Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (125 page)

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is acting according to Kṛṣṇa's order. A conditioned soul illusioned by the external energy of matter does not know that the Supreme Lord is the master who is full of knowledge and who is the proprietor of everything. Whatever He desires He can bestow upon His devotees; He is the friend of everyone, and He is especially inclined to His devotee. He is the controller of this material nature and of all living entities. He is also the controller of inexhaustible time, and He is full of all opulences and all potencies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can even give Himself to the devotee. One who does not know Him is under the spell of illusion; he does not become a devotee, but a servitor of
māyā
. Arjuna, however, after hearing
Bhagavad-gītā
from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, became free from all illusion. He could understand that Kṛṣṇa was not only his friend, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he understood Kṛṣṇa factually. So to study
Bhagavad-gītā
is to understand Kṛṣṇa factually. When a person is in full knowledge, he naturally surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. When Arjuna understood that it was Kṛṣṇa's plan to reduce the unnecessary increase of population, he agreed to fight according to Kṛṣṇa's desire. He again took up his weapons-his arrows and bow-to fight under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Bg 18.74

TEXT 74

TEXT

sañjaya uvāca

ity ahaṁ vāsudevasya

pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ

saṁvādam imam aśrauṣam

adbhutaṁ roma-harṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

sañjayaḥ uvāca-
Sañjaya said;
iti-
thus;
aham-
I;
vāsudevasya-
of Kṛṣṇa;
pārthasya-
of Arjuna;
ca-
also;
mahātmanaḥ-
two great souls;
saṁvādam-
discussing;
imam
-this;
aśrauṣam-
heard;
adbhutam-
wonder;
romaharṣaṇam
-hair standing on end.

TRANSLATION

Sañjaya said: Thus have I heard the conversation of two great souls, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. And so wonderful is that message that my hair is standing on end.

PURPORT

In the beginning of
Bhagavad-gītā,
Dhṛtarāṣṭra inquired from his secretary Sañjaya, "What happened in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra?" The entire study was related to the heart of Sañjaya by the grace of his spiritual master, Vyāsa. He thus explained the theme of the battlefield. The conversation was wonderful because such an important conversation between two great souls never took place before and would not take place again. It is wonderful because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking about Himself and His energies to the living entity, Arjuna, a great devotee of the Lord. If we follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life will be happy and successful. Sañjaya realized this, and as he began to understand it, he related the conversation to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Now it is concluded that wherever there is Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, there is victory.

Bg 18.75

TEXT 75

TEXT

vyāsa-prasādāc chrutavān

etad guhyam ahaṁ param

yogaṁ yogeśvarāt kṛṣṇāt

sākṣāt kathayataḥ svayam

SYNONYMS

vyāsa-prasādāt-
by the mercy of Vyāsadeva;
śrutavān-
heard;
etat-
this;
guhyam-
confidential;
aham-
I;
param-
the supreme;
yogam-
mysticism;
yogeśvarāt-
from the master of all mysticism;
kṛṣṇāt-
from Kṛṣṇa;
sākṣāt-
directly;
kathayataḥ-
speaking;
svayam-
personally.

TRANSLATION

By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Kṛṣṇa, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.

PURPORT

Vyāsa was the spiritual master of Sañjaya, and Sañjaya admits that it was by his mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Kṛṣṇa not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is direct. This is the mystery of the disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear
Bhagavad-gītā
directly, as Arjuna heard it. There are many mystics and
yogīs
all over the world, but Kṛṣṇa is the master of all
yoga
systems. Kṛṣṇa's instruction is explicitly stated in
Bhagavad-gītā-
surrender unto Krṣṇa. One who does so is the topmost
yogī
. This is confirmed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter.
Yoginām api sarveṣām.

Nārada is the direct disciple of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master of Vyāsa. Therefore Vyāsa is as bona fide as Arjuna because he comes in the disciplic succession, and Sañjaya is the direct disciple of Vyāsa. Therefore by the grace of Vyāsa, his senses were purified, and he could see and hear Kṛṣṇa directly. One who directly hears Kṛṣṇa can understand this confidential knowledge. If one does not come to the disciplic succession, he cannot hear Kṛṣṇa; therefore his knowledge is always imperfect, at least as far as understanding
Bhagavad-gītā
is concerned.

In
Bhagavad-gītā,
all
the
yoga
systems,
karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga
and
bhakti-yoga,
are explained. Kṛṣṇa is the master of all such mysticism. It is to be understood, however, that as Arjuna was fortunate enough to understand Kṛṣṇa directly, similarly, by the grace of Vyāsa, Sañjaya was also able to hear Kṛṣṇa directly. Actually there is no difference in hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa or hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa via a bona fide spiritual master like Vyāsa. The spiritual master is the representative of Vyāsadeva also. According to the Vedic system, on the birthday of the spiritual master, the disciples conduct the ceremony called
Vyāsa-pūjā.

Bg 18.76

TEXT 76

TEXT

rājan saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya

saṁvādam imam adbhutam

keśavārjunayoḥ puṇyaṁ

hṛṣyāmi ca muhur muhuḥ

SYNONYMS

rājan
-O King;
saṁsmṛtya-
remembering;
saṁsmṛtya-
remembering;
saṁvādam-
message;
imam-
this;
adbhutam-
wonderful;
keśava-
Lord Kṛṣṇa;
arjunayoḥ-
and Arjuna;
puṇyam-
pious;
hṛṣyāmi-
taking pleasure;
ca-
also;
muhuḥ muhuḥ-
always, repeatedly.

TRANSLATION

O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.

PURPORT

The understanding of
Bhagavad-gītā
is so transcendental that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa becomes righteous, and he cannot forget such talks. This is the transcendental position of spiritual life. In other words, one who hears the
Gītā
from the right source, directly from Kṛṣṇa, attains full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.

Bg 18.77

TEXT 77

TEXT

tac ca saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya

rūpam aty-adbhutaṁ hareḥ

vismayo me mahān rājan

hṛṣyāmi ca punaḥ punaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat-
that;
ca-
also;
saṁsmṛtya-
remembering;
saṁsmṛtya-
remembering;
rūpam-
form;
ati-
great;
adbhutam-
wonderful;
hareḥ
-of Lord Kṛṣṇa;
vismayaḥ-
wonder;
me-
my;
mahān-
great;
rājan
-O King,
hṛṣyāmi-
enjoying;
ca-
also;
punaḥ punaḥ-
repeatedly.

TRANSLATION

O King, when I remember the wonderful form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am struck with even greater wonder, and I rejoice again and again.

PURPORT

It appears that Sañjaya also, by the grace of Vyāsa, could see the universal form of Kṛṣṇa exhibited to Arjuna. It is, of course, said that Lord Kṛṣṇa never exhibited such a form before. It was exhibited to Arjuna only, yet some great devotees could also see the universal form of Kṛṣṇa when it was shown to Arjuna, and Vyāsa was one of them. He is one of the great devotees of the Lord, and he is considered to be a powerful incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsa disclosed this to his disciple, Sañjaya, who remembered that wonderful form of Kṛṣṇa exhibited to Arjuna and enjoyed it repeatedly.

Bg 18.78

TEXT 78

TEXT

yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ

tatra śrīr vijayo bhūtir

dhruvā nītir matir mama

SYNONYMS

yatra-
where;
yogeśvaraḥ-
the master of mysticism;
kṛṣṇaḥ-
Lord Krṣna;
yatra-
where;
pārthaḥ-
the son of Pṛthā;
dhanur-dharaḥ-
the carrier of the bow and arrow;
tatra-
there;
śrīḥ-
opulence;
vijayaḥ-
victory;
bhūtiḥ-
exceptional power;
dhruvā-
certainly;
nītiḥ-
morality;
matiḥ mama-
is my opinion.

TRANSLATION

Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

PURPORT

The
Bhagavad-gītā
began with an inquiry of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He was hopeful of the victory of his sons, assisted by great warriors like Bhīṣma, Droṇa and Karṇa. He was hopeful that the victory would be on his side. But, after describing the scene in the battlefield, Sañjaya told the King, "You are thinking of victory, but my opinion is that where Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are present, there will be all good fortune." He directly confirmed that Dhṛtarāṣṭra could not expect victory for his side. Victory was certain for the side of Arjuna because Kṛṣṇa was there. Kṛṣṇa's acceptance of the post of charioteer for Arjuna was an exhibition of another opulence. Kṛṣṇa is full of all opulences, and renunciation is one of them. There are many instances of such renunciation, for Kṛṣṇa is also the master of renunciation.

The fight was actually between Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira. Arjuna was fighting on behalf of his elder brother, Yudhiṣṭhira. Because Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were on the side of Yudhiṣṭhira, Yudhiṣṭhira's victory was certain. The battle was to decide who would rule the world, and Sañjaya predicted that the power would be transferred to Yudhiṣṭhira. It is also predicted here that Yudhiṣṭhira, after gaining victory in this battle, would flourish more and more because he was not only righteous and pious, but he was a strict moralist. He never spoke a lie during his life.

There are many less intelligent persons who take
Bhagavad-gītā
to be a discussion of topics between two friends in a battlefield. But such a book cannot be scripture. Some may protest that Kṛṣṇa incited Arjuna to fight, which is immoral, but the reality of the situation is clearly stated:
Bhagavad-gītā
is the supreme instruction in morality. The supreme instruction of morality is stated in the Ninth Chapter, in the thirty-fourth verse:
manmanā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ.
One must become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and the essence of all religion is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, as stated,
Sarva-dharmān.
The instructions of
Bhagavad-gītā
constitute the supreme process of religion and of morality. All other processes may be purifying and may lead to this process, but the last instruction of the
Gītā
is the last word in all morality and religion: surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter.

From
Bhagavad-gītā
we can understand that to realize oneself by philosophical speculation and by meditation is one process, but to fully surrender unto Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection. This is the essence of the teachings of
Bhagavad-gītā.
The path of regulative principles according to the orders of social life and according to the different courses of religion may be a confidential path of knowledge in as far as the rituals of religion are confidential, but one is still involved with meditation and cultivation of knowledge. Surrender unto Kṛṣṇa in devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most confidential instruction and is the essence of the Eighteenth Chapter.

Another feature of
Bhagavad-gītā
is that the actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Absolute Truth is realized in three features-impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth means perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then all the departments of knowledge are part and parcel of that understanding. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, for He is always situated in His eternal internal potency. The living entities are manifested and are divided into two classes, eternally conditioned and eternally liberated. Such living entities are innumerable, and they are considered fundamental parts of Kṛṣṇa. Material energy is manifested into twenty-four divisions. The creation is effected by eternal time, and it is created and dissolved by external energy. This manifestation of the cosmic world repeatedly becomes visible and invisible.