1 Bg 18: Conclusion-The Perfection of Renunciation
2
3 Chapter 18
4
5 Conclusion-The Perfection of Renunciation
6
7 Bg 18.1
8
9 TEXT 1
10
11 TRANSLATION
12
13 Arjuna said: O mighty-armed one, I wish to understand the
> purpose of renunciation [tyaga] and of the renounced order
> of life [sannyasa], O killer of the Kesi demon, master of
> the senses.
14
15 PURPORT
16
17 Actually the Bhagavad-gita is finished in seventeen
> chapters. The Eighteenth Chapter is a supplementary
> summarization of the topics discussed before. In every
> chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna stresses that
> devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
> is the ultimate goal of life. This same point is summarized
> in the Eighteenth Chapter as the most confidential path of
> knowledge. In the first six chapters, stress was given to
> devotional service: yoginam api sarvesam. .. "Of all yogis
> or transcendentalists, one who always thinks of Me within
> himself is best." In the next six chapters, pure devotional
> service and its nature and activity were discussed. In the
> third six chapters, knowledge, renunciation, the activities
> of material nature and transcendental nature, and
> devotional service were described. It was concluded that
> all acts should be performed in conjunction with the
> Supreme Lord, represented by the words om tat sat, which
> indicate Visnu, the Supreme Person. The third part of
> Bhagavad-gita has shown that devotional service, and
> nothing else, is the ultimate purpose of life. This has
> been established by citing past acaryas and the Brahma-
> sutra, the Vedanta-sutra
> .
> Certain impersonalists consider themselves to
> have a monopoly on the knowledge of Vedanta-sutra, but
> actually the Vedanta-sutra is meant for understanding
> devotional service, for the Lord Himself is the composer of
> the Vedanta-sutra and He is its knower. That is described
> in the Fifteenth Chapter. In every scripture, every Veda,
> devotional service is the objective. That is explained in
> Bhagavad-gita.
18
19 As in the Second Chapter a synopsis of the whole subject
> matter was described, in the Eighteenth Chapter
> also the summary of all instruction is given. The purpose
> of life is indicated to be renunciation and attainment of
> the transcendental position above the three material modes
> of nature. Arjuna wants to clarify the two distinct subject
> matters of Bhagavad-gita, namely renunciation (tyaga) and
> the renounced order of life (sannyasa). Thus he is asking
> the meaning of these two words.
20
21 Two words used in this verse to address the Supreme Lord-
> Hrsikesa and Kesi-nisudana-are significant.
> Hrsikesa is Krsna, the master of all senses, who can always
> help us attain mental serenity. Arjuna requests Him to
> summarize everything in such a way that he can remain
> equipoised. Yet he has some doubts, and doubts are always
> compared to demons. He therefore addresses Krsna as
> Kesi-nisudana. Kesi was a most formidable demon who
> was killed by the Lord; now Arjuna is expecting Krsna to
> kill the demon of doubt.
22
23 Bg 18.2
24
25 TEXT 2
26
27 TRANSLATION
28
29 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The giving
> up of activities that are based on
> material desire is what great learned men call the
> renounced order of life [sannyasa]. And giving up
> the results of all activities is what the wise call
> renunciation [tyaga].
30
31 PURPORT
32
33 The performance of activities for results has to be given
> up. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. But
> activities leading to advanced spiritual knowledge are not
> to be given up. This will be made clear in the next verses.
> In the Vedic literature there are many prescriptions of
> methods for performing sacrifice for some particular
> purpose. There are certain
> sacrifices to perform to attain a good son or to attain
> elevation to the higher planets, but sacrifices prompted by
> desires should be stopped. However, sacrifice for the
> purification of one's heart or for advancement in the
> spiritual science should not be given up.
34
35 Bg 18.3
36
37 TEXT 3
38
39 TRANSLATION
40
41 Some learned men declare that all kinds of fruitive
> activities should be given up as faulty, yet other
> sages maintain that acts of sacrifice, charity and
> penance should never be abandoned.
42
43 PURPORT
44
45 There are many activities in the Vedic literature which
> are subjects of contention. For instance, it is said that
> an animal can be killed in a sacrifice, yet some maintain
> that animal killing is completely abominable. Although
> animal killing in a sacrifice is recommended in the Vedic
> literature, the animal is not considered to be killed. The
> sacrifice is to give a new life to the animal. Sometimes
> the animal is given a new animal life after being killed in
> the sacrifice, and sometimes the animal is promoted
> immediately to the human form of life. But there are
> different opinions among the sages. Some say that animal
> killing should always be avoided, and others say that for a
> specific sacrifice it is good. All these different opinions
> on sacrificial activity are now being clarified by the Lord
> Himself.
46
47 Bg 18.4
48
49 TEXT 4
50
51 TRANSLATION
52
53 O best of the Bharatas, now hear My judgment about
> renunciation. O tiger among men,
> renunciation is declared in the scriptures to be of three
> kinds.
54
55 PURPORT
56
57 Although there are differences of opinion about
> renunciation, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri
> Krsna, gives His judgment, which should be taken as final.
> After all, the Vedas are different laws given by the Lord.
> Here the Lord is personally present, and His word should be
> taken as final. The Lord says that the process of
> renunciation should be considered in terms of the modes of
> material nature in which they are performed.
58
59 Bg 18.5
60
61 TEXT 5
62
63 TRANSLATION
64
65 Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given
> up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity
> and penance purify even the great souls.
66
67 PURPORT
68
69 The yogis should perform acts for the advancement of human
> society. There are many purificatory processes for
> advancing a human being to spiritual life. The marriage
> ceremony, for example, is considered to be one of these
> sacrifices. It is called vivaha-yajna. Should a sannyasi,
> who is in the renounced order of life and who has given up
> his family relations, encourage the marriage ceremony? The
> Lord says here that any sacrifice which is meant for human
> welfare should never be given up. Vivaha-yajna, the
> marriage ceremony, is meant to regulate the human mind so
> that it may become peaceful for spiritual advancement. For
> most men, this vivaha-yajna should be encouraged even by
> persons in the renounced order of life. Sannyasis should
> never associate with women, but that does not mean that one
> who is in the lower stages of life, a young man, should not
> accept a wife in the marriage ceremony. All prescribed
> sacrifices are meant for achieving the Supreme Lord.
> Therefore, in the lower stages, they should not be given up.
> Similarly, charity is for the purification of the heart.
> If charity is given to suitable persons, as described
> previously, it leads one to advanced spiritual life.
70
71 Bg 18.6
72
73 TEXT 6
74
75 TRANSLATION
76
77 All these activities should be performed without attachment
> or any expectation of result. They should be performed as a
> matter of duty, O son of Prtha. That is My final opinion.
78
79 PURPORT
80
81 Although all sacrifices are purifying, one should not
> expect any result by such performances. In other words, all
> sacrifices which are meant for material advancement in life
> should be given up, but sacrifices that purify one's
> existence and elevate one to the spiritual plane should not
> be stopped. Everything that leads to Krsna consciousness
> must be encouraged. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is
> said that any activity which leads to devotional service to
> the Lord should be accepted. That is the highest criterion
> of religion. A devotee of the Lord should accept any kind
> of work, sacrifice or charity which will help him in the
> discharge of devotional service to the Lord.
82
83 Bg 18.7
84
85 TEXT 7
86
87 TRANSLATION
88
89 Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If
> one gives up his prescribed duties because of
> illusion, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of
> ignorance.
90
91 PURPORT
92
93 Work for material satisfaction must be given up, but
> activities which promote one to spiritual activity, like
> cooking for the Supreme Lord and offering the food to the
> Lord and then accepting the food, are recommended. It is
> said that a person in the renounced order of life should
> not cook for himself. Cooking for oneself is prohibited,
> but cooking for the Supreme Lord is not prohibited.
> Similarly, a sannyasi may perform a marriage ceremony to
> help his disciple in the advancement of Krsna consciousness.
> If one renounces such activities, it is to be understood
> that he is acting in the mode of darkness.
94
95 Bg 18.8
96
97 TEXT 8
98
99 TRANSLATION
100
101 Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome or
> out of fear of bodily discomfort is said to have renounced
> in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the
> elevation of renunciation.
102
103 PURPORT
104
105 One who is in Krsna consciousness should not give up
> earning money out of fear that he is performing fruitive
> activities. If by working one can engage his money in Krsna
> consciousness, or if by rising early in the morning one can
> advance his transcendental Krsna consciousness, one should
> not desist out of fear or because such activities are
> considered troublesome. Such renunciation is in the mode of
> passion. The result of passionate work is always miserable.
> If a person renounces work in that spirit, he never
> gets the result of renunciation.
106
107 Bg 18.9
108
109 TEXT 9
110
111 TRANSLATION
112
113 O Arjuna, when one performs his prescribed duty only
> because it ought to be done, and renounces all material
> association and all attachment to the fruit, his
> renunciation is said to be in the mode of goodness
> .
114
115 PURPORT
116
117 Prescribed duties must be performed with this mentality.
> One should act without attachment for the result; he should
> be disassociated from the modes of work. A man working in
> Krsna consciousness in a factory does not associate himself
> with the work of the factory, nor with the workers of the
> factory. He simply works for Krsna. And when he gives up
> the result for Krsna, he is acting transcendentally.
118
119 Bg 18.10
120
121 TEXT 10
122
123 TRANSLATION
124
125 The intelligent renouncer situated in the mode of
> goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious work nor
> attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work.
126
127 PURPORT
128
129 A person in Krsna
> consciousness or in the mode of
> goodness does not hate anyone or
> anything which troubles his body. He
> does
> work in the
> proper place and at the proper time
> without fearing the troublesome effects of
> his duty. Such a person situated in
> transcendence should
> be understood to be most intelligent
> and beyond all doubts in his activities.
130
131 Bg 18.11
132
133 TEXT 11
134
135 TRANSLATION
136
137 It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up
> all activities. But he who renounces
> the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced.
138
139 PURPORT
140
141 It is said in Bhagavad-gita that
> one can never give up work at any
> time. Therefore he who works for Krsna and does not
> enjoy the fruitive results, who offers everything to Krsna,
> is actually a renouncer. There are many members of the
> International Society for Krishna Consciousness who work
> very hard in their office or in the factory or some
> other place, and whatever they earn they give to the
> Society. Such highly elevated souls are actually sannyasis
> and are situated in the renounced order of life. It is
> clearly outlined here how to renounce the fruits of work
> and for what purpose fruits should be renounced.
142
143 Bg 18.12
144
145 TEXT 12
146
147 TRANSLATION
148
149 For one who is not renounced, the threefold fruits of
> action-desirable, undesirable and mixed-accrue after death.
> But those who are in the renounced order of life have no
> such result to suffer or enjoy.
150
151 PURPORT
152
153 A person in Krsna consciousness acting in knowledge of
> his relationship with Krsna is always liberated.
> Therefore he does not have to enjoy or suffer
> the results of his acts
> after
> death.
154
155 Bg 18.13
156
157 TEXT 13
158
159 TRANSLATION
160
161 O mighty-armed Arjuna, according to the Vedanta
> there are five causes for the accomplishment of all
> action. Now
> learn of these from
> Me.
162
163 PURPORT
164
165 A question may be raised that since any activity performed
> must have some reaction, how is it that the person in Krsna
> consciousness does not suffer or enjoy the reactions of
> work? The Lord is citing Vedanta philosophy to show how
> this is possible. He says that there are five causes for
> all activities, and for success in all activity one
> should consider these five causes. Sankhya means the stalk
> of knowledge, and Vedanta is the final stalk of knowledge
> accepted by all leading acaryas. Even Sankara accepts
> Vedanta-sutra as such. Therefore such authority should be
> consulted.
166
167 The ultimate control is invested in the Supersoul. As it is
> stated in the Bhagavad-gita, sarvasya caham hrdi
> sannivistah. He is engaging everyone in certain activities
> by reminding him of his past actions. And Krsna conscious
> acts done under His direction from within yield no reaction,
> either in this life or in the life after death.
168
169 Bg 18
> .14
170
171 TEXT 14
172
173 TRANSLATION
174
175 The place of action [the body], the performer, the various
> senses, the many different kinds of endeavor, and
> ultimately the Supersoul-these are the five factors of
> action.
176
177 PURPORT
178
179 The word adhisthanam refers to the body. The soul within
> the body is acting to bring about the results of activity
> and is therefore known as karta, "the doer." That the soul
> is the knower and the doer is stated in the sruti. Esa hi
> drasta srasta (Prasna Upanisad 4.9). It is also confirmed
> in the Vedanta-sutra by the verses jno 'ta eva (2.3.18) and
> karta sastrarthavattvat (2.3.33). The instruments of action
> are the senses, and by the senses the soul acts in various
> ways. For each and every action there is a different
> endeavor. But all one's activities depend on the will of
> the Supersoul, who is seated within the heart as a friend.
> The Supreme Lord is the supercause. Under these
> circumstances, he who is acting in Krsna consciousness
> under the direction of the Supersoul situated within the
> heart is naturally not bound by any activity. Those in
> complete Krsna consciousness are not ultimately responsible
> for their actions. Everything is dependent on the supreme
> will, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
180
181 Bg 18.15
182
183 TEXT 15
184
185 TRANSLATION
186
187 Whatever right or wrong action a man performs by body, mind
> or speech is caused by these five factors.
188
189 PURPORT
190
191 The words "right" and "wrong" are very significant in this
> verse. Right work is work done in terms of the prescribed
> directions in the scriptures, and wrong work is work done
> against the principles of the scriptural injunctions. But
> whatever is done requires these five factors for its
> complete performance.
192
193 Bg 18.16
194
195 TEXT 16
196
197 TRANSLATION
198
199 Therefore one who thinks himself the only doer, not
> considering the five factors, is certainly not very
> intelligent and cannot see things as they are.
200
201 PURPORT
202
203 A foolish person cannot understand that the Supersoul is
> sitting as a friend within and conducting his actions.
> Although the material causes are the place, the worker, the
> endeavor and the senses, the final cause is the Supreme,
> the Personality of Godhead. Therefore, one should see not
> only the four material causes but the supreme efficient
> cause as well. One who does not see the Supreme thinks
> himself to be the doer.
204
205 Bg 18.17
206
207 TEXT 17
208
209 TRANSLATION
210
211 One who is not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence
> is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, does
> not kill. Nor is he bound by his actions.
212
213 PURPORT
214
215 In this verse the Lord informs Arjuna that the desire not
> to fight arises from false ego. Arjuna thought himself to
> be the doer of action, but he did not consider the supreme
> sanction within and without. If one does not know that a
> supersanction is there, why should he act? But one
> who knows the instruments of work, himself as the worker,
> and the Supreme Lord as the supreme sanctioner is perfect
> in doing everything. Such a person is never in illusion.
> Personal activity and responsibility arise from false ego
> and godlessness, or a lack of Krsna consciousness. Anyone
> who is acting in Krsna consciousness under the direction of
> the Supersoul or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even
> though killing, does not kill. Nor is he ever affected by
> the reaction of such killing. When a soldier kills under
> the command of a superior officer, he is not subject to be
> judged. But if a soldier kills on his own personal account,
> then he is certainly judged by a court of law.
216
217 Bg 18.18
218
219 TEXT 18
220
221 TRANSLATION
222
223 Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the
> three factors that motivate action; the senses, the work
> and the doer are the three constituents of action.
224
225 PURPORT
226
227 There are three kinds of impetus for daily work: knowledge,
> the object of knowledge, and the knower. The instruments of
> work, the work itself and the worker are called the
> constituents of work. Any work done by any human being has
> these elements. Before one acts, there is some impetus,
> which is called inspiration. Any solution arrived at before
> work is actualized is a subtle form of work. Then work
> takes the form of action. First one has to undergo the
> psychological processes of thinking, feeling and willing,
> and that is called impetus.
> The inspiration to work is the
> same if it comes from the scripture or from the instruction
> of the spiritual master. When the inspiration is there and
> the worker is there, then actual activity takes place by
> the help of the senses, including the mind, which is the
> center of all the senses. The
> sum total of all
> the constituents of an activity are
> called the accumulation of work.
228
229 Bg 18.19
230
231 TEXT 19
232
233 TRANSLATION
234
235 According to the three different modes of
> material nature, there are three kinds of knowledge,
> action and performer of action. Now hear of
> them from Me.
236
237 PURPORT
238
239 In the Fourteenth Chapter the three divisions of the modes
> of material nature were elaborately described. In that
> chapter it was said that the mode of goodness is
> illuminating, the mode of passion materialistic, and the
> mode of ignorance conducive to laziness and indolence. All
> the modes of material nature are binding; they are not
> sources of liberation. Even in the mode of goodness one is
> conditioned. In the Seventeenth Chapter, the different
> types of worship by different types of men in different
> modes of material nature were described. In this verse, the
> Lord says that He wishes to speak about the different types
> of knowledge, workers and work itself according to the
> three material modes.
240
241 Bg 18.20
242
243 TEXT 20
244
245 TRANSLATION
246
247 That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is
> seen in all living entities, though they are divided
> into innumerable forms, you should understand to be
> in the mode of goodness.
248
249 PURPORT
250
251 A person who sees one spirit soul in every living being,
> whether a demigod, human being, animal, bird, beast,
> aquatic or plant, possesses knowledge in the mode of
> goodness. In all living entities, one spirit soul is there,
> although they have different bodies in terms of their
> previous work. As described in the Seventh Chapter, the
> manifestation of the living force in every body is due to
> the superior nature of the Supreme Lord. Thus to see that
> one superior nature, that living force, in every body is to
> see in the mode of goodness. That living energy is
> imperishable, although the bodies are perishable.
> Differences are perceived in terms of the body;
> because there are many forms of material existence in
> conditional life, the living force appears to be
> divided. Such impersonal knowledge is an aspect of
> self-realization.
252
253 Bg 18.21
254
255 TEXT 21
256
257 TRANSLATION
258
259 That knowledge by which one sees that in every different
> body there is a different type of living entity you should
> understand to be
> in the mode of passion.
260
261 PURPORT
262
263 The concept that the material body is the living entity and
> that with the destruction of the body the consciousness is
> also destroyed is called knowledge in the mode of passion.
> According to that knowledge, bodies differ from one another
> because of the development of different types of
> consciousness, otherwise there is no separate soul which
> manifests consciousness. The body is itself the soul, and
> there is no separate soul beyond the body. According to
> such knowledge, consciousness is temporary. Or else there
> are no individual souls, but there is an all-pervading soul,
> which is full of knowledge, and this body is a
> manifestation of temporary ignorance. Or beyond this body
> there is no special individual or supreme soul. All such
> conceptions are considered products of the mode of passion.
264
265 Bg 18.22
266
267 TEXT 22
268
269 TRANSLATION
270
271 And that knowledge by which one is attached to one kind of
> work as the all in all, without knowledge of the truth, and
> which is very meager, is said to be in the mode of darkness.
272
273 PURPORT
274
275 The "knowledge" of the common man is always in the mode of
> darkness or ignorance because every living entity in
> conditional life is born into the mode of ignorance. One
> who does not develop knowledge through the authorities or
> scriptural injunctions has knowledge that is limited to the
> body. He is not concerned about acting in terms of the
> directions of scripture. For him God is money, and
> knowledge means the satisfaction of bodily demands. Such
> knowledge has no connection with the Absolute Truth. It is
> more or less like the knowledge of the ordinary animals:
> the knowledge of eating, sleeping, defending and mating.
> Such knowledge is described here as the product of the mode
> of darkness. In other words, knowledge concerning the
> spirit soul beyond this body is called knowledge in the
> mode of goodness, knowledge producing many theories and
> doctrines by dint of mundane logic and mental speculation
> is the product of the mode of passion, and knowledge
> concerned only with keeping the body comfortable is
> said to be in the mode of ignorance.
276
277 Bg 18.23
278
279 TEXT 23
280
281 TRANSLATION
282
283 That action which is regulated
> and which is performed without attachment, without love
> or hatred, and without desire for fruitive
> results is said to be in the mode of goodness.
284
285 PURPORT
286
287 Regulated occupational duties, as prescribed in the
> scriptures in terms of the different orders and divisions
> of society, performed without attachment or proprietary
> rights and therefore without any love or hatred, and
> performed in Krsna consciousness for the satisfaction of
> the Supreme, without self-satisfaction or self-
> gratification, are called actions in the mode of goodness.
288
289 Bg 18.24
290
291 TEXT 24
292
293 TRANSLATION
294
295 But action performed with great effort by one seeking to
> gratify his desires, and enacted from a sense of
> false ego, is called action in the mode of passion.
296
297 Bg 18.25
298
299 TEXT 25
300
301 TRANSLATION
302
303 That action performed in illusion, in disregard of
> scriptural injunctions, and without concern for
> future bondage or for violence or distress
> caused to others is said to be in the mode of
> ignorance.
304
305 PURPORT
306
307 One has to give account of one's actions to the state or to
> the agents of the Supreme Lord called the Yamadutas.
> Irresponsible work is destructive because it destroys the
> regulative principles of scriptural injunction. It is often
> based on violence and is distressing to other living
> entities. Such irresponsible work is carried out in the
> light of one's personal experience. This is called illusion.
> And all such illusory work is a product of the mode of
> ignorance.
308
309 Bg 18.26
310
311 TEXT 26
312
313 TRANSLATION
314
315 One who performs his duty without association with
> the modes of material nature, without false ego, with
> great determination and enthusiasm, and without wavering
> in success or failure is said to be a worker
> in the mode of goodness.
316
317 PURPORT
318
319 A person in Krsna consciousness is always transcendental to
> the material modes of nature. He has no expectations for
> the result of the work entrusted to him, because he is
> above false ego and pride. Still, he is always enthusiastic
> till the completion of such work. He does not worry about
> the distress undertaken; he is always enthusiastic. He does
> not care for success or failure; he is equal in both
> distress and happiness. Such a worker is situated in the
> mode of goodness.
320
321 Bg 18.27
322
323 TEXT 27
324
325 TRANSLATION
326
327 The worker who is attached to work and the fruits of
> work, desiring to enjoy those
> fruits, and who is greedy, always envious, impure, and
> moved by joy and sorrow, is said to be in the
> mode of passion.
328
329 PURPORT
330
331 A person is too much attached to a certain kind of work or
> to the result because he has too much attachment for
> materialism or hearth and home, wife and children. Such a
> person has no desire for higher elevation in life. He is
> simply concerned with making this world as materially
> comfortable as possible. He is generally very greedy, and
> he thinks that anything attained by him is permanent and
> never to be lost. Such a person is envious of others and
> prepared to do anything wrong for sense gratification.
> Therefore such a person is unclean, and he does not care
> whether his earning is pure or impure. He is very happy if
> his work is successful and very much distressed when his
> work is not successful. Such is the worker in the mode of
> passion.
332
333 Bg 18.28
334
335 TEXT 28
336
337 TRANSLATION
338
339 The worker who is always engaged in work against the
> injunctions of the scripture, who is materialistic,
> obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others, and who
> is lazy, always morose and procrastinating is said to be a
> worker in the mode of ignorance.
340
341 PURPORT
342
343 In the scriptural injunctions we find what sort of work
> should be performed and what sort of work should not be
> performed. Those who do not care for those injunctions
> engage in work not to be done, and such persons are
> generally materialistic. They work according to the modes
> of nature, not according to the injunctions of the
> scripture. Such workers are not very gentle, and generally
> they are always cunning and expert in insulting others.
> They are very lazy; even though they have some duty, they
> do not do it properly, and they put it aside to be done
> later on. Therefore they appear to be morose. They
> procrastinate; anything which can be done in an hour they
> drag on for years. Such workers are situated in the mode of
> ignorance.
344
345 Bg 18.29
346
347 TEXT 29
348
349 TRANSLATION
350
351 O winner of wealth, now please listen as I tell you in
> detail of the different kinds of understanding and
> determination, according to the three modes of material
> nature.
352
353 PURPORT
354
355 Now after explaining knowledge, the object of knowledge,
> and the knower, in three different divisions according to
> the modes of material nature, the Lord is explaining the
> intelligence and determination of the worker in the same
> way.
356
357 Bg 18.30
358
359 TEXT 30
360
361 TRANSLATION
362
363 O son of Prtha, that understanding by which one knows what
> ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to
> be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and
> what is liberating, is in
> the mode of goodness.
364
365 PURPORT
366
367 Performing actions in terms of the directions
> of the scriptures is called pravrtti, or executing actions
> that deserve to be performed. And actions which are not so
> directed are not to be performed. One who does not know the
> scriptural directions becomes entangled in the actions and
> reactions of work. Understanding which discriminates by
> intelligence is situated in the mode of goodness.
368
369 Bg 18.31
370
371 TEXT 31
372
373 TRANSLATION
374
375 O son of Prtha, that understanding which cannot
> distinguish between religion and
> irreligion, between action that should be done
> and action that should not be done
> , is in the mode of passion.
376
377 Bg 18.32
378
379 TEXT 32
380
381 TRANSLATION
382
383 That understanding which considers irreligion to be
> religion and religion to be irreligion, under the spell of
> illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong
> direction, O Partha, is in the mode of ignorance.
384
385 PURPORT
386
387 Intelligence in the mode of ignorance is always working the
> opposite of the way it should. It accepts religions which
> are not actually religions and rejects actual religion. Men
> in ignorance understand a great soul to be a common man and
> accept a common man as a great soul. They think truth to be
> untruth and accept untruth as truth. In all activities they
> simply take the wrong path; therefore their intelligence is
> in the mode of ignorance.
388
389 Bg 18.33
390
391 TEXT 33
392
393 TRANSLATION
394
395 O son of Prtha, that determination which is unbreakable,
> which is sustained with steadfastness by yoga practice, and
> which thus controls the activities of the mind,
> life and senses is determination in the mode of goodness.
396
397 PURPORT
398
399 Yoga is a means to understand the Supreme Soul. One who is
> steadily fixed in the Supreme Soul with determination,
> concentrating one's mind, life and sensory activities on
> the Supreme, engages in Krsna consciousness. That sort of
> determination is in the mode of goodness. The word
> avyabhicarinya is very significant, for it indicates that
> persons who are engaged in Krsna consciousness are
> never deviated by any other activity.
400
401 Bg 18.34
402
403 TEXT 34
404
405 TRANSLATION
406
407 But that determination by which one holds fast to fruitive
> results in religion, economic development and sense
> gratification is of the nature of passion, O Arjuna.
408
409 PURPORT
410
411 Any person who is always desirous of fruitive results in
> religious or economic activities, whose only desire is
> sense gratification, and whose mind, life and senses are
> thus engaged is in the mode of passion.
412
413 Bg 18.35
414
415 TEXT 35
416
417 TRANSLATION
418
419 And that determination which cannot go beyond dreaming,
> fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness and illusion-such
> unintelligent determination, O son of Prtha, is in the mode
> of darkness.
420
421 PURPORT
422
423 It should not be concluded that a person in the mode of
> goodness does not dream. Here "dream" means too much sleep.
> Dreaming is always present; either in the mode of goodness,
> passion or ignorance, dreaming is a natural occurrence. But
> those who cannot avoid oversleeping, who cannot avoid the
> pride of enjoying material objects, who are always
> dreaming of lording it over the material world, and whose
> life, mind and senses are thus engaged, are considered to
> have determination in the mode of ignorance.
424
425 Bg 18.36
426
427 TEXT 36
428
429 TRANSLATION
430
431 O best of the Bharatas, now please hear from Me about the
> three kinds of happiness by which the conditioned soul
> enjoys, and by which he sometimes comes to the end of all
> distress
> .
432
433 PURPORT
434
435 A conditioned soul tries to enjoy material happiness again
> and again. Thus he chews the chewed. But sometimes, in the
> course of such enjoyment, he becomes relieved from material
> entanglement by association with a great soul. In other
> words, a conditioned soul is always engaged in some type of
> sense gratification, but when he understands by good
> association that it is only a repetition of the same thing,
> and he is awakened to his real Krsna consciousness, he is
> sometimes relieved from such repetitive so-called happiness.
436
437 Bg 18.37
438
439 TEXT 37
440
441 TRANSLATION
442
443 That which in the beginning may be just like poison but at
> the end is just like nectar and which awakens one to self-
> realization is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.
444
445 PURPORT
446
447 In the pursuit of self-realization, one has to follow many
> rules and regulations to control the mind and the senses
> and to concentrate the mind on the self. All these
> procedures are very difficult, bitter like poison, but if
> one is successful in following the regulations and comes to
> the transcendental position, he begins to drink real nectar,
> and he enjoys life.
448
449 Bg 18.38
450
451 TEXT 38
452
453 TRANSLATION
454
455 That happiness which is derived from contact of the senses
> with their objects and which appears like nectar at first
> but poison at the end is said to be of the nature of
> passion.
456
457 PURPORT
458
459 A young man and a young woman meet, and the senses drive
> the young man to see her, to touch her and to have sexual
> intercourse. In the beginning this may be very pleasing to
> the senses, but at the end, or after some time, it becomes
> just like poison. They are separated or there is divorce,
> there is lamentation, there is sorrow, etc. Such happiness
> is always in the mode of passion. Happiness derived from a
> combination of the senses and the sense objects is always a
> cause of distress and should be avoided by all means.
460
461 Bg 18.39
462
463 TEXT 39
464
465 TRANSLATION
466
467 And that happiness which is blind to self-realization,
> which is delusion from beginning to end and which arises
> from sleep, laziness and illusion is said to be of the
> nature of ignorance.
468
469 PURPORT
470
471 One who takes pleasure in laziness and in sleep is
> certainly in the mode of darkness, ignorance, and one who
> has no idea how to act and how not to act is also in the
> mode of ignorance. For the person in the mode of ignorance,
> everything is illusion. There is no happiness either in the
> beginning or at the end. For the person in the mode of
> passion there might be some kind of ephemeral happiness in
> the beginning and at the end distress, but for the person
> in the mode of ignorance there is only distress both in the
> beginning and at the end.
472
473 Bg 18.40
474
475 TEXT 40
476
477 TRANSLATION
478
479 There is no being existing, either here or among the
> demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed
> from these three modes born of material nature.
480
481 PURPORT
482
483 The Lord here summarizes the total influence of the three
> modes of material nature all over the universe.
484
485 Bg 18.41
486
487 TEXT 41
488
489 TRANSLATION
490
491 Brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras are distinguished
> by the qualities born of their own
> natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser
> of the enemy.
492
493 Bg 18.42
494
495 TEXT 42
496
497 TRANSLATION
498
499 Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance,
> honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness-these
> are the natural qualities by which the brahmanas work.
500
501 Bg 18.43
502
503 TEXT 43
504
505 TRANSLATION
506
507 Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in
> battle, generosity and leadership are the natural
> qualities of work for the ksatriyas.
508
509 Bg 18.44
510
511 TEXT 44
512
513 TRANSLATION
514
515 Farming, cow protection and business are the natural
> work for the vaisyas, and for the sudras there is labor
> and service to others.
516
517 Bg 18.45
518
519 TEXT 45
520
521 TRANSLATION
522
523 By following his qualities of work, every man can become
> perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.
524
525 Bg 18.46
526
527 TEXT 46
528
529 TRANSLATION
530
531 By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and
> who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection
> through performing his own work.
532
533 PURPORT
534
535 As stated in the Fifteenth Chapter, all living beings are
> fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. Thus
> the Supreme Lord is the beginning of all living
> entities. This is confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra-janmady
> asya yatah. The Supreme Lord is therefore the beginning of
> life of every living entity. And as stated in the Seventh
> Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord, by His two
> energies, His external energy and internal energy, is all-
> pervading. Therefore one should worship the Supreme Lord
> with His energies. Generally the Vaisnava devotees worship
> the Supreme Lord with His internal energy. His external
> energy is a perverted reflection of the internal energy.
> The external energy is a background, but the Supreme Lord
> by the expansion of His plenary portion as Paramatma is
> situated everywhere. He is the Supersoul of all demigods,
> all human beings, all animals, everywhere. One should
> therefore know that as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord
> one has his duty to render service unto the Supreme.
> Everyone should be engaged in devotional service to the
> Lord in full Krsna consciousness. That is recommended in
> this verse.
536
537 Everyone should think that he is engaged in a particular
> type of occupation by Hrsikesa, the master of the senses.
> And by the result of the work in which one is engaged, the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, should be
> worshiped. If one thinks always in this way, in full Krsna
> consciousness, then, by the grace of the Lord, he becomes
> fully aware of everything. That is the perfection of life.
> The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (12.7), tesam aham
> samuddharta. The Supreme Lord Himself takes charge of
> delivering such a devotee. That is the highest perfection
> of life. In whatever occupation one may be engaged, if he
> serves the Supreme Lord he will achieve the highest
> perfection.
538
539 Bg 18.47
540
541 TEXT 47
542
543 TRANSLATION
544
545 It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though
> one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's
> occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed
> according to one's nature are never affected by sinful
> reactions.
546
547 PURPORT
548
549 One's occupational duty is prescribed in Bhagavad-gita. As
> already discussed in previous verses, the duties of a
> brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra are prescribed
> according to their particular modes of nature. One should
> not imitate another's duty. A man who is by nature
> attracted to the kind of work done by sudras should not
> artificially claim to be a brahmana, although he
> may have been born into a brahmana family. In this way one
> should work according to his own nature; no work is
> abominable, if performed in the service of the Supreme Lord.
> The occupational duty of a brahmana is certainly in the
> mode of goodness, but if a person is not by nature in the
> mode of goodness, he should not imitate the occupational
> duty of a brahmana. For a ksatriya, or administrator, there
> are so many abominable things; a ksatriya has to be violent
> to kill his enemies, and sometimes a ksatriya has to tell
> lies for the sake of diplomacy. Such violence and duplicity
> accompany political affairs, but a ksatriya is not supposed
> to give up his occupational duty and try to perform the
> duties of a brahmana.
550
551 One should act to satisfy the Supreme Lord. For example,
> Arjuna was a ksatriya. He was hesitating to fight the other
> party. But if such fighting is performed for the sake of
> Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there need be no
> fear of degradation. In the business field also, sometimes
> a merchant has to tell so many lies to make a profit. If he
> does not do so, there can be no profit. Sometimes a
> merchant says, "Oh, my dear customer, for you I am making
> no profit," but one should know that without profit the
> merchant cannot exist. Therefore it should be taken as a
> simple lie if a merchant says that he is not making a
> profit. But the merchant should not think that because he
> is engaged in an occupation in which the telling of lies is
> compulsory, he should give up his profession and pursue the
> profession of a brahmana. That is not recommended. Whether
> one is a ksatriya, a vaisya, or a sudra doesn't matter, if
> he serves, by his work, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
> Even brahmanas, who perform different types of sacrifice,
> sometimes must kill animals because sometimes animals are
> sacrificed in such ceremonies. Similarly, if a ksatriya
> engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no
> sin incurred. In the Third Chapter these matters have been
> clearly and elaborately explained; every man should work
> for the purpose of Yajna, or for Visnu, the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense
> gratification is a cause of bondage. The conclusion is that
> everyone should be engaged according to the particular mode
> of nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work
> only to serve the supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.
552
553 Bg 18.48
554
555 TEXT 48
556
557 TRANSLATION
558
559 Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as
> fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up
> the work born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even
> if such work is full of fault.
560
561 PURPORT
562
563 In conditioned life, all work is contaminated by the
> material modes of nature. Even if one is a brahmana, he has
> to perform sacrifices in which animal killing is necessary.
> Similarly, a ksatriya, however pious he may be, has to
> fight enemies. He cannot avoid it. Similarly, a merchant,
> however pious he may be, must sometimes hide his profit to
> stay in business, or he may sometimes have to do business
> on the black market. These things are necessary; one cannot
> avoid them. Similarly, even though a man is a sudra serving
> a bad master, he has to carry out the order of the master,
> even though it should not be done. Despite these flaws, one
> should continue to carry out his prescribed duties, for
> they are born out of his own nature.
564
565 A very nice example is given herein. Although fire is pure,
> still there is smoke. Yet smoke does not make the fire
> impure. Even though there is smoke in the fire, fire is
> still considered to be the purest of all elements. If one
> prefers to give up the work of a ksatriya and take up the
> occupation of a brahmana, he is not assured that in the
> occupation of a brahmana there are no unpleasant duties.
> One may then conclude that in the material world no one can
> be completely free from the contamination of material
> nature. This example of fire and smoke is very appropriate
> in this connection. When in wintertime one takes a stone
> from the fire, sometimes smoke disturbs the eyes and other
> parts of the body, but still one must make use of the fire
> despite disturbing conditions. Similarly, one should not
> give up his natural occupation because there are some
> disturbing elements. Rather, one should be determined to
> serve the Supreme Lord by his occupational duty in Krsna
> consciousness. That is the perfectional point. When a
> particular type of occupation is performed for the
> satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, all the defects in that
> particular occupation are purified. When the results of
> work are purified, when connected with devotional service,
> one becomes perfect in seeing the self within, and that is
> self-realization.
566
567 Bg 18.49
568
569 TEXT 49
570
571 TRANSLATION
572
573 One who is self-
> controlled and unattached and who disregards
> all material enjoyments can obtain, by
> practice of renunciation, the highest perfect
> stage of freedom from reaction.
574
575 PURPORT
576
577 Real renunciation means that one should always think
> himself part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and
> therefore think that he has no right to enjoy the results
> of his work. Since he is part and parcel of the Supreme
> Lord, the results of his work must be enjoyed by the
> Supreme Lord. This is actually Krsna consciousness. The
> person acting in Krsna consciousness is really a sannyasi,
> one in the renounced order of life. By such a mentality,
> one is satisfied because he is actually acting for the
> Supreme. Thus he is not attached to anything material; he
> becomes accustomed to not taking pleasure in anything
> beyond the transcendental happiness derived from the
> service of the Lord. A sannyasi is supposed to be free from
> the reactions of his past activities, but a person who is
> in Krsna consciousness automatically attains this
> perfection without even accepting the so-called order of
> renunciation. This state of mind is called yogarudha, or
> the perfectional stage of yoga. As confirmed in the Third
> Chapter, yas tv atma-ratir eva syat: one who is satisfied
> in himself has no fear of any kind of reaction from his
> activity.
578
579 Bg 18.50
580
581 TEXT 50
582
583 TRANSLATION
584
585 O son of Kunti, learn from Me how one who has
> achieved this perfection can attain to the supreme
> perfectional stage, Brahman, the stage of highest knowledge,
> by acting in the way I shall now summarize.
586
587 PURPORT
588
589 The Lord describes for Arjuna how one can achieve the
> highest perfectional stage simply by being engaged in his
> occupational duty, performing that duty for the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. One attains the supreme stage of
> Brahman simply by renouncing the result of his work for the
> satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. That is the process of
> self-realization. The actual perfection of knowledge is
> in attaining pure Krsna consciousness; that is described in
> the following verses.
590
591 Bg 18.51-53
592
593 TEXTS 51–53
594
595 TRANSLATION
596
597 Being purified by his intelligence and controlling the mind
> with determination, giving up the objects of sense
> gratification, being freed from attachment and hatred, one
> who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who
> controls his body, mind and power of speech, who is always
> in trance and who is detached, free from false ego,
> false strength, false pride, lust, anger, and acceptance
> of material things, free from false
> proprietorship, and peaceful-such a person is certainly
> elevated to the position of self-realization.
598
599 PURPORT
600
601 When one is purified by intelligence, he keeps himself in
> the mode of goodness. Thus one becomes the controller of
> the mind and is always in trance. He is not
> attached to the objects of sense gratification, and he is
> free from attachment and hatred in his activities. Such a
> detached person naturally prefers to live in a secluded
> place, he does not eat more than what he requires, and he
> controls the activities of his body and mind. He has no
> false ego because he does not accept the body as himself.
> Nor has he a desire to make the body fat and strong by
> accepting so many material things. Because he has no bodily
> concept of life, he is not falsely proud. He is satisfied
> with everything that is offered to him by the grace of the
> Lord, and he is never angry in the absence of sense
> gratification. Nor does he endeavor to acquire sense
> objects. Thus when he is completely free from false ego, he
> becomes nonattached to all material things, and that is the
> stage of self-realization of Brahman. That stage is called
> the brahma-bhuta stage. When one is free from the material
> conception of life, he becomes peaceful and cannot be
> agitated. This is described in Bhagavad-gita (2.70):
602
603 apuryamanam acala-pratistham samudram apah pravisanti
> yadvat tadvat kama yam pravisanti sarve sa santim apnoti na
> kama-kami
604
605 "A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of
> desires-that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is
> ever being filled but is always still-can alone achieve
> peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires."
606
607 Bg 18.54
608
609 TEXT 54
610
611 TRANSLATION
612
613 One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes
> the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never
> laments or desires to have anything. He is equally
> disposed toward every living entity. In that state he
> attains pure devotional service unto Me.
614
615 PURPORT
616
617 To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhuta stage,
> becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for
> the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still
> further, to become engaged in pure devotional service. This
> means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to
> the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation,
> called brahma-bhuta, oneness with the Absolute. Without
> being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render
> service unto Him. In the absolute conception, there is no
> difference between the served and the servitor; yet the
> distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense.
618
619 In the material concept of life, when one works for sense
> gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world,
> when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no
> misery. The devotee in Krsna consciousness has nothing for
> which to lament or desire. Since God is full, a living
> entity who is engaged in God's service, in Krsna
> consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just
> like a river cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure
> devotee has no thought other than Krsna, he is naturally
> always joyful. He does not lament for any material loss or
> aspire for gain, because he is full in the service of the
> Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment, because he
> knows that every living entity is a fragmental part and
> parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a
> servant. He does not see, in the material world, someone as
> higher and someone as lower; higher and lower positions are
> ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do with ephemeral
> appearances or disappearances. For him stone and gold are
> of equal value. This is the brahma-bhuta stage, and this
> stage is attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that
> stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the
> Supreme Brahman and annihilating one's individuality
> becomes hellish, the idea of attaining the heavenly
> kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like
> serpents' teeth that are broken. As there is no fear
> of a serpent with broken teeth, there is no fear from
> the senses when they are automatically controlled. The
> world is miserable for the materially infected person, but
> for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuntha, or
> the spiritual sky. The highest personality in this material
> universe is no more significant than an ant for a devotee.
> Such a stage can be achieved by the mercy of Lord Caitanya,
> who preached pure devotional service in this age.
620
621 Bg 18.55
622
623 TEXT 55
624
625 TRANSLATION
626
627 One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is
> in full consciousness of Me by such devotion,
> he can enter into the kingdom of God.
628
629 PURPORT
630
631 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and His plenary
> portions cannot be understood by mental speculation nor by
> the nondevotees. If anyone wants to understand the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional
> service under the guidance of a pure devotee. Otherwise,
> the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will always
> be hidden. As already stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.25),
> naham prakasah sarvasya: He is not revealed to everyone.
> No one can understand God simply by erudite
> scholarship or mental speculation. Only one who is actually
> engaged in Krsna consciousness and devotional service can
> understand what Krsna is. University degrees are not
> helpful.
632
633 One who is fully conversant with the Krsna science becomes
> eligible to enter into the spiritual kingdom, the abode of
> Krsna. Becoming Brahman does not mean that one loses his
> identity. Devotional service is there, and as long as
> devotional service exists, there must be God, the devotee,
> and the process of devotional service. Such knowledge is
> never vanquished, even after liberation. Liberation
> involves getting free from the concept of material life; in
> spiritual life the same distinction is there, the same
> individuality is there, but in pure Krsna consciousness.
> One should not mistakenly think that the word visate, "
> enters into Me," supports the monist theory that one
> becomes homogeneous with the impersonal Brahman. No. Visate
> means that one can enter into the abode of the Supreme Lord
> in one's individuality to engage in His association and
> render service unto Him. For instance, a green bird enters
> a green tree not to become one with the tree but to enjoy
> the fruits of the tree. impersonalists generally give the
> example of a river flowing into the ocean and merging. This
> may be a source of happiness for the impersonalist, but the
> personalist keeps his personal individuality like an
> aquatic in the ocean. We find so many living entities
> within the ocean, if we go deep. Surface acquaintance with
> the ocean is not sufficient; one must have complete
> knowledge of the aquatics living in the ocean depths.
634
635 Because of his pure devotional service, a devotee can
> understand the transcendental qualities and the opulences
> of the Supreme Lord in truth. As it is stated in the
> Eleventh Chapter, only by devotional service can one
> understand. The same is confirmed here; one can understand
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service
> and enter into His kingdom.
636
637 After attainment of the brahma-bhuta stage of freedom from
> material conceptions, devotional service begins by one's
> hearing about the Lord. When one hears about the Supreme
> Lord, automatically the brahma-bhuta stage develops, and
> material contamination-greediness and lust for sense
> enjoyment-disappears. As lust and desires disappear from
> the heart of a devotee, he becomes more attached to the
> service of the Lord, and by such attachment he becomes free
> from material contamination. In that state of life he can
> understand the Supreme Lord. This is the statement of
> Srimad-Bhagavatam also. After liberation the process
> of bhakti, or transcendental service, continues. The
> Vedanta-sutra (4.1.12) confirms this: a-prayanat
> tatrapi hi drstam. This means that after liberation the
> process of devotional service continues. In the Srimad-
> Bhagavatam, real devotional liberation is defined as the
> reinstatement of the living entity in his own identity, his
> own constitutional position. The constitutional position is
> already explained: every living entity is a part-and-
> parcel fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord. Therefore
> his constitutional position is to serve. After liberation,
> this service is never stopped. Actual liberation is getting
> free from misconceptions of life.
638
639 Bg 18.56
640
641 TEXT 56
642
643 TRANSLATION
644
645 Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My pure devotee,
> under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable
> abode by My grace.
646
647 PURPORT
648
649 The word mad-vyapasrayah means under the protection of the
> Supreme Lord. To be free from material contamination, a
> pure devotee acts under the direction of the Supreme Lord
> or His representative, the spiritual master. There is no
> time limitation for a pure devotee. He is always, twenty-
> four hours a day, one hundred percent engaged in activities
> under the direction of the Supreme Lord. To a devotee who
> is thus engaged in Krsna consciousness the Lord is very,
> very kind. In spite of all difficulties, he is eventually
> placed in the transcendental abode, or Krsnaloka. He is
> guaranteed entrance there; there is no doubt about it. In
> that supreme abode, there is no change; everything is
> eternal, imperishable and full of knowledge.
650
651 Bg 18.57
652
653 TEXT 57
654
655 TRANSLATION
656
657 In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under
> My protection. In such devotional service, be fully
> conscious of Me.
658
659 PURPORT
660
661 When one acts in Krsna consciousness, he does not act as
> the master of the world. Just like a servant, one should
> act fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. A
> servant has no individual independence. He acts only on the
> order of the master. A servant acting on behalf of the
> supreme master is unaffected by profit and loss. He
> simply discharges his duty faithfully in terms of the order
> of the Lord. Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting
> under the personal direction of Krsna but when Krsna is
> not present how should one act? If one acts according to
> the direction of Krsna in this book, as well as under the
> guidance of the representative of Krsna, then the result
> will be the same. The Sanskrit word mat-parah is very
> important in this verse. It indicates that one has no goal
> in life save and except acting in Krsna consciousness just
> to satisfy Krsna. And while working in that way, one
> should think of Krsna only: "I have been appointed to
> discharge this particular duty by Krsna."
662
663 While acting in such a way, one naturally has to think of
> Krsna. This is perfect Krsna consciousness. One should,
> however, note that after doing something whimsically he
> should not offer the result to the Supreme Lord. That sort
> of duty is not in the devotional service of Krsna
> consciousness. One should act according to the order of
> Krsna. This is a very important point. That order of Krsna
> comes through disciplic succession from the bona fide
> spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual master's order
> should be taken as the prime duty of life. If one gets a
> bona fide spiritual master and acts according to his
> direction, then one's perfection of life in Krsna
> consciousness is guaranteed.
664
665 Bg 18.58
666
667 TEXT 58
668
669 TRANSLATION
670
671 If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the
> obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you
> do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego,
> not hearing Me, you will be lost.
672
673 PURPORT
674
675 A person in full Krsna consciousness is not unduly anxious
> about executing the duties of his existence. The foolish
> cannot understand this great freedom from all anxiety. For
> one who acts in Krsna consciousness, Lord Krsna becomes the
> most intimate friend. He always looks after His friend's
> comfort, and He gives Himself to His friend, who is so
> devotedly engaged working twenty-four hours a day to please
> the Lord. Therefore, no one should be carried away by the
> false ego of the bodily concept of life. One should not
> falsely think himself independent of the laws of material
> nature or free to act. He is already under strict material
> laws. But as soon as he acts in Krsna consciousness, he is
> liberated, free from the material perplexities. One should
> note very carefully that one who is not active in Krsna
> consciousness is losing himself in the material whirlpool,
> in the ocean of birth and death. No conditioned soul
> actually knows what is to be done and what is not to be
> done, but a person who acts in Krsna consciousness is free
> to act because everything is prompted by Krsna from within
> and confirmed by the spiritual master.
676
677 Bg 18.59
678
679 TEXT 59
680
681 TRANSLATION
682
683 If you do not act according to My direction and do not
> fight, then you will be falsely directed. By your nature,
> you will have to be engaged in warfare.
684
685 PURPORT
686
687 Arjuna was a military man, and born of the nature of the
> ksatriya. Therefore his natural duty was to fight. But due
> to false ego he was fearing that by killing his teacher,
> grandfather and friends he would incur sinful reactions.
> Actually he was considering himself master of his actions,
> as if he were directing the good and bad results of such
> work. He forgot that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was
> present there, instructing him to fight. That is the
> forgetfulness of the conditioned soul. The Supreme
> Personality gives directions as to what is good and what is
> bad, and one simply has to act in Krsna consciousness to
> attain the perfection of life. No one can ascertain his
> destiny as the Supreme Lord can; therefore the best course
> is to take direction from the Supreme Lord and act. No one
> should neglect the order of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead or the order of the spiritual master, who is the
> representative of God. One should act unhesitatingly to
> execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead-
> that will keep one safe under all circumstances.
688
689 Bg 18.60
690
691 TEXT 60
692
693 TRANSLATION
694
695 Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My
> direction. But, compelled by the work born of your own
> nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kunti.
696
697 PURPORT
698
699 If one refuses to act under the direction of the Supreme
> Lord, then he is compelled to act by the modes in which he
> is situated. Everyone is under the spell of a particular
> combination of the modes of nature and is acting in that
> way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the
> direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.
700
701 Bg 18.61
702
703 TEXT 61
704
705 TRANSLATION
706
707 The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna,
> and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who
> are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.
708
709 PURPORT
710
711 Arjuna was not the supreme knower, and his decision to
> fight or not to fight was confined to his limited
> discretion. Lord Krsna instructed that the individual is
> not all in all. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, or He
> Himself, Krsna, as the localized Supersoul, sits in the
> heart directing the living being. After changing bodies,
> the living entity forgets his past deeds, but the Supersoul,
> as the knower of the past, present and future, remains the
> witness of all his activities. Therefore all the activities
> of living entities are directed by this Supersoul. The
> living entity gets what he deserves and is carried by the
> material body, which is created in the material energy
> under the direction of the Supersoul. As soon as a living
> entity is placed in a particular type of body, he has to
> work under the spell of that bodily situation. A person
> seated in a high-speed motorcar goes faster than one
> seated in a slower car, though the living entities, the
> drivers, may be the same. Similarly, by the order of the
> Supreme Soul, material nature fashions a particular type of
> body to a particular type of living entity so that he may
> work according to his past desires. The living entity is
> not independent. One should not think himself independent
> of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The individual is
> always under the Lord's control. Therefore one's duty is to
> surrender, and that is the injunction of the next verse.
712
713 Bg 18.62
714
715 TEXT 62
716
717 TRANSLATION
718
719 O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His
> grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme
> and eternal abode.
720
721 PURPORT
722
723 A living entity should therefore surrender unto the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone's heart,
> and that will relieve him from all kinds of miseries of
> this material existence. By such surrender, not
> only will one be released from all miseries in this life,
> but at the end he will reach the Supreme God. The
> transcendental world is described in the Vedic literature (
> Rg Veda 1.22.20) as tad visnoh paramam padam. Since all of
> creation is the kingdom of God, everything material is
> actually spiritual, but paramam padam specifically refers
> to the eternal abode, which is called the spiritual sky or
> Vaikuntha.
724
725 In the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita it is stated,
> sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: the Lord is
> seated in everyone's heart. So this recommendation that one
> should surrender unto the Supersoul sitting within means
> that one should surrender unto the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, Krsna. Krsna has already been accepted by Arjuna
> as the Supreme. He was accepted in the Tenth Chapter as
> param brahma param dhama. Arjuna has accepted Krsna as the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead and the supreme abode of all
> living entities, not only because of his personal
> experience but also because of the evidence of great
> authorities like Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa.
726
727 Bg 18.63
728
729 TEXT 63
730
731 TRANSLATION
732
733 Thus I have explained to you knowledge
> still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then
> do what you wish to do.
734
735 PURPORT
736
737 The Lord has already explained to Arjuna the knowledge of
> brahma-bhuta. One who is in the brahma-bhuta condition
> is joyful; he never laments, nor does he desire anything.
> That is due to confidential knowledge. Krsna also discloses
> knowledge of the Supersoul. This is also Brahman knowledge,
> knowledge of Brahman, but it is superior.
738
739 Here the words yathecchasi tatha kuru-"As you like, you
> may act"-indicate that God does not interfere with the
> little independence of the living entity. In Bhagavad-gita,
> the Lord has explained in all respects how one can elevate
> his living condition. The best advice imparted to Arjuna is
> to surrender unto the Supersoul seated within his heart. By
> right discrimination, one should agree to act according to
> the order of the Supersoul. That will help one become
> situated constantly in Krsna consciousness, the highest
> perfectional stage of human life. Arjuna is being directly
> ordered by the Personality of Godhead to fight. Surrender
> to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best
> interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest
> of the Supreme. Before surrendering, one is free to
> deliberate on this subject as far as the intelligence goes;
> that is the best way to accept the instruction of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such instruction comes also
> through the spiritual master, the bona fide representative
> of Krsna.
740
741 Bg 18.64
742
743 TEXT 64
744
745 TRANSLATION
746
747 Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you
> My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of
> all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.
748
749 PURPORT
750
751 The Lord has given Arjuna knowledge that is confidential (
> knowledge of Brahman) and still more confidential (
> knowledge of the Supersoul within everyone's heart), and
> now He is giving the most confidential part of
> knowledge: just surrender unto the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead. At the end of the Ninth Chapter He has said, man-
> manah: "Just always think of Me." The same instruction is
> repeated here to stress the essence of the teachings of
> Bhagavad-gita. This essence is not understood by a common
> man, but by one who is actually very dear to Krsna, a pure
> devotee of Krsna. This is the most important instruction in
> all Vedic literature. What Krsna is saying in this
> connection is the most essential part of knowledge, and it
> should be carried out not only by Arjuna but by all living
> entities.
752
753 Bg 18.65
754
755 TEXT 65
756
757 TRANSLATION
758
759 Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and
> offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without
> fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear
> friend.
760
761 PURPORT
762
763 The most confidential part of knowledge is that one should
> become a pure devotee of Krsna and always think of Him and
> act for Him. One should not become an official meditator.
> Life should be so molded that one will always have the
> chance to think of Krsna. One should always act in such a
> way that all his daily activities are in connection with
> Krsna. He should arrange his life in such a way that
> throughout the twenty-four hours he cannot but think of
> Krsna. And the Lord's promise is that anyone who is in such
> pure Krsna consciousness will certainly return to the abode
> of Krsna, where he will be engaged in the association of
> Krsna face to face. This most confidential part of
> knowledge is spoken to Arjuna because he is the dear friend
> of Krsna. Everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can
> become a dear friend to Krsna and obtain the same
> perfection as Arjuna.
764
765 These words stress that one should concentrate his mind
> upon Krsna-the very form with two hands carrying a flute,
> the bluish boy with a beautiful face and peacock feathers
> in His hair. There are descriptions of Krsna found in the
> Brahma-samhita and other literatures. One should fix his
> mind on this original form of Godhead, Krsna. One should
> not even divert his attention to other forms of the Lord.
> The Lord has multiforms as Visnu, Narayana, Rama,
> Varaha, etc., but a devotee should concentrate his mind on
> the form that was present before Arjuna. Concentration of
> the mind on the form of Krsna constitutes the most
> confidential part of knowledge, and this is disclosed to
> Arjuna because Arjuna is the most dear friend of Krsna's.
766
767 Bg 18.66
768
769 TEXT 66
770
771 TRANSLATION
772
773 Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto
> Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not
> fear.
774
775 PURPORT
776
777 The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge and
> processes of religion-knowledge of the Supreme Brahman,
> knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different
> types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of
> the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment,
> sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described
> in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in
> summarizing Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that Arjuna should
> give up all the processes that have been explained to him;
> he should simply surrender to Krsna. That surrender will
> save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord
> personally promises to protect him.
778
779 In the Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has
> become free from all sinful reactions can take to the
> worship of Lord Krsna. Thus one may think that unless he is
> free from all sinful reactions he cannot take to the
> surrendering process. To such doubts it is here said that
> even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply
> by the process of surrendering to Sri Krsna he is
> automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort
> to free oneself from sinful reactions. One should
> unhesitatingly accept Krsna as the supreme savior of all
> living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender
> unto Him.
780
781 The process of surrender to Krsna is described in
> the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (11.676): anukulyasya sankalpah
> pratikulyasya varjanam raksisyatiti visvaso goptrtve
> varanam tatha atma-niksepa-karpanye sad-vidha saranagatih
782
783 According to the devotional process, one should simply
> accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately
> to the devotional service of the Lord. One may perform a
> particular occupational duty according to his position in
> the social order, but if by executing his duty one does not
> come to the point of Krsna consciousness, all his
> activities are in vain.
784
785 Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of
> Krsna consciousness should be avoided. One should be
> confident that in all circumstances Krsna will protect him
> from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one
> should keep the body and soul together. Krsna will see to
> that. One should always think himself helpless and should
> consider Krsna the only basis for his progress in life. As
> soon as one seriously engages himself in devotional service
> to the Lord in full Krsna consciousness, at once he becomes
> freed from all contamination of material nature. There are
> different processes of religion and purificatory processes
> by cultivation of knowledge, meditation in the mystic yoga
> system, etc., but one who surrenders unto Krsna does not
> have to execute so many methods. That simple surrender unto
> Krsna will save him from unnecessarily wasting time. One
> can thus make all progress at once and be freed from all
> sinful reactions.
786
787 One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Krsna.
> His name is Krsna because He is all-attractive. One who
> becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful,
> omnipotent vision of Krsna is fortunate. There are
> different kinds of transcendentalists-some of them are
> attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are
> attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is
> attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is
> attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Krsna
> Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other
> words, devotional service to Krsna, in full consciousness,
> is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the
> essence of the whole Bhagavad-gita. Karma-yogis, empiric
> philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called
> transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the
> best of all. The particular words used here, ma sucah, "Don'
> t fear, don't hesitate, don't worry," are very significant.
> One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of
> religious forms and simply surrender unto Krsna, but such
> worry is useless.
788
789 Bg 18.67
790
791 TEXT 67
792
793 TRANSLATION
794
795 This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those
> who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional
> service, nor to one who is envious of Me.
796
797 PURPORT
798
799 Persons who have not undergone the austerities of the
> religious process, who have never attempted devotional
> service in Krsna consciousness, who have not tended a pure
> devotee, and especially those who are conscious of Krsna
> only as a historical personality or who are envious of the
> greatness of Krsna should not be told this most
> confidential part of knowledge. It is, however, sometimes
> found that even demoniac persons who are envious of Krsna,
> worshiping Krsna in a different way, take to the profession
> of explaining Bhagavad-gita in a different way to make
> business, but anyone who desires actually to understand
> Krsna must avoid such commentaries on Bhagavad-gita.
> Actually the purpose of Bhagavad-gita is not understandable
> to those who are sensuous. Even if one is not sensuous
> but is strictly following the disciplines enjoined in the
> Vedic scripture, if he is not a devotee he also cannot
> understand Krsna. And even when one poses himself as a
> devotee of Krsna but is not engaged in Krsna conscious
> activities, he also cannot understand Krsna. There are many
> persons who envy Krsna because He has explained in Bhagavad-
> gita that He is the Supreme and that nothing is above Him
> or equal to Him. There are many persons who are envious of
> Krsna. Such persons should not be told of Bhagavad-gita,
> for they cannot understand. There is no possibility of
> faithless persons' understanding Bhagavad-gita and Krsna.
> Without understanding Krsna from the authority of a pure
> devotee, one should not try to comment upon Bhagavad-gita.
800
801 Bg 18.68
802
803 TEXT 68
804
805 TRANSLATION
806
807 For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees,
> pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he
> will come back to Me.
808
809 PURPORT
810
811 Generally it is advised that Bhagavad-gita be discussed
> amongst the devotees only, for those who are not devotees
> will understand neither Krsna nor Bhagavad-gita.
> Those who do not accept Krsna as He is and Bhagavad-gita as
> it is should not try to explain Bhagavad-gita whimsically
> and become offenders. Bhagavad-gita should be explained to
> persons who are ready to accept Krsna as the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. It is a subject matter for the
> devotees only and not for philosophical speculators. Anyone,
> however, who tries sincerely to present Bhagavad-gita as
> it is will advance in devotional activities and reach the
> pure devotional state of life. As a result of such pure
> devotion, he is sure to go back home, back to Godhead.
812
813 Bg 18.69
814
815 TEXT 69
816
817 TRANSLATION
818
819 There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he,
> nor will there ever be one more dear.
820
821 Bg 18.70
822
823 TEXT 70
824
825 TRANSLATION
826
827 And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation
> of ours worships Me by his intelligence.
828
829 Bg 18.71
830
831 TEXT 71
832
833 TRANSLATION
834
835 And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes
> free from sinful reactions and attains to the auspicious
> planets where the pious dwell.
836
837 PURPORT
838
839 In the sixty-seventh verse of this chapter, the Lord
> explicitly forbade the Gita's being spoken to those who are
> envious of the Lord. In other words, Bhagavad-gita is for
> the devotees only. But it so happens that sometimes a
> devotee of the Lord will hold open class, and in that class
> not all the students are expected to be devotees. Why
> do such persons hold open class? It is explained here that
> although not everyone is a devotee, still there are
> many men who are not envious of Krsna. They have faith in
> Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If such persons
> hear from a bona fide devotee about the Lord, the result is
> that they become at once free from all sinful reactions and
> after that attain to the planetary system where all
> righteous persons are situated. Therefore simply by hearing
> Bhagavad-gita, even a person who does not try to be a pure
> devotee attains the result of righteous activities. Thus a
> pure devotee of the Lord gives everyone a chance to become
> free from all sinful reactions and to become a devotee of
> the Lord.
840
841 Generally those who are free from sinful reactions, those
> who are righteous, very easily take to Krsna
> consciousness. The word punya-karmanam is very significant
> here. This refers to the performance of great sacrifices,
> like the asvamedha-yajna, mentioned in the Vedic literature.
> Those who are righteous in performing devotional service
> but who are not pure can attain the planetary system of the
> polestar, or Dhruvaloka, where Dhruva Maharaja is presiding.
> He is a great devotee of the Lord, and he has a special
> planet, which is called the polestar.
842
843 Bg 18.72
844
845 TEXT 72
846
847 TRANSLATION
848
849 O son of Prtha, O conqueror of wealth, have you
> heard this with an attentive mind? And are
> your ignorance and illusions now dispelled?
850
851 PURPORT
852
853 The Lord was acting as the spiritual master of Arjuna.
> Therefore it was His duty to inquire from Arjuna whether he
> understood the whole Bhagavad-gita in its proper
> perspective. If not, the Lord was ready to re-explain any
> point, or the whole Bhagavad-gita if so required. Actually,
> anyone who hears Bhagavad-gita from a bona fide spiritual
> master like Krsna or His representative will find that all
> his ignorance is dispelled. Bhagavad-gita is not an
> ordinary book written by a poet or fiction writer; it is
> spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any person
> fortunate enough to hear these teachings from
> Krsna or from His bona fide spiritual representative is
> sure to become a liberated person and get out of the
> darkness of ignorance.
854
855 Bg 18.73
856
857 TEXT 73
858
859 TRANSLATION
860
861 Arjuna said: My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion
> is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I
> am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act
> according to Your instructions.
862
863 PURPORT
864
865 The constitutional position of a living entity, represented
> by Arjuna, is that he has to act according to the order of
> the Supreme Lord. He is meant for self-discipline. Sri
> Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that the actual position of the
> living entity is that of eternal servant of the Supreme
> Lord. Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes
> conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme
> Lord he becomes the liberated servant of God. The living
> entity's constitutional position is to be a servitor; he
> has to serve either the illusory maya or the Supreme
> Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord he is in his normal
> condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory,
> external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In
> illusion the living entity is serving in this material
> world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks
> of himself as the master of the world. This is called
> illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over,
> and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act
> according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare
> of maya to trap the living entity, is the proposition that
> he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a
> conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he
> does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in
> doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare
> of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory
> energy is to understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, and agree to act according to His order.
866
867 The word moha is very important in this verse. Moha
> refers to that which is opposed to knowledge. Actually real
> knowledge is the understanding that every living being is
> eternally a servitor of the Lord, but instead of thinking
> oneself in that position, the living entity thinks that he
> is not a servant, that he is the master of this material
> world, for he wants to lord it over the material nature.
> That is his illusion. This illusion can be overcome by the
> mercy of the Lord or by the mercy of a pure devotee. When
> that illusion is over, one agrees to act in Krsna
> consciousness.
868
869 Krsna consciousness is acting according to Krsna's order. A
> conditioned soul, illusioned by the external energy of
> matter, does not know that the Supreme Lord is the master
> who is full of knowledge and who is the proprietor of
> everything. Whatever He desires He can bestow upon His
> devotees; He is the friend of everyone, and He is
> especially inclined to His devotee. He is the controller of
> this material nature and of all living entities. He is also
> the controller of inexhaustible time, and He is full of all
> opulences and all potencies. The Supreme Personality of
> Godhead can even give Himself to the devotee. One who does
> not know Him is under the spell of illusion; he does not
> become a devotee, but a servitor of maya. Arjuna, however,
> after hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, became free from all illusion. He could understand
> that Krsna was not only his friend but the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. And he understood Krsna factually.
> So to study Bhagavad-gita is to understand Krsna factually.
> When a person is in full knowledge, he naturally surrenders
> to Krsna. When Arjuna understood that it was Krsna's plan
> to reduce the unnecessary increase of population, he agreed
> to fight according to Krsna's desire. He again took up his
> weapons-his arrows and bow-to fight under the order of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead.
870
871 Bg 18.74
872
873 TEXT 74
874
875 TRANSLATION
876
877 Sanjaya said: Thus have I heard the conversation of two
> great souls, Krsna and Arjuna. And so wonderful is that
> message that my hair is standing on end.
878
879 PURPORT
880
881 In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Dhrtarastra inquired
> from his secretary Sanjaya, "What happened on the
> Battlefield of Kuruksetra?" The entire study was related to
> the heart of Sanjaya by the grace of his spiritual master,
> Vyasa. He thus explained the theme of the battlefield. The
> conversation was wonderful because such an important
> conversation between two great souls had never taken place
> before and would not take place again. It was wonderful
> because the Supreme Personality of Godhead was speaking
> about Himself and His energies to the living entity, Arjuna,
> a great devotee of the Lord. If we follow in the footsteps
> of Arjuna to understand Krsna, then our life will be happy
> and successful. Sanjaya realized this, and as he began to
> understand it, he related the conversation to Dhrtarastra.
> Now it is concluded that wherever there is Krsna and Arjuna,
> there is victory.
882
883 Bg 18.75
884
885 TEXT 75
886
887 TRANSLATION
888
889 By the mercy of Vyasa, I have heard these most confidential
> talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Krsna, who
> was speaking personally to Arjuna.
890
891 PURPORT
892
893 Vyasa was the spiritual master of Sanjaya, and Sanjaya
> admits that it was by Vyasa's mercy that he could
> understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means
> that one has to understand Krsna not directly but through
> the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is
> the transparent medium, although it is true that the
> experience is still direct. This is the mystery of the
> disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona
> fide, then one can hear Bhagavad-gita directly, as Arjuna
> heard it. There are many mystics and yogis all over the
> world, but Krsna is the master of all yoga systems. Krsna's
> instruction is explicitly stated in Bhagavad-gita-surrender
> unto Krsna. One who does so is the topmost yogi. This is
> confirmed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Yoginam
> api sarvesam.
894
895 Narada is the direct disciple of Krsna and the spiritual
> master of Vyasa. Therefore Vyasa is as bona fide as Arjuna
> because he comes in the disciplic succession, and Sanjaya
> is the direct disciple of Vyasa. Therefore by the grace of
> Vyasa, Sanjaya's senses were purified, and he could see and
> hear Krsna directly. One who directly hears Krsna can
> understand this confidential knowledge. If one does not
> come to the disciplic succession, he cannot hear Krsna;
> therefore his knowledge is always imperfect, at least as
> far as understanding Bhagavad-gita is concerned.
896
897 In Bhagavad-gita, all the yoga systems-karma-yoga, jnana-
> yoga and bhakti-yoga-are explained. Krsna is the master of
> all such mysticism. It is to be understood, however, that
> as Arjuna was fortunate enough to understand Krsna directly,
> so, by the grace of Vyasa, Sanjaya was also able to
> hear Krsna directly. Actually there is no difference
> between hearing directly from Krsna and hearing directly
> from Krsna via a bona fide spiritual master like Vyasa. The
> spiritual master is the representative of Vyasadeva also.
> Therefore, according to the Vedic system, on the birthday
> of the spiritual master the disciples conduct the ceremony
> called Vyasa-puja.
898
899 Bg 18.76
900
901 TEXT 76
902
903 TRANSLATION
904
905 O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy
> dialogue between Krsna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being
> thrilled at every moment.
906
907 PURPORT
908
909 The understanding of Bhagavad-gita is so transcendental
> that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of
> Arjuna and Krsna becomes righteous and he cannot forget
> such talks. This is the transcendental position of
> spiritual life. In other words, one who hears the Gita from
> the right source, directly from Krsna, attains full Krsna
> consciousness. The result of Krsna consciousness is that
> one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life
> with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.
910
911 Bg 18.77
912
913 TEXT 77
914
915 TRANSLATION
916
917 O King, as I remember the wonderful form of Lord Krsna, I
> am struck with wonder more and more, and I rejoice
> again and again.
918
919 PURPORT
920
921 It appears that Sanjaya also, by the grace of Vyasa, could
> see the universal form Krsna exhibited to Arjuna. It is,
> of course, said that Lord Krsna had never exhibited such a
> form before. It was exhibited to Arjuna only, yet some
> great devotees could also see the universal form of Krsna
> when it was shown to Arjuna, and Vyasa was one of them. He
> is one of the great devotees of the Lord, and he is
> considered to be a powerful incarnation of Krsna. Vyasa
> disclosed this to his disciple Sanjaya, who remembered
> that wonderful form of Krsna exhibited to Arjuna and
> enjoyed it repeatedly.
922
923 Bg 18.78
924
925 TRANSLATION
926
927 Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and
> wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will
> also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power,
> and morality. That is my opinion.
928
929 PURPORT
930
931 The Bhagavad-gita began with an inquiry of Dhrtarastra's.
> He was hopeful of the victory of his sons, assisted by
> great warriors like Bhisma, Drona and Karna. He was hopeful
> that the victory would be on his side. But after
> describing the scene on the battlefield, Sanjaya told the
> King, "You are thinking of victory, but my opinion is that
> where Krsna and Arjuna are present, there will be all good
> fortune." He directly confirmed that Dhrtarastra could not
> expect victory for his side. Victory was certain for the
> side of Arjuna because Krsna was there. Krsna's acceptance
> of the post of charioteer for Arjuna was an exhibition of
> another opulence. Krsna is full of all opulences, and
> renunciation is one of them. There are many instances of
> such renunciation, for Krsna is also the master of
> renunciation.
932
933 The fight was actually between Duryodhana and Yudhisthira.
> Arjuna was fighting on behalf of his elder brother,
> Yudhisthira. Because Krsna and Arjuna were on the side of
> Yudhisthira, Yudhisthira's victory was certain. The battle
> was to decide who would rule the world, and Sanjaya
> predicted that the power would be transferred to
> Yudhisthira. It is also predicted here that Yudhisthira,
> after gaining victory in this battle, would flourish more
> and more because not only was he righteous and
> pious but he was also a strict moralist. He never spoke a
> lie during his life.
934
935 There are many less intelligent persons who take Bhagavad-
> gita to be a discussion of topics between two friends on a
> battlefield. But such a book cannot be scripture. Some may
> protest that Krsna incited Arjuna to fight, which is
> immoral, but the reality of the situation is clearly stated:
> Bhagavad-gita is the supreme instruction in morality. The
> supreme instruction of morality is stated in the Ninth
> Chapter, in the thirty-fourth verse: man-mana bhava mad-
> bhaktah. One must become a devotee of Krsna, and the
> essence of all religion is to surrender unto Krsna
> (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam
> vraja). The instructions of Bhagavad-gita constitute the
> supreme process of religion and of morality. All other
> processes may be purifying and may lead to this process,
> but the last instruction of the Gita is the last word in
> all morality and religion: surrender unto Krsna. This is
> the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter.
936
937 From Bhagavad-gita we can understand that to realize
> oneself by philosophical speculation and by meditation is
> one process, but to fully surrender unto Krsna is the
> highest perfection. This is the essence of the teachings of
> Bhagavad-gita.
938
939 The path of regulative principles according to the orders
> of social life and according to the different courses of
> religion may be a confidential path of knowledge. But
> although the rituals of religion are confidential,
> meditation and cultivation of
> knowledge are still more confidential. And surrender
> unto Krsna in devotional service in full Krsna
> consciousness is the most confidential instruction. That is
> the essence of the Eighteenth Chapter.
940
941 Another feature of Bhagavad-gita is that the actual truth
> is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The Absolute
> Truth is realized in three features-impersonal Brahman,
> localized Paramatma, and ultimately the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead, Krsna. Perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth
> means perfect knowledge of Krsna. If one understands Krsna,
> then all the departments of knowledge are part and parcel
> of that understanding. Krsna is transcendental, for He is
> always situated in His eternal internal potency. The living
> entities are manifested of His energy and are divided into
> two classes, eternally conditioned and eternally liberated.
> Such living entities are innumerable, and they are
> considered fundamental parts of Krsna. Material energy is
> manifested into twenty-four divisions. The creation is
> effected by eternal time, and it is created and dissolved
> by external energy. This manifestation of the cosmic world
> repeatedly becomes visible and invisible.
942
943 In Bhagavad-gita five principal subject matters have been
> discussed: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, material
> nature, the living entities, eternal time and all kinds of
> activities. All is dependent on the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, Krsna. All conceptions of the
> Absolute Truth-impersonal Brahman, localized
> Paramatma and any other transcendental conception-exist
> within the category of understanding the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. Although superficially the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, the living entity, material nature
> and time appear to be different, nothing is different from
> the Supreme. But the Supreme is always different from
> everything. Lord Caitanya's philosophy is that of "
> inconceivable oneness and difference." This system of
> philosophy constitutes perfect knowledge of the Absolute
> Truth.
944
945 The living entity in his original position is pure spirit.
> He is just like an atomic particle of the Supreme Spirit.
> Thus Lord Krsna may be compared to the sun,
> and the living entities to sunshine. Because the living
> entities are the marginal energy of Krsna, they have a
> tendency to be in contact either with the material energy
> or with the spiritual energy. In other words, the living
> entity is situated between the two energies of the Lord,
> and because he belongs to the superior energy of the Lord,
> he has a particle of independence. By proper use of that
> independence he comes under the direct order of Krsna. Thus
> he attains his normal condition in the pleasure-giving
> potency.
946
947 Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighteenth
> Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of its
> Conclusion-the Perfection of Renunciation.
948
949