Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (124 page)

One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists-some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole
Bhagavad-gītā. Karma-yogīs
, empiric philosophers, mystics, and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here,
mā śucaḥ
, "Don't fear, don't hesitate, don't worry," are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but such worry is useless.

Bg 18.67

TEXT 67

TEXT

idaṁ te nātapaskāya

nābhaktāya kadācana

na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ

na ca māṁ yo 'bhyasūyati

SYNONYMS

idam-
this;
te-
you;
na-
never;
atapaskāya-
one who is not austere;
na-
never;
abhaktāya-
one who is not a devotee;
kadācana-
at any time;
na-
never;
ca-
also;
aśuśrūṣave-
one who is not engaged in devotional service;
vācyam-
to be spoken;
na-
never;
ca-
also;
mām-
unto Me;
yaḥ-
anyone;
abhyasūyati-
envious.

TRANSLATION

This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.

PURPORT

Persons who have not undergone the austerities of the religious process, who have never attempted devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who have not tended a pure devotee, and especially those who are conscious of Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality or who are envious of the greatness of Kṛṣṇa, should not be told this most confidential part of knowledge. It is, however, sometimes found that even demoniac persons who are envious of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa in a different way, take to the profession of explaining
Bhagavad-gītā
in a different way to make business, but anyone who desires actually to understand Kṛṣṇa must avoid such commentaries on
Bhagavad-gītā.
Actually the purpose of
Bhagavad-gītā
is not understandable to those who are sensuous-even if one is not sensuous but is strictly following the disciplines enjoined in the Vedic scripture, if he is not a devotee, he also cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Even when one poses himself as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but is not engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, he also cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. There are many persons who envy Kṛṣṇa because He has explained in
Bhagavad-gītā
that He is the Supreme and that nothing is above Him or equal to Him. There are many persons who are envious of Kṛṣṇa. Such persons should not be told of
Bhagavad-gītā,
for they cannot understand. There is no possibility of faithless persons' understanding
Bhagavad-gītā
and Kṛṣṇa. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa from the authority of a pure devotee, one should not try to comment upon
Bhagavad-gitā.

Bg 18.68

TEXT 68

TEXT

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ

mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati

bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā

mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

yaḥ-
anyone;
idam-
this;
paramam-
most;
guhyam-
confidential;
mat-
Mine;
bhakteṣu-
amongst devotees of;
abhidhāsyati-
explains;
bhaktim-
devotional service;
mayi-
unto Me;
parām-
transcendental;
kṛtvā-
having done;
mām-
unto Me;
eva-
certainly;
eṣyati-
comes;
asaṁśayaḥ-
without doubt.

TRANSLATION

For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

PURPORT

Generally it is advised that
Bhagavad-gītā
be discussed amongst the devotees only, for those who are not devotees will neither understand Kṛṣṇa nor
Bhagavad-gītā.
Those who do not accept Kṛṣṇa as He is and
Bhagavad-gītā
as it is should not try to explain
Bhagavad-gītā
whimsically and become offenders.
Bhagavad-gītā
should be explained to persons who are ready to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is a subject matter for the devotees only and not for philosophical speculators. Anyone, however, who tries sincerely to present
Bhagavad-gītā
as it is will advance in devotional activities and reach the pure devotional state of life. As a result of such pure devotion, he is sure to go back home, back to Godhead.

Bg 18.69

TEXT 69

TEXT

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu

kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ

bhavitā na ca me tasmād

anyaḥ priyataro bhuvi

SYNONYMS

na-
never;
ca-
and;
tasmāt-
therefore;
manuṣyeṣu-
among mankind;
kaścit-
anyone;
me-
My;
priya-kṛttamaḥ-
more dear;
bhavitā-
will become;
na-
no;
ca-
and;
me-
My;
tasmāt-
than him;
anyaḥ-
other;
priyataraḥ-
dearer;
bhuvi-
in this world.

TRANSLATION

There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.

Bg 18.70

TEXT 70

TEXT

adhyeṣyate ca ya imaṁ

dharmyaṁ saṁvādam āvayoḥ

jñāna-yajñena tenāham

iṣṭaḥ syām iti me matiḥ

SYNONYMS

adhyeṣyate-
will study;
ca-
also;
yaḥ-
he;
imam-
this;
dharmyaṁ-
sacred;
saṁvādam-
conversation;
āvayoḥ-
of ours;
jñāna-
knowledge;
yajñena-
by sacrifice;
tena-
by him;
aham-
I;
iṣṭaḥ-
worshiped;
syām-
shall be;
iti-
thus;
me-
My;
matiḥ-
opinion.

TRANSLATION

And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation worships Me by his intelligence.

Bg 18.71

TEXT 71

TEXT

śraddhāvān anasūyaś ca

śṛṇuyād api yo naraḥ

so 'pi muktaḥ śubhāl lokān

prāpnuyāt puṇya-karmaṇām

SYNONYMS

sraddhāvan-
faithful;
anasūyaḥ ca-
and not envious;
śṛṇuyāt
-does hear;
api-
certainly;
yaḥ-
who;
naraḥ-
man;
saḥ api-
he also;
muktaḥ-
being liberated;
śubhān-
auspicious;
lokān-
planets;
prāpnuyāt-
attains;
puṇya-karmaṇām-
of the past.

TRANSLATION

And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reaction and attains to the planets where the pious dwell.

PURPORT

In the 67th verse of this chapter, the Lord explicitly forbade the
Gītā's
being spoken to those who are envious of the Lord. In other words,
Bhagavad-gītā
is for the devotees only, but it so happens that sometimes a devotee of the Lord will hold open class, and in that class all the students are not expected to be devotees. Why do such persons hold open class? It is explained here that although everyone is not a devotee, still there are many men who are not envious of Kṛṣṇa. They have faith in Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If such persons hear from a bona fide devotee about the Lord, the result is that they become at once free from all sinful reactions and after that attain to the planetary system where all righteous persons are situated. Therefore simply by hearing
Bhagavad-gītā,
even a person who does not try to be a pure devotee attains the result of righteous activities. Thus a pure devotee of the Lord gives everyone a chance to become free from all sinful reactions and to become a devotee of the Lord.

Generally those who are free from sinful reaction are righteous. Such persons very easily take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The word
puṇya-karmaṇām
is very significant here. This refers to the performance of great sacrifice. Those who are righteous in performing devotional service but who are not pure can attain the planetary system of the polestar, or Dhruvaloka, where Dhruva Mahārāja is presiding. He is a great devotee of the Lord, and he has a special planet which is called the polestar.

Bg 18.72

TEXT 72

TEXT

kaccid etac chrutaṁ pārtha

tvayaikāgreṇa cetasā

kaccid ajñāna-sammohaḥ

praṇaṣṭas te dhanañjaya

SYNONYMS

kaccit-
whether;
etat-
this;
śrutam-
heard;
pārtha
-O son of Pṛthā;
tvayā-
by you;
ekāgreṇa-
with full attention;
cetasā-
by the mind;
kaccit-
whether;
ajñāna
-ignorant;
saṁmohaḥ-
illusion;
praṇaṣṭaḥ
-dispelled;
te-
of you;
dhanañjaya
-O conqueror of wealth (Arjuna).

TRANSLATION

O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this attentively with your mind? And are your illusions and ignorance now dispelled?

PURPORT

The Lord was acting as the spiritual master of Arjuna. Therefore it was His duty to inquire from Arjuna whether he understood the whole
Bhagavad-gītā
in its proper perspective. If not, the Lord was ready to re-explain any point, or the whole
Bhagavad-gītā
if so required. Actually, anyone who hears
Bhagavad-gītā
from a bona fide spiritual master like Kṛṣṇa or His representative will find that all his ignorance is dispelled.
Bhagavad-gītā
is not an ordinary book written by a poet or fiction writer; it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any person, if he is fortunate enough to hear these teachings from Kṛṣṇa or from His bona fide spiritual representative, is sure to become a liberated person and get out of the darkness of ignorance.

Bg 18.73

TEXT 73

TEXT

arjuna uvāca

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā

tvat-prasādān mayācyuta

sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ

kariṣye vacanaṁ tava

SYNONYMS

arjunaḥ uvāca-
Arjuna said;
naṣṭaḥ-
dispelled;
mohaḥ-
illusion;
smṛtiḥ-
memory;
labdhā-
regained;
tvat-prasādāt-
by Your mercy;
mayā-
by me;
acyuta
-O infallible Kṛṣṇa;
sthitaḥ-
situated;
asmi-
I am;
gata-
removed;
sandehaḥ-
all doubts;
kariṣye-
I shall execute;
vacanam-
order;
tava-
Your.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said, My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

PURPORT

The constitutional position of a living entity, represented by Arjuna, is that he has to act according to the order of the Supreme Lord. He is meant for self-discipline. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that the actual position of the living entity is that of eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme Lord, he becomes the liberated servant of God. The living entity's constitutional position is to be servitor; he either has to serve the illusory
māyā
or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord, he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In illusion the living entity is serving in this material world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks of himself as the master of the world. This is called illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over, and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare of
māyā
to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory energy is to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and agree to act according to His order. The word
mohaḥ
is very important in this verse.
Mohaḥ
refers to that which is opposed to knowledge. Actually real knowledge is the understanding that every living being is eternally servitor of the Lord, but instead of thinking oneself in that position, the living entity thinks that he is not servant, that he is the master of this material world, for he wants to lord it over the material nature. That is his illusion. This illusion can be overcome by the mercy of the Lord or by the mercy of a pure devotee. When that illusion is over, one agrees to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.