understanding The Gita will derive benefit from it. Otherwise, one will simply waste his valuable time in reading commentaries. Arjuna accepts Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and any commentary of The Gita following in the footsteps of Arjuna is real devotional service to the cause of this great science. But the demons do not accept Lord Krishna as He is. The demons concoct something out of their imaginations about Krishna’s instructions. Here is a warning regarding such misleading paths. One should try to follow the disciplic succession from Arjuna, and thus be benefited by this great science of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
PURPORT
IN THE BRAHMA SAMHITA we have information of many, many incarnations of the Lord. It is stated there: "I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Krishna], Who is the Original Person—Absolute, Infallible, without beginning, although expanded into unlimited Forms, still the same Original, the Oldest—and the Person always appearing as a fresh Youth. Such eternal, blissful, all-knowing Forms of the Lord are usually understood by the best Vedic scholars, but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed devotees."
It is also stated in the same scripture: "I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Krishna], Who is always situated in various incarnations such as Rama, Nrisingha, and many subincarnations as well; but Who is the Original Personality of Godhead known as Krishna, and Who incarnates Personally also."
In the Vedas too it is said that the Lord, although He is One without a second, nevertheless manifests Himself in innumerable forms. He is like the Vaidurya stone, which changes color variously, yet still is one. All those multiforms are understood by the pure, unalloyed devotees, but not by a simple study of the Vedas. Devotees like Arjuna are constant companions of the Lord, and whenever the Lord incarnates, the associate devotees also incarnate in order to serve the Lord in different capacities. Arjuna is one of these devotees, and in this verse it is understood that when Lord Krishna spoke The Bhagavad Gita to the Sun-god Vivasvan, Arjuna in a different capacity was also present there—some millions of years before. But the difference between the Lord and Arjuna is that the Lord remembered the incident, whereas Arjuna could not remember. That is the difference between the part and parcel living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna is addressed herein as the mighty hero who could subdue the enemies. At the same time, he is unable to recall what had happened in his various past births. Therefore, a living entity, however great he may be in a material estimation, can never equal the Supreme Lord. Anyone who is a constant companion of the Lord is certainly a liberated person, but he cannot be equal to the Lord. The Lord is described above in The Brahma Samhita as Infallible (Achyuta), which means He never forgets Himself, even though He is in material contact. So the Lord and the living entity can never be equal in all respects, even if the living entity is as liberated as Arjuna. Although Arjuna is a devotee of the Lord, he sometimes forgets the nature of the Lord, but by the Divine Grace a devotee can at once understand the infallible condition of the Lord, whereas a non-devotee or a demon cannot understand this transcendental nature. Consequently, these descriptions in The Bhagavad Gita cannot be understood by demonic brains. Krishna remembered acts which were performed by Him millions of years before, but Arjuna could not, despite the fact that both Krishna and Arjuna are eternal in nature. We may also note herein that a living entity forgets everything due to his change of body, but the Lord remembers because He does not change His Sat-Chit-Ananda Body. He is advaita, which means there is no distinction between His Body and Himself. Everything is spirit—whereas the conditioned soul is different from his material body. And, because the Lord is identical in His Body and Self, His position is always different from the ordinary living entity, even when He descends to the material platform. The demons cannot adjust themselves to this transcendental nature of the Lord, as the Lord explains in the following verse.
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THE LORD HAS spoken about the peculiarity of His birth: although He may appear like an ordinary person, He remembers everything of His many, many past "births"—whereas a common man cannot remember what he has done even a few hours before. If somebody is asked what he did exactly at the same time one day earlier, it would be very difficult for him to answer immediately. He would have to dredge his memory to recall what he was doing. And yet, men often dare to claim to be God, or Krishna. One should not be misled by such meaningless claims. Then again, the Lord explains His prakriti, or His Form. Prakriti means Nature as well as Svarupa, or one’s own Form. The Lord says that He appears in His own Body. He does not change his Body, as the common living entity does from one to another. The conditioned soul may have one kind of body in the present birth, but he has a different one in the next birth. In the material world, the living entity transmigrates in this way. The Lord, however, does not do so. Whenever He appears, He does so in the same original Body, by His internal potency. In other words, Krishna appears in this material world in His original eternal Form, with two hands and holding a flute. He appears exactly in His eternal Body, uncontaminated by this material world. Although He appears in the same transcendental Body, it still appears that He has taken His birth like an ordinary living entity, although in fact He is the Lord of the universe. Despite the fact that Lord Krishna has grown up from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to youth, astonishingly enough He never ages beyond youthhood. On the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, when He was present, He had many grandchildren at home; or, in other words, He had sufficiently aged by material calculations. Still He looked just like a young man twenty or twenty-five years old. We have never seen a picture of Krishna in old age because He never grows old like us, although He is the oldest Person in the whole creation—past, present, and future. Neither His Body nor His Intelligence ever deteriorates or changes. Therefore, it is clear herein that, in spite of His being in the material world, He is the same unborn, eternal Form of bliss and knowledge, changeless in His transcendental Body and Intelligence. Factually, His appearance and disappearance are like the sun rising, moving before us, and then disappearing from our eyesight. When the sun is out of sight we think that the sun is set, and when the sun is before our eyes, we think that the sun is on the horizon. Actually, the sun is always there, but owing to our defective, insufficient eyesight, we must calculate the appearance and disappearance of the sun in the sky. And because His appearance and disappearance are completely different from that of any ordinary, common living entity, it is evident that He is eternal, blissful knowledge by His internal potency—and He is not contaminated by material Nature. The Vedas confirm that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unborn; yet He still appears to be taking His birth in multimanifestations. The Vedic supplementary literature also confirms that even though the Lord appears to be taking His birth, He is still without change of body. In The Bhagwatam, He appears before His mother as Narayana—with four hands and the decorations of the six kinds of full opulences. His appearance in His original eternal Form is His causeless mercy, according to the Visvakosa dictionary. The Lord is conscious of all of His previous appearances and disappearances, but a common living entity forgets everything about his past body as soon as he gets another. He shows that He is the Lord of all living entities by performing wonderful and superhuman activities while on this earthly planet.
The Lord is always the same Absolute Truth and is without differentiation between His Form and Self, or between His quality and Body. A question may now be raised as to why the Lord appears and disappears in this world at all. This is explained in the next verse:
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THE WORD SRIJAMI, manifest, is significant herein. Srijami cannot be used in the sense of creation, because, according to the previous verse, there is no creation of the Lords’ Form or Body, since all of the forms are eternally existent. Therefore, Srijami means that the Lord manifests Himself as He is. Although the Lord appears on schedule, namely at the end of Dvapara Yuga of the 28th millennium of the 8th Manu, in one day of Brahma, still He has no obligation to adhere to such rules and regulations, because He is completely free to act many ways at His will. He therefore appears by His own will whenever there is a predominance of irreligion and a disappearance of true religion. Principles of religion are laid down in the Vedas, and any discrepancy in the matter of properly executing the rules of the Vedas makes one irreligious. In The Bhagwatam, we find that such principles of religion are the laws of the Lord. Only the Lord can manufacture a system of religion. The Vedas are also accepted as originally spoken by the Lord Himself to Brahma, from within His heart. Therefore, the principles of religion are the direct orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These principles are clearly indicated throughout The Bhagavad Gita. The purpose of the Vedas is to establish such principles under the order of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord directly orders, at the end of The Bhagavad Gita, that the highest principle of religion is to surrender unto Him only—and nothing more. The Vedic principles are to push one toward complete surrender unto Him. And whenever such principles are disturbed by the demons, the Lord appears. From The Bhagwatam we understand that Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Krishna Who appeared when materialism was rampant and materialists were using the pretext of the authority of the Vedas. Although there are certain restrictive rules and regulations regarding animal sacrifice for particular purposes in the Vedas, people of demonic tendency still took to animal sacrifice without reference to the Vedic principles. Lord Buddha appeared to stop this nonsense, and to establish the Vedic principle of non-violence. Therefore, each and every Avatara, or incarnation of the Lord, has a particular mission, and they are all described in the revealed scriptures. Nobody can be accepted as an Avatara without reference to such scriptural indications. It is not a fact that the Lord appears only on Indian soil. He can advent Himself anywhere and everywhere, and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation, He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the particular people under their particular circumstances. But the mission is the same—to lead people to God consciousness and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He descends Personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide representative in the Form of His Son, or Servant—or Himself in some disguised Form. The principles of The Bhagavad Gita were spoken to Arjuna—and, for that matter, to other highly elevated persons—because they were highly advanced compared to ordinary men in other parts of the world. Two plus two equals four—this is a mathematical principle, and it is true both in the infant’s arithmetic class and in the master’s degree class as well. Still, there are higher and lower mathematics. In all incarnations of the Lord, therefore, the same principles are taught—but they appear to be higher and lower under varied circumstances. The higher principles of religion begin with the acceptance of the four orders and the four ranks of social life, as will be explained later. The whole purpose of the mission of incarnations is to arouse Krishna consciousness everywhere.
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THE LORD’S DESCENT from His transcendental Abode is already explained in the sixth verse. One who can understand the truth of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already liberated from material bondage, and therefore he returns to the Kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present material body. Such liberation of the living entity from material bondage is not at all easy. The impersonalists and the yogis attain liberation only after much trouble and many, many births. Even then, the liberation they achieve—merging into the impersonal Brahmajyoti, effulgence, of the Lord—is only partial, and there is the risk of returning again to this material world. But the devotee, simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the Body and Activities of the Lord, attains the Abode of the Lord after ending this body, and does not run the risk of returning again to this material world. In The Brahma Samhita it is stated that the Lord has many, many Forms and incarnations. “Advaita acyuta ananta rupam.” Although there are many transcendenta1 Forms of the Lord, they are still one and the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to understand this fact with conviction, although it is incomprehensible to mundane scholars and empiric philosophers. As stated in the Vedas: Eko devo nityalilanurakto bhaktavyapihrdi antaratma. The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many transcendental Forms, in relationships with His unalloyed devotees. This Vedic version is confirmed in this verse of The Bhagavad Gita personally by the Lord. Anyone who accepts this truth on the strength of the authorities of the Vedas and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who does not waste time in philosophical speculations, attains the highest perfectional stage of liberation. Simply by acceptance of this truth on faith, one can, without a doubt, attain liberation. The Vedic version, "Tatvamasi," is actually applied in this case. Anyone who understands Lord Krishna to be the Supreme, or who says unto the Lord, "You are the same Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead," is certainly liberated instantly, and consequently his entrance into the transcendental association of the Lord is guaranteed. In other words, such a faithful devotee of the Lord attains perfection, and this is confirmed by the following Vedic assertion: Tvam eva viditva atimrtyum eti nanyah pantha vidyate ayanaya. One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth and death simply by knowing the Lord—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no alternative means, because anyone who does not understand Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is surely in the mode of ignorance. Consequently, he will not attain salvation, simply—so to speak—by licking the outer surface of the bottle of honey, or by interpreting the texts of The Bhagavad Gita according to his own mundane scholarship. Such empiric philosophers may assume very important roles in the material world, but they are not necessarily eligible for liberation. Such puffed-up mundane scholars have to wait for the causeless mercy of the devotee of the Lord. One should, therefore, accept the principle of Krishna consciousness with faith and knowledge, and in this way one can attain the perfection of life.
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AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, it is very difficult for a person who is too materially affected to understand the personal nature of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Generally, people who are attached to the bodily concept of life are so absorbed in materialism that it is almost impossible for them to understand how the Supreme can be a Person. Such materialists cannot even imagine that there is a transcendental body which is non-perishable, full of knowledge and eternally blissful. In the materialistic concept, the body is perishable, full of ignorance and completely miserable. Therefore, people in general keep this same bodily idea in mind when they are informed of the Personal form of the Lord. For such materialistic men, the Form of the gigantic material manifestation is supreme; therefore, they imagine that the Supreme is impersonal. And because they are too materially absorbed, the concept of retaining the personality after liberation from matter frightens them. When such materialistic men are informed that spiritual life is also individual and personal, they are afraid of becoming persons again, and so they naturally prefer a kind of merging into the impersonal void. Generally, they compare the living entities to the bubbles of the ocean, which merge into the ocean. That is the highest perfection of spiritual existence attainable without individual personality. This is a fearful stage of life, devoid of perfect knowledge of spiritual existence. Furthermore, there are many persons who cannot understand spiritual existence at all. Being embarrassed by so many theories and by contradictions of various types of philosophical speculation, they become disgusted or angry, and foolishly conclude that there is no Supreme Cause and that everything is ultimately void. Such people are in diseased conditions of life. Some of them are too materially attached, and therefore do not give attention to spiritual life; some of them want to merge into the Supreme Spiritual Cause; and some of them disbelieve in everything, being angry at all sorts of spiritual speculation out of hopelessness. This last class of men take to the shelter of some kind of intoxication, and their effective hallucinations are sometimes accepted as spiritual visions. One has to get rid of all three stages of attachment to the material world: negligence of spiritual life, fear of a spiritual personal identity, and the concept of void that underlies the frustration of life. To get free of these three stages in the material concept of life, one has to take complete shelter of the Lord, guided by the bona fide spiritual master, and follow the penances of disciplinary and regulative principles of devotional life. The last stage of such devotional life is called Bhava, or transcendental love of Godhead.
According to Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, The Science of Devotional Service, in the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. The next stage is that one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under the instruction of the spiritual master, the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment and attains steadiness in self-realization, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This taste leads one further forward to the attachment for Krishna consciousness, and this Krishna consciousness is matured in Bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of Godhead. When the devotee reaches the stage of real love for Godhead it is called Prema—the highest perfection of life. In the Prema stage there is a constant engagement in the transcendenta1 loving service of the Lord. So, by the slow process of devotional service—under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master—one can attain the Bhava stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the fearfulness of one’s individual spiritual personality, and from the frustration of voidness. And when one is actually free from such lower stages of life, one can attain to the Abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
EVERYONE IS SEARCHING after Krishna in the different aspects of His manifestations. Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is partially realized in His impersonal Brahmajyoti, or shining effulgence. Krishna is also partially realized as the all-pervading Supersoul dwelling within everything—even in the particles of atoms. But Krishna is only fully realized by His pure devotees. Therefore, Krishna is the object of everyone’s realization; and, as such, anyone and everyone is satisfied according to one’s desire to have Him. One devotee may want Krishna as the Supreme Master, another as his personal Friend, another as his Son, and still another as his Lover. Krishna rewards equally all the devotees, in their different intensities of love for Him. In the material world, the same reciprocations of feelings are there, and they are equally exchanged by the Lord with the different types of worshipers. The pure devotees both here and in the transcendental Abode associate with Him in person and are able to render personal service to the Lord, and thus derive transcendental bliss in His loving service. As for those who are impersonalists, and who want to commit spiritual suicide by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity, Krishna helps them also, by absorbing them into His effulgence. Such impersonalists do not agree to accept the eternal, blissful Personality of Godhead: and consequently they cannot relish the bliss of transcendental personal service to the Lord, having extinguished their individuality. Some of them, who are not situated even in the impersonal existence, return to this material field to exhibit their dormant desires for activities. They are not admitted into the spiritual planets, but they are again given a chance to act on the material planets. For those who are fruitive workers, the Lord awards the desired results of their prescribed duties, as the Yajnesvara; and those who are yogis seeking mystic powers are awarded such powers. In other words, everyone is dependent for success upon His mercy alone, and all kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path. Unless, therefore, one comes to the highest perfection of Krishna consciousness, all attempts remain imperfect, as is stated in The Srimad Bhagwatam: "Whether one is without desire [the condition of the devotees], or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation—one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating in Krishna consciousness."
PURPORT
THE LORD IS THE CREATOR of everything. Everything is born of Him, everything is sustained by Him, and everything, after annihilation, rests in Him. He is therefore the Creator of the four divisions of the social order—beginning with the intelligent class of men, technically called the Brahmins due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the Kshatriyas due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men, called the Vaisyas, are situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance; and the Sudras, or the laborer class, are situated in the ignorant mode of material Nature. In spite of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord Krishna does not belong to any of these divisions because He is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form human society. Human society is the same as animal society, but to elevate men from the animal status, the above-mentioned divisions are created by the Lord—for the systematic development of Krishna consciousness. The tendency of a particular man toward work is determined by the modes of material Nature which he has acquired. Such symptoms of life, according to different modes of material Nature, are described in the Eighteenth Chapter of this book. A person in Krishna consciousness, however, is above even the Brahmins, because a Brahmin by quality is supposed to know about Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation of Lord Krishna, but only a man who transcends the limited knowledge of a Brahmin, and reaches the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, becomes a person in Krishna consciousness—or, in other words, a Vaishnava. Krishna consciousness includes knowledge of all different plenary expansions of Krishna—namely Rama, Nrisingha, Baraha, etc. As Krishna is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Krishna consciousness is also transcendental to the mundane divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation, or species.
PURPORT
THERE ARE TWO classes of men: Some of them are full of polluted material things within their hearts, and some of them are materially free. Krishna consciousness is equally beneficial for both of these persons. Those who are full of dirty things can take to the line of Krishna consciousness for a gradual cleansing process, following the regulative principles of devotional service. Those who are already cleansed of the impurities may continue to act in the same Krishna consciousness so that others may follow their exemplary activities and thereby be benefited. Foolish persons or neophytes in Krishna consciousness often want to retire from activities without having knowledge of Krishna consciousness. Arjuna’s desire to retire from activities on the battlefield was not approved by the Lord. One need only know how to act. To retire from activities and to sit aloof making a show of Krishna consciousness is less important than actually engaging in the field of activities for the sake of Krishna. Arjuna is here advised to act in Krishna consciousness, following in the footsteps of the Lord’s previous disciples, such as the Sun-god Vivasvan, as mentioned hereinbefore. The Supreme Lord knows all His past activities, as well as those of persons who acted in Krishna consciousness in the past—therefore He recommends the acts of the Sun-God, who learned this art from the Lord some millions of years before. All such students of Lord Knshna are mentioned here as past liberated persons, engaged in the discharge of duties allotted by Krishna.
PURPORT
IF ONE IS SERIOUS about liberation from material bondage, one has to understand the distinctions between action, inaction, and unauthorized actions. One has to apply oneself to such an analysis of action, reaction, and perverted actions because it is a very difficult subject matter. To understand Krishna consciousness and action according to the modes, one has to learn one’s relationship with the Supreme. One who has learned perfectly knows that every living entity is the eternal servitor of the Lord, and consequently acts in Krishna consciousness. The entire Bhagavad Gita is directed toward this conclusion. Any other conclusions, against this consciousness and its attendant reactions, are Vikarmas, or prohibitive actions. To understand all this one has to associate with authorities in Krishna consciousness, and learn the secret from them; this is as good as learning from the Lord directly. Otherwise, even the most intelligent person will be bewildered.
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A PERSON ACTING in Krishna consciousness is naturally free from the resultant action of work. His activities are all performed for Krishna, and therefore he does not enjoy or suffer any of the effects of work. Consequently, he is intelligent in human society, even though he is engaged in all sorts of activities for Krishna. Akarma means without reaction to work. The impersonalist ceases fruitive activities out of fear, so that the resultant action may not be a stumbling block on the path of self-realization, whereas the personalist knows rightly his position as the eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, he engages himself in the activities of Krishna consciousness. Because everything is done for Krishna, he enjoys only transcendental happiness in the discharge of this service. Those who are engaged in this process are without desire for personal sense gratification. The sense of eternal servitorship to Krishna makes one immune to all the reactionary elements of work.
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A KRISHNA conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows, but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. A Krishna conscious person is therefore independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone’s service to hamper his own service to Krishna. However, for the service of the Lord he can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material world is felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness. A Krishna conscious person is above this duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Krishna. As he does not care for duality, therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. These signs are visible when one is full in transcendental knowledge.
PURPORT
A PERSON who is fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual Kingdom through his full contribution to spiritual activities, for the consummation is Absolute, and the things offered are also of the same spiritual nature. How activities in Krishna consciousness can lead one ultimately to the spiritual goal is described here. There are various activities in Krishna consciousness, and all of them will be described in the following verses. But, for the present, just the principle of Krishna consciousness is described. A conditioned soul, entangled in material contamination, is sure to act in the material atmosphere, and yet he has to get out of such an environment. The process by which the conditioned soul can get out of the material atmosphere is Krishna consciousness. For example, a patient who is suffering from a disorder of the bowels due to overindulgence in milk products is cured by another milk product, curd. Similarly, the materially absorbed conditioned soul can be cured by Krishna consciousness, as it is prescribed here in The Bhagavad Gita. This process is generally known as Yajna, or activities simply meant for the satisfaction of Vishnu or Krishna. Therefore, the more the activities of the material world are performed in Krishna consciousness, or for Vishnu only, the more the atmosphere becomes spiritualized by complete absorption. Brahman means spiritual. The Lord is spiritual and the rays of His transcendental Body are called Brahmajyoti, His spiritual effulgence. Everything that exists is situated in that Brahmajyoti, and when the Jyoti is covered by the illusion of Maya, or sense gratification, it is called Material. This material feature can be removed at once by Krishna consciousness; wherein the offering for the cause of Krishna consciousness, the consuming agent of such an offering or contribution, the process of consumption, the contributor, and the result of such activities, are—all combined together—Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth covered by Maya is called Matter. Matter dovetailed for the cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality. Krishna consciousness is the process of converting the illusory consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme. When the mind is fully absorbed in such Krishna consciousness, it is said to be in Samadhi, or trance. Anything done in such transcendental consciousness is called Yajna, or sacrifice for the Absolute; and, in that condition of spiritual consciousness, the contributor, the contribution, the consumption, the performer or leader of the performance, and the result or ultimate gain—everything—becomes one in the Absolute, the Supreme Brahman. That is the explanation of Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, a person engaged in discharging duties in Krishna consciousness is also called a perfect yogi, or a first-class mystic. But there are others also, who perform similar sacrifices in the worship of demigods, and still others who sacrifice to the Supreme Brahman, or the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord. So there are different kinds of sacrifices in terms of different categories. Such different categories of sacrifice by different types of performers only superficially demark varieties of sacrifice. Factual sacrifice means to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Vishnu, and is also known as Yajna. All the different varieties of sacrifice can be placed within two primary divisions—sacrifice of worldly possessions, and sacrifice in pursuit of transcendental knowledge. Those who are in Krishna consciousness sacrifice all material possessions for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, while others, who want some temporary material happiness, sacrifice their material possessions to satisfy demigods such as Indra, the sun, etc. And others, who are impersonalists, sacrifice in the sense of merging into the existence of impersonal Brahman. The demigods are powerful living entities appointed by the Supreme Lord for the maintenance and supervision of all material functions like heating, watering, and lighting of the universe. Those who are interested in such supplies of material benefits worship the demigods by various sacrifices according to the Vedic rituals. They are called Bahvisvaravadi, or believers in many gods. Whereas others, who stick to the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, and regard the forms of the demigods as temporary, sacrifice their individual selves in the Supreme fire, and thus end their individual existences by merging into the existence of the Supreme. Such impersonalists relinquish their time in philosophical speculation for understanding the transcendental nature of the Supreme. In other words, the fruitive workers sacrifice their material possessions for material enjoyment, whereas the irnpersonalist sacrifices his material designations with a view to merging into the existence of the Supreme. For the impersonalist, the fire altar of sacrifice is the Supreme Brahman, and the offering is the self being consumed by the fire of Brahman. The Krishna conscious person, however, sacrifices everything for the satisfaction of Krishna, and as such all his material possessions as well as his own self—everything—are sacrificed for Krishna (as with Arjuna). Thus, he is the first-class yogi; but he does not lose his individual existence.
PURPORT
THE FOUR DIVISIONS of human life, namely the Brahmachary, the Grihastha, the Varnaprastha, and the Sannyasins, are all meant to help men become perfect yogis or transcendentalists. Since human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification like the animals, the four orders of human life are fixed so that one may become perfect in spintual life. The Brahmacharis, or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master, control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. Furthermore, a Brahmacharary hears only words concerning Krishna consciousness. Hearing is the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure Brahmachary engages fully in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restricts himself from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Similarly, the householders, who have some license for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint. Sex life, intoxication, and meat eating are general tendencies of human society, but a regulated householder does not indulge in unrestricted sex life and other sense gratifications. Marriage on principles of religious life is therefore current in all civilized human society because that is the way for restricted sex life. This restricted unattached sex life is also a kind of Yajna, because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency toward sense gratification for higher transcendental life.
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FROM THE FOREGOING explanations of different types of sacrifice (namely sacrifice of one’s possessions, study of the Vedas or philosophical doctrines, and performance of the Yoga system), it is found that the common aim of all is to control the senses. Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence, and, therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform apart from sense gratification, there is no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss, and full life. This stage of life is called the eternal, or Brahman atmosphere. All the above-mentioned sacrifices help one to become cleansed of the sinful reactions of material existence. By this advancement in life, one not only becomes happy and opulent in this life, but also, at the end, he enters into the eternal Kingdom of God—either merging into the impersonal Brahman, or associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
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WHATEVER FORM of material existence one is in, one is invariably ignorant of the real situation of his living condition. In other words, existence in the material world is due to the multiple reactions to our sinful lives. Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, and sinful life is the cause of one’s dragging on in material existence. The human form of life is the only loophole by which one may get out of this entanglement. The Vedas, therefore, give us a chance for escape by pointing out the paths of religion, economic comfort, regulated sense gratification, and, at last, the means to get out of the miserable condition entirely. The path of religion, the different kinds of sacrifice recommended above, automatically solves our economic problems. By performance of Yajna we can have enough food, enough milk, etc.—even if there is a so-called increase of population. When the body is fully supplied, naturally the next stage is to satisfy the senses. The Vedas prescribe, therefore, sacred marriage for regulated sense gratification, and thereby one is gradually elevated to the platform of release from material engagement. The ultimate goal of life is to get liberation from material bondage, and the highest perfection of liberated life is to associate with the Supreme Lord. All these different stages of perfection are achieved by performance of Yajna, as described above. Now, if a person is not inclined to perform Yajna in terms of the Vedic literature, how can he expect a happy life even in this body, and what to speak of another body on another planet? There are different grades of material comforts in different heavenly planets and on all of them there is immense happiness for the persons engaged in different kinds of Yajna. But the highest kind of happiness that a man can achieve is to be promoted to the spiritual planets by practice of Krishna consciousness. A life of Krishna consciousness is therefore the solution to all problems of material existence.
PURPORT
THE WHOLE PROCESS of different types of sacrifice is to arrive gradually at the status of complete knowledge, then to gain release from material miseries, and, ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Krishna). Nonetheless, there is a mystery about all these different activities of sacrifice, and one should know this mystery. Sacrifices sometimes take different forms according to the particular faith of the performer. When his faith reaches the stage of the sacrifice of knowledge, the performer should be considered more advanced than those who simply sacrifice material possessions. For without attainment of knowledge, sacrifices remain on the material platform and bestow no spiritual benefit. Real knowledge is Krishna consciousness, the highest stage of transcendental awareness. Without the elevation of knowledge, sacrifices are simply material activities. When, however, they are elevated to the level of transcendental knowledge, all such activities enter onto the spiritual platform. Depending on differences in consciousness, such activities are sometimes called Karma-kanda, fruitive activities, and sometimes they are called Jnana-kanda, knowledge in the pursuit of Truth. It is better when the end is knowledge.
PURPORT
THE PATH OF spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. Nobody can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original Spiritual Master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of foolish pretenders. The Bhagavatam says, Dharmam hi saksat bhagavat pranitam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a teacher should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master sees the genuine desire of the disciple he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should not only hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spintual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple, and, therefore, when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.
PURPORT
SUCH KNOWLEDGE in Krishna consciousness can be achieved by a faithful person who believes firmly in Krishna. One is called a faithful man who thinks that, simply by acting in Krishna consciousness, one can attain the highest perfection. This faith is attained by the discharge of devotional service, and by chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare," which cleanses one’s heart of all material dirt. Over and above this, one should control the senses. A person who is faithful and controls the senses can easily attain perfection in the knowledge of Krishna consciousness without delay.
PURPORT
ONE WHO FOLLOWS the instruction of The Bhagavad Gita as it is imparted by the Lord, the Personality of Godhead Himself, becomes free from all doubts by grace of transcendental knowledge. He, as a part and parcel of the Lord, in full Krishna consciousness, is already fully conversant with self-knowledge. As such, he is undoubtedly above the reactions to whatever activities he may carry out.
PURPORT
THE YOGA SYSTEM instructed in this chapter is called Sanatanyoga, or eternal activities performed by the living entity. This Yoga has two divisions of action, called sacrifices. The one is called sacrifice of one’s material possessions, and the other is called knowledge of self, which is pure spiritual activity. If sacrifice of one’s material possessions is not dovetailed for spiritual realization, then such sacrifice becomes material. But one who performs such sacrifices with a spiritual objective, or in devotional service, makes a perfect sacrifice. When we come to spiritual activities, we find that these are also divided into two: namely understanding of one’s own self (or one’s constitutional position), and the truth regarding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who follows the path of The Bhagavad Gita as it is can very easily understand these two important divisions of spiritual knowledge. For him there is no difficulty in obtaining perfect knowledge of the self as part and parcel of the Lord. And such understanding is beneficial for such a person who easily understands the transcendental activities of the Lord. In the beginning of this chapter, the transcendental activities of the Lord were discussed by the Supreme Lord Himself. One who does not understand the instructions of The Gita is faithless, and is considered to be misusing the fragmental independence awarded to him by the Lord. In spite of such instructions, one who does not understand the real nature of the Lord as the eternal, blissful, all-knowing Personality of Godhead is certainly Fool Number One. This ignorance of the so-called student of The Bhagavad Gita can be removed by gradual acceptance of the principles of Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness is awakened by different types of sacrifice to the demigods, sacrifice to Brahman, sacrifice in celibacy, sacrifice in household life, sacrifice in controlling the senses, sacrifice in practicing mystic Yoga, sacrifice in penance, sacrifice of material possessions, sacrifice in studying the Vedas, and sacrifice in observing the scientific social institution called Varnasrama Dharma (or the divisions of the human society). All of these are known as sacrifice, but all of them are based on regulated action. And within all these activities, the important factor is self-realization. One who seeks that objective is the real student of The Bhagavad Gita, but one who doubts the authority of Krishna falls back. One is therefore advised to study The Bhagavad Gita or any other scripture with a bona fide spiritual master—with service and surrender. A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and there is not the slightest deviation from the instruction of the Personality of Godhead, as it was imparted millions of years ago to the Sun-god, from whom the instruction of The Bhagavad Gita has come down to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow the path of The Bhagavad Gita as it is expressed in The Gita itself, and beware of self-interested people seeking personal aggrandizement who deviate others from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the Supreme Person, and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his study of The Gita.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Transcendental Knowledge.
5
KARMA YOGA—ACT10N lN KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
PURPORT
FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES (seeking sense gratification) are causes for material bondage. As long as one is engaged in activities aimed at improving the standard of bodily comfort, one is sure to transmigrate to different types of bodies, thereby prolonging the material bondage perpetually. The Srimad Bhagwatam confirms this as follows: "People are mad after sense gratification, and they do not know that this present body, which is full of miseries, is a result of one’s fruitive activities in the past. Although this body is temporary, it is always giving one trouble in many ways. Therefore, to act for sense gratification is not good. One is considered to be a failure in life as long as he makes no inquiry about the nature of work for fruitive results, for as long as one is engrossed in the consciousness of sense gratification, one has to transmigrate from one body to another. Although the mind may be engrossed in fruitive activities and influenced by ignorance, one must develop a love for devotional service to Vasudeva. Only then can one have the opportunity to get out of the bondage of material existence."
Therefore, jnana (or knowledge that one is not this material body but spirit soul) is not sufficient for liberation. One has to act in the status of spirit soul, otherwise there is no escape from material bondage. Action in Krishna consciousness is not, however, action on the fruitive platform. Activities performed in knowledge strengthen one’s advancement in knowledge. Without Krishna consciousness, mere renunciation of fruitive activities does not actually purify the heart of a conditioned soul. As long as the heart is not purified, one has to work on the fruitive platform. But action in Krishna consciousness automatically helps one escape the result of fruitive action, so that one need not descend to the material platform. Therefore, action in Krishna consciousness is always superior to renunciation, which entails a risk of falling. Renunciation without Krishna consciousness is incomplete, as is confirmed by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu: "To achieve liberation, renunciation of things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, is called incomplete renunciation." Renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to the Lord and that no one should claim proprietorship over anything. One should understand that, factually, nothing belongs to anyone. Then where is the question of renunciation? One who knows that everything is Krishna’s property is always situated in renunciation. Since everything belongs to Krishna, everything should be employed in the service of Krishna. This perfect form of action in Krishna consciousness is far better than any amount of artificial renunciation.
PURPORT
ONE WHO IS fully in Krishna consciousness is always a renouncer because he feels neither hatred nor desire for the results of his actions. Such a renouncer, dedicated to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, is fully qualified in knowledge because he knows his constitutional position in his relationship with Krishna. He knows fully well that Krishna is the Whole, and that he is part and parcel of Krishna. Such knowledge is perfect because it is qualitatively and quantitatively correct. The concept of oneness with God is incorrect because the part cannot be equal to the Whole. Knowledge that one is identical in quality yet different in quantity is correct transcendental knowledge leading one to become full in himself, having nothing to aspire to or lament over. There is no duality in his mind because whatever he does, he does for Krishna. Being thus freed from the platform of dualities, he is liberated—even in this material world.
PURPORT
THE AIM OF THE ANALYTICAL study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Vishnu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord, in Krishna consciousness, involves engagement in the service of the soul of the material universe. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other to water the root. The real student of Samkhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Vishnu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Vishnu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of Samkhya and Karmayoga are not the same; but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.
PURPORT
THE REAL PURPOSE of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes. By Samkhya philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living entity is not a part and parcel of the material world, but that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit Whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material world; his actions must be in some relationship with the Supreme. When he acts in Krishna consciousness, he is actually in his constitutional position. In the first process of Samkhya, one has to become detached from matter, and in the devotional Yoga process one has to attach himself to the work of Krishna. Factually, both processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to be detachment and the other process appears to be attachment. Detachment from matter and attachment to Krishna are one and the same. One who can see this sees things as they are.
PURPORT
THERE ARE TWO classes of Sannyasins, or persons in the renounced order of life. The Mayavadi Sannyasins are engaged in the study of Samkhya philosophy; whereas the Vaishnava Sannyasins are engaged in the study of Bhagwatam philosophy, which affords the proper commentary on the Vedanta Sutras. The Mayavadi Sannyasins also study the Vedanta Sutras, but use their own commentary, called The Sarirak Bhasya, written by Sankaracharya. The students of the Bhagwatam school are engaged in devotional service of the Lord, according to Pamcharatriki regulations, and therefore the Vaishnava Sannyasins have multiple engagements in the transcendental service of the Lord. The Vaishnava Sannyasins have nothing to do with material activities and yet they perform various activities in their devotional service to the Lord. But the Mayavadi Sannyasins, engaged in the studies of Samkhya and Vedanta and speculation, cannot relish transcendental service of the Lord. Because their studies become very tedious they sometimes grow tired of Brahman speculation, and thus they take shelter of The Bhagwatam without proper understanding. Consequently, their study of The Srimad Bhagwatam becomes troublesome. Dry speculations and impersonal interpretations by artificial means are all useless for the Mayavadi Sannyasins. The Vaishnava Sannyasins, who are engaged in devotional service, are happy in the discharge of their transcendental duties, and they have the guarantee of ultimate entrance into the Kingdom of God. The Mayavadi Sannyasins sometimes fall down from the path of self-realization and again enter into material activities of a philanthropic and altruistic nature—which are nothing but material engagements. Therefore, the conclusion is that those who are engaged in Krishna consciousness are better situated than the Sannyasins engaged in simple Brahman speculation, although they too come to Krishna consciousness, after many births.
PURPORT
ONE WHO IS ON THE PATH of liberation by Krishna consciousness is very dear to every living being, and every living being is dear to him. This is due to his Krishna consciousness. Such a person cannot think of any living being as separate from Krishna, just as the leaves and branches of a tree are not separate from the tree. He knows very well that by pouring water on the root of the tree, the water will be distributed to all the leaves and branches; or by supplying food to the stomach, the energy is automatically distributed throughout the body. Because one who works in Krishna consciousness is servant to all, he is very dear to everyone. And, because everyone is satisfied by his work, he is pure in consciousness. Because he is pure in consciousness, his mind is completely controlled. And, because his mind is controlled, his senses are also controlled. Because his mind is always fixed on Krishna, there is no chance of his being deviated from Krishna. Nor is there a chance that he will engage his senses in matters other than the service of the Lord. He does not like to hear anything except topics relating to Krishna; he does not like to eat anything which is not offered to Krishna; and he does not wish to go anywhere if Krishna is not involved. Therefore, his senses are controlled. A man of controlled senses cannot be offensive to anyone. One may ask, "Why then was Arjuna offensive (in battle) to others? Wasn’t he in Krishna consciousness?" Arjuna was only superficially offensive, because (as has already been explained in the Second Chapter) all the assembled persons on the battlefield would continue to live individually, as the soul cannot be slain. So, spiritually, nobody was killed on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. Only their dresses were changed by the order of Krishna, Who was Personally present. Therefore, Arjuna, while fighting on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, was not really fighting at all; he was simply carrying out the orders of Krishna in full Krishna consciousness. Such a person is never entangled in the reactions of work.
PURPORT
BY ACTING IN Krishna consciousness for the satisfaction of the senses of Krishna, any action, whether of the body, mind, intelligence, or even of the senses, is purified of material contamination. There are no material reactions resulting from the activities of a Krishna conscious person. Therefore, purified activities, which are generally called Sadacara, can be easily performed by acting in Krishna consciousness. Sri Rupa Goswami in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu describes this as follows: A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence, and words, is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities. He has no false ego, nor does he believe that he is this material body, or that he possesses the body. He knows that he is not this body and that this body does not belong to him. He himself belongs to Krishna, and the body too belongs to Krishna. When he applies everything produced of the body, mind, intelligence, words, life, wealth, etc.—whatever he may have within his possession—to Krishna’s service, he at once becomes dovetailed with Krishna. He is one with Krishna, and is devoid of the false ego that would lead him to believe that he is the body. This is the perfect stage of Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
THE DIFFERENCE between a person in Krishna consciousness and a person in bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Krishna, whereas the latter is attached to the results of his activities. The person who is attached to Krishna and works for Him only is certainly a liberated person; and such a person is not anxious for fruitive rewards. In The Bhagwatam, the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is explained as being due to one’s functioning within the conception of duality, that is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Krishna consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Krishna’s energy, and Krishna is all good. Therefore, activities in Krishna consciousness are on the Absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is filled with peace in Krishna consciousness. One who is, however, entangled in profit calculation for sense gratification cannot have that peace. This is the secret of Krishna consciousness—realization that there is no other existence besides Krishna is the platform of peace and fearlessness.
PURPORT
THE EMBODIED SOUL lives in the city of nine gates. The activities of the body, or the figurative city of body, are conducted automatically by the particular modes of Nature. The soul, although subjecting himself to the conditions of the body, can be beyond those conditions, if he so desires. Owing only to forgetfulness of his superior nature, he identifies with the material body and therefore suffers. By Krishna consciousness, he can revive his real position, and thus he can come out of his embodiment. Therefore, when one takes to Krishna consciousness, one at once becomes completely aloof from bodily activities. In such a controlled life, in which his deliberations are changed, he lives happily within the city of nine gates. The nine gates are described as follows: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Who is living within the body of a living entity, is the Controller of all living entities all over the universe. The body consists of nine gates: two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus, and the genital. The living entity in his conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord, even while in the body."
Therefore, a Krishna conscious person is free from both the outer and inner activities of the material body.
PURPORT
THE SANSKRIT WORD Bibhuh means the Supreme Lord who is full of unlimited knowledge, riches, strength, fame, beauty, and renunciation. As such, He is always satisfied in Himself, undisturbed by sinful or pious activities. He does not create a particular situation for any living entity, but the living entity, bewildered by ignorance, desires to be put into certain conditions of life, and thereby his chain of action and reaction begins. A living entity is, by superior nature, full of knowledge. Nevertheless, he is prone to be influenced by ignorance due to his limited power. The Lord is omnipotent, but the living entity is not. The Lord is Bibhu, or omniscient, but the living entity is Anu, or atomic. Because he is a living soul, he has the capacity to desire by his free will. Such desire is fulfilled only by the Omnipotent Lord. And so, when the living entity is bewildered in his desires, the Lord allows him to fulfill those desires; but the Lord is never responsible for the actions and reactions of the particular situation which may be desired. Being in a bewildered condition, therefore, the embodied soul identifies himself with the circumstantial material body and becomes subjected to the temporary miseries and happinesses of life. The Lord is the constant companion of the living entity as Paramatma, or the Supersoul, and therefore He can understand the desires of the individual soul, as one can smell the flavor of a flower by being near it. Desire is a subtle form of conditioning of the living entity. The Lord fulfills his desire as he deserves: Man proposes and God disposes. The individual is not, therefore, omnipotent in fulfilling his desires. The Lord, however, can fulfill all desires; and the Lord, being neutral to everyone, does not interfere with the desires of the minutely independent living entities. However, when one desires in terms of Krishna consciousness, the Lord takes special care for him, and encourages him to desire in a particular way, by which one can gradually attain to Him and be eternally happy. The Vedic hymn therefore declares: "The Lord engages the living entity in pious activities so he may be elevated. The Lord engages him in impious activities so he may go to hell. The living entity is completely dependent in his distress and happiness. By the will of the Supreme he can go to Heaven, as a cloud is driven by the air," etc.
Therefore, the embodied soul, by his immemorial desire to avoid Krishna consciousness, causes his own bewilderment. Consequently, although he is constitutionally eternal, blissful, and cognizant, due to the littleness of his existence he forgets his constitutional position of service to the Lord, and is thus entrapped by nescience. And, under the spell of ignorance, the living entity claims that the Lord is responsible for his conditional existence. The Vedanta Sutras confirm this: "The Lord neither hates nor likes anyone, though He appears to."
PURPORT
THOSE WHO HAVE forgotten Krishna must certainly be bewildered, but those who are in Krishna consciousness are not bewildered at all. Knowledge is always highly esteemed. And what is knowledge? Perfect knowledge is achieved when one surrenders unto Krishna, as is said in The Bhagavad Gita. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: After passing through many, many births, when one perfect in knowledge surrenders unto Krishna, or when one attains Krishna consciousness, then everything is revealed to him, as the sun reveals everything in the daytime. The living entity is bewildered in so many ways. For instance, when a living entity thinks himself God, unceremoniously, he actually falls into the last snare of nescience. If a living entity is God, then how can he become bewildered by nescience? Does God become bewildered by nescience? If so, then nescience, or Satan, is greater than God.
Real knowledge can be obtained from a person who is in perfect Krishna consciousness. Therefore, one has to seek out a bona fide spiritual master and, under him, learn what Krishna consciousness is. Krishna consciousness will certainly drive away all nescience, as the sun drives away darkness. Even though a person may be in full knowledge that he is not this body but is transcendental to the body, he still may not be able to discriminate between the soul and the Supersoul. However, he can know everything well if he cares to take shelter of the perfect, bona fide Krishna conscious spiritual master. One can know God and one’s relationship with God only when one actually meets a representative of God. A representative of God never claims that he is God, although he is paid all the respect ordinarily paid to God because he has knowledge of God. One has to learn the distinction between God and the living entity. The Lord, Sri Krishna, therefore stated in the Second Chapter, verse twelve, that every living being is individual and that the Lord also is individual. They were all individuals in the past, they are individuals at present, and they will continue to be individuals in the future, even after liberation. At night we see everything as one in the darkness, but in day when the sun is up, we see everything in its real identity. Identity with individuality, in spiritual life, is real knowledge.
PURPORT
THE SYMPTOMS of the self-realized person are given herein. The first symptom is that he is not illusioned by the false identification of the body with his true self. He knows perfectly well that he is not this body, but is the fragmental portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is therefore not joyful in achieving something, nor does he lament in losing anything which is related to this body. This steadiness of mind is called Sthirabuddhi, or self-intelligence. He is therefore never bewildered by mistaking the gross body for the soul; nor does he accept the body as permanent and disregard the existence of the soul. This knowledge elevates him to the station of knowing the complete science of the Absolute Truth, namely Brahman, Paramatman, and Bhagavan. He thus knows his constitutional position perfectly well, without falsely trying to become one with the Supreme in all respects. This is called Brahman realization, or self-realization. Such steady consciousness is called Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
ONLY A PERSON who is fully in Krishna consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually in the knowledge that Krishna is the Fountainhead of everything, then to act in that spirit is to act for everyone. The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Krishna as the Supreme Enjoyer, the Supreme Proprietor, and the Supreme Friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work. One cannot be engaged in first-class welfare work without being liberated in the Supreme. A Krishna conscious person has no doubt about the supremacy of Krishna. He has no doubt because he is completely freed from all sins. This is the state of Divine Love.
A person engaged only in administering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind of the living entity is not satisfactory. The real cause of his difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When a man is fully conscious of his relationship with Krishna, he is actually a liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle.
PURPORT
THE CONDITIONED souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of The Bhagavad Gita. The peace formula is this: Lord Krishna is the Beneficiary in all human activities. Man should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the Proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. Nobody is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the Master of material Nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of that Nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively. This is the sense of Krishna consciousness—that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Predominator, and that all living entities, including the great demigods, are His subordinates. One can attain perfect peace only in complete Krishna consciousness.
This Fifth Chapter is a practical explanation of Krishna consciousness, generally known as Karmayoga. The question of mental speculation as to how Karmayoga can give liberation is answered herewith: working in Krishna consciousness is to work with the complete knowledge of the Lord as the Predominator. Such work is not different from transcendental knowledge. Direct Krishna consciousness is Bhaktiyoga, and Jnanayoga is a path leading to Bhaktiyoga. Krishna consciousness means to work in full knowledge of one’s relationship with the Supreme Absolute, and the perfection of this consciousness is full knowledge of Krishna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure soul is the eternal servant of God as His fragmental part and parcel. He comes into contact with Maya (Illusion) due to the desire to lord it over Maya, and that is the cause of his many sufferings. As long as he is in contact with matter, he has to execute work in terms of material necessities. Krishna consciousness, however, brings one into spiritual life even while one is within the jurisdiction of matter, for it is an arousing of spiritual existence by practice in the material world. The more one is advanced, the more he is freed from the clutches of matter. There is no partiality of the Lord toward anyone. Everything depends on one’s own practical performance of duties in Krishna consciousness. This performance in every respect should be to control the senses and conquer the influence of desire and anger. And, remaining in Krishna consciousness by controlling the above-mentioned passions, one remains factually in the transcendental stage, or Brahman nirvana. The eightfold Yoga mysticism is automatically practiced in Krishna consciousness because the ultimate purpose is served. There is a gradual elevation in the practice of Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pratyahara, Dhyana, Dharana, Pranayama, and Samadhi: these preface perfection by devotional service, which alone can award peace to the human being and is the highest goal of life.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fifth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita on the subject of Karmayoga, or acting in Krishna consciousness.
6
SAMKHYA YOGA
PURPORT
IN THIS CHAPTER the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold Yoga system is a means to control the mind and the senses. However, this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in this Age of Kali. Although the eightfold Yoga system is recommended in this chapter, the Lord emphasizes that the process of Karmayoga, or acting in Krishna consciousness, is better. Everyone acts in this world to maintain his family and their paraphernalia; but no one is working without some self-interest, some personal gratification, be it concentrated or extended. The criterion of perfection is to act in Krishna consciousness, and not with a view to enjoying the fruits of work. To act in Krishna consciousness is the duty of every living entity, because we are constitutionally parts and parcels of the Supreme. The parts of the body work for the satisfaction of the whole body. The limbs of the body do not act for self-satisfaction, but for the satisfaction of the complete whole. Similarly, the living entity, acting for satisfaction of the Supreme Whole and not for personal satisfaction, is the perfect Sannyasi, the perfect yogi.
The Sannyasins sometimes artificially think that they have become liberated from all material duties, and therefore they cease to perform Agnihotra Yajnas (fire sacrifices), but actually they are self-interested, because their goal is to become one with the impersonal Brahman. Such a desire is greater than any material desire, but it is not without self-interest. Similarly, the mystic yogi who practices the Yoga system with half-open eyes, ceasing all material activities, desires some satisfaction for his personal self. But a person acting in Krishna consciousness works for the satisfaction of the Whole, without self-interest. A Krishna conscious person has no desire for self-satisfaction. His criterion of success is the satisfaction of Krishna, and thus he is the perfect Sannyasi, or perfect yogi. Lord Chaitanya, the highest perfectional symbol in Krishna consciousness, prays in this way: "O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women; neither do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth."
PURPORT
WHEN A PERSON is fully engaged in the transcendenta1 loving service of the Lord, he is pleased in himself, and thus he is no longer engaged in sense gratification or in fruitive activities. Otherwise, one must be engaged in sense gratification, since one cannot live without engagement. Without Krishna consciousness, one must be always seeking self-centered or extended selfish activities. But a Krishna conscious person can do everything for the satisfaction of Krishna, and thereby be perfectly detached from sense gratification. One who has no such realization must mechanically try to escape material desires, before being elevated to the top rung of the Yoga ladder.
PURPORT
THE SANSKRIT WORD Atma (self) denotes body, mind, and soul—depending upon different circumstances. In the Yoga system, the mind and the conditioned soul are especially important. Since the mind is the central point of Yoga practice, Atma here refers to the mind. The purpose of the Yoga system is to control the mind and to draw it away from attachment to sense objects. It is stressed herewith that the mind must be so trained that it can deliver the conditioned soul from the mire of nescience. In material existence one is subjected to the influence of the mind and the senses. In fact, the pure soul is entangled in the material world because of the mind’s ego, which desires to lord it over material Nature. Therefore, the mind should be trained so that it will not be attracted by the glitter of material Nature, and in this way the conditioned soul may be saved. One should not degrade oneself by attraction to sense objects. The more one is attracted by sense objects, the more one becomes entangled in material existence. The best way to disentangle oneself is always to engage the mind in Krishna’s service. The Sanskrit word Hi in this verse is used for emphasizing this point, i.e., that one must do this. It is also said: "For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation." Therefore, the mind which is always engaged in Krishna consciousness is the cause of supreme liberation.
PURPORT
BOOK KNOWLEDGE without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This is said as follows in The Padmapuranam: "No one can understand the transcendental nature of the Name, Form, Quality, and Pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord, are the transcendental Name, Form, Quality, and Pastimes of the Lord revealed to him."
This Bhagavad Gita is the science of Krishna consciousness. Nobody can become Krishna conscious simply by mundane scholarship. One must be fortunate enough to associate with a person who is in pure consciousness. A Krishna conscious person has realized knowledge, by the Grace of Krishna, because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized knowledge, one becomes perfect. By such perfect knowledge one can remain steady in his convictions; but by academic knowledge one is easily deluded and is confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to Krishna. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship.
PURPORT
"SACRED PLACE" refers to places of pilgrimage. In India the yogis, the transcendentalists or the devotees all leave home and reside in sacred places such as Prayag, Mathura, Vrindaban, Hrishikesha, Hardwar, and practice Yoga there. A sacred place is where the sacred rivers like the Yamuna and the Ganges flow. Any bank on the rivers Ganges or Yamuna is naturally sacred. One should select a place which is secluded and undisturbed. The so-called Yoga societies in big cities may be successful in earning material benefit, but they are not at all suitable for the actual practice of Yoga. One who is not self-controlled and whose mind is not undisturbed cannot practice meditation. Therefore, in The Brihad Naradiya Puranam it is said that in the Kali Yuga (the present Yuga or Age), when people in general are short-living, slow in spiritual realization, and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is to chant the holy Name of the Lord. "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is to chant the holy Name of the the Lord. There is no other way to success."
PURPORT
THE ULTIMATE GOAL in practicing Yoga is now clearly explained. Yoga practice is not meant for attaining any kind of material facility. It is to enable the cessation of all material existence. One who seeks an improvement in health or aspires after material perfection is no yogi, according to The Bhagavad Gita. Cessation of material existence does not mean entering into an existence of void, which is only a myth. There is no void anywhere within the creation of the Lord. Rather, the cessation of material existence enables one to enter into the spiritual sky, the Abode of the Lord. The Abode of the Lord is also clearly described in The Bhagavad Gita as that place where there is no need of sun or moon, nor of electricity. All the planets in the spiritual Kingdom are self-illuminated like the sun in the material sky. The Kingdom of God is everywhere, but the spiritual sky and the planets thereof are called Paramdhama, or superior abodes.
A consummate yogi, who is perfect in understanding Lord Krishna as is clearly stated herein by the Lord Himself, can attain real peace, and can ultimately reach His Supreme Abode, the Krishnaloka known as Goloka Vrindaban. In The Brahma Samhita it is clearly stated that the Lord, although He resides always in His Abode called Goloka, is the all-pervading Brahman and the localized Paramatma as well, through His superior spiritual energies. Nobody can reach the spiritual sky or enter into the eternal Abode of the Lord without the proper understanding of Krishna and His plenary expansion Vishnu. Therefore, a person working in Krishna consciousness is the perfect yogi, because his mind is always absorbed in Krishna’s activities. In the Vedas also we learn: "One can overcome the path of birth and death only by understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In other words, perfection of the Yoga system is the attainment of freedom from material existence, and not some magical jugglery or gymnastic feats to befool innocent people.
PURPORT
THE YOGA PRACTITIONER should be determined, and should patiently prosecute the practice without deviation. One should be sure of success at the end, and pursue this course with great perseverance, not becoming discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of success. Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding Bhaktiyoga, Rupa Goswami says: "The process of Bhaktiyoga can be executed successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance, and determination, by following the prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness."
As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean: A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried them away on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal, and so she decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the small sparrow, and He promised His help. Thus Garuda at once asked the ocean to return her eggs, lest He Himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuda.
Similarly, the practice of Yoga, especially Bhaktiyoga in Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.
PURPORT
THE NATURE OF THE MIND is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogi has to control the mind; the mind should not control him. One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called Goswami, or Swami, and one who is controlled by the mind is called Godasa, or the servant of the senses. A Goswami knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness the senses are engaged in the service of Hrishikesha, the Supreme Owner of the senses, Krishna. Serving Krishna with purified senses is called Krishna consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of Yoga practice.
PURPORT
A PERSON IN KRISHNA consciousness certainly sees Lord Krishna everywhere and he sees everything in Krishna. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material Nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Krishna, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Krishna’s energy. Nothing can exist without Krishna, and Krishna is the Lord of everything—this is the basic principle of Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness is the development of Love of Krishna—a position transcendental even to material liberation. It is the stage after self-realization, at which the devotee becomes one with Krishna in the sense that Krishna becomes everything for the devotee; and the devotee becomes full in loving Krishna. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, there is no chance that the living entity will be annihilated. Nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of the sight of the devotee. To merge in Krishna is spiritual annihilation. A devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in The Brahma Samhita: "I worship the Primeval Lord, Govinda, Who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal Form of Syamasundar, situated within the heart of the devotee."
At this stage Lord Krishna never disappears from the sight of the devotee nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a yogi who sees the Lord as Paramatma within the heart, the same applies. Such a yogi turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.
PURPORT
A YOGI WHO IS practicing meditation on the Supersoul within himself sees this plenary portion of Krishna as Vishnu—with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club, and lotus flower. The yogi should know that Vishnu is not different from Krishna. Krishna in this Form of Supersoul is situated in everyone’s heart. Furthermore, there is no difference between the innumerable Supersouls present in the innumerable hearts of living entities. Nor is there a difference between a Krishna conscious person always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krishna and a perfect yogi engaged in meditation on the Supersoul. The yogi in Krishna consciousness—even though he may be engaged in various activities while in material existence—remains always situated in Krishna. A devotee of the Lord, always acting in Krishna consciousness, is automatically liberated. In The Narada Pancharatra this is confirmed in this way: "By concentrating one’s attention on the transcendental Form of Krishna, Who is all-pervading and beyond time and space, one becomes absorbed in thinking of Krishna, and then attains the happy state of transcendental association with Him."
Krishna consciousness is the highest stage of trance in Yoga practice. This very understanding—that Krishna is present as Paramatma in everyone’s heart—makes the yogi faultless. The Vedas confirm this inconceivable potency of the Lord as follows: "Vishnu is One, and yet He is certainly all-pervading. By His inconceivable potency, in spite of His one Form, He is present everywhere. As the sun, He appears in many places at once."
PURPORT
THE SYSTEM OF MYSTICISM described by Lord Krishna to Arjuna is here being rejected by Arjuna out of a feeling of inability. It is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice Yoga in this Age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration. People are not serious about self-realization even by simple practical means; what to speak of this difficult Yoga system, which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting, selection of place, and detachment of the mind from material engagements? As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of Yoga, even though he was favorably endowed in many ways: he belonged to the royal family, and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities; he was a great warrior, he had great longevity, and, above all, he was the most intimate friend of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do, yet he refused this system of Yoga. In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore this system must be considered impossible, especially in this Age of Kali. Of course, it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this was so five thousand years ago, then what to speak of the present day? Those who are imitating this Yoga system in different so-called schools and societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They are completely in ignorance of the desired goal.
PURPORT
MIND IS SO STRONG and obstinate that sometimes it overcomes the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind. In the Vedic literatures it is said: "The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers." Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind. But the mind is so strong and obstinate that it surpasses even one’s own intelligence, as an acute infection may surpass the efficacy of medicine. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of Yoga. But such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man? The difficulty is neatly expressed. One cannot capture the blowing wind, and it is even more difficult to capture the agitating mind.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead declares that one who does not accept the proper treatment to detach the mind from material engagement can hardly achieve success in self-realization. Trying to practice Yoga while engaging the mind in material enjoyment is like trying to ignite a fire while pouring water on it. Similarly, Yoga practice without mental control is a waste of time. Such a show of Yoga practice may be materially lucrative, but useless as far as spiritual realization is concerned. Therefore, the mind must be controlled by engaging it constantly in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Unless one is engaged in Krishna consciousness, he can’t steadily control the mind. A Krishna conscious person easily achieves the result of Yoga practice without separate endeavor; but a Yoga practitioner cannot achieve perfect success without becoming Krishna conscious.
PURPORT
THE PATH of self-realization or mysticism is described in The Bhagavad Gita. The basic principle of self-realization is knowledge that the living entity is not this material body, but that he is different from it and his happiness is in eternal life, bliss, and knowledge. These are transcendental, beyond both body and mind. Self-realization is sought by the path of knowledge, the practice of the eightfold system, or by Bhaktiyoga. In each of these processes one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity, his relationship with God, and the activities whereby he can re-establish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage of Krishna consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three methods, one is sure to reach the Supreme Goal sooner or later. This was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter: even a little endeavor on the transcendental path of Bhaktiyoga is especially suitable for this age because it is the most direct method of God realization. To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Krishna to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely accept the path of self-realization, but the process of cultivation of knowledge and the practice of the eightfold Yoga system are generally very difficult for this age. Therefore, in spite of one’s earnest endeavor, one may fail for many reasons. The primary reason is one’s not being sufficiently serious about following the process. To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on illusory Energy. Consequently, whenever a person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory Energy, she tries to defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul is already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every chance of being allured again while performing such transcendental practice. This is called Yogat chalita manasah: one who is deviated from the transcendental path. Arjuna is inquisitive to know the results of deviation from the path of self-realization.
PURPORT
KING BHARATA, who took his third birth in the family of a good Brahmin, is an example of good birth for the revival of previous consciousness in transcendental realization or Yoga perfection. King Bharata was the Emperor of the world, and since his time this planet is known among the demigods as Bharatvarsa. Formerly it was known as 11avativarsa. The Emperor at an early age retired for spiritual perfection, but failed to achieve success. In his next life he took birth in the family of a good Brahmin and was known as Jad Bharat because he always remained secluded and did not talk to anyone. And later on, he was discovered as the greatest transcendentalist by King Rahugana. From his life it is understood that transcendental endeavors, or the practice of Yoga, never go in vain. By the Grace of the Lord such a transcendentalist gets repeated opportunities for complete perfection in Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
A PERSON BORN in a particularly righteous, aristocratic, or sacred family becomes conscious of his favorable condition for executing Yoga practice. With determination, therefore, he begins his unfinished task, and thus he completely cleanses himself of all material contaminations. When he is finally free from all contaminations, he attains the supreme perfection—Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness is the perfect stage, being freed of all contaminations. This is confirrned in The Bhagavad Gita: "After many, many births in execution of pious activities, when one is completely freed from all contaminations, and from all illusory dualities, one then becomes engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord."
PURPORT
THE SANSKRIT WORD Bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb Bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as Bhaja. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod, and may be called discourteous—but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by its own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The Bhagwatam confirms this as follows: "Anyone who does not render service, and neglects his duty unto the Primeval Lord, Who is the Source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position."
In this verse also the word Bhajanti is used. Bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word "worship" can be applied to demigods, or to any other common living entity. The word Avajananti used in this verse of The Srimad Bhagwatam is also found in The Bhagavad Gita: Avajananti mam mudha: "Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna." Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on The Bhagavad Gita without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word Bhajanti and the word "worship."
So the culmination of all kinds of Yoga practices lies in Bhaktiyoga. All other Yogas are but means to come to the point of Bhaktiyoga. Yoga actually means Bhaktiyoga; all other Yogas are progressions toward this destination. From the beginning of Karmayoga to the end of Bhaktiyoga is a long way to self-realization. Karmayoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When Karmayoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called Jnanayoga. When Jnanayoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called Astangayoga. And, when one surpasses the Astangayoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, it is called Bhaktiyoga, the culmination. Factually, Bhaktiyoga is the ultimate goal; but to analyze Bhaktiyoga minutely one has to understand these other minor Yogas. The yogi who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal auspiciousness. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name: Karmayogi, Jnanayogi or Dhyanayogi, Rajayogi, Hathayogi. But if one is fortunate enough to come to the point of Bhaktiyoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the different Yogas. Therefore, to become Krishna conscious is the highest stage of Yoga, just as, when we speak of Himalayan, we refer to the world’s highest mountains of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.
It is by great fortune that one comes to Krishna consciousness on the path of Bhaktiyoga, and is well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Krishna, Who is called Syamasundar, beautifully colored as a cloud, His lotus-like Face effulgent as the sun and His dress brilliant with earrings, and His body flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the Brahmajyoti. He incarnates in different Forms such as Rama, Nrisingha, Varaha, and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; and He descends like a human being, as the Son of Mother Yasoda; and He is known as Krishna, Govinda, and Vasudeva; He is the perfect Child, Husband, Friend, Master; and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogi.
This stage of highest perfection in Yoga can be attained only by Bhaktiyoga, as is confirmed in all Vedic literature.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Sixth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Samkhyayoga Brahmavidya.
7
KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABSOLUTE
PURPORT
IN THE FIRST six chapters of The Bhagavad Gita, the living entity has been described as non-material spirit soul who is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of Yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Krishna, or in other words Krishna consciousness, is the highest form of all Yoga. By concentrating one’s mind upon Krishna one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal Brahmajyoti or localized Paramatma is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Krishna, and everything is revealed to the person in Krishna consciousness. In complete Krishna consciousness one knows that Krishna is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of Yoga are only stepping-stones on the path of Krishna consciousness. One who takes directly to Krishna consciousness automatically knows about Brahmajyoti and Paramatma in full. By practice of Krishna-consciousness Yoga, one can know everything in full—namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material Nature—and their manifestations with paraphernalia.
One should therefore begin Yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krishna the Supreme is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which Sravanam, hearing, is the first and most important. The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, Tat Srnu, or "Hear from me." Nobody can be a greater authority than Krishna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Krishna consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Krishna directly, or from a pure devotee of Krishna—and not from a non-devotee upstart, puffed up with academic education.
In The Srimad Bhagwatam this process of understanding Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Third Chapter of the First Canto as follows: "To hear about Krishna from Vedic literature, or to hear from Him directly, through The Bhagavad Gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krishna, Lord Krishna, Who is dwelling in everyone’s heart, acts as a well-wishing friend and purifies the devotee." In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krishna from The Bhagwatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of ignorance and passion; and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service, and understands the Science of God perfectly. Thus Bhaktiyoga severs the hard knot of material affection and one comes at once to the stage of Asamsayam samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
THERE ARE various grades of men, and out of many thousands one may be sufficiently interested in transcendental realization to try to know what is the self, what is the body, and what is the Absolute Truth. Generally, Mankind is simply engaged in animal propensities: eating, sleeping, defending, and mating, and hardly anyone is interested in transcendental knowledge. The first six chapters of The Gita are meant for those who are interested in transcendental knowledge, in understanding the self, the Superself, and the process of realization by Jnanayoga, Dhyanayoga, and discrimination of the self from matter.
However, Krishna Himself can only be known by persons who are in Krishna consciousness. Other transcendentalists may achieve impersonal Brahman realization, for this is easier than understanding Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Person, but at the same time He is beyond the knowledge of Brahman and Paramatma. The yogis and jnanis are confused in their attempts to understand Krishna, although the greatest of the impersonalists, Sripada Sankaracharya, has admitted in his Gita commentary that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But his followers do not accept Krishna as such, for it is very difficult to know Krishna, even though one has transcendental realization of impersonal Brahman.
Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Cause of all causes, the Primeval Lord Govinda. It is very difficult for the non-devotees to know Him. Although non-devotees declare that the path of Bhakti or devotional service is very easy, they cannot practice it. If the path of Bhakti is so easy, as the non-devotee class of men proclaim, then why do they take up the difficult path? Actually, the path of Bhakti is not easy. The so-called path of Bhakti practiced by unauthorized persons without knowledge of Bhakti may be easy, but when it is practiced factually, according to the rules and regulations, the speculative scholars and philosophers fall away from the path. Srila Rupa Goswami writes in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu: "Pure devotional service of the Lord, that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanishads, Puranas, Narada Pancharatra, etc., is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society."
It is not possible for the Brahman-realized impersonalist or the Paramatma-realized yogi to understand Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Son of mother Yasoda or the Charioteer of Arjuna. Even the great demigods are sometimes confused about Krishna: "Nobody knows Me as I am," the Lord says. And if anybody knows Him, then: "Such a great soul is very rare." Therefore, unless one practices devotional service to the Lord, he cannot know Krishna as He is, even though he may be a great scholar or philosopher. Only the pure devotees can know something of the inconceivable transcendental qualities in Krishna, in the Cause of all causes, in His omnipotence and opulence, and in His wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation, because Krishna is benevolently inclined to His devotees. He is the last word in Brahman realization and the devotees alone can realize Him as He is. Therefore, it is said: "Nobody can understand Krishna as He is by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him."
PURPORT
THE SCIENCE OF GOD analyzes the constitutional position of the Lord and His diverse energies. Material Nature is called prakriti, or the energy of the Lord in His different incarnations (expansions) as described in The Svatvata Tantra: "For material creation, Lord Krishna’s plenary expansion assumes three Vishnus: The first one, Mahavishnu, creates the total material energy known as the Maha Tatva. The second, Garbhodaksayee Vishnu, enters into all the universes to create diversities in each of them. The third, Kirodaksayee Vishnu, is diffused as the all-pervading Supersoul in all the universes and is known as Paramatma, Who is present even within the atoms. Anyone who knows these three Vishnus can be liberated from material entanglements."
This material world is a temporary manifestation of one of the energies of the Lord. All the activities of the material world are directed by the above-mentioned three Vishnu expansions of Lord Krishna. These are called incarnations.
PURPORT
HERE IT IS CLEARLY mentioned that living entities belong to the superior nature (or energy) of the Supreme Lord. The inferior energy is matter manifested in different elements, namely earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and false ego. Both forms of material Nature, namely gross (earth, etc.) and subtle (mind, etc.), are products of the inferior energy. The living entities, who are exploiting these inferior energies for different purposes, are the superior energy of the Supreme Lord. Energies are always controlled by the Energetic, and as such living entities are always controlled by the Lord—they have no independent existence. They are never equally powerful, as men with a poor fund of knowledge think. The distinction between the living entities and the Lord is described in The Srimad Bhagwatam as follows: "Oh Thou Supreme Eternal! If the embodied living entities were eternal and all-pervading like You, then they would not be under Your control. But if the living entities are accepted as minute energies of Your Lordship, then they are at once subjected to Your Supreme control. Therefore, real liberation entails surrender by the living entities to Your control, and that surrender will make them happy. In that constitutional position only can they be controllers. Therefore, men with limited knowledge who advocate the monistic theory that God and the living entities are equal in all respects are actually misleading themselves and others."
The Supreme Lord Krishna is the only Controller, and all living entities are controlled by Him. These living entities are His superior energy because the quality of their existence is one and the same with the Supreme, but they are never equal with the Lord in quantity of power. While exploiting the gross and subtle inferior energy (matter), the superior energy (the living entity) forgets his real spiritual mind and intelligence. This forgetfulness is due to the influence of matter upon the living entity. But when the living entity becomes free from the influence of the illusory material energy, he attains the stage called Mukti, or liberation. The false ego, under the influence of material illusion, thinks, "I am matter and material acquisitions are mine." His actual position is realized when he is liberated from all material ideas, including the conception of his becoming one in all respects with God. Therefore, one may conclude that The Gita confirms the living entity to be only one of the multienergies of Krishna; and when this energy is freed from material contamination, it becomes fully Krishna conscious, or a liberated soul.
PURPORT
THE TASTE OF WATER is the active principle of water. Nobody likes to drink seawater because the pure taste of water is mixed with salt. Attraction for water depends on the purity of the taste, and this pure taste is one of the energies of the Lord. The irnpersonalist perceives the presence of the Lord in water by its taste, and the personalist also glorifies the Lord for His kindly supplying water to quench man’s thirst. That is the way of perceiving the Supreme. Practically speaking, there is no controversy between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no controversy. Therefore, Lord Chaitanya established His sublime doctrine: simultaneously one and different. The light of the sun and moon are also originally emanating from Brahmajyoti, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. Similarly Pranavah, or the Omkara transcendental sound used in the beginning of every Vedic hymn to address the Supreme Lord, also emanates from Him. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Krishna by His innumerable Names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound Omkara. But they do not realize that Ornkara is the sound representation of Krishna. The jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness extends everywhere and one who knows Krishna consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Krishna are in illusion, and so knowledge of Krishna is liberation and ignorance of Him is bondage.
PURPORT
EVERYTHING IN THE material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor which permeates everything, is Krishna. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krishna. The heat in the fire is Krishna. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is required. In Krishna we become aware that earth, water, fire, air, and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements, are due to Krishna. The duration of man’s life is also due to Krishna. Therefore, by the grace of Krishna man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Krishna consciousness is active in every sphere.
PURPORT
THE STRONG MAN’S strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Krishna conscious.
PURPORT
THE WHOLE WORLD is enchanted by three modes of material Nature. Those who are bewildered by these three modes cannot understand that transcendental to this material Nature is the Supreme Lord, Krishna. In this material world everyone is under the influence of these three gunas and is thus bewildered. By nature living entities have particular types of body and particular types of psychic and biological activities accordingly. There are four classes of men functioning in the three material modes of Nature. Those who are purely in the modes of goodness are called Brahmins. Those who are purely in the modes of passion are called Kshatriyas. Those who are in the modes of both passion and ignorance are called Vaisyas. Those who are completely in ignorance are called Sudras. And those who are less than that are animals or animal life. However, these designations are not permanent. I may either be a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, or whatever—in any case, this life is temporary. But although life is temporary and we do not know what we are going to be in the next life, still, by the spell of this illusory energy, we consider ourselves in the light of this bodily conception of life, and we thus think we are American, Indian, Russian, or Brahmin, Hindu, Muslim, etc. And if we become entangled with the modes of material Nature, then we forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who is behind all these modes. So Lord Krishna says that men, deluded by these three modes of Nature, do not understand that behind the material background is the Supreme Godhead.
There are many different kinds of living entities—human beings, demigods, animals, etc.—and each and every one of them is under the influence of material Nature, and all of them have forgotten the transcendent Personality of Godhead. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, and even those who are in the modes of goodness, cannot go beyond the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth. They are bewildered before the Supreme Lord in His Supreme Personal Feature, possessing all beauty, opulence, knowledge, strength, fame, and renunciation. When even those who are in goodness cannot understand, what hope is there for those in passion and ignorance? Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all these three modes of material Nature, and those who are truly established in Krishna consciousness are actually liberated.
PURPORT
IT IS SAID in The Bhagavad Gita that simply by surrendering oneself unto the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality Krishna one can surmount the stringent laws of material Nature. At this point a question arises: How is it that educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators, and all the leaders of ordinary men do not surrender to the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna, the All-Powerful Personality of Godhead? Mukti, or liberation from the laws of material Nature, is sought by the abovementioned leaders in different ways and with great plans and perseverance for a great many years and births. But if that liberation is possible by simply surrendering unto the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then why don’t these intelligent and hardworking leaders adopt this simple method?
The Gita answers this question very frankly. Those really learned leaders of society like Brahma, Shiva, Kapila, Kumara, Manu, Vyasa, Devala, Ashita, Janaka, Prahlada, Bali, and later on Madhyacharya, Ramanujacharya, Sri Chaitanya, and many others who are faithful philosophers, politicians, educators, scientists, etc., surrender to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Person, the All-Powerful Authority. Those who are not actually philosophers, scientists, educators, administrators, etc., but who pose themselves as such for material gain, do not accept the plan or path of the Supreme Lord. They have no idea of God; they simply manufacture their own worldly plans and consequently complicate the problems of material existence in their vain attempts to solve them. Because material energy (Nature) is so powerful, it can resist the unauthorized plans of the atheists and baffle the knowledge of "planning commissions."
The atheistic plan-makers are described herein by the word Duskritina, or "miscreants." Kritina means one who has performed meritorious work. The atheist plan-maker is sometimes very intelligent and meritorious also, because any gigantic plan, good or bad, must take intelligence to execute. But because the atheist’s brain is improperly utilized in its opposition to the plan of the Supreme Lord, the atheistic plan-maker is called Duskritina, which indicates that his intelligence and efforts are misdirected.
In The Gita it is clearly mentioned that material energy works fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. It has no independent authority. It works as the shadow moves, in accordance with the movements of the object. But still material energy is very powerful, and the atheist, due to his godless temperament, cannot know how it works; nor can he know the plan of the Supreme Lord. Under illusion and the modes of passion and ignorance, all his plans are baffled, as in the cases of Hiranya Kashipu and Ravana, whose plans were smashed to dust although they were both materially learned as scientists, philosophers, administrators, and educators. These Duskritinas, or miscreants, are of four different patterns, as outlined below:
(1) The Mudhas are those who are grossly foolish, like hardworking beasts of burden. They want to enjoy the fruits of their labor by themselves, and so do not want to part with them for the Supreme. The typical example of the beast of burden is the ass. This humble beast is made to work very hard by his master. The ass does not really know for whom he works so hard day and night. He remains satisfied by filling his stomach with a bundle of grass, sleeping for a while under fear of being beaten by his master, and satisfying his sex appetite at the risk of being repeatedly kicked by the opposite party. The ass sings poetry and philosophy sometimes, but this braying only disturbs others. This is the position of the foolish fruitive worker who does not know for whom he should work. He does not know that Karma (action) is meant for Yajna (sacrifice).
Most often, those who work very hard day and night to clear the burden of self-created duties say that they have not time to hear of the immortality of the living being. To such Mudhas, material gains, which are destructible, are life’s all in all—despite the fact that the Mudhas enjoy only a very small fraction of the fruit of labor. Sometimes they spend sleepless days and nights for fruitive gain, and although they may have ulcers or indigestion, they are satisfied with practically no food; they are simply absorbed in working hard day and night for the benefit of illusory masters. Ignorant of their real Master, the foolish workers waste their valuable time serving Mammon. Unfortunately, they never surrender to the Supreme Master of all masters, nor do they take time to hear of Him from the proper sources. The swine who eat the soil do not care to accept sweet meats made of sugar and ghee. Similarly, the foolish worker will untiringly continue to hear of the sense-enjoyable tidings of the flickering mundane force that moves the material world.
(2) Another class of Duskritina is called the Naradhamas, or the lowest of Mankind. Nara means the human being, and Adhama means the lowest. Out of the 8,400,000 different species of living beings, there are 400,000 human species. Out of these there are innumerable lower forms of human life that are mostly uncivilized. Comparatively, there are only a very few classes of men who are actually civilized. The civilized human beings are those who have regulated principles of social, political, and religious life. Those who are socially and politically developed but who have no religious principles must be considered Naradhamas. Nor is religion without God religion, because the purpose of following religious principles is to know the Supreme Truth and man’s relation with Him. In The Gita the Personality of Godhead clearly states that there is no authority above Him and that He is the Supreme Truth. The civilized form of human life is meant for man’s reviving the lost consciousness of his eternal relation with the Supreme Truth, the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna, Who is All-Powerful. Whoever loses this chance is classified as a Naradhama. We get information from revealed scriptures that when the baby is in the mother’s womb (an extremely uncomfortable situation) he prays to God for deliverance and promises to worship Him alone as soon as he gets out. That is a natural instinct in every living being—to pray to God when he is in difficulty—because he is eternally related with God. But after his deliverance the child forgets the difficulties of birth and forgets his Deliverer also, being influenced by Maya, the illusory energy.
It is the duty of the guardians of children to revive the Divine consciousness dormant in them. The ten processes of reformatory ceremonies, as enjoined in The Manu-Smriti, which is the guide to religious principles, are meant for reviving God consciousness in the system of Varna Ashram. However, no process is strictly followed now in any part of the world, and therefore 99.9 per cent of the population is Naradhama.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in propagating The Bhagwat Dharma, or activities of the devotees, has recommended that people submissively hear the message of the Personality of Godhead. The essence of this message is The Bhagavad Gita. The lowest of human beings can be delivered by this submissive hearing process only, but unfortunately, since they even deny giving an aural reception to these messages, what to speak of surrendering to the Will of the Supreme Lord? Naradhama, or the lowest of Mankind, will fully neglect the prime duty of the human being.
(3) The next class of Duskritina is called Mayaya Apahrita Jnana, or those persons whose erudite knowledge has been nullified by the influence of illusory material energy. They are mostly very learned fellows—great philosophers, poets, litterateurs, scientists, etc.—but the illusory energy misguides them and therefore they disobey the Supreme Lord. When the whole population becomes Naradhama, naturally all their so-called education is made null and void by the all-powerful energy of physical Nature. According to the standard of The Gita, a learned man is he who sees on equal terms the learned Brahmin, the dog, the cow, the elephant, and the dog-eater. That is the vision of a true devotee.
(4) The last class of Duskritina is called Asurabhabamashrita, or those of demonic principles. This class is openly atheistic. Some of them argue that the Supreme Lord can never descend upon this material world, but they are unable to give any tangible reasons as to why not. There are others who make Him subordinate to the impersonal feature, although the opposite is declared in The Gita. Envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the atheist will present a number of illicit incarnations manufactured in the factory of his brain. Such persons, whose very principle of life is to decry the Personality of Godhead, cannot surrender unto the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna.
Sri Jamunacharya Albandru of South India said, "Oh my Lord! You are unknowable to persons involved with atheistic principles, despite Your Uncommon Qualities, Features, and Activities; and despite Your Personality being strongly confirmed by all the revealed scriptures in the quality of goodness; and despite Your being acknowledged by the famous authorities renowned for their depth of knowledge in the transcendental science and situated in the godly qualities."
Therefore, the (1) grossly foolish persons, (2) lowest of Mankind, (3) deluded speculators, and (4) the atheistic people, as above-mentioned, never surrender unto the Lotus Feet of the Personality of Godhead in spite of all scriptural and authoritative advice.
PURPORT
UNLIKE THE MISCREANTS, these are adherents of the regulative principles of the scriptures, and they are called Sukritina, or those who obey the rules and regulations of scriptures, the moral and social laws, and who are, more or less, devoted to the Supreme Lord. Out of these there are four classes of men: (1) those who are sometimes distressed; (2) in need of money; (3) sometimes inquisitive; and (4) sometimes searching after knowledge of the Absolute Truth. These persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service under different conditions. These are not pure devotees because they have some aspiration to fulfill in exchange for devotional service. Pure devotional service is without aspiration and without desire for material profit. The Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu defines pure devotion thusly: "One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably, and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
When these four kinds of persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service and are completely purified by the association of a pure devotee, they also become pure devotees. So far as the miscreants are concerned, for them devotional service is very difficult because their life is selfish, irregular, and without spiritual goals. But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees.
Those who are always busy with fruitive activities come to the Lord in material distress and at that time associate with pure devotees and become, in their distress, devotees of the Lord. Those who are simply frustrated also come sometimes to associate with the pure devotees and become inquisitive to know about God. Similarly, when the dry philosophers are frustrated in every field of knowledge, they sometimes want to learn of God and they come to the Supreme Lord to render devotional service, and thus transcend knowledge of the impersonal Brahman and the localized Paramatma, and come to the personal conception of Godhead by the Grace of the Supreme Lord, or by His pure devotee. On the whole, when the distressed, the inquisitive, the seeker of knowledge, and those who are in need of money are free from all material desires, and when they fully understand that material remuneration has no value for spiritual improvement, then they become pure devotees. So long as such a purified stage is not attained, devotees in transcendental service to the Lord are tainted with fruitive activities, seeking after mundane knowledge, etc. So, one has to transcend all this before one can come to the stage of pure devotional service.
PURPORT
GOD HAS GIVEN independence to everyone; therefore, if a person desires to have material enjoyment and wants very sincerely to have such facilities from the material demigods, the Supreme Lord, as Supersoul in everyone’s heart, understands and gives facilities to such persons. As Supreme Father of all living entities, He does not interfere with their independence, but gives all facilities so that they can fulfill their material desires. Some may ask why the all-powerful God gives facilities to the living entities for enjoying this material world and so lets them fall into the trap of the illusory energy. The answer is that if the Supreme Lord as Supersoul does not give such facilities, then there is no meaning of independence. Therefore, He gives everyone full independence—whatever one likes—but His ultimate instruction we find in The Bhagavad Gita: Man should give up all other engagements and fully surrender unto Him. That will make him happy. Both the living entity and the demigods are subordinate to the Will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the living entity cannot worship the demigod by his own desire, nor can the demigod bestow any benediction without the Supreme Will. As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without the Will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Generally, persons who are distressed in the material world go to the demigods, as they are advised in the Vedic literature. A person wanting some particular thing may worship such and such a demigod. For example, a diseased person is recommended to worship the Sun-god; a person wanting education may worship the goddess of learning, Saraswati; and a person wanting a beautiful wife may worship the goddess Uma, the wife of Lord Shiva. In this way there are recommendations in the Shastras (Vedic scriptures) for different modes of worship of different demigods. And because a particular living entity wants to enjoy a particular material facility, the Lord inspires him with a strong desire to achieve that benediction from that particular demigod, and so he successfully receives the benediction. The particular mode of the devotional attitude of the living entity toward a particular type of demigod is also arranged by the Supreme Lord. The demigods cannot infuse the living entities with such an affinity; but because He is the Supreme Lord or the Supersoul Who is present in the heart of all living entities, Krishna gives impetus to man to worship certain demigods. The demigods are actually different parts of the universal body of the Supreme Lord; therefore, they have no independence. In the Vedic literature it is said: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead as Supersoul is also present within the heart of the demigod; therefore, He arranges through the demigod to fulfill the desire of the living entity. But both the demigod and the living entity are dependent on the Supreme Will. They are not independent."
PURPORT
SOME COMMENTATORS on The Gita say that one who worships a demigod can reach the Supreme Lord, but here it is clearly stated that the worshipers of demigods go to the different planetary systems where various demigods are situated, just as a worshiper of the sun achieves the sun or a worshiper of the demigod of the moon achieves the moon. Similarly, if anyone wants to worship a demigod like Indra, he can attain that particular god’s planet. It is not that everyone, regardless of whatever demigod is worshiped, will reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is denied here, for it is clearly stated that the worshipers of demigods go to different planets in the material world, but the devotee of the Supreme Lord goes directly to the Supreme Planet of the Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
THOSE WHO ARE WORSHIPERS of demigods have been described as less intelligent persons, and here the impersonalists are similarly described. Lord Krishna in His Personal Form is speaking before Arjuna and still, due to ignorance, they argue that the Supreme Lord ultimately has no Form. Jamunacharya, a great devotee of the Lord, in the disciplic succession from Ramanujacharya, has recited two very nice verses in this connection. He says, "My dear Lord, personalities and devotees like Vyasdeva and Narada know You to be the Personality of Godhead. By understanding different Vedic literatures, Your characteristics, Your Form, and Your activities can be known; and one can thus understand that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, the demons, the non-devotees, cannot understand You. They are unable to understand You. However expert such non-devotees may be in discussing the Vedantas and the Upanishads and other Vedic literature, it is not possible for them to understand the Personality of Godhead."
PURPORT
HERE THE QUESTION of personality and impersonality is clearly stated. If Krishna, the Form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is considered by the impersonalists to be Maya, to be material, then He would, like the living entity, change His Body and forget everything in His past life. Anybody with a material body cannot remember his past life, nor can he foretell his future life, nor can he predict the outcome of his present life; therefore, he cannot know what is happening in past, present, and future. Unless one is liberated from material contamination he cannot know past, present, and future. Unlike the ordinary human being, Lord Krishna clearly says that He completely knows what happened in the past, what is happening in the present, and what will happen in the future. In the Fourth Chapter we have seen that Lord Krishna remembers instructing Vivasvan, the Sun-god, millions of years ago. Krishna knows every living entity because He is situated in every living being’s heart as the Supreme Soul. But despite His presence in every living entity as Supersoul, and His presence beyond the material sky as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the less intelligent cannot realize Him as the Supreme Person. Certainly the transcendental Body of Sri Krishna is not perishable. He is just like the sun, and Maya is like the cloud. In the material world we can see there is the sun and there are clouds and different stars and planets. The clouds may cover all these in the sky temporarily, but this covering is only apparent to our limited vision. The sun, moon, and stars are not actually covered. Similarly, Maya cannot cover the Supreme Lord. By His internal potency He is not manifest to the less intelligent class of men. As it is stated in the third verse of this chapter, out of millions and millions of men, some try to become perfect in this human form of life, and out of thousands and thousands of such perfected men, one can hardly understand what Lord Krishna is. Even if somebody is perfected by realization of impersonal Brahman or localized Paramatma, he cannot possibly understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, without being in Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
THOSE ELIGIBLE for elevation to the transcendental position are mentioned in this verse. For those who are sinful, atheistic, foolish, and deceitful, it is very difficult to transcend the duality of desire and hate. Only those who have passed their Iife in practicing the regulative principles of religion, who have acted piously and have conquered sinful reactions, can accept devotional service and gradually rise to the pure knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, gradually, they can meditate in trance on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the process of being situated on the spiritual platform. This elevation is possible in Krishna consciousness in the association of pure devotees who can deliver one from delusion. It is stated in The Srimad Bhagwatam that if one actually wants to be liberated he must render service to the devotees; but one who associates with materialistic people is on the path leading to the darkest region of existence. All the devotees of the Lord traverse this earth just to recover the conditioned souls from their delusion. The impersonalists do not know that to forget their constitutional position as subordinate to the Supreme Lord is the greatest violation of God’s law, and unless one is reinstated in his own constitutional position it is not possible to understand the Supreme Personality, or to be fully engaged in His transcendental loving service with determination.
PURPORT
BIRTH, DEATH, OLD AGE, and diseases affect this material body, but not the spiritual body. There is no birth, death, old age, and disease in the spiritual body, so one who attains a spiritual body and becomes one of the associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and is engaged in eternal devotional service, is really liberated. Aham Brahmasmi: I am spirit. It is said that one should understand that he is Brahman—spirit soul. This Brahma conception of life is also in devotional service, as described in this verse. The pure devotees are transcendentally situated on the Brahman platform and they know everything about transcendental and material activities.
PURPORT
MANY SUBJECTS have been discussed in this chapter: the man in distress, the inquisitive man, the man in want of material necessities, knowledge of Brahman, knowledge of Paramatma, liberation from birth, death, and diseases; and worship of the Supreme Lord. However, he who is actually elevated in Krishna consciousness doesn’t care for the different processes. He simply directly engages himself in activities of Krishna consciousness, and thereby factually attains his constitutional position as eternal servitor of Lord Krishna. In such a disposition he takes pleasure in hearing and glorifying the Supreme Lord in pure devotional service. He is convinced that by doing so, all his objectives will be fulfilled. This determined faith is called dridha vrata, and it is the beginning of Bhaktiyoga or transcendental loving service. That is the verdict of all scriptures. This Seventh Chapter of The Gita is the substance of that conviction.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Seventh Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Knowledge of the Absolute.
8
ATTAINING THE SUPREME
PURPORT
IN THIS EIGHTH CHAPTER, Lord Krishna answers different questions, beginning with What is Brahman? The Lord also explains Karmayoga, devotional service and Yoga principles, and devotional service in its pure form. The Srimad Bhagwatam explains that the Supreme Absolute Truth is known as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. The living entity, the individual soul, is also called Brahman, or spirit. Arjuna also inquires about Atma, which refers to body, soul, and mind. According to the Vedic dictionary, Atma refers to the mind, soul, body, and senses also. Arjuna has addressed the Supreme Lord as Purushottam, which means that he was asking all his questions not as a friend but to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; and, as such, Krishna is perfectly well informed. Therefore, as Arjuna expected, the right answers will be received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What is the material manifestation of the gigantic universal form, or of this bodily form? What is the manifestation of the demigods, who are entrusted in different material affairs by the Supreme Lord through the agency of Brahma?
PURPORT
VISHNU IS THE HEAD of the primal demigods, including Brahma and Shiva; and Indra is the head of the administrative demigods. Both Indra and Vishnu are worshiped. But Arjuna’s inquiry is: Who is actually the Lord of Yajna, sacrifice, and how is it that the Lord of Yajna is residing within the body of the living entity? Again, Arjuna addresses the Lord as Madhusudana, the Killer of the Madhu demon. Actually, the questions which have arisen in the mind of Arjuna regarding these six items should not have been there. These doubts are like demons, and Krishna is expert in killing demons.
Whatever we do will be tested at the time of death, and so Arjuna is very anxious to know of those who are constantly engaged in Krishna consciousness: What should be their position at that final moment? At the time of death all body functions become dislocated and the mind is not in proper condition. Thus disturbed by the bodily situation, one cannot even remember the Supreme Lord. A great devotee, Maharaj Kulashekhar, used to pray as follows: "My dear Lord, just now I am quite healthy, and it is better that I die immediately so that the swan of my mind can seek entrance at the stem of Your Lotus Feet." The allegory is that the swan, a bird of the water, takes pleasure in digging into the lotus flowers. Its sporting proclivity is to enter the lotus flower. Maharaj Kulashekhar said to the Lord, "If my mind is not now in a disturbed condition, and I am quite healthy; and if I die immediately, thinking of Your Lotus Feet, then I am sure that my performance of Your devotional service has become perfect. But if I have to wait for my natural death, then I do not know what will happen; because at that time the bodily functions will be all dislocated, and my throat will be choked up with cough, and I do not know whether I shall be able to chant Your Name. Better let me die immediately." The question put forward by Arjuna is similar to this question: How can a person who is constantly Krishna conscious fix his mind to Your Lotus Feet?
PURPORT
INDESTRUCTIBLE MEANS that which is eternally existing, and there is no change in its constitution; which truth is called Brahman. But beside Brahman there is Parabrahman, the Supreme Truth, or spirit. Brahman means the living entity, and Parabrahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity’s constitutional position is different from the position he takes in the material world. In the material world, in material consciousness, his nature is to lord it over Nature; but when he is in spiritual nature he is in Krishna consciousness. A living entity is to be understood as pure when he is Krishna conscious. But when the living entity is in material consciousness, then he has to take different kinds of bodies in this world, and that is called karma, or varied creation by the force of material consciousness.
PURPORT
THIS INSTRUCTION to Arjuna is very important for all men engaged in material activities: The Lord does not say that one should give up his prescribed duties or engagements. One can continue them, and at the same time think of Krishna by chanting Hare Krishna. This will free one from material contamination, and will engage the mind and intelligence in Krishna. By chanting Krishna’s Names, one will be transferred to the Supreme Planet, Krishnaloka, without a doubt.
PURPORT
THE PROCESS OF THINKING of the Supreme is mentioned in this verse: The foremost point is that He is not impersonal or void. One cannot meditate on something impersonal or void. That is very difficult. The process of thinking of Krishna, however, is very easy, as is factually stated here. He is the oldest Personality because He is the Origin of everything; everything is born out of Him. He is also the Supreme Controller of the universe, the Maintainer and Instructor of humanity. He is smaller than the smallest. The living entity is one ten-thousandth the tip of a hair in size; but the Lord is so inconceivably small that He enters into the heart of this particle. As the Supreme, He can enter the atom and into the heart of the smallest, and control him as the Supersoul. Although so small, He is still all-pervading and maintains everything. By Him all these planetary systems are sustained. It is stated here that the Supreme Lord, by His inconceivable energy, is sustaining all these big planets and systems of galaxies. The word acintya, inconceivable, in this verse is very significant. God’s energy is beyond our conception, beyond our thinking jurisdiction, and is therefore called inconceivable. Who can argue this point? He pervades this material Nature and yet is beyond it. We cannot even comprehend this material world, which is insignificant compared to the spiritual world—so how can we comprehend what is beyond? Acintya means that which is beyond this world, that which our argument, logic, and philosophical speculation cannot touch. Therefore, intelligent persons, avoiding useless argument and speculation, should accept what is stated in scriptures like the Vedas, The Gita, and The Srimad Bhagwatam, and follow the principles they set down. This will lead to understanding.
PURPORT
THE MATERIAL WORLD is full of miseries, specifically birth, death, old age, and disease. It is also temporary. One who goes to the planet of Krishna called Goloka Vrindaban has achieved the highest perfection; and, naturally, he does not wish to come back to this unhappy place. This spiritual planet is described in the Vedic literature: It is inexplicable, beyond our material vision; but it is the highest Goal, the destination for great souls who are known as Mahatmas. They receive the transcendental message from realized devotees, and thus gradually develop devotional service, Krishna consciousness, and become so absorbed in transcendental loving service that they lose all desire for elevation to any material planets; neither do they seek transference to any spiritual planet. They want only Krishna and Krishna’s Association—nothing else. That is the highest perfection of life. This verse specifically mentions the personalist devotees of the Supreme Lord, Krishna. These devotees in Krishna consciousness achieve the highest perfection of life; in other words, they are the supreme souls.
PURPORT
ALL YOGIS ARE meant to attain this highest perfection of Bhakti, and when it is said that the yogis do not come again to this material world, it means that when they achieve devotional perfection in Bhaktiyoga, or Krishna consciousness, it is possible for them to go transcendentally into the spiritual world, and they never come back. Those who attain to the highest material planets, the planets of the demigods, will again be subjected to birth and death, old age and disease. Just as persons on this earthly planet may be promoted to the higher planets, so persons on those higher planets—such as Brahmaloka, Chandraloka, or Indraloka—may be degraded to this earthly globe. By the practice of certain sacrifices one can achieve Brahmaloka; but if, once there, one does not cultivate Krishna consciousness, he again comes to this earthly sphere. Those who continue Krishna consciousness, even on the higher planets, are gradually elevated still higher, and at the time of the devastation of this universe, they are transferred to the spiritual world, to the Krishnaloka planet. It is said that, when there is a devastation of this material universe, Brahma, along with these devotees who are constantly engaged in Krishna consciousness, is transferred to the spiritual world, to one of the spiritual planets.
PURPORT
BRAHMA LIVES for 100 years. One thousand ages means 4,300,000 years, multiplied by 1000. This is equal to I2 hours, the duration of Brahma’s one day. Similarly, he has night, making 24 hours. Thirty such days make one month, and 12 such months equal one year. After 100 such years, Brahma also dies, according to the law of material Nature. No one is free from this process of birth, death, old age, and disease. Brahma is also subjected to it. But the special facility for Brahma is that, being directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord for the management of this universe, he therefore at once gets liberation. It is to be noted that the perfect Sannyasins are promoted to the Brahmaloka; but if Brahma is himself subjected to death, what can be said of the Sannyasins who are elevated to his planet? This duration of Brahmaloka is greater even than that of the sun and moon, or other worlds in the upper strata of planetary systems.
PURPORT
THOSE WHO ARE less intelligent try to remain within this material world; they are elevated to some more advanced planets, and then again come back to this earthly planet. All of them, during the daytime of Brahma, can exhibit their activities within this material world; but during the nighttime they are annihilated. During daytime, they get their different kinds of body and material activities, and during nighttime they have no longer any form. They remain compact within the body of Vishnu, and again are manifested in the new daytime of Brahma. In this way, they are manifested and again annihilated. Ultimately, when Brahma’s life is also finished, all is annihilated for millions upon millions of years; and again manifested when Brahma is born anew in another millennium. In this way, the living beings are captivated by the spell of the material world. But intelligent persons who take to Knshna consciousness utilize this human form of life fully in devotional service to the Lord, chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—and even in this life they transfer themselves to the planet of Krishna, and become eternally blissful and happy there.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME ABODE of the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is described in The Brahma Samhita as the Chintamoni dham: That Abode of Lord Krishna, known as Goloka Vrindaban, is full of palaces made of touchstone. There the trees are called desire-trees, and the cows are called Surabhi. And the Lord is being served by hundreds and thousands of Goddesses of Fortune; He Whose Name is Govinda, the Primal Lord and the Cause of all causes. There the Lord plays His flute, His eyes like lotus petals, and the color of His Body like a beautiful cloud; on His Head a peacock feather. So attractive is He that He excels thousands of cupids. Lord Krishna gives only a little hint in The Gita about His Personal Abode, which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom.
PURPORT
THE UNALLOYED devotees of the Supreme Lord very easily and happily go back to Godhead, back to Home; but those who are not unalloyed devotees and depend on different kinds of spiritual realization through Karmayoga or Jnanayoga must have the suitable moment to leave this body. Then it can be assured whether they will be coming back or not. If the yogi is perfect, he can select the time and situation for passing out of this material world. But if the yogi is not so expert, then it will depend on his accidental passing away at a certain suitable time.
PURPORT
KRISHNA IS SPECIFICALLY advising Arjuna not to be disturbed by these different paths of departure from this material world. For a devotee of the Supreme Lord Krishna it is advised not to bother about how to pass away, whether by arrangement or by accident. His duties should be always in Krishna consciousness, chanting Hare Krishna. A Krishna conscious person should know that either of these ways, the light way or the dark way, is troublesome. The best way is always to be absorbed in Krishna consciousness, and to be dovetailed in His service. That will make for a safe departure from this material world, directly to the spiritual Kingdom.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Attaining the Supreme.
9
THE MOST CONFIDENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
PURPORT
AS A DEVOTEE hears more and more about the Supreme Lord, he becomes enlightened. This hearing process is recommended in The Srimad Bhagwatam: "The messages of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are full of potencies, and these potencies can be realized if topics regarding the Supreme Godhead are discussed amongst devotees. This cannot be achieved by the association of mental speculators or academic scholars; it is realized knowledge." The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity of a particular living entity who is engaged in Krishna consciousness, and He gives him the intelligence to understand the Science of Krishna in the association of the devotee. Discussion of Krishna is very potent, and if a fortunate person has such association and tries to assimilate the knowledge, then he will surely make advancement toward spiritual realization. Lord Krishna, in order to encourage Arjuna to be elevated higher and higher in His potent service, is describing in this Ninth Chapter things more confidential than He has already disclosed.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead is not perceivable through the gross material senses. It is said that Lord Sri Krishna’s Name, Fame, and Pastimes cannot be understood by the material senses. Only to one who is engaged in pure devotional service under proper guidance is He revealed. In The Brahma Samhita it is stated that one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, always within himself and outside, if one has developed the transcendental loving attitude toward Him. Therefore, for people in general, He is not visible. Here it is said that although He is all-pervading, everywhere present, still He is not conceivable to our material senses. But actually, although we cannot see Him, everything is resting in Him. As we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter, the whole material cosmic manifestation is only a combination of His two different types of energies: the superior, or spiritual energy, and the inferior, material energy.
Now, one should not have concluded that, because He is spread all over, the Lord has therefore lost His Personal existence. To refute such arguments by those with a poor fund of knowledge, the Lord says, "I am everywhere, and everything is in Me, but still I am aloof." A crude example can be given in this manner: A king has his government. His government is the manifestation of the king’s energy; the different departments are nothing but the energies of the king, and each department is resting on the king’s power. But still, one cannot expect the king to be present in every department personally. That is a crude example. Similarly, all the manifestations that we see, and everything that exists in both this material world and in the spiritual world, is resting on the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The creation takes place by the diffusion of His different energies; and, as is stated in The Bhagavad Gita, He is everywhere present by His Personal representation, this diffusion of energies.
PURPORT
FOR THE ORDINARY person it is almost inconceivable how everything is resting in Him, these huge affairs of the material manifestation. But the Lord is giving an example which may help us to understand how these things are going on. The similarity is with the sky: The sky (space) is the biggest manifestation conceivable by us; and in that sky the air is the biggest manifestation of the cosmic world. So, although the greatess of the air is there, still it is situated within space. It is not beyond the sky. Similarly, all the manifold manifestations of wonderful things are going on by the simple Supreme Will of God, and all of them are subordinate to that Supreme Will. By His Will everything is being created, everything is being maintained, and everything is being annihilated. Still, He is aloof from everything, as the sky is always aloof from the activities of the great air. In the Upanishads it is stated, "It is out of the fear of the Supreme Lord that the air is blowing." In The Garga Upanishad also it is stated that "By the Supreme Order, under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the moon, the sun, and other big planets are moving." ln The Brahma Samhita also this is stated. There is a description of the movement of the sun, and it is said that the sun is considered to be one of the eyes of the Supreme Lord; and that it has immense potency to diffuse heat and light. Still, it is moving in its prescribed orbit by the order, by the Supreme Will, of Govinda. So, from the Vedic literature we can find evidence that, although this material manifestation appears to us very wonderful and great, still it is under the complete control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as will be explained in the later verses of this chapter.
PURPORT
AT THE END of the millennium means at the death of Brahma. Brahma lives for 100 years, and his one day is calculated at 4,300,000,000 of our earthly years. His night is of the same duration. His month consists of 30 such days and nights, and his year of 12 such months. After 100 such years, when Brahma dies, the devastation or annihilation takes place; which means that the energy manifested by the Supreme Lord is again wound up in Himself. Then again, when there is a necessity to manifest the cosmic world, by His simple Will: "Although I am one, I shall become many." This is the Vedic aphorism. He expands Himself in this material energy, and the whole cosmic manifestation again takes place.
PURPORT
ONE SHOULD NOT THINK, in this connection, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no engagement. In His spiritual world He is always engaged. In The Brahma Samhita it is stated: "He is always involved in His eternal, blissful, spiritual activities; but He has nothing to do with these material activities." Material activities are being carried on by His different potencies. The Lord is always neutral in the material activities of the created world. This neutrality is explained here: Although He has control over every minute detail of matter, He is sitting as if neutral. The example can be given of a high court judge sitting on his bench. By his order so many things are happening: somebody is being hanged, somebody is being put into jail, somebody is awarded a huge amount of wealth; but he is neutral. He has nothing to do with all that gain and loss. Similarly, the Lord is always neutral, although He has His hand in every sphere of activity. In The Vedanta Sutra there is a code which says that He is not situated in the differential treatment of this material world. He is transcendental to this differential treatment; neither is He attached to the creation and annihilation of this world. The living entities take their different forms as species of life according to their past deeds, and the Lord doesn't interfere with that.
PURPORT
THE MAHATMA, or Great Soul, cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: A Mahatma is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business. When the question of glorification is there, that means one has to glorify the Supreme Lord, praising His Holy Name, His Eternal Form, His Transcendental Qualities, His Uncommon Pastimes. One has to describe all these things. One who is attached to the impersonal Feature of the Supreme Lord, the Brahmajyoti, is not described as Mahatma in The Bhagavad Gita. He is described in a different way, as will appear in the next verse.
PURPORT
FOR THE INTELLIGENT PERSON, it is essential to be in Krishna consciousness, engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, in order to achieve a permanent blissful abode for eternal happiness. The process of achieving such a marvelous result is very easy, and can be attempted even by the poorest of the poor without any kind of qualification. The only qualification required in this connection is to be a pure devotee of the Lord, and it does not matter what one is, or where one is situated. The process is so easy that even a leaf or a little water or fruit can be offered to the Supreme Lord—in genuine love—and the Lord will be pleased to accept. Nobody, therefore, can be barred from Krishna consciousness, because it is so easy and universal. Who is such a fool that he does not want to be Krishna conscious by this simple method, and then attain the highest perfectional life of eternity, bliss, and knowledge? Krishna wants only loving service and nothing more. Krishna accepts even a little flower from his pure devotee. He does not want any kind of offering from a nondevotee. He is not in need of anything from anyone, because He is Self-sufficient; and yet He accepts the offering of His devotee, in an exchange of love and affection. To develop Krishna consciousness is the highest perfection of life. Bhakti is mentioned twice in this verse in order to declare more emphatically that Bhakti, or devotional service, is the only means to approach Krishna. No other condition—to become a Brahmin, to become a learned scholar, to become a very rich man or a great philosopher—can induce Krishna to accept some offering. Without the basic principle of Bhakti nothing can induce the Lord to agree to accept anything from anyone. Bhakti is never casual. The process is eternal before and after, and is the direct action in service of the Absolute Whole.
Here Lord Krishna, having established that He is the only Enjoyer, the Primeval Lord, and the real object of all sacrificial offerings, reveals what types of sacrifices he desires. If one wishes to engage in devotional service to the Supreme, in order to be purified and to reach the goal of life—the transcendental loving service of God—then he should find out what the Lord desires of him. One who loves Krishna will give him whatever He wants; but he should avoid offering anything which is undesirable or unasked for. Thus, meat, fish, and eggs should not be offered to Krishna. If he desired such things as an offering, the Lord would have said so; but instead He clearly requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers, and water be given to Him. And He says of this offering, "I will accept it." Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept meat, fish, and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk, and water are the proper foods for human beings, as is here prescribed by Lord Krishna Himself. Whatever else we may eat cannot be offered to Him, since He will not accept it; and thus we cannot be acting on the level of loving devotion if we offer such foods. In the Third Chapter, verse thirteen, Sri Krishna explains that only the remains of sacrifice are purified and fit for consumption by those who are seeking advancement in life and release from the clutches of the material entanglement. Those who do not make an offering of their foodstuffs, in the same verse, are said to be eating only sin. In other words, their every mouthful is simply deepening their involvement in the complexities of material Nature. But to prepare nice, simple vegetable dishes and to offer them before the picture or deity of Lord Krishna, bowing down and praying for Him to accept such a humble offering, is to advance steadily in life, to purify the body, and to create fine brain tissues which will lead to clear thinking. Above all, the offering should be made with an attitude of love. Krishna has no need of food, since He already possesses everything that is, but still He will accept the offering of one who desires to please Him in that way. So the important element, in preparation, in serving, and in offering, is to act with love for Krishna.
The impersonalist philosophers, who wish to maintain that the Absolute Truth is without senses, cannot comprehend this verse of The Bhagavad Gita. To them, it is either a metaphor, or else it is proof of the mundane character of Krishna, the Speaker of The Gita. But, in actuality, Krishna, the Supreme Godhead, has senses; and it is stated that His senses are interchangeable; in other words, one sense can perform the function of any other. This is what it means to say that Krishna is Absolute. Lacking senses, He could hardly be considered full in all opulences. In the Tenth Chapter, Krishna will explain that He impregnates the living entities into the material Nature by His glance. And so in this instance, Krishna’s hearing the devotee’s words of love in offering foodstuffs is wholly identical with His eating and actually tasting. This point should be emphasized: Because of His absolute position, this hearing is wholly identical with eating and tasting. Only the devotee, who accepts Krishna as He describes Himself to be, without personal interpolations, can understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth can eat food and enjoy it.
PURPORT
ONE MAY QUESTION here that, if Krishna is equal to everyone and nobody is His special friend, then why does He take special interest in the devotees who are always engaged in His transcendental service? But this is not discrimination; it is natural. Any man in this material world may be very charitably disposed; but still he has a special interest in his own children. The Lord claims every living entity—in whatever form—as His son; and as such He provides everyone with a generous supply of the necessities of life. He is just like a cloud which pours rain all over, never minding whether it is rock or land or water. But for the devotees of the Lord He has specific attention. Such devotees are mentioned here: They are always in Krishna consciousness, and therefore they are always transcendentally situated in Krishna. The very phrase, Krishna consciousness, suggests that one is a living transcendentalist, situated in Him. And the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal, this is the nice explanation of the words: Anyone who surrenders unto Me, proportionately do I take care of him. This transcendental reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee are conscious.
PURPORT
IN THE SRIMAD BHAGWATAM it is stated that, if a person falls down, but is wholeheartedly engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, the Lord, being situated within his heart, purifies him and he is excused from that abomination. The material contamination is so strong that even a yogi fully engaged in the service of the Lord is sometimes ensnared; but Krishna consciousness is so strong that such an occasional fall-down is at once rectified.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE it is clearly indicated that Krishna consciousness is the only means of being delivered from the clutches of the contamination of this material world. Sometimes, unscrupulous commentators eschew the meaning of what is clearly stated here: that all devotional service should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Unfortunately, unscrupulous commentators divert the mind of the reader to some other thing which is not at all feasible. Such commentators do not know that there is no difference between Krishna’s Mind and Krishna. Krishna is not an ordinary human being; He is Absolute Truth. His Body, Mind, and He Himself are One and Absolute. But, because they do not know this Science of Krishna, they hide Krishna and divide His Personality from His mind, or from His body. This is sheer ignorance of the Science of Krishna; but some men make a profit out of misleading the people. There are some who are demonic; they also think of Krishna—but enviously; just as King Kamsa, Krishna’s uncle, did. He was also thinking of Krishna always, because he thought of Krishna as his enemy. He was ever in anxiety as to when Krishna would come and kill him. That kind of thinking will not help us. One should be thinking of Krishna in devotional love. That is Bhakti. One should cultivate the knowledge of Krishna continually. The favorable cultivation is to learn from a bona fide teacher. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we have several times explained that His body is not material, but is eternal, blissful knowledge. This kind of talk about Krishna will help one to become a devotee.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Ninth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Most Confidential Knowledge.
10
THE OPULENCE OF THE ABSOLUTE
PURPORT
PARASARMUNI, the great sage, explains that one who is complete in the six opulences of full beauty, strength, fame, wealth, knowledge, and renunciation is called Paramam, or the Supreme Godhead. Krishna displayed all these opulences while on this earth. Now Krishna is about to impart knowledge to Arjuna about His opulences and work. Beginning with the Seventh Chapter, the Lord has been explaining His different energies and how they interact. In the previous chapter He clearly explained His different energies in order to establish firm devotion to Him. Now, He is explaining His various opulences in detail. As one hears about the Supreme God, one becomes fixed in devotional service, and, therefore, hearing of the Lord’s opulences is important. Such discourses should best be held in a society of devotees who are anxious to advance in Krishna consciousness.
PURPORT
IT IS ALSO STATED in The Brahma Samhita that Lord Krishna is the Supreme Lord, the Cause of all causes. The great sages and demigods cannot understand Krishna, His Name, Personality, etc., and certainly mundane scholars cannot begin to comprehend Him. No one can understand why this Supreme comes to earth as an ordinary human being and executes such wonderful and uncommon activities. Even the demigods and great sages have tried to understand Krishna by mental speculation, but have failed. They can speculate to the extent that imperfect senses will allow them, but they cannot really understand Him in this way. Here, Krishna states that He is the Supreme Godhead, eternal, and that He can be understood by studying His words in The Gita and The Srimad Bhagwatam. Those involved in the inferior energy of the Lord (matter) can begin to understand something of the impersonal Brahman, but the Personality of Godhead cannot be conceived unless one is in the transcendental position. Because men cannot understand the Supreme Godhead, He descends out of His causeless mercy. The devotees of the Lord surrender unto Krishna and are thus able to understand Him, but those who endlessly speculate remain ignorant of His true position.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE, intelligence means the power to analyze things in their proper perspective. Knowledge means to understand what is spirit and what is matter. This knowledge is not the ordinary knowledge acquired in universities, but transcendental knowledge. In modern education there is a paucity of spiritual knowledge—knowledge is unfortunately confined to materialism and bodily needs, and is therefore incomplete. Spiritual knowledge is necessary in order for one to be free from doubt and delusion. Nothing should be accepted blindly, but with care and caution. One should practice tolerance and forgive the minor offenses of others. Truthfulness means that facts should not be misrepresented, but should be presented fully, for the benefit of others. Socially, people say that one should speak the truth only when it is palatable to others, but that is not truthfulness. One should always speak the truth, even though it may seem unpalatable at the time. Self-control means that the senses should not be utilized for unnecessary personal enjoyment. Sense indulgence deters spiritual development. Similarly, the mind should not engage in unnecessary thoughts, nor should it dwell on the objects of the senses. One should not spend one’s time pondering over how to make money. One’s thinking powers should be developed in association with those who are authorities on the scriptures: saintly persons and spiritual masters and men whose thinking is highly developed. Pleasure, or happiness, should always be in that which is favorable for the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, or Krishna consciousness. Similarly, that which is painful is that which is unfavorable for the cultivation of such knowledge. Whatever is favorable for the development of Krishna consciousness should be accepted, and what is unfavorable should be rejected. Birth, as mentioned in this verse, is in reference to the body. As far as the soul is concerned, there is neither birth nor death. Birth and death apply to one’s embodiment in the material world. Fearfulness results from worrying over the future. A person in Krishna consciousness has no fear because his activities assure him of going to the spiritual sky, back to Godhead. When one has no knowledge of the next life, then he is in anxiety. Fearfulness is due to one’s absorption in illusory energy, but when one is free from illusory energy and certain that he is not the material body, then he has nothing to fear. Therefore, if one is always situated in Krishna consciousness, he does not fear, for his future is very bright. Nonviolence means that one should not do anything that will put others into misery or confusion. The human body is meant for spiritual realization, and anyone who does not further this end commits violence on the body. Equanimity refers to freedom from attachment and aversion. A person in Krishna consciousness has nothing to accept or reject unless it is useful for prosecuting this consciousness. Satisfaction means that one should not be eager to acquire more and more material goods by unnecessary activity. One should be satisfied with whatever is obtained by the Grace of the Supreme Lord. Austerity and penance refer to the Vedic rules and regulations, such as rising early, taking baths, etc. Although some of these rules may be troublesome, one should practice them. The trouble that is suffered is called penance, or austerity. As for charity, one should give up half of what he earns to a good cause, such as the advancement of Krishna consciousness, or to those engaged in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge for the dissemination of such knowledge. Real fame is attributed to one who is known to be a great devotee, and infamy is due to the lack of such devotion.
All these are manifest throughout the universe in human society, and in the society of the demigods. Krishna gives man these qualities and attributes, but man develops them from within, and advances in Krishna consciousness accordingly. One who engages in Krishna consciousness develops all the good qualities automatically. We should realize that all qualities—good or bad—have their origin in Krishna. Nothing can be manifest in the material world which is not in Krishna.
PURPORT
BRAHMA IS THE ORIGINAL creature born out of the energy of the Supreme Lord, and from Brahma all the great seven sages, and before them the Manus, are manifest. These are all known as the patriarchs of living entities all over the universe. There are innumerable varieties of population on each planet; and all of them are born of these patriarchs. They, in turn, all descend from Brahma, who is born out of the energy of Krishna, the Supreme Godhead.
PURPORT
PURE DEVOTEES, whose characteristics are mentioned here, engage themselves fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Their minds cannot be diverted from the Lotus Feet of Krishna. Their talks are solely transcendental. Twenty-four hours daily, they glorify the Pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts and souls constantly submerged in Krishna, they take pleasure in discussing Him with other devotees. In the preliminary stage of devotional service they relish transcendental pleasure from the service itself; and in the mature stage they are situated in love of God and can relish the highest perfection which is exhibited by the Lord in His Abode. Lord Chaitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a seed in the heart of the living entity. One travels throughout the universe before he is finally fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee who transmits the transcendenta1 seed of the Maha Mantra, the Great Chanting for Deliverance: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare; and with the water of devotional service this seed fructifies. The spiritual plant of devotional service grows and grows and pierces the sky of the material universe, and enters into the Brahmajyoti, the effulgence in the spiritual sky. It finally grows until it reaches the highest spiritual planet, Goloka Vrindaban, the Supreme Planet of Krishna. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter there under the Lotus Feet of Krishna, where it gradually sprouts fruits and flowers. And the chanting and hearing, which is the watering process, continues. Once the plant has taken shelter of the Supreme Lord, it becomes fully absorbed in love of God and cannot live without His contact for a moment, as a fish cannot live without water. All this is explained in The Chaitanya Charitamrita. The Srimad Bhagwatam is also rich with stories of the relationships between devotees and the Lord, and these relationships are fully described in this work. The realized souls take pleasure in hearing these stories.
PURPORT
WHEN LORD CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU was in Benares and promulgating the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, thousands of people were following him. Prakasananda, a great scholar in Benares at the time, derided Lord Chaitanya for being a sentimentalist. Typically, some philosophers criticize the devotees for sentimentalism and philosophical naivete. But this was not the case with Lord Chaitanya, Who was a great scholar, and Who taught the philosophy of devotion. If the spiritual master does not educate the devotee in spiritual knowledge, the Supreme Godhead will do so. Therefore, a person who is in pure Krishna consciousness is not in ignorance. The Lord is telling Arjuna in this verse that there is no possibility of understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth simply by speculating, because It lies beyond man’s reasoning powers. Man can speculate for millions of years, but if he is not a devoted lover of the Supreme Truth, his speculation will be in vain. But by devotional service, the Supreme Truth, which is the Personality of Godhead, is pleased; and He reveals Himself to the heart of the pure devotee by His inconceivable potency. The pure devotee always has Krishna within his heart, and therefore he is just like the sun that dissipates the darkness of ignorance. This is special mercy rendered to the pure devotee by the Supreme Lord. Due to the contamination of material association, through many millions of births, one’s heart is always covered with the dust of materialism; but when one engages in devotional service and chants Hare Krishna, the dust quickly clears and one is elevated to the platform of pure knowledge. This platform can be reached only by devotional service, and not by speculation or argumentation. When the darkness of ignorance is removed, the Supreme Lord takes charge and the devotee has no worries. This is the essence of The Gita’s teaching. By studying The Gita one comes to surrender completely to the Supreme Lord and engages in His service. As the Lord takes charge, he becomes free.
PURPORT
ARJUNA HAS KNOWLEDGE of Krishna through Krishna’s Grace, but here he is asking Krishna to explain His all-pervading Nature because there are others who do not understand it. The all-pervading nature is not the totality of the Divinity, but is sustained by His divine powers and energies. This question is being asked by Arjuna in order that the common people might understand in the future.
PURPORT
THERE ARE TWELVE ADITYAS, of which Krishna is the principal. Among all the luminaries twinkling in the sky, the sun is the chief, and in The Brahma Samhita the sun is accepted as the glowing effulgence of the Supreme Lord. Marichi is the controlling deity of the heavenly spaces.
PURPORT
THERE ARE ELEVEN Rudras of which Shankara, Lord Shiva, is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord and is in charge of the modes of ignorance in the material universe. Kuvera is a master treasurer and a representative of the Supreme Lord. Meru is a mountain famed for its rich natural resources.
PURPORT
INDRA IS THE CHIEF DEMIGOD of all planets and is known as the king of the heavens. Brihashpati is Indra’s priest and is, therefore, the chief of all priests. Similarly Skanda and Lord Shiva are the chiefs of all military commanders. And of all bodies of water, the ocean is the greatest. These representations of Krishna only give hints of His greatness.
PURPORT
BRAHMA, THE FIRST living creature within the universe, created several sons for the propagation of various kinds of species. The most powerful among his sons is Bhrigu, who is the greatest sage. Of all transcendental vibrations, Om (the Omkara) is the representation of Krishna. Of all sacrifices, the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the purest representation of Krishna. Whatever is sublime in the worlds is a representation of Krishna. Therefore, the Himalayas, the greatest mountains, also represent Him. The mountain named Meru was mentioned in a previous verse, but Meru is movable. In contrast, the Himalayas are immovable and so are mentioned here.
PURPORT
THE FIG TREE (Asvattha) is one of the most beautiful and tallest trees, and people in India often worship it as one of their daily morning rituals. Amongst the demigods they also worship Narada, who is considered the greatest of demigods in the universe. Therefore, these are considered as representations of Krishna. The Gandharva planets are filled with entities who sing beautifully, and among them the best singer is Chitraratha. Kapila is considered an incarnation of Krishna, and his philosophy is given in The Srimad Bhagwatam.
PURPORT
THE DEVOTEE DEMIGODS and the asura demons once took a sea journey. On this journey, nectar and poison were produced and Lord Shiva drank the poison. From the nectar were produced many entities of which there was a nice horse named Ucchaisrava. This horse was a representation of Krishna. Another animal produced from the nectar was an elephant named Airavata, who was also a representation of Krishna. These animals have special significance because they were produced from nectar. Kings are mentioned here because at one time they were appointed due to their godly qualifications, and were truly superior men. Kings like Maharaj Parikshit or Lord Rama were highly righteous and always considered their subjects’ welfare. Therefore, in Vedic literature, the king is considered the representative of God. With the corruption of the principles of religion in the Age of Kali, monarchy decayed and has been largely abolished. People were much happier, however, under a righteous and godly king.
PURPORT
THE THUNDERBOLT, indeed a mighty weapon, is a representation of Krishna’s power. In Krishnaloka, in the spiritual sky, there is a cow called the Surabhi cow which can give a limitless supply of milk. In this supreme planet, the Lord is engaged in herding these Surabhi cows. Kandarpa is the god of love, the procreator. Of course, procreation is for begetting good children; otherwise it is considered sense gratification. When sex is not for sense gratification, it is the representation of Krishna.
PURPORT
AMONG THE MANY celestial Naga snakes, Ananta is the greatest, as is Varuna among the aquatics. They both represent Krishna. There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryama, who represents Krishna. And Yama dispenses punishment to miscreants who are sent to the hellish planets. Those who are very sinful in their earth life have to undergo different kinds of punishment on hellish planets. This punishment, however, is not eternal.
PURPORT
DITI AND ADITI are two sisters. The sons of Aditi are called Adityas, and the sons of Diti are called Daityas. All the Adityas are devotees of the Lord, and all the Daityas are atheistic. Although Prahlada was born in the family of the Daityas, he was a great devotee from his childhood. Because of his steadfast devotional service, he is considered to be representative of Krishna.
There are many subduing principles, but Time wears down all things in the material universe, and so represents Krishna. Of animals, the lion is often considered the most powerful and ferocious. And of great birds, the greatest is Garuda, who carries Vishnu.
PURPORT
AMONG AQUATICS, the shark is one of the biggest and is certainly the most dangerous to man. Of course, Rama is the great warrior incarnation who is the subject of the epic Ramayana, and the Ganges is the principal river of India.
PURPORT
AMONG THE VEDAS, the Samaveda is rich in beautiful songs to be played for the different demigods. One of these songs is the Brihat-Saman, which has an exquisite melody and which is sung at midnight.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry. The Gayatri verse is sung by the Brahmins duly qualified. The Srimad Bhagwatam recommends the Gayatri verse as being especially good for God realization. One who can successfully chant this verse can enter into the Lord’s transcendental position. In order to chant the Gayatri verse, one must be perfectly situated in the modes of goodness. The verse is considered a sound incarnation of Brahman. Brahma is its initiator, and it is passed down by disciplic succession starting with him.
The months of November and December are considered the best of all months, because in India grains are collected from the fields at this time and the people become very happy. Of course, spring is a season universally liked because it is neither too hot nor too cold and the flowers and trees blossom and flourish. In Vrindaban, Krishna’s birthplace, there are many ceremonies at this time, celebrating Krishna’s Pastimes. Spring, the best of all seasons, represents Krishna.
PURPORT
THERE ARE MANY KINDS of cheaters all over the universe. Of all cheating processes, gamb1ing stands supreme, and therefore represents Krishna. As the Supreme, Krishna can be more deceitful than any mere man. If Krishna chooses to deceive a person, no one can surpass Him in deceit. His greatness is not simply one-sided—it is all-sided. Among the victorious, He is victory, and among the splendid, He is splendor. Among enterprising industrialists, He is the most enterprising; among adventurers, He is the most adventurous, and among the strong, He is the strongest. Even as a child, no one could surpass Him in strength, for He lifted Govardhan Hill with one hand. Clearly, the Godhead excels in all things.
PURPORT
VASUDEVA IS AN immediate expansion of Krishna; Arjuna is the most famous and valiant of the sons of Pandu. Indeed, he is the best of men and therefore represents Krishna. Among the Munis, or learned men conversant in Vedic knowledge, Vyasa is the greatest because he explained Vedic knowledge in many different ways for the common people in this Age of Kali to understand. Vyasa is indeed a very opulent literary incarnation, and therefore represents Krishna. Kavis are those who are capable of thinking thoroughly on any subject. Among the Kavis, Usana was the spiritual master of the demons, extremely intelligent, spiritual in every way, and a politician of great insight. Usana therefore represents another facet of Krishna’s opulence.
PURPORT
THERE ARE MANY oppressing agents, of which the most important are those that cut down the miscreants. When miscreants are punished, the rod of chastisement represents Krishna. Among the activities of hearing, thinking, and meditating, silence is most important because by silence one can make spiritual progress very quickly. The wise man is he who can discriminate between matter and spirit, between God’s superior and inferior natures. Such knowledge is Krishna Himself.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME LORD is represented throughout the entire material universes by His entering into all things as the Supersoul. The Lord here tells Arjuna that there is no point in understanding how things exist in separate grandeur. He should see all things as existing due to Krishna’s entering them as Supersoul. From Brahma, the most gigantic material entity, on down to the smallest ant—all entities are existing because the Supreme Lord has entered each and is sustaining it. Worship of demigods is discouraged because even the greatest demigods, such as Brahma and Shiva, only represent a part of the Supreme Lord’s opulence. The Supreme Lord is asamardha, which means that no one is greater than He, or equal to Him. By studying the opulences of Krishna, one can come to understand why one should worship Him. Pure devotees concentrate their minds in Krishna consciousness, in full devotional service; and so they worship Him Who sustains the entire cosmic manifestation by one fraction of His divine Yoga-power.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Tenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Opulence of the Absolute.
11
THE UNIVERSAL FORM
PURPORT
THIS CHAPTER SHOWS that Krishna is the Cause of all causes. He is even the Cause of the Maha Vishnu, from Whom the material universes emanate. Krishna is not an incarnation; He is the Source of all incarnations. That has been completely explained in the last chapter. Now, so far as Arjuna is concerned, he says that his illusion is past. The illusion was like this: Arjuna thought Krishna a human being, a friend of his. But after the explanations in the Tenth Chapter, he is now convinced that Krishna is the Source of everything. So he is now very enlightened, and is very glad that he has such a great Friend as Krishna. But in spite of being thus convinced, he also thought that, although he might accept Krishna as the Source of everything, others may not. So in order to aid his transcendental friends regarding Krishna’s divinity, he is requesting, in this chapter, to see the Universal Form. Actually, when you see the Universal Form of Krishna, it will frighten you. But Krishna is so kind to Arjuna that, after the display, He reverts to His Original Form. Arjuna agrees with what Krishna has said several times: I am speaking to you just for your benefit. So Arjuna acknowledges that all this has happened by Krishna’s Grace.
PURPORT
THE LORD SAID, I have entered into this material universe by My Personal presentation, and therefore the cosmic manifestation has been possible, and is going on. Now, Arjuna is inspired by this present state of Krishna; but in order to convince others in the future, who may think Krishna an ordinary person, he desires to see Him in His Universal Form: how He acts from within the universe, although He is apart from it. Arjuna’s address to the Lord here is most significant: As the Lord is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and is present with Arjuna himself, He knew the desire of Arjuna. Lord Krishna could understand that Arjuna had no special desire to see Him in His Universal Form, because he was completely satisfied by the Personal Form of Krishna He could understand that Arjuna wanted to see the Universal Forrn only for future guidance, because in the future there would be so many imposters who would pose themselves as incarnations of God. People should, therefore, be careful, and before accepting such nonsense one should try to see the Universal Form of such a misrepresentation of God.
PURPORT
IT IS SAID THAT nobody can see or hear or understand or perceive the Supreme Lord Krishna, by material researches. But if one is engaged in loving transcendental service to the Lord, then one can see the Lord by revelation. Every living entity is only a spiritual spark. Therefore, it is not possible to see or to understand the Supreme Lord. Arjuna, as a devotee, does not depend on his speculative strength, but he admits his inability, acknowledging his position. So he could understand that for a living entity it is not possible to understand the unlimited infinite. If the infinite reveals itself, then it is possible to understand the nature of the infinite, by the mercy of the infinite. The word yogesvara, Master of All Mystic Power, is also very significant, because the Lord is the inconceivable power. If He liked, he could reveal Himself—although He is unlimited—by His Grace. Therefore, Arjuna pleads to the inconceivable Grace; not that he gave Krishna orders. Krishna is not obliged to reveal Himself to anyone, unless one surrenders fully in Krishna consciousness and engages in devotional service. So this revelation is not possible for persons who depend on the strength of their mental speculations.
PURPORT
ARJUNA WANTED to see Krishna in His Universal Form, which, although transcendental, is only suitable for the cosmic manifestation, and is subject to the temporary time of this material Nature. As the material Nature is manifested and not manifested, so is this Form of Krishna, which is not eternally situated in the spiritual sky, as other Forms are.
PURPORT
THE PURE DEVOTEE does not like to see Krishna in any other Form except in His Form with two hands, and therefore a devotee has to see the Universal Form by the Grace of the Lord—not with the mind, but with the eyes. To see the Universal Form of Krishna, Arjuna is warned not to change his mind, but to change his vision. The Universal Form of Krishna is not very important—that will be clear in the succeeding verses—but still, because Arjuna wanted to see It, the Lord offered him the particular vision to see that Form. Devotees who are correctly in transcendental relationship with Krishna are attracted by loving features, not by the Godless display of opulence. The playmates of Krishna, the friends of Krishna, the parents of Krishna—these never desire Krishna to show His opulences. They are so immersed in pure love that they do not even know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In their loving exchange they forget that Krishna is the Supreme Lord. In The Srimad Bhagwatam it is stated that the boys who are playing with Krishna are all highly pious souls, so that after many, many births they are now able to play with Him. Such boys do not know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They take Him as a personal Friend, and are playing. The fact is that the devotee is not concerned to see Viswa Rupa, or the Universal Form; but Arjuna wanted to see this Viswa Rupa not for himself, but to establish Krishna’s position, so that, in future history, people could understand that Krishna not only theoretically presented Himself as the Supreme, but actually presented Himself. And it is confirmed by Arjuna, who is the beginning of Parampara, the chain of disciplic succession.
PURPORT
THE SANSKRIT WORD tatra, there, is very significant. It means that both Arjuna and Krishna were sitting on the chariot. Although Arjuna was visualizing the Universal Form of the Lord, both of Them were seated on the chariot. Others who were present on the battlefield could not see. This is because of the eyes of Arjuna. Arjuna saw in the Body of Krishna many thousands of universes, with many planets: Some of them are made of earth, some of them are made of gold, some of them are made of jewels; some of them are very great, some of them not so great. All these varieties Arjuna could see while sitting on his chariot. No one else could understand what was going on between Arjuna and Krishna.
PURPORT
IN THE PREVIOUS verses the Lord said, "I shall show you other things also, which you may be interested to see." Now Arjuna is seeing that the enemies—Bhisma, Drona, Karna, and all the sons of Dhritarashtra—are being smashed with their soldiers; and Arjuna sees that his soldiers are also being smashed. This indicates that, after the death of all the persons assembled at Kurukshetra, Arjuna will be victorious. It is also mentioned that Bhisma, who is supposed to be unconquerable by Arjuna, will be smashed. So also Karna. Nor will only the great warriors of the other party, like Bhisma, be smashed, but some of the great warriors on the side of Arjuna will also fall.
PURPORT
ALTHOUGH ARJUNA KNEW that Krishna was his Friend and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, still he was puzzled by the various forms exhibited to him by Krishna. Therefore, he asked about the actual mission of this devastating force. It says in the Vedic literature that the Supreme Truth destroys everything, even Brahma. This form of the Supreme Lord is the all-devouring giant. Here Krishna presents Himself in that Form of Time, and He expresses His determination that, except for the Pandavas, everyone who was present on the battlefield should be devoured by Him. Now, Arjuna was not in favor of the fight, so maybe he thought it better not to engage, and then there would be no frustration. In reply to which the Lord said, even if you do not fight, the plan is already made, and every one of them will be destroyed. If you stop fighting they will die in another way. Death cannot be checked, even if you do not fight. The purport is that when the time has come for destruction, any manifestation may be vanquished, by the desire of the Supreme Lord. That is the law of Nature.
PURPORT
ARJUNA, AFTER HEARING from Krishna about the preconceived decision regarding the Battle of Kurukshetra, was enlightened. He now says that everything done by Krishna is quite fitting. The idea is: Arjuna confirmed that Krishna as the Maintainer and the Object of worship of the devotees, and Krishna as the Destroyer of the undesirables, is in each case equally good. He understood that, while the Battle of Kurukshetra was being concluded, there were present in outer space many demigods, siddhas, and the intelligentsia of different planets. They were observing the fight because Krishna was present there. So when he saw the Universal Form of the Lord, killing the undesirables, they took pleasure in it. But others, the demons and atheists, could not bear it when the Lord was praised. Out of their natural fear of the Devastating Form of the Supreme Personality of Goclhead, they fled away. This kind of treatment to the devotees and the atheists by the Supreme Person is eulogized by Arjuna. The devotee glorifies the Lord, because he knows that whatever is done by the Supreme is good for all.
PURPORT
EVERYTHING, EVEN THE PURE effulgence, or Brahman, rests on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He is the Knower of everything that is happening in this world, and if knowledge has any end, He is that end. Therefore, He is the known and the knowable. He is the Object of knowledge because He is all-pervading. Because He is the Cause, dwelling in the spiritual world, He is transcendental, and He is Chief in the transcendental world.
PURPORT
THE LORD IS addressed here as the air because the air is the most important representation of all the demigods. He is the all-pervading demigod. And He is addressed as the grandfather because He is the father even of Brahma, the first living creature of this universe.
PURPORT
KRISHNA IS NOW manifested before Arjuna in the Universal Form, but Arjuna cannot forget his friendly relationship with the Supreme Lord. Therefore, he is asking pardon, and requesting Him to excuse him. He is admitting that, formerly, he did not know Krishna could assume such a Form, although it was explained. "How many times I have dishonored You by addressing You, O my Friend, O Krishna, O Yadava, without knowing Your opulence!" But Krishna is so kind and merciful that, in spite of such opulence, He played with Arjuna as a Friend. That is the transcendental loving reciprocation between the devotee and the Lord. The relationship with the living entity and Krishna is fixed eternally. It cannot be forgotten, as we can see from the behavior of Arjuna; for although he saw such opulence in the Universal Form, he could not forget his relationship of friendliness.
PURPORT
THE LORD IS eternally situated in hundreds and thousands of myriad Forms, and principal among these are Rama, Nrishingha, Narayana, and so on. Arjuna knew that Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead; but, as He had assumed His temporary Viswarupa, the Universal Form, now Arjuna’s inquisitiveness increased, and he also wanted to see the Form of Narayana. This confirms without any doubt the statement of The Srimad Bhagwatam—that Krishna is the Original Personality of Godhead, and all other Features originate from Him. It is also clearly stated there that He is not different from His plenary expansions. He is God in any of His innumerable Forms, and all those Forms are fresh, just like a young man. That is the Feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who knows Krishna thus, at once becomes free from all contamination of the material world.
PURPORT
NO ONE HAD SEEN the Universal Form of the Lord before Arjuna; but when the Form was shown to him, devotees on the heavenly planets, and in outer space also, were fortunate enough to behold It. They had not seen It before, but, because of Arjuna, they were now able to see It. Someone has commented that this Form had been previously shown to Duryodhana, when Krishna went to him, negotiating peace. Unfortunately, Duryodhana did not accept the peace offer, but at that time Krishna manifested some of His Universal Forms. That was different, however, from the one which was shown here to Arjuna. It is clearly mentioned that no one has seen It before.
PURPORT
WHEN KRISHNA appeared in this world as the Son of Vasudeva and Devaki, He first of all showed His Four-handed Narayana Form; and then, requested by the parents, He transformed Himself and became just like an ordinary child. Similarly, Krishna knew that Arjuna was not interested to see a Four-handed Form of Krishna, but as he asked to see this Form, It was shown to him, and then Krishna showed Himself in His Two-handed Form. The Sanskrit word saumyavapur in this verse is very significant. Saumyavapur means a very beautiful form; or, the most beautiful form. When He was present, everyone was attracted by Krishna. Because Krishna is the Director of the universe, He washed the fearfulness out of Arjuna, His devotee, and showed Him again His beautiful Form as Krishna. It has been stated that only a person whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of love can see the beautiful Form of Sri Krishna.
PURPORT
IN THE FORTY-EIGHTH VERSE of this chapter, when the Lord concluded the manifestation of His Universal Form, He informed Arjuna that this Form is not visible by dint of so many activities—penances, charities, sacrifices, etc. Now here it is said that, although one may be able to see the Universal Form of Krishna by adding a little tinge of devotional service to the various pious activities, still, beyond that Universal Form, the Form of Krishna with two hands is yet more difficult to see, even for demigods like Brahma and Lord Shiva. We have evidence in The Srimad Bhagwatam that, when Krishna was in the womb of His mother, Devaki, all the demigods from Heaven came to see the marvel of Krishna, and they offered nice prayers to the Lord, although He was not at that time visible to them. They waited to see Krishna. Therefore, the foolish person may mock at Him, that He is an ordinary man, and one may not offer respect to Him, but, rather, to the impersonal something which is within Him—but these are nonsensical postures. Krishna is desired by demigods like Brahma and Shiva. They long to see Him in this Two-handed Form. In The Bhagavad Gita it is elsewhere confirmed that He is not visible to the foolish who deride Him. Now, the reason for mocking at Krishna’s Form may be stated as follows: Krishna’s Body is completely spiritual, full of bliss, and eternal. His Body is never like our material body. But for those who are making a cultural phenomenon of Krishna, by studying The Bhagavad Gita or similar Vedic scriptures, He is a problem. This problem has three methods of approach: by the transcendental process, by the material process, and by the speculative process. According to the material process, Knshna is considered a great historical personality, a very learned philosopher; but He isn’t an ordinary man. And, even though He was so powerful, He had to accept a material body. The Absolute Truth is impersonal, and therefore His manifestation means that, from the impersonal Feature, He has assumed a Personal Feature, attached to material Nature. This is the materialistic calculation of the Supreme Lord. The next calculation is speculative: Those who are in search of knowledge also speculate on Krishna, and consider Him less important than the Universal Form. They think also that the Universal Form of Krishna which was manifested to Arjuna is more important than His Personal Form. According to them, the Personal Form of the Supreme is something like imagination. Otherwise, in the ultimate issue, the Absolute Truth is not a person. And, next, the transcendental process: The transcendental process is described in The Bhagavad Gita, Second Chapter: to hear about Krishna from authorities. That is the actual Vedic process, and those who are in the Vedic line hear about Krishna from authority. And, through repeatedly hearing about Him, Krishna becomes dear. Because, as we have several times discussed, Krishna is covered by the Yogamaya potency, He is not to be seen by, or revealed to, anyone and everyone. Only those to whom He reveals Himself can see Him. This is confirmed in Vedic literature: By anyone who is a surrendered soul, the Absolute Truth can actually be understood. This transcendentalist, by continuous Krishna consciousness, being engaged in devotional service to Krishna, has his spiritual eyes opened. Krishna is seen by him, through revelation. Such a revelation is not available even to the demigods; even for them it is difficult to understand Krishna. And amongst the demigods, those who are a little advanced are always in hope of seeing Krishna in His Two-hand Form. The conclusion is that, although to see the Universal Form of Krishna is very, very difficult, and not possible for anyone and everyone, it is still more difficult to understand His Personal Form as Syamasundar.
PURPORT
ANYONE WHO WANTS to approach the Supreme of all the Personalities of Godhead, on the Krishnaloka planet in the spiritual sky, and be intimately connected with the Supreme Personality, Krishna, must take this formula, as is stated by the Supreme Himself. Therefore, this verse is considered to be the essence of The Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is a book directed to the conditioned souls, who are engaged in the material world with the purpose of lording it over Nature, and who do not know of the real, spiritual life. The Bhagavad Gita is meant to show how one can understand his spiritual existence, and his eternal relationship with the Supreme Spiritual Personality; and to teach one how to go back Home, back to Godhead. Now here is the verse which clearly explains the process by which one can attain success in his spiritual activity: devotional service. So far as work is concerned, one should transfer his energy entirely to Krishna activities. No work should be done by any man, except in relationship to Krishna. This is called Krishna-karma. People may be engaged in many various activities, but one should not be attached to the result of the activity: It should only be done for Him. For example, one may be engaged in business. Just to transform that business activity into Krishna consciousness, one has to do business for Krishna. If Krishna is the Proprietor of the business, then Krishna should enjoy the profit of the business. That should begin. Now the problem of support: If a businessman is in possession of thousands and thousands of dollars, and if he has to offer it to Krishna, he can do it. This is work for Krishna. Instead of constructing a big building for his sense gratification, he can construct a nice temple for Krishna, and he can install the deity of Krishna, and arrange for the deity’s service, as is mentioned in the authorized books of devotional service. These are all Krishna-karma. One should not be attached to the result of his work, but the result should be offered to Krishna, and he should accept as prasadam, food, the remnants of nice offerings to Krishna. If, however, one is not able to construct a temple for Krishna, one can engage himself in cleansing the temple of Krishna; that is also Krishna-karma. One can engage himself to have a garden. Anyone who has land—in India, at least, any poor man has got a certain length of land—can utilize that for Krishna, by growing flowers to offer to Krishna. He can sow the plants of Tulasi, because Tulasi leaves are very important, and Krishna has recommended this in The Bhagavad Gita. Krishna desires that one offer Him either a leaf, or a flower, or a little water—and He is satisfied. This leaf especially refers to Tulasi. So one can sow Tulasi leaves and pour water on the plant. Thus, even the poorest man can be engaged in the service of Krishna, with all this paraphernalia. These are some of the examples of how one can engage in working for Krishna.
A devotee of Krishna is friendly to everyone. Therefore, it is said here that he has no enemy. How is this? A devotee situated in Krishna consciousness knows that only devotional service to Krishna can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Krishna consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord risking their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the non-devotees, but He sacrified His life only for spreading God consciousness. Of course, it would be superficial to understand that He was killed. Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Thakur Haridas. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Krishna consciousness, and it is difficult. A Krishna conscious person knows that if a man is in suffering, it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krishna. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is to relieve one’s neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. Now, we can imagine how merciful Krishna is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore, it is sure and certain that such persons must reach the Supreme Planet after leaving this body.
The summary of this Eleventh Chapter is: The Universal Form of Krishna, which is a temporary manifestation, and the Form of Time which devours everything, and even the Form of Vishnu, Four-handed—all these Forms have been exhibited by Krishna; and Krishna is the Origin of all these manifestations. It is not that Krishna is a manifestation of the original Viswarupa, or Vishnu. Krishna is the Origin of all other Forms. There are hundreds and thousands of Vishnus. But for a devotee, no other form of Krishna is important except the Original Form, Two-handed, Syamasundar. In The Brahma Samhita, it is stated that those who are attached to the Syamasundar Form of Krishna by love and devotion can see Him always within the heart, and cannot see anything else. One should understand, therefore, that the purport of this Eleventh Chapter is that the Form of Krishna is essential and Supreme.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eleventh Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Universal Form.
12
DEVOTIONAL SERVICE
PURPORT
KRISHNA HAS NOW explained about the personal, the impersonal, and the universal, and has described all kinds of devotees and yogis. Generally, the transcendentalists can be divided into two classes. One is the impersonalist, and the other is the personalist. The personalist devotee engages himself with all energy in the service of the Supreme Lord. The impersonalist also engages himself, not directly in the service of Krishna, but in meditation on the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested.
We find in this chapter that, of the different processes for realization of the Absolute Truth, Bhaktiyoga, devotional service, is the highest. If one at all desires to have the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he must take to devotional service.
In the Second Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita, it was explained by the Supreme Lord that a living entity is not material—the body; he is a spiritual spark. And the Absolute Truth is the Spiritual Whole. Now, qualitative equality of the Spiritual Whole and the spiritual spark exists. In the Seventh Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita it was said that, if the living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Whole, transfers his attention fully and only to the Supreme Whole, Krishna, he is the most perfect of all yogis. Then again, in the Eighth Chapter, it was said that anyone who thinks of Krishna at the time of quitting his body is at once transferred to the spiritual sky, to the Abode of Krishna. And, at the end of the Sixth Chapter, it was clearly said by the Lord that, of all yogis, one who always thinks of Krishna within himself is considered to be the most perfect. So in practically every chapter the conclusion has been that one should be attached to the Personal Form of Krishna; and that is the highest spiritual realization.
Nevertheless, there are those who are not attached to the Personal Form of Krishna. They are so firmly detached that, even in the preparation of commentaries to The Bhagavad Gita, they want to distract other people from Krishna, and transfer all devotion to the impersonal Brahmajyoti. They prefer to meditate on the impersonal Form of the Absolute Truth, which is beyond the reach of the senses and is not manifest.
And so, factually, there are two classes of transcendentalists. Now Arjuna is trying to settle the question of which process is easier, and which of the classes is most perfect. In other words, he is clarifying his own position, because he is attached to the Personal Form of Krishna. He is not attached to the impersonal Brahman. And so he wants to know whether his position is secure. The impersonal manifestation, either in this material world or in the spiritual world of the Supreme Lord, is a problem for meditation. Practically, no one is able to conceive perfectly of the impersonal Feature of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, Arjuna wants to say: What is the use of such a waste of time? By his experience it is said, in the Eleventh Chapter, that to be attached to the Personal Form of Krishna is best; because he could thus understand all other Forms at the same time, and there was no disturbance to his love for Krishna. This important question of Arjuna to Krishna will clarify the distinction between the impersonal and personal conceptions of the Absolute Truth.
PURPORT
THE GROUP OF transcendentalists who follow the path of the inconceivable, unmanifested, impersonal Feature of the Supreme Lord are called Jnanayogis; and persons who are in full Krishna consciousness, engaged in devotional service to the Lord, are called Bhaktiyogis. Now, here the difference between Jnanayoga and Bhaktiyoga is definitely expressed: The process of Jnanayoga, although ultimately bringing one to the same goal, is very troublesome; whereas the path of Bhaktiyoga, the process of being in direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is easier, and is natural for the embodied soul. The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the Bhaktiyogi accepts the deity of Krishna as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. Of course, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Form within the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be saguna and nirguna—of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the deity in the temple is saguna worship—the Lord represented in the material qualities; but the Form of the Lord even in the material qualities, such as when made of stone, wood, or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the Absolute Nature of the Supreme Lord.
A crude example may be given here: We may find some mailboxes on the street, and if we post our letters in those boxes, they will naturally go to their destination without any difficulty. But any old box, or an imitation, which we may find somewhere, which is not authorized by the post office, will not do the work. Similarly, God has an authorized representation in the deity Form, which is called Archa Vigraha. This Archa Vigraha is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. God will accept service through that Form. The Lord is omnipotent and all-powerful; therefore, by His incarnation as Archa Vigraha, He can accept the services of the devotee, just to make it convenient for the man in conditioned life.
So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and directly; whereas, for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization, the path is difficult. They have to understand the non-manifested representation of the Supreme through such Vedic literature as the Upanishads, and they have to learn the language, understand the non-perceptual feelings, and they have to realize all these processes. Not very easy for a common man. A person in Krishna consciousness, engaged in devotional service, simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances unto this deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. There is no doubt that the impersonalists are unnecessarily taking some troublesome path, with the risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the ultimate end. But the personalist, without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly. A similar passage appears in The Srimad Bhagwatam, where it says that, if ultimately one has to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (which surrendering process is called Bhakti), but instead takes the trouble to understand what is Brahman and what is not Brahman, spending his whole life in that way, the result is simply troublesome. Therefore, it is advised here that one should not take up this troublesome path of self-realization, because there is uncertainty in the ultimate result.
A living entity is eternally an individual soul, and if he wants to merge into the Spiritual Whole, he may accomplish the realization of the eternal and knowledgeable aspects of his original nature, but the blissful portion is not realized. By the grace of some devotee, such a transcendentalist, highly learned in the process of Jnanayoga, may come to the point of Bhaktiyoga, or devotional service. At that time, long practice in impersonalism also becomes a source of trouble, because he cannot give up the idea. Therefore, an embodied soul is always in difficulty with the unmanifest: at the time of practice, and at the time of realization. Every living soul is partially independent, and one should know certainly that this non-manifested realization is against the nature of his spiritual, blissful self. One should not take up this process. For every individual living entity the process of Krishna consciousness, being fully engaged in devotional service, is the best way. If one wants to ignore this devotional service, there is the danger of turning into an atheist. In the modern age, when this impersonal philosophy has received so much stress, the people are turning to atheism in great numbers. Therefore, this process of drawing attention to the non-manifested, the inconceivable, which is beyond the approach of the senses, as already expressed in this verse, should never be encouraged at any time—but especially in this age. It is not advised by Lord Krishna.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE, two different processes of Bhaktiyoga are indicated. The first refers to one who has actually developed an attachment for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by transcendental love. And the other is for one who has not developed an attachment for the Supreme Person by transcendental love. For this second class there are different prescribed rules and regulations, which they can follow ultimately to be elevated to the stage of attachment.
Bhaktiyoga means to purify the senses. At the present moment in material existence the senses are always impure, being engaged in sense gratification. But, by the practice of Bhaktiyoga, these senses can become purified, and in the purified state the senses become directly connected with the Supreme Lord. In this material existence, suppose I am engaged in some service, with some master: But I don’t really serve my master; I serve to get some money. And the master also is not in love, but takes service from me and pays me. So there is no question of love. But for spiritual life, we have to be elevated to the pure stage of love. That stage of love can be achieved by practice of devotional service, performed with the present senses.
This love of God is now in a dormant state in everyone’s heart. And, there, love of God is manifested in different ways—contaminated by the material association. Now the material association has to be purified, and that dormant, natural love for Krishna has to be revived. That is the whole process.
PURPORT
ONE WHO IS NOT able even to practice the regulated principles of Bhaktiyoga, under the guidance of a spiritual master, can still be drawn to this perfectional stage by working for the Supreme Lord. How to do this work has already been explained in the fifty-fifth verse of the Eleventh Chapter: One should be sympathetic to the propagation of Krishna consciousness. There are many devotees who are engaged in the propagation of Krishna consciousness, and they require help. So, even if one cannot directly practice the regulated principles of Bhaktiyoga, he can try to help such propaganda work. Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization, and labor. Just as, in business, one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some labor, and some organization to make propaganda, so the same is required in the service of Krishna. The only difference is that materialism means to work for sense gratification. The same work, however, can be performed for the satisfaction of Krishna: that is spiritual activity. So one, if he has sufficient money, can help in building an office or temple for propagating Krishna consciousness. Or he can help with publication work. There are various fields of activity, and one should be interested in such activities. If one cannot sacrifice the result of such activities, the same person can still sacrifice some percentage to propagate Krishna consciousness. This voluntary service to the cause of Krishna consciousness will help one to rise to a higher state of love for God, whereupon one becomes perfect.
PURPORT
IF THERE ARE impediments to accepting Krishna consciousness, one may try to give up the results of his actions. In that respect social service, community service, national service, sacrifice for the country—and there are so many other things—may be accepted, so that someday he may come to the stage of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In The Bhagavad Gita we find it stated that to try to serve the Supreme Cause, although not knowing that it is Krishna Who is the Cause of all causes, will bring one ultimately to the Goal.
PURPORT
TO REACH THE Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Highest Goal, there are two processes. One is by gradual development, and the other is direct. Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is the direct method, and the other method is to first renounce the result of one’s activities, then come to the stage of knowledge, then come to the stage of meditation, then come to the stage of understanding the Supersoul, then come to the stage of knowing the Supreme Person. One may take it step by step, or directly. But the direct process is not possible for everyone, and so the indirect method is also useful. It is better, however, to accept the direct process of chanting the holy Name of Lord Krishna.
PURPORT
A DEVOTEE IS free from all bad association. Sometimes one is praised and sometimes defamed: that is the nature of human society. But a devotee is always transcendental to such artificial reputation and defamation, as he is to distress or happiness. He is very patient, and he does not speak except on the topics of Krishna. Therefore, he is called silent. Silent does not mean that one should not speak at all: Silent means one should not speak nonsense. One should speak only of the essential, and the most essential speech for the devotee is to speak for the Supreme Lord. Therefore he is silent. He is happy in all conditions. Sometimes he may get very luxurious foodstuffs, and sometimes he may not get such a thing; but he is satisfied even by the most ordinary food, or the most ordinary residence. He does not care for any residential facility. He may sometimes live underneath a tree, and he may sometimes live in a very palatial building; neither of them has any special attraction for him. He is called fixed because he is fixed in his determination and knowledge. We may find some repetitions of the same words in this description of the qualifications of a devotee. But that is not actually repetition. It is meant to emphasize the fact that a devotee must acquire all these qualities. Without good qualifications one cannot be a pure devotee. And, again, there is no good qualification in a person who is not a devotee. Therefore, one who wants to be recognized as a devotee must develop these things. Of course, he does not extraneously endeavor to acquire each one, but his engagement in Krishna consciousness and devotional service automatically helps him to develop these symptoms.
PURPORT
REGARDING THE QUESTION of who is better—one engaged in the pursuit of the impersonal Brahman, or one engaged in the personal service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—the Lord replied quite explicitly—saying that there is not doubt about it—that devotional service to the Personality of Godhead is the best of all processes for spiritual realization. The impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth, as described in this chapter in order to dispel the doubts of Arjuna, is recommended only up to the time when one can surrender himself for self-realization. In other words, so long as one does not have the chance of association with a pure devotee, the impersonal conception may be good.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Twelfth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Devotional Service.
13
NATURE, THE ENJOYER, AND CONSCIOUSNESS
PURPORT
ARJUNA WAS INQUISITIVE about prakriti, or Nature; Purusha, or the Enjoyer; Kshetra, the field; Kshetrajna, its knower; and about knowledge and the object of knowledge. When he inquired about all these things to Krishna, Krishna said that this body is called the field, and that one who knows this body is called the knower of the field. This body is the field of activity for the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul is entrapped in material existence, attempting to lord it over the matenal Nature. And so, according to his capacity to lord it over the material Nature, he gets a field of activity. That field of activity is this body. And what is this body? This body is made of senses. The conditioned soul wants to enjoy sense gratification, and, according to his capacity to enjoy sense gratification, he is offered this body, or field of activity. Therefore, this body is called Kshetra, or the field of activity for the conditioned soul. Now, the person who identifies himself with this body is called Kshetrajna, the knower of the field. It is not very difficult to understand the difference between the field and its knower; the body and the knower of the body. Any person, if he considers that from his childhood to his old age he has made so many changes of body, and yet is still one person remaining, then the difference between the knower of the field of activities and the actual field of activities becomes distinct.
In the first six chapters of The Bhagavad Gita, the knower of the body, the living entity, is very nicely described, and the position needed to understand the Supreme Lord is also described. In the middle six chapters of The Gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is described, and the relationship between the individual soul and the Supersoul, in regard to devotional service. The superior position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the subordinate position of the individual soul, are definitely described in these chapters. The living entities are subordinate under all circumstances, but in their forgetfulness they are suffering. When enlightened by pious activities, they approach the Supreme Lord in different capacities: as the distressed, as those in want of money, as the inquisitive, and as those in search of knowledge. Now, starting with the Thirteenth Chapter, how the living entity comes into contact with material Nature, and how he is delivered by the Supreme Lord through different methods of fruitive activities, cultivation of knowledge, and the discharge of devotional service, will be nicely explained. Although the living entity is completely different from this material body, he somehow becomes related, and this will also be explained.
PURPORT
THE LORD SAYS that He is also the Knower of the field of activities in every individual body. I may be knower of my body, but I’m not in knowledge of other bodies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, Who is present as Supersoul in my body, knows everything about my body, and about other bodies as well. He knows all the different bodies of all the various species of life. A citizen may know everything about his patch of land; but the king knows not only his palace, but all about the things possessed by the individual citizens. Similarly, I may be the proprietor of this body individually, but the Supreme Lord is the Proprietor of all bodies. The king is the original proprietor of the kingdom, and the citizen is the secondary proprietor. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is the Supreme Proprietor of all bodies. The bodies means the senses. The Supreme Lord is called Hrishikesha, which means Controller of the senses. He is the Original Controller of the senses, just as the king is the original controller of all the activities of the state; and the citizens are secondary controllers. So the Lord says: I am also the Knower, and this means he is the Superknower; whereas the individual soul knows only his particular body. Now, the distinction between the field of activities, the owner of those activities, and the Supreme Owner of activities is described as follows: Perfect knowledge, in the matter of the constitution of this body, of the individual soul, and of the Supersoul, understood in terms of the Vedic literature, is called knowledge. That is the opinion of Krishna; not to understand both the soul and the Supersoul as one. One who does not understand these three things in this way has no perfect knowledge.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead, Krishna is the highest Authority in explaining this knowledge. Still, as a matter of course, learned scholars and standard authorities always give evidence from previous authorities. Krishna is trying to explain this most controversial point, regarding the duality and non-duality of the soul and the Supersoul, by referring to the scriptures, the Vedantah, which is accepted as an authority. We all are transcendental, although in the material bodies. Now we are fallen into the ways of the three modes of material Nature, according to our different karma. As such, some are on higher levels, some in the lower nature; and this higher or lower nature of the individual is due to ignorance, and is being manifested in an infinite number of living entities. But the Supersoul, which is infallible, is without any contamination of the three qualities of Nature, and is transcendental. Similarly, in the original Vedas, a distinction between the soul, the Supersoul, and the body is made, especially in The Katha Upanishad. There is a manifestation of the Supreme Lord’s energy known as Annamoya—dependence upon food for existence. This is a materialistic realization of the Supreme. Then there is Pranamoya; this means that after realizing the Supreme Absolute Truth in foodstuff, one can realize the Absolute Truth in the living symptoms, or life forms. Then again Jnanamoya: The living symptom develops to the point of thinking, feeling, and willing. Then there is Brahman realization. And the realization called Vijnanamoya, which is the living entity’s mind and life symptoms distinguished from the living entity himself. The next, and supreme, stage is Anandamoya, the All-Blissful Nature. So there are five stages of Brahman realization, which is called Brahman puchham. Out of these the first three—Annamoya, Pranamoya, and Jnanamoya—are called the fields of activities of the living entities. Transcendental to all these fields of activities of the living entities there is the Supreme Lord, who is called Anandamoya. In The Vedanta Sutra also the Supreme is called Anandamoya Abhyasa: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature full of joy, and to enjoy His transcendental bliss, He expands into Vijnanamoya, Pranamoya, Jnanamoya, and Annamoya. In this field of activities the living entity is considered to be the enjoyer, and different from him is the Anandamoya. That means that if the living entity decides to enjoy, in dovetailing himself with the Anandamoya, then he becomes perfect. This is the real picture of the Supreme Lord, as Knower of the field, the living entity, as subordinate knower, and the nature of the field of activities.
PURPORT
THIS PROCESS OF knowledge is sometimes misunderstood by less intelligent men as being the interactions of the field of activity. But actually this is the real process of knowledge. If one accepts this process, then the possibility of approaching the Absolute Truth exists. This is not the interaction of the tenfold elements, as described before. This is actually the means to get out of the entanglement of those twenty-four elements. The embodied soul is entrapped by the casing of the twenty-four elements, and the process of knowledge as described here is the means to get out of it. Of all the descriptions of the process of knowledge, the most important thing is described in the first line of the tenth verse: The process of knowledge terminates in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord. So if one does not approach, or is not able to approach, the transcendental service of the Lord, then the other nineteen items are of no particular value. But if one takes to devotional service in full Krishna consciousness, the other nineteen items automatically develop within him. The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned in the second verse, is essential. Even for one who takes to devotional service, it is most important. The beginning of transcendental life is to accept a bona fide spiritual master. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, clearly states here that this process of knowledge is the actual path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense.
As for the knowledge outlined here, the items may be analyzed as follows: Humility means that no one should be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others, but from the point of view of a man in perfect knowledge—who knows that he is not this body—anything—honor or dishonor—pertaining to this body is useless. One should not be hankering after this material deception. People are very anxious to be famous for their religiousness; and consequently sometimes it is found that, without understanding the principles of religion, one enters into some group which is not actually following religious principles, and wants to advertise himself as a religious mentor. As for actual advancement in spiritual science, one should make a test to see how far he is progressing. He can judge by these items. Non-violence is generally taken to mean not killing or destroying the body; but actually non-violence means not to put others into distress. People in general are trapped by ignorance in the material concept of life, and they perpetually suffer material pains. So, without elevating people to spiritual knowledge, one is practicing violence. One should try his best to distribute real knowledge to the people, so that they may become enlightened, and leave this material entanglement. That is non-violence. Tolerance means one should be practiced to bear insults and dishonor from others. If one is engaged in the advancement of spiritual knowledge, there will be many insults and much dishonor from others. This is expected, because the material Nature is so constituted. Even a boy like Prahlada, who was only five years old, and engaged in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, was endangered when his father became aroused. The father wanted to kill him in so many ways, but he tolerated it. So, for making advancement in spiritual knowledge, there may be many impediments; but we should be tolerant and continue our progress with determination. Simplicity means that, without diplomacy, one should be so straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to an enemy. As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that is essential, because without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, no one can progress in spiritual science. One should approach the spiritual master with all humility, and offer him all services, so that he may be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. Because a bona fide spiritual master is a representative of Krishna, if he bestows any blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple immediately advanced without any following of the regulated principles. Or, the regulated principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without any reservation.
Cleanliness is essential for making advancement in spiritual life. There are two kinds of cleanliness: external and internal. External cleanliness means to take your bath, and to wash your body. But for internal cleanliness, you have to think of Krishna always, and chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This process cleans the accumulated dust of past karma from the mind very nicely. Steadfastness means that one should be very determined to make progress in spiritual life. Without such determination one cannot make any tangible progress. And controlling the self means that one should not accept anything which is detrimental to the path of spiritual progress. One should become accustomed to this, rejecting anything which is against the path of spiritual progress. Next comes the question of renunciation: The senses are so strong that they are always anxious to have sense gratification. One should not cater to these demands, which are not necessary. The senses should only be gratified to keep the body fit, so that one can discharge his duty in advancing in spiritual life. The most important and uncontrollable sense is the tongue. If one can control the tongue, then there is every possibility of controlling the other senses. The function of the tongue is to taste and to vibrate. Therefore, by systematic regulation, the tongue should always be engaged in tasting the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Krishna; and the tongue should be engaged in chanting Hare Krishna. So far as the eyes are concerned, they should not be allowed to see anything except the beautiful Form of Krishna. That will control the eyes. Similarly, the ears should be engaged in hearing about Krishna; the nose in smelling the flowers offered to Krishna. This is in the devotional service, and it is understood here that The Bhagavad Gita is simply meant to expound the science of devotional service. Devotional service is the main and sole objective. Those writers and commentators with less intelligence try to divert the mind of the reader to other subjects, but there is no other subject in The Bhagavad Gita except devotional service. False ego means to accept this body as oneself. When you understand that you are not this body, and are spirit soul, that is real ego. Ego is there. False ego is condemned, but not real ego. In the Vedic literature, it is said: Aham Brahmasmi. I am Brahman—I am spirit. This "I am," this sense of self, also exists in the liberated stage of self-realization. This sense of "I am" is ego; but when the sense of "I am" is applied to this false body, it is false ego. When the sense of self is applied to reality, that is real ego. There are some philosophers who say we should give up our ego. But we cannot give up our ego, because ego means identity. We ought, of course, to give up the false identification with the body. One should try to understand the distress of accepting birth, death, old age, and disease.
As for detachment from children, wife, and house, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection. But when they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then we should not be attached to them. The best process for making the home nice is to live in Krishna consciousness. If one is in full Krishna consciousness, he can make his home very happy because this process of Krishna consciousness is very easy. It is just to chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare; and to take and accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Krishna, and have some discussion on books like The Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagwatam, and engage oneself in deity worship. These four things will make one happy, and one should train the members of his family in this way. The family members can sit down morning and evening very nicely and chant together Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If we can mold our family life in such a nice way for developing Krishna consciousness by following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life should be abandoned. In all cases, one should be detached from the happiness and distress of family life, because this world can never be fully happy or fully miserable. Happiness and distress are concomitant factors of material life.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME LORD, although the Source of all the senses of the living entities, doesn’t have material sensation such as we have. Actually, the individual souls have spiritual senses; but in conditioned life, they are covered with the material elements, and therefore the sense activities are being exhibited through matter. The Supreme Lord has no such covered senses. His senses are transcendental, and are therefore called nirguna. Guna means the material modes, but His senses are without any material covering. It should be understood that His senses are not exactly like ours. Though He is the Source of all our sensual activities, He has His transcendental senses, which are without contamination by matter.
PURPORT
THIS VERSE OF The Gita is very important for an understanding of how the living entities transmigrate from one sort of body to another. It was explained in the Second Chapter that the living entity is transmigrating from one body to another just as though changing his dress. This change of dress is due to his attachment to material existence. So long as he is captivated by this false manifestation, he has to continue like that, going from one body to another. Due to his desire to lord it over the material Nature, he is put into such undesirable circumstances. Under the influence of material desire, the entity is born sometimes as a demigod, sometimes as a man, sometimes as a beast, as a bird, as a worm, as an aquatic, as a saintly man, as a bug. This is going on, and he thinks himself the master of his circumstances, under the influence of material Nature.
How he is put into such different bodies is explained here very nicely: It is due to association with the different qualities of the modes of Nature. One has to rise, therefore, above the three material modes, and to be situated in the transcendental position; and that is called Krishna consciousness. Unless one is situated in Krishna consciousness, his material consciousness will oblige him to transfer from one body to another. He has had that material desire since time immemorial, and now he has to change that conception. That change of conception can be affected only by hearing from authoritative sources. The best example is here: Arjuna is hearing the Science of God from Krishna. The living entity, if he submits to this hearing process, will lose his long-cherished desire to lord it over the material Nature, and gradually he will come to enjoy spiritual happiness.
PURPORT
THIS VERSE IS particularly applicable to modern society, because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be atheist or agnostic or philosophical; but actually there is no knowledge of philosophy. As for the common man, if he is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement, simply by hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord Chaitanya, Who wanted to preach Krishna consciousness in the modern world, gave great stress to hearing, because the common man, if he simply hears from authoritative sources, can progress. Hearing the transcendental vibration: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is most beneficial. Lord Chaitanya has said that, in this age, one requires to change his position; but he should give up the endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative reasoning. One should learn to become the servant of those who are in the knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to take shelter of the guidance of a pure devotee, and hears from him about self-realization, and follows in the footsteps of such authorities, he is elevated gradually to the position of pure devotee.
PURPORT
AFTER THE DESTRUCTION of the body, both the soul and the Supersoul exist, and they go on eternally in many various moving and unmoving forms. Here the Sanskrit word Paramesvaram is sometimes translated as "the individual soul," because the soul is the master of the body; and, after the destruction of the body, he transfers to another form. In that way he is master. But there are others who interpret this Paramesvaram as Supersoul. In either case, both the Supersoul and the individual soul continue. They are not destroyed. One who can see in this way can actually see what is happening.
PURPORT
THERE ARE VARIOUS theories regarding consciousness. Here in The Bhagavad Gita, this question is clearly answered, by the nice example of the sun and the sunshine. As the sun is situated in one place, but is illuminating the whole universe, so a small particle of spirit soul, although situated in the heart of this body, is illuminating the whole body by consciousness. Therefore, consciousness is the proof of the presence of the soul, as the sunshine is the proof of the presence of the sun. When the soul is present in the body, there is consciousness all over the body; and as soon as the soul has passed from the body, there is no more consciousness. This can be easily understood by any intelligent man. Therefore, consciousness is not a production of the combinations of matter. It is the symptom of the living entity. Although qualitatively one with the Supreme Consciousness, it is not supreme, because the consciousness of one particular body does not share in that of another body. But the Supersoul, which is situated in all bodies as the Friend of the individual soul, is conscious of all the bodies concerned. That is the difference between Supreme Consciousness and individual consciousness.
PURPORT
THE PURPORT OF THIS Thirteenth Chapter is that one should know the distinction between the body, the owner of the body, and the Supersoul; and one should recognize the process of liberation, as described in verses seven through eleven. Then one can go on to the Supreme Destination.
A faithful person may at first have some good association for hearing of God. And, by such good association, one gradually becomes enlightened, and he accepts the spiritual master, to be guided for the advancement of spiritual science. By such association and instruction, under the guidance of the spiritual master, he can distinguish between matter and spirit, and that becomes the stepping-stone for further spiritual realization. The spiritual master teaches the students to be free from the material concept of life, by various instructions, just as in The Bhagavad Gita we find Krishna instructing Arjuna. One can understand that this body is matter; it can be analyzed, with its twenty-four elements. That is the gross manifestation; and the subtle manifestation is the mind and psychological effects. And the symptoms of life are the interaction of these bodily features. But over and above this, there is the soul, and there is also the Supersoul. The soul and the Supersoul are two. This material world is working by the conjunction of the soul and the twenty-four material elements. One who can see the constitution of the whole material manifestation in this combination of the soul and material elements, and also sees the situation of the Supreme Soul, becomes eligible for transferal to the spiritual world. These things are meant for contemplation and for realization; and one should have a serious understanding of this chapter, with the help of the spiritual master.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Thirteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness.
14
THE THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE
PURPORT
FROM THE SEVENTH CHAPTER to the end of the Twelfth Chapter, everything has been said about the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, the Lord Himself is attempting to further enlighten Arjuna. If one understands this chapter through the process of philosophical speculation, he will come to an understanding of devotional service. In the Thirteenth Chapter, it was clearly explained that, by developing knowledge, with an attitude of humility, there is the possibility of being freed from the material entanglement. It has also been explained that it is due to association with the modes of Nature that the living entity is entangled in this world. Now, in this chapter, the Supreme Personality will explain what those modes of Nature are, how they act, how they bind, and how they give liberation. The knowledge explained in this chapter is said by the Supreme Lord to be better than the knowledge given so far in other chapters. And, by understanding this knowledge, various great sages have attained perfection, and transferred to the spiritual world.
PURPORT
THE PARTICULAR MEANING of this verse is that, after acquiring perfect transcendental knowledge, one acquires qualitative equality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead—becoming free from the repetition of birth and death. One does not, however, lose his identity as an individual soul. It is understood from Vedic literature that the liberated souls who have reached the transcendental planets of the spiritual sky always look to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord, being engaged in His transcendental loving service. So, even after liberation, such devotees do not lose their individual identities.
PURPORT
THE SCORPION LAYS its eggs in piles of rice, and sometimes it is said that the scorpion is born out of rice. But the rice is not the cause of the scorpion. Actually the eggs were laid by the mother. Similarly, material Nature is not the cause of birth of the living entities. The seeds are given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they only seem to come out as products of material Nature. And thus every living entity, according to his past activities, has a different body, created by this material Nature, so that he can enjoy or suffer according to those deeds. And the Lord is the Cause of all the manifestations of living entities in this material world.
PURPORT
THE DIFFICULTY HERE is that, when a living entity is situated in the mode of goodness, he becomes conditioned to feeling that he is advanced in knowledge and is better than others. The best examples are the scientist and the philosopher: Each is very proud of his knowledge; and because he generally improves his living conditions, he feels a sort of material happiness. This sense of advanced happiness in conditioned life makes him bound by the mode of goodness of material Nature. As such, he is attracted toward working in the mode of goodness; and, as long as he has an attraction for working in that way, he has to take some type of body in the modes of Nature. There is no likelihood of liberation, or of being transferred to the spiritual world. Repeatedly, he may become a philosopher, a scientist, or a poet; and repeatedly he has the same disadvantages of birth and death. But due to the illusion of the material energy, he thinks that sort of life is nice.
PURPORT
THE MODE OF PASSION is exemplified in the attraction between man and woman. Woman has an attraction for man, and man has an attraction for woman. And when the mode of passion is increased, one develops the hankering for material enjoyment. For sense gratification, a man in the mode of passion wants some honor in society, or in the nation; and he wants to have a happy family, with nice children, a wife, and a house. These are the products of the development of the mode of passion. As soon as one is hankering after these things, he has to work very hard. And therefore it is clearly stated here that he becomes associated with the fruits of his activities, and thus becomes bound by such activities. The whole material world is more or less in the mode of passion. Modern civilization is considered to be advanced in the standards of this mode, although formerly the advanced condition was considered to be in the mode of goodness. As there is no liberation even in the mode of goodness, what then to speak of those who are entangled in passion?
PURPORT
THIS MODE OF ignorance is just the opposite of the mode of goodness. In the mode of goodness, by development of knowledge, one can understand what is what. Everyone under the spell of the mode of ignorance becomes mad; and a madman cannot understand what is what. Instead of making advancement, they become degraded. For example, everyone can see that his grandfather has died, and therefore he will die; man is mortal. The children that he has fathered will also die. So death is sure. Still, the people are madly accumulating money, and working very hard all day and night, without any care for the eternal spirit. This is madness. In their madness, they are very reluctant to make advancement in spiritual understanding. Such people are very lazy. When they are invited to associate for spiritual understanding, they are not much interested. They are not even active like the man who is conducted by the mode of passion; and so another symptom of one embedded in the mode of ignorance is that he sleeps more than is required. Six hours of sleep is sufficient; but a man in the mode of ignorance sleeps at least ten or twelve hours a day. Such a man appears to be always dejected, and is addicted to intoxicants and sleeping.
PURPORT
THERE ARE NINE GATES in the body: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth, the genital, and the anus. In the mode of goodness, one can see things in the right perspective; one can hear things in the right perspective, and taste things in the right perspective. One becomes cleansed inside and outside. At every gate there is the development of the symptoms of happiness; and that is the position of goodness.
PURPORT
SOME PEOPLE HAVE the impression that when the soul reaches the platform of human life, he never goes down again. This is incorrect. According to this verse, if one develops the mode of ignorance, after his death he is degraded to the animal form of life. From there one has to again elevate himself by the evolutionary process, to come to the human form of life. Therefore, those who are actually serious about human life should take to the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
ONE CAN TRANSCEND all these activities of the modes of material Nature simply by understanding them properly, learning from the proper souls. The real spiritual master is Krishna, and He is imparting this spiritual knowledge to Arjuna. Similarly, it is from those who are fully in Krishna consciousness that one has to learn this science of the real situation of activities, in terms of the modes of Nature. Otherwise, his life is very wrong. By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, a living entity can know of his spiritual position, his material body, his senses, how he is entrapped, and how he is under the spell of the material modes of Nature. He is helpless, being in the grip of these modes. But when he can see his real position, then he can attain to the transcendental platform, having the scope for spiritual life. Actually, the living entity is not the performer of different activities. He is forced to act because he is situated in a particular type of body, conducted by some particular mode of material Nature. And unless one has the help of spiritual authority, he cannot understand what position he is actually in. But with the association of a bona fide spiritual master, he can see his real position; and, by such an understanding, he can become fixed in full Krishna consciousness. A man in Krishna consciousness is not controlled by the spell of the material modes of Nature. It has already been stated in the Seventh Chapter that one who has surrendered to Krishna is relieved from the activities of the material Nature. Therefore, for one who is able to see things as they are, the influence of material Nature slowly ceases.
PURPORT
BRAHMAN IS THE beginning of transcendental realization. Paramatman, the Supersoul, is the middle, the second stage of transcendental realization; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, both Paramatman and the impersonal Brahman are within the Supreme Person. It is explained in the Seventh Chapter that material Nature is the manifestation of the inferior energy of the Supreme Lord; and, impregnating the inferior material Nature with fragments of the superior Nature, is the spiritual touch. When a living entity, conditioned by this material Nature, begins the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, he elevates himself from the position of material existence, and gradually rises up to the Brahman conception of the Supreme. This attainment of the Brahman conception of life is the first stage in self-realization. At this stage the Brahman-realized person is transcendental to the material position; but he is not actually perfect in realization. If he wants, he can continue to stay in the Brahman position and then gradually rise up to the Paramatman realization, and then to the Supreme Personality of Godhead realization. There are many examples of this in Vedic literature. The four Kumaras were situated first in the impersonal Brahman conception of Truth, but then they gradually rose to the platform of devotional service.
One who cannot elevate himself beyond the impersonal conception of Brahman, to the higher stage of the personal conception of God, runs the risk of falling down. In The Srimad Bhagwatam it is stated that a person may rise to the stage of impersonal Brahman, but, without going further, with no information of the Supreme Person, his intelligence is not perfectly clear. Therefore, in spite of being raised to the Brahman platform, there is the chance of falling down, not being engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. When one understands the Personality of Godhead, the Reservoir of Pleasure, Krishna, then he actually becomes transcendentally blissful. The Supreme Lord is full in six opulences; and when a devotee approaches Him, there is reciprocation with these opulences. The servant of the king enjoys an almost equal level with the king. And so, imperishable happiness, eternal life—these things accompany devotional service. Therefore, all conceptions of Brahman, or eternity, or imperishability are included in devotional service. They are all subordinate to a person who is engaged in devotional service.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Three Modes of Material Nature.
15
THE YOGA OF THE SUPREME PERSON
PURPORT
AFTER DISCUSSING THE importance of Bhaktiyoga, there may be some question: What about the Vedas? It will be explained in this chapter that the purpose of the Vedic study is to understand Krishna. Therefore, one who is in Krishna consciousness, engaged in devotional service, is already in knowledge of the Vedas. The entanglement of this material world is compared here to a banyan tree. For one who is engaged in fruitive activities, there is no end to the banyan tree. He wanders from one branch to another, to another, to another, to another: The tree of this material world has no end; and one who is attached to this tree has no possibility of liberation. The Vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself, are called the leaves of this tree. This tree being root-upward means that it begins from where Brahma is located, which is the topmost planet of this universe. One should understand this indestructible tree of illusion, and then one can break away from it. This should be understood. In the previous chapters it has been explained that there are many processes to get out of the material entanglement. And, up to the Thirteenth Chapter, we have seen that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the best way. Now the basic principle of devotional service is detachment from the material activities and attachment to the transcendental service of the Lord. The root of this material existence is upward. This means that it begins from the total material substance, from the topmost planet of the universe. From there the whole universe is expanded, with so many branches, the various planetary systems. The fruits are the results of the living entities’ activities. They include religiousness, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. One should have a thorough understanding of this imperishable tree.
Now, we have no ready experience in this world of a tree situated with its branches down and its roots upward; but there is such a thing. That tree can be found when we go to a reservoir of water. We can see that the trees on the bank are reflected upon the water—branches down, roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree. The real tree is the spiritual world. This reflection of the real tree is situated on desire, as the tree’s reflection is situated on water. One who wants to get out of this material existence must know thoroughly, through analytical study, this tree. Then he can cut off the relationship with this material world.
PURPORT
THE SURRENDERING PROCESS is described here very nicely. The first qualification is that one should be out of the illusion of false prestige. The conditioned soul is puffed up, thinking himself the Lord of material Nature. It is therefore very difficult for him to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know, by the cultivation of real knowledge, that he is not lord of the material Nature; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Lord. For one who is always expecting some honor in this material world, it is not possible to surrender to the Supreme Person. This false prestige is due to illusion. One comes here for some time, and then goes away, living here only briefly; but still he has the foolish notion that he is lord of the world. He thus makes all things complicated, and he is always in trouble. The whole world moves under this impression. People are considering that the land, this earth, belongs to the human society; and they have divided the land, by their mental concoction, under the false impression that they are the proprietors. One has to get out of this false notion that human society is the proprietor of this world. When one is freed from such a false notion, he becomes free from all false associations. False association means our family, social, and national affections. This faulty association binds us to this material world. After this stage, one has to develop spiritual knowledge. One has to cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own, and what is actually not his own. And when one has understanding of things as they are, he becomes free from all conceptions of happiness and distress. He comes fully into knowledge, at which time it is possible to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
THE DESCRIPTION OF the spiritual world and of the Abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna—which is known as Krishnaloka, Goloka Vrindaban—is described here. In the spiritual sky there is no need of sunshine, moonshine, or electricity, because all the planets there are self-illuminated. We have only one planet in this universe, the sun, which is self-illuminated. But all the planets in the spiritual sky are self-illuminated; and the shining effulgence of all those self-illuminated planets (called Vaikunthas) is the shining sky, which is known as the Brahmajyoti. Actually, the effulgence is emanating from the planet of Krishna, Goloka Vrindaban. Part of that shining effulgence is covered by this Mahat Tatva, the material world. Other than this, the major portion of that shining sky is full of spiritual planets, which are called Vaikunthas, and there is also Goloka Vrindaban. So long as a living entity is in this dark material world, he is in conditional life. And as soon as he reaches the spiritual sky, by cutting through the false, perverted tree of this world, he becomes liberated, and there is no chance of his coming back here.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE, the identity of the living being is clearly mentioned. The living entities are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord—eternally. None is assuming individually in his conditioned life to become one with the Supreme Lord in the liberated state. Each is eternally fragmented.
PURPORT
HERE THE LIVING entity is described as Iswara, the controller of his own body. If he likes, he can change his body to a higher grade; and if he likes, he can move to a lower class. Minute independence is there. The change of his body depends on hirn. The process is that, at the time of death, the consciousness he has created will carry him on to the next type of body. If he has made his consciousness cat-like, or dog-like, he is sure to change from his human body to a cat’s or a dog’s body. And if he has fixed his consciousness to godly qualities, he will change his body into the form of a demigod. And if he changes his consciousness into Krishna consciousness, he will be transferred to the Krishnaloka in the spiritual world, to be with Krishna.
PURPORT
CONSCIOUSNESS IS ORIGINALLY pure, like water. But if we mix water with a certain color, it changes. Similarly, consciousness is pure, for the spirit soul is pure. But consciousness is changed according to the association of the material qualities. Real consciousness is Krishna consciousness. When, therefore, one is situated in Krishna consciousness, that is his pure life. Otherwise, if his consciousness is adulterated by some type of mentality, in the next life he gets a corresponding body.
PURPORT
IT IS DUE TO THE Supreme Personality of Godhead that the moon nourishes all vegetables. Due to the moon’s influence, the vegetables become delicious. Without the moonshine, the vegetables can neither grow, nor are they good to eat. Human society is working so nicely, living comfortably and enjoying food, due to the supply from the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, it could not get on. Everything becomes palatable by the agency of the Supreme Lord, through the influence of the moon.
PURPORT
HERE THE LORD IS giving, in summary, the contents of The Vedanta Sutra: He says that the living entities, who are innumerable, can be divided into two classes: the fallible and the infallible. The living entities are eternally separated parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When they are in contact with the material world, they are called jivabhutah, and the Sanskrit words given here, sarvani bhutani, mean that they are fallible. Those who are in oneness with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, are called infallible. Oneness does not mean that they have no individuality, but that there is no disunity. They are all agreeable to the purpose of the Lord.
PURPORT
THERE ARE MANY philosophical speculations about the constitutional position of the living entities and the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now, in this verse, the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly explains that anyone who knows Lord Krishna as the Supreme Person is actually the knower of everything. The difference between a perfect knower and an imperfect knower is that the imperfect knower goes on simply speculating about the Absolute Truth; but the perfect knower, without wasting his valuable time, engages directly in Krishna consciousness, the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Throughout the whole of The Bhagavad Gita, this fact is being stressed at every step. And yet there remain so many stubborn commentators on The Bhagavad Gita, who unnecessarily try to make the Supreme Absolute Truth and the living entities one and the same.
PURPORT
THE LORD CLEARLY explains here that this is the substance of all revealed scriptures. And one should understand it as it is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one will become intelligent, and perfect in transcendental knowledge. In other words, by understanding this philosophy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engaging oneself in His transcendental service, everyone can become freed from all contaminations of the modes of material Nature. Devotional service is a process of spiritual understanding. Wherever such devotional service exists, the material contamination cannot coexist. Devotional service to the Lord and the Lord Himself are one and the same, because this is spiritual—the internal energy of the Supreme Lord.
The Lord is said to be the sun, and ignorance is called darkness. Where sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Therefore, whenever devotional service is present under the proper guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, there is no question of ignorance.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fifteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Yoga of the Supreme Person.
16
THE DIVINE AND DEMONIAC NATURES
PURPORT
IN THE BEGINNING of the Fifteenth Chapter, the banyan tree of this material world was explained. The extra roots coming out of it were compared to the activities of the living entities, some auspicious, some inauspicious. In the Ninth Chapter, also, it was stated who is the deva, or godly, and who is the asura, the ungodly, or demon. Now, according to Vedic rites, activities in the mode of goodness are considered auspicious for making progress on the path of liberation, and such activities are known as daivaprakriti, transcendental by nature. Those who are situated in the transcendental Nature are making progress on the path of liberation. For those who are acting in the modes of passion and ignorance, on the other hand, there is no possibility of liberation. Either they will have to remain in this material world as human beings, or they may descend among the species of animals, and others even lower. In this Sixteenth Chapter the Lord will explain the transcendental Nature and its attendant qualities; as well as the demoniac nature and its qualities. He will also explain the advantages and disadvantages of these qualities.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE, the royal road to hell is described. The demoniac want to make a show of religiousness and advancement in spiritual science, although they do not follow the principles. They are always arrogant, possessing some type of education, in possession of wealth, desiring to be worshiped by others. They demand respectability, although they do not command respect. In trifles they grow very angry, and they speak harshly, not gently. They do not know what should be done and what should not be done. They do everything whimsically, according to their own desire, and they do not recognize any authority. These demoniac qualities are taken by them from the beginning of their bodies in the wombs of their mothers, and as they grow they manifest all these inauspicious things.
PURPORT
THE DEMONIAC PEOPLE conclude that the creation of the world is a phantasm. There is no cause or effect, no controller, no purpose: Everything is unreal. As the will o’ the wisp is caused by certain atmospheric changes, so this cosmic manifestation is due to chance material actions and reactions. That is their conclusion. They do not think that the world was created by God for a certain purpose. They have their own theory: that the world has come about in its own way, and there is no reason to believe that there could be a God behind it. For them there is no differentiation between spirit and matter, or acceptance of the Supreme Spirit. Everything is matter only, and the whole thing is supposed to be a mass of ignorance. According to them, everything is void, and whatever manifestation exists is due to our ignorance in perception. They take it for granted that all manifestation or diversity is a display of ignorance. Just as in a dream, we may create so many things, which actually have no existence; so, similarly, when we are awakened we shall see that everything is simply a dream. But factually, although the demons say that it is a dream, they are very expert in enjoying this dream. And so, instead of getting knowledge, they become more and more implicated in their dreamland.
PURPORT
THE DEMONIAC ARE engaged in such activities as will lead the world to destruction. The Lord states here that they are less intelligent. The materialistic people, who have no concept of God, think that they are advancing. But according to The Bhagavad Gita, they are less intelligent, and devoid of all sense. They try to enjoy this material world to the utmost limit, and therefore always engage in inventing something for sense gratification. Such materialistic inventions are considered the advancement of human civilization; and the result is that the people are growing more and more violent, and more and more cruel. Cruel to the animals, cruel to the human beings—they have no concept of how to behave toward one another. Animal killing is very prominent amongst demoniac people.
Such people are considered the enemies of the world. Because, ultimately, they invent or create something which will bring destruction to all. Indirectly, this verse points to the invention of nuclear weapons, for which the whole world is today very proud. At any moment war may take place, and these atomic weapons may create havoc: Such things are created solely for the destruction of the world—and this is indicated in The Bhagavad Gita. Due to Godlessness, such things are invented in human society, and are not meant for the peace and prosperity of the world.
PURPORT
THE DEMONIAC PEOPLE have accepted that the enjoyment of the senses is the ultimate goal of life. And this concept is prolonged until death. They do not believe in life after death; and they do not believe there are different grades of bodies, according to one’s karma, or activities in this world. Their plans for life are never finished, and they go on preparing plan after plan, all of which are never finished. We have personal experience of a person of such demoniac mentality, who, even at the point of death, was requesting the physician to prolong his life for four years more—because his plans were not yet complete. Such foolish people do not know that no physician can prolong life even for a moment. When the notice is there, without any consideration of man’s desire, the laws of Nature allow not even a second beyond what one is destined to enjoy.
PURPORT
THE DEMONIAC MAN has no limit to his desire to acquire money. For that reason, he does not mind acting in any sinful way. This is known as black market or illegal gratification. Such demoniac persons are enamored by the possessions they have already—such as the land, the family, the house, and the bank balance. And they are always thinking to improve such things. And they believe in their own strength. They have no knowledge that whatever they are gaining is due to past good deeds. So they are given the opportunity to accumulate such things. But they have no conception of the past causes. They simply think that all this mass of wealth is due to their own endeavor. Demoniac people believe in the strength of their personal work. They do not believe in the law of karma: According to the law of karma, a man takes his birth in a high family, or becomes rich, or becomes very well-educated, or becomes very beautiful, on account of good work in the past. The demoniac think all these things are accidental, and due to the strength of one’s personal ability. They do not sense any arrangement behind all these varieties of people, beauty, and education. And anyone who comes into competition with such a demoniac man is his enemy. There are many demoniac people, and each is enemy to the others. This enmity becomes more and more deep—between persons, then between families, then between societies, and at last between nations. And therefore there is constant strife, war, and enmity all
Each demoniac person thinks that he can live at the sacrifice over the world. of all others. Generally, a demoniac person thinks of himself as the Supreme God, and demoniac preachers instruct their followers: Why are you seeking God elsewhere? You are all yourselves God! Whatever you like you can do. Don’t believe in God. Throw God away. God is dead. These are their preachings. The best example of such a demoniac man was Ravana, in the narrative of The Ramayana. He offered a program to the people by which he would prepare a staircase, so that anyone could reach the heavenly planets without performing sacrifices such as are prescribed in the Vedas. Similarly, at the present age, such demoniac men are thinking to reach the higher planetary systems by some mechanical arrangement. These are examples of the bewilderment of the demoniac people, and the result is that, without their knowledge, they are gliding toward hell. Here the Sanskrit word mohajala is very significant. Jala means net: Like fishes caught in a net, they have no way to come out.
PURPORT
A DEMONIAC PERSON, being always against the existence of God’s supremacy, does not like to believe in the scriptures. He is envious of both the scriptures and of the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, on account of his so-called prestige, and his accumulation of wealth and strength. He does not know that the present life is a background for preparing the next life. And, without knowing this, he is actually envious of his own self, as well as of others. He commits violence on other bodies and on his own. He does not care for the supreme control of the Personality of Godhead, because he has no knowledge. Being envious of the scriptures and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he puts forward illogic against the existence of God and refutes the scriptural authority. He thinks himself independent and powerful in every action. He thinks that no one can equal him in strength, power, or in wealth. He can, therefore, act in any way. No one can stop him; and if there is any enemy in the advancement of his sensual activities, he will think to cut down such enemies by his own power.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE it is clearly indicated that to put a particular individual soul in a particular body is the prerogative of the Supreme Will. The demoniac person may not agree to accept the supremacy of the Lord, and it is a fact that he may act according to his own whims. But his next birth will depend upon the decision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not on himself. In The Srimad Bhagwatam, Third Canto, it is stated that an individual soul, after his death, is put into the womb of a mother where he gets a particular type of body—under the supervision of Superior Power. Therefore, in the material existence, we find so many species of life—animals, men, and so on—and all are arranged by that Superior Power. They are not accidental. As for the demoniac, it is clearly said here that they are perpetually put into the wombs of demons and thus they continue to be envious, the lowest of Mankind. Such demoniac species of life are held to be always full of lust, always violent and hateful, without any cleanliness.
PURPORT
IT IS KNOWN THAT God is all-merciful. But here we find that God is never merciful to the demoniac. It is clearly stated that the demoniac people, life after life, are put into the wombs of similar demons. And, without achieving the mercy of the Supreme Lord, they go down and down, so that at last they achieve bodies like those of the cats and dogs and hogs. It is clearly stated that such demons have practically no chance of receiving the mercy of God at any stage of later life. In the Vedas also it is stated that such persons gradually go down to become dogs and hogs. It may then be argued in this connection that God should not be advertised as all-merciful, as He is not merciful to such demons. To answer this question, in The Vedanta Sutra we find that the Supreme Lord has no such thing as hatred or favor for anyone. To put the asuras, the demons, into the lowest status of life is simply another feature of His merciful action. Sometimes the asuras are killed by the Supreme Lord. This killing is also good for them: In Vedic literature, we find that anyone who is killed by the Supreme Lord becomes liberated, and we have instances in history that there were many asuras—Ravana, Kansa, Hiranya Kashipu—to whom the Lord appeared in various incarnations just to kill them. Therefore, God’s mercy is shown to the asuras, if they are fortunate enough to be killed by Him.
PURPORT
ONE SHOULD BE VERY careful of these three enemies to human life: lust, anger, and greed. The more a person is freed from lust, anger, and greed, the more his existence becomes pure. Then he can follow the rules and regulations enjoined in the Vedic literature. And, by following the regulative principles of human life, he gradually raises himself to the platform of spiritual realization. If one is so fortunate, by such practice, to rise to the platform of Krishna consciousness, then success is guaranteed for him. In the Vedic literature, the ways of action and reaction are prescribed just in order to come to the stage of purification. The whole method is based on the giving up of lust, greed, and anger. By cultivating knowledge of how to do this, one is elevated to the highest position of self-realization; and thus self-realization is perfect in devotional service. In that devotional service, the liberation of the conditioned soul is guaranteed. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, there are instituted the four orders of life and the four social ranks called the spiritual order system and the caste system. There are different rules and regulations for different castes or divisions of society; and if a person is able to follow them, he will be automatically raised to the highest platform of spiritual realization. And then he can have liberation without any doubt.
PURPORT
AS STATED IN THE Fifteenth Chapter, all the rules and regulations of the Vedas are meant for knowing Krishna. So if anyone understands Krishna from The Bhagavad Gita, and becomes situated in Krishna consciousness, engaging himself in devotional service—he has reached the highest perfection of knowledge offered by the Vedic literature. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made this process very easy: He asked people simply to chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—and to engage in the devotional service of the Lord, and eat the remnants of foodstuff offered to the deity. One who is directly engaged in all these devotional activities is to be understood as having studied all the Vedic literature, and has come to the conclusion perfectly. Of course, for the ordinary persons who are not in Krishna consciousness, or engaged in devotional service, what is to be done and what is not to be done must be decided by the injunctions of the Vedas; and one should act accordingly, without any argument. That is called following the principles of Shastra, or scripture. Shastra is without the four principal defects that are visible in the conditioned soul: imperfect senses, the propensity for cheating, certainty of committing mistakes, and certainty of being illusioned. These four principal defects in conditioned life disqualify one from putting forth rules and regulations. Therefore, the rules and regulations as described in the Shastra—being above these defects—are accepted without any alteration by all great saints, Acharyas, and great souls.
In India especially there are many parties of spiritual understanding, generally classified as two: the impersonalist and the personalist. Both of them, however, lead their lives according to the principles of the Vedas. Without following the principles of the scriptures, no one can elevate himself to the perfectional stage.
In human society, aversion to the principles of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all fall-down. That is the greatest offense of human life. Therefore, Maya, the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always giving us trouble, in the shape of the threefold miseries. This material energy is constituted of the three modes of material Nature. One has to raise himself at least to the mode of goodness, before the path to understanding the Supreme Lord can be open. Without raising oneself to the standard of the mode of goodness, one remains in ignorance and passion—which is the cause of gradually becoming demoniac. Those in the modes of passion and ignorance deride the scriptures, deride the holy men, and deride the proper understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They disobey the instructions of the spiritual master, and they do not care for the regulations of the scriptures. In spite of hearing the glories of devotional service, they are not attracted to this, and therefore they manufacture their own way of elevation. These are some of the defects of human society, which lead to the demoniac condition of life. If, however, one is able to be guided by a proper and bona fide spiritual master, who can lead him to the path of elevation—to the highest stage—then his life becomes successful.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Sixteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Divine and Demoniac Natures.
17
THE DIVISIONS OF FAITH
PURPORT
IN THE FOURTH CHAPTER, thirty-ninth verse, it is said that a person faithful to a particular type of worship gradually becomes elevated to the stage of knowledge, and thus attains the highest perfection of peace and prosperity. In the Sixteenth Chapter, it was concluded that one who does not follow the principles laid down in the scriptures is called asura, demon, and one who follows the scriptural injunctions faithfully is called deva, or godly. Now, if one with faith follows some rules which are not mentioned in the scriptural injunction, what is his position?
PURPORT
EVERYONE HAS A particular type of faith, regardless of what he is. But his faith is considered good, passionate, or ignorant according to the nature he has acquired. Therefore, according to his particular type of faith, he associates with certain persons. Now the real fact is that every living being, as is stated in the Fifteenth Chapter, is originally the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, he is originally transcendental to all the modes of material Nature. But when he forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and comes into contact with this material Nature in conditional life, he generates his own position by association with the different varieties of material Nature. This artificial faith and existence is only material. Although one may be conducted by some impression or conception of life—still, originally, he is nirguna, or transcendental. Therefore, one has to become cleansed of the material contamination that he has acquired, in order to get back his relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is the only path without any fear: Krishna consciousness. If one is situated in Krishna consciousness, then his elevation to the perfectional stage is guaranteed.
PURPORT
IN THIS VERSE the Supreme Personality of Godhead is describing different kinds of worshipers, according to their external activities. According to scriptural injunction, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable; but those who are not very conversant with, or faithful to, the scriptural injunctions, worship different objects, according to their specific situations in the modes of material Nature. So those who are situated in goodness in the modes of material Nature generally worship the demigods. The demigods begin from Brahma and Shiva, and others such as Indra, Chandra, and the Sun-god. There are various demigods. So those in goodness may worship a particular demigod for a particular purpose. Similarly, those who are in the mode of passion worship the demons. We have experience that in the Second World War, a man in Calcutta was worshiping Hitler, because, on account of that war, he had amassed a large amount of wealth, dealing in the black market. So he became a worshiper of Adolf Hitler. Similarly, those in the modes of passion and ignorance generally select a fanciful man to be God. They think that anyone can be worshiped as God, and the same results will be obtained.
Now, it is clearly stated here that those who are in the mode of passion worship and create such gods, and those who are in the mode of ignorance, in darkness, worship the dead spirits. Sometimes we find that people go and worship at the tomb of the dead men. Sexual service is also calculated to be in the mode of darkness. Similarly, there are some worshipers, in remote villages, of ghosts. We have experienced, in India, that the lower-class people sometimes go to the forest when they have knowledge that a ghost lives in some tree, and they worship that tree and offer sacrifices. These different kinds of worship are not actually God-worship. God-worship is subject matter for persons who are transcendentally situated in pure goodness. In The Srimad Bhagwatam it is said that when you are on the plane of purified goodness, you worship Vasudeva.
The impersonalists are supposed to be situated in the mode of goodness; and they worship five kinds of demigods: They worship the impersonal Vishnu, or Vishnu Form in the material world, which is known as philosophized Vishnu. Vishnu is the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But the impersonalists, because they do not ultimately believe in the Supreme Person, imagine that the Vishnu Form is another aspect of the impersonal Brahman; and, similarly, they imagine that Brahma is the impersonal Form, in the material Nature, of passion. So they sometimes describe five kinds of gods worshipable at the start. But at the end, they think that the actual truth is impersonal Brahman, and they finish with all worshipable objects at the ultimate end. But these different qualities of the material modes of Nature can be purified through the association with persons who are in the modes of transcendental Nature.
PURPORT
THE PURPOSE OF FOOD is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind, and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits, and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. Fatty food, as mentioned in the eighth verse, has no connection with animal fat obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese, and similar products give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of innocent creatures, and it is only through brute mentality that this killing goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter is the way of subhumans. And protein is amply available through peanuts, splitpeas, dal, whole wheat, etc.
Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty or too hot, cause misery by producing mucus in the stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any foodstuff cooked more than three hours before it is to be eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord), is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, foods in the mode of darkness frequently emanate a bad smell, which often attracts people in these modes, but repulses those in the mode of goodness.
Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord, or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master.
PURPORT
ONE SHOULD NOT speak in such a way as to cause agitation in the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his student; but even such a teacher should not speak to others who are not his students, if he will be agitating their minds. This is called the practice of penance so far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something which is upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from the scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit, and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. That is called penance pertaining to the utilization of the voice.
PURPORT
TO MAKE THE MIND austere is to detach it from sense gratification. It should be so trained that it can be always thinking of doing good for others. The best training for the mind is to become grave. One should not deviate from Krishna consciousness, and must always deviate from sense gratification. To transform one’s nature into purity is to become Krishna conscious. Satisfaction of the mind can be obtained only by taking the mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment. The more we think of sense enjoyment, the more we lose the satisfaction of the mind. In the present age we unnecessarily engage the mind in so many different ways for sense gratification, and so there is no possibility for the mind to be satisfied. The best thing is to divert the mind to the Vedic literature. The Vedic literature is full of satisfactory stories, as in the Puranas and The Mahabharata; and one can take advantage of this knowledge, and thus become purified. The mind should be devoid of duplicity. Every mind should think of the welfare of all. Silence means that one is always thinking of self-realization. The person in Krishna consciousness is to be understood as observing perfect silence in this sense. All these qualities together are austerity in the matter of mental activities.
PURPORT
CHARITY IS SOMETIMES performed in order to be elevated to the heavenly Kingdom, and sometimes with great trouble, and with repentance after—"Why have I spent so much in this way?"—or charity is sometimes made under some obligation, under the request of a superior. These kinds of charity are said to be made in the mode of passion. There are many charitable foundations which offer their gifts to institutions where sense gratification is performed. Such charities are not recommended in the Vedic scripture. Only charity in the mode of goodness is recommended.
PURPORT
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR INDULGENCE in intoxication and gambling are not encouraged here. That sort of contribution is in the mode of ignorance. This kind of charity is not beneficial; but, rather, sinful persons are encouraged. Similarly, if a person makes charity to a suitable person without any respect, and without any attention, that sort of charity is also said to be in the mode of darkness.
PURPORT
NOW IT HAS BEEN explained that penance, sacrifice, charity, and eating—everything—is divided into three categories: the mode of goodness, the mode of passion, and the mode of ignorance. But whether first class, second class, or third class—all of them are conditioned, contaminated by the material Nature. When they are aimed at the Supreme—Om Tat Sat, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Eternal—such performances of charity and sacrifice are meant for spiritual elevation. In the scriptural injunctions, such an objective is indicated. These three words, Om Tat Sat, particularly indicate the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedic hymns, the word Om is always found. And anyone who acts without the regulation of the scripture will not be aimed at the Absolute Truth. He will get some temporary result, but not the ultimate end of life. Therefore, the conclusion is that the performance of charity, sacrifice, and penance must be done in the mode of goodness. Performed in the mode of passion or ignorance, they are certainly inferior in quality.
PURPORT
ANYTHING DONE WITHOUT a transcendental objective—whether it be sacrifice, charity, or penance, is useless. Therefore, in this verse, it is declared that such activities are abominable. Everything should be done for the Supreme, in Krishna consciousness. Without such faith, and without the proper guidance, there can never be any fruit. In all the Vedic scriptures, this faith in the Supreme is advised. In the pursuit of all Vedic instructions, the ultimate goal is to understand Krishna. No one can obtain success without following this principle. Therefore, the best thing is to work from the very beginning in Krishna consciousness, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. That is the way to make everything successful. In the conditional state people are attracted to worship the demigods, the ghosts, or the yaksas, like Kuvera. The mode of goodness is better than the modes of passion and ignorance, but one who takes directly to Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all these three modes of material Nature. Although there is a process of gradual elevation, if somebody, by the association of pure devotees, takes directly to Krishna consciousness, that is the best way. And that is recommended in this chapter. To achieve success in this way, the first thing is to find the proper spiritual master and to be trained under his direction, in order to achieve faith in the Supreme. When that faith becomes mature, in course of time it is called love of God. This is the ultimate goal of the living entities. One should, therefore, take to Krishna consciousness directly. That is the objective of this Seventeenth Chapter.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Seventeenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of the Divisions of Faith.
18
CONCLUSION—THE PERFECTION OF RENUNCIATION
PURPORT
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, the whole Bhagavad Gita is finished in seventeen chapters. The Eighteenth Chapter is supplementary, meant to summarize the topics discussed before. In every chapter of The Bhagavad Gita, it has been stressed that devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life. This same thing will be summarized in the Eighteenth Chapter, as the most confidential part of knowledge. In the first six chapters of The Gita, stress was given to devotional service by saying that, of all yogis or transcendentalists, one who always thinks of Krishna within himself is first class. In the next six chapters, pure devotional service and its nature and activity were variously discussed. In the third six chapters, knowledge, renunciation, and conscientious activities, the material Nature and the transcendental Nature, and devotional service are described.
Two words used in this verse to address the Supreme Lord—Hrishikesha and Kesinisudana—are significant. Hrishikesha is Krishna, the Master of all Senses, Who can help us to always have equilibrium of the mind. Arjuna is expecting Him to summarize everything in such a way that he may remain equipoised. At the same time, he has some doubts; and doubts are always compared to demons. He therefore addresses Krishna as Kesinisudana. Kesi was a most formidable demon, who was killed by the Lord. So Arjuna is expecting Krishna to kill the demon of doubt.
PURPORT
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE differences of opinion in the matter of renunciation, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, gives His judgment, which should be taken as final. After all, the Vedas are different laws given by the Lord. Now, here, the Lord is Personally present. His word should be taken as final.
PURPORT
ALTHOUGH ALL SUCH sacrifices are purifying, no one should expect any result by such performances. In other words, all sacrifices which are meant for material advancement in life should be given up; but such sacrifices as purify one’s existence, and elevate one to the spiritual plane, should not be stopped. Everything that leads to Krishna consciousness must be done. In The Srimad Bhagwatam it is said that any activity which leads to devotional service to the Lord should be accepted. That is the highest status of religion. A devotee of the Lord should accept any kind of work, sacrifice, or charity which will help him in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord.
PURPORT
ONE WHO IS IN Krishna consciousness should not give up earning money out of fear that he is acting in fruitive activities. If that money earned by his activity is engaged in Krishna consciousness, or if by rising early in the morning his transcendental Krishna consciousness is benefited, such activities should not be given up out of fear, or being considered troublesome. Such renunciation is in the mode of passion. The result of passionate work is always miserable. Even if a person renounces work in that spirit, he never gets the result of renunciation.
PURPORT
PRESCRIBED DUTY MUST be done with this mentality. Everyone should act without any attachment for the result, and without being associated with the mode of work. A man working in Krishna consciousness in a factory does not associate himself with the work of the factory, nor with the workers of the factory. He simply works for Krishna. And when he gives up the result for Krishna, that is called transcendental, or in the mode of goodness.
PURPORT
THE INSTRUMENTS OF our doing are our senses, and by those senses we act, or the soul acts, in various ways; and for each and every action, there is a different endeavor. But all one’s activities depend on the Supreme Will, Who is seated within the heart as a Friend. Under these circumstances, he who is acting in Krishna consciousness, under the direction of the Supersoul situated within the heart, naturally has no bondage from any activity done by him, while those in complete Krishna consciousness have no responsibility for their actions. Everything is dependent on the Supreme Will, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
A FOOLISH PERSON cannot understand that there is the Supersou1, sitting as a Friend within himself, conducting his actions. Although the material causes are the place, the worker, the endeavor, and the instruments, the final cause is the Supreme, the Personality of Godhead. Therefore, one should see not only these four material causes, but the Supreme efficient cause as well. One who does not see the Supreme, thinks of himself as supreme. He is not intelligent.
PURPORT
IN THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER of The Bhagavad Gita, the three divisions of the modes of material Nature were described. In that chapter, it was said that the mode of goodness is illuminating, the mode of passion materialistic, and the mode of darkness is laziness and indolence. All the modes of material Nature are binding; they are not sources of liberation. Even in the mode of goodness one is conditioned. In the Seventeenth Chapter, the different types of worship by different types of men in different modes of material Nature were described. In this verse the Lord wishes to speak about the different types of knowledge, workers, and work itself, according to the material modes.
PURPORT
THE CONCEPT OF THE material body as the living entity, and that, with the destruction of the body, consciousness is also destroyed, is called knowledge in the mode of passion. According to that knowledge, the body is different on account of development of different types of consciousness. Otherwise there is no separate soul which manifests consciousness. The body is itself the soul, and there is no separate soul beyond this body. According to such knowledge, consciousness is temporary. Or else there are no individual souls, but there is one all-pervading soul, which is full of knowledge, and this body is a manifestation of temporary ignorance. Or, beyond this body, there is no special individual or Supreme Soul. All such knowledge is grouped in one, as products of the mode of passion.
PURPORT
THE KNOWLEDGE OF the common man is always in the mode of darkness, because every living entity in conditional life is born into the mode of darkness, without any proper knowledge. Therefore, one who does not develop knowledge through the authorities or scriptural injunctions has his knowledge compact in the maintenance of the body. He has no concern about acting in terms of the directions of scripture. For him God is money, and knowledge means to satisfy the bodily demands. Such knowledge has no connection with the Absolute Truth. It is more or less like the knowledge of the ordinary animals: eating, sleeping, defending, and mating. Such knowledge is described here as the product of the mode of darkness. In other words, knowledge concerning the spirit soul beyond this body is called knowledge in the mode of goodness; and knowledge producing many theories and doctrines by logic and mental speculation is the product of the mode of passion; and knowledge to keep the body nicely, without anything else, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
PURPORT
A CONDITIONED SOUL IS engaged in enjoying material happiness again and again. He is chewing the already chewed; but sometimes, in the course of such enjoyment, he becomes relieved from the material entanglement by association of a great soul. In other words, a conditioned soul is always engaged in some type of sense gratification, but when he understands by good association that it is only a repetition of the same thing, and is awakened to his real Krishna consciousness, he is sometimes relieved from such repetitions of so-called happiness.
PURPORT
IN THE PURSUIT OF self-realization, one has to follow many rules and regulations to control the mind and the senses, and to concentrate the mind on the self. All these procedures are very difficult, bitter like poison; but if he is successful in following those regulations, and comes to the transcendental position, it appears like nectar, and he enjoys life as though always drinking nectar.
PURPORT
EVERYONE SHOULD THINK that he is engaged in a particular type of occupation by the Hrishikesha, the Master of the Senses. And, by the result of the work in which he is engaged, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, should be worshiped. If he thinks always in this way, in full Krishna consciousness, then by the grace of the Lord he becomes fully aware of everything.
PURPORT
ONE’S OWN OCCUPATIONAL duty means the prescribed duties mentioned in The Bhagavad Gita, as we have already discussed in the previous verses: the duty of a Brahmin, the duty of a Kshatriya, the duty of a Vaisya, or the duty of a Sudra, prescribed according to the particular modes of Nature. One should not imitate another’s duty. A man who is by nature attracted to such work as is done by the Sudras should not artificially claim himself a Brahmin, although he may be born into a Brahmin family. In this way one should work according to his own nature; and no such work is abominable, if performed for the purpose of serving the Supreme Lord.The occupational duty of a Brahmin is certainly in the mode of goodness; but if a person is not by nature in the mode of goodness, he should not imitate the occupational duty of a Brahmin. In the occupational duty of a Kshatriya, or administrator, there are so many abominable things: A Kshatriya has to be violent to kill his enemies, or to apprehend culprits; and sometimes a Kshatriya has to tell lies on account of diplomacy. Such violence and diplomacy accompany political affairs. But a Kshatriya is not supposed to give up his occupational duty and try to perform the duties of a Brahmin, although, in the duties of a Brahmin, there are no such faulty things.
One should act in terms of satisfying the Supreme Lord. For example, Arjuna is a Kshatriya. He is hesitating to commit violence against the other party. But, if such fighting is performed for the sake of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there need be no fear of degradation. In the business field also, sometimes a merchant has to tell so many lies to make a profit. If he does not do so, there can be no profit. Sometimes a mercantile man promises, "Oh, my dear customer, for you I am making no profit"; but one should know that, without making any profit, the merchant cannot exist. Therefore, it should be taken as a simple lie when a merchant says that he is not making a profit. But the merchant should not think that, because he is engaged in an occupation where the telling of lies is compulsory, he should give up his profession and pursue the profession of a Brahmin. That is not recommended.
Whether one is a Kshatriya, a Vaisya, or a Sudra doesn’t matter, if he serves, by the result of his work, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the Brahmins who perform different types of sacrifice also sometimes kill animals; because sometimes animals are sacrificed in such ceremonies. Similarly, if a Kshatriya engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no fault on his part. In the Third Chapter these things have been clearly and elaborately explained: every man should work for the purpose of Yajna, or for Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense gratification is the cause of bondage. The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular modes of Nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only for the sake of serving the Supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.
PURPORT
REAL RENUNCIATION means that one should always think himself part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, he has no right to enjoy the results of his work. Being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, the results of his work must be enjoyed by the Supreme Lord. This is actually Krishna consciousness. The person acting in Krishna consciousness is really a Sannyasi, one in the renounced order of life.
PURPORT
TO THE IMPERSONALIST, to achieve the Brahmabhuta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further, to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in the state of liberation called Brahmabhuta, oneness with the Absolute. Because, without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, nobody can render such service to Him. In the Absolute conception of life there is no difference between the served and the servitor; but still the distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense. In the material concept of life, working for sense gratification, there is the perception of misery. But in the Absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no such thing as trouble. Therefore, the devotee in Krishna consciousness has nothing to lament over, and nothing to desire. As God, the Supreme Lord, is full, so a living entity who is engaged in God’s service, in Krishna consciousness, becomes full in himself.
PURPORT
THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead, Krishna, or His plenary portions, cannot be understood by mental speculation, nor by the non-devotees. If anyone wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional service, under the guidance of a pure devotee. Otherwise, the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will always be hidden from him. Neither erudite scholarship nor mental speculation can reveal the Supreme Lord. Only one who is actually engaged in Krishna consciousness and devotional service can understand what Krishna is. University degrees are not helpful. One who is fully conversant with Krishna science becomes eligible to enter into the spiritual Kingdom, the Abode of Krishna. So to become Brahman does not mean that one loses his identity. Devotional service is there, and so long as devotional service exists, there must be God and the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Such knowledge is never vanquished even after liberation.
PURPORT
THAT ONE SHOULD act in Krishna consciousness means he should not act as the master of the world. Just like a servant, one should act fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. A servant has no individual independence. He acts only on the order of the master. A servant acting on behalf of the Supreme Master has no affection for profit and loss. He simply discharges his duty faithfully, in terms of the order of the Lord. Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting under the Personal direction of Krishna, but when Krishna is not present, how should one act? If one acts according to the direction of Krishna in this book, as well as under the guidance of the representative of Krishna, then the result will be the same. The Sanskrit word matparah is very important in this verse. It means that one has no goal in life save and except to act in Krishna consciousness, just to satisfy Krishna. And while acting in such a way, one should think of Krishna only: "I have been appointed to discharge this particular duty by Krishna." While acting in such a way, he naturally has to think of Krishna. This is perfect Krishna consciousness. One should, however, note that after doing something whimsically, he may not offer the result to the Supreme Lord. That sort of duty is not in the devotional service of Krishna consciousness. One should act according to the order of Krishna. This is a very important point: That order of Krishna comes through disciplic succession, from the bona fide spiritual master. Therefore, the spiritual master’s order should be taken as the prime duty of life. If one gets a bona fide spiritual master and acts according to his direction, that means his perfection of life in Krishna consciousness is guaranteed.
PURPORT
A PERSON IN FULL Krishna consciousness has no anxiety to execute the duties of his existence. The foolish cannot understand this great freedom from anxiety. For one who acts in Krishna consciousness, Lord Krishna becomes the most intimate Friend. He always looks after his friend’s comfort, and He gives Himself to His friend, who is so devotedly engaged, working twenty-four hours a day to please the Lord. Therefore, no one should be carried away by the false ego of the bodily concept of life. One should not falsely think himself independent of the laws of material Nature, free to act. He is already under the strict material laws. But as soon as he acts in Krishna consciousness, he is liberated, free from the material perplexities. So one should note very carefully that anyone who is not active in Krishna consciousness is losing himself in the material whirlpool, in the ocean of birth and death. No conditioned soul actually knows what is to be done and what is not to be done; but a person who acts in Krishna consciousness is free to act, because everything is prompted by Krishna from within and confirmed by the Spiritual Master.
PURPORT
ARJUNA WAS A MILITARY man, and born of the nature of the Kshatriya. Therefore, his natural duty is to fight. But, by false ego, he was considering whether, by killing his teacher and grandfather and friends, there would be a sinful reaction. So, practically, he was considering himself master of the action, as if he was directing the good and bad results of such work. He forgot that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present there, instructing him to fight. That is the forgetfulness of the conditioned soul. The Supreme Personality gives direction as to what is good and what is bad, and one simply has to act in Krishna consciousness to attain the perfection of life. No one can ascertain his destiny as completely as the Supreme Lord can, and therefore the best thing to do is to take direction from the Supreme Lord, and act. No one should neglect the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the order of the spiritual master, who is the representative of God. One should act unhesitatingly to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That will keep him safe under all circumstances.
PURPORT
IF ONE REFUSES to act under the direction of the Supreme Lord, then he will be compelled to act by the modes in which he is situated. Everyone is under the spell of a particular combination of the modes of Nature, and is acting in that way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.
PURPORT
GOD DOES NOT interfere with the little independence of the living entity. In The Bhagavad Gita, the Lord has advised in all respects about the elevation of the living condition. The best advice imparted to Arjuna is to surrender unto the Supersoul sitting in everyone’s heart. So, by right discrimination, one should agree to act according to the order of the Supersoul. That will help him to be situated constantly in Krishna consciousness, the highest perfectional stage of human life. Arjuna is being directly ordered by the Personality of Godhead to fight. Therefore, he has no other alternative than to fight. To surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest of the Supreme. Before surrendering, one is free to deliberate on this subject as far as intelligence goes; that is the best way to accept the instruction of the Supreme Person. Such instruction comes also through the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Krishna.
PURPORT
THE MOST CONFIDENTIAL part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of Krishna and always think of Him and act for Him. One should not become an official meditator. One’s life should be so molded that he will always have the chance to think of Krishna. One should always act in such way that all his daily activities are in connection with Krishna. He should mold his life in such a way that, throughout twenty-four hours, he cannot but think of Krishna. And the Lord’s promise is that anyone who is in such pure Krishna consciousness will certainly go back to the Abode of Krishna, where he will be engaged in the association of Krishna face to face. This most confidential part of knowledge is spoken to Arjuna, because he is the dear friend of Krishna. And everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can also become a dear friend to Krishna and obtain the same perfection as Arjuna.
PURPORT
IT HAS BEEN SAID that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Krishna. So one may think that, unless he is free from all sinful reactions, how can he take to the surrendering process? To such doubts it is here said that, even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to Sri Krishna, he automatically becomes free from them. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reaction. He should unhesitatingly accept Krishna as the Supreme Savior of all living entities. With faith and love he should surrender unto Him. Devotional service to Krishna, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge as described here, and this is the essence of the whole study of The Bhagavad Gita.
PURPORT
IN THE sixty-seventh verse of this chapter, the Lord explicitly forbade The Gita to be spoken to those who are envious of Him. In other words, The Bhagavad Gita is for the devotees only; but it so happens that sometimes a devotee of the Lord will open class, and in that class all the students are not expected to be devotees. Why do such persons hold open class? It is explained here that, although everyone is not a devotee, still there are many men who are not envious of Krishna. They have faith in Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if such persons hear from a bona fide devotee about the Lord, the result is that they become at once free from all sinful reactions, and after that attain to the planetary systems where all righteous persons are situated.
PURPORT
VYASA WAS THE spiritual master of Samjaya, and he admits that it was by his mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Krishna not directly, but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium; although it is true the experience is still direct. This is the mystery of disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear The Bhagavad Gita directly, as Arjuna heard it.
PURPORT
THE UNDERSTANDING OF The Bhagavad Gita is so transcendental that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of Arjuna and Krishna becomes perfect in righteousness, and he cannot forget such talks. This is the transcendental position of spiritual life. Or, in other words, one who hears The Gita from the right source, directly from Krishna, becomes fully in Krishna consciousness and the result of Krishna consciousness is that one becomes enlightened more and more, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.
PURPORT
THE BHAGAVAD GITA began with the inquiry of King Dhritarashtra. He was hopeful of the victory of his sons, assisted by great warriors like Bhisma, Drona, and Karna. He was hopeful that the victory would be on his side. But, after describing the scene in the battlefield, Samjaya told the King, "You are thinking of victory, but my opinion is that where there is Krishna and where there is Arjuna, every auspicious thing will also be." He directly confirmed that Dhritarashtra could not expect victory for his side. Victory was sure for the side of Arjuna, because Krishna was there. Some may protest that Krishna incited Arjuna to fight, which is immoral; but the reality is clearly stated: that The Bhagavad Gita is the supreme instruction of morality. The instruction of The Bhagavad Gita is the supreme process of religion and the supreme process of morality—all other processes may be purifying, to lead to this process, but the last instruction of The Gita is the last word of all morality and religion: Surrender unto Krishna. That is the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter, the last chapter, of The Bhagavad Gita.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of its Conclusion, and the Perfection of Renunciation.