Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (74 page)

Bg 9.32

TEXT 32

TEXT

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās

te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim

SYNONYMS

mām
-unto Me;
hi
-certainly;
pārtha
-O son of Pṛthā;
vyapāśrītya
-particularly taking shelter;
ye
-anyone;
api-
also; syuḥ-becomes;
pāpa-yonayaḥ
-born of a lower family;
striyaḥ
-women;
vaiśyāḥ
-mercantile people;
tathā
-also;
śūdrāḥ
-lower class men;
te api
-even they;
yānti
-go;
parām
-supreme;
gatim
-destination.

TRANSLATION

O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]-can approach the supreme destination.

PURPORT

It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower or higher classes of people. In the material conception of life, there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the Lord, there are not. Everyone is eligible for the supreme destination. In the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
it is stated that even the lowest, who are called
caṇḍālas
(dog-eaters), can be elevated by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking center of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to the different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of goodness
(brāhmaṇas),
the mode of passion
(kṣatriyas,
or administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance
(vaiśyas,
or merchants), and the mode of ignorance
(śūdras,
or workers). Those lower than them are called
caṇḍālas,
and they are born in sinful families. Generally, those who are born in sinful families are not accepted by the higher classes. But the process of devotional service and the pure devotee of the Supreme God are so strong that all the lower classes can attain the highest perfection of life. This is possible only when one takes center of Kṛṣṇa. One has to take center completely of Kṛṣṇa. Then one can become much greater than great
jñānīs
and
yogīs.

Bg 9.33

TEXT 33

TEXT

kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā

bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā

anityam asukhaṁ lokam

imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām

SYNONYMS

kim-
how much;
punaḥ-
again;
brāhmaṇāḥ-brāhmaṇas; puṇyāḥ-
righteous;
bhaktāḥ-devotees;
rājarṣayaḥ-
saintly kings;
tathā
-also;
anityam
-temporary;
asukham-
sorrowful;
lokam-
planets;
imam-
this;
prāpya-
gaining;
bhajasva-
are engaged in loving service;
mām-
unto Me.

TRANSLATION

How much greater then are the brāhmaṇas, the righteous, the devotees and saintly kings who in this temporary miserable world engage in loving service unto Me.

PURPORT

In this material world there are classifications of people, but, after all, this world is not a happy place for anyone. It is clearly stated here,
anityam asukhaṁ lokam:
this world is temporary and full of miseries, not habitable for any sane gentleman. This world is declared by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be temporary and full of miseries. Some of the philosophers, especially the minor philosophers, say that this world is false, but we can understand from
Bhagavad-gītā
that the world is not false; it is temporary. There is a difference between temporary and false. This world is temporary, but there is another world which is eternal. This world is miserable, but the other world is eternal and blissful.

Arjuna was born in a saintly royal family. To him also the Lord says, "Take to My devotional service and come quickly back to Godhead, back home." No one should remain in this temporary world, full as it is with miseries. Everyone should attach himself to the bosom of the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that he can be eternally happy. The devotional service of the Supreme Lord is the only process by which all problems of all classes of men can be solved. Everyone should therefore take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and make his life perfect.

Bg 9.34

TEXT 34

TEXT

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam

ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

mat-manāḥ
-always thinking of Me;
bhava-
become;
mat
-My;
bhaktaḥ-
devotee;
mat
-My;
yājī
-worshiper;
mām
-unto Me;
namaskuru-
offer obeisances;
mām
-unto Me;
eva
-completely;
eṣyasi
-come;
yuktvā evam
-being absorbed;
ātmānam
-your soul;
mat-parāyaṇaḥ-
devoted to Me.

TRANSLATION

Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.

PURPORT

In this verse it is clearly indicated that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only means of being delivered from the clutches of this contaminated material world. Sometimes unscrupulous commentators distort the meaning of what is clearly stated here: that all devotional service should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunately, unscrupulous commentators divert the mind of the reader to that which is not at all feasible. Such commentators do not know that there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's mind and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary human being; He is Absolute Truth. His body, mind and He Himself are one and absolute. It is stated in the
Kūrma Purāṇa. A
s it is quoted by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī in his
Anubhāṣya
comments on
Caitanya-caritāmrta,
Fifth Chapter,
Ādi-līlā,
verses 41-48,
"deha-dehi-vibhedo 'yaṁ neśvare vidyate kvacit,"
which means that there is no difference in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, between Himself and His body. But, because they do not know this science of Kṛṣṇa, the commentators hide Kṛṣṇa and divide His personality from His mind or from His body. Although this is sheer ignorance of the science of Kṛṣṇa, some men make profit out of misleading the people.

There are some who are demonic; they also think of Kṛṣṇa, but enviously, just like King Kaṁsa, Kṛṣṇa's uncle. He was also thinking of Kṛṣṇa always, but he thought of Kṛṣṇa as his enemy. He was always in anxiety, wondering when Kṛṣṇa would come to kill him. That kind of thinking will not help us. One should be thinking of Kṛṣṇa in devotional love. That is
bhakti.
One should cultivate the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa continually. What is that favorable cultivation? It is to learn from a bona fide teacher. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we have several times explained that His body is not material, but is eternal, blissful knowledge. This kind of talk about Kṛṣṇa will help one become a devotee. Otherwise, understanding Kṛṣṇa from the wrong source will prove fruitless.

One should therefore engage his mind in the eternal form, the primal form of Kṛṣṇa; with conviction in his heart that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, he should engage himself in worship. There are hundreds of thousands of temples in India for the worship of Kṛṣṇa, and devotional service is practiced there. When such practice is made, one has to offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. One should lower his head before the Deity and engage his mind, his body, his activities-everything. That will make one fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa without deviation. This will help one transfer into the Kṛṣṇaloka. One should not be deviated by unscrupulous commentators. One must engage in the nine different processes of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa. Pure devotional service is the highest achievement of human society.

In the Seventh and Eighth Chapters of
Bhagavad-gītā,
pure devotional service to the Lord has been explained, apart from the
yoga
of knowledge and mystic
yoga
or fruitive activities. Those who are not purely sanctified may be attracted by different features of the Lord, like the impersonal
brahmajyoti
and localized Paramātmā, but a pure devotee directly takes to the service of the Supreme Lord.

There is a beautiful poem about Kṛṣṇa in which it is clearly stated that any person who is engaged in the worship of demigods is most unintelligent and cannot achieve at any time the supreme award of Kṛṣṇa. The devotee, in the beginning, may sometimes fall from the standard, but still he should be considered superior to all other philosophers and
yogīs.
One who always engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be understood to be the perfect saintly person. His accidental nondevotional activities will diminish, and he will soon be situated without any doubt in complete perfection. The pure devotee has no actual chance to fall down because the Supreme Godhead personally takes care of His pure devotees. Therefore, the intelligent person should take directly to this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and happily live in this material world. He will eventually receive the supreme award of Kṛṣṇa.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Ninth Chapter of the
Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā
in the matter of the Most Confidential Knowledge.

Bg 10: The Opulence of the Absolute

10. The Opulence of the Absolute

Bg 10.1

TEXT 1

TEXT

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

bhūya eva mahā-bāho

śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ

yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya

vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā

SYNONYMS

śrī bhagavān uvāca-
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
bhūyaḥ-
again;
eva-
certainly;
mahā-bāho
-O mighty-armed;
śṛṇu
-just hear;
me-
My;
paramaṁ-
supreme;
vacaḥ-
information;
yat-
that which;
te-
to you;
aham-
I;
prīyamāṇāya-
thinking you dear to Me;
vakṣyāmi-
say;
hita-kāmyayā-
for your benefit.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to My supreme word, which I shall impart to you for your benefit and which will give you great joy.

PURPORT

The word
paramam
is
explained thus by Parāśara Muni: one who is full in six opulences, who has full strength, full fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation, is
paramam,
or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. While Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, He displayed all six opulences. Therefore great sages like Parāśara Muni have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna in more confidential knowledge of His opulences and His work. Previously, beginning with the Seventh Chapter, the Lord already explained His different energies and how they are acting. Now in this chapter He explains His specific opulences to Arjuna. In the previous chapter he has clearly explained His different energies to establish devotion in firm conviction. Again in this chapter He tells Arjuna about His manifestations and various opulences.

The more one hears about the Supreme God, the more one becomes fixed in devotional service. One should always hear about the Lord in the association of devotees; that will enhance one's devotional service. Discourses in the society of devotees can take place only among those who are really anxious to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others cannot take part in such discourses. The Lord clearly tells Arjuna that because he is very dear to Him, for his benefit such discourses are taking place.

Bg 10.2

TEXT 2

TEXT

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ

prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ

aham ādir hi devānāṁ

maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

na
-never;
me
-My;
viduḥ
-knows;
sura-gaṇāḥ
-demigods;
prabhavam
-opulences;
na
-never;
maharṣayaḥ
-great sages;
aham
-I am;
ādiḥ-
the origin;
hi
-certainly;
devānām
-of the demigods;
maharṣīṇām
-of the great sages;
ca
-also;
sarvaśaḥ
-in all respects.

TRANSLATION

Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and the sages.

PURPORT

As stated in the
Brahma-saṁhitā,
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. No one is greater than Him; He is the cause of all causes. Here it is also stated by the Lord personally that He is the cause of all the demigods and sages. Even the demigods and great sages cannot understand Kṛṣṇa; they can understand neither His name nor His personality, so what is the position of the so-called scholars of this tiny planet? No one can understand why this Supreme God comes to earth as an ordinary human being and executes such commonplace and yet wonderful activities. One should know, then, that scholarship is not the qualification necessary to understand Kṛṣṇa. Even the demigods and the great sages have tried to understand Kṛṣṇa by their mental speculation, and they have failed to do so. In the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
also it is clearly said that even the great demigods are not able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They can speculate to the limits of their imperfect senses and can reach the opposite conclusion of impersonalism, of something not manifested by the three qualities of material nature, or they can imagine something by mental speculation, but it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa by such foolish speculation.