The Bhagavad-gita
is universally renowned as the jewel of India's spiritual
wisdom. Spoken by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead to His intimate disciple Arjuna, the Gita's
seven hundred concise verses provide a definitive guide
to the science of self realization. No other philosophical
or religious work reveals, in such a lucid and profound
way, the nature of consciousness, the self, the universe
and the Supreme.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is
uniquely qualified to present this English translation
and commentary on Bhagavad-gita. He is the world's foremost
Vedic scholar and teacher, and he is also the current
representative of an unbroken chain of fully self-realized
spiritual masters begining with Lord Krishna Himself.
Thus, unlike other editions of the Gita, this one is presented
as it is--without the slightest taint of adulteration
or personal motivation. This edition is certain to stimulate
and enlighten with its ancient yet thoroughly timely message.
Chapter
4.
Transcendental Knowledge
Chapter
4, Verse 1. The Blessed Lord said:
I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god,
Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of
mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
imam--this; vivasvate--unto the sun-god; yogam--the science
of one's relationship to the Supreme; proktavan--instructed;
aham--I; avyayam--imperishable; vivasvan--Vivasvan (the sun-god's
name); manave--unto the father of mankind (of the name Vaivasvata);
praha--told; manuh--the father of mankind; iksvakave--unto
King Iksvaku; abravit--said.
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science
of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed
it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed
it to Iksvaku.
PURPORT
Herein we find
the history of the Bhagavad-gita traced from a remote time
when it was delivered to the royal order, the kings of all
planets. This science is especially meant for the protection
of the inhabitants, and therefore the royal order should understand
it in order to be able to rule the citizens and protect them
from the material bondage to lust. Human life is meant for
cultivation of spiritual knowledge, in eternal relationship
with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive
heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart
this lesson to the citizens by education, culture and devotion.
In other words, the executive heads of all states are intended
to spread the science of Krsna consciousness so that the people
may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful
path, utilizing the opportunity of the human form of life.
In this millennium,
the sun-god is known as Vivasvan, the king of the sun, which
is the origin of all planets within the solar system. In the
Brahma-samhita it is stated:
yac-caksur esa
savita sakala-grahanam
raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
"Let me worship," Lord Brahma said, "the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Krsna], who is the original
person and under whose order the sun, which is the king of
all planets, is assuming immense power and heat. The sun represents
the eye of the Lord and traverses its orbit in obedience to
His order."
The sun is the
king of the planets, and the sun-god (at present of the name
Vivasvan) rules the sun planet, which is controlling all other
planets by supplying heat and light. He is rotating under
the order of Krsna, and Lord Krsna originally made Vivasvan
His first disciple to understand the science of Bhagavad-gita.
The Gita is not, therefore, a speculative treatise for the
insignificant mundane scholar but is a standard book of knowledge
coming down from time immemorial.
In the Mahabharata
(Santi-parva 348.51-52) we can trace out the history of the
Gita as follows:
treta-yugadau ca
tato vivasvan manave dadau
manus ca loka-bhrty-artham sutayeksvakave dadau
iksvakuna ca kathito vyapya lokan avasthitah
"In the beginning
of the Treta-yuga [millennium] this science of the relationship
with the Supreme was delivered by Vivasvan to Manu. Manu,
being the father of mankind, gave it to his son Maharaja Iksvaku,
the king of this earth planet and forefather of the Raghu
dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared." Therefore,
Bhagavad-gita existed in the human society from the time of
Maharaja Iksvaku.
At the present
moment we have just passed through five thousand years of
the Kali-yuga, which lasts 432,000 years. Before this there
was the Dvapara-yuga (800,000 years), and before that there
was Treta-yuga (1,200,000 years). Thus, some 2,005,000 years
ago, Manu spoke the Bhagavad-gita to his disciple and son
Maharaja Iksvaku, the king of this planet earth. The age of
the current Manu is calculated to last some 305,300,000 years,
of which 120,400,000 have passed. Accepting that before the
birth of Manu, the Gita was spoken by the Lord to His disciple,
the sun-god Vivasvan, a rough estimate is that the Gita was
spoken at least 120,400,000 years ago; and in human society
it has been extant for two million years. It was respoken
by the Lord again to Arjuna about five thousand years ago.
That is the rough estimate of the history of the Gita, according
to the Gita itself and according to the version of the speaker,
Lord Sri Krsna. It was spoken to the sun-god Vivasvan because
he is also a ksatriya and is the father of all ksatriyas who
are descendants of the sun-god, or the surya-vamsa ksatriyas.
Because Bhagavad-gita is as good as the Vedas, being spoken
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this knowledge is apauruseya,
superhuman. Since the Vedic instructions are accepted as they
are, without human interpretation, the Gita must therefore
be accepted without mundane interpretation. The mundane wranglers
may speculate on the Gita in their own ways, but that is not
Bhagavad-gita as it is. Therefore, Bhagavad-gita has to be
accepted as it is, from the disciplic succession, and it is
described herein that the Lord spoke to the sun-god, the sun-god
spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Iksvaku.
Chapter
4, Verse 2.
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of
disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it
in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken,
and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
SYNONYMS
evam--thus; parampara--disciplic succession; praptam--received;
imam--this science; raja-rsayah--the saintly kings; viduh--understood;
sah--that knowledge; kalena--in the course of time; iha--in
this world; mahata--by great; yogah--the science of one's
relationship with the Supreme; nastah--scattered; parantapa--O
Arjuna, subduer of the enemies.
TRANSLATION
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of
disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it
in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken,
and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
PURPORT
It is clearly stated that the Gita was especially meant for
the saintly kings because they were to execute its purpose
in ruling over the citizens. Certainly Bhagavad-gita was never
meant for the demonic persons, who would dissipate its value
for no one's benefit and would devise all types of interpretations
according to personal whims. As soon as the original purpose
was scattered by the motives of the unscrupulous commentators,
there arose the need to reestablish the disciplic succession.
Five thousand years ago it was detected by the Lord Himself
that the disciplic succession was broken, and therefore He
declared that the purpose of the Gita appeared to be lost.
In the same way, at the present moment also there are so many
editions of the Gita (especially in English), but almost all
of them are not according to authorized disciplic succession.
There are innumerable interpretations rendered by different
mundane scholars, but almost all of them do not accept the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, although they make
a good business on the words of Sri Krsna. This spirit is
demonic, because demons do not believe in God but simply enjoy
the property of the Supreme. Since there is a great need of
an edition of the Gita in English, as it is received by the
parampara (disciplic succession) system, an attempt is made
herewith to fulfill this great want. Bhagavad-gita--accepted
as it is--is a great boon to humanity; but if it is accepted
as a treatise of philosophical speculations, it is simply
a waste of time.
Chapter
4, Verse 3.
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; therefore you can understand the transcendental
mystery of this science.
TEXT 3
sa evayam maya
te 'dya
yogah proktah puratanah
bhakto 'si me sakha ceti
rahasyam 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; therefore you can understand the transcendental
mystery of this science.
PURPORT
There are two classes of men, namely the devotee and the demon.
The Lord selected Arjuna as the recipient of this great science
owing to his becoming the devotee of the Lord, but for the
demon it is not possible to understand this great mysterious
science. There are a number of editions of this great book
of knowledge, and some of them have commentaries by the devotees,
and some of them have commentaries by the demons. Commentation
by the devotees is real, whereas that of the demons is useless.
Arjuna accepts Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and any commentary on the Gita following in the footsteps
of Arjuna is real devotional service to the cause of this
great science. The demonic, however, concoct something about
Krsna and mislead the public and general readers from the
path of Krsna's instructions. One should try to follow the
disciplic succession from Arjuna, and thus be benefited.
Chapter
4, Verse 4.
Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You.
How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed
this science to him?
SYNONYMS
arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; aparam--junior; bhavatah--Your;
janma--birth; param--superior; janma--birth; vivasvatah--of
the sun-god; katham--how; etat--this; vijaniyam--shall I understand;
tvam--You; adau--in the beginning; proktavan--instructed;
iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You.
How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed
this science to him?
PURPORT
Arjuna is an accepted devotee of the Lord, so how could he
not believe Krsna's words? The fact is that Arjuna is not
inquiring for himself but for those who do not believe in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead or for the demons who do
not like the idea that Krsna should be accepted as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; for them only Arjuna inquires on this
point, as if he were himself not aware of the Personality
of Godhead, or Krsna. As it will be evident from the Tenth
Chapter, Arjuna knew perfectly well that Krsna is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the fountainhead of everything and
the last word in transcendence. Of course, Krsna also appeared
as the son of Devaki on this earth. How Krsna remained the
same Supreme Personality of Godhead, the eternal, original
person, is very difficult for an ordinary man to understand.
Therefore, to clarify this point, Arjuna put this question
before Krsna so that He Himself could speak authoritatively.
That Krsna is the supreme authority is accepted by the whole
world, not only at present, but from time immemorial, and
the demons alone reject Him. Anyway, since Krsna is the authority
accepted by all, Arjuna put this question before Him in order
that Krsna would describe Himself without being depicted by
the demons who always try to distort Him in a way understandable
to the demons and their followers. It is necessary that everyone,
for his own interest, know the science of Krsna. Therefore,
when Krsna Himself speaks about Himself, it is auspicious
for all the worlds. To the demons, such explanations by Krsna
Himself may appear to be strange because the demons always
study Krsna from their own standpoint, but those who are devotees
heartily welcome the statements of Krsna when they are spoken
by Krsna Himself. The devotees will always worship such authoritative
statements of Krsna because they are always eager to know
more and more about Him. The atheists, who consider Krsna
an ordinary man, may in this way come to know that Krsna is
superhuman, that He is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha--the eternal
form of bliss and knowledge--that He is transcendental, and
that He is above the domination of the modes of material nature
and above the influence of time and space. A devotee of Krsna,
like Arjuna, is undoubtedly above any misunderstanding of
the transcendental position of Krsna. Arjuna's putting this
question before the Lord is simply an attempt by the devotee
to defy the atheistic attitude of persons who consider Krsna
to be an ordinary human being, subject to the modes of material
nature.
Chapter
4, Verse 5.
The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have
passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer
of the enemy!
TEXT 5
sri-bhagavan uvaca
bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna
tany aham veda sarvani
na tvam vettha parantapa
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord 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
In the Brahma-samhita we have information of many, many incarnations
of the Lord. It is stated there:
advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
(Bs. 5.33)
"I worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Govinda [Krsna], who is the original person--absolute,
infallible, without beginning. Although expanded into unlimited
forms, still the same original, the oldest, and the person
always appearing as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful,
all-knowing forms of the Lord are usually understood by the
best Vedic scholars, but they are always manifest to pure,
unalloyed devotees."
It is also stated in Brahma-samhita:
ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
(5.39)
"I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda
[Krsna], who is always situated in various incarnations such
as Rama, Nrsimha and many subincarnations as well, but who
is the original Personality of Godhead known as Krsna, and
who incarnates personally also."
In the Vedas also it is said that the Lord, although one without
a second, nevertheless manifests Himself in innumerable forms.
He is like the vaidurya stone, which changes color yet still
remains one. All those multiforms are understood by the pure,
unalloyed devotees, but not by a simple study of the Vedas:
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau. Devotees like Arjuna
are constant companions of the Lord, and whenever the Lord
incarnates, the associate devotees also incarnate in order
to serve the Lord in different capacities. Arjuna is one of
these devotees, and in this verse it is understood that some
millions of years ago when Lord Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita
to the sun-god Vivasvan, Arjuna, in a different capacity,
was also present. But the difference between the Lord and
Arjuna is that the Lord remembered the incidence, whereas
Arjuna could not remember. That is the difference between
the part and parcel living entity and the Supreme Lord. Although
Arjuna is addressed herein as the mighty hero who could subdue
the enemies, he is unable to recall what had happened in his
various past births. Therefore, a living entity, however great
he may be in the material estimation, can never equal the
Supreme Lord. Anyone who is a constant companion of the Lord
is certainly a liberated person, but he cannot be equal to
the Lord. The Lord is described in the Brahma-samhita as infallible
(acyuta), which means that He never forgets Himself, even
though He is in material contact. Therefore, the Lord and
the living entity can never be equal in all respects, even
if the living entity is as liberated as Arjuna. Although Arjuna
is a devotee of the Lord, he sometimes forgets the nature
of the Lord, but by the divine grace a devotee can at once
understand the infallible condition of the Lord, whereas a
nondevotee or a demon cannot understand this transcendental
nature. Consequently these descriptions in the Gita cannot
be understood by demonic brains. Krsna remembered acts which
were performed by Him millions of years before, but Arjuna
could not, despite the fact that both Krsna and Arjuna are
eternal in nature. We may also note herein that a living entity
forgets everything due to his change of body, but the Lord
remembers because He does not change His sac-cid-ananda body.
He is advaita, which means there is no distinction between
His body and Himself. Everything in relation to Him is spirit--whereas
the conditioned soul is different from his material body.
And, because the Lord's body and self are identical, His position
is always different from the ordinary living entity, even
when He descends to the material platform. The demons cannot
adjust themselves to this transcendental nature of the Lord,
as the Lord explains in the following verse.
Chapter
4, Verse 6.
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates,
and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still
appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
TEXT 6
ajo 'pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro 'pi san
prakrtim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya
SYNONYMS
ajah--unborn; api--although; san--being so; avyaya--without
deterioration; atma--body; bhutanam--all those who are born;
isvarah--the Supreme Lord; api--although; san--being so; prakrtim--transcendental
form; svam--of Myself; adhisthaya--being so situated; sambhavami--I
do incarnate; atma-mayaya--by My internal energy.
TRANSLATION
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates,
and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still
appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
PURPORT
The Lord has spoken about the peculiarity of His birth: although
He may appear like an ordinary person, He remembers everything
of His many, many past "births," whereas a common
man cannot remember what he has done even a few hours before.
If someone is asked what he did exactly at the same time one
day earlier, it would be very difficult for a common man to
answer immediately. He would surely have to dredge his memory
to recall what he was doing exactly at the same time one day
before. And yet, men often dare claim to be God, or Krsna.
One should not be misled by such meaningless claims. Then
again, the Lord explains His prakrti, or His form. Prakrti
means nature as well as svarupa, or one's own form. The Lord
says that He appears in His own body. He does not change His
body, as the common living entity changes from one body to
another. The conditioned soul may have one kind of body in
the present birth, but he has a different body in the next
birth. In the material world, the living entity has no fixed
body but transmigrates from one body to another. The Lord,
however, does not do so. Whenever He appears, He does so in
the same original body, by His internal potency. In other
words, Krsna appears in this material world in His original
eternal form, with two hands, holding a flute. He appears
exactly in His eternal body, uncontaminated by this material
world. Although He appears in the same transcendental body
and is Lord of the universe, it still appears that He takes
His birth like an ordinary living entity. Despite the fact
Lord Krsna grows from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood
to youth, astonishingly enough He never ages beyond youth.
At the time of the Battle of Kuruksetra, He had many grandchildren
at home; or, in other words, He had sufficiently aged by material
calculations. Still He looked just like a young man twenty
or twenty-five years old. We never see a picture of Krsna
in old age because He never grows old like us, although He
is the oldest person in the whole creation--past, present,
and future. Neither His body nor His intelligence ever deteriorates
or changes. Therefore, it is clear that in spite of His being
in the material world, He is the same unborn, eternal form
of bliss and knowledge, changeless in His transcendental body
and intelligence. Factually, His appearance and disappearance
is like the sun's rising, moving before us, and then disappearing
from our eyesight. When the sun is out of sight, we think
that the sun is set, and when the sun is before our eyes,
we think that the sun is on the horizon. Actually, the sun
is always in its fixed position, but owing to our defective,
insufficient senses, we calculate the appearance and disappearance
of the sun in the sky. And, because His appearance and disappearance
are completely different from that of any ordinary, common
living entity, it is evident that He is eternal, blissful
knowledge by His internal potency--and He is never contaminated
by material nature. The Vedas also confirm that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is unborn, yet He still appears to
take His birth in multi-manifestations. The Vedic supplementary
literatures also confirm that even though the Lord appears
to be taking His birth, He is still without change of body.
In the Bhagavatam, He appears before His mother as Narayana,
with four hands and the decorations of the six kinds of full
opulences. His appearance in His original eternal form is
His causeless mercy, according to the Visva-kosa dictionary.
The Lord is conscious of all of His previous appearances and
disappearances, but a common living entity forgets everything
about his past body as soon as he gets another body. He is
the Lord of all living entities because He performs wonderful
and superhuman activities while He is on this earth. Therefore,
the Lord is always the same Absolute Truth and is without
differentiation between His form and self, or between His
quality and body. A question may now be raised as to why the
Lord appears and disappears in this world. This is explained
in the next verse.
Chapter
4, Verse 7.
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.
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
The word srjami is significant herein. Srjami cannot be used
in the sense of creation, because, according to the previous
verse, there is no creation of the Lord's form or body, since
all of the forms are eternally existent. Therefore, srjami
means that the Lord manifests Himself as He is. Although the
Lord appears on schedule, namely at the end of the Dvapara-yuga
of the twenty-eighth millennium of the eighth Manu in one
day of Brahma, still He has no obligation to adhere to such
rules and regulations because He is completely free to act
in many ways at His will. He therefore appears by His own
will whenever there is a predominance of irreligiosity and
a disappearance of true religion. Principles of religion are
laid down in the Vedas, and any discrepancy in the matter
of properly executing the rules of the Vedas makes one irreligious.
In the Bhagavatam it is stated that such principles are the
laws of the Lord. Only the Lord can manufacture a system of
religion. The Vedas are also accepted as originally spoken
by the Lord Himself to Brahma, from within his heart. Therefore,
the principles of dharma, or religion, are the direct orders
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam).
These principles are clearly indicated throughout the Bhagavad-gita.
The purpose of the Vedas is to establish such principles under
the order of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord directly orders,
at the end of the Gita, that the highest principle of religion
is to surrender unto Him only, and nothing more. The Vedic
principles push one towards complete surrender unto Him; and,
whenever such principles are disturbed by the demoniac, the
Lord appears. From the Bhagavatam we understand that Lord
Buddha is the incarnation of Krsna who appeared when materialism
was rampant and materialists were using the pretext of the
authority of the Vedas. Although there are certain restrictive
rules and regulations regarding animal sacrifice for particular
purposes in the Vedas, people of demonic tendency still took
to animal sacrifice without reference to the Vedic principles.
Lord Buddha appeared to stop this nonsense and to establish
the Vedic principles of nonviolence. Therefore each and every
avatara, or incarnation of the Lord, has a particular mission,
and they are all described in the revealed scriptures. No
one should be accepted as an avatara unless he is referred
to by scriptures. It is not a fact that the Lord appears only
on Indian soil. He can advent Himself anywhere and everywhere,
and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation,
He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the
particular people under their particular circumstances. But
the mission is the same--to lead people to God consciousness
and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He
descends personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide
representative in the form of His son, or servant, or Himself
in some disguised form.
The principles of the Bhagavad-gita were spoken to Arjuna,
and, for that matter, to other highly elevated persons, because
he was highly advanced compared to ordinary persons in other
parts of the world. Two plus two equals four is a mathematical
principle that is true both in the beginner's arithmetic class
and in the advanced class as well. Still, there are higher
and lower mathematics. In all incarnations of the Lord, therefore,
the same principles are taught, but they appear to be higher
and lower in varied circumstances. The higher principles of
religion begin with the acceptance of the four orders and
the four statuses of social life, as will be explained later.
The whole purpose of the mission of incarnations is to arouse
Krsna consciousness everywhere. Such consciousness is manifest
and nonmanifest only under different circumstances.
Chapter
4, Verse 8.
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants,
as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent
Myself millennium after millennium.
TEXT 8
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
SYNONYMS
paritranaya--for the deliverance; sadhunam--of the devotees;
vinasaya--for the annihilation; ca--also; duskrtam--of the
miscreants; dharma--principles of religion; samsthapana-arthaya--to
reestablish; sambhavami--I do appear; yuge--millennium; yuge--after
millennium.
TRANSLATION
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants,
as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent
Myself millennium after millennium.
PURPORT
According to Bhagavad-gita, a sadhu (holy man) is a man in
Krsna consciousness. A person may appear to be irreligious,
but if he has the qualifications of Krsna consciousness wholly
and fully, he is to be understood to be a sadhu. And duskrtam
applies to one who doesn't care for Krsna consciousness. Such
miscreants, or duskrtam, are described as foolish and the
lowest of mankind, even though they may be decorated with
mundane education; whereas another person, who is one hundred
percent engaged in Krsna consciousness, is accepted as sadhu,
even though such a person may neither be learned nor well
cultured. As far as the atheistic are concerned, it is not
necessary for the Supreme Lord to appear as He is to destroy
them, as He did with the demons Ravana and Kamsa. The Lord
has many agents who are quite competent to vanquish demons.
But the Lord especially descends to appease His unalloyed
devotees, who are always harassed by the demoniac. The demon
harasses the devotee, even though the latter may happen to
be his kin. Although Prahlada Maharaja was the son of Hiranyakasipu,
he was nonetheless persecuted by his father; although Devaki,
the mother of Krsna, was the sister of Kamsa, she and her
husband Vasudeva were persecuted only because Krsna was to
be born of them. So Lord Krsna appeared primarily to deliver
Devaki, rather than kill Kamsa, but both were performed simultaneously.
Therefore it is said here that to deliver the devotee and
vanquish the demon miscreants, the Lord appears in different
incarnations.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta of Krsnadasa Kaviraja, the following
verses summarize these principles of incarnation:
srsti-hetu yei murti prapance avatare
sei isvara-murti 'avatara' nama dhare
mayatita paravyome sabara avasthana
visve avatari' dhare 'avatara' nama
"The avatara, or incarnation of Godhead,
descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation.
And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who
so descends is called an incarnation, or avatara. Such incarnations
are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When
they descend to the material creation, they assume the name
avatara."
There are various kinds of avataras, such as purusavataras,
gunavataras, lilavataras, sakty-avesa avataras, manvantara-avataras
and yugavataras--all appearing on schedule all over the universe.
But Lord Krsna is the primeval Lord, the fountainhead of all
avataras. Lord Sri Krsna descends for the specific purposes
of mitigating the anxieties of the pure devotees, who are
very anxious to see Him in His original Vrndavana pastimes.
Therefore, the prime purpose of the Krsna avatara is to satisfy
His unalloyed devotees.
The Lord says that He incarnates Himself in every millennium.
This indicates that He incarnates also in the age of Kali.
As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the incarnation in the
age of Kali is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who spread the worship
of Krsna by the sankirtana movement (congregational chanting
of the holy names), and spread Krsna consciousness throughout
India. He predicted that this culture of sankirtana would
be broadcast all over the world, from town to town and village
to village. Lord Caitanya as the incarnation of Krsna, the
Personality of Godhead, is described secretly but not directly
in the confidential parts of the revealed scriptures, such
as the Upanisads, Mahabharata, Bhagavatam, etc. The devotees
of Lord Krsna are much attracted by the sankirtana movement
of Lord Caitanya. This avatara of the Lord does not kill the
miscreants, but delivers them by the causeless mercy of the
Lord.
Chapter
4, Verse 9.
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth
again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode,
O Arjuna.
TEXT 9
janma karma ca
me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
TRANSLATION
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth
again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode,
O Arjuna.
PURPORT
The Lord's descent from His transcendental abode is already
explained in the 6th verse. One who can understand the truth
of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already
liberated from material bondage, and therefore he returns
to the kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present
material body. Such liberation of the living entity from material
bondage is not at all easy. The impersonalists and the yogis
attain liberation only after much trouble and many, many births.
Even then, the liberation they achieve--merging into the impersonal
brahmajyoti of the Lord--is only partial, and there is the
risk of returning again to this material world. But the devotee,
simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the body
and activities of the Lord, attains the abode of the Lord
after ending this body and does not run the risk of returning
again to this material world. In the Brahma-samhita it is
stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations:
advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam. Although there are many
transcendental forms of the Lord, they are still one and the
same Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to understand
this fact with conviction, although it is incomprehensible
to mundane scholars and empiric philosophers. As stated in
the Vedas:
"The one Supreme
Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many
transcendental forms in relationships with His unalloyed devotees."
This Vedic version is confirmed in this verse of the Gita
personally by the Lord. He who accepts this truth on the strength
of the authority of the Vedas and of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and who does not waste time in philosophical speculations
attains the highest perfectional stage of liberation. Simply
by accepting this truth on faith, one can, without a doubt,
attain liberation. The Vedic version, "tattvamasi,"
is actually applied in this case. Anyone who understands Lord
Krsna to be the Supreme, or who says unto the Lord "You
are the same Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead"
is certainly liberated instantly, and consequently his entrance
into the transcendental association of the Lord is guaranteed.
In other words, such a faithful devotee of the Lord attains
perfection, and this is confirmed by the following Vedic assertion:
tam eva viditvati mrtyum eti nanyah pantha vidyate 'yanaya
One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth
and death simply by knowing the Lord, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. There is no alternative because anyone who does
not understand Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is surely in the mode of ignorance. Consequently he will not
attain salvation, simply, so to speak, by licking the outer
surface of the bottle of honey, or by interpreting the Bhagavad-gita
according to mundane scholarship. Such empiric philosophers
may assume very important roles in the material world, but
they are not necessarily eligible for liberation. Such puffed-up
mundane scholars have to wait for the causeless mercy of the
devotee of the Lord. One should therefore cultivate Krsna
consciousness with faith and knowledge, and in this way attain
perfection.
Chapter
4, Verse 10.
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.
TEXT
10
vita-raga-bhaya-krodha
man-maya mam upasritah
bahavo jnana-tapasa
puta mad-bhavam agatah
SYNONYMS
vita--freed from; raga--attachment; bhaya--fear; krodhah--anger;
mat-maya--fully in Me; mam--unto Me; upasritah--being fully
situated; bahavah--many; jnana--knowledge; tapasa--by penance;
putah--being purified; mat-bhavam--transcendental love for
Me; agatah--attained.
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
As described above, it is very difficult for a person who
is too materially affected to understand the personal nature
of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Generally, people who are attached
to the bodily conception of life are so absorbed in materialism
that it is almost impossible for them to understand that there
is a transcendental body which is imperishable, full of knowledge
and eternally blissful. In the materialistic concept, the
body is perishable, full of ignorance and completely miserable.
Therefore, people in general keep this same bodily idea in
mind when they are informed of the personal form of the Lord.
For such materialistic men, the form of the gigantic material
manifestation is supreme. Consequently they consider the Supreme
to be impersonal. And because they are too materially absorbed,
the conception of retaining the personality after liberation
from matter frightens them. When they are informed that spiritual
life is also individual and personal, they become afraid of
becoming persons again, and so they naturally prefer a kind
of merging into the impersonal void. Generally, they compare
the living entities to the bubbles of the ocean, which merge
into the ocean. That is the highest perfection of spiritual
existence attainable without individual personality. This
is a kind of fearful stage of life, devoid of perfect knowledge
of spiritual existence. Furthermore there are many persons
who cannot understand spiritual existence at all. Being embarrassed
by so many theories and by contradictions of various types
of philosophical speculation, they become disgusted or angry
and foolishly conclude that there is no supreme cause and
that everything is ultimately void. Such people are in a diseased
condition of life. Some people are too materially attached
and therefore do not give attention to spiritual life, some
of them want to merge into the supreme spiritual cause, and
some of them disbelieve in everything, being angry at all
sorts of spiritual speculation out of hopelessness. This last
class of men take to the shelter of some kind of intoxication,
and their affective hallucinations are sometimes accepted
as spiritual vision. One has to get rid of all three stages
of attachment to the material world, negligence of spiritual
life, fear of a spiritual personal identity, and the conception
of void that underlies the frustration of life. To get free
from these three stages of the material concept of life, one
has to take complete shelter of the Lord, guided by the bona
fide spiritual master, and follow the disciplines and regulative
principles of devotional life. The last stage of the devotional
life is called bhava, or transcendental love of Godhead.
According to Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the science of devotional
service:
adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah
"In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire
for self-realization. This will bring one to the stage of
trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated.
In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual
master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins
the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional
service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes
free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realization,
and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality
of Godhead, Sri Krsna. This taste leads one further forward
to attachment for Krsna consciousness, which is matured in
bhava, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of
God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional
stage of life." In the prema stage there is constant
engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
So, by the slow process of devotional service, under the guidance
of the bona fide spiritual master, one can attain the highest
stage, being freed from all material attachment, from the
fearfulness of one's individual spiritual personality, and
from the frustrations resulting from void philosophy. Then
one can ultimately attain to the abode of the Supreme Lord.
Chapter
4, Verse 11.
All of them--as they surrender unto Me--I reward accordingly.
Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.
TEXT 11
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
SYNONYMS
ye--all of them; yatha--as; mam--unto Me; prapadyante--surrender;
tan--unto them; tatha--so; eva--certainly; bhajami--do I reward;
aham--I; mama--My; vartma--path; anuvartante--do follow; manusyah--all
men; partha--O son of Prtha; sarvasah--in all respects.
TRANSLATION
All of them--as they surrender unto Me--I reward accordingly.
Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.
PURPORT
Everyone is searching for Krsna in the different aspects of
His manifestations. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
is partially realized in His impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence
and as the all-pervading Supersoul dwelling within everything,
including the particles of atoms. But Krsna is only fully
realized by His pure devotees. Consequently, Krsna is the
object of everyone's realization, and thus anyone and everyone
is satisfied according to one's desire to have Him. In the
transcendental world also, Krsna reciprocates with His pure
devotees in the transcendental attitude, just as the devotee
wants Him. One devotee may want Krsna as supreme master, another
as his personal friend, another as his son, and still another
as his lover. Krsna rewards all the devotees equally, according
to their different intensities of love for Him. In the material
world, the same reciprocations of feelings are there, and
they are equally exchanged by the Lord with the different
types of worshipers. The pure devotees both here and in the
transcendental abode associate with Him in person and are
able to render personal service to the Lord and thus derive
transcendental bliss in His loving service. As for those who
are impersonalists and who want to commit spiritual suicide
by annihilating the individual existence of the living entity,
Krsna helps also by absorbing them into His effulgence. Such
impersonalists do not agree to accept the eternal, blissful
Personality of Godhead; consequently they cannot relish the
bliss of transcendental personal service to the Lord, having
extinguished their individuality. Some of them, who are not
situated even in the impersonal existence, return to this
material field to exhibit their dormant desires for activities.
They are not admitted into the spiritual planets, but they
are again given a chance to act on the material planets. For
those who are fruitive workers, the Lord awards the desired
results of their prescribed duties, as the yajnesvara; and
those who are yogis seeking mystic powers are awarded such
powers. In other words, everyone is dependent for success
upon His mercy alone, and all kinds of spiritual processes
are but different degrees of success on the same path. Unless,
therefore, one comes to the highest perfection of Krsna consciousness,
all attempts remain imperfect, as is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param
"Whether one is without desire [the condition of the
devotees], or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after
liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating
in Krsna consciousness." (Bhag. 2.3.10)
Chapter
4, Verse 12.
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.
SYNONYMS
kanksantah--desiring; karmanam--of fruitive activities; siddhim--perfection;
yajante--worship by sacrifices; iha--in the material world;
devatah--the demigods; ksipram--very quickly; hi--certainly;
manuse--in human society; loke--within this world; siddhih
bhavati--becomes successful; karma-ja--the fruitive worker.
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
There is a great misconception about the gods or demigods
of this material world, and men of less intelligence, although
passing as great scholars, take these demigods to be various
forms of the Supreme Lord. Actually, the demigods are not
different forms of God, but they are God's different parts
and parcels. God is one, and the parts and parcels are many.
The Vedas say, nityo nityanam: God is one. Isvarah paramah
krsnah. The Supreme God is one--Krsna--and the demigods are
delegated with powers to manage this material world. These
demigods are all living entities (nityanam) with different
grades of material power. They cannot be equal to the Supreme
God--Narayana, Visnu, or Krsna. Anyone who thinks that God
and the demigods are on the same level is called an atheist,
or pasandi. Even the great demigods like Brahma and Siva cannot
be compared to the Supreme Lord. In fact, the Lord is worshiped
by demigods such as Brahma and Siva (siva-virinci-nutam).
Yet curiously enough there are many human leaders who are
worshiped by foolish men under the misunderstanding of anthropomorphism
or zoomorphism. Iha devatah denotes a powerful man or demigod
of this material world. But Narayana, Visnu, or Krsna, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not belong to this world.
He is above, or transcendental to, material creation. Even
Sripada Sankaracarya, the leader of the impersonalists, maintains
that Narayana, or Krsna, is beyond this material creation.
However, foolish people (hrt-ajnana) worship the demigods
because they want immediate results. They get the results,
but do not know that results so obtained are temporary and
are meant for less intelligent persons. The intelligent person
is in Krsna consciousness, and he has no need to worship the
paltry demigods for some immediate, temporary benefit. The
demigods of this material world, as well as their worshipers,
will vanish with the annihilation of this material world.
The boons of the demigods are material and temporary. Both
the material worlds and their inhabitants, including the demigods,
and their worshipers, are bubbles in the cosmic ocean. In
this world, however, human society is mad after temporary
things such as the material opulence of possessing land, family
and enjoyable paraphernalia. To achieve such temporary things,
they worship the demigods or powerful men in human society.
If a man gets some ministership in the government by worshiping
a political leader, he considers that he has achieved a great
boon. All of them are therefore kowtowing to the so-called
leaders or "big guns" in order to achieve temporary
boons, and they indeed achieve such things. Such foolish men
are not interested in Krsna consciousness for the permanent
solution to the hardships of material existence. They are
all after sense enjoyment, and to get a little facility for
sense enjoyment they are attracted to worship empowered living
entities known as demigods. This verse indicates that people
are rarely interested in Krsna consciousness. They are mostly
interested in material enjoyment, and therefore they worship
some powerful living entity.
Chapter
4, Verse 13.
According to the three modes of material nature and the work
ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were
created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system,
you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.
TEXT 13
catur-varnyam maya
srstam
guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam
viddhy akartaram avyayam
SYNONYMS
catuh-varnyam--the four divisions of human society; maya--by
Me; srstam--created; guna--quality; karma--work; vibhagasah--in
terms of division; tasya--of that; kartaram--the father; api--although;
mam--Me; viddhi--you may know; akartaram--as the non-doer;
avyayam--being unchangeable.
TRANSLATION
According to the three modes of material nature and the work
ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were
created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system,
you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.
PURPORT
The Lord is the creator of everything. Everything is born
of Him, everything is sustained by Him, and everything, after
annihilation, rests in Him. He is therefore the creator of
the four divisions of the social order, beginning with the
intelligent class of men, technically called brahmanas due
to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the
administrative class, technically called the ksatriyas due
to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile
men, called the vaisyas, are situated in the mixed modes of
passion and ignorance, and the sudras, or laborer class, are
situated in the ignorant mode of material nature. In spite
of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord
Krsna does not belong to any of these divisions, because He
is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form
human society. Human society is similar to any other animal
society, but to elevate men from the animal status, the above-mentioned
divisions are created by the Lord for the systematic development
of Krsna consciousness. The tendency of a particular man toward
work is determined by the modes of material nature which he
has acquired. Such symptoms of life, according to different
modes of material nature, are described in the Eighteenth
Chapter of this book. A person in Krsna consciousness, however,
is above even the brahmanas, because a brahmana by quality
is supposed to know about Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation
of Lord Krsna, but only a man who transcends the limited knowledge
of a brahmana and reaches the knowledge of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, becomes a person in Krsna consciousness--or,
in other words, a Vaisnava. Krsna consciousness includes knowledge
of all different plenary expansions of Krsna, namely Rama,
Nrsimha, Varaha, etc. However, as Krsna is transcendental
to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person
in Krsna consciousness is also transcendental to all divisions
of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community,
nation or species.
Chapter
4, Verse 14.
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.
TEXT 14
na mam karmani
limpanti
na me karma-phale sprha
iti mam yo 'bhijanati
karmabhir na sa badhyate
SYNONYMS
na--never; mam--unto Me; karmani--all kinds of work; limpanti--do
affect; na--nor; me--My; karma-phale--in fruitive action;
sprha--aspiration; iti--thus; mam--unto Me; yah--one who;
abhijanati--does know; karmabhih--by the reaction of such
work; na--never does; sah--he; badhyate--becomes entangled.
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
As there are constitutional laws in the material world stating
that the king can do no wrong, or that the king is not subject
to the state laws, similarly the Lord, although He is the
creator of this material world, is not affected by the activities
of the material world. He creates and remains aloof from the
creation, whereas the living entities are entangled in the
fruitive results of material activities because of their propensity
for lording it over material resources. The proprietor of
an establishment is not responsible for the right and wrong
activities of the workers, but the workers are themselves
responsible. The living entities are engaged in their respective
activities of sense gratification, and these activities are
not ordained by the Lord. For advancement of sense gratification,
the living entities are engaged in the work of this world,
and they aspire to heavenly happiness after death. The Lord,
being full in Himself, has no attraction for so-called heavenly
happiness. The heavenly demigods are only His engaged servants.
The proprietor never desires the low-grade happiness such
as the workers may desire. He is aloof from the material actions
and reactions. For example, the rains are not responsible
for different types of vegetation that appear on the earth,
although without such rains there is no possibility of vegetative
growth. Vedic smrti confirms this fact as follows:
nimitta-matram evasau srjyanam sarga-karmani
pradhana-karani-bhuta yato vai srjya-saktayah
"In the material creations, the Lord is only the supreme
cause. The immediate cause is material nature by which the
cosmic manifestation is visible." The created beings
are of many varieties, such as the demigods, human beings
and lower animals, and all of them are subject to the reactions
of their past good or bad activities. The Lord only gives
them the proper facilities for such activities and the regulations
of the modes of nature, but He is never responsible for their
past and present activities. In the Vedanta-sutras it is confirmed
that the Lord is never partial to any living entity. The living
entity is responsible for his own acts. The Lord only gives
him facilities, through the agency of material nature, the
external energy. Anyone who is fully conversant with all the
intricacies of this law of karma, or fruitive activities,
does not become affected by the results of his activities.
In other words, the person who understands this transcendental
nature of the Lord is an experienced man in Krsna consciousness,
and thus he is never subjected to the laws of karma. One who
does not know the transcendental nature of the Lord and who
thinks that the activities of the Lord are aimed at fruitive
results, as are the activities of the ordinary living entities,
certainly becomes entangled himself in fruitive reaction.
One who knows the Supreme Truth is a liberated soul fixed
in Krsna consciousness.
Chapter
4, Verse 15.
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding
and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you
should perform your duty in this divine consciousness.
TEXT
15
evam
jnatva krtam karma
purvair api mumuksubhih
kuru karmaiva tasmat tvam
purvaih purvataram krtam
TRANSLATION
All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding
and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you
should perform your duty in this divine consciousness.
PURPORT
There are two classes of men. Some of them are full of polluted
material things within their hearts, and some of them are
materially free. Krsna consciousness is equally beneficial
for both of these persons. Those who are full of dirty things
can take to the line of Krsna consciousness for a gradual
cleansing process, following the regulative principles of
devotional service. Those who are already cleansed of the
impurities may continue to act in the same Krsna consciousness
so that others may follow their exemplary activities and thereby
be benefited. Foolish persons or neophytes in Krsna consciousness
often want to retire from activities without having knowledge
of Krsna consciousness. Arjuna's desire to retire from activities
on the battlefield was not approved by the Lord. One need
only know how to act. To retire from the activities of Krsna
consciousness and to sit aloof making a show of Krsna consciousness,
is less important than actually engaging in the field of activities
for the sake of Krsna. Arjuna is here advised to act in Krsna
consciousness, following in the footsteps of the Lord's previous
disciples, such as the sun-god Vivasvan, as mentioned hereinbefore.
The Supreme Lord knows all His past activities, as well as
those of persons who acted in Krsna consciousness in the past.
Therefore He recommends the acts of the sun-god, who learned
this art from the Lord some millions of years before. All
such students of Lord Krsna are mentioned here as past liberated
persons, engaged in the discharge of duties allotted by Krsna.
Chapter
4, Verse 16.
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 sins.
TEXT 16
kim karma kim akarmeti
kavayo 'py atra mohitah
tat te karma pravaksyami
yaj jnatva moksyase 'subhat
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 sins.
PURPORT
Action in Krsna consciousness has to be executed in accord
with the examples of previous bona fide devotees. This is
recommended in the 15th verse. Why such action should not
be independent will be explained in the text to follow.
To act in Krsna consciousness, one has to follow the leadership
of authorized persons who are in a line of disciplic succession
as explained in the beginning of this chapter. The system
of Krsna consciousness was first narrated to the sun-god,
the sun-god explained it to his son Manu, Manu explained it
to his son Iksvaku, and the system is current on this earth
from that very remote time. Therefore, one has to follow in
the footsteps of previous authorities in the line of disciplic
succession. Otherwise even the most intelligent men will be
bewildered regarding the standard actions of Krsna consciousness.
For this reason, the Lord decided to instruct Arjuna in Krsna
consciousness directly. Because of the direct instruction
of the Lord to Arjuna, anyone who follows in the footsteps
of Arjuna is certainly not bewildered.
It is said that one cannot ascertain the ways of religion
simply by imperfect experimental knowledge. Actually, the
principles of religion can only be laid down by the Lord Himself.
Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. No one can manufacture
a religious principle by imperfect speculation. One must follow
in the footsteps of great authorities like Brahma, Siva, Narada,
Manu, the Kumaras, Kapila, Prahlada, Bhisma, Sukadeva Gosvami,
Yamaraja, Janaka, Bali Maharaja, etc. By mental speculation
one cannot ascertain what is religion or self-realization.
Therefore, out of causeless mercy to His devotees, the Lord
explains directly to Arjuna what action is and what inaction
is. Only action performed in Krsna consciousness can deliver
a person from the entanglement of material existence.
Chapter
4, Verse 17.
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.
TEXT
17
karmano
hy api boddhavyam
boddhavyam ca vikarmanah
akarmanas ca boddhavyam
gahana karmano gatih
SYNONYMS
karmanah--working order; hi--certainly; api--also; boddhavyam--should
be understood; boddhavyam--to be understood; ca--also; vikarmanah--forbidden
work; akarmanah--inaction; ca--also; boddhavyam--should be
understood; gahana--very difficult; karmanah--working order;
gatih--to enter in to.
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
If one is serious about liberation from material bondage,
one has to understand the distinctions between action, inaction
and unauthorized actions. One has to apply oneself to such
an analysis of action, reaction and perverted actions because
it is a very difficult subject matter. To understand Krsna
consciousness and action according to the modes, one has to
learn one's relationship with the Supreme; i.e., one who has
learned perfectly knows that every living entity is the eternal
servitor of the Lord and that consequently one has to act
in Krsna consciousness. The entire Bhagavad-gita is directed
toward this conclusion. Any other conclusions, against this
consciousness and its attendant reactions, are vikarmas, or
prohibited actions. To understand all this one has to associate
with authorities in Krsna consciousness and learn the secret
from them; this is as good as learning from the Lord directly.
Otherwise, even the most intelligent person will be bewildered.
Chapter
4, Verse 18.
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is
intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position,
although engaged in all sorts of activities.
TEXT 18
karmany akarma
yah pasyed
akarmani ca karma yah
sa buddhiman manusyesu
sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt
SYNONYMS
karmani--in action; akarma--inaction; yah--one who; pasyet--observes;
akarmani--in inaction; ca--also; karma--fruitive action; yah--one
who; sah--he; buddhi-man--is intelligent; manusyesu--in human
society; sah--he; yuktah--in the transcendental position;
krtsna-karma-krt--although engaged in all activities.
TRANSLATION
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is
intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position,
although engaged in all sorts of activities.
PURPORT
A person acting in Krsna consciousness is naturally free from
the bonds of karma. His activities are all performed for Krsna;
therefore he does not enjoy or suffer any of the effects of
work. Consequently he is intelligent in human society, even
though he is engaged in all sorts of activities for Krsna.
Akarma means without reaction to work. The impersonalist ceases
fruitive activities out of fear, so that the resultant action
may not be a stumbling block on the path of self-realization,
but the personalist knows rightly his position as the eternal
servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore
he engages himself in the activities of Krsna consciousness.
Because everything is done for Krsna, he enjoys only transcendental
happiness in the discharge of this service. Those who are
engaged in this process are known to be without desire for
personal sense gratification. The sense of eternal servitorship
to Krsna makes one immune to all sorts of reactionary elements
of work.
Chapter
4, Verse 19.
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act
is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by
sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by
the fire of perfect knowledge.
TEXT 19
yasya sarve samarambhah
kama-sankalpa-varjitah
jnanagni-dagdha-karmanam
tam ahuh panditam budhah
SYNONYMS
yasya--one whose; sarve--all sorts of; samarambhah--in all
attempts; kama--desire for sense gratification; sankalpa--determination;
varjitah--are devoid of; jnana--of perfect knowledge; agni--fire;
dagdha--being burnt by; karmanam--the performer; tam--him;
ahuh--declare; panditam--learned; budhah--of those who know.
TRANSLATION
One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act
is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by
sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by
the fire of perfect knowledge.
PURPORT
Only a person in full knowledge can understand the activities
of a person in Krsna consciousness. Because the person in
Krsna consciousness is devoid of all kinds of sense-gratificatory
propensities, it is to be understood that he has burned up
the reactions of his work by perfect knowledge of his constitutional
position as the eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. He is actually learned who has attained to such
perfection of knowledge. Development of this knowledge of
the eternal servitorship of the Lord is compared to fire.
Such a fire, once kindled, can burn up all kinds of reactions
to work.
Chapter
4, Verse 20.
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.
SYNONYMS
tyaktva--having given up; karma-phala-asangam--attachment
for fruitive results; nitya--always; trptah--being satisfied;
nirasrayah--without any shelter; karmani--in activity; abhipravrttah--being
fully engaged; api--in spite of; na--does not; eva--certainly;
kincit--anything; karoti--do; sah--he.
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 bondage of actions is possible only
in Krsna consciousness when one is doing everything for Krsna.
A Krsna conscious person acts out of pure love for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and therefore he has no attraction
for the results of the action. He is not even attached to
his personal maintenance, for everything is left to Krsna.
Nor is he anxious to secure things, nor to protect things
already in his possession. He does his duty to his best ability
and leaves everything to Krsna. Such an unattached person
is always free from the resultant reactions of good and bad;
it is as though he were not doing anything. This is the sign
of akarma, or actions without fruitive reactions. Any other
action, therefore, devoid of Krsna consciousness, is binding
upon the worker, and that is the real aspect of vikarma, as
explained hereinbefore.
Chapter
4, Verse 21.
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.
SYNONYMS
nirasih--without desire for the result; yata--controlled;
citta-atma--mind and intelligence; tyakta--giving up; sarva--all;
parigrahah--sense of proprietorship over all possessions;
sariram--in keeping body and soul together; kevalam--only;
karma--work; kurvan--doing so; na--never; apnoti--does acquire;
kilbisam--sinful reactions.
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 results
in his activities. His mind and intelligence are fully controlled.
He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme, and therefore
the part played by him, as a part and parcel of the whole,
is not his by choice but is chosen for him by the Supreme
and is done only through His agency. When the hand moves,
it does not move out of its own accord, but by the endeavor
of the whole body. A Krsna conscious person is always dovetailed
with the supreme desire, for he has no desire for personal
sense gratification. He moves exactly like a part of a machine.
As a machine part requires oiling and cleaning for maintenance,
similarly, a Krsna conscious man maintains himself by his
work just to remain fit for action in the transcendental loving
service of the Lord. He is therefore immune to all the reactions
of his endeavors. Like an animal, he has no proprietorship
even over his own body. A cruel proprietor of an animal sometimes
kills the animal in his possession, yet the animal does not
protest. Nor does it have any real independence. A Krsna conscious
person, fully engaged in self-realization, has very little
time to falsely possess any material object. For maintaining
body and soul, he does not require unfair means of accumulating
money. He does not, therefore, become contaminated by such
material sins. He is free from all reactions to his actions.
Chapter
4, Verse 22.
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord,
who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady
both in success and failure, is never entangled, although
performing actions.
TEXT
22
yadrccha-labha-santusto
dvandvatito vimatsarah
samah siddhav asiddhau ca
krtvapi na nibadhyate
SYNONYMS
yadrccha--out of its own accord; labha--gain; santustah--satisfied;
dvandva--duality; atitah--surpassed; vimatsarah--free from
envy; samah--steady; siddhau--in success; asiddhau--failure;
ca--also; krtva--doing; api--although; na--never; nibadhyate--is
affected.
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
both in success and failure, is never entangled, although
performing actions.
PURPORT
A Krsna conscious person does not make much endeavor even
to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are
obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows,
but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied
with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. He is therefore
independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone's
service to hamper his own service in Krsna consciousness.
However, for the service of the Lord he can participate in
any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality
of the material world. The duality of the material world is
felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness. A
Krsna conscious person is above duality because he does not
hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Krsna.
Therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. These
signs are visible when one is fully in transcendental knowledge.
Chapter
4, Verse 23.
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material
nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge
merges entirely into transcendence.
SYNONYMS
gata-sangasya--unattached to the modes of material nature;
muktasya--of the liberated; jnana-avasthita--situated in transcendence;
cetasah--of such wisdom; yajnaya--for the sake of Yajna (Krsna);
acaratah--so active; karma--work; samagram--in total; praviliyate--merges
entirely.
TRANSLATION
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material
nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge
merges entirely into transcendence.
PURPORT
Becoming fully Krsna conscious, one is freed from all dualities
and thus is free from the contaminations of the material modes.
He can become liberated because he knows his constitutional
position in relationship with Krsna; and thus his mind cannot
be drawn from Krsna consciousness. Consequently, whatever
he does, he does for Krsna, who is the primeval Visnu. Therefore,
all his works are technically sacrifices because sacrifice
involves satisfying the Supreme Person, Krsna. The resultant
reactions to all such work certainly merge into transcendence,
and one does not suffer material effects.
Chapter
4, Verse 24.
A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure
to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution
to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute
and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
TEXT
24
brahmarpanam brahma havir
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina
SYNONYMS
brahma--spiritual in nature; arpanam--contribution; brahma--the
Supreme; havih--butter; brahma--spiritual; agnau--in the fire
of consummation; brahmana--by the spirit soul; hutam--offered;
brahma--spiritual kingdom; eva--certainly; tena--by him; gantavyam--to
be reached; brahma--spiritual; karma--activities; samadhina--by
complete absorption.
TRANSLATION
A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure
to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution
to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute
and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.
PURPORT
How activities in Krsna consciousness can lead one ultimately
to the spiritual goal is described here. There are various
activities in Krsna consciousness, and all of them will be
described in the following verses. But, for the present, just
the principle of Krsna consciousness is described. A conditioned
soul, entangled in material contamination, is sure to act
in the material atmosphere, and yet he has to get out of such
an environment. The process by which the conditioned soul
can get out of the material atmosphere is Krsna consciousness.
For example, a patient who is suffering from a disorder of
the bowels due to overindulgence in milk products is cured
by another milk product, namely curds. The materially absorbed
conditioned soul can be cured by Krsna consciousness as set
forth here in the Gita. This process is generally known as
yajna, or activities (sacrifices) simply meant for the satisfaction
of Visnu or Krsna. The more the activities of the material
world are performed in Krsna consciousness, or for Visnu only,
the more the atmosphere becomes spiritualized by complete
absorption. Brahman means spiritual. The Lord is spiritual,
and the rays of His transcendental body are called brahmajyoti,
His spiritual effulgence. Everything that exists is situated
in that brahmajyoti, but when the jyoti is covered by illusion
(maya) or sense gratification, it is called 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 combined
together--Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth
covered by maya is called matter. Matter dovetailed for the
cause of the Absolute Truth regains its spiritual quality.
Krsna consciousness is the process of converting the illusory
consciousness into Brahman, or the Supreme. When the mind
is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, it is said to be
in samadhi, or trance. Anything done in such transcendental
consciousness is called yajna, or sacrifice for the Absolute.
In that condition of spiritual consciousness, the contributor,
the contribution, the consumption, the performer or leader
of the performance, and the result or ultimate gain--everything--becomes
one in the Absolute, the Supreme Brahman. That is the method
of Krsna consciousness.
Chapter 4, Verse 25.
Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different
sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the
fire of the Supreme Brahman.
TEXT
25
daivam evapare yajnam
yoginah paryupasate
brahmagnav apare yajnam
yajnenaivopajuhvati
SYNONYMS
daivam--in worshiping the demigods; eva--like this; apare--some;
yajnam--sacrifices; yoginah--the mystics; paryupasate--worship
perfectly; brahma--the Absolute Truth; agnau--in the fire
of; apare--others; yajnam--sacrifice; yajnena--by sacrifice;
eva--thus; upajuhvati--worship.
TRANSLATION
Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different
sacrifices to them, and some of them offer sacrifices in the
fire of the Supreme Brahman.
PURPORT
As described above, a person engaged in discharging duties
in Krsna consciousness is also called a perfect yogi or a
first-class mystic. But there are others also, who perform
similar sacrifices in the worship of demigods, and still others
who sacrifice to the Supreme Brahman, or the impersonal feature
of the Supreme Lord. So there are different kinds of sacrifices
in terms of different categories. Such different categories
of sacrifice by different types of performers only superficially
demark varieties of sacrifice. Factual sacrifice means to
satisfy the Supreme Lord, Visnu, who is also known as Yajna.
All the different varieties of sacrifice can be placed within
two primary divisions: namely, sacrifice of worldly possessions
and sacrifice in pursuit of transcendental knowledge. Those
who are in Krsna consciousness sacrifice all material possessions
for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, while others, who
want some temporary material happiness, sacrifice their material
possessions to satisfy demigods such as Indra, the sun-god,
etc. And others, who are impersonalists, sacrifice their identity
by merging into the existence of impersonal Brahman. The demigods
are powerful living entities appointed by the Supreme Lord
for the maintenance and supervision of all material functions
like the heating, watering and lighting of the universe. Those
who are interested in material benefits worship the demigods
by various sacrifices according to the Vedic rituals. They
are called bahv-isvara-vadi, or believers in many gods. But
others, who worship the impersonal feature of the Absolute
Truth and regard the forms of the demigods as temporary, sacrifice
their individual selves in the supreme fire and thus end their
individual existences by merging into the existence of the
Supreme. Such impersonalists spend their time in philosophical
speculation to understand the transcendental nature of the
Supreme. In other words, the fruitive workers sacrifice their
material possessions for material enjoyment, whereas the impersonalist
sacrifices his material designations with a view to merging
into the existence of the Supreme. For the impersonalist,
the fire altar of sacrifice is the Supreme Brahman, and the
offering is the self being consumed by the fire of Brahman.
The Krsna conscious person, like Arjuna, however, sacrifices
everything for the satisfaction of Krsna, and thus all his
material possessions as well as his own self--everything--is
sacrificed for Krsna. Thus, he is the first-class yogi; but
he does not lose his individual existence.
Chapter 4, Verse 26.
Some of them sacrifice the hearing process and the senses
in the fire of the controlled mind, and others sacrifice the
objects of the senses, such as sound, in the fire of sacrifice.
SYNONYMS
srotra-adini--hearing process; indriyani--senses; anye--others;
samyama--of restraint; agnisu--in the fire; juhvati--offers;
sabda-adin--sound vibration, etc.; visayan--objects of sense
gratification; anye--others; indriya--of sense organs; agnisu--in
the fire; juhvati--sacrifice.
TRANSLATION
Some of them sacrifice the hearing process and the senses
in the fire of the controlled mind, and others sacrifice the
objects of the senses, such as sound, in the fire of sacrifice.
PURPORT
The four divisions of human life, namely the brahmacari, the
grhastha, the vanaprastha, and the sannyasi, are all meant
to help men become perfect yogis or transcendentalists. Since
human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification
like the animals, the four orders of human life are so arranged
that one may become perfect in spiritual life. The brahmacaris,
or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master,
control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. They
are referred to in this verse as sacrificing the hearing process
and the senses in the fire of the controlled mind. A brahmacari
hears only words concerning Krsna consciousness; hearing is
the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure
brahmacari engages fully in harer namanukirtanam--chanting
and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restrains himself
from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is
engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Krsna,
Hare Krsna. Similarly, the householders, who have some license
for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint.
Sex life, intoxication and meat eating are general tendencies
of human society, but a regulated householder does not indulge
in unrestricted sex life and other sense gratification. Marriage
on principles of religious life is therefore current in all
civilized human society because that is the way for restricted
sex life. This restricted, unattached sex life is also a kind
of yajna because the restricted householder sacrifices his
general tendency toward sense gratification for higher transcendental
life.
Chapter 4, Verse 27.
Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of
mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses,
as well as the vital force [breath], as oblations into the
fire of the controlled mind.
SYNONYMS
sarvani--all; indriya--senses; karmani--functions; prana-karmani--functions
of the life breath; ca--also; apare--others; atma-samyama--controlling
the mind; yoga--linking process; agnau--in the fire of; juhvati--offers;
jnana-dipite--because of the urge for self-realization.
TRANSLATION
Those who are interested in self-realization, in terms of
mind and sense control, offer the functions of all the senses,
as well as the vital force [breath], as oblations into the
fire of the controlled mind.
PURPORT
The yoga system conceived by Patanjali is referred to herein.
In the Yoga-sutra of Patanjali, the soul is called pratyag-atma
and parag-atma. As long as the soul is attached to sense enjoyment,
it is called parag-atma. The soul is subjected to the functions
of ten kinds of air at work within the body, and this is perceived
through the breathing system. The Patanjali system of yoga
instructs one on how to control the functions of the body's
air in a technical manner so that ultimately all the functions
of the air within become favorable for purifying the soul
of material attachment. According to this yoga system, pratyag-atma
is the ultimate goal. This pratyag-atma is a withdrawal from
activities in matter. The senses interact with the sense objects,
like the ear for hearing, eyes for seeing, nose for smelling,
tongue for tasting, hand for touching, and all of them are
thus engaged in activities outside the self. They are called
the functions of the prana-vayu. The apana-vayu goes downwards,
vyana-vayu acts to shrink and expand, samana-vayu adjusts
equilibrium, udana-vayu goes upwards--and when one is enlightened,
one engages all these in searching for self-realization.
Chapter 4, Verse 28.
There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material
possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice
the yoga of eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas
for the advancement of transcendental knowledge.
TEXT
28
dravya-yajnas tapo-yajna
yoga-yajnas tathapare
svadhyaya-jnana-yajnas ca
yatayah samsita-vratah
SYNONYMS
dravya-yajnah--sacrificing one's possessions; tapah-yajnah--sacrifice
in austerities; yoga-yajnah--sacrifice in eightfold mysticism;
tatha--thus; apare--others; svadhyaya--sacrifice in the study
of the Vedas; jnana-yajnah--sacrifice in advancement of transcendental
knowledge; ca--also; yatayah--enlightened; samsita--taken
to strict; vratah--vows.
TRANSLATION
There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material
possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice
the yoga of eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas
for the advancement of transcendental knowledge.
PURPORT
These sacrifices may be fitted into various divisions. There
are persons who are sacrificing their possessions in the form
of various kinds of charities. In India, the rich mercantile
community or princely orders open various kinds of charitable
institutions like dharma-sala, anna-ksetra, atithi-sala, anathalaya,
vidya-pitha, etc. In other countries, too, there are many
hospitals, old age homes and similar charitable foundations
meant for distributing food, education and medical treatment
free to the poor. All these charitable activities are called
dravyamaya-yajna. There are others who, for higher elevation
in life or for promotion to higher planets within the universe,
voluntarily accept many kinds of austerities such as candrayana
and caturmasya. These processes entail severe vows for conducting
life under certain rigid rules. For example, under the caturmasya
vow the candidate does not shave for four months during the
year (July to October), he does not eat certain foods, does
not eat twice in a day and does not leave home. Such sacrifice
of the comforts of life is called tapomaya-yajna. There are
still others who engage themselves in different kinds of mystic
yogas like the Patanjali system (for merging into the existence
of the Absolute), or hatha-yoga or astanga-yoga (for particular
perfections). And some travel to all the sanctified places
of pilgrimage. All these practices are called yoga-yajna,
sacrifice for a certain type of perfection in the material
world. There are others who engage themselves in the studies
of different Vedic literatures, specifically the Upanisads
and Vedanta-sutras, or the Sankhya philosophy. All of these
are called svadhyaya-yajna, or engagement in the sacrifice
of studies. All these yogis are faithfully engaged in different
types of sacrifice and are seeking a higher status of life.
Krsna consciousness, is, however, different from these because
it is the direct service of the Supreme Lord. Krsna consciousness
cannot be attained by any one of the above-mentioned types
of sacrifices but can be attained only by the mercy of the
Lord and His bona fide devotee. Therefore, Krsna consciousness
is transcendental.
Chapter 4, Verse 29.
And there are even others who are inclined to the process
of breath restraint to remain in trance, and they practice
stopping the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming,
and incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain
in trance, stopping all breathing. Some of them, curtailing
the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself,
as a sacrifice.
SYNONYMS
apane--air which acts downward; juhvati--offers; pranam--air
which acts outward; prane--in the air going outward; apanam--air
going downward; tatha--as also; apare--others; prana--air
going outward; apana--air going downward; gati--movement;
ruddhva--checking; prana-ayama--trance induced by stopping
all breathing; parayanah--so inclined; apare--others; niyata--controlled;
aharah--eating; pranan--outgoing air; pranesu--in the outgoing
air; juhvati--sacrifices.
TRANSLATION
And there are even others who are inclined to the process
of breath restraint to remain in trance, and they practice
stopping the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming,
and incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain
in trance, stopping all breathing. Some of them, curtailing
the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself,
as a sacrifice.
PURPORT
This system of yoga for controlling the breathing process
is called pranayama, and in the beginning it is practiced
in the hatha-yoga system through different sitting postures.
All of these processes are recommended for controlling the
senses and for advancement in spiritual realization. This
practice involves controlling the air within the body to enable
simultaneous passage in opposite directions. The apana air
goes downward, and the prana air goes up. The pranayama-yogi
practices breathing the opposite way until the currents are
neutralized into puraka, equilibrium. Similarly, when the
exhaled breathing is offered to the inhaled breathing, it
is called recaka. When both air currents are completely stopped,
it is called kumbhaka-yoga. By practice of kumbhaka-yoga,
the yogis increase the duration of life by many, many years.
A Krsna conscious person, however, being always situated in
the transcendental loving service of the Lord, automatically
becomes the controller of the senses. His senses, being always
engaged in the service of Krsna, have no chance of becoming
otherwise engaged. So at the end of life, he is naturally
transferred to the transcendental plane of Lord Krsna; consequently
he makes no attempt to increase his longevity. He is at once
raised to the platform of liberation. A Krsna conscious person
begins from the transcendental stage, and he is constantly
in that consciousness. Therefore, there is no falling down,
and ultimately he enters into the abode of the Lord without
delay. The practice of reduced eating is automatically done
when one eats only krsna-prasadam, or food which is offered
first to the Lord. Reducing the eating process is very helpful
in the matter of sense control. And without sense control
there is no possibility of getting out of the material entanglement.
Chapter 4, Verse 30.
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become
cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar
of the remnants of such sacrifice, they go to the supreme
eternal atmosphere.
SYNONYMS
sarve--all; api--although apparently different; ete--all these;
yajna-vidah--conversant with the purpose of performing; yajna--sacrifices;
ksapita--being cleansed as the result of such performances;
kalmasah--sinful reactions; yajna-sista--as a result of such
performances of yajna; amrta-bhujah--those who have tasted
such nectar; yanti--do approach; brahma--the supreme; sanatanam--eternal
atmosphere.
TRANSLATION
All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become
cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar
of the remnants of such sacrifice, they go to the supreme
eternal atmosphere.
PURPORT
From the foregoing explanation of different types of sacrifice
(namely sacrifice of one's possessions, study of the Vedas
or philosophical doctrines, and performance of the yoga system),
it is found that the common aim of all is to control the senses.
Sense gratification is the root cause of material existence;
therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform
apart from sense gratification, there is no chance of being
elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss
and full life. This platform is in the eternal atmosphere,
or Brahman atmosphere. All the above-mentioned sacrifices
help one to become cleansed of the sinful reactions of material
existence. By this advancement in life, one not only becomes
happy and opulent in this life, but also, at the end, he enters
into the eternal kingdom of God, either merging into the impersonal
Brahman or associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Krsna.
Chapter 4, Verse 31.
O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never
live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of
the next?
TEXT
31
nayam loko 'sty ayajnasya
kuto 'nyah kuru-sattama
SYNONYMS
na--never; ayam--this; lokah--planet; asti--there is; ayajnasya--of
the foolish; kutah--where is; anyah--the other; kuru-sat-tama--O
best amongst the Kurus.
TRANSLATION
O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never
live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of
the next?
PURPORT
Whatever form of material existence one is in, one is invariably
ignorant of his real situation. In other words, existence
in the material world is due to the multiple reactions to
our sinful lives. Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, and
sinful life is the cause of one's dragging on in material
existence. The human form of life is the only loophole by
which one may get out of this entanglement. The Vedas, therefore,
give us a chance for escape by pointing out the paths of religion,
economic comfort, regulated sense gratification and, at last,
the means to get out of the miserable condition entirely.
The path of religion, or the different kinds of sacrifice
recommended above, automatically solves our economic problems.
By performance of yajna we can have enough food, enough milk,
etc.--even if there is a so-called increase of population.
When the body is fully supplied, naturally the next stage
is to satisfy the senses. The Vedas prescribe, therefore,
sacred marriage for regulated sense gratification. Thereby
one is gradually elevated to the platform of release from
material bondage, and the highest perfection of liberated
life is to associate with the Supreme Lord. Perfection is
achieved by performance of yajna (sacrifice), as described
above. Now, if a person is not inclined to perform yajna according
to the Vedas, how can he expect a happy life? There are different
grades of material comforts in different heavenly planets,
and in all cases there is immense happiness for persons engaged
in different kinds of yajna. But the highest kind of happiness
that a man can achieve is to be promoted to the spiritual
planets by practice of Krsna consciousness. A life of Krsna
consciousness is therefore the solution to all the problems
of material existence.
Chapter 4, Verse 32.
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.
SYNONYMS
evam--thus; bahu-vidhah--various kinds of; yajnah--sacrifices;
vitatah--widespread; brahmanah--of the Vedas; mukhe--in the
face of; karma-jan--born of work; viddhi--you should know;
tan--then; sarvan--all; evam--thus; jnatva--knowing; vimoksyase--be
liberated.
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
Different types of sacrifice, as discussed above, are mentioned
in the Vedas to suit the different types of worker. Because
men are so deeply absorbed in the bodily concept, these sacrifices
are so arranged that one can work either with the body, the
mind, or the intelligence. But all of them are recommended
for ultimately bringing about liberation from the body. This
is confirmed by the Lord herewith from His own mouth.
Chapter 4, Verse 33.
O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater
than the sacrifice of material possessions. O son of Prtha,
after all, the sacrifice of work culminates in transcendental
knowledge.
SYNONYMS
sreyan--greater; dravya-mayat--than the sacrifice of material
possessions; yajnat--knowledge; jnana-yajnah--sacrifice in
knowledge; parantapa--O chastiser of the enemy; sarvam--all;
karma--activities; akhilam--in totality; partha--O son of
Prtha; jnane--in knowledge; parisamapyate--ends in.
TRANSLATION
O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice of knowledge is greater
than the sacrifice of material possessions. O son of Prtha,
after all, the sacrifice of work culminates in transcendental
knowledge.
PURPORT
The purpose of all sacrifices is to arrive at the status of
complete knowledge, then to gain release from material miseries,
and, ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service
to the Supreme Lord (Krsna consciousness). Nonetheless, there
is a mystery about all these different activities of sacrifice,
and one should know this mystery. Sacrifices sometimes take
different forms according to the particular faith of the performer.
When one's faith reaches the stage of transcendental knowledge,
the performer of sacrifices should be considered more advanced
than those who simply sacrifice material possessions without
such knowledge, for without attainment of knowledge, sacrifices
remain on the material platform and bestow no spiritual benefit.
Real knowledge culminates in Krsna consciousness, the highest
stage of transcendental knowledge. Without the elevation of
knowledge, sacrifices are simply material activities. When,
however, they are elevated to the level of transcendental
knowledge, all such activities enter onto the spiritual platform.
Depending on differences in consciousness, sacrificial activities
are sometimes called karma-kanda, fruitive activities, and
sometimes jnana-kanda, knowledge in the pursuit of truth.
It is better when the end is knowledge.
Chapter 4, Verse 34.
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.
The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because
he has seen the truth.
TEXT
34
tad
viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
SYNONYMS
tat--that knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhi--try to
understand; pranipatena--by approaching a spiritual master;
pariprasnena--by submissive inquiries; sevaya--by the rendering
of service; upadeksyanti--initiate; te--unto you; jnanam--knowledge;
jnaninah--the self-realized; tattva--truth; darsinah--the
seers.
TRANSLATION
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him.
The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because
he has seen the truth.
PURPORT
The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult.
The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual
master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself.
No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following
this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original
spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession
can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple.
No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own
process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The
Bhagavatam says: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam--the
path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore,
mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress
in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual
master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should
be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual
master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction
of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement
in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the
proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there
is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual
master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the
test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine
desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple
with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both
blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. One should
not only hear submissively from the spiritual master, but
one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission
and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is
by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the
student is submissive and is always ready to render service,
the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.
Chapter 4, Verse 35.
And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that
all living beings are but part of Me--and that they are in
Me, and are Mine.
SYNONYMS
yat--which; jnatva--knowing; na--never; punah--again; moham--illusion;
evam--like this; yasyasi--you shall go; pandava--O son of
Pandu; yena--by which; bhutani--all living entities; asesani--totally;
draksyasi--you will see; atmani--in the Supreme Soul; atho--or
in other words; mayi--in Me.
TRANSLATION
And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that
all living beings are but part of Me--and that they are in
Me, and are Mine.
PURPORT
The result of receiving knowledge from a self-realized soul,
or one who knows things as they are, is learning that all
living beings are parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. The sense of a separated existence
from Krsna is called maya (ma--not, ya--this). Some think
that we have nothing to do with Krsna, that Krsna is only
a great historical personality and that the Absolute is the
impersonal Brahman. Factually, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
this impersonal Brahman is the personal effulgence of Krsna.
Krsna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the cause
of everything. In the Brahma-samhita it is clearly stated
that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause
of all causes. Even the millions of incarnations are only
His different expansions. Similarly, the living entities are
also expansions of Krsna. The Mayavadi philosophers wrongly
think that Krsna loses His own separate existence in His many
expansions. This thought is material in nature. We have experience
in the material world that a thing, when fragmentally distributed,
loses its own original identity. But the Mayavadi philosophers
fail to understand that A bsolute means that one plus one
is equal to one, and that one minus one is also equal to one.
This is the case in the absolute world.
For want of sufficient knowledge in the absolute science,
we are now covered with illusion, and therefore we think that
we are separate from Krsna. Although we are separated parts
of Krsna, we are nevertheless not different from Him. The
bodily difference of the living entities is maya, or not actual
fact. We are all meant to satisfy Krsna. By maya alone Arjuna
thought that the temporary bodily relationship with his kinsmen
was more important than his eternal spiritual relationship
with Krsna. The whole teaching of the Gita is targeted toward
this end: that a living being, as His eternal servitor, cannot
be separated from Krsna, and his sense of being an identity
apart from Krsna is called maya. The living entities, as separate
parts and parcels of the Supreme, have a purpose to fulfill.
Having forgotten that purpose, since time immemorial, they
are situated in different bodies, as men, animals, demigods,
etc. Such bodily differences arise from forgetfulness of the
transcendental service of the Lord. But when one is engaged
in transcendental service through Krsna consciousness, one
becomes at once liberated from this illusion. One can acquire
such pure knowledge only from the bona fide spiritual master
and thereby avoid 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 giving
up such shelter, the living entities are deluded by the material
energy, imagining themselves to have a separate identity.
Thus, under different standards of material identity, they
become forgetful of Krsna. When, however, such deluded living
entities become situated in Krsna consciousness, it is to
be understood that they are on the path of liberation, as
confirmed in the Bhagavatam: muktir hitvanyatha-rupam svarupena
vyavasthitih. Liberation means to be situated in one's constitutional
position as the eternal servitor of Krsna (Krsna consciousness).
Chapter 4, Verse 36.
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.
TEXT
36
api ced asi papebhyah
sarvebhyah papa-krttamah
sarvam jnana-plavenaiva
vrjinam santarisyasi
SYNONYMS
api--even; cet--if; asi--you are; papebhyah--of sinners; sarvebhyah--of
all; papa-krttamah--the greatest sinner; sarvam--all such
sinful actions; jnana-plavena--by the boat of transcendental
knowledge; eva--certainly; vrjinam--the ocean of miseries;
santarisyasi--you will cross completely.
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 relationship
to Krsna is so nice that it can at once lift one from the
struggle for existence which goes on in the ocean of nescience.
This material world is sometimes regarded as an ocean of nescience
and sometimes as a blazing forest. In the ocean, however expert
a swimmer one may be, the struggle for existence is very severe.
If someone comes forward and lifts the struggling swimmer
from the ocean, he is the greatest savior. Perfect knowledge,
received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the path
of liberation. The boat of Krsna consciousness is very simple,
but at the same time the most sublime.
Chapter 4, Verse 37.
As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so
does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to
material activities.
SYNONYMS
yatha--just as; edhamsi--firewood; samiddhah--blazing; agnih--fire;
bhasmasat--turns into ashes; kurute--so does; arjuna--O Arjuna;
jnana-agnih--the fire of knowledge; sarva-karmani--all reactions
to material activities; bhasmasat--to ashes; kurute--it so
does; tatha--similarly.
TRANSLATION
As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so
does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to
material activities.
PURPORT
Perfect knowledge of self and Superself and of their relationship
is compared herein to fire. This fire not only burns up all
reactions to impious activities, but also all reactions to
pious activities, turning them to ashes. There are many stages
of reaction: reaction in the making, reaction fructifying,
reaction already achieved, and reaction a priori. But knowledge
of the constitutional position of the living entity burns
everything to ashes. When one is in complete knowledge, all
reactions, both a priori and a posteriori, are consumed. In
the Vedas it is stated, ubhe uhaivaisa ete taraty amrtah sadhv-asadhuni:
"One overcomes both the pious and impious interactions
of work."
Chapter 4, Verse 38.
In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental
knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism.
And one who has achieved this enjoys the self with himself
in due course of time.
TEXT
38
na hi jnanena sadrsam
pavitram iha vidyate
tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah
kalenatmani vindati
TRANSLATION
In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental
knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism.
And one who has achieved this enjoys the self with himself
in due course of time.
PURPORT
When we speak of transcendental knowledge, we do so in terms
of spiritual understanding. As such, there is nothing so sublime
and pure as transcendental knowledge. Ignorance is the cause
of our bondage, and knowledge is the cause of our liberation.
This knowledge is the mature fruit of devotional service,
and when one is situated in transcendental knowledge, he need
not search for peace elsewhere, for he enjoys peace within
himself. In other words, this knowledge and peace are culminated
in Krsna consciousness. That is the last word in the Bhagavad-gita.
Chapter 4, Verse 39.
A faithful man who is absorbed in transcendental knowledge
and who subdues his senses quickly attains the supreme spiritual
peace.
TRANSLATION
A faithful man who is absorbed in transcendental knowledge
and who subdues his senses quickly attains the supreme spiritual
peace.
PURPORT
Such knowledge in Krsna consciousness can be achieved by a
faithful person who believes firmly in Krsna. One is called
a faithful man who thinks that, simply by acting in Krsna
consciousness, he can attain the highest perfection. This
faith is attained by the discharge of devotional service,
and by chanting "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,"
which cleanses one's heart of all material dirt. Over and
above this, one should control the senses. A person who is
faithful to Krsna and who controls the senses can easily attain
perfection in the knowledge of Krsna consciousness without
delay.
Chapter 4, Verse 40.
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed
scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting
soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
TEXT
40
ajnas casraddadhanas ca
samsayatma vinasyati
nayam loko 'sti na paro
na sukham samsayatmanah
SYNONYMS
ajnah--fools who have no knowledge in standard scriptures;
ca--and; asraddadhanah--without faith in revealed scriptures;
ca--also; samsaya--doubts; atma--a person; vinasyati--falls
back; na--never; ayam--this; lokah--world; asti--there is;
na--neither; parah--next life; na--not; sukham--happiness;
samsaya--doubtful; atmanah--of the person.
TRANSLATION
But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed
scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting
soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.
PURPORT
Out of many standard and authoritative revealed scriptures,
the Bhagavad-gita is the best. Persons who are almost like
animals have no faith in, or knowledge of, the standard revealed
scriptures; and some, even though they have knowledge of,
or can cite passages from, the revealed scriptures, have actually
no faith in these words. And even though others may have faith
in scriptures like Bhagavad-gita, they do not believe in or
worship the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Such persons
cannot have any standing in Krsna consciousness. They fall
down. Out of all the above-mentioned persons, those who have
no faith and are always doubtful make no progress at all.
Men without faith in God and His revealed word find no good
in this world, nor in the next. For them there is no happiness
whatsoever. One should therefore follow the principles of
revealed scriptures with faith and thereby be raised to the
platform of knowledge. Only this knowledge will help one become
promoted to the transcendental platform of spiritual understanding.
In other words, doubtful persons have no status whatsoever
in spiritual emancipation. One should therefore follow in
the footsteps of great acaryas who are in the disciplic succession
and thereby attain success.
Chapter 4, Verse 41.
Therefore, one who has renounced the fruits of his action,
whose doubts are destroyed by transcendental knowledge, and
who is situated firmly in the self, is not bound by works,
O conqueror of riches.
TEXT
41
yoga-sannyasta-karmanam
jnana-sanchinna-samsayam
atmavantam na karmani
nibadhnanti dhananjaya
SYNONYMS
yoga--devotional service in karma-yoga; sannyasta--renounced;
karmanam--of the performers; jnana--knowledge; sanchinna--cut
by the advancement of knowledge; samsayam--doubts; atma-vantam--situated
in the self; na--never; karmani--work; nibadhnanti--do bind
up; dhananjaya--O conqueror of riches.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, one who has renounced the fruits of his action,
whose doubts are destroyed by transcendental knowledge, and
who is situated firmly in the self, is not bound by works,
O conqueror of riches.
PURPORT
One who follows the instruction of the Gita, as it is imparted
by the Lord, the Personality of Godhead Himself, becomes free
from all doubts by the grace of transcendental knowledge.
He, as a part and parcel of the Lord, in full Krsna consciousness,
is already established in self-knowledge. As such, he is undoubtedly
above bondage to action.
Chapter 4, Verse 42.
Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of
ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed
with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.
SYNONYMS
tasmat--therefore; ajnana-sambhutam--outcome of ignorance;
hrt-stham--situated in the heart; jnana--knowledge; asina--by
the weapon of; atmanah--of the self; chittva--cutting off;
enam--this; samsayam--doubt; yogam--in yoga; atistha--be situated;
uttistha--stand up to fight; bharata--O descendant of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of
ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed
with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.
PURPORT
The yoga system instructed in this chapter is called sanatana-yoga,
or eternal activities performed by the living entity. This
yoga has two divisions of sacrificial actions: one is called
sacrifice of one's material possessions, and the other is
called knowledge of self, which is pure spiritual activity.
If sacrifice of one's material possessions is not dovetailed
for spiritual realization, then such sacrifice becomes material.
But one who performs such sacrifices with a spiritual objective,
or in devotional service, makes a perfect sacrifice. When
we come to spiritual activities, we find that these are also
divided into two: namely, understanding of one's own self
(or one's constitutional position), and the truth regarding
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who follows the path
of the Gita as it is can very easily understand these two
important divisions of spiritual knowledge. For him there
is no difficulty in obtaining perfect knowledge of the self
as part and parcel of the Lord. And such understanding is
beneficial for such a person who easily understands the transcendental
activities of the Lord. In the beginning of this chapter,
the transcendental activities of the Lord were discussed by
the Supreme Lord Himself. One who does not understand the
instructions of the Gita is faithless, and is to be considered
to be misusing the fragmental independence awarded to him
by the Lord. In spite of such instructions, one who does not
understand the real nature of the Lord as the eternal, blissful,
all-knowing Personality of Godhead, is certainly fool number
one. Ignorance can be removed by gradual acceptance of the
principles of Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is
awakened by different types of sacrifices to the demigods,
sacrifice to Brahman, sacrifice in celibacy, in household
life, in controlling the senses, in practicing mystic yoga,
in penance, in forgoing material possessions, in studying
the Vedas, and in partaking of the social institution called
varnasrama-dharma. All of these are known as sacrifice, and
all of them are based on regulated action. But within all
these activities, the important factor is self-realization.
One who seeks that objective is the real student of Bhagavad-gita,
but one who doubts the authority of Krsna falls back. One
is therefore advised to study Bhagavad-gita, or any other
scripture, under a bona fide spiritual master, with service
and surrender. 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-gita have come down to the earthly kingdom. One
should, therefore, follow the path of Bhagavad-gita as it
is expressed in the Gita itself and beware of self-interested
people after personal aggrandizement who deviate others from
the actual path. The Lord is definitely the supreme person,
and His activities are transcendental. One who understands
this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his
study of the Gita.
Thus
end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fourth Chapter of the
Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Transcendental Knowledge.
