Chapter 4
Transcendental
Knowledge
Verses 1-42
In
Verse 1 and 2 Lord Krsna is conveying that
The saintly kings understood this imperishable (avyaya) science of jnana
yoga through the chain of disciplic succession (parampara) originating from Me.
But by the influence of time, the succession was broken, and the science as it
is appears to be lost.
Verse 1
श्रीभगवानुवाच
इमं
विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान्मनवे
प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt
Translation
The
Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa, said: I taught the sun-god Vivasvan the
imperishable science of yoga, and Vivasvān taught it to Manu, the father of
humanity, and Manu taught it to Ikṣvaku.
Purport
The history of the Bhagavad-gītā is traced here, starting from a distant
era when it was given to the royal order of every planet, starting with the
sun. Since the kings of every planet are specifically created to guard their
subjects, the royal order must comprehend Bhagavad-gītā science in order to
rule over the populace and keep them free from material slavery to passion. The
purpose of human life is to cultivate spiritual knowledge and maintain an
eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the duty of
the executive heads of all states and planets to teach their citizens this
lesson through culture, education, and devotion. Stated differently, the goal
of the executive heads of all states is to disseminate the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness so that the populace can benefit from this great science and
follow a prosperous path, making use of the opportunity presented by the human
form of life. The sun is the planets' king, and the sun-god, also known as
Vivasvān, rules the sun planet, which provides heat and light to all other
planets. He rotates under Kṛṣṇa's orders. Vivasvān was initially made the first
disciple of Lord Kṛṣṇa to comprehend the science of Bhagavad-gītā. Thus, the
Gītā is a standard work of knowledge that has been passed down from uncountable
years rather than a theoretical treatise for the unimportant mundane scholar.
We have just come out of five thousand years of the Kaliyuga, a
432,000-year period for which it will last. Prior to this, there was
Dvāpara-yuga (800,000 years), there was Tretā-yuga (1,200,000 years ago)
and . Thus, the Bhagavad-gītā was revealed by Manu to his disciple and son,
Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the king of this planet Earth, some 2,005,000 years ago. It
is estimated that the current Manu is 305,300,000 years old, 120,400,000 of
which have already elapsed. Assuming that the Gītā was revealed by the Lord to
His disciple, the sun-god Vivasvān, prior to Manu's birth, it can be
approximated that the Gītā was revealed at least 120,400,000 years ago, and it
has been a part of human society for two million years. About five thousand years ago,
the Lord answered Arjuna once more. According to the Gītā itself and the
speaker's version, Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa, that is a rough estimate of the Gītā's
history. Since he is also a kṣatriya and the father of all kṣatriyas descended
from the sun-god, or sūrya-vaṁśa kṣatriyas, it was addressed to the sun-god
Vivasvān. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaks the Bhagavad-gītā,
which is equally good as the Vedas, this knowledge is apauruṣeya, superhuman.
The Gītā must therefore be accepted without common interpretation, just as the
Vedic instructions are accepted without human interpretation.
While the common people may conjecture about the Gītā in their own ways,
that is not the true nature of Bhagavad-gītā. As a result, the disciplic
succession of Bhagavad-gītā must be accepted in its original form. It describes
how the Lord spoke to the sun-god, who then spoke to his son Manu, who then
spoke to his son Ikṣvāku.
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In this verse 2, Lord mentioned that When the original purpose of the Gita
was scattered by the motives of the unscrupulous commentators and their
unauthorized interpretations, there arose the need to reestablish the bona fide
disciplic succession. Therefore, Lord Krsna spoke that science to Arjuna again
5000 years back.
Verse 2
एवं
परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः ।
स कालेनेह
महता योगे नष्टः परन्तप ॥ २ ॥
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha mahatā
yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa
Translation
Thus the
saintly kings understood this ultimate science, which they received through the
disciplic succession. However, over time, the line of succession was broken,
and as a result, current science seems to be extinct.
Purport
It is clearly said that the Gītā was intended, in particular, for the
holy kings, who were to carry out their function of governing the
citizens. Undoubtedly, Bhagavad-gītā was never intended for evil people, who
would diminish its significance for no one's gain and invent a variety of
readings based on their own whims. Restoring the disciplic succession became
necessary as soon as the initial intent was shattered by the dishonest
commentators' ulterior motives. When the Lord Himself saw that the disciplic
succession was broken five thousands years ago, He declared that the
Gītā's purpose seemed to have been lost. Similarly, there are a plethora of
Gītā editions available today (particularly in English), but nearly all of them
do not follow the recognised disciplic succession. Numerous mundane scholars
have provided countless interpretations, but nearly all of them reject Kṛṣṇa as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though they profit handsomely from Śrī
Kṛṣṇa's teachings. This spirit is demonic, for demons merely take pleasure in
the attributes of the Almighty without having any belief in God. An attempt is
made here to satisfy the great need for an English translation of the Gītā as
it is received by the paramparā (disciplic succession) system. Accepted as it
is, the Bhagavad-gītā is a great boon to humanity; interpreted as a treatise of
philosophical speculations, however, it is nothing more than a waste of time.
In verse 3 Krsna emphasised on the virtue /qualification of a recipient for
spiritual science is to be a devotee of Krsna for demons cannot understand it.
Verse 3
स एवायं मया
तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः ।
भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥
sa evāyaṁ mayā te ’dya
yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
bhakto ’si me sakhā ceti
rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam
Translation
That very ancient science of the relationship with
the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My
friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.
Purport
Men can be divided into two
categories: demons and devotees. Because Arjuna is a devotee of the Lord, the
Lord chose him to receive this great science; however, this great and
mysterious science is incomprehensible to the demon. This magnificent book of wisdom
is available in several editions. There are commentaries by the demons on some
of them and by the devotees on others. The devotees' commentary is genuine,
while the demons' is pointless. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna
acknowledges Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and any Gītā commentary that follows in Arjuna's
footsteps is a true act of devotion to the cause of this great science. But
Lord Kṛṣṇa is not accepted as He is by the demonic. Rather, they fabricate a
story about Kṛṣṇa and deceive the general public by diverting them from
following Kṛṣṇa's instructions. This is a cautionary tale about such deceptive
pathways. To benefit from this great science of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, one
should endeavour to follow the disciplic succession from Arjuna.
As a follower of Krsna, Arjuna
was well aware that the omniscient Supreme Lord is actually Krsna, even though
he manifested on earth as the son of Devaki. However, atheists could not think
that Krsna taught the sun god because they see Him as just another man. Thus
Arjuna desired that Kṛṣṇa establish the truth about Himself in an authoritative
manner. Kṛṣṇa responds to this in verse 4:
Verse 4
अर्जुन उवाच
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः ।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥ ४ ॥
arjuna uvāca
aparaṁ bhavato janma
paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ
katham etad vijānīyāṁ
tvam ādau proktavān iti
Translation
Arjuna said: The sun-god
Vivasvān is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the
beginning You instructed this science to him?
Purport
How could Arjuna, an
acknowledged follower of the Lord, not be convinced by Kṛṣṇa's assertions? The
truth is that Arjuna is not asking for himself; rather, he is asking for those
who reject the idea that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or for
the demons who find it offensive. Arjuna is asking this question only on their
behalf, as if he were unaware of the Personality of Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna
was fully aware that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate transcendental being, the source of
all things, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the Tenth Chapter will
make clear. Naturally, Kṛṣṇa also manifested on this planet as the son of
Devakī. It is very hard for a common man to comprehend how Kṛṣṇa remained the
same Supreme Personality of Godhead, the eternal original person. Arjuna
therefore asked Kṛṣṇa this question in order to make this point clear and give
Him the opportunity to speak with authority. The world has acknowledged Kṛṣṇa
as the ultimate authority since the beginning of time, and the only people who
reject Him are the demons. In any case, Arjuna posed this question to Kṛṣṇa
because He is the universally acknowledged authority. This way, Kṛṣṇa could
explain Himself without the devils' interference, which is always to
misrepresent Him in a way that makes sense to them and their cult.
Everyone should be aware of
Kṛṣṇa science for their own benefit. Therefore, it is fortunate for all the
worlds when Kṛṣṇa Himself speaks of Himself. Since the demons always study
Kṛṣṇa from their own perspective, the explanations given by Kṛṣṇa Himself may
seem strange to them. However, devotees warmly welcome Kṛṣṇa's statements when
they are spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Such authoritative statements of Kṛṣṇa will
always be worshipped by His devotees, who are insatiably curious to learn more
about Him. In this way, the atheists who view Kṛṣṇa as just another man may
learn that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, that He is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, the
eternal form of bliss and knowledge, and that He is superhuman and that He
transcends both time and space, as well as the dominance of the modes of
material nature. Like Arjuna, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is certainly above
misinterpreting the transcendental status of Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna's questioning of the
Lord is merely an attempt by the devotee to challenge the atheistic mindset of
those who regard Kṛṣṇa as a regular human being susceptible to the workings of
material nature.
In the following verses 5-10
the divine nature of Lord krsna’s appearance is described
Verse 5
श्रीभगवानुवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन ।
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥ ५ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha paran-tapa
Translation
The Personality of Godhead
said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them,
but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
Purport
It is also stated in the Vedas
that the Lord takes on countless forms even though He is one without a second.
He is comparable to the vaidurya stone, which is colourless but never changes.
The unadulterated, pure devotees comprehend all those forms, but it takes more
than a cursory study of the Vedas . Devotees such as Arjuna are the Lord's
constant companions. The associate devotees incarnate to serve the Lord in
various capacities whenever the Lord takes on a human form. Among these
devotees is Arjuna; it is understood from this verse that Arjuna was present,
albeit in a different capacity, when Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to the
sun-god Vivasvān some millions of years ago.
However, the Lord and Arjuna
were not the same in that the Lord could recall the incident, while Arjuna
could not. That is the distinction between the Supreme Lord and the piecemeal
living entity. Despite being referred to in this passage as the powerful hero
who could defeat the adversaries, Arjuna is unable to remember the events of
his numerous previous incarnations. As a result, no living thing can ever be
equal to the Supreme Lord, no matter how magnificent they may seem to be. Being
with the Lord all the time is undoubtedly liberating, but it does not make one
equal to the Lord. The Brahma-saṁhitā describes the Lord as infallible
(acyuta), meaning that even when He is in material contact, He never forgets
who He is. Consequently,
even in cases where the living entity is as liberated as Arjuna, the Lord and
the living entity cannot ever be equal in every way. Even though Arjuna is a
devotee of the Lord, he occasionally forgets who he is. However, by the grace
of God, a devotee can instantly comprehend the Lord's infallible state, while a
demon or nondevotee cannot comprehend this transcendental nature. As such, the
descriptions found in the Gītā are incomprehensible to demonic brains. Even
though both Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are eternal, Kṛṣṇa was able to recall deeds that
He had committed millions of years prior, but Arjuna was unable to. It should
be noted that when a living thing changes bodies, they lose all memory.
In verse 6-7 it is pertinently
mentioned that The ascent of adharma and the ruin of dharma can be reversed by
Krsna's able followers. Why is Krsna's physical appearance required? .
because Krsna accomplishes things that are extremely challenging for others to
do.
Verse 6
अजोऽपि
सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् ।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ ६ ॥
ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā
bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san
prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya
sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā
Translation
Although I am unborn and My
transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all
living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original
transcendental form.
Purport
The Lord has talked about the
peculiarity of His birth: even though He looks like a regular person, He
remembers every detail of His numerous prior "births," while the
average person is unable to recall his past actions even a few hours prior. It
would be extremely challenging for the average person to respond right away if
asked what they did at precisely the same moment the previous day. He would
undoubtedly need to dig deep into his memory to remember exactly what he was
doing the day before at that exact moment. However, men frequently dare to
assert that they are God, or Kṛṣṇa. Such empty claims ought not to deceive
anyone. On the other hand, the Lord describes His prakṛti, or form.
"Nature" is what Prakṛti means. while svarūpa refers to "one's
own form." According to the Lord, He manifests in His own body. Just as
the common living entity changes bodies, so does He not change His body. The
conditioned soul may have one type of body during this birth, but in the subsequent
birth, he will have a different kind of body. A living thing in the material
world transmigrates from one body to another and lacks a permanent body. But
that is not what the Lord does. By virtue of His inherent power, He always
manifests in His original body. Put differently, Kṛṣṇa manifests in this world
in His original, eternal form, holding a flute in two hands. Prakṛti signifies
"nature," while svarūpa refers to "one's own form."
According to the Lord, He manifests in His own body. Just as the common living
entity changes bodies, so does He not change His body. The conditioned soul may
have one type of body during this birth, but in the subsequent birth, he will
have a different kind of body. A living thing in the material world
transmigrates from one body to another and lacks a permanent body. But that is
not what the Lord does. By virtue of His inherent power, He always manifests in
His original body. Put differently, Kṛṣṇa manifests in this world in His
original, eternal form, holding a flute in two hands.
He appears precisely in the
body He has always had, pure from the impurities of this world. It seems that
even though He is the Lord of the universe and manifests in the same
transcendental body, He still appears to be a regular living being. And even though
Lord Kṛṣṇa's body does not age like a material one, it nevertheless seems as
though He develops from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to youth.
Interestingly enough, though, He never grows old. He had plenty of
grandchildren at home at the Battle of Kuruk-etra, or, to put it another way,
He had aged sufficiently according to material calculations. Even so, he had
the appearance of a young man in his twentys or twenty-fives. Despite being the oldest
person in the entire creation—past, present, and future—we never see a picture
of Kṛṣṇa growing old like us. He never ages or changes, neither His body nor
His intelligence. It follows that despite existing in the physical world, the
eternal, unborn form of bliss and knowledge remains unchanged in His transcendental
body and intelligence. In actuality, His coming and going is comparable to the
rising and setting of the sun; it moves ahead of us before vanishing from view.
We believe that the sun has set when it is out of sight and that it is on the
horizon when it is in front of us.
In actuality, the sun never
moves from its fixed position; instead, we determine when it appears and sets
in the sky because of our inadequate and flawed senses. Furthermore, Lord
Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance are entirely unlike from those of any
typical, everyday living thing, demonstrating His inherent potency as eternal,
blissful knowledge that is never tainted by the material world. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is unborn, but He still appears to take birth in
multiple manifestations, as the Vedas also attest. The Vedic additional
literatures also attest to the fact that the Lord is still the same person even
though it seems as though He is taking on a human form. In the Bhāgavatam, He
manifests as Nārāyaṇa before His mother, adorned with four hands and the six
types of complete opulences. The impersonalist incorrectly believes that the
Lord's forms are mental constructs or imaginations, so the appearance of the Supreme
Lord in His original eternal form is His causeless mercy, bestowed upon the
living entities to allow them to focus on the Supreme Lord as He is. The
Viśva-kośa dictionary defines the word māyā, or ātma-māyā, as the Lord's
boundless mercy. The Lord remembers every appearance and disappearance from the
past, but when a common living entity gets a new body, he forgets everything
about the previous one. Because of the amazing things He does while here on
Earth—activities that are beyond human comprehension—He is the Lord of all
living things. As a result, the Lord is the same Absolute Truth at all times
and cannot be distinguished from Himself or from His form or quality or body.
It is now possible to wonder why the Lord comes and goes from this world. The
next verse explains this.
Verse 7
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ७ ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
Translation
Whenever and wherever there is
a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant
rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.
Purport
Here, the term sṛjāmi is
important. Since all of the forms of the Lord are eternally existing, there is
no creation of the Lord's form or body, so the word "sṛjāmi" cannot
be used in the sense of creation as stated in the previous verse. Thus, sṛjāmi
signifies the manifestation of the Lord in His true form. While the Lord does
manifest on time, that is, at the end of the Dvāpara-yuga of the twenty-eighth
millennium of the seventh Manu in one day of Brahmā, He is not bound by such
laws and decrees, since He is entirely free to do as He pleases. Therefore,
anytime there is a dominance of irreligiosity and a disappearance of true
religion, He manifests Himself of His own volition. The Vedas contain the
fundamentals of religion, and a person is deemed irreligious if they disagree
with how the Vedas should be followed. According to the Bhāgavatam, these
precepts are the Lord's laws. A system of religion can only be created by the
Lord. It is also acknowledged that the Vedas were first revealed to Brahmā
directly from the heart by the Lord Himself. Therefore, according to dharmaṁ tu
sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam, the fundamentals of religion are the direct commands
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The entire Bhagavad-gītā makes reference
to these ideas. The goal of the Vedas is to establish these principles on
behalf of the Almighty Lord, who gives specific instructions at the end of the
Gītā. the
ultimate religious precept is to submit to God alone—nothing else. The Vedic
principles encourage total surrender to Him, and the Lord manifests whenever
the demoniac subverts these principles. According to the Bhāgavatam, Lord
Buddha is the embodiment of Kṛṣṇa, who manifested during a time when
materialism was in full swing and materialists were abusing the Vedic authority
as a shield. Those with a demonic bent continued to practise animal sacrifice
without regard for the Vedic precepts, despite the Vedas' stringent laws and
regulations prohibiting it for specific purposes. The purpose of Lord Buddha's
appearance was to put an end to this absurdity and establish the nonviolent
Vedic principles.
As a result, every single avatāra,
or incarnation of the Lord, has a distinct mission, which the revealed
scriptures all describe. Scriptures should be the only source for accepting
someone as an avatāra. The idea that the Lord only manifests himself in India
is untrue. He has the ability to show up whenever He wants to, anywhere, and at
any time. He talks about religion as much as the specific people under the
specific circumstances can understand in each and every incarnation. However,
the goal remains the same: to guide individuals towards religious observance
and God consciousness.
Occasionally, He comes down in
person, and other times, He sends His true representative, who could be His
son, a servant, or even Him in disguise.
Since Arjuna was so much
higher than common people in other regions of the world, the Bhagavad-gītā's
principles were addressed to him and to other highly elevated individuals as
well. A mathematical principle that holds true for both the advanced and beginner
arithmetic classes is two plus two equals four. Higher and lower mathematics
exist nonetheless. Therefore, the same lessons are imparted in all of the
Lord's incarnations, though they seem to be higher or lower depending on the
situation. Accepting the four fundamentals of religion is the first step
towards the higher ideals.
As will be explained later,
acceptance of the four orders and four statuses of social life is the first
step towards the higher principles of religion. The primary aim of incarnations
is to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness worldwide. Only in certain situations can such
consciousness be manifest or nonmanifest.
In verse 8 onwards it is
mentioned that Krsna came into the world primarily to fulfil the desire of His
pure followers to see Him and to be their protector. Demon punishment comes
second. Because Krsna was to be born of Devaki and Vasudeva, evil Kamsa
tortured them. As a result, even though both actions were accomplished at the
same time, Krsna seemed to be more concerned with delivering Devaki than
killing Kamsa.
Mercy and punishment are
synonymous: Krsna killed the evildoers and he bestows on them the bliss of
liberation by killing them for their misdeeds.
Verse 8
परित्राणाय
साधुनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थानार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८ ॥
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Translation
To deliver the pious and to
annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of
religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
Purport
A man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
is called a sādhu (holy man), according to Bhagavad-gītā. Even though someone
doesn't seem religious, if they fully and entirely meet the requirements of
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then they should be considered sādhus. Moreover, duṣkṛtām
is applicable to people who have no interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. While a
person fully immersed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is accepted as a sādhu, even
though they may not be highly educated or well-cultured, on the other hand miscreants, or duṣkṛtam, are regarded as
foolish and the lowest of mankind, even though they may be decorated with
mundane education.
It is not necessary for the
Supreme Lord to manifest Himself in order to destroy the atheistic, just as He
did with the demons Rāvaṇa and Kaṁsa. There are numerous agents of the Lord who
are quite capable of defeating demons. However, the Lord specifically descends
to placate His unwavering followers, who are constantly tormented by the demon.
Even though the devotee may be related to him, the demon still haunts him.
Despite being the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda Mahārāja was persecuted by his
father; Devakī, Kṛṣṇa's mother, was Kaṁsa's sister, but the only reason she and
her husband Vasudeva were persecuted was because Kṛṣṇa was going to be born of
them.
Therefore, Lord Kṛṣṇa seemed
to have killed Kaṁsa in addition to delivering Devakī, though both actions were
carried out at the same time. Thus, it is said that the Lord takes on various
incarnations in order to deliver the devotee and defeat the demonic miscreants.
Avatāras come in many
different forms; they appear on schedule throughout the universe and include
puruṣāvatāras, guṇāvatāras, līlāvatāras, śakty-āveśa avatāras,
manvantara-avatāras, and yugāvatāras. However, Lord Kṙṣṇa is the primordial
Lord and the source of all avatāras. The particular reason Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
descends is to ease the concerns of the pure devotees, who are eager to see Him
in His original Vṛndāvana pastimes. Consequently, fulfilling the desires of His
unwavering devotees is the main goal of the Kṛṣṇa avatāra.
According to the Lord, He
takes on human form once every millennium. This suggests that He takes on human
form during the Kali Age as well. According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Lord
Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the incarnation in the Age of Kali. He propagated Kṛṣṇa
consciousness throughout India and the saṅkīrtana movement (congregational
chanting of the holy names) to spread Kṛṣṇa worship. He foresaw that the
saṅkīrtana culture would spread from village to village and town to town
throughout the entire world. The Upaniṣads, Mahābhārata, and Bhāgavatam are
among the sacred texts that covertly, though not explicitly, describe Lord
Caitanya as the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.
The saṅkīrtana movement of
Lord Caitanya is a great attraction for the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The
miscreants are delivered by the Lord's unfathomable mercy rather than being
killed in this avatāra.
In the verses 9-10, result of
properly knowing Krsna’s appearance is discussed.
Verse 9
जन्म कर्म च
मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ।
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥ ९ ॥
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
Translation
O Arjuna, one who understands
the transcendental aspect of My activities and appearance does not reincarnate
in this world after departing from the body; instead, they reach My eternal
abode.
Purport
The sixth verse already
provides an explanation of the Lord's descent from His transcendental abode.
Upon leaving this current material body, a person who comprehends the reality
of the Personality of Godhead's appearance is instantly welcomed back into God's
kingdom since they have already been freed from material bonds. It is by no
means simple to free a living being from material servitude. Liberation is only
attained by impersonalists and yogīs after a great deal of difficulty and
countless births. Even so, their release is only partial, and they run the risk
of going back to this worldly realm when they merge into the impersonal
brahma-jyotir of the Lord.
However, the devotee does not
face the danger of going back to this worldly realm because they have grasped
the transcendental nature of the body and the Lord's activities, which leads
them to the Lord's abode after this body ends. It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā
(5.33) that the Lord has a vast array of forms and incarnations, with the
phrase "advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam." The Lord is the same
Supreme Personality of Godhead, despite existing in multiple transcendental
forms. Even though this fact defies the comprehension of both pragmatic
philosophers and common scholars, one must grasp it with conviction.
Verse 10
वीतरागभयक्रोधा
मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः ।
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥ १० ॥
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā
man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ
bahavo jñāna-tapasā
pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ
Translation
Being freed from attachment,
fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons
in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained
transcendental love for Me.
Purport
The above describes how
difficult it is for someone who is too materially impacted to comprehend that
the Supreme Absolute Truth is personal. It is generally very difficult for
those who are devoted to the materialistic understanding of life to comprehend
how the Supreme can be a human because they are so consumed by materialism. It
is beyond the comprehension of these materialists that a transcendent body
exists that is indestructible, brimming with wisdom, and eternally joyous.
Perishable, ignorant, and utterly miserable is how the materialistic concept
views the human body. So when people hear about the Lord's human form, they
generally remember this same physical concept. Such materialistic men place the
utmost importance on the form of the massive material manifestation. As a
result, they believe that the Supreme is impersonal. Furthermore, the idea of
keeping their personality after being freed from matter scares them because
they are too consumed by material things. They naturally prefer a sort of
merging into the impersonal void, but when they learn that spiritual life is
also individual and personal, they get afraid of becoming persons again. In
general, they liken the living things to ocean bubbles that eventually dissolve
into the water. Without having a distinct personality, that is the pinnacle of
spiritual perfection. This is a scary time in life because there isn't a
complete understanding of spiritual existence.
Moreover, a great deal of
people have no comprehension whatsoever of spiritual existence. Their
embarrassment at so many theories and the inconsistencies of different kinds of
philosophical conjecture makes them feel resentful or disgusted, leading them to
mistakenly believe that everything is ultimately meaningless and that there is
no ultimate cause. These individuals lead unhealthy lives. Some people want to
merge into the ultimate spiritual cause, some are too materially attached to
give much thought to spiritual life, and some are hopelessly disillusioned and
angry at all forms of spiritual conjecture. This final group of men seek solace
in intoxication of some sort, and their affective hallucinations are
occasionally acknowledged as spiritual visions.
All three phases of material
consciousness must be abandoned: attachment to the material world, fear of a
spiritual identity, and the idea of emptiness that results from life's
disappointments. One must seek total refuge from the Lord, follow the rules and
regulations of a sincere spiritual mentor, and give up all material possessions
in order to break free from these three phases of the material concept of life.
The ultimate phase of a devotional life is known as transcendental love of
Godhead, or bhāva. Throughout the prema stage, the transcendental loving
service of the Lord is continuously practised.
Therefore, one can reach the highest level through the gradual process of devotional service, guided by a genuine spiritual master. At this point, one is liberated from all material attachment, from the fear of one's unique spiritual personality, and from the frustrations that lead to void philosophy. At last, one can arrive at the residence of the Supreme Lord.
In the verses 11-15 importance
of Krsna as the creator and culmination of all paths is described.
Verse 11
ये यथा मां
प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ ११ ॥
ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
Translation
As all surrender unto Me, I reward them
accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
Purport
Everybody is looking for Kṛṣṇa
in the various facets of His appearances. The Supreme Personality of Godhead,
known as Kṛṣṇa, is both the all-pervading Supersoul that resides within
everything, even atoms, and His impersonal brahma-jyotir effulgence. But only
His pure disciples can truly realise Kṛṣṇa. As a result, Kṛṣṇa is the object of
everyone's realisation, and as a result, everyone's desire for Him is satiated.
In the transcendental realm as well, Kṛṣṇa gives His pure devotees what they
want in the transcendental mindset. It is possible for a devotee to wish for
Kṛṣṇa to be his personal friend, his son, his ultimate master, or even his
lover. Depending on their various levels of devotion to Him, Krsna blesses each
devotee equally. The Lord exchanges feelings with the various kinds of
worshippers in the tangible world in an equal and reciprocal manner. The pure
devotees associate with the Lord in person both here and in the transcendental
abode. They are able to serve the Lord directly and experience transcendental
joy in His loving service. Kṛṣṇa also assists impersonalists who wish to end
their spiritual lives by eliminating the unique existence of the living being
by absorbing them into His effulgence. These impersonalists refuse to acknowledge the
eternal, blissful Personality of Godhead; as a result, they have given up on
their individuality and are unable to experience the joy of transcendental
personal devotion to the Lord. Some of them return to this material world to
express their latent activity wants because they are not securely established
even in the impersonal life. They are once more given the opportunity to act on
the material worlds but are turned away from the spiritual planets. The Lord
bestows upon fruitful labourers the desired outcomes of their assigned tasks,
in the form of yajñeūvara; similarly, yogīs desiring mystic powers are bestowed
with such powers. Stated
differently, all spiritual processes are really varying degrees of
accomplishment along the same path, and everyone's success depends only on His
kindness.
Verse 12
काङ्क्षन्तः
कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवता ।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥ १२ ॥
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā
Translation
Men in this world desire success in fruitive
activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men
get results from fruitive work in this world.
Purport
The gods or demigods of this
material world are greatly misunderstood, and people of lesser intelligence who
pose as learned men mistakenly believe that these demigods are different
incarnations of the Almighty Lord. The demigods are actually distinct facets of
God, not other manifestations of him. God is one, but there are many parts and
pieces of him. God is one, according to the Vedas (nityo nityānām). Kṛṣṇaḥ
Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. The demigods have been given the authority to rule over this
material universe by the one Supreme God, Kṛṣṇa. Each of these demigods is a
living being (nityānām) with varying degrees of material strength. They are not
equal to Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme God. An atheist, or pasandi, is
someone who believes that God and the demigods are equal. There is none greater
than the Supreme Lord, not even the great demigods like Siva and Brahmā. In
actuality, gods like Brahma and Siva (Siva-virinci-nutam) worship the
Lord. Curiously enough, though, anthropomorphism or zoomorphism is a
misconception that leads to the worship of numerous human leaders by naive men.
The term "Iha devatāḥ" refers to a strong man or a god of this
earthly realm. However,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, also known as Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, is
not a part of this world. He transcends or is higher than the material world.
Even the leader of the
impersonalists, Sripada Saṅkaracarya, holds that Narayana, or Kṛṣṇa, is
not of this material creation. However, since they seek quick fixes, gullible
people (hrta-jnana) worship the gods. They receive the results, but they are
unaware that they are only temporary and intended for those with lower IQs. The
wise one is in Kṛṣṇa awareness, and he needs no longer worship the meagre
demigods for some short-term, fleeting gain. With the destruction of this
material world will come the disappearance of the demigods and their
worshippers. The benefits bestowed by the gods are fleeting and material. The
demigods and those who worship them, as well as the material worlds themselves,
are all bubbles in the cosmic ocean. But in this world, human society is obsessed with
transients like the material opulence of owning a home, a family, and fun
accessories. In human society, people worship demigods or strong men in order
to accomplish such fleeting goals. When a man achieves a government
ministership through idolising a political figure, he feels that he has
received a great blessing. In order to obtain short-term benefits, they are all
bowing down to the so-called leaders or "big guns," and they do
succeed in doing so. Such ignorant men have no interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
as a long-term remedy for the sufferings of this world. They are all seeking sensory
gratification, and in order to obtain a modicum of it, they are drawn to
worshipping powerful living beings known as demigods. This verse suggests that
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is rarely of interest to people. They worship a strong
living being because their primary interest is in material pleasure.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं
मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥
cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam
Translation
According to the three modes of material nature and
the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created
by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am
yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.
Purport
All things were created by the
Lord. He is the source of all things, the source of all sustenance, and the
source of all things that remain after destruction. Since they are positioned
in the mode of goodness, the intelligent class of men—technically known as
brāhmaṇas—is the first of the four divisions of the social order that he
created. The administrative class follows, who are known as kṣatriyas in
technical terms because they belong to the mode of passion. The śūdras, or
labouring class, are situated in the ignorant mode of material nature, while
the mercantile men, known as the vaiśyas, are situated in the mixed modes of
passion and ignorance. Despite having established the four segments of human
society, Lord Kṛṣṇa is not a part of any of these divisions since He is not a
conditioned soul, which constitutes a portion of the population that makes up
human society. Human society bears similarities to animal societies; however,
the Lord has created the divisions mentioned above to elevate men from their
animal status and to facilitate the systematic development of Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. A man's inclination towards labour is dictated by the types of
material things he has obtained. The Eighteenth Chapter of this book describes
such symptoms of life according to the various modes of material nature. On the
other hand, an individual in Kṛṣṇa consciousness transcends even the brāhmaṇas.
While brāhmaṇas by nature are supposed to be cognizant of Brahman, the Absolute
Supreme Truth, the majority of them only interact with the impersonal Brahman
form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or a Vaiṣṇava, is
one who surpasses the limited knowledge of a brāhmaṇa and attains the knowledge
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge of all the
various plenary expansions of Kṛṣṇa, such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, etc., is
included in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just as Kṛṣṇa transcends this system of the
four divisions of human society, so too does an individual in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness transcend all divisions of human society, be that community
divisions, nations or species.
Verse 14
न मां
कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा ।
इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥ १४ ॥
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti
na me karma-phale spṛhā
iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti
karmabhir na sa badhyate
Translation
There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire
for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not
become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.
Purport
The Lord, despite being the
one who created this material world, is unaffected by its actions, just as
there are constitutional laws in the material world that declare the king
cannot do wrong or is exempt from state laws. Since they have a tendency to rule
over material resources, living things become entangled in the results of
material activities, while he creates and stays apart from the creation. The
owners of businesses are not accountable for the morality or immorality of
their employees; instead, it is the employees' responsibility. The activities
that the living things are involved in for the purpose of satisfying their
senses are not prescribed by the Lord. Living things work in this world to
further their own sense of gratification, and they hope to achieve heavenly
happiness in the afterlife. Since the Lord is satisfied in Himself, He cannot
be drawn to what is known as "heavenly happiness." The gods of heaven
are merely His enlisted servants. The owner never wants the kind of shallow
happiness that employees might want. He keeps his distance from the tangible
deeds and responses. For instance, while there would be no chance of vegetative
growth absent the rains, the various forms of vegetation that exist on Earth
are not caused by them.
All created beings, including
humans, demigods, and lesser animals, are susceptible to the consequences of
their previous actions, whether they were good or bad. The Lord is never
accountable for their past or present actions; He only provides them with the
necessary resources for such activities and the rules of the natural world.
Vaiṣamya-nairghṛṇye na sāpekṣatvāt, or the Lord is never partial to any living
being, is confirmed in the Vedānta-sūtra (2.1.34). The living thing is in
charge of its own actions. The Lord only provides him with the means to access
external energy through the agency of material nature. A person who is well-versed in
the nuances of the law of karma, also known as fruitive activities, remains
unaffected by the outcomes of their actions. Stated differently, the individual
who comprehends the transcendent aspect of the Lord is an accomplished
individual in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as such, he is not bound by the laws of
karma. Unaware of the transcendental nature of the Lord, someone who believes
that both the Lord's and ordinary living entities' actions are intended to
produce fruitful outcomes will undoubtedly become entangled in fruitful
reactions. However, an individual who comprehends the Ultimate Truth is a freed
soul imprinted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Verse 15
एवं
ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः ।
कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥ १५ ॥
evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ
pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taraṁ kṛtam
Translation
All the liberated souls in
ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature.
Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.
Purport
Men fall into two categories.
While some of them are materially free, others have hearts full of materially
tainted things. Both of these people benefit equally from kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Following the rules of devotional service, those who are full of filth can
approach the line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for a progressive purification
process. Those who have already been purified of impurities are free to act in
the same Kṛṣṇa consciousness, allowing others to benefit from their virtuous
deeds. Those who lack knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or those who are
foolish or ignorant, frequently wish to give up on activities. Arjuna wanted to
stop fighting, but the Lord did not approve of his decision. All one has to know is how to
behave. It is less significant to give up on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to remain
detached while putting on a show of Kṛṣṇa consciousness than it is to genuinely
participate in the field of activities for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here, Arjuna is
instructed to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, imitating the actions of the Lord's
earlier disciples, including the sun-god Vivasvān, as previously mentioned. The
Supreme Lord is aware of all His previous deeds and those of individuals who
have previously acted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He thus endorses the deeds of the
sun god, who some millions of years ago acquired this skill from the Lord.
All these students of Lord
Kṛṣṇa are mentioned here as previously liberated individuals, carrying out the
tasks assigned by Kṛṣṇa.
In the verses 16-24
understanding Karma on the platform of jnana is described.
Verse 16
किं कर्म
किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः ।
तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥ १६ ॥
kiṁ karma kim akarmeti
kavayo ’py atra mohitāḥ
tat te karma pravakṣyāmi
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ’śubhāt
Translation
Even
the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is
inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be
liberated from all misfortune.
Purport
Action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be carried out following the precedent set by earlier sincere devotees. The fifteenth verse suggests doing this. The text that follows will provide an explanation of why such an action should not be independent.
As this chapter's introduction
explains, in order to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one must obey the authority
of those who are in a line of disciplic succession. The sun-god was the one who
first told the sun-god's system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The sun-god then
explained it to his son Manu, who then explained it to his son Ikṣvaku. From
that very remote time, the system has persisted on this planet.
As such, in the line of disciplic succession, one must proceed in the footsteps of earlier authorities. If not, then even the most learned men will be perplexed by the common behaviours of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because of this, the Lord chose to give Arjuna direct instruction in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anyone who follows in Arjuna's footsteps is undoubtedly not confused, thanks to the direct instruction from the Lord.
It is said that incomplete
experimental knowledge is insufficient to determine a religion's practises.
Actually, only the Lord Himself is qualified to establish religious
doctrine. Nobody can create a religious
doctrine through faulty conjecture. Great Sages such as Brahmā, Śiva, Nārada, Manu, the
Kumāras, Kapila, Prahlāda, Bhīṣma, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja, Janaka, and Bali
Mahārāja are the ones to emulate. It is impossible to distinguish between
religion and self-realization by mental conjecture. Therefore, the Lord gives
Arjuna a clear explanation of what action and inaction are out of boundless
mercy for His devotees. One can only be freed from the entanglement of material
existence by action taken in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Verse 17
कर्मणो
ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥ १७ ॥
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ
boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Translation
The intricacies of action are
very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is,
what forbidden action is and what inaction is.
Purport
To truly be freed from
material servitude, one must recognise the differences between action, inaction
and unauthorized actions. It is a very challenging subject matter, so one must
apply oneself to such an analysis of action, reaction, and perverted actions.
One must learn about their relationship with the Supreme in order to comprehend
Kṛṣṇa consciousness and action in accordance with its modes. That is, a fully
informed person understands that every living thing is an eternal servant of
the Lord and that acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is therefore necessary. The
goal of the entire Bhagavad-gita is to arrive at this realisation. Any
other conclusions that run counter to this consciousness and the deeds that
follow are vikarmas, or forbidden deeds. It is equivalent to receiving direct
instruction from the Lord to associate with Kṛṣṇa consciousness authorities and
learn the secret from them in order to comprehend all of this. If not, even the
most intelligent people will not understand.
Verse 18
कर्मण्यकर्म
यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः ।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ १८ ॥
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt
Translation
One who sees inaction in
action and action in inaction is wise among men, and he is in the
transcendental position despite being involved in a variety of activities.
Purport
A person acting in Krsna
consciousness is naturally free of karma's bonds. Because all of his activities
are done for Krsna, he does not enjoy or suffer from the effects of work. As a
result, despite his involvement in a variety of activities for Krsna, he is
intelligent in human society. Akarma means "work without reaction."
The impersonalist stops fruitful activities out of fear, so that the resulting
action does not become a stumbling block on the path to self-realization,
whereas the personalist recognises his rightful position as the eternal servant
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a result, he engages in activities of
Krsna consciousness. Because everything is done for Krsna, he experiences only
transcendental happiness in carrying out this service. Those involved in this
process are known to lack a desire for personal sense gratification. The sense
of eternal servitorship to Krsna makes one immune to all types of reactionary
work elements.
Verse 19
यस्य सर्वे
समारम्भाः कामसंकल्पवर्जिताः ।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥ १९ ॥
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ
kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ
tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
Translation
One is said to be fully aware
if their every endeavour is free of desire for sense gratification. Sages
describe him as a worker whose reactions to work have been consumed by the fire
of perfect knowledge.
Purport
Only someone with complete
knowledge can comprehend the activities of someone in Krsna consciousness.
Because the person in Krsna consciousness is free of all sense-gratifying
desires, it is understood that he has burned up the reactions of his work through
perfect knowledge of his constitutional position as the eternal servant of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whoever has attained such perfection in
knowledge is truly learned. The process of developing this knowledge of eternal
servitorship to the Lord is compared to fire. Once lit, such a fire can burn up
all kinds of reactions to work.
Verse 20
त्यक्त्वा
कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः ।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥ २० ॥
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
Translation
Abandoning all attachment to
the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no
fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
Purport
This freedom from the bonds of
actions is only possible in Krsna consciousness, when one does everything for
Krsna. A Krsna conscious person acts out of pure love for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and thus has no attraction to the outcomes of his actions.
He isn't even concerned with his personal upkeep because everything is handled
by Krsna. He is also not concerned with securing or protecting what he already
has. He does his job to the best of his ability and then delegated everything
to Krsna. Such an unattached person is always free of the resulting good and
bad reactions; he appears to be doing nothing. This is a sign of akarma, or
actions without fruitful consequences. Any other action, therefore, devoid of
Krsna consciousness, is binding on the worker, and this is the true aspect of
vikarma, as previously explained.
Verse 21
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा
त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः ।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ २१ ॥
nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence
perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions
and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not
affected by sinful reactions.
Purport
A Krsna conscious person does not expect good or bad
outcomes from his actions. His mind and intelligence are completely under his
control. He understands that because he is a part of the Supreme, the role he
plays as a part of the whole is not his own activity, but is done through him
by the Supreme. When the hand moves, it does so not of its own accord, but as a
result of the entire body's effort. Because he has no desire for personal sense
gratification, a Krsna conscious person is always dovetailed with the supreme
desire. He moves exactly like a machine part. As a machine part requires oiling
and cleaning for maintenance, a Krsna conscious man maintains himself through
his work in order to remain fit for action in the Lord's transcendental loving
service. As a result, he is immune to all of his endeavours' reactions. He has
no control over his own body, just like an animal. When a cruel owner of an
animal kills the animal in his care, the animal does not protest. It also lacks
true independence. A Ka conscious individual who is fully engaged in
self-realization has very little time to falsely possess any material object.
He does not require unethical means of accumulating money to maintain his body
and soul. As a result, he is not contaminated by such material sins. He is
unaffected by any reactions to his actions.
Verse
22
यदृच्छालाभसंतुष्टो
द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः ।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥ २२ ॥
yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo
dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca
kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate
Translation
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own
accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both
success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Purport
Even to maintain his body, a Krsna conscious person makes
little effort. He is content with gains that come to him on their own. He
neither begs nor borrows, but works honestly as far as his abilities allow, and
is content with whatever results from his own honest labour. As a result, he is
self-sufficient in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone else's service to
interfere with his own in Krsna consciousness. However, in the service of the
Lord, he can engage in any kind of action without being bothered by the
material world's duality. The material world's duality is felt in terms of heat
and cold, or misery and happiness.
A Krsna conscious person is above duality because he does
not hesitate to act in any way to please Krsna. As a result, he is consistent
in both success and failure. When one is fully immersed in transcendental
knowledge, these signs become visible.
Verse
23
गतसङ्गस्य
मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः ।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥ २३ ॥
gata-saṅgasya muktasya
jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma
samagraṁ pravilīyate
Translation
A man's work that is unattached to the modes of material
nature and fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges completely into
transcendence.
Purport
When one becomes fully Krsna conscious, one is liberated
from all dualities and thus liberated from the contaminations of the material
modes. He is liberated because he understands his constitutional position in
relation to Krsna, and thus his mind cannot be drawn from Krsna consciousness.
As a result, whatever he does, he does for Krsna, the primaeval Visnu. As a
result, all of his works are technically sacrifices because sacrifice seeks to
satisfy the Supreme Person, Visnuu, Krsna. The reactions to all such work
undoubtedly merge into transcendence, and no material effects are felt.
ब्रह्मार्पणं
ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ २४ ॥
brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir
brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ
brahma-karma-samādhinā
Translation
Because of his complete participation in spiritual activities, where the consummation is total and that which is offered is of the same spiritual character, a person who is entirely engrossed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is certain to reach the spiritual kingdom.
Purport
This section describes how activities in Krsna
consciousness can eventually lead to the spiritual goal. In Krsna
consciousness, there are various activities that will be described in the
following verses. However, for the time being, only the principle of Krsna
consciousness is described. A conditioned soul entangled in material
contamination will undoubtedly act in the material atmosphere, but he must
escape such an environment. Krsna consciousness is the process by which the
conditioned soul can escape the material atmosphere. For example, a patient
suffering from bowel disorders caused by an excess of milk products is cured by
another milk product, curds. The materially absorbed conditioned soul, as
described in the Gt, can be cured by Krsna consciousness. This process is known
as yaja, or activities (sacrifices) performed solely for the satisfaction of
Visnu or Krsna. The more material world activities are performed in Krsna
consciousness, or for Visnu alone, the more spiritualized the atmosphere
becomes through complete absorption. Brahma (Brahman) is a Sanskrit word that
means "spiritual." The Lord is spiritual, and His transcendental
body's rays are known as brahma-jyotir, or spiritual effulgence. Everything
exists in that brahma-jyotir, but when the jyotir is obscured by illusion (my)
or sense gratification, it is referred to as material. This material veil can
be removed at once by Krsna consciousness; thus, the offering for the sake of
Krsna consciousness, the consuming agent of such an offering or contribution,
the process of consumption, the contributor, and the result are all Brahman, or
the Absolute Truth, when combined. My Absolute Truth is referred to as matter.
Matter that has been dovetailed for the sake of the Absolute Truth reclaims its
spiritual quality. The process of transforming illusory consciousness into
Brahman, or the Supreme, is known as krsna consciousness. The mind is said to
be in samadhi, or trance, when it is completely immersed in Krsna
consciousness. Anything done in this state of transcendental consciousness is
referred to as yajna, or sacrifice for the Absolute. 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, in that state of spiritual consciousness. That is the Krsna
consciousness method.
In the Verses 25-29 different types of sacrifices are mentioned that are offered.
Verse
25
दैवमेवापरे
यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ।
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ २५ ॥
daivam evāpare yajñaṁ
yoginaḥ paryupāsate
brahmāgnāv apare yajñaṁ
yajñenaivopajuhvati
Translation
Some yogis worship the demigods perfectly by offering
various sacrifices to them, while others offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme
Brahman.
Purport
As previously stated, a person performing duties in Krsna
consciousness is also known as a perfect yogi or a first-class mystic. Others,
however, perform similar sacrifices in the worship of demigods, and still
others sacrifice to the Supreme Brahman, or the Supreme Lord's impersonal
feature. So there are various types of sacrifices in terms of various categories.
Such different categories of sacrifice by different types of performers only
serve to distinguish superficially different types of sacrifice. Actually,
sacrifice means to appease the Supreme Lord, Visnu, also known as Yajna. All
types of sacrifice can be divided into two categories: sacrifice of worldly
possessions and sacrifice in pursuit of transcendental knowledge.
Those who are in Krsna consciousness
sacrifice all material possessions to satisfy the Supreme Lord, whereas those
who seek temporary material happiness sacrifice their material possessions to
satisfy demigods such as Indra, the sun-god, and so on. Others, known as
impersonalists, give up their identities by merging with the existence of
impersonal Brahman. The demigods are powerful living entities appointed by the
Supreme Lord to maintain and supervise all material functions of the universe,
such as heating, watering, and lighting. Those seeking material gain worship
the demigods through various sacrifices performed in accordance with Vedic
rituals. They are known as bahv-isvara-vadi, or believers in multiple gods.
Others, however, who worship the impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth and
regard the forms of the demigods as transient, sacrifice their individual
selves in the supreme fire, thereby ending their individual existences by
merging into the Supreme's existence. Such impersonalists devote their time to
philosophical speculation in order to comprehend the Supreme's transcendental
nature. In other words, the fruitful workers sacrifice their material
possessions for the sake of material enjoyment, whereas the impersonalist
sacrifices his material designations in order to merge into the Supreme's
existence. For the impersonalist, the fire altar of sacrifice represents the
Supreme Brahman, and the offering represents the self being consumed by
Brahman's fire. However, the
Krsna conscious person, such as Arjuna, sacrifices everything for the
satisfaction of Krsna, and thus all his material possessions as well as his own
self - everything - is sacrificed for Krsna. As a result, he is a first-class
yogi, but he retains his individuality.
Verse 26
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये
संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति ।
शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ २६ ॥
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye
saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīn viṣayān anya
indriyāgniṣu juhvati
Translation
Some [the pure brahmacaris] sacrifice the hearing process
and the senses in the fire of mental control, while others [the regulated
householders] sacrifice the sense objects in the fire of the senses.
Purport
Members of the four divisions of human life, namely the brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi, are all destined to become perfect yogis or transcendentalists.
Because human life is not intended for us to enjoy sense gratification like animals, the four orders of human life are organised in such a way that one can become perfect in spiritual life.
By abstaining from sense gratification, brahmacaris, or students under the care of a genuine spiritual master, control the mind.
A brahmacari hears only words about Krsna consciousness; hearing is the basic principle for understanding, so the pure brahmacari fully engages in harer namanukirtanam - chanting and hearing the Lord's glories.
He isolates himself from material sound vibrations, and his hearing is engaged
in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Similarly, the
householders, who have some leeway in terms of sensual pleasure, perform such
acts with great restraint. Sex, intoxication, and meat-eating are general human
tendencies, but a regulated householder does not engage in unrestricted sex
life and other forms of sense gratification. Marriage based on religious
principles is thus prevalent in all civilised human societies because it is the
path to restricted sex life. Because the restricted householder sacrifices his
general tendency towards sense gratification for higher, transcendental life,
this restricted, unattached sex life is also a type of yajna.
Verse 27
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि
प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।
आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ २७ ॥
sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi
prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare
ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau
juhvati jñāna-dīpite
Translation
Others, who look for self-realization through mind and sense
control, offer the functions of all the senses, as well as the life breath, as
oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.
Purport
Patanjali's yoga system is referred to in this verse.
Patanjali's Yoga-sutra refers to the soul as pratyag-atma and parag-atma.
When the soul is attached to sense enjoyment, it is called parag-atma; when the
soul is detached from such sense enjoyment, it is called pratyag-atma. The soul
is subjected to the functions of ten different types of air at work within the
body, as perceived by the breathing system. The Patanjali system of yoga
teaches how to control the functions of the body's air in a technical way, so
that eventually all of the functions of the air within become favourable for
purifying the soul of material attachment.
The ultimate goal, according to this yoga system, is
pratyag-atma. This pratyag-atma has withdrawn from material activities.
The senses interact with sense objects, such as the ear for hearing, eyes for
seeing, nose for smelling, tongue for tasting, and hand for touching, and are
thus engaged in activities that are not self-centered. They are known as the
Prana-vayu functions. The apana-vayu flows downwards, the vyana-vayu expands
and contracts, the samana-vayu maintains equilibrium, and the udana-vayu flows
upwards - and when one is enlightened, one engages all of these in the pursuit
of self-realization.
Verse
28
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा
योगयज्ञास्तथापरे ।
स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥ २८ ॥
dravya-yajñās tapo-yajñā
yoga-yajñās tathāpare
svādhyāya-jñāna-yajñāś ca
yatayaḥ saṁśita-vratāḥ
Translation
After taking strict vows, some become enlightened by
sacrificing their possessions, while others advance in transcendental knowledge
by performing severe austerities, practising the yoga of eightfold mysticism,
or studying the Vedas.
Purport
These sacrifices can be classified into several categories.
People are sacrificing their possessions in the form of various types of
charities. In India, wealthy merchants or princely orders establish charitable
institutions such as dharma-sala, anna-ksetra, atithi-sala, anathalaya, and
vidy-pitha. There are many hospitals, old age homes, and similar charitable
foundations in other countries that provide free food, education, and medical
treatment to the poor. All of these charitable activities are referred to as
dravyamaya-yajna. Others, for higher advancement in life or promotion to higher
planets within the universe, voluntarily accept various types of austerities
such as candrayana and caturmasya. These processes entail making severe vows to
live life according to strict rules. For example, under caturmasya vow the candidate does
not shave for four months of the year (July to October), does not eat certain
foods, does not eat twice a day, and does not leave the house. Tapomaya-yaja
refers to such a sacrifice of life's comforts. Others practise various types of
mystic yogas, such as the Patanjali system (for merging into the existence of
the Absolute), haha-yoga, or aga-yoga (for specific perfections). And some
visit all of the holy pilgrimage sites. All of these practises are referred to
as yoga-yaja, or sacrifice for a specific type of perfection in the material
world. Others are interested in studying various
Vedic literatures, specifically the Upanisads and Vedanta-sutras, or the Sakhya
philosophy. All of these are referred to as svadhyaya-yajna, or participation
in the sacrifice of studies. All of these yogis are engaged in various types of
sacrifice and are seeking a higher status in life. However, Krsna consciousness
is distinct from these in that it is dedicated to the direct service of the
Supreme Lord. Krsna consciousness cannot be attained through any of the
above-mentioned types of sacrifice, but only through the Lord's mercy and that
of His genuine devotees. As a result, Krsna consciousness is transcendental.
Verse
29
अपाने
जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे ।
प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ।
अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति ॥ २९ ॥
apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ
prāṇe ’pānaṁ tathāpare
prāṇāpāna-gatī ruddhvā
prāṇāyāma-parāyaṇāḥ
apare niyatāhārāḥ
prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati
Translation
Others, who are drawn to the process of breath restraint in
order to remain in trance, practise by moving the outgoing breath into the
incoming, and the incoming breath into the outgoing, and eventually remain in
trance, stopping all breathing. Others, in order to shorten the eating process,
sacrifice the outgoing breath into itself.
Purport
This
yoga system for controlling the breathing process is known as pranayama, and it
is initially practised in the hatha-yoga system through various sitting
postures. All of these processes are recommended for controlling the senses and
progressing spiritually. This technique involves controlling the airs within
the body so as to reverse their flow directions. The apana air flows
downward, while the prana air flows upward. The pranayama-yoga
practitioner breathes in the opposite direction until the currents are
neutralised into puraka, or equilibrium. Recaka is the act of offering the
exhaled breath into the inhaled breath. One is said to be in kumbhaka-yoga when
both air currents are completely stopped. By practising kumbhaka-yoga, one can lengthen one's life
and achieve spiritual perfection. The wise yogi is interested in achieving
perfection in this life rather than waiting for the next. For by practising
kumbhaka-yoga, yogis extend their lives by many, many years. However, because a
Krsna conscious person is always in the transcendental loving service of the
Lord, he or she automatically becomes the controller of the senses. His senses
have no chance of becoming otherwise engaged because they are always engaged in
the service of Krsna. As a result, at the end of his life, he is naturally
transferred to the transcendental plane of Lord Krsna, and he makes no attempt
to prolong his life.
In the verses 30-33 Purpose of sacrifices are enlisted.
Verse
30
सर्वेऽप्येते
यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ।
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ॥ ३० ॥
sarve ’py ete yajña-vido
yajña-kṣapita-kalmaṣāḥ
yajña-śiṣṭāmṛta-bhujo
yānti brahma sanātanam
Translation
All
these performers who understand the meaning of sacrifice are cleansed of sinful
reactions, and having tasted the nectar of sacrifice results, they advance
towards the supreme eternal atmosphere.
Purport
The
preceding explanation of various types of sacrifice (namely, possession
sacrifice, study of the Vedas or philosophical doctrines, and performance of
the yoga system) reveals that the common goal of all is to control the senses.
Because sense gratification is the root cause of material existence, there is
no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full
bliss, and full life unless and until one is situated on a platform other than
sense gratification. This platform is located in the eternal atmosphere, also
known as the Brahman atmosphere. All of the sacrifices mentioned above assist
one in becoming cleansed of the sinful reactions of material existence.
By
advancing in life, one not only becomes happier and more opulent in this life,
but he also enters the eternal kingdom of God, either merging into the
impersonal Brahman or associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Krsna.
Verse
31
नायं
लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥ ३१ ॥
nāyaṁ loko ’sty ayajñasya
kuto ’nyaḥ kuru-sattama
Translation
Without
sacrifice, O best of the Kuru dynasty, one can never live happily on this
planet or in this life: what about the next?
Purport
Whatever
form of material existence one is in, he is always unaware of his true
situation. In other words, our physical existence is the result of various
reactions to our sinful lives. Ignorance causes sinful life, and sinful life
causes one to linger in material existence. The human form of life is the only
way to break free from this entanglement. As a result, the Vedas offer us a way
out by pointing out the paths of religion, economic comfort, regulated sense
gratification, and, finally, the means to completely escape our miserable
situation. Religion, or the various types of sacrifice mentioned above,
automatically solves our economic problems. We can have enough food, milk, and other necessities by
performing yajna, even if the population grows. When the body is fully stocked,
the next step is to satisfy the senses. As a result, the Vedas recommend sacred
marriage for regulated sense gratification. As a result, one gradually rises to
the level of liberation from material bonds, with the highest perfection of
liberated life being association with the Supreme Lord. Perfection is attained
through the practise of yajna (sacrifice), as described above. Now, if a person
is not inclined to perform yajna in accordance with the Vedas, how can he
expect to live a happy life in this body, let alone another body on another
planet? There are various levels of material comfort
on various heavenly planets, and in all cases, people engaged in various types
of yajna are extremely happy. However, the highest level of happiness that a
man can achieve is promotion to the spiritual planets through the practise of
Krsna consciousness. A life of Krsna consciousness is thus the solution to all
of material existence's problems.
Verse
32
एवं बहुविधा
यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे ।
कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥ ३२ ॥
evaṁ bahu-vidhā yajñā
vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān
evaṁ jñātvā vimokṣyase
Translation
All
these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them
are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become
liberated.
Purport
As previously discussed, different types of sacrifice are
mentioned in the Vedas to suit different types of workers. Because men are so
deeply engrossed in the bodily concept, these sacrifices are set up in such a
way that one can work with the body, the mind, or the intelligence. However,
all of them are recommended for achieving ultimate liberation from the body.
This is confirmed by the Lord from His own lips.
Verse
33
श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः
परन्तप ।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥ ३३ ॥
śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj
jñāna-yajñaḥ paran-tapa
sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha
jñāne parisamāpyate
Translation
The goal of all sacrifices is to achieve complete
knowledge, then to be free of material miseries, and finally to engage in
loving transcendental service to the Supreme Lord (Krsna consciousness).
Nonetheless, there is a mystery surrounding all of these various sacrifice
activities, and one should be aware of it. Sacrifices can take many different
forms depending on the performer's faith. When one's faith progresses to the
level of transcendental knowledge, those who perform sacrifices should be
considered more advanced than those who simply sacrifice material possessions
without such knowledge, because sacrifices remain on the material platform and
provide no spiritual benefit. Krsna consciousness, the highest stage of
transcendental knowledge, is the culmination of true knowledge.
Sacrifices are merely material activities
without the elevation of knowledge. When they are elevated to the level of
transcendental knowledge, however, all such activities are included on the
spiritual platform. Sacrificial activities are sometimes called
karma-kanda (fruitive activities) and sometimes
jnana-kanda (knowledge in pursuit of truth) depending on differences in
consciousness. It is preferable when the end result is knowledge.
In the verse 34-42 Method, Results and Glories of attaining Jnana is elaborated.
Verse 34
तद्विद्धि
प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥ ३४ ॥
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
Translation
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual
master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The
self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the
truth.
Purport
The path to spiritual realisation is, without a doubt,
difficult. As a result, the Lord advises us to seek out a genuine spiritual
master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be
a genuine spiritual master unless this principle of disciplic succession is
followed. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and anyone in the
disciplic succession can convey the Lord's message to his disciple. No one can
be spiritually realised by inventing his own process, as the foolish pretenders
do. According to the Bhagavatam (6.3.19), dharma tu skd bhagavat-pratam: the
Lord directly enunciates the path of religion. As a result, mental speculation
or dry arguments cannot help one find the right path.
One cannot advance in spiritual life by studying books on
their own. To obtain the knowledge, one must approach a genuine spiritual
master. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and the
spiritual master should be served as a menial servant, with no false prestige.
The secret to spiritual advancement is the satisfaction of the self-realized
spiritual master. Inquiries and submission are the ideal combination for
spiritual comprehension. Inquiries from the learned spiritual master will be
ineffective unless there is submission and service. One must be able to pass
the spiritual master's test, and when the spiritual master sees the disciple's
genuine desire, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual
understanding.
Both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned in
this verse. Not only should one hear the spiritual master submissively, but one
should also get a clear understanding from him, in submission, service, and
inquiries. A genuine spiritual master is naturally very kind to the disciple.
As a result, when the student is submissive and always willing to serve, the
reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.
Verse 35
यज्ज्ञात्वा
न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव ।
येन भूतान्यशेषाणि द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥ ३५ ॥
yaj jñātvā na punar moham
evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava
yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi
drakṣyasy ātmany atho mayi
Translation
After receiving true knowledge from a self-realized soul,
you will never fall into such delusion again, because this knowledge will show
you that all living beings are but a part of the Supreme, or, in other words,
that they are Mine.
Purport
Learning that all living beings are parts and parcels of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord r Ka, is the result of receiving
knowledge from a self-realized soul, or one who knows things as they are. The
sense of existence apart from Ka is referred to as my (m - not, y - this). Some
believe that we have nothing to do with Ka, that he is only a great historical
figure, and that the Absolute is the impersonal Brahman. According to the
Bhagavad-git, this impersonal Brahman is the personal effulgence of Ka. As the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka is the origin of all things. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes , is clearly stated in the
Brahma-samhita.
Even millions of incarnations are merely His various expansions. Similarly, all living things are extensions of Krsna. The Mayavadi philosophers incorrectly believe that in His many expansions, Krsna loses His separate existence. This is a materialistic thought. We know from experience in the material world that when a thing is fragmented, it loses its original identity. However, the Mayavadi philosophers fail to recognise that absolute means that one plus one equals one, and that one minus one equals one. In the absolute world, this is the case.
We are now covered with illusion due to a lack of
sufficient knowledge in absolute science, and we believe that we are separate
from Krsna.
Despite the fact that we are distinct parts of Krsna, we
are not distinct from Him. The bodily distinction of living entities is maya,
or not an actual fact. We are all here to please Krsna. Arjuna believed that
his temporary bodily relationship with his kin was more important than his
eternal spiritual relationship with Krsna. The entire teaching of the
Gita is geared towards this goal: that a living being, as Krsna's eternal
servant, cannot be separated from Krsna, and his sense of being an identity
apart from Krsna is referred to as maya. The living entities have a purpose to
fulfil as separate parts and parcels of the Supreme.
They have been in different bodies, as men, animals,
demigods, and so on, having forgotten their purpose since time immemorial. Such
bodily differences result from a forgetfulness of the Lord's transcendental
service. However, when one engages in transcendental service through Krsna
consciousness, one is immediately liberated from this illusion. Such pure
knowledge can be obtained only from a genuine spiritual master, thereby
avoiding the delusion that the living entity is equal to Krsna. Perfect
knowledge is that the Supreme Soul, Krsna, is the supreme shelter for all
living entities, and by foregoing such shelter, the living entities are deluded
by material energy into believing they have a separate identity. As a result,
under different standards of material identity, they forget about Krsna.
Verse 36
अपि चेदसि
पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः ।
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥ ३६ ॥
api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ
sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛt-tamaḥ
sarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva
vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi
Translation
Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all
sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will
be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.
Purport
Proper understanding of one's constitutional position in
relation to Krsna is so pleasant that it can immediately lift one out of the
struggle for existence that occurs in the ocean of nescience. This material
world is viewed as an ocean of ignorance at times and a blazing forest at
others. The struggle for survival in the ocean is intense, regardless of how
skilled a swimmer one is. He is the greatest saviour if he comes forward and
lifts the struggling swimmer out of the water. The path to liberation is perfect
knowledge received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The boat of Ka
consciousness is the most simple, but also the most sublime.
Verse 37
यथैधांसि
समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।
ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥ ३७ ॥
yathaidhāṁsi samiddho ’gnir
bhasma-sāt kurute ’rjuna
jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi
bhasma-sāt kurute tathā
Translation
As a blazing fire reduces firewood to ashes, so does the
fire of knowledge reduce all reactions to material activities to ashes.
Purport
Perfect knowledge of self and Superself, as well as their
relationship, is compared to fire in this context. This fire consumes not only
all reactions to impious activities, but also all reactions to pious
activities, reducing them to ashes. There are several stages of a reaction:
reaction in progress, reaction fructifying, reaction completed, and reaction a
priori. However, knowledge of the living entity's constitutional position
reduces everything to ashes. When one has complete knowledge, one consumes all
reactions, both a priori and a posteriori.
Verse 38
न हि
ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥ ३८ ॥
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ
pavitram iha vidyate
tat svayaṁ yoga-saṁsiddhaḥ
kālenātmani vindati
Translation
Nothing in this world is more sublime and pure than
transcendental knowledge. This is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one
who has mastered the practise of devotional service enjoys this knowledge
within himself over time.
Purport
When we speak of transcendental knowledge, we are referring
to spiritual comprehension. As such, nothing is more sublime and pure than
transcendental knowledge. Ignorance is the source of our enslavement, while
knowledge is the source of our liberation. This knowledge is the mature fruit
of devotional service, and when one is situated in transcendental knowledge, he
does not need to seek peace elsewhere, because he finds it within himself. In
other words, Krsna consciousness is the culmination of this knowledge and
peace. That is the Bhagavad-gita's final word.
Verse 39
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते
ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः ।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥ ३९ ॥
śraddhāvāḻ labhate jñānaṁ
tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim
acireṇādhigacchati
Translation
A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge
and who subdues his senses is eligible for such knowledge, and once obtained,
he quickly attains supreme spiritual peace.
Purport
A faithful person who believes firmly in Krsna can attain
such knowledge in Krsna consciousness. A faithful man is one who believes that
by simply acting in Krsna consciousness, he can achieve the highest perfection.
This faith is attained through devotional service and chanting Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram, Hare Hare,
which cleanses one's heart of all material dirt. Aside from that, one should be
able to control one's senses. A person who is faithful to Krsna and controls
his or her senses can quickly achieve perfection in the knowledge of Krsna
consciousness.
Verse 40
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च
संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥ ४० ॥
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ
Translation
People who are ignorant and lack faith in the revealed
scriptures, on the other hand, do not achieve God consciousness; they fall.
There is no happiness in this world or the next for the doubting soul.
Purport
The Bhagavad-gita is the best of many standard and
authoritative revealed scriptures. People who are almost animal-like have no
faith in, or knowledge of, the standard revealed scriptures; and some, even
though they know or can cite passages from the revealed scriptures, have no
faith in these words. Others, while believing in scriptures such as the
Bhagavad-gita, do not believe in or worship the Personality of Godhead,
Sri Krsna. Such people have no standing in Krsna consciousness. They collapse.
Among all of the people mentioned above, those who lack faith and are
constantly sceptical make no progress. Men who do not believe in God and His
revealed word find no good in this world nor in the next. There is no happiness in their lives. As a result, one
should follow the principles of revealed scriptures with faith and thus be
elevated to the platform of knowledge. Only with this knowledge will one be
able to advance to the transcendental platform of spiritual understanding. In
other words, doubtful people have no place in spiritual emancipation. To
achieve success, one should follow in the footsteps of great acaryas who are in
the disciplic succession.
Verse 41
योगसन्न्यस्तकर्माणं
ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् ।
आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥ ४१ ॥
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ
jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam
ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañ-jaya
Translation
One who performs devotional service, renounces the fruits
of his actions, and whose doubts have been dispelled by transcendental
knowledge, is factually located in the self. Thus, O conqueror of riches, he is
not bound by the reactions of work.
Purport
By the grace of transcendental knowledge, one who follows
the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita as it is imparted by the Lord, the
Personality of Godhead Himself, becomes free of all doubts. He is already
established in self-knowledge as a part and parcel of the Lord, in full Krsna
consciousness. As such, he is unquestionably free of action.
Verse 42
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं
हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः ।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥ ४२ ॥
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ
hṛt-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ
chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogam
ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata
Translation
As a result, the weapon of knowledge should be used to slay
the doubts that have arisen in your heart as a result of ignorance. Stand and
fight, O Bharata, armed with yoga.
Purport
Santana-yoga, or eternal activities performed by the living
entity, is the yoga system taught in this chapter. This yoga divides
sacrificial actions into two categories: sacrifice of one's material
possessions and knowledge of self, which is pure spiritual activity. If
material possessions are not sacrificed in order to achieve spiritual
realisation, the sacrifice becomes material. However, one who makes such
sacrifices with a spiritual goal in mind or in devotional service makes a
perfect sacrifice. When it comes to spiritual activities, they are also divided
into two categories: understanding one's own self (or one's constitutional
position) and truth about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyone who follows the Bhagavad-gita path as it is can
easily understand these two important divisions of spiritual knowledge. It is
not difficult for him to gain complete knowledge of himself as a part of the
Lord. And such comprehension is advantageous, because such a person can easily
comprehend the Lord's transcendental activities. The Supreme Lord Himself
discussed the Lord's transcendental activities at the beginning of this
chapter. One who does not understand the instructions of the Git is unfaithful
and should be considered to be abusing the Lord's provisional indepeandence.
Regardless of such instructions, a fool is
someone who does not understand the Lord's true nature as the eternal,
blissful, all-knowing Personality of Godhead. Ignorance can be eliminated by
gradually accepting the principles of Krsna consciousness. Different types of
sacrifices to the demigods, sacrifice to Brahman, sacrifice in celibacy, in
household life, in controlling the senses, in practising mystic yoga, in
penance, in foregoing material possessions, in studying the Vedas, and in
partaking in the social institution known as varnasrama-dharma awaken Krsna
consciousness. All of these are known as sacrifices, and they are all based on
controlled action. However, the most important factor in all of these
activities is self-realization. One who
seeks that goal is a true student of Bhagavad-gita, but one who doubts Krsna's
authority falls back. It is therefore advised to study the Bhagavad-gita, or
any other scripture, with service and surrender under a genuine spiritual
master. A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time
eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme
Lord as they were imparted millions of years ago to the sun-god, from whom the
instructions of Bhagavad-gītā have come down to the earthly kingdom. Therefore,
one should follow the path of Bhagavad-gita as expressed in the
Gita itself and be wary of self-interested people seeking personal
advancement who deviate others from the true path. The Lord is unquestionably the supreme being, and His
activities are transcendent. From the beginning of his study of Bhagavad-gita,
one who understands this is a liberated person.
Thus concludes the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourth
Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita on Transcendental Knowledge.
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