Journey to Surrender

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Gita Summary Complete to Chapter 11

The Great Conversation

Between the two armies...

What makes the Bhagavad-gita such a singular work? There are many epic and heroic poems, sagas of war from the ancient world. Perhaps the Iliad and the Odyssey are the most well-known. Many books describe ancient combat, the lust for battle, the tragedy of war. Many of these confront important moral dilemmas. And yet, when the time for battle comes, the hero accepts his fate and enters the fight. A hero who refuses the call to adventure is a coward. It is rare to find a hero who enters a great conversation at the moment of truth. And yet at the outset of battle in Kurukshetra, all the action pauses to hear a dialogue between a man in great crisis and God Himself.

To find a similar argument against war in Greek Mythology one might cite the example of Odysseus feigning madness to avoid Agamemnon's call to arms in his siege of Troy.

Then there's Achilles refusal to fight. But Odysseus avoids war out of self-preservation and family affection where Achilles sulks in his tent out of anger and pride. At no point in the ancient Greek epic do we find any metaphysical discussion between gods and men about the nature of soul and karma.

The central conflict in Mahabharata is the battle of Kurukshetra. And the key moment is the beginning of the battle. The pivot point of the entire 100,000 verse work is Arjuna's crisis of conscience. If Arjuna decides not to fight, the battle is lost. Without Arjuna, the Pandavas are finished.

And yet his crisis of conscience is not based on weakness, although Krishna tells him not to be weak. He is concerned with the future of the dynasty. If war destroys all the great heroes of an age, what will be left? Society will be ruined. The very principles of religion will suffer. Customs and traditions will fall by the wayside, women and children will be corrupted. The whole system of caste and social order will never recover.

Arjuna is not concerned with pride and adventure, booty or gold, kingdom and fortune. Even his duty as a warrior, a principle he has always cherished, has no value for him. He stops his chariot just as hundreds of thousands of warriors are ready for blood, and in the heart of the battlefield puts down his weapons. He will not pick them up again until he is convinced.

The dialogues of Plato are set in the gardens of the Greeks, where young men discuss abstract ideas about justice. But the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna is set on the plains of Kurukshetra where men of iron and steel are about to commit wholesale slaughter. The ideas they discuss are far from abstract, but would influence the fates of thousands of heroes.

The highest ideals of the Greeks may be expressed in the Platonic dialogue called "Crito" where Socrates drinks poison while discussing the soul. http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/crito.htm But Socrates is always more interesting for the questions he asks than for any real answers about the meaning of life. Whereas Arjuna will not be satisfied simply by putting interesting questions. Unlike Socrates who seems satisfied to merely ask questions, Arjuna wants to get to the meaning of life before he sacrifices his own in battle.

Sometimes we overlook the nobility of Arjuna when looking deeply into the meaning of the Bhagavad-gita, since Krishna Himself dismisses many of his questions as being superficial. But it is Arjuna's nobility which elevates the conversation to the highest level.

Nor do we find such a conversation anywhere in the Bible or the teachings of Christ to his disciples. Jesus Christ found himself teaching in parables to fishermen and carpenters. If he were able to discuss the inner meaning of spiritual life with an intimate disciple, we have no record of such a discussion. For a true parallel, we would need to know what conversation Jesus Christ had with his Heavenly Father while in the Garden of Gethsemane. There it is said the Lord Jesus asked his Father to remove the cup of wrath he was about to drink. What dialogue He may have had with His Son, we can only imagine. What would God have said to Jesus Christ in his moment of doubt?

In the Gita we have a conversation by a man in crisis with God Himself, Krishna. If you could have a conversation with God in a moment of crisis, what questions would you ask? Arjuna asked about karma, dharma, yoga, work, action, sin, knowledge, religion, duty, the goal of life, self-realization, the nature of reality, God, time, and the world. As hardened warriors held their bow-strings tight, Arjuna paused his long enough to ask about the nature of the soul, death, and the Supreme Reality.

Any one of us who have passed through a moment of crisis know what Arjuna felt. And like Arjuna, we can take solace and inspiration from the words of Krishna and the message of Bhagavad-gita even in our darkest hour of need.

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता

Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā

॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥

॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥

॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥

अथ प्रथमोऽध्यायः । अर्जुनविषादयोगः

Commentary on

Chapter One of Bhagavad-Gita

Arjuna's Crisis of Conscience

by Michael Dolan-B.V. Mahāyogī

This first chapter of the Bhagavad-gita is often overlooked as a superfluous prologue to the real heart of Kṛṣṇa's teachings. And yet we may find the real key to the meaning of the Gīta in Arjuna's crisis of conscience. In fact the chapter has been titled, arjunaviṣādayogaḥ, अर्जुनविषादयोगः, in keeping with the formality of titling each chapter according to the Yoga system taught within. So what yoga system is examined here in the first chapter?

Some thousand years after the battle of Kurukshetra was fought and settled and the Mahābharata composed by Vedavyāsa, the philosopher Plato began to establish the model of Western philosophical discourse on the basis of dialogues. Today, of course, this is commonplace, but most critics credit Plato for inventing the form. Actually, we may find the precedent for the dialogues of Plato in Bhagavad-gita and the dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna.

If a dialogue has no conflict, it is flat, bland, lifeless. Mere catechism lacks the character of true dialogue. At the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, there is a tremendous conflict. Armed men are about to assault each other in an all-out battle for dynasty, pitting gurus against their disciples, grandchildren against grandfathers. It is to be the bloodiest conflict of ancient history, eclipsing even the Trojan War. But while the Iliad contains no philosophical dialogue, the Mahabharat gives us the Bhagavad-gita at its very center. Just as the Trojan War hinges on whether Achilles will fight, the Battle of Kurukshetra hinges on Arjuna's willingness to fight. Without Arjuna, the Pandavas and Yudhisthira are lost as is their cause: dharma.

Homer's Achilles is moved by vengeance for the death of his lover Patrocles. Vengeance has brought Arjuna to the brink of war, but before he dives into the slaughter, he pauses. He has a moment of doubt. This doubt is what fires the conversation between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna does not enter the matter as a true believer, but as a reluctant warrior.

As Arjuna begins his conversation with Kṛṣṇa he looks upon the gathered armies and sees cousins, brothers, fathers and sons, even gurus ready to kill and die. He lays down his arms, overcome with compassion. But Arjuna is not a coward as sometimes he is depicted; he is the greatest warrior of the ancient world celebrated in thousands of lines of Sanskrit. He has already defeated Shiva in a hunting duel, contested with his father Indra the god of thunder himself in the burning of the Khandava forest. He has conquered an entire race of ghostly warriors, the Nivata-kavachas and sent them to hell. Arjuna is no shrinking violet.

No coward would singlehandedly demand that his chariot be drawn up in the no-man's land between two opposing armies when arrows are beginning to fly. And yet, after having been primed for this battle, having won the greatest weapons of war from the gods, instead of entering the fray swinging his sword and firing arrows from his famous Gandhiva bow, he has a moment of doubt.

Vishada can mean "despair, despondency." I think in today's parlance we would call it a "crisis of conscience." The Bhagavad-Gita takes us on a journey from despondency and suffering to enlightenment and bliss. But we begin with Arjuna's crisis of conscience.

It may seem a conceit to call "Crisis of Conscience" a form of yoga. And yet if "yoga" is a system for bringing us in contact with the divine, that journey often begins with doubt. If we don't take time to question who we are or what we are doing, we may never confront ourselves with the truth about reality. Arjuna's crisis of consciense makes him doubt everything. He questions Krishna: Why must he be a warrior? What is the place of society, religion, duty, self-consciousness, God consciousness? What happens when duty and religion clash? Arjuna is no fool. He has participated in discussions with great sages and saints from the Kamyaka forest to the heavenly planets. He is well-acquainted with Vedic conclusions about duty and karma. And yet his crisis of conscience allows him and us to explore the deepest questions through his conversation with Kṛṣṇa.

If Kṛṣṇa Himself takes us on a tour of every possible yoga and practice, Arjuna exercises every possible doubt, not from the rehearsed questions of a learned professor, but with the aching doubt of a seasoned warrior, reluctant for spilling further blood. The intensity of his crisis of conscience is matched at every step by the truths of Kṛṣṇa's message.

In the end, Arjuna's crisis of conscience is our own. If we approach the message of the Gīta in the same spirit as Arjuna, inquiring, but willing to accept truth, we may aspire to achieve the same enlightenment. "Crisis of Conscience" as yoga is useful, especially if we approach a realized master submissively and in a spirit of inquiry. Arjuna's yogic crisis of conscience is sincere, and his dialogue with Kṛṣṇa and the truths contained therein conclude in the highest understanding of yoga: the yoga of divine love.

Contents of the Bhagavad-Gita Summarized:

In his Gita-bhashya commentary Ramanuja relies on the Gita-samgraha of his teacher Yamunacharya, which summarizes the Gita as follows:

“It is the doctrine expounded by the Bhagavad-gita that Narayana who is the Supreme Brahman, can only be achieved by means of bhakti which is brought about by observance of the dharma, acquisition of knowledge, and the renunciation of passion.”

According Yamuna’s version, the first six chapters of the Bhagavad-gita instruct us on gaining a well-founded position in understanding karma or action and jnana, or knowledge, where action should be dedicated with knowledge in yoga to achieve a harmonized relationship between soul and Supreme Soul.

The first chapter of the Gita is largely introductory material. As the opposing armies stand ready for battle, Arjuna is overcome, and expresses his inability to perform his duty as warrior.

Arjuna's Crisis of Conscience

Sanjaya, the narrator, describes Arjuna’s crisis:

“And having spoken thus on the field of battle, Arjuna, overwhelmed with grief, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on his car."

Sañjaya said, "Seeing Arjuna tearful in his moment of crisis, the slayer of Madhu, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, '"How has such a crisis come upon you, O Arjuna? Your weakness is unbecoming one of noble birth; it will close the doors of heaven to you and lead to infamy. This is not the time for such cowardice. It is unlike you. You are a conqueror. Leave aside this softness of heart. Now stand and fight!'"

"But Arjuna said, 'O Madhusūdana, how can I attack my reverent grandfather, Bhiṣma and my teacher Drona with sharp arrows in battle? It would be better to live by begging. The feast of triumph would be stained with blood. I don't know which is better: to kill or be killed. Even conquering them all there is no victory, for I am only killing my own family. My heart is heavy and my mind is confused. I can no longer understand what to do. I am overcome with the vice of compassion. I have no idea what is right and wrong. I surrender myself completely to you. Consider me your disciple and teach me."

Chapter Two: Knowledge of the self.

In the second chapter of the Gita, Arjuna excepts Krishna as his guru or teacher and asks his advice in his moment of doubt. Here are the real teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita begin. The teaching of Krishna is for the sake of Arjuna, who, overcome by misplaced love, compassion and anxiety about dharma and adharma, has taken refuge in God.

In the second chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Krishna explains the nature of the soul or atma. This analysis of the soul or atma is called “sankhya” which means “breaking it down.” Krishna analyses the soul’s nature in relationship to the world of space and time. Krishna explains that a “sankhya” analysis is helpful in understanding our true position. Throughout his analysis Krishna makes constant reference to the word “yoga.” Yoga has many meanings. To “yoke together” is a popular way to understand the word Yoga.

It’s important to understand this word, yoga. The idea of yoking two things together is a useful point of departure. The yoke was first used in agriculture on the south Asian continent. India is credited with having invented this system for bringing two bulls under control for the purpose of pulling a plow. It is commonplace to consider yoga as a way of harmonizing with the divine. What has this to do all with pulling a plow?

The word yoga may be seen as referring to any method which brings opposing elements in harmony. Two bulls tend to go off in different directions; The yoke creates a team of oxen essential for agriculture.

Our world is filled with dichotomies; the split between positive and negative, the yin and yan, male and female, space and time, quantum relativistic worlds, the spiritual and material aspects of our existence.

Yoga strives for balance, harmony. When Krishna speaks of karma yoga, he isn’t referring to a particular set of practices or techniques meant to bring about a result. In fact what he’s describing is the need to bring one’s action into balance, into harmony with one’s spiritual nature.

In the West, we’re accustomed to think of yoga as a kind of technique for stretching. People practice yoga to bring their body into harmony so they can cope with the stress of material life. But the idea of “yoga” has a deeper purpose. We can think of the word yoga in terms of “harmonizing” two disparate elements. Just as a conductor harmonizes a number of musical instruments into a synthetic unit, the orchestra, so we balance the different conflicts of life in harmony through different forms of “yoga.”

One may think of different schools of yoga in terms of Hegelian dialectic: thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Whenever two Ideas are balanced, they produce a higher synthesis in a new idea. Karma alone is noxious; when it is balance with yoga it becomes sacrifice. Knowledge alone is toxic and leads to doubt one’s own self. But, balanced in yoga, knowledge, or jnana as it is called in Sanskrit, leads to enlightenment.

Krishna’s essential message in Bhagavad-Gita is simple: When action and knowledge are in perfect balance, they lead to the higher synthesis of dedication and divine love.

The proper balance of understanding and action, love and sacrifice is the subject of discussion in Bhagavad-gita. Krishna and Arjuna dialogue about the different practices, forms of meditation, and strategic life-views that lead to a life in balance and harmony. Krishna concludes that the highest balance is found in dedication. This dedication to the divine principle is called bhakti and is considered a superior yoga than mere action or knowledge.

In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna begins by explaining that the soul or atma is eternal and survives the death of the body. In fact, it moves from one body to the next, evolving consciously from one lifetime to the next.

This temporary world has no eternal reality. As such it is an illusion, and a wise man is one who can distinguish the temporary and eternal reality’s. As a person puts on new clothes, leaving aside the old and useless ones, so we change bodies from one lifetime to the next.

Chapter Three: Sacrifice, or Karma-yoga

Krishna therefore advises Arjuna to do his duty and follow the path of karma-yoga, for if he avoids his duty there will be bad karma. Duty must be done without consideration of reward. If work is so dedicated to divinity, it will become purified there will be no fault in any action. Karma-yoga here has the connotation of “sacrificial work,” or work in harmony with a higher purpose.

Arjuna is a warrior and should therefore do battle. Harmonizing action and duty will bring about the transcendental perfection called samadhi, or “perfect balance.”

Krishna goes on to describe transcendental perfection for ones whose mind is fixed in meditation. Arjuna becomes confused: he asks Krishna, “which is better action or meditation?” Action is called karma. Meditation here is jnana. The word jnana can also mean knowledge. Arjuna is concerned whether it is better to follow the path of action or karma yoga, or to follow the path of knowledge and wisdom which includes meditation, jnana-yoga. Kristin explains further what he means by the perfection of duty or, karma-yoga.

So begins the third chapter. Krishna says that action is unavoidable No one can avoid work. Work without sacrifice is sinful, that is to say it accrues the sinful reaction in karma. Work without sacrifice is selfish. Selfish work has a karmic reaction, but unselfish work, or work dedicated to a higher purpose frees one from karma. Work dedicated to God is purified by sacrifice. This is the essential message of the Vedas.

And so in the third chapter of Bhagavad-Gita Krishna explains the need for sacrifice in accordance with the Vedas. Sacrifice may also bring some benefit, but one should not be attached to the benefits of sacrifice just as one should not be seduced by the flowery language of the Vedas. Action in sacrifice is better than worldly action or materialism. One who can free himself from ego and dedicate action to a higher power will advance two higher plane.

Materialism is condemned. Krishna explains the psychology of attachment and maintains that the senses and mind may be controlled through intelligence. Once the intelligence is convinced about the need for sacrifice, the mind and senses can be brought under control. If work must be done, it should be done in the spirit of sacrifice or for a higher purpose and not selfishly.

At the end of the third chapter, Arjuna still can’t understand what to do. He doesn’t really grasp the essence of Krishna’s teaching. Is he advocating meditation? Or does he recommend duty? And what is Krishna’s authority? How can he say that one yoga is better than another?

Chapter Four: Transcendental Knowledge

The fourth chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita begins when Arjuna wants to get at the source of Krishna’s advice. This chapter begins with epistemological considerations. How is true knowledge transmitted?

Krishna explains that transcendental knowledge should be received from a realized soul who in turn has received that transcendental light from a higher, realized soul. Analysis will only get us so far. Real progress will be made when we come in contact with a bona fide teacher. Self-realization is a nonverbal experience that may be transmitted from teacher to disciple through divine sounder mantra but can only be truly realized through practice. ( Sadhana)

Krishna asserts his own divinity as an avatar to Arjuna and assures him that his advice is sound. He explains that the avatars of God descend whenever there is a decline in religious principle called Dharma.

Since the war is an example of the decline of dharma in the world, Krishna has appeared to set things right. He explains that those who understand this knowledge about divinity including the principal of avatars need not return to the cycle of repeated birth and death (Samsara).

Krishna explains that those who devote their lives to divinity need not fear for future births and deaths. When karma yoga is performed as an act of dedication to the supreme, there is no need to fear rebirth. But, thus performed should be free of attachment and the different influences of material nature, sattva, raja, and tamas.

Just as light reflected through a prism breaks into different colors, our experience as conditioned souls in the material world is colored by these three influences. Sattva is the influence of truthfulness, Raja, passion and creation, Tamas, survival. Our psychology is tinged by these, and depending on the concentration of sattva, rajas, or tamas, our character may be molded. Just as pure water is rare, pure sattva, pure goodness, is difficult to find.

This is a more subtle analysis than the Manichean universe of goodness and evil, where God and the Devil are at war. The version of good and evil found in Bhagavad-gita is not a question of sin and purity, darkness and light. It has more to do with color theory than black and white. The black and white world of good and bad is, in fact, an alien concept in the Mahabharata itself. The idea that we have only one life to live and that it must be lived in sin or in purity is not the version given by Krishna to Arjuna.

The soul passes from one body to the next in an endless chain of birth and death, broken only by spiritual realization. The karmic influences that drag us down our lift us up are not creations of the devil but result from our own attachments to the world. These attachments are not questions of sin and purity. Our lives are not black and white cases of heaven and hell, but more subtle permutations of our own egoistic involvement in the world of exploitation.

And the world of exploitation is a product of our own ego perception, a symphony of colors and influences that captivate us birth after birth. Insanity is a question of repeating the same action again and again, expecting a different result. And so like the donkey, fooled by the carrot on a stick, we march on and on in an illusory world of our own perception in ignorance, passion, and goodness. Here again we meet the Hegelian dialectic: the Vedic universe is not a world of black and white, but one with gradations and hues. The modes of material nature are not black demons who seduce us into wrong action as opposed to white angels who would lead us into salvation; the gunas or modes are products of our own egoistic determination to exploit, to continue our karmic voyage.

So, not black and white, but a world of colorful influences, modes, gunas. Three colors produce the myriad of hues perceived by our eyes. In the same way the interchange of influences color our world Is an action good or bad? It’s hard to say; there’s an touch of goodness, a shade of darkness, a tone of compassion.

Arjuna’s dilemma is to decide on a course of action: good or bad, right or wrong, action or inaction. Krishna tells him that even great sages and saints are baffled in trying to understand the difference.

And so, the need for divine guidance, a teacher, a guru, one who knows the path, one who has been enlightened or at least knows someone who has seen the light.

Because attachment is born from the influences of material nature, one should try for detachment, freedom from the influences of material nature. A good way to become from from attachment is through sacrifice.

Here, in the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna gives a more elaborate explanation of what he means by sacrifice. And his concept of sacrifice is not merely limited to the physical plane; sacrifice may have a psychological dimension. One may sacrifice not only one’s actions ( karma), one may also achieve sacrifice to meditation and concentration on the divine (jñāna-yoga) or even through the eightfold path published on the yoga, following the system of asana, yoga-postures, yama, self-control by accepting positive practices, self-control by avoiding negative practices, pranayama, breath-control, pratyahara, renunciation, dharana, surrender, dhyana, meditation, and samādhi, perfect self-balance.

Above all, it is important to seek the truth by approaching a bona fide spiritual master or guru, a teacher who can lead one from darkness. A real guru is one who can impart the truth on the basis of his own personal realization, and in accordance with what has been given in the Scriptures by realized saints as well as the previous avatars.

Blind following and absurd inquiry are both condemned. One must approach the guru who is genuine with a submissive attitude of service and make real inquiry into the purpose of life. By such knowledge one cannot only understand the essential nature of all living beings but their relationship with the absolute.

Krishna says that this transcendental knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. Now that Arjuna understands clearly the nature of work, karma, or action, the importance of knowledge in detachment, and work and sacrifice, he should come to the proper conclusion.

Armed with transcendental knowledge about proper conduct and sacrifice it is time for him to act. Arjuna should fight, both as duty and sacrifice. He should fight as an act of dedication, free from attachment. His attachment to family and society is mundane. His compassion is misplaced. Free from the influences of ego and materialistic religious duty Arjuna must fight.

So ends the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita.

Chapter Five: Sacrifice, Knowledge, Renunciation,Dedication.

And yet, Arjuna is still not satisfied. He doesn’t understand the difference between karma, meditation, and yoga. If self-realization is so important, then why should he fight at all? Wouldn’t it be better for him to renounce everything and go off into the forest as a yogi? What has violence to do with self-realization?

What he doesn’t understand is that while Krishna’s message is universal its application may differ according to one’s ability or level of consciousness.

Society may be divided into different classes of men and women according to their qualification. Some men and women qualify as intellectuals and professionals, others as leaders and organizers. Some people are best as entrepreneurs and businessmen.

And then, there are those who function well in the service industry or in production in the manufacture of goods. These social divisions are also referred to in the Bhagavad-Gita.

One’s path of self-realization may be qualified by his position within society. While we are all equal in spirit, as a practical matter we have different capacities for self-realization.

Generally speaking, it isn’t good advice to tell a family man with many responsibilities to walk away from his material life and take up the path of renunciation. Not everyone has the same vocation for spiritual practice.

The universal message of sacrifice and dedication must be fine tuned for the individual according to his personal level of consciousness as well as his place in society.

And so, Krishna says, it is not fit for Arjuna to renounce the world. Renunciation in yoga practice is not for everyone. What is best for Arjuna, Krishna says, is to do his duty as a warrior.

Each of us has our own pathway to truth; it is not proper for us to give up the path which is suited for us for another more dangerous path. One who follows another’s path is destined for ruin.

The yoga of renunciation is improper for Arjuna, since his work, his karma, and his duty, his Dharma, is of a more passionate nature. After all he is a warrior both by birth and training. Those of the more gentle and intellectual nature, the brahmanas and sages, wandering Saints and mystic yogis of the Vedic age can take the path of renunciation. They are more given to self abnegation by nature. Gentle and saintly souls can lead a life of quiet contemplation; Arjuna is better suited for combat and competition. His heart yearns for contests at arms. He is not suited for the contemplative life of a mystic yogi. But he can reach the same goal through self-dedication by karma yoga.

Krishna explains that it is not action itself that must be renounced, but attachment to its results. It is better to sacrifice the results of our work to a higher power. One must understand that both work and its results are temporary. And so real sannyasa or renunciation consists in giving up our attachment to the results of work. One must strive for perfection, sacrificing the results of our work to a higher power. Krishna says that one who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated.

At the beginning of the sixth chapter, this is re-iterated by Krishna as follows: The Blessed Lord said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic: not he who lights no fire and performs no work.

The 5^th Chapter Of Bhagavad-Gita has been summarized by Yamuna Acharya: in his Gitārthasamgraha “The 5^th Chapter sets forth the easy practicability and quick efficacy of karma-yoga, some similar topics, and the knowledge of Brahman.” (कर्मयोगस्य सौकर्यं शैघ्र्यं काश्चन तद्विधः। ब्रह्मज्ञान प्रकारश्च पञ्चम्माध्याय उच्यते॥ karmayogasya saukaryaṃ śaighryaṃ kāścana tad vidhaḥ| brahmajñāna prakāraś ca pañcammādhyāya ucyate||)

Bhaktivedānta Swāmī refers to this chapter about karma-yoga as “Action in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. He comments, “ This chapter is a practical explanation of the Krishna consciousness, generally known as karma yoga. The question of mental speculation as to how karma yoga can give liberation answered here went to work in Krishna consciousness is to work with the complete knowledge of the Lord is the predominate in such work is not different from transcendental knowledge. Direct Krishna consciousness is bhakti yoga and jñāna-yoga is a path leading to bhakti-yoga.”

His point here is that when one is in full transcendental knowledge of the relationship between the soul and the Supreme Soul, he will naturally dedicate his actions in divine love or bhakti-yoga. A truly realized soul will come to the conclusion that action performed in love is the best form of knowledge. Therefore, both karma and jñāna culminate in bhakti.

Chapter Six: Yoga and Meditation

Since Arjuna has expressed an interest in understanding the nature of meditation, Krishna expands on the understanding of mystic yoga in the sixth chapter, called the yoga of meditation, dhyana-yoga.

Krishna continues, “ when one is no longer attached to the objects of the senses, nor to actions, and when one renounces all resolves, then one is said to have risen to devotion. For one who controls the mind, his mind is his best friend. Anyone who fails to control the mind soon finds that his own mind as his worst enemy. One who is equal and fixed on the self amid cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and also honor and dishonor is the true mystic. He who views equally well-wishers, friends, foes, strangers and those who are different to him is distinguished above all others.”

Since Arjuna has asked Krishna to enlighten him on the path of yoga, Krishna begins a discussion on the nature of aṣṭanga yoga, or the eightfold path of enlightenment. He tells Arjuna that to practice yoga one must go to a quiet, peaceful, holy secluded place.

According to Krishna’s instructions in the Bhagavad-gita, “One should lay kuśa grass on the ground and then covered with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high or too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The Yogi should then sit on it very firmly and practice yoga to purify the hard by controlling his mind, senses, and activities and fixing the mind of one point.”

Bhaktivedānta Swāmi has taken great exception with the modern practice of yoga and finds little authenticity in such societies. He points out that sacred places are very difficult to find. Even in India many of the sacred places have been contaminated. In any case there very difficult to reach especially for Westerners.

He said , “the so-called yoga societies in big cities may be successful in earning material benefit, but they are not at all suitable for the actual practice of yoga. One who is not self-controlled and whose mind is not undisturbed cannot practice meditation.
Therefore in the Bṛhan-naradiya Purāna it is said, "in the iron age of Kali when people are short-lived, slow and spiritual realization, and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy name of the Lord. In this age of quarreling hypocrisy the only means of deliverances chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम एव केवलम् कलौ नस्त्य् एव नस्त्य् एव नस्त्य् एव गतिर् अन्यथ

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha.”

(Bhaktivedanta Swāmī, Bhagavad-gītā As it is, Chapter 6, verse 12)

An excellent means for meditation in the Kali age is the holy name:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे

Of course, Bhagavad-gita is spoken at the conclusion of the Dvapara age, thousands of years ago. And so, Krishna continues to describe the eight fold yoga path. He explains the process for meditation, breath control, fasting and physical self-control, proper regulation of the mind and intelligence, purification of consciousness, samadhi and nirvana, which in this case does not mean the cessation of material existence but the end of our participation in the world of exploitation.

Material existence is temporary, hence illusory. For the soul there is no cessation, because it is eternal.

Arjuna rejects the yoga system as being far too difficult for an ordinary person to practice. Heasks, "What happens to the fallen Yogi? Does he not perish like a riven cloud with no position in any sphere?"

Krishna reassures him, saying, "The transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the next. One who does good is never overcome by evil. Sincerity is invincible." In the end according to Krishna, the best yogi is one who chooses the path of divine love. Such a yogi is very dear. This form of yoga is called bhakti.

Krishna concludes by making a case for devotion as the highest form of yoga. He ends the chapter by saying "And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in me, thinks of me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to me: he is the best of all yogis. He is the most intimately united with me and yoga and is the highest of all. That is my opinion."

योगिनाम् अपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना
श्रद्धावान् भजते योउ मां स मे युक्ततमो मतः

yoginām api sarveṣāṃ madgatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate you māṃ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ, BG. 6.47

A quick sketch of the Bhagavad-gita may skim over many subtle points; the Bhagavad-gita is worthy of deep study. Here we are only trying our best to give a condensed synthesis of the general ideas. For a more extensive study, I recommend consulting the original text. Bhagavad-gita As It Is by Bhaktivedanta Swami is an excellent version.

But allow me to continue.

Philosophy is often divided into different categories: epistemology, or how we know what we know; ontology or the study of being itself; metaphysics, or an analysis of the nonphysical world; and ethics, or how to conduct ourselves in this world on the basis of a moral point of view.

In the first six chapters of the Gita, Krishna has rehearsed various ideas about ethics. According to the Vedic view of ethics, or proper Dharma, there are four pillars to right living: honesty, compassion, purity, and austerity. And yet at the beginning of the conversation between Krishna Arjuna, mere ethical principles are demonstrated as belonging to the relativistic world of karma. Krishna begins his discourse by reminding Arjuna of the temporary nature of the world.

Death is inevitable for the body; and yet the soul is eternal and transcends of the corruption of the mortal body. Krishna asks Arjuna to go beyond his ordinary concepts about Dharma and ethics and consider the transcendental life of the soul. Society consciousness and God consciousness may work in harmony. But many religious and ethical principles are really meant to serve society conscious. God consciousness and sacrifice take us to a higher plane. When sacrifice is coupled with transcendental knowledge it leads to divine love.

Arjuna’s concern with ethics begins the conversation, but by contemplating the nature of the eternal soul Krishna brings a conversation to a higher level. He is interested not with mundane ethics, but with a transcendental ethic that begins with sacrifice and leads to dedication with the benefit of transcendental knowledge.

The discussion on sacrifice and ethics that sustains the third chapter of Bhagavad-Gita leads Arjuna into epistemological questions: how do we know what we know? If transcendental knowledge is important, how do we come in contact with such knowledge?

Krishna explains the real transcendental knowledge is revealed. The infinite is not infinite unless it can reveal itself to the finite. Revealed knowledge comes in many forms: sometimes God himself descends as an avatar to reveal divine truth.

And sometimes the divine spirit comes to us through the guru principle. One who is interested in understanding the truth should approach the spiritual master to whom the truth has been revealed.

Chapter Seven: Ontology of the Absolute

In this way, questions of ethics and epistemology have been discussed in the first six chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita. The word yoga has to do with a harmony or balance between action and knowledge, as between the eternal individual soul and the supreme soul.

Now in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita Arjuna directs his inquiries towards ontological questions: what is the nature of being? What is the difference between the individual soul and supreme soul?

What is the nature of time and space? How does the material nature unfold from the spiritual nature? If consciousness is subjective in the world object, then what is the nature of the subjective evolution of consciousness?

The seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita takes us into profound metaphysical territory. Here we explore some challenging ontological questions.

Krishna describes the nature of the absolute: the material energy or prakriti, to achieve or spirit soul, and the origin of both the perceived world and the super subjective world in absolute consciousness.

Here Krishna himself reveals himself as divinity: the origin and dissolution of all energy. He describes in further detail the characteristics of the three modes of material nature, sattva, rajas, and tamas, and explains their influence in the perceptive world.

In light of the above mentioned, he describes the different gradations of truth seekers, classifying as impious those who have no interest in God.

And in this way he describes four classes of pious empires men including general truth seekers, religionists of all different stamps, and ultimately those who seek to dedicate themselves in divine love. Worldly religionists will find only temporary results as they pray to God for goods and services. Men who worship the gods for temporary things will find only temporary results. Those who do sacrifice for the absolute will find eternal benefits.

Krishna gives the Vedic version of the material creation. He rejects the idea that the space-time continuum is an independent reality asserting that everything constituted by the three modes of material nature is not self dependent essence independent of God but springs from him alone.

While he contains and comprehends all they do not contain and comprehend them. This is the distinction between God and his creatures they are all informed by the divine but their changes do not touch the integrity of the divine. He is not subject to anyone else while all things are subject to Him.

Veiled by His creative power, Divinity is not visible to all. The world of exploitation, bewildered by the illusory potency, called Maya, is unable to recognize the unborn, unchanging nature of Krishna’s divinity.

He explains the situation of the soul at the time of death and the relationship between consciousness and matter, as well as his manifested and manifest energy.

The seventh chapter may be titled “Relative and Absolute conceptions of the Supreme Truth.” Yamuna Acharya summarizes it as follows:

“The 7^th Chapter of Bhagavad-gita discusses the exact knowledge of God, its concealment by prakṛti, the resorting to God, the divisions of devotees and the superiority of the enlighteneed one.

bhaktabhedaḥ prabuddhasya śraiṣṭyaṃ saptama ucyate svayāthātmyaṃ prakṛtyāsya tirodhiḥ śaraṇāgatiḥ

भक्तभेदः प्रबुद्धस्य श्रैष्ट्यं सप्तम उच्यते स्वयाथात्म्यं प्रकृत्यास्य तिरोधिः शरणागतिः

(Yamunacharya, 10^th Century)

Bhaktivedanta Swami comments, “many subjects have been discussed in this chapter: the man in distress, inquisitive man, the man and want material necessities, knowledge of Brahman, knowledge of Paramatma, liberation from birth to death and disease, and worship of the supreme Lord. However he who is actually elevated Krishna consciousness does not care for the different processes. He simply directly engages himself in activities of Krishna consciousness and thereby factually attains his constitutional position as an internal servitor of Lord Krishna.”

Bhagavad-Gita chapter 8

His curiosity piqued, Arjuna asks about the Supreme Spirit or Brahman. Krishna defines the supreme reality, the self, the material world, and the importance of worldly religion and the different gods who control the Sun the moon the wind the rain and the elements.

The Eighth chapter begins with a definition of terms: the Sanskrit may prove a bit technical for the beginner. But let's take a look. Arjuna asks Krishna to define Brahman, Adhyātma, and Karma, which should be understood by those who aspire to surrender themselves in devotion and become free from birth and death. He’s also interested in the as the meaning of Adhibhūta and Adhidaiva, which terms are valuable for those who aspire for promotion after death to a better life in an earthly paradise or heavenly planet. Also he is concerned with Adhiyajña. And above all, in what manner will someone know God and his dying hour?

Krishna answers that the word Brahman refers to what is akṣara, or indestructible. Adhyātma is “the self.” The living soul is sometimes referred to in the Vedic literatures as Brahman or indestructible spirit. The word Brahman is also used to refer to God in a general way as absolute spirit. This sometimes confuses people into thinking that God and the individual soul are one.

The Advaita commentators headed by Shankar insist on this one-ness. The problem for the Advaita school is this: If all is one, if each individual soul equals the Supreme Soul in spirit, then what is this material world? “Maya,” they say. “It is all an illusion. When the illusion falls away, you will realize yourself as One with God, or the infinite spirit, Brahman.” Because they conclude that the world is an illusion, the advaitavadis are also known as mayavadis, or those who advocate the theory of maya.

The absolute idealism of the mayavadis is difficult to support. Their theory of maya leads to many preposterous conclusions. The followers of dualism, on the other hand, conclude that the world is real, while its temporary aspect gives it the quality of a dreamlike state. Reality is based on perception.

When the Supreme Being, in a kind of dreamlike state, perceives the world metaphysical reality congeals into physical reality. The world perceived by the individual soul is at the same time observed by the supreme soul. The observed world exists as long as the supreme spirit acting as Paramatma gives it reality. So the world is real, but our participation in it is a kind of shadow dance. The soul is indestructible, while the sun, the stars, and all the planets will eventually turn to dust. True reality is eternal. the followers of duality insist that both God and the soul exist eternally. The difference between them is something like the difference between the sun and the sun's ray. The sun is the energetic source, while the individual particles of sunlight are its potency. Both are Brahman or spiritual, and both are akṣara or indestructible. The distinction is one of source and effect, of gradation and intensity. The Supreme Spirit or Parabrahman is infinite where the indivividual jiva particle is infinitesimal.

Eighth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā

According to Yamunacharya, “The Eighth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā deals with the 3 divisions of truth-seekers: namely those who seek aiśvarya, or those who seek knowledge of the indestructible self and those who wish to attain the Supreme, or Bhagavan. This chapter explains the knowledge to be attained and the qualities to be acquired by these different classes of aspirants. (Gitasaṁgraha 12 aiśvaryākṣarayāthātmyaṁ bhagavaccaraṇārthiṇām vedyopādeyabhāvānam astame bheda ucyate. ऐश्वर्याक्षरयाथात्म्यं भगवच्चरणार्थिणाम् वेद्योपादेयभावानम् अस्तमे भेद उच्यते)

Bhaktivedanta Swāmi titles the chapter “Attaining the Supreme,” in keeping with the ancient commentator Yamunacharya. Śrīdhara Mahārāja’s translator calls it “The Path of Absolute Freedom.

Arjuna has asked Kṛṣṇa to define terms, and so far we have seen the explanation of Brahman and ātmā, or God and the Self. He’s also interested in understanding karma, and supernatural influences especially those of the Vedic gods. Let’s start with karma.

The word karma may be defined in various ways. It comes from the Sanskrit root kri which is the verb “to do,” or “to make.”

Normally, we think of karma in terms of action and reaction: we speak of good karma and bad karma. Karma also means “work, action, creative energy.” Here, Kṛṣṇa associates karma with procreation. He says that karma is bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ or “that procreative energy by which the material bodies of the living entities are created.” We've seen the meaning of "karma-yoga" as work-in-sacrifice. When karma is balanced in yoga through sacrifice it may lead to dedication or bhakti. But when karma is an end to itself, it means action becomes perpetuated in the chain of birth and death.

Here, Kṛṣṇa uses the word karma to describe the entire subjective evolution of consciousness by which the living souls generate the conditions for the varieties of living species in the cosmic world with the help of the host of gods and other progenitive beings. (bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-saṁjñitaḥ) Bhaktivedānta Swāmī translates this, "action pertaining to the development of the material bodies of the living entities is called karma..." whereas S. Radhakrishnan says, "karma is the creative impulse out of which life's forms issue. The whole cosmic evolution is called karma. The subject-object interaction which is the central pattern of the cosmos is the expression of Brahman, the Absolut Sirit, which is above the distinctions of subject and object." According to the translator of the commentary of Śridhara Mahārāja, the word visarga means "creation," and bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo means "whose action produces the bodies of human and lower species though the agency of gross and subtle material elements."

S. Radhakrishnan titles the chapter, “the Course of Cosmic Evolution,”

Kṛṣṇa continues: “Adhibhutam or the cosmic manifestation of time and space is impermanent. Physical nature or adhibhutam is subject to change at any time. The physical elements themselves are transitory and destructible. The conception of the entire universal experience along with all living beings, the sun, stars, and moon with all their gods is the cosmic form of divinity called adhidaivatam. Just as material bodies are inhabited by the individual spirit souls, so I inhabit the adhidaivatam universal body or cosmic form in my capacity as the Paramātmā or Supreme soul. As such, I am the original subject as well as the object of all sacrifice, the Adhiyajña.

The Sanskrit here is terse, but deep with meaning: Adhibhuta refers to the transitory nature of the elements and the time-space continuum which are akṣara, destructible, mutable, perishable. Those who are after aiśvarya or material opulence and wealth will be frustrated in their sacrifice. They will achieve only temporary results, since everything in this world is temporary. A more worthy attempt will be to offer sacrifice to the higher plane, adhidaivata beyond the mundane gods of this world. The best offering will be made to the subject of all sacrifice, the Adhiyajña. the Supreme Puruṣa, Kṛṣṇa Himself. In his Gīta-bhāṣya, Ramanuja comments, “Adhiyajña connotes God; He should be propitiated in sacrifice, i.e. God, who is the atman of the gods who constitute his body, should be propitiated by sacrifices. This should be commonly known by all three groups of truth-seekers (materialists, spiritualists, and those who take the path of dedication) when they perform any sacrifices

Kṛṣṇa assures Arjuna, “And, whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” Since one’s final conviction is determined by one’s regular habit in life, one should always remember God, Kṛṣṇa, on a daily basis. “He who meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, O Arjuna, is sure to reach me.”

Kṛṣṇa goes on to describe the respective destinations of three kinds of religionists: those who strive for karmic gain, who wish to have a greater reward in their next life, those who seek spiritual relief from material stress, and those who wish to enter into a loving relationship with God. These are called karmis, jñānīs, and bhaktas. Karmic religion involves worship of God for some material benefit in this life or the next. As they are attached to worship for some material gain, the karmic religionists will return to enjoy the benefits of their sacrifice. As they have no interest in leaving the world of birth and death they are condemned to rebirth in saṁsara. The jñānīs wish for liberation by merging their individual existence in the infinite undifferentiated spirit called Brahman. They shall achieve liberation, but at the expense of individual selfhood. Absorbed in infinite spirit as drops of water are absorbed in the ocean, they shall enter the impersonal Brahman. One the other hand, those devoted to the Supreme God shall enter his divine planet in a spiritual form, called svarūpa. Having attained the highest plane of spiritual existence in devotion, the bhaktas will serve there in dedication. They never return to the material world.

Kṛṣṇa explains the parameters of the material cosmos, calculating the time frame for the beginning and end of the universe at approximately 311,000,000,000,000 years according to Vedic calculations. The creator of the universe, called Lord Brahma, is also temporary and lives and dies with his creation. The living entities take birth and die again and again in a cycle of rebirth until they understand the truths revealed in the Vedas and explained by Kṛṣṇa here in the Gītā.

When one Brahma dies, another is reborn and the universe is again created in an endless loop off 311,000,000,000 universal creation cycles. And yet beyond this physical universe is a metaphysical universe not subject to annihilation. The spiritual world is beyond the manifest and unmanifest universes of cosmic reality. This Supreme Abode is unmanifested and infallible. Kṛṣṇa says, “It is the Supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is my supreme abode.”

Bhaktivedānta Swāmī comments: “The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as cintāmaṇi-dhāma, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa known as Goloda Vṛndāvana is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees which are called ‘desire trees’ that supply any type of eatable upon demand, and there are cows known as surabhi cows which supply a limitless supply of milk. In this abode, the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune (Lakṣmīs), and He is called Goviinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (venum kvanantam). His transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds—His eyes are like the lotus petals and the color of His body like clouds. He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids. He wears saffron cloth, a garland around His neck and a peacock feather in His hair. In the Gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa gives only a small hint of His personal abode (Goloka Vṛndāvana) which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom.

A vivid description is given in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Vedic literature states that there is nothing superior to the abode of the Supreme Godhead, and that that abode is the ultimate destination. When one attains to it, he never returns to the material world. Kṛṣṇa’s supreme abode and Kṛṣṇa Himself are nondifferent, being of the same quality. On this earth, Vṛndāvana, ninety miles southeast of Delhi, is a replica of that supreme Goloka

Vṛndāvana located in the spiritual sky. When Kṛṣṇa descended on this earth, He sported on that particular tract of land known as Vṛndāvana in the district of Mathurā, India.

The concluding verses of the Eighth Chapter of the Bhagavad-Gītā might be considered something like a Hindu “Book of the Dead.” Just as the Tibetan Book of the Dead describes the Bardos or intermediate states and transitional phases in the afterlife, in the 8th chapter Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna about the various abodes to which one may pass on his journey towards the infinite.

These different gradations are described in great detail as is the process for leaving one’s body. Such an understanding is confidential: in the 9th chapter Kṛṣṇa explains that this understanding is not for everyone.

Then again, if you’ve read this far, you may be a candidate for a more confidential understanding.

Kṛṣṇa says, “O best of the Bharatas, I shall know explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, one does or does not come back. Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the north.

A yogi who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the moonless fortnight, or in the six months when the sun passes to the south, or who reaches the moon planet, again comes back. According to the Vedas, there are two ways of passing from this world—one in light and one in darkness.
When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkenss, he returns. Knowing these two paths, O Arjuna, the true yogis are never bewildered. Be thou therefore fixed in yoga.”

Exactly what sort of yoga Kṛṣṇa means is described in the 9th Chapter of the Bhagavad-Gītā.

Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā

The 9th Chapter is called the “King of Knowledge,” and the “King of Secrets.” Bhaktivedanta Swami’s version is the “Most Confidential Knowledge.” In his Gītārthasaṁgraha, Yamuna summarizes as follows: “The 9th Chapter treats of the eminence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and his divine superiority in human embodiment as well as the excellent character of the great souls or mahatmas and bhakti-yoga, the highest form of yoga.” svamāhātmyam manuṣyatve paratvaṁ ca mahātmanām viśeṣo navame yogo bhaktirūpaḥ prakīrtitaḥ. स्वमाहात्म्यम् मनुष्यत्वे परत्वं च महात्मनाम् विशेषो नवमे योगो भक्तिरूपः प्रकीर्तितः

It bears mention that many commentators finish their commentaries of Bhagavad-Gītā with the 6th Chapter. In the first six chapters of the Gītā different ethical considerations have been rehearsed, and the paths of yoga have been introduced in some cases ambiguously.
The many different alternatives in yoga have been gone over somewhat favorably in the first six chapters, where Kṛṣṇa appears to magnanimously accept that all of them have their place in spiritual advancement. Yogis who are especially appreciative of these other schools therefore abbreviate their study of the Bhagavad-Gītā and end where it suits them with Kṛṣṇa’s brief foray into the aṣṭaṇga yoga and meditation practices mentioned in the 6th chapter.
Unfortunately for these commentators, the book doesn’t stop there.

According to Kṛṣṇa this information is confidential. He’s revealing intimate knowledge of the divine. How to achieve divine love is an intimate secret. It’s not for everyone. It’s an open secret in a way. It’s not really a secret at all. Everyone knows that if you diet and exercise you will stay healthy, maybe even lose weight. And yet, books and plans announcing so-called “Secret Diets” are best-sellers. We know eating bad food and being lazy is unhealthy, still, we fail to act. The “Secret Diet” is no secret at all; really it is common knowledge. But when heart disease and diabetes give us a wake up call, suddenly we discover the “secret diet.” The “confidential knowledge” Kṛṣṇa is revealing has been published again and again. We know that the message of divine love is true; and yet we have other things to do.

King Yudhisthira was once asked by a mysterious forest-dwelling Yaskha, “What is the most wonderful thing?” He replied, “The most wonderful thing is that hundreds and thousands of embodied souls meet death at every moment, but yet while everyone knows that they are going to die, they make no plans for death.” ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantiha yamalayam śeṣaḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param अहन्य् अहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तिह यमलयम् शेषः स्थावरम् इच्छन्ति किम् आश्चर्यम् अतः परम्

We know that death is imminent, and yet we act as if it’s a big surprise when someone dies.

For the theist, God’s presence is self-evident, as is the experience of being a living soul. That the two might have a relationship is no secret. There’s nothing magical in thinking that a soul might have a loving relationship with God.

Kṛṣṇa’s purpose in the 9th Chapter of the Bhagavad-Gītā is to explain the nature of the loving relationship between soul and God and how that unfolds through yoga. This yoga is called bhakti.

Commentators antagonistic to the bhakti school cut off their commentaries at the 6th chapter, or explain the rest of the book in a pretentious manner with all kinds of word jugglery to arrive at twisted conclusions.
But in the words of Yamuna, the 11th Century Bhagavad-Gita commentator, “In Chapters 7-12, bhakti-yoga, which is the culmination of karma and jñāna, or action-in-sacrifice and transcendental knowledge, is treated as the best means of attaining the Supreme and knowing him As He Is.” (madhyame bhagavattattvayāthāmyāvāptisiddhaye jñānakarmābhinirvartyo bhaktiyogaḥ prakīrtitah मध्यमे भगवत् तत्त्व याथा म्यावाप्तिसिद्धये ज्ञान कर्माभिनिर्वर्त्यो भक्तियोगः प्रकीर्तितह्)

An entire third of the Bhagavad-Gītā, omitted by the above-mentioned commentators, Chapters 7-12 , arrives at the conclusion that bhakti or dedication is the highest path, above both work-in-sacrifice or karma-yoga, and transcendental knowledge and meditation or jñāna-yoga.

Kṛṣṇa has resolved many of Arjuna’s doubts. Her he says that the most confidential and secret knowledge, that of worship through bhakti will now be explained both through theoretical understanding as well as in practical realization. (jñāna and vijñāna.) This knowledge, completed through actualization will lead to enlightment. One who realizes this knowledge will be freed from evil and be released from the miseries of material existence.

Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

Monotheism in the Bhagavad-Gītā

Normally it is thought that the people of India "worship millions of gods." This is a common complaint thrust forward as fact in any argument involving yoga. And yet much of the Bhagavad-Gītā, escecially the chapters that many refuse to translate, rests on a monotheistic platform. Beginning in the 9th Chapter, Kṛṣṇa speaks convincingly and forcefully about the existence of a Supreme Being, monotheistic in character, and dismisses the worship of lesser, parochial deities.

Sectarianism and the Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

The message of Bhagavad-Gītā is not exclusive or sectarian. Rather it is an inclusive message, meant to be uplifting to all. When Kṛṣṇa says, for example, that the soul is eternal, he makes no reference to a “Christian” or “Jewish” or “Muslim” or “Hindu” soul. The principles of karma or action and reaction are equal for all souls: engage in bad karma and go down; follow the simple ideas of compassion, purity, mercy, honesty, and austerity and consciousness will be purified, no matter one’s social class or religious principles.

One who approaches a genuine “truth-seer” or tattva-darṣibhiḥ can receive transcendental knowledge regardless of race, caste, class position, nationality or religion. And one who has transcendental knowledge is also a candidate for liberation from birth and death, regardless of mundane considerations.

Nondiscrimination

The fire of knowledge burns karma to ashes. BG 4.37. Kṛṣṇa gives the characteristics of a realized soul or one in transcendental knowledge in the 5^th Chapter: “A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all."

"Because while speaking evacuating, receiving opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them…The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence, and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification. ” B.G 5.10, 5.12

Spiritual Equality

There is no mention made here of any sectarian rituals. Renunciation, self-control, purification, transcendental knowledge of the self are all stressed. No one is barred from this transcendental practice of meditation and self-realization because of color, race, religion, or nationality. The message here is universal and eternal. There is no discrimination on the basis of caste or race.

Kṛṣṇa specifically states: “The humble sage by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, and elephant, and an outcaste.” (BG 5.18) vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍita sama-darśinaḥ. विद्या-विनय-सम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डित सम-दर्शिनः Here the word for “outcaste” is śvapake, “dog-eater.” A wise man (paṇḍita) sees them equally. Swami Bhaktivedānta comments: “A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make any distinction between species or castes...

these differences of body are meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned transcendentalist.” The message of the Bhagavad-Gītā is not sectarian, but a universal spiritual message meant for everyone.

Pernicious Stereotypes and Wrong-headed Ideas

Contrast this message with the pernicious ideas perpetuated by sectarian Western evangelists and Hollywood stereotypes. In Western movies from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” to “The Love Guru” or Raj in the “Big Bang Theory” we discover that India is filthy, the people of India are dishonest and given to ridiculous superstitions. I've heard it again and again. They practice pagan idolatry involving millions of gods and dead bodies floating in the polluted river Ganges. Their caste system enforces cruel and disgusting wedding practices and inhuman discrimination. Their mythology is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo that no one can understand. If only they would give up their superstitions and foolish religions their people would advance from heart-breaking poverty to the 21^st century.

Christianity and Kṛṣṇa

Many Victorian scholars who approached the Bhagavad-Gītā from an imperialist point of view felt that anything worthy in its message must have been stolen from Christianity. Unfortunately many of their views prevail today, having been perpetuated by mere repetition. Hegel promoted that idea since the primitive religious forms of India involve fatalistic views about a predetermined fate (karma) conditioned by acceptance of one’s social caste (varnashrama dharma) while worshipping thousands of pagan gods, any more modern ideas as for example, surrender to divinity, compassion, universality, and monotheism, must have derived from Christian practices which represent an evolution towards a superior form of consciousness. Hinduism is part of humanity’s dark past, where Christianity is the most evolved theistic system. Hegel's views have permeated the views of many apparently academic thinkers. A relation between Christianity and Kṛṣṇa according to these thinkers, implies some interpolation ex post facto of Christian values into Hindu systems by imitators. Therefore, the Puranas and other devotional literatures must have come into being at a later date.

These scholars therefore argue that Mahabharata is probably from the 5^th Century after Christ. We should see the attempts by the Hindus to introduce Christian values through the back door for what they are, attempts to imitate a superior system. These should be rejected as a sham and the genuine system should be embraced, that of Christianity. And yet, the antiquity of the Mahabharata can hardly be questioned.

The Mahabharata was well-known during the time of the Buddha around 5 centuries before Christ. Alexander the Great had copies of Panini’s grammar and Mahabharata sent to his libraries in Alexandria, in Egypt around 326 B.C., the time of his Indian campaign. Since the grammar of Panini is much older than the Alexandrian campaign and is a sophisticated treatise on an ancient language, the grammar probably predates Alexander by a few hundred years. And since Panini mentions the Mahabharata in references, we know that the Mahabharata was ancient in Panini’s time.

It is speculated that if the Mahabharata itself existed as an epic poem some 500 years prior to Panini, the actual war must have taken place at least 3,000 years ago, while some argue for an even older date.

So, if Kṛṣṇa’s message to Arjuna was encoded in Sanskrit perhaps some 1,000 years before Christ, how could Kṛṣṇa’s universal message of spiritual realization be derivative of the Christian message?

It may be argued that the commentators of Bhagavad-Gītā like Śrīdhara Swāmī wrote after the 5^th Century, but Christianity itself had hardly received wide propagation in India even in the 5^th Century A.D. Also interesting is the modern message of Christianity.

If, as Hegel suggests, humanity has seen an evolution in ideas from the dark paganism of the past to the highest ideals of compassion and sacred love in Christ’s sacrifice, how is it that after more than 500 years of evangelism in India, Christianity has received such a tepid response there? Are we to attribute that to the “backwards and superstitious nature” of the Indian people? How is it that the “backwards and superstitious” Indians produce the most advanced theoreticians in mathematics and computer science? Then again, if the primitive and pagan religions of India were left in the dustbin of history by the evolution of thought, how can we explain the incredible popularity of yoga?

Strangely, the message of Bhagavad-Gītā has withstood the onslaught of time. Its message today remains as timely and fresh as it was when it was first spoken: during the crisis of conscience of a great warrior on the field of battle.

And yet, while the message of the Gītā is certainly timeless and universal, here in the 9^th Chapter, Kṛṣṇa is drawing our attention to an idea that was to revolutionize the Christian world: monotheism. It cannot be often that God Himself comes to earth in human form. If we are to understand the deepest, most confidential secrets of the Bhagavad-Gītā, we must come to terms with this. Here God Himself is revealing Himself and describing the process by which a mortal soul might attain to divinity. Even if this is might be mythology, isn’t it worth considering the argument, suspending our disbelief for a moment to see where the idea leads us?

Kṛṣṇa Himself anticipates this point. (BG 9.11) He knows how difficult it must be for ordinary men to have faith: “fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be. By Me in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation. As the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in ethereal space, known that in the same manner, all beings rest in Me. At the end of the millennium every material manifestation enters into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by my potency, I again create. The whole cosmic order is under Me. By My will it is manifested again and again, and by My will it is annihilated at the end. And yet I am unaffected by any karmic reaction. I am ever detached, as though neutral. The material nature is working under My direction and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again. And yet the bewildered cannot understand the nature of God. Delued and attracted by demonic and atheistic views their hopes for liberation, their hard work, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated. Great souls are not deluded. Under the protection of the divine nature they dedicate themselves in divine love because they know Me as the Lord, thy God, original and inexhaustible.”

Now, if these words were spoken by God to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane or by Jehovah to Gabriel, many in the West would have no problem accepting the general ideas here outlined.

What Kṛṣṇa has argued here is that divinity is monotheistic. God is Original and Inexhaustible. Material nature moves under His dominion, and by that dominion is created and dissolved again and again. Here, Kṛṣṇa gives us a detailed description of the nature of divinity. It is a philosophically concise theological argument made some 30 centuries ago. What makes us squirm is that it is not coming from Jehovah or Christ but from Kṛṣṇa. It troubles us to hear that someone besides Jesus is calling Himself God. Many people like the message but wish to do away with the messenger, arguing that Kṛṣṇa can't be God, but that he might be a highly realized yogi of some kind. He may have been a true religious genius with brilliant insights along the lines of Buddha or the Dalai Lama. But to place him on the same level as Jesus would be blasphemy to many. That this took place thousands of years before the appearance of Jesus doesn’t matter.

But at the risk of being blasphemous or facing accusations of heresy, one may indeed ask, when did Jesus become God? Was it during the Sermon on the Mount when he declared, “blessed are the poor?”

Was he exalted above men for championing the cause of the meek and the poor and the downtrodden? Perhaps not. Perhaps that is why he was crucified. In any case, Jesus was not an overnight success. He did not go from being a prophet among the poor fishermen and carpenters of Jerusalem to sitting at the right hand of God overnight. How did he become a deity?

After his crucifixion, the interpretation of the Christ story underwent a long evolution: with the passing of time, as he became increasingly identified as divine Jesus went from being a potential prophet to messiah; to being the Son of God exalted to a divine status at resurrection; to being a preexistent angelic being who came to earth incarnate as a man; to being the incarnation of the Word of God who existed before all time and through whom the world was created; to being God himself, equal with God the Father and always existent with him.

This evolution from humble carpenter to Absolute Deity unfolded over a period of 2,000 years from the time of the living Christ to the Nicene Councils where Eusebius deified Him and Constantine consecrated Him, to the numerous wars fought from the time of the crusades to the conquest of Mexico and today in Iraq and the Middle East.

The culture wars and the “War on Christmas” continues to establish by force of arms the right of Christians everywhere to assert that Christ is the One True God. Naturally any assertion to the contrary is apt to make one queasy. But without calling the divinity of Jesus Christ into question, we may consider the values of Christianity parallel with the values of Kṛṣṇa bhakti in the sense that the monotheism of the Bhagavad-Gītā is not different from the monotheism of Jesus, when He talks about His Father in Heaven. When Christ says, “My Father has many mansions,” and Kṛṣṇa says speaks of different material and spiritual planets where one resides after death, could they be speaking of the same essential truths?

If God could speak...

If God could speak, what would He say? Would He say He is dissatisfied with us, but there’s still hope? Would He say that we are destroying the earth, but there’s still time? Many people believe in God, but what images do we have? A force? A light? A universal void? How does God describe Himself?

We have heard of images of God, a burning bush, a light, a dove descending from the sky, Jesus as he ascended to heaven on the 7th day, the Father. The Great Michelangelo, painting in the renaissance gives us the image of an old man, as does the English surrealist poet William Blake who calls him NoboDaddy. Is God a NoboDaddy in the sky, an old man who keeps track of our sins so he can send us to hell and punish us on judgment day?

How does God describe Himself?

In the 9th Chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, “but it is I who am the ritual, the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental mantra. I am the butter and the fire and the offering. I am the father of this universe, the mother the support, the grandfather. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable om. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma, and the Yajur Vedas. I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the above, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, resting place and the eternal seed. Oh Arjuna, I control heat, the rain and the drought. I am immortality, and I also death personified. Both Being and Nonbeing are within me. Those who study the Vedas drink the Soma juice, seeking a heavenly planets, worship me in directly. They take birth on the planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights. When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, the return to this mortal planet again. And so through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness."

If by sacrifice, one may achieve a better situation in one's next life, even acquiring the heavenly planets, what may a devotee of God expect? What becomes of those who dedicate themselves to Kṛṣṇa in this life and practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Here, the true heart of the Bhagavad-Gītā is laid bare. Kṛṣṇa says, "but those who worship me with devotion, meditating on my transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack can preserve what they have." BG 9.22

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janaḥ paryupāsate

teṣaṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनः पर्युपासते

तेषं नित्याभियुक्तानां योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

"whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kuntī, is really meant for me alone, but it is offered without true understanding."

Now this may seem incredibly self-serving, especially if it were spoken by anyone else. But suspend your judgment for a moment. If Jehovah spoke to us wouldn't we listen? Now Jehovah is a very selfish God. One of his commandments reads, "thou shalt not have any other gods before me." But does Krishna promise hellfire and brimstone for those who worship other gods?

After proclaiming his supremacy, does Kṛṣṇa vow to crush the opposition? Does he condemn to everlasting flame those who would take up other forms of worship? He continues the ninth chapter as follows, "those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among century; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors and those who worship me will live with me." Krishna is not a God of Judeo-Christian revenge. He is not a jealous God. He simply states here that different forms of worship will result in different consequences. Those who worship the the gods of rain and fire or the sungod will achieve their respective destinations in their next life. Those who worship there family ancestors may be reunited with their loved ones in their next life. But those who wish to attain the supreme destination may worship Kṛṣṇa and leave the world of birth and death behind.

What kind of worship does Krishna demand? Are we to worship him with gold and silver? Are we to construct giant marble temples in his memory? Must we throw virgins into the sacrificial flames of a volcano? Do we need to join a cult, shave our heads, and dance around a bush? Kṛṣṇa doesn't ask for any of this. In fact, the worship of Kṛṣṇa is very easy.

He very gently says, "If one offers Me with love and devotion (bhakti) a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it."

B.G. 9.26

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ

yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam

aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं

यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति

तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्

अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

As far as sacrifice, Kṛṣṇa explains how sacrifice should be performed. "O son of Kuntī, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering to Me. In this way, you will be freed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this form of sannyāsa be liberated. I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service to Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also his friend."

And what becomes of a person who begins on the path of devotion and stumbles. What if one falls?

Krishna is always prepared to lift him up again and embrace him as a lost servant. He says even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because his properly situated. He quickly becomes rices and attains lasting peace. Oh son of Kuntī, declare boldly that my devotee never perishes. Whoever takes shelter in me, whether low born or otherwise: outcasts, women, workers or merchants, can approach the supreme destination."

Krishna concludes the 9th Chapter with a call for devotion and dedication:

"Engage your mind always in thinking of me, offer reverence and worship Me with divine love, (bhakti), Completely absorbing your soul in me, surely you will come to Me." (BG 9.34)

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi yuktaivam

ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो

मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु

माम् एवैष्यसि युक्तैवम्

आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

The Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā

Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna, " O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to the Word of God. Hear this for your benefit: It will give thee joy. The hosts of gods know not my origin. Neither gods nor rishis know me completely, for I am the origin of the gods and the high-souled rishis. He who knows me as the Supreme Lord of the worlds, without birth or beginning, he undeluded among mortals, is free from all sins. Intelligence, knowledge, the absence of delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, and tranquility, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear and also security, abstention from harm, evenness of mind, contentment, ascetic austerities, charity, fame and infamy are different qualities of material nature that have Me as their origin."

"The seven great rishis and the four Maharishis before them, even the Manus, were born from my mind. All the creatures in this world are ultimately offspring of these primal progenitors. Whoever knows the truth about this, understands my mystic Power and Glory. Who knows of my pre-eminence and mystic power will soon engage in devotional service and dedicate himself to me. Of this there is no doubt."

"I am the origin of all worlds, spiritual and material. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who realize this worship Me and engage in devotional service to Me. They worship Me with all their hearts and become devoted to Me. Their hearts absorbed in Me, their lives devoted to Me, they instruct one another about Me and recite my glories. Those who verily know the glories of God relish hearing of them. Thus they are content and happy. "

As we have pointed out, Kṛṣṇa here asserts his divinity as the primordial monotheistic deity, and describes the perfection of divine love. He explains that the wise who understand these principles, dedicate themselves to Kṛṣṇa. These realized souls experience eternal ananda or transcendental ecstasy by celebrating the glories of God, Kṛṣṇa. These great souls are endowed with complete knowledge. Their ultimate destination is no less than Krsna's abode. Without divine love, the blessings of Kṛṣṇa are inconceivable even to the great scientists of spiritual knowledge.

The attributes of God are explored in this chapter. He is the ultimate abode, the pure and absolute truth. He is eternal, transcendental and the original person. While the opulences of God are boundless, Kṛṣṇa gives us a hint in this chapter of His glories. The Sanskrit word, "Bhagavan" means "One who is full in all opulences."

Paraśara Muni has defined the opulence of Bhagavan as sublime power, excellent beauty, opulent fortune, absolute renunciation, perfect fame, and divine knowledge. Whatever aspects of these opulences are found in our experience are but pale imitations of God's divine energies and opulence. The 10th chapter makes clear that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme cause of all causes and the essence of all living things. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, but still asks to see his unlimited universal form in the the 11th chapter.

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has called verses eight through twelve the catuh-sloki of the Bhagavad-gita. These four verses have an external meaning for practicing devotees and an internal meaning for those initiated in the confidential aspects of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The best representative of his thought in the 20th century was Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara dev Goswāmī.

It's worth taking a more detailed look at his commentary. Here's the first of the four core verses of the Bhagavad-Gītā:

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

bhudhā bhāva samanvitāḥ

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो

मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते

इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां

भुधा भाव समन्विताः

(BG 10.8)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja's translator has the following:

"I am Kṛṣṇa, the Sweet Absolute. I am the root cause of the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, the all permeating aspect of the absolute, and also the personal aspect of the absolute – the master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone – Lord Nārāyaṇa of Vaikuṇṭha.

Kṛsṇa says, “The universes of mundane and divine flow, every attempt and movement, the Vedas and allied Scriptures which guide everyone's worship – are all initiated by me alone. Realizing this hidden treasure, the virtuous souls were blessed with fine theistic intelligence surpass the standards of duty on duty, and embrace the paramount path of love divine, rāga-mārga, and adore me forever."

Śrīdhara Mahārāja comments as follows: "verses 8 to 11 are the four principal verses of the Bhagavad-Gita. The ontological substance of the book is contained within these four essential verses, beginning with verse 8, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo... Everything emanates from me."

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, (1.2.11, the three main conceptions of the absolute are given as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Brahman is the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, Paramātmā is the all-premeating aspect of the Absolute, and Bhagavān is the personal conception of the Absolute. The general definition of the word Bhagavān is given,

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīrysasysa yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇām bhaga itīṇganā

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्य्सस्य्स यशसः श्रियः

ज्ञान-वैराग्ययोश् चैव षण्णाम् भग इतीण्गना

(विष्णु पुराण ६.५.४७)

Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord, is thus defined as "he who is inseparably replete with the six inconceivable qualities of wealth, power, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation."

The characteristics of Bhagavān, as Lord Nārāyaṇa, is that all kinds of potencies are personally controlled by him. However,Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī has given a special and particularly fine interpretation. Bhagavān means bhajanīya guṇa-viśiṣṭa. His nature is such that whoever comes into contact with cannot resist serving you no one can resist feeling to worship and adore his charming personality. As Lord Kṛṣṇa, he attracts the love of everyone.

Therefore, by the word sarvasya, Lord Kṛṣṇa indicates, "I am svayaṁ Bhagavān, the supreme Lord to him self. I have the origin of not only Brahman, the all comprehensive aspect, and Paramātmā, the all pervading aspect. I have also the origin of the master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone – Lord Nārāyaṇa of Vaikuṇṭha."

In the next line, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate "every attempt and movement begins from me, including the methods by which everyone worships and serves me in devotion."

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo

na medhayā na bahunā śrutena

yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas

tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛnute tanūṁ svām

(Kaṭhopaniṣad 1.2.23)

नायम् आत्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो

न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन

यम् एवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यस्

तस्यैष आत्मा विवृनुते तनूं स्वाम्

(कठोपनिषद् १.२.२३)

In this way, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate-- I am the first to reveal to the public, "worship me in this way." I appear as guru. Since every attempt and movement flows from Krishna, including the methods by which he is worshiped and served, Krishna also reveals himself as guru. Krishna says here, "I appear as the guru and through him, I reveal the proper worship of myself." I show how to worship myself, appearing as guru.

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the guru is described by the Lord as his own direct manifestation.

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān

nāvamanyeta karhicit

na martya buddhyāsūeyeta

sarva deva mayo guruḥ

(bhāg 11. 17.27)

आचार्यं मां विजानीयान्

नावमन्येत कर्हिचित्

न मर्त्य बुद्ध्यासूएयेत

सर्व देव मयो गुरुः

(भाग् ११. १७.२७)

Furthermore the Lord's finest potency is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. Of course, there are many other internal associates, but the highest order of devotional services represented in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. The Lord is therefore saying here, "Every attempt and movement begins from the. The methods by which everyone worships serves me originates enemy. My worship is shown by me. How? I, as my finest potency, worship myself."

Kṛṣṇa says, iti matvā bhajante māṁ, "understanding this conception, the devotee will come to worship me, always under the direction of my best worship – my finest potency and representation – Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, or gurudeva. Crossing gurudeva, who is the representative of her line, the highest and most desirable form of service to me is not possible.." Rādhā-dāsyam, the servitorship of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, is indicated here. Only those who are blessed with divine intelligence will be able to appreciate this, not persons with self acquired intelligence from this māyika quarter, the world of misconception. In this verse, the word budhāḥ refers to sumedhasaḥ as described in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.5.32): persons of fine theistic intelligence arising from direct connection with the transcendental plane.

The inner guidance and direction they receive is the outcome of sukṛti, divine merit acquired by the association of pure devotees.

The word bhāva-samanvitāḥ means rāga-samanvitāh--anurāga--love and attraction which is affinity, not by strictly following scriptural rules, or drawn from any plane of loss and gain, but from bhāva, inner divine inspiration. Devotion of this high type is completely non-calculative (jñāna-śunya bhakti) as described by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī in Śrī Bhakti rasāmṛta-sindhu:

anyābhilāṣita śunyam

jñāna karmādy anāvṛtam

ānukūlena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(BRS 1.1.9)

आचार्यं मां विजानीयान् नावमन्येत कर्हिचित् न मर्त्य बुद्ध्यासूएयेत सर्व देव मयो गुरुः

(भाग् ११. १७.२७)

"the highest devotion pleases the transcendental desires of Lord Krishna and is free from the extra wallcoverings of any pursuits based on action or knowledge."

The most rare and elevated stage of devotion is the line of spontaneous devotion known as rāga-marga. In that line, guided by the qualified guru, and elevated pure difficulty may gradually come to render service to a leader of one of the groups of Kṛṣṇa's personal associates, who serve the Lord in his pastimes in friendship, parenthood, or consort. (sakhya, vatsalya, or madhura-rasa.)

In Vṛṇdāvana, the Lord is being served in spontaneous devotion by his friends such as Subala Sakhā, and by his parents, Nanda Mahārāja and mother Yaśoda. Gopīs such as Lalitā and Viśakhā serve Him in conjugal love. But amongst all His associates, and amongst all the gopīs, the highest order of divine loving serrvice is rendered to the Lord by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. There fore, the acme of rāga-mārga is to render service unto Rādhārāṇī (Rādhā-dāsyam) This is the highest ogal of the Rūpānuga Gauḍiya Sampradāya, the follwers of pure devotion as taught by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī Prabhupāda, in the line of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

The Heart of the Matter

The Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā

Yamunacharya says, “to further the origination and increase of bhakti, the 10th chapter sets forth in detail the knowledge of the infinite variety of God’s beautiful qualities and the utter dependence of the universe on God."

Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna, " O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to the Word of God. Hear this for your benefit: It will give thee joy. The hosts of gods know not my origin. Neither gods nor rishis know me completely, for I am the origin of the gods and the high-souled rishis. He who knows me as the Supreme Lord of the worlds, without birth or beginning, he undeluded among mortals, is free from all sins. Intelligence, knowldege, the absence of delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, and tranquility, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear and also security, abstention from harm, evenness of mind, contentment, ascetic austerities, charity, fame and infamy are different qualities of material nature that have Me as their origin."

"The seven great rishis and the four Maharishis before them, even the Manus, were born from my mind. All the creatures in this world are ultimately offspring of these primal progenitors. Whoever knows the truth about this, understands my mystic Power and Glory. Who knows of my pre-eminence and mystic power will soon engage in devotional service and dedicate himself to me. Of this there is no doubt."

"I am the origin of all worlds, spiritual and material. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who realize this worship Me and engage in devotional service to Me. They worship Me with all their hearts and become devoted to Me. Their hearts absorbed in Me, their lives devoted to Me, they instruct one another about Me and recite my glories. Those who verily know the glories of God relish hearing of them. Thus they are content and happy. "

As we have pointed out, Kṛṣṇa here asserts his divinity as the primordial monotheistic deity, and describes the perfection of divine love. He explains that the wise who understand these principles, dedicate themselves to Kṛṣṇa. These realized souls experience eternal ananda or transcendental ecstasy by celebrating the glories of God, Kṛṣṇa. These great souls are endowed with complete knowledge. Their ultimate destination is no less than Krsna's abode. Without divine love, the blessings of Kṛṣṇa are inconceivable even to the great scientists of spiritual knowledge.

The attributes of God are explored in this chapter. He is the ultimate abode, the purest & absolute truth. He is eternal, transcendental and the original person. While the opulences of God are boundless, Kṛṣṇa gives us a hint in this chapter of His glories. The Sanskrit word, "Bhagavan" means "One who is full in all opulences."

Paraśara Muni has defined the opulence of Bhagavan as sublime power, excellent beauty, opulent fortune, absolute renunciation, perfect fame, and divine knowledge. Whatever aspects of these opulences are found in our experience are but pale imitations of God's divine energies and opulence. The 10th chapter makes clear that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme cause of all causes and the essence of all living things. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, but still asks to see his unlimited universal form in the the 11th chapter.

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

bhudhā bhāva samanvitāḥ

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो

मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते

इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां

भुधा भाव समन्विताः

(BG 10.8)

Śrīdhara Mahārāja's translator has the following:
"I am Kṛṣṇa, the Sweet Absolute. I am the root cause of the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, the all permeating aspect of the absolute, and also the personal aspect of the absolute – the master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone – Lord Nārāyaṇa of Vaikuṇṭha.

The universes of mundane and divine flow, every attempt and movement, the Vedas and allied Scriptures which guide everyone's worship – are all initiated by me alone. Realizing this hidden treasure, the virtuous souls were blessed with fine theistic intelligence surpass the standards of duty on duty, and embrace the paramount path of love divine, rāga-mārga, and adore me forever."

Śrīdhara Mahārāja comments as follows: "verses 8 to 11 are the four principal verses of the Bhagavad-Gita. The ontological substance of the book is contained within these four essential verses, beginning with verse 8, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo... Everything emanates from me."

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, (1.2.11, the three main conceptions of the absolute are given as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Brahman is the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, Paramātmā is the all-premeating aspect of the Absolute, and Bhagavān is the personal conception of the Absolute. The general definition of the word Bhagavān is given,

aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīrysasysa yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaṇṇām bhaga itīṇganā

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य वीर्य्सस्य्स यशसः श्रियः

ज्ञान-वैराग्ययोश् चैव षण्णाम् भग इतीण्गना

(विष्णु पुराण ६.५.४७)

Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord, is thus defined as "he who is inseparably replete with the six inconceivable qualities of wealth, power, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation."
The characteristics of Bhagavān, as Lord Nārāyaṇa, is that all kinds of potencies are personally controlled by him. However,Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī has given a special and particularly fine interpretation. Bhagavān means bhajanīya guṇa-viśiṣṭa. His nature is such that whoever comes into contact with cannot resist serving you no one can resist feeling to worship and adore his charming personality. As Lord Kṛṣṇa, he attracts the love of everyone.
Therefore, by the word sarvasya, Lord Kṛṣṇa indicates, "I am svayaṁ Bhagavān, the supreme Lord to him self. I have the origin of not only Brahman, the all comprehensive aspect, and Paramātmā, the all pervading aspect. I have also the origin of the master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone – Lord Nārāyaṇa of Vaikuṇṭha."
In the next line, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate "every attempt and movement begins from me, including the methods by which everyone worships and serves me in devotion."

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo

na medhayā na bahunā śrutena

yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas

tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛnute tanūṁ svām

(Kaṭhopaniṣad 1.2.23)

नायम् आत्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो

न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन

यम् एवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यस्

तस्यैष आत्मा विवृनुते तनूं स्वाम्

(कठोपनिषद् १.२.२३)

"The Lord cannot be known by copious logic, intelligence, deep study of the Scriptures. But he reveals himself personally to the soul who, having become eager to engage in his devotional service, praise to him for his mercy."
In this way, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate-- I am the first to reveal to the public, "worship me in this way." I appear as guru. Since every attempt and movement flows from Krishna, including the methods by which he is worshiped and served, Krishna also reveals himself as guru. Krishna says here, "I appear as the guru and through him, I reveal the proper worship of myself." I show how to worship myself, appearing as guru.
In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the guru is described by the Lord as his own direct manifestation.

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān

nāvamanyeta karhicit

na martya buddhyāsūeyeta

sarva deva mayo guruḥ

(bhāg 11. 17.27)

आचार्यं मां विजानीयान्

नावमन्येत कर्हिचित्

न मर्त्य बुद्ध्यासूएयेत

सर्व देव मयो गुरुः

(भाग् ११. १७.२७)

Lord Krishna said to his devotee Uddhava, "you should know the bona fide spiritual master as my very self. Never dishonor him. The nature of gurudeva is everything that is godly, he should never be envied by ascribing one's mundane conception of place time and circumstances upon him."
Furthermore the Lord's finest potency is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. Of course, there are many other internal associates, but the highest order of devotional services represented in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi. The Lord is therefore saying here, "Every attempt and movement begins from the. The methods by which everyone worships serves me originates enemy. My worship is shown by me. How? I, as my finest potency, worship myself."

Kṛṣṇa says, iti matvā bhajante māṁ, "understanding this conception, the devotee will come to worship me, always under the direction of my best worship – my finest potency and representation – Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, or gurudeva. Crossing gurudeva, who is the representative of her line, the highest and most desirable form of service to me is not possible.." Rādhā-dāsyam, the servitorship of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇi, is indicated here. Only those who are blessed with divine intelligence will be able to appreciate this, not persons with self acquired intelligence from this māyika quarter, the world of misconception. In this verse, the word budhāḥ refers to sumedhasaḥ as described in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.5.32): persons of fine theistic intelligence arising from direct connection with the transcendental plane.

The inner guidance and direction they receive is the outcome of sukṛti, divine merit acquired by the association of pure devotees.

The word bhāva-samanvitāḥ means rāga-samanvitāh--anurāga--love and attraction which is affinity, not by strictly following scriptural rules, or drawn from any plane of loss and gain, but from bhāva, inner divine inspiration. Devotion of this high type is completely non-calculative (jñāna-śunya bhakti) as described by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī in Śrī Bhakti rasāmṛta-sindhu:

anyābhilāṣita śunyam

jñāna karmādy anāvṛtam

ānukūlena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(BRS 1.1.9)

(भाग् ११. १७.२७)

"the highest devotion pleases the transcendental desires of Lord Krishna and is free from the extra wallcoverings of any pursuits based on action or knowledge."
The most rare and elevated stage of devotion is the line of spontaneous devotion known as rāga-marga. In that line, guided by the qualified guru, and elevated pure difficulty may gradually come to render service to a leader of one of the groups of Kṛṣṇa's personal associates, who serve the Lord in his pastimes in friendship, parenthood, or consort. (sakhya, vatsalya, or madhura-rasa.)

In Vṛṇdāvana, the Lord is being served in spontaneous devotion by his friends such as Subala Sakhā, and by his parents, Nanda Mahārāja and mother Yaśoda. Gopīs such as Lalitā and Viśakhā serve Him in conjugal love. But amongst all His associates, and amongst all the gopīs, the highest order of divine loving serrvice is rendered to the Lord by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. There fore, the acme of rāga-mārga is to render service unto Rādhārāṇī (Rādhā-dāsyam) This is the highest ogal of the Rūpānuga Gauḍiya Sampradāya, the follwers of pure devotioin as taught by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī Prabhupāda, in the line of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Monday, July 13, 2015

What would He say?

If God could speak...

How does God describe Himself?

In the 9th Chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, “but it is I who am the ritual, the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental mantra. I am the butter and the fire and the offering. I am the father of this universe, the mother the support, the grandfather. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable om. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma, and the Yajur Vedas. I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the above, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, resting place and the eternal seed. Oh Arjuna, I control heat, the rain and the drought. I am immortality, and I also death personified. Both Being and Nonbeing are within me. Those who study the Vedas drink the Soma juice, seeking a heavenly planets, worship me in directly. They take birth on the planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights. When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, the return to this mortal planet again. And so through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness."

If by sacrifice, one may achieve a better situation in one's next life, even acquiring the heavenly planets, what may a devotee of God expect? What becomes of those who dedicate themselves to Kṛṣṇa in this life and practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Here, the true heart of the Bhagavad-Gītā is laid bare. Kṛṣṇa says, "but those who worship me with devotion, meditating on my transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack can preserve what they have." BG 9.22

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janaḥ paryupāsate

teṣaṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनः पर्युपासते

तेषं नित्याभियुक्तानां योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

"whatever a man may sacrifice to other gods, O son of Kuntī, is really meant for me alone, but it is offered without true understanding."
Now this may seem incredibly self-serving, especially if it were spoken by anyone else. But suspend your judgment for a moment. If Jehovah spoke to us wouldn't we listen? Now Jehovah is a very selfish God. One of his commandments reads, "thou shalt not have any other gods before me." But does Krishna promise hellfire and brimstone for those who worship other gods?
After proclaiming his supremacy, does Kṛṣṇa vow to crush the opposition? Does he condemn to everlasting flame those who would take up other forms of worship? He continues the ninth chapter as follows, "those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among century; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors and those who worship me will live with me." Krishna is not a God of Judeo-Christian revenge. He is not a jealous God. He simply states here that different forms of worship will result in different consequences. Those who worship the the gods of rain and fire or the sungod will achieve their respective destinations in their next life. Those who worship there family ancestors may be reunited with their loved ones in their next life. But those who wish to attain the supreme destination may worship Kṛṣṇa and leave the world of birth and death behind.
What kind of worship does Krishna demand? Are we to worship him with gold and silver? Are we to construct giant marble temples in his memory? Must we throw virgins into the sacrificial flames of a volcano? Do we need to join a cult, shave our heads, and dance around a bush? Kṛṣṇa doesn't ask for any of this. In fact, the worship of Kṛṣṇa is very easy.

He very gently says, "If one offers Me with love and devotion (bhakti) a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it."
B.G. 9.26

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ

yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam

aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं

यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति

तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्

अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

Krishna concludes the 9th Chapter with a call for devotion and dedication:
"Engage your mind always in thinking of me, offer reverence and worship Me with divine love, (bhakti), Completely absorbing your soul in me, surely you will come to Me." (BG 9.34)

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru

mām evaiṣyasi yuktaivam

ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो

मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु

माम् एवैष्यसि युक्तैवम्

आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Universal Message

Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

Monotheism in the Bhagavad-Gītā

Sectarianism and the Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

Nondiscrimination

Kṛṣṇa says, “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.” api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ papa-kṛttamaḥ sarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi अपि चेद् असि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पप-कृत्तमः सर्वं ज्ञान-प्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि B.G. 4.36
The fire of knowledge burns karma to ashes. BG 4.37. Kṛṣṇa gives the characteristics of a realized soul or one in transcendental knowledge in the 5^th Chapter: “A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all."

Spiritual Equality

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Pernicious Stereotypes and Wrong-headed Ideas

Contrast this message with the pernicious ideas perpetuated by sectarian Western evangelists and Hollywood stereotypes.

Image result for indiana jones temple of doom

In Western movies from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” to “The Love Guru”

or Raj in the “Big Bang Theory” we discover that India is filthy, the people of India are dishonest and given to ridiculous superstitions. I've heard it again and again. They practice pagan idolatry involving millions of gods and dead bodies floating in the polluted river Ganges. Their caste system enforces cruel and disgusting wedding practices and inhuman discrimination. Their mythology is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo that no one can understand. If only they would give up their superstitions and foolish religions their people would advance from heart-breaking poverty to the 21^st century.

Christianity and Kṛṣṇa

Now, if these words were spoken by God to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane or by Jehovah to Gabriel, many in the West would have no problem accepting the general ideas here outlined.

But without calling the divinity of Jesus Christ into question, we may consider the values of Christianity parallel with the values of Kṛṣṇa bhakti in the sense that the monotheism of the Bhagavad-Gītā is not different from the monotheism of Jesus, when He talks about His Father in Heaven.

When Christ says, “My Father has many mansions,” and Kṛṣṇa says speaks of different material and spiritual planets where one resides after death, could they be speaking of the same essential truths?

Journey to Surrender

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Gita Summary Complete to Chapter 11

Eighth Chapter of Bhagavad-Gītā

Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

The Heart of the Matter

Monday, July 13, 2015

What would He say?

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Universal Message

Universal Message of the Bhagavad-Gītā

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