1 Bg 9: The Most Confidential Knowledge
2
3 Chapter 9
4
5 The Most Confidential Knowledge
6
7 Bg 9.1
8
9 TEXT 1
10
11 TRANSLATION
12
13 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna,
> because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you
> this most confidential knowledge and realization, knowing
> which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material
> existence.
14
15 PURPORT
16
17 As a devotee hears more and more about the Supreme Lord, he
> becomes enlightened. This hearing process is recommended in
> the Srimad-Bhagavatam: "The messages of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead are full of potencies, and these
> potencies can be realized if topics regarding the Supreme
> Godhead are discussed amongst devotees. This cannot be
> achieved by the association of mental speculators or
> academic scholars, for it is realized knowledge."
18
19 The devotees are constantly engaged in the Supreme Lord's
> service. The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity
> of a particular living entity who is engaged in Krsna
> consciousness and gives him the intelligence to understand
> the science of Krsna in the association of devotees.
> Discussion of Krsna is very potent, and if a fortunate
> person has such association and tries to assimilate the
> knowledge, then he will surely make advancement toward
> spiritual realization. Lord Krsna, in order to encourage
> Arjuna to higher and higher elevation in His potent service,
> describes in this Ninth Chapter matters more confidential
> than any He has already disclosed.
20
21 The very beginning of Bhagavad-gita, the First Chapter, is
> more or less an introduction to the rest of the book; and
> in the Second and Third chapters, the spiritual knowledge
> described is called confidential. Topics discussed in the
> Seventh and Eighth chapters are specifically related to
> devotional service, and because they bring enlightenment in
> Krsna consciousness, they are called more confidential. But
> the matters which are described in the Ninth Chapter deal
> with unalloyed, pure devotion. Therefore this is called the
> most confidential. One who is situated in the most
> confidential knowledge of Krsna is naturally transcendental;
> he therefore has no material pangs, although he is in the
> material world. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is said
> that although one who has a sincere desire to render loving
> service to the Supreme Lord is situated in the conditional
> state of material existence, he is to be considered
> liberated. Similarly, we shall find in the Bhagavad-gita,
> Tenth Chapter, that anyone who is engaged in that way is a
> liberated person.
22
23 Now this first verse has specific significance. The
> words idam jnanam ("this knowledge") refer to pure
> devotional service, which consists of nine different
> activities: hearing, chanting, remembering, serving,
> worshiping, praying, obeying, maintaining friendship and
> surrendering everything. By the practice of these nine
> elements of devotional service one is elevated to spiritual
> consciousness, Krsna consciousness. When one'
> s heart is thus cleared of material contamination, one
> can understand this science of Krsna. Simply to understand
> that a living entity is not material is not sufficient.
> That may be the beginning of spiritual realization, but one
> should recognize the difference between activities of the
> body and the spiritual activities of one who
> understands that he is not the body.
24
25 In the Seventh Chapter we have already discussed the
> opulent potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His
> different energies, the inferior and superior natures, and
> all this material manifestation. Now in Chapter Nine
> the glories of the Lord will be delineated.
26
27 The Sanskrit word anasuyave in this verse is also very
> significant. Generally the commentators, even if they are
> highly scholarly, are all envious of Krsna, the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. Even the most erudite scholars
> write on Bhagavad-gita very inaccurately. Because they are
> envious of Krsna, their commentaries are useless. The
> commentaries given by devotees of the Lord are bona fide.
> No one can explain Bhagavad-gita or give perfect knowledge
> of Krsna if he is envious. One who criticizes the character
> of Krsna without knowing Him is a fool. So such
> commentaries should be very carefully avoided. For one who
> understands that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, the pure and transcendental Personality, these
> chapters will be very beneficial.
28
29 Bg 9.2
30
31 TEXT 2
32
33 TRANSLATION
34
35 This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of
> all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it
> gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is
> the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is
> joyfully performed.
36
37 PURPORT
38
39 This chapter of Bhagavad-gita is called the king of
> education because it is the essence of all doctrines and
> philosophies explained before. Among the principal
> philosophers in India are Gautama, Kanada, Kapila,
> Yajnavalkya, Sandilya and Vaisvanara. And finally there is
> Vyasadeva, the author of the Vedanta-sutra. So there is no
> dearth of knowledge in the field of philosophy or
> transcendental knowledge. Now the Lord says that this Ninth
> Chapter is the king of all such knowledge, the essence of
> all knowledge that can be derived from the study of the
> Vedas and different kinds of philosophy. It is the most
> confidential because confidential or transcendental
> knowledge involves understanding the difference between the
> soul and the body. And the king of all confidential
> knowledge culminates in devotional service.
40
41 Generally, people are not educated in this confidential
> knowledge; they are educated in external knowledge. As far
> as ordinary education is concerned, people are involved
> with so many departments: politics, sociology, physics,
> chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, etc. There
> are so many departments of knowledge all over the world and
> many huge universities, but there is, unfortunately, no
> university or educational institution where the science of
> the spirit soul is instructed. Yet the soul is the most
> important part of the body; without the presence of the
> soul, the body has no value. Still people are placing great
> stress on the bodily necessities of life, not caring for
> the vital soul.
42
43 The Bhagavad-gita, especially from the Second Chapter on,
> stresses the importance of the soul. In the very beginning,
> the Lord says that this body is perishable and that the
> soul is not perishable (antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah
> saririnah). That is a confidential part of knowledge:
> simply knowing that the spirit soul is different from this
> body and that its nature is immutable, indestructible and
> eternal. But that gives no positive information about the
> soul. Sometimes people are under the impression that the
> soul is different from the body and that when the body is
> finished, or one is liberated from the body, the soul
> remains in a void and becomes impersonal. But actually that
> is not the fact. How can the soul, which is so active
> within this body, be inactive after being liberated from
> the body? It is always active. If it is eternal, then it is
> eternally active, and its activities in the spiritual
> kingdom are the most confidential part of spiritual
> knowledge. These activities of the spirit soul are
> therefore indicated here as constituting the king of all
> knowledge, the most confidential part of all knowledge.
44
45 This knowledge is the purest form of all activities, as
> explained in Vedic literature. In the Padma Purana, man's
> sinful activities have been analyzed and are shown to be
> the results of sin after sin. Those who are engaged in
> fruitive activities are entangled in different stages and
> forms of sinful reactions. For instance, when the seed of a
> particular tree is sown, the tree does not appear
> immediately to grow; it takes some time.
46
47 It is first a small, sprouting plant, then it assumes the
> form of a tree, then it flowers and bears fruit, and, when
> it is complete, the flowers and fruits are enjoyed by
> persons who have sown the seed of the tree. Similarly, a
> man performs a sinful act, and like a seed it takes time to
> fructify. There are different stages. The sinful action may
> have already stopped within the individual, but the results
> or the fruit of that sinful action are still to be enjoyed.
> There are sins which are still in the form of a seed, and
> there are others which are already fructified and are
> giving us fruit, which we are enjoying as distress and
> pain
> .
48
49 As explained in the twenty-eighth verse of the Seventh
> Chapter, a person who has completely ended the reactions of
> all sinful activities and who is fully engaged in pious
> activities, being freed from the duality of this material
> world, becomes engaged in devotional service to the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, Krsna. In other words, those who
> are actually engaged in the devotional service of the
> Supreme Lord are already freed from all reactions. This
> statement is confirmed in the Padma Purana:
50
51 aprarabdha-phalam papam kutam bijam phalonmukham
> kramenaiva praliyeta visnu-bhakti-ratatmanam
52
53 For those who are engaged in the devotional service of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, all sinful reactions,
> whether fructified, in the stock, or in the form of a seed,
> gradually vanish. Therefore the purifying potency of
> devotional service is very strong, and it is called
> pavitram uttamam, the purest. Uttama means transcendental.
> Tamas means this material world or darkness, and uttama
> means that which is transcendental to material activities.
> Devotional activities are never to be considered material,
> although sometimes it appears that devotees are engaged
> just like ordinary men. One who can see and is familiar
> with devotional service will know that they are
> not material activities. They are all spiritual and
> devotional, uncontaminated by the material modes of nature.
54
55 [filler for diff program]
56
57 It is said that the execution of devotional service is so
> perfect that one can perceive the results directly. This
> direct result is actually perceived, and we have practical
> experience that any person who is chanting the holy names
> of Krsna (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
> Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) in course of
> chanting without offenses feels some transcendental
> pleasure and very quickly becomes purified of all material
> contamination. This is actually seen. Furthermore, if one
> engages not only in hearing but in trying to broadcast the
> message of devotional activities as well, or if he engages
> himself in helping the missionary activities of Krsna
> consciousness, he gradually feels spiritual progress. This
> advancement in spiritual life does not depend on any kind
> of previous education or qualification. The method itself
> is so pure that by simply engaging in it one becomes pure.
58
59 In the Vedanta-sutra (3.2.26) this is also described in the
> following words: prakasas ca karmany abhyasat. "Devotional
> service is so potent that simply by engaging in the
> activities of devotional service one becomes enlightened
> without a doubt." A practical example of this can be seen
> in the previous life of Narada, who in that life happened
> to be the son of a maidservant. He had no education, nor
> was he born into a high family. But when his mother was
> engaged in serving great devotees, Narada also became
> engaged, and sometimes, in the absence of his mother, he
> would serve the great devotees himself. Narada personally
> says,
60
61 ucchista-lepan
> anumodito
> dvijaih sakrt sma bhunje tad-apasta-kilbisah
> evam pravrttasya visuddha-
> cetasas tad-dharma evatma-rucih prajayate
62
63 In this
> verse
> from Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.25)
> Narada describes his previous life to his disciple
> Vyasadeva. He says that while engaged as a boy servant
> for those purified devotees during the four months of their
> stay, he was intimately associating with them.
> Sometimes those sages left remnants of food on their dishes,
> and the boy, who would wash their dishes, wanted to taste
> the remnants. So he asked the great devotees for
> their permission, and when they gave it
> Narada ate those remnants and consequently
> became freed from all sinful reactions. As he went on
> eating, he gradually became as pure-hearted as the
> sages. The great
> devotees relished the taste of unceasing devotional service
> to the Lord by hearing and chanting, and Narada
> gradually developed the same taste. Narada says further,
> tatranvaham krsna-kathah pragayatam anugrahenasrnavam
> manoharah tah sraddhaya me 'nupadam visrnvatah
> priyasravasy anga mamabhavad rucih. By associating with the
> sages, Narada got the taste for hearing and chanting the
> glories of the Lord, and he developed a great desire for
> devotional service. Therefore, as described in the
> Vedanta-sutra, prakasas ca karmany abhyasat: if one is
> engaged simply in the acts of devotional service,
> everything is revealed to him automatically, and he can
> understand. This is called pratyaksa, directly perceived.
64
65 The word dharmyam means "the path of religion." Narada was
> actually a son of a maidservant. He had no opportunity to
> go to school. He was simply assisting his mother, and
> fortunately his mother rendered some service to the
> devotees. The child Narada also got the opportunity and
> simply by association achieved the highest goal of all
> religion. The highest goal of all religion is devotional
> service, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (sa vai pumsam
> paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje). Religious people
> generally do not know that the highest perfection of
> religion is the attainment of devotional
> service. As we have already discussed in
> regard to the last verse of Chapter Eight (vedesu
> yajnesu tapahsu caiva), generally Vedic knowledge is
> required for self-realization. But here, although Narada
> never went to the school of the spiritual master and was
> not educated in the Vedic principles, he acquired the
> highest results of Vedic study. This process is so potent
> that even without performing the religious process
> regularly, one can be raised to the highest perfection. How
> is this possible? This is also confirmed in Vedic
> literature: acaryavan puruso veda. One who is in
> association with great acaryas, even if he is not educated
> or has never studied the Vedas, can become familiar with
> all the knowledge necessary for realization.
66
67 The process of devotional service is a very happy one (
> susukham). Why? Devotional service consists of sravanam
> kirtanam visnoh, so one can simply hear the chanting of the
> glories of the Lord or can attend philosophical lectures on
> transcendental knowledge given by authorized acaryas.
> Simply by sitting, one can learn; then one can eat the
> remnants of the food offered to God, nice palatable dishes.
> In every state devotional service is joyful. One can
> execute devotional service even in the most poverty-
> stricken condition. The Lord says, patram puspam phalam
> toyam: He is ready to accept from the devotee any kind of
> offering, never mind what. Even a leaf, a flower, a bit of
> fruit, or a little water, which are all available in every
> part of the world, can be offered by any person, regardless
> of social position, and will be accepted if offered with
> love. There are many instances in history. Simply by
> tasting the tulasi leaves offered to the lotus feet of the
> Lord, great sages like Sanat-kumara became great
> devotees. Therefore the devotional process is very nice,
> and it can be executed in a happy mood. God accepts only
> the love with which things are offered to Him.
68
69 It is said here that this devotional service is eternally
> existing. It is not as the Mayavadi philosophers claim.
> Although they sometimes take to so-called devotional
> service, their idea is that as long as they are not
> liberated they will continue their devotional service, but
> at the end, when they become liberated, they will "become
> one with God." Such temporary time-serving devotional
> service is not accepted as pure devotional service. Actual
> devotional service continues even after liberation. When
> the devotee goes to the spiritual planet in the kingdom of
> God, he is also engaged there in serving the Supreme Lord.
> He does not try to become one with the Supreme Lord.
70
71 As will be seen in Bhagavad-gita, actual devotional
> service begins after liberation. After one
> is liberated, when one
> is situated in the Brahman position (brahma-bhuta), one'
> s devotional service begins (samah sarvesu bhutesu
> mad-bhaktim labhate param). No
> one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
> executing karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, astanga-yoga or any
> other yoga independently. By these yogic methods one
> may make a little progress toward bhakti-yoga, but without
> coming to the stage of devotional service one cannot
> understand what is the Personality of Godhead. In the
> Srimad-Bhagavatam it is also confirmed that when one
> becomes purified by executing the process of devotional
> service, especially by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam or
> Bhagavad-gita from realized souls, then he can understand
> the science of Krsna, or the science of God. Evam prasanna-
> manaso bhagavad-bhakti yogatah. When one's heart is cleared
> of all nonsense, then one can understand what God is. Thus
> the process of devotional service, of Krsna consciousness,
> is the king of all education and the king of all
> confidential knowledge. It is the purest form of religion,
> and it can be executed joyfully without difficulty.
> Therefore one should adopt it.
72
73 Bg 9.3
74
75 TEXT 3
76
77 TRANSLATION
78
79 Those who are not faithful in this devotional
> service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore
> they return to the path of birth and death in this material
> world.
80
81 PURPORT
82
83 The faithless cannot accomplish this process of devotional
> service; that is the purport of this verse. Faith is
> created by association with devotees. Unfortunate people,
> even after hearing all the evidence of Vedic literature
> from great personalities, still have no faith in God. They
> are hesitant and cannot stay fixed in the devotional
> service of the Lord. Thus faith is a most important factor
> for progress in Krsna consciousness. In the Caitanya-
> caritamrta it is said that faith is the complete
> conviction that simply by serving the Supreme Lord, Sri
> Krsna, one can achieve all perfection. That is called real
> faith. As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.31.14)
> ,
84
85 yatha taror mula-nisecanena trpyanti tat
> -skandha-bhujopasakhah
> pranopaharac ca
> yathendriyanam tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya
86
87 "By giving water to
> the root of
> a tree one
> satisfies its branches, twigs
> and leaves
> , and
> by
> supplying food to
> the stomach one satisfies
> all the senses of
> the body
> . Similarly,
> by engaging in
> the transcendental
> service
> of the Supreme Lord
> one automatically
> satisfies all the demigods
> and all
> other living entities." Therefore
> , after
> reading Bhagavad-gita one should promptly
> come to
> the conclusion of Bhagavad-
> gita:
> one should give up all other
> engagements and adopt
> the service of the Supreme
> Lord,
> Krsna
> ,
> the Personality
>
> of Godhead. If one is convinced
> of this philosophy of life, that
> is faith
> .
88
89 Now, the development of that faith is the process of Krsna
> consciousness. There are three divisions of Krsna conscious
> men. In the third class are those who have no faith. Even
> if they are officially engaged in devotional service, they
> cannot achieve the highest perfectional stage. Most
> probably they will slip, after some time. They may become
> engaged, but because they haven't complete conviction and
> faith, it is very difficult for them to continue in Krsna
> consciousness. We have practical experience in discharging
> our missionary activity that some people come and apply
> themselves to Krsna consciousness with some hidden motive,
> and as soon as they are economically a little well situated
> they give up this process and take to their old ways again.
> It is only by faith that one can advance in Krsna
> consciousness. As far as the development of faith is
> concerned, one who is well versed in the literatures of
> devotional service and has attained the stage of firm faith
> is called a first-class person in Krsna consciousness. And
> in the second class are those who are not very advanced in
> understanding the devotional scriptures but who
> automatically have firm faith that krsna-bhakti, or service
> to Krsna, is the best course and so in good faith have
> taken it up. Thus they are superior to the third class, who
> have neither perfect knowledge of the scriptures nor good
> faith but by association and simplicity are trying to
> follow. The third-class person in Krsna consciousness may
> fall down, but when one is in the second class he does not
> fall down, and for the first-class person in Krsna
> consciousness there is no chance of falling down. One in
> the first class will surely make progress and achieve the
> result at the end. As far as the third-class person in
> Krsna consciousness is concerned, although he has faith in
> the conviction that devotional service to Krsna is very
> good, he has not yet gained adequate knowledge of Krsna
> through the scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-
> gita. Sometimes these third-class persons in Krsna
> consciousness have some tendency toward karma-yoga and
> jnana-yoga, and sometimes they are disturbed, but as soon
> as the infection of karma-yoga or jnana-yoga is vanquished,
> they become second-class or first-class persons in Krsna
> consciousness. Faith in Krsna is also divided into three
> stages and described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. First-class
> attachment, second-class attachment and third-class
> attachment are also explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam in the
> Eleventh Canto. Those who have no faith even after hearing
> about Krsna and the excellence of devotional service, who
> think that it is simply eulogy, find the path very
> difficult, even if they are supposedly engaged in
> devotional service. For them there is very little hope of
> gaining perfection. Thus faith is very important in the
> discharge of devotional service.
90
91 Bg 9.4
92
93 TEXT 4
94
95 TRANSLATION
96
97 By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is
> pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.
98
99 PURPORT
100
101 The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not perceivable
> through the gross material senses. It is said
> , atah
> sri-krsna-namadi
> na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi
> jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah (Bhakti-
> rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234)
102
103 Lord Sri Krsna's name, fame, pastimes, etc., cannot be
> understood by material senses. Only to one who is engaged
> in pure devotional service under proper guidance is He
> revealed. In the Brahma-samhita (5.38) it is stated,
> premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva
> hrdayesu vilokayanti:
104
105 one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda,
> always within himself and outside himself if one has
> developed the transcendental loving attitude towards Him.
> Thus for people in general He is not visible. Here it is
> said that although He is all-pervading, everywhere present,
> He is not conceivable by the material senses. This is
> indicated here by the word avyakta-murtina. But actually,
> although we cannot see Him, everything is resting in Him.
> As we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter, the entire
> material cosmic manifestation is only a combination of His
> two different energies-the superior, spiritual energy and
> the inferior, material energy. Just as the sunshine is
> spread all over the universe, the energy of the Lord is
> spread all over the creation, and everything is resting in
> that energy.
106
107 Yet one should not conclude that because He is spread all
> over He has lost His personal existence. To refute such an
> argument the Lord says, "I am everywhere, and everything is
> in Me, but still I am aloof." For example, a king heads a
> government which is but the manifestation of the king's
> energy; the different governmental departments are nothing
> but the energies of the king, and each department is
> resting on the king's power. But still one cannot expect
> the king to be present in every department personally. That
> is a crude example. Similarly, all the manifestations that
> we see and everything that exists, both in this material
> world and in the spiritual world, are resting on the energy
> of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The creation takes
> place by the diffusion of His different energies, and, as
> stated in the Bhagavad-gita, vistabhyaham idam krtsnam:
> He is everywhere present by His personal representation,
> the diffusion of His different energies.
108
109 Bg 9.5
110
111 TEXT 5
112
113 TRANSLATION
114
115 And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me.
> Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of
> all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am
> not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the
> very source of creation.
116
117 PURPORT
118
119 The Lord says that everything is resting on Him (mat-sthani
> sarva-bhutani). This should not be misunderstood. The Lord
> is not directly concerned with the maintenance and
> sustenance of this material manifestation. Sometimes we see
> a picture of Atlas holding the globe on his shoulders; he
> seems to be very tired, holding this great earthly planet.
> Such an image should not be entertained in connection with
> Krsna's upholding this created universe. He says that
> although everything is resting on Him, He is aloof.
> The planetary systems are floating in space, and this space
> is the energy of the Supreme Lord. But He is different from
> space. He is differently situated. Therefore the Lord says,
> "Although they are situated on My inconceivable energy,
> as the Supreme Personality of Godhead I am aloof
> from them." This is the inconceivable opulence of the Lord.
120
121 In the Nirukti Vedic dictionary it is said, yujyate 'nena
> durghatesu karyesu: "The Supreme Lord is performing
> inconceivably wonderful pastimes, displaying His energy."
> His person is full of different potent energies, and His
> determination is itself actual fact. In this way the
> Personality of Godhead is to be understood. We may think
> of doing something, but there are so many impediments, and
> sometimes it is not possible to do as we like. But when
> Krsna wants to do something, simply by His willing,
> everything is performed so perfectly that one cannot
> imagine how it is being done. The Lord explains this fact:
> although He is the maintainer and sustainer of the entire
> material manifestation, He does not touch this material
> manifestation. Simply by His supreme will, everything is
> created, everything is sustained, everything is maintained,
> and everything is annihilated. There is no difference
> between His mind and Himself (as there is a difference
> between ourselves and our present material mind) because He
> is absolute spirit. Simultaneously the Lord is present in
> everything; yet the common man cannot understand how He is
> also present personally. He is different from this material
> manifestation, yet everything is resting on Him. This is
> explained here as yogam aisvaram, the mystic power of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead.
122
123 Bg 9.6
124
125 TEXT 6
126
127 TRANSLATION
128
129 Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere,
> rests always in the sky,
> all created beings rest in Me.
130
131 PURPORT
132
133 For the ordinary person it is almost inconceivable how the
> huge material creation is resting in Him. But the Lord is
> giving an example which may help us to understand. The
> sky may be the biggest manifestation we can conceive. And
> in that sky the wind or air is the biggest
> manifestation in the cosmic world. The movement of the
> air influences the movements of everything. But
> although the wind is great, it is still situated within
> the sky; the wind is not beyond the sky. Similarly,
> all the wonderful cosmic manifestations are existing by the
> supreme will of God, and all of them are subordinate to
> that supreme will. As we generally say, not a blade
> of grass moves without the will of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. Thus everything is moving under
> His will: by His will everything is being created,
> everything is being maintained, and everything is being
> annihilated. Still He is aloof from everything, as the
> sky is always aloof from the activities of the wind.
134
135 In the Upanisads
> it is stated, yad-bhisa
> vatah
> pavate: "It is out of the fear of
> the Supreme Lord
> that
> the wind is
> blowing." (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.8
> .1)
136
137 In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (3.8.9) it is stated,
> etasya va aksarasya prasasane gargi
> surya-candramasau vidhrtau tisthata etasya va aksarasya
> prasasane gargi dyav-aprthivyau vidhrtau
> tisthatah. "By the supreme order, under the superintendence
> of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the moon, the sun,
> and the other great planets are moving." In the Brahma-
> samhita (5.52) also it is stated, yac-caksur esa savita
> sakala-grahanam raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
> yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro govindam adi-
> purusam tam aham bhajami
138
139 This is a description of the movement of the sun.
> It is said that the sun is considered to be one of the eyes
> of the Supreme Lord and that it has immense potency to
> diffuse heat and light. Still it is moving in its
> prescribed orbit by the order and the supreme will of
> Govinda. So, from the Vedic literature we can find evidence
> that this material manifestation, which appears to us to be
> very wonderful and great, is under the complete control of
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This will be further
> explained in the later verses of this chapter.
140
141 Bg 9.7
142
143 TEXT 7
144
145 TRANSLATION
146
147 O son of Kunti, at the end of the millennium all material
> manifestations enter into My nature, and at the beginning
> of another millennium, by My potency, I create them
> again.
148
149 PURPORT
150
151 The creation, maintenance and annihilation of this material
> cosmic manifestation are completely dependent on the
> supreme will of the Personality of Godhead. "At the end of
> the millennium" means at the death of Brahma. Brahma lives
> for one hundred years, and his one day is calculated at 4,
> 300,000,000 of our earthly years. His night is of the same
> duration. His month consists of thirty such days and nights,
> and his year of twelve months. After one hundred such
> years, when Brahma dies, the devastation or annihilation
> takes place; this means that the energy manifested by the
> Supreme Lord is again wound up in Himself. Then again, when
> there is a need to manifest the cosmic world, it is done by
> His will. Bahu syam: "Although I am one, I shall become
> many." This is the Vedic aphorism (Chandogya Upanisad 6.2.3)
> . He expands Himself in this material energy, and the whole
> cosmic manifestation again takes place.
152
153 Bg 9.8
154
155 TEXT 8
156
157 TRANSLATION
158
159 The whole cosmic order is under Me. Under My will it is
> automatically manifested again and again, and under My will
> it is annihilated at the end.
160
161 PURPORT
162
163 This material world is the manifestation of the inferior
> energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This has
> already been explained several times. At the creation, the
> material energy is let loose as the mahat-tattva, into
> which the Lord as His first Purusa incarnation, Maha-Visnu,
> enters. He lies within the Causal Ocean and breathes out
> innumerable universes, and into each universe the Lord
> again enters as Garbhodakasayi Visnu. Each universe is in
> that way created. He still further manifests Himself as
> Ksirodakasayi Visnu, and that Visnu enters into everything-
> even into the minute atom. This fact is explained here. He
> enters into everything.
164
165 Now, as far as the living entities are concerned, they are
> impregnated into this material nature, and as a result of
> their past deeds they take different positions. Thus the
> activities of this material world begin. The activities of
> the different species of living beings are begun from the
> very moment of the creation. It is not that all is evolved.
> The different species of life are created immediately along
> with the universe. Men, animals, beasts, birds-everything
> is simultaneously created, because whatever desires the
> living entities had at the last annihilation are again
> manifested. It is clearly indicated here by the word avasam
> that the living entities have nothing to do with this
> process. The state of being in their past life in the past
> creation is simply manifested again, and all this is done
> simply by His will. This is the inconceivable potency of
> the Supreme Personality of God. And after creating
> different species of life, He has no connection with them.
> The creation takes place to accommodate the inclinations of
> the various living entities, and so the Lord does not
> become involved with it.
166
167 Bg 9.9
168
169 TEXT 9
170
171 TRANSLATION
172
173 O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever
> detached from all these material activities, seated as
> though neutral.
174
175 PURPORT
176
177 One should not think, in this connection, that the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead has no engagement. In His spiritual
> world He is always engaged. In the Brahma-samhita (5.6) it
> is stated, atmaramasya tasyasti prakrtya na samagamah: "He
> is always involved in His eternal, blissful, spiritual
> activities, but He has nothing to do with these material
> activities." Material activities are being carried on by
> His different potencies. The Lord is always neutral in the
> material activities of the created world. This neutrality
> is mentioned here with the word udasina-vat. Although He
> has control over every minute detail of material activities,
> He is sitting as if neutral. The example can be given of a
> high-court judge sitting on his bench. By his order so many
> things are happening-someone is being hanged, someone is
> being put into jail, someone is awarded a huge amount of
> wealth-but still he is neutral. He has nothing to do with
> all that gain and loss. Similarly, the Lord is always
> neutral, although He has His hand in every sphere of
> activity. In the Vedanta-sutra (2.1.34) it is stated,
> vaisamya-nairghrnye na: He is not situated in the dualities
> of this material world. He is transcendental to these
> dualities. Nor is He attached to the creation and
> annihilation of this material world. The living entities
> take their different forms in the various species of life
> according to their past deeds, and the Lord doesn't
> interfere with them.
178
179 Bg 9.10
180
181 TEXT 10
182
183 TRANSLATION
184
185 This material nature, which is one of My energies, is
> working under My direction, O son of Kunti,
> producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule
> this manifestation is created and annihilated again and
> again.
186
187 PURPORT
188
189 It is clearly stated here that the Supreme Lord, although
> aloof from all the activities of the material world,
> remains the supreme director. The Supreme Lord is the
> supreme will and the background of this material
> manifestation, but the management is being conducted by
> material nature. Krsna also states in Bhagavad-gita that of
> all of the living entities in different forms and species, "
> I am the father." The father gives seeds to the womb of the
> mother for the child, and similarly the Supreme Lord by His
> mere glance injects all the living entities into the womb
> of material nature, and they come out in their different
> forms and species, according to their last desires and
> activities. All these living entities, although born under
> the glance of the Supreme Lord, take their different
> bodies according to their past deeds and desires. So the
> Lord is not directly attached to this material creation. He
> simply glances over material nature; material nature is
> thus activated, and everything is created immediately.
> Because He glances over material nature, there is
> undoubtedly activity on the part of the Supreme Lord, but
> He has nothing to do with the manifestation of the material
> world directly. This example is given in the smrti: when
> there is a fragrant flower before someone, the fragrance is
> touched by the smelling power of the person, yet the
> smelling and the flower are detached from one another.
> There is a similar connection between the material world
> and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; actually He has
> nothing to do with this material world, but He creates by
> His glance and ordains. In summary, material nature,
> without the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, cannot do anything. Yet the Supreme Personality is
> detached from all material activities.
190
191 Bg 9.11
192
193 TEXT 11
194
195 TRANSLATION
196
197 Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do
> not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord
> of all that be.
198
199 PURPORT
200
201 From the other explanations of the previous verses in this
> chapter, it is clear that the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, although appearing like a human being, is not a
> common man. The Personality of Godhead, who conducts the
> creation, maintenance and annihilation of the complete
> cosmic manifestation, cannot be a human being. Yet there
> are many foolish men who consider Krsna to be merely a
> powerful man and nothing more. Actually, He is the original
> Supreme Personality, as is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (
> isvarah paramah krsnah); He is the Supreme Lord.
202
203 There are many isvaras, controllers, and one appears
> greater than another. In the ordinary management of affairs
> in the material world, we find some official or director,
> and above him there is a secretary, and above him a
> minister, and above him a president. Each of them is a
> controller, but one is controlled by another. In the Brahma-
> samhita it is said that Krsna is the supreme controller;
> there are many controllers undoubtedly, both in the
> material and spiritual world, but Krsna is the supreme
> controller (isvarah paramah krsnah). and His body is sac-
> cid-ananda, nonmaterial.
204
205 Material bodies cannot perform the wonderful acts described
> in previous verses. His body is eternal, blissful and full
> of knowledge. Although He is not a common man, the foolish
> deride Him and consider Him to be a man. His body is called
> here manusim because He is acting just like a man, a friend
> of Arjuna's, a politician involved in the Battle of
> Kuruksetra. In so many ways He is acting just like an
> ordinary man, but actually His body is sac-cid-ananda-
> vigraha-eternal bliss and knowledge absolute. This is
> confirmed in the Vedic language also. Sac-cid-ananda-
> rupaya krsnaya: "I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is the eternal blissful
> form of knowledge." (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.1) There are
> other descriptions in the Vedic language also. Tam ekam
> govindam: "You are Govinda, the pleasure of the senses and
> the cows." Sac-cid-ananda-vigraham: "And Your form is
> transcendental, full of knowledge, bliss and eternality." (
> Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.35)
206
207 Despite the transcendental qualities of Lord Krsna's body,
> its full bliss and knowledge, there are many so-called
> scholars and commentators of Bhagavad-gita who deride Krsna
> as an ordinary man. The scholar may be born an
> extraordinary man due to his previous good work, but this
> conception of Sri Krsna is due to a poor fund of knowledge.
> Therefore he is called mudha. for only foolish persons
> consider Krsna to be an ordinary human being. The foolish
> consider Krsna an ordinary human being because they do not
> know the confidential activities of the Supreme Lord and
> His different energies. They do not know that Krsna's body
> is a symbol of complete knowledge and bliss, that He is the
> proprietor of everything that be and that He can award
> liberation to anyone. Because they do not know that Krsna
> has so many transcendental qualifications, they deride Him.
208
209 Nor do they know that the appearance of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead in this material world is a
> manifestation of His internal energy. He is the master of
> the material energy. As has been explained in several
> places (mama maya duratyaya), He claims that the material
> energy, although very powerful, is under His control, and
> whoever surrenders unto Him can get out of the control of
> this material energy. If a soul surrendered to Krsna can
> get out of the influence of material energy, then how can
> the Supreme Lord, who conducts the creation, maintenance
> and annihilation of the whole cosmic nature, have a
> material body like us? So this conception of Krsna is
> complete foolishness. Foolish persons, however, cannot
> conceive that the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, appearing
> just like an ordinary man, can be the controller of all the
> atoms and of the gigantic manifestation of the universal
> form. The biggest and the minutest are beyond their
> conception, so they cannot imagine that a form like that of
> a human being can simultaneously control the infinite and
> the minute. Actually although He is controlling the
> infinite and the finite, He is apart from all this
> manifestation. It is clearly stated concerning His yogam
> aisvaram, His inconceivable transcendental energy, that He
> can control the infinite and the finite simultaneously and
> that He can remain aloof from them. Although the foolish
> cannot imagine how Krsna, who appears just like a human
> being, can control the infinite and the finite, those who
> are pure devotees accept this, for they know that Krsna is
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they
> completely surrender unto Him and engage in Krsna
> consciousness, devotional service of the Lord.
210
211 There are many controversies between the impersonalists and
> the personalists about the Lord's appearance as a human
> being. But if we consult Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-
> Bhagavatam, the authoritative texts for understanding the
> science of Krsna, then we can understand that Krsna is the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not an ordinary man,
> although He appeared on this earth as an ordinary human. In
> the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, First Chapter, when the
> sages headed by Saunaka inquired about the activities of
> Krsna, they said:
212
213 krtavan kila karmani saha ramena kesavah ati-
> martyani bhagavan gudhah kapata-manusah
214
215 "Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
> along with Balarama, played like a human being, and so
> masked He performed many superhuman acts." (Bhag. 1.1.20)
> The Lord's appearance as a man bewilders the foolish. No
> human being could perform the wonderful acts that Krsna
> performed while He was present on this earth. When Krsna
> appeared before His father and mother, Vasudeva and Devaki,
> He appeared with four hands, but after the prayers of the
> parents He transformed Himself into an ordinary child. As
> stated in the Bhagavatam (10.3.46), babhuva prakrtah sisuh:
> He became just like an ordinary child, an ordinary human
> being. Now, here again it is indicated that the Lord's
> appearance as an ordinary human being is one of the
> features of His transcendental body. In the Eleventh
> Chapter of Bhagavad-gita also it is stated that
> Arjuna prayed to see Krsna's form of four hands (
> tenaiva rupena catur-bhujena). After revealing this form,
> Krsna, when petitioned by Arjuna, again assumed His
> original humanlike form (manusam rupam). These different
> features of the Supreme Lord are certainly not those of an
> ordinary human being.
216
217 Some of those who deride Krsna and who are infected with
> the Mayavadi philosophy quote the following verse from the
> Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.29.21) to prove that Krsna is just an
> ordinary man. Aham sarvesu bhutesu bhutatmavasthitah sada: "
> The Supreme is present in every living entity."
218
219 We should better take note of this particular verse from
> the Vaisnava acaryas like Jiva Gosvami and Visvanatha
> Cakravarti Thakura instead of following the interpretation
> of unauthorized persons who deride Krsna. Jiva Gosvami,
> commenting on this verse, says that Krsna, in His plenary
> expansion as Paramatma, is situated in the moving and the
> nonmoving entities as the Supersoul, so any neophyte
> devotee who simply gives his attention to the arca-murti,
> the form of the Supreme Lord in the temple, and does not
> respect other living entities is uselessly worshiping the
> form of the Lord in the temple. There are three kinds of
> devotees of the Lord, and the neophyte is in the lowest
> stage. The neophyte devotee gives more attention to the
> Deity in the temple than to other devotees, so Visvanatha
> Cakravarti Thakura warns that this sort of mentality should
> be corrected. A devotee should see that because Krsna is
> present in everyone's heart as Paramatma, every
> body is the embodiment or the temple of the Supreme Lord;
> so as one offers respect to the temple of the
> Lord, he should similarly properly respect each and every
> body in which the Paramatma dwells. Everyone should
> therefore be given proper respect and should not be
> neglected.
220
221 There are also many impersonalists who deride temple
> worship. They say that since God is everywhere, why should
> one restrict himself to temple worship? But if God is
> everywhere, is He not in the temple or in the Deity?
> Although the personalist and the impersonalist will fight
> with one another perpetually, a perfect devotee in Krsna
> consciousness knows that although Krsna is the Supreme
> Personality, He is all-pervading, as confirmed in the
> Brahma-samhita. Although His personal abode is Goloka
> Vrndavana and He is always staying there, by His
> different manifestations of energy and by His plenary
> expansion He is present everywhere in all parts of the
> material and spiritual creation.
222
223 Bg 9.12
224
225 TEXT 12
226
227 TRANSLATION
228
229 Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and
> atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for
> liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of
> knowledge are all defeated.
230
231 PURPORT
232
233 There are many devotees who assume themselves to be in
> Krsna consciousness and devotional service but at heart do
> not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, as
> the Absolute Truth. For them, the fruit of devotional
> service-going back to Godhead-will never be tasted.
> Similarly, those who are engaged in fruitive pious
> activities and who are ultimately hoping to be liberated
> from this material entanglement will never be successful
> either, because they deride the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, Krsna. In other words, persons who mock Krsna are
> to be understood to be demonic or atheistic. As described
> in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, such demonic
> miscreants never surrender to Krsna. Therefore their mental
> speculations to arrive at the Absolute Truth bring them to
> the false conclusion that the ordinary living entity and
> Krsna are one and the same. With such a false conviction,
> they think that the body of any human being is now simply
> covered by material nature and that as soon as one is
> liberated from this material body there is no difference
> between God and himself. This attempt to become one with
> Krsna will be baffled because of delusion. Such atheistic
> and demoniac cultivation of spiritual knowledge is always
> futile. That is the indication of this verse. For such
> persons, cultivation of the knowledge in the Vedic
> literature, like the Vedanta-sutra and the Upanisads. is
> always baffled.
234
235 It is a great offense, therefore, to consider Krsna, the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be an ordinary man.
> Those who do so are certainly deluded because they cannot
> understand the eternal form of Krsna. The Brhad-
> visnu-smrti clearly states:
236
237 yo vetti bhautikam deham krsnasya paramatmanah sa sarvasmad
> bahis-karyah srauta-smarta-vidhanatah mukham tasyavalokyapi
> sa-celam snanam acaret
238
239 "One who considers the body of Krsna to be material should
> be driven out from all rituals and activities of the sruti
> and the smrti. And if one by chance sees his face, one
> should at once take bath in the Ganges to rid himself of
> infection. People jeer at Krsna because they are envious of
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their destiny is
> certainly to take birth after birth in the species of
> atheistic and demoniac life. Perpetually, their real
> knowledge will remain under delusion, and gradually they
> will regress to the darkest region of creation."
240
241 Bg 9.13
242
243 TEXT 13
244
245 TRANSLATION
246
247 O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls,
> are under the protection of the divine nature. They are
> fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and
> inexhaustible.
248
249 PURPORT
250
251 In this verse the description of the mahatma is clearly
> given. The first sign of the mahatma is that he is already
> situated in the divine nature. He is not under the control
> of material nature. And how is this effected? That is
> explained in the Seventh Chapter: one who surrenders unto
> the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, at once
> becomes freed from the control of material nature. That is
> the qualification. One can become free from the control of
> material nature as soon as he surrenders his soul to the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the preliminary
> formula. Being marginal potency, as soon as the living
> entity is freed from the control of material nature, he is
> put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. The
> guidance of the spiritual nature is called daivi prakrti,
> divine nature. So when one is promoted in that way-by
> surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead-one
> attains to the stage of great soul, mahatma.
252
253 The mahatma does not divert his attention to anything
> outside Krsna, because he knows perfectly well that Krsna
> is the original Supreme Person, the cause of all causes.
> There is no doubt about it. Such a mahatma, or great soul,
> develops through association with other mahatmas, pure
> devotees. Pure devotees are not even attracted by Krsna's
> other features, such as the four-armed Maha-Visnu. They are
> simply attracted by the two-armed form of Krsna. They
> are not attracted to other features of Krsna
> , nor are they concerned with any form of
> a demigod or of a human being. They meditate only upon
> Krsna in Krsna consciousness. They are always engaged in
> the unswerving service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness.
254
255 Bg 9.14
256
257 TEXT 14
258
259 TRANSLATION
260
261 Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great
> determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls
> perpetually worship Me with devotion.
262
263 PURPORT
264
265 The mahatma cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an
> ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: a mahatma is
> always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord
> Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business.
> He is always engaged in the glorification of the Lord. In
> other words, he is not an impersonalist. When the question
> of glorification is there, one has to glorify the Supreme
> Lord, praising His holy name, His eternal form, His
> transcendental qualities and His uncommon pastimes. One has
> to glorify all these things; therefore a mahatma is
> attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
266
267 One who is attached to the impersonal feature of the
> Supreme Lord, the brahmajyoti, is not described as mahatma
> in the Bhagavad-gita. He is described in a different way in
> the next verse. The mahatma is always engaged in different
> activities of devotional service, as described in the
> Srimad-Bhagavatam, hearing and chanting about Visnu, not a
> demigod or human being. That is devotion: sravanam kirtanam
> visnoh and smaranam, remembering Him. Such a mahatma
> has firm determination to achieve at the ultimate end the
> association of the Supreme Lord in any one of the five
> transcendental rasas. To achieve that success, he engages
> all activities-mental, bodily and vocal, everything-in the
> service of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna. That is called full
> Krsna consciousness.
268
269 In devotional service there are certain activities which
> are called determined, such as fasting on certain days,
> like the eleventh day of the moon, Ekadasi, and on the
> appearance day of the Lord. All these rules and
> regulations are offered by the great acaryas for those who
> are actually interested in getting admission into the
> association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the
> transcendental world. The mahatmas, great souls, strictly
> observe all these rules and regulations, and therefore they
> are sure to achieve the desired result.
270
271 As described in the second verse of this chapter, not
> only is this devotional service easy, but it
> can be performed in a happy mood. One does not need to
> undergo any severe penance and austerity. He can live this
> life in devotional service, guided by an expert spiritual
> master, and in any position, either as a householder or a
> sannyasi or a brahmacari; in any position and anywhere in
> the world, he can perform this devotional service to the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become actually
> mahatma, a great soul.
272
273 Bg 9.15
274
275 TEXT 15
276
277 TRANSLATION
278
279 Others, who engage in sacrifice by the cultivation
> of knowledge, worship the Supreme Lord as the one without a
> second, as diverse in many, and in the universal form.
280
281 PURPORT
282
283 This verse is the summary of the previous verses. The Lord
> tells Arjuna that those who are purely in Krsna
> consciousness and do not know anything other than Krsna are
> called mahatma; yet there are other persons who are not
> exactly in the position of mahatma but who worship Krsna
> also, in different ways. Some of them have already been
> described as the distressed, the financially destitute, the
> inquisitive, and those who are engaged in the cultivation
> of knowledge. But there are others who are still lower, and
> these are divided into three: (1) he who worships himself
> as one with the Supreme Lord, (2) he who concocts some form
> of the Supreme Lord and worships that, and (3) he who
> accepts the universal form, the visvarupa of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, and worships that. Out of the above
> three, the lowest, those who worship themselves as the
> Supreme Lord, thinking themselves to be monists, are most
> predominant. Such people think themselves to be the Supreme
> Lord, and in this mentality they worship themselves. This
> is also a type of God worship, for they can understand that
> they are not the material body but are actually spiritual
> soul; at least, such a sense is prominent. Generally the
> impersonalists worship the Supreme Lord in this way. The
> second class includes the worshipers of the demigods, those
> who by imagination consider any form to be the form of the
> Supreme Lord. And the third class includes those who cannot
> conceive of anything beyond the manifestation of this
> material universe. They consider the universe to be the
> supreme organism or entity and worship that. The universe
> is also a form of the Lord.
284
285 Bg 9.16
286
287 TEXT 16
288
289 TRANSLATION
290
291 But it is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice, the
> offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the
> transcendental chant. I am the butter and the fire and the
> offering.
292
293 PURPORT
294
295 The Vedic sacrifice known as jyotistoma is also Krsna, and
> He is also the maha-yajna mentioned in the smrti. The
> oblations offered to the Pitrloka or the sacrifice
> performed to please the Pitrloka, considered as a kind of
> drug in the form of clarified butter, is also Krsna. The
> mantras chanted in this connection are also Krsna. And many
> other commodities made with milk products for offering in
> the sacrifices are also Krsna. The fire is also Krsna
> because fire is one of the five material elements and is
> therefore claimed as the separated energy of Krsna. In
> other words, the Vedic sacrifices recommended in the karma-
> kanda division of the Vedas are in total also Krsna. Or, in
> other words, those who are engaged in rendering devotional
> service unto Krsna are to be understood to have performed
> all the sacrifices recommended in the Vedas.
296
297 Bg 9.17
298
299 TEXT 17
300
301 TRANSLATION
302
303 I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support
> and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the
> purifier and the syllable om. I am also the Rg, the Sama
> and the Yajur Vedas.
304
305 PURPORT
306
307 The entire cosmic manifestations, moving and nonmoving, are
> manifested by different activities of Krsna's energy. In
> the material existence we create different relationships
> with different living entities who are nothing but Krsna's
> marginal energy; under the creation of prakrti some of
> them appear as our father, mother, grandfather, creator,
> etc., but actually they are parts and parcels of Krsna. As
> such, these living entities who appear to be our father,
> mother, etc., are nothing but Krsna. In this verse the word
> dhata means "creator." Not only are our father and mother
> parts and parcels of Krsna, but the creator, grandmother
> and grandfather, etc., are also Krsna. Actually any living
> entity, being part and parcel of Krsna, is Krsna. All the
> Vedas, therefore, aim only toward Krsna. Whatever we want
> to know through the Vedas is but a progressive step toward
> understanding Krsna. That subject matter which helps us
> purify our constitutional position is especially Krsna.
> Similarly, the living entity who is inquisitive to
> understand all Vedic principles is also part and parcel of
> Krsna and as such is also Krsna. In all the Vedic mantras
> the word om, called pranava, is a transcendental sound
> vibration and is also Krsna. And because in all the hymns
> of the four Vedas-Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva-the pranava,
> or omkara, is very prominent, it is understood to be Krsna.
308
309 Bg 9.18
310
311 TEXT 18
312
313 TRANSLATION
314
315 I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the
> abode, the refuge, and the most dear friend. I am the
> creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the
> resting place and the eternal seed.
316
317 PURPORT
318
319 Gati means the destination where we want to go. But the
> ultimate goal is Krsna, although people do not know it. One
> who does not know Krsna is misled, and his so-called
> progressive march is either partial or hallucinatory. There
> are many who make as their destination different demigods,
> and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods
> they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Suryaloka,
> Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas, or planets,
> being creations of Krsna, are simultaneously Krsna and not
> Krsna. Such planets, being manifestations of
> Krsna's energy, are also Krsna, but actually they
> serve only as a step forward for realization of Krsna. To
> approach the different energies of Krsna is to approach
> Krsna indirectly. One should directly approach Krsna, for
> that will save time and energy. For example, if there is a
> possibility of going to the top of a building by the help
> of an elevator, why should one go by the staircase, step by
> step? Everything is resting on Krsna's energy; therefore
> without Krsna's shelter nothing can exist. Krsna is the
> supreme ruler because everything belongs to Him and
> everything exists on His energy. Krsna, being situated in
> everyone's heart, is the supreme witness. The residences,
> countries or planets on which we live are also Krsna. Krsna
> is the ultimate goal of shelter, and therefore one
> should take shelter of Krsna either for protection or for
> annihilation of his distress. And whenever we
> have to take protection, we should know that our protection
> must be a living force. Krsna is the supreme living
> entity. And since Krsna is the source of our generation,
> or the supreme father, no one can be a better friend than
> Krsna, nor can anyone be a better well-wisher. Krsna is the
> original source of creation and the ultimate rest after
> annihilation. Krsna is therefore the eternal cause of all
> causes.
320
321 Bg 9.19
322
323 TEXT 19
324
325 TRANSLATION
326
327 O Arjuna, I give heat, and I withhold and send forth
> the rain. I am immortality, and I am also death
> personified. Both spirit and matter are in Me.
328
329 PURPORT
330
331 Krsna, by His different energies, diffuses heat and light
> through the agency of electricity and the sun. During
> summer season it is Krsna who checks rain from falling from
> the sky, and then during the rainy season He gives
> unceasing torrents of rain. The energy which sustains us by
> prolonging the duration of our life is Krsna, and Krsna
> meets us at the end as death. By analyzing all these
> different energies of Krsna, one can ascertain that for
> Krsna there is no distinction between matter and spirit, or,
> in other words, He is both matter and spirit. In the
> advanced stage of Krsna consciousness, one
> therefore makes no such distinctions. He sees only
> Krsna in everything.
332
333 Since Krsna is both matter and spirit, the gigantic
> universal form comprising all material manifestations is
> also Krsna, and His pastimes in Vrndavana as two-handed
> Syamasundara, playing on a flute, are those of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead.
334
335 Bg 9.20
336
337 TEXT 20
338
339 TRANSLATION
340
341 Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking
> the heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. Purified of
> sinful reactions, they take birth on the pious, heavenly
> planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights.
342
343 PURPORT
344
345 The word trai-vidyah refers to the three Vedas-Sama, Yajur
> and Rg. A brahmana who has studied these three Vedas is
> called a tri-vedi. Anyone who is very much attached to
> knowledge derived from these three Vedas is respected in
> society. Unfortunately, there are many great scholars of
> the Vedas who do not know the ultimate purport of studying
> them. Therefore Krsna herein declares Himself to be the
> ultimate goal for the tri-vedis. Actual tri-vedis take
> shelter under the lotus feet of Krsna and engage in pure
> devotional service to satisfy the Lord. Devotional service
> begins with the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra and side
> by side trying to understand Krsna in truth. Unfortunately
> those who are simply official students of the Vedas become
> more interested in offering sacrifices to the different
> demigods like Indra and Candra. By such endeavor, the
> worshipers of different demigods are certainly purified of
> the contamination of the lower qualities of nature and are
> thereby elevated to the higher planetary systems or
> heavenly planets known as Maharloka, Janoloka, Tapoloka,
> etc. Once situated on those higher planetary systems, one
> can satisfy his senses hundreds of thousands of times
> better than on this planet.
346
347 Bg 9.21
348
349 TEXT 21
350
351 TRANSLATION
352
353 When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure
> and the results of their pious activities are exhausted,
> they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who
> seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of
> the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death.
354
355 PURPORT
356
357 One who is promoted to the higher planetary systems
> enjoys a longer duration of life and better facilities for
> sense enjoyment, yet one is not allowed to stay there
> forever. One is again sent back to this earth upon
> finishing the resultant fruits of pious activities. He who
> has not attained perfection of knowledge, as indicated in
> the Vedanta-sutra (janmady asya yatah), or, in other words,
> he who fails to understand Krsna, the cause of all causes,
> becomes baffled about achieving the ultimate goal of life
> and is thus subjected to the routine of being promoted to
> the higher planets and then again coming down, as if
> situated on a Ferris wheel which sometimes goes up and
> sometimes comes down. The purport is that instead of being
> elevated to the spiritual world, from which there is no
> longer any possibility of coming down, one simply revolves
> in the cycle of birth and death on higher and lower
> planetary systems. One should better take to the spiritual
> world to enjoy an eternal life full of bliss and knowledge
> and never return to this miserable material existence.
358
359 Bg 9.22
360
361 TEXT 22
362
363 TRANSLATION
364
365 But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion,
> meditating on My transcendental form-to them I carry what
> they lack, and I preserve what they have.
366
367 PURPORT
368
369 One who is unable to live for a moment without Krsna
> consciousness cannot but think of Krsna twenty-four hours a
> day, being engaged in devotional service by hearing,
> chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping,
> serving the lotus feet of the Lord, rendering other
> services, cultivating friendship and surrendering fully to
> the Lord. Such activities are all auspicious and full of
> spiritual potencies, which make the devotee perfect
> in self-realization, so that his only desire is to
> achieve the association of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead. Such a devotee undoubtedly approaches the Lord
> without difficulty. This is called yoga. By the mercy of
> the Lord, such a devotee never comes back to this material
> condition of life. Ksema refers to the merciful protection
> of the Lord. The Lord helps the devotee to achieve Krsna
> consciousness by yoga, and when he becomes fully Krsna
> conscious the Lord protects him from falling down to a
> miserable conditioned life.
370
371 Bg 9.23
372
373 TEXT 23
374
375 TRANSLATION
376
377 Those who are devotees of other gods and who
> worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son
> of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong
> way.
378
379 PURPORT
380
381 "Persons who are engaged in the worship of demigods are not
> very intelligent, although such worship is offered to Me
> indirectly," Krsna says. For example, when a man pours
> water on the leaves and branches of a tree without pouring
> water on the root, he does so without sufficient knowledge
> or without observing regulative principles. Similarly, the
> process of rendering service to different parts of the body
> is to supply food to the stomach. The demigods are, so to
> speak, different officers and directors in the government
> of the Supreme Lord. One has to follow the laws made by the
> government, not by the officers or directors. Similarly,
> everyone is to offer his worship to the Supreme Lord only.
> That will automatically satisfy the different officers and
> directors of the Lord. The officers and directors are
> engaged as representatives of the government, and to offer
> some bribe to the officers and directors is illegal. This
> is stated here as avidhi-purvakam. In other words, Krsna
> does not approve the unnecessary worship of the demigods.
382
383 Bg 9.24
384
385 TEXT 24
386
387 TRANSLATION
388
389 I am the only enjoyer and master of all
> sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true
> transcendental nature fall down.
390
391 PURPORT
392
393 Here it is clearly stated that there are many types of
> yajna performances recommended in the Vedic literatures,
> but actually all of them are meant for satisfying the
> Supreme Lord. Yajna means Visnu. In the Third Chapter of
> Bhagavad-gita it is clearly stated that one should only
> work for satisfying Yajna, or Visnu. The perfectional form
> of human civilization, known as varnasrama-dharma, is
> specifically meant for satisfying Visnu. Therefore, Krsna
> says in this verse, "I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices
> because I am the supreme master." Less intelligent
> persons, however, without knowing this fact, worship
> demigods for temporary benefit. Therefore they fall down to
> material existence and do not achieve the desired goal of
> life. If, however, anyone has any material desire to be
> fulfilled, he had better pray for it to the Supreme Lord (
> although that is not pure devotion), and he will thus
> achieve the desired result.
394
395 Bg 9.25
396
397 TEXT 25
398
399 TRANSLATION
400
401 Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the
> demigods; those who worship the
> ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship
> ghosts and spirits will take birth among such
> beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.
402
403 PURPORT
404
405 If one has any desire to go to the moon, the sun or any
> other planet, one can attain the desired destination by
> following specific Vedic principles recommended for that
> purpose, such as the process technically known as darsa-
> paurnamasi. These are vividly described in the fruitive
> activities portion of the Vedas,
> which recommends a specific worship of
> demigods situated on different heavenly planets. Similarly,
> one can attain the Pita planets by performing a specific
> yajna. Similarly, one can go to many ghostly planets and
> become a Yaksa, Raksa or Pisaca. Pisaca worship is called "
> black arts" or "black magic." There are many men who
> practice this black art, and they think that it is
> spiritualism, but such activities are completely
> materialistic. Similarly, a pure devotee, who worships the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead only, achieves the planets
> of Vaikuntha and Krsnaloka without a doubt. It is very easy
> to understand through this important verse that if by
> simply worshiping the demigods one can achieve the heavenly
> planets, or by worshiping the Pitas achieve the Pita
> planets, or by practicing the black arts achieve the
> ghostly planets, why can the pure devotee not achieve the
> planet of Krsna or Visnu? Unfortunately many people have no
> information of these sublime planets where Krsna and Visnu
> live, and because they do not know of them they fall down.
> Even the impersonalists fall down from the brahmajyoti.
> The Krsna consciousness movement is therefore distributing
> sublime information to the entire human society to the
> effect that by simply chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one
> can become perfect in this life and go back home, back to
> Godhead.
406
407 Bg 9.26
408
409 TEXT 26
410
411 TRANSLATION
412
413 If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower,
> fruit or water, I will accept it.
414
415 PURPORT
416
417 For the intelligent person, it is essential to be in
> Krsna consciousness, engaged in the transcendental loving
> service of the Lord, in order to achieve a permanent,
> blissful abode for eternal happiness. The process of
> achieving such a marvelous result is very easy and can be
> attempted even by the poorest of the poor, without any kind
> of qualification. The only qualification required in this
> connection is to be a pure devotee of the Lord. It does not
> matter what one is or where one is situated. The process is
> so easy that even a leaf or a little water or fruit can be
> offered to the Supreme Lord in genuine love and the Lord
> will be pleased to accept it. No one, therefore, can be
> barred from Krsna consciousness, because it is so easy and
> universal. Who is such a fool that he does not want to be
> Krsna conscious by this simple method and thus attain the
> highest perfectional life of eternity, bliss and knowledge?
> Krsna wants only loving service and nothing more. Krsna
> accepts even a little flower from His pure devotee. He does
> not want any kind of offering from a nondevotee. He is not
> in need of anything from anyone, because He is self-
> sufficient, and yet He accepts the offering of His devotee
> in an exchange of love and affection. To develop Krsna
> consciousness is the highest perfection of life. Bhakti is
> mentioned twice in this verse in order to declare more
> emphatically that bhakti, or devotional service, is the
> only means to approach Krsna. No other condition, such as
> becoming a brahmana. a learned scholar, a very rich man or
> a great philosopher, can induce Krsna to accept some
> offering. Without the basic principle of bhakti, nothing
> can induce the Lord to agree to accept anything from anyone.
> Bhakti is never causal. The process is eternal. It is
> direct action in service to the absolute whole.
418
419 Here Lord Krsna, having established that He is the only
> enjoyer, the primeval Lord and the real object of all
> sacrificial offerings, reveals what types of sacrifices He
> desires to be offered. If one wishes to engage in
> devotional service to the Supreme in order to be purified
> and to reach the goal of life-the transcendental loving
> service of God-then one should find out what the Lord
> desires of him. One who loves Krsna will give Him whatever
> He wants, and he avoids offering anything which is
> undesirable or unasked. Thus meat, fish and eggs
> should not be offered to Krsna. If He desired such things
> as offerings, He would have said so. Instead He clearly
> requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers and water be given to
> Him, and He says of this offering, "I will accept it."
> Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept
> meat, fish and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk and
> water are the proper foods for human beings and are
> prescribed by Lord Krsna Himself. Whatever else we eat
> cannot be offered to Him, since He will not accept it. Thus
> we cannot be acting on the level of loving devotion if we
> offer such foods.
420
421 In the Third Chapter, verse thirteen, Sri Krsna explains
> that only the remains of sacrifice are purified and fit for
> consumption by those who are seeking advancement in life
> and release from the clutches of the material entanglement.
> Those who do not make an offering of their food, He says in
> the same verse, are eating only sin. In other
> words, their every mouthful is simply deepening their
> involvement in the complexities of material nature. But
> preparing nice, simple vegetable dishes, offering them
> before the picture or Deity of Lord Krsna and bowing down
> and praying for Him to accept such a humble offering
> enables one to advance steadily in life, to purify the body,
> and to create fine brain tissues which will lead to clear
> thinking. Above all, the offering should be made with an
> attitude of love. Krsna has no need of food, since He
> already possesses everything that be, yet He will accept
> the offering of one who desires to please Him in that way.
> The important element, in preparation, in serving and in
> offering, is to act with love for Krsna.
422
423 The impersonalist philosophers, who wish to maintain that
> the Absolute Truth is without senses, cannot comprehend
> this verse of Bhagavad-gita. To them, it is either a
> metaphor or proof of the mundane character of Krsna, the
> speaker of the Bhagavad-gita. But, in actuality, Krsna, the
> Supreme Godhead, has senses, and it is stated that His
> senses are interchangeable; in other words, one sense can
> perform the function of any other. This is what it means to
> say that Krsna is absolute. Lacking senses, He could hardly
> be considered full in all opulences. In the Seventh Chapter,
> Krsna has explained that He impregnates the living
> entities into material nature. This is done by His looking
> upon material nature. And so in this instance, Krsna's
> hearing the devotee's words of love in offering foodstuffs
> is wholly identical with His eating and actually tasting.
> This point should be emphasized: because of His absolute
> position, His hearing is wholly identical with His eating
> and tasting. Only the devotee, who accepts Krsna as He
> describes Himself, without interpretation, can understand
> that the Supreme Absolute Truth can eat food and enjoy it.
424
425 Bg 9.27
426
427 TEXT 27
428
429 TRANSLATION
430
431 Whatever you do, whatever you
> eat, whatever you offer or give away, and
> whatever austerities you perform-do that, O
> son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.
432
433 PURPORT
434
435 Thus, it is the duty of everyone to mold his life in such a
> way that he will not forget Krsna in any circumstance.
> Everyone has to work for maintenance of his body and soul
> together, and Krsna recommends herein that one should work
> for Him. Everyone has to eat something to live; therefore
> he should accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to
> Krsna. Any civilized man has to perform some religious
> ritualistic ceremonies; therefore Krsna recommends, "Do it
> for Me," and this is called arcana. Everyone has a tendency
> to give something in charity; Krsna says, "Give it to Me,"
> and this means that all surplus money accumulated should
> be utilized in furthering the Krsna consciousness movement.
> Nowadays people are very much inclined to the meditational
> process, which is not practical in this age, but if anyone
> practices meditating on Krsna twenty-four hours a day by
> chanting the Hare Krsna mantra round his beads, he is
> surely the greatest meditator and the greatest yogi. as
> substantiated by the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita.
436
437 Bg 9.28
438
439 TEXT 28
440
441 TRANSLATION
442
443 In this way you will be freed from bondage to
> work and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With
> your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation,
> you will be liberated and come to Me.
444
445 PURPORT
446
447 One who acts in Krsna consciousness under superior
> direction is called yukta. The technical term is yukta-
> vairagya. This is further explained by Rupa Gosvami as
> follows:
448
449 anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah nirbandhah
> krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate.(Bhakti-rasamrta-
> sindhu 2.255)
450
451 Rupa Gosvami says that as long as we are in this material
> world we have to act; we cannot cease acting. Therefore if
> actions are performed and the fruits are given to Krsna,
> then that is called yukta-vairagya. Actually situated in
> renunciation, such activities clear the mirror of the mind,
> and as the actor gradually makes progress in spiritual
> realization he becomes completely surrendered to the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore at the end he
> becomes liberated, and this liberation is also specified.
> By this liberation he does not become one with the
> brahmajyoti, but rather enters into the planet of the
> Supreme Lord. It is clearly mentioned here: mam upaisyasi, "
> he comes to Me," back home, back to Godhead. There are five
> different stages of liberation, and here it is specified
> that the devotee who has always lived his lifetime here
> under the direction of the Supreme Lord, as stated, has
> evolved to the point where he can, after quitting this body,
> go back to Godhead and engage directly in the association
> of the Supreme Lord.
452
453 Anyone who has no interest but to dedicate his life
> to the service of the Lord is actually a sannyasi. Such a
> person always thinks of himself as an eternal servant,
> dependent on the supreme will of the Lord. As such,
> whatever he does, he does it for the benefit of the Lord.
> Whatever action he performs, he performs it as service to
> the Lord. He does not give serious attention to the
> fruitive activities or prescribed duties mentioned in the
> Vedas. For ordinary persons it is obligatory to execute the
> prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas, but although a
> pure devotee who is completely engaged in the service of
> the Lord may sometimes appear to go against the prescribed
> Vedic duties, actually it is not so.
454
455 It is said, therefore, by Vaisnava authorities that even
> the most intelligent person cannot understand the plans and
> activities of a pure devotee. The exact words are
> tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na bujhaya (Caitanya-
> caritamrta, Madhya 23.39).
456
457 A person who is thus always engaged in the service of the
> Lord or is always thinking and planning how to serve the
> Lord is to be considered completely liberated at present,
> and in the future his going back home, back to Godhead, is
> guaranteed. He is above all materialistic criticism, just
> as Krsna is above all criticism.
458
459 Bg 9.29
460
461 TEXT 29
462
463 TRANSLATION
464
465 I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to
> all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a
> friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.
466
467 PURPORT
468
469 One may question here that if Krsna is equal to everyone
> and no one is His special friend, then why does He take a
> special interest in the devotees who are always engaged in
> His transcendental service? But this is not discrimination;
> it is natural. Any man in this material world may be very
> charitably disposed, yet he has a special interest in his
> own children. The Lord claims that every living entity-in
> whatever form-is His son, and so He provides everyone
> with a generous supply of the necessities of life. He is
> just like a cloud which pours rain all over, regardless of
> whether it falls on rock or land or water. But for His
> devotees, He gives specific attention. Such devotees are
> mentioned here: they are always in Krsna consciousness, and
> therefore they are always transcendentally situated in
> Krsna. The very phrase "Krsna consciousness" suggests that
> those who are in such consciousness are living
> transcendentalists, situated in Him. The Lord says here
> distinctly, mayi te: "They are in Me." Naturally, as a
> result, the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal. This
> also explains the words ye yatha mam prapadyante
> tams tathaiva bhajamy aham: "Whoever surrenders unto Me,
> proportionately I take care of him." This transcendental
> reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee
> are conscious. When a diamond is set in a golden ring, it
> looks very nice. The gold is glorified, and at the same
> time the diamond is glorified. The Lord and the living
> entity eternally glitter, and when a living entity becomes
> inclined to the service of the Supreme Lord he looks like
> gold. The Lord is a diamond, and so this combination is
> very nice. Living entities in a pure state are called
> devotees. The Supreme Lord becomes the devotee of His
> devotees. If a reciprocal relationship is not present
> between the devotee and the Lord, then there is no
> personalist philosophy. In the impersonal philosophy there
> is no reciprocation between the Supreme and the living
> entity, but in the personalist philosophy there is.
470
471 The example is often given that the Lord is like a desire
> tree, and whatever one wants from this desire tree, the
> Lord supplies. But here the explanation is more complete.
> The Lord is here stated to be partial to the devotees. This
> is the manifestation of the Lord's special mercy to the
> devotees. The Lord's reciprocation should not be considered
> to be under the law of karma. It belongs to the
> transcendental situation in which the Lord and His devotees
> function. Devotional service to the Lord is not an activity
> of this material world; it is part of the spiritual world,
> where eternity, bliss and knowledge predominate.
472
473 Bg 9.30
474
475 TEXT 30
476
477 TRANSLATION
478
479 Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is
> engaged in devotional service he is to be considered
> saintly because he is properly situated in his
> determination.
480
481 PURPORT
482
483 The word su-duracarah used in this verse is very
> significant, and we should understand it properly. When a
> living entity is conditioned, he has two kinds of
> activities: one is conditional, and the other is
> constitutional. As for protecting the body or abiding by
> the rules of society and state, certainly there are
> different activities, even for the devotees, in connection
> with the conditional life, and such activities are called
> conditional. Besides these, the living entity who is fully
> conscious of his spiritual nature and is engaged in Krsna
> consciousness, or the devotional service of the Lord, has
> activities which are called transcendental. Such activities
> are performed in his constitutional position, and they are
> technically called devotional service. Now, in the
> conditioned state, sometimes devotional service and the
> conditional service in relation to the body will parallel
> one another. But then again, sometimes these activities
> become opposed to one another. As far as possible, a
> devotee is very cautious so that he does not do anything
> that could disrupt his wholesome condition. He knows that
> perfection in his activities depends on his progressive
> realization of Krsna consciousness. Sometimes, however, it
> may be seen that a person in Krsna consciousness commits
> some act which may be taken as most abominable socially or
> politically. But such a temporary falldown does not
> disqualify him. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that
> if a person falls down but is wholeheartedly engaged in
> the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, the Lord,
> being situated within his heart, purifies him and excuses
> him from that abomination. The material contamination is so
> strong that even a yogi fully engaged in the service of the
> Lord sometimes becomes ensnared; but Krsna consciousness is
> so strong that such an occasional falldown is at once
> rectified. Therefore the process of devotional service is
> always a success. No one should deride a devotee for some
> accidental falldown from the ideal path, for, as
> explained in the next verse, such occasional falldowns will
> be stopped in due course, as soon as a devotee is
> completely situated in Krsna consciousness.
484
485 Therefore a person who is situated in Krsna consciousness
> and is engaged with determination in the process of
> chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/
> Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare should be
> considered to be in the transcendental position, even if by
> chance or accident he is found to have fallen. The words
> sadhur eva, "he is saintly," are very emphatic. They are a
> warning to the nondevotees that because of an accidental
> falldown a devotee should not be derided; he should still
> be considered saintly even if he has accidentally fallen
> down. And the word mantavyah is still more emphatic. If one
> does not follow this rule, and derides a devotee for his
> accidental falldown, then one is disobeying the order of
> the Supreme Lord. The only qualification of a devotee is to
> be unflinchingly and exclusively engaged in devotional
> service.
486
487 In
> the Nrsimha
> purana the following statement is given:
> bhagavati ca harav
> ananya-ceta bhrsa-malino 'pi virajate manusyah
> na hi sasa-kalusa-cchabih kadacit timira-
> parabhavatam upaiti candrah.
488
489 The meaning is that even if one fully engaged in the
> devotional service of the Lord is sometimes found engaged
> in abominable activities, these activities should be
> considered to be like the spots that resemble the mark of
> a rabbit on the moon. Such spots do not become an
> impediment to the diffusion of moonlight. Similarly, the
> accidental falldown of a devotee from the path of saintly
> character does not make him abominable.
490
491 On the other hand, one should not misunderstand that a
> devotee in transcendental devotional service can act in all
> kinds of abominable ways; this verse only refers to an
> accident due to the strong power of material connections.
> Devotional service is more or less a declaration of war
> against the illusory energy. As long as one is not strong
> enough to fight the illusory energy, there may be
> accidental falldowns. But when one is strong enough, he is
> no longer subjected to such falldowns, as previously
> explained. No one should take advantage of this verse and
> commit nonsense and think that he is still a devotee. If he
> does not improve in his character by devotional service,
> then it is to be understood that he is not a high devotee.
492
493 Bg 9.31
494
495 TEXT 31
496
497 TRANSLATION
498
499 He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O
> son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never
> perishes.
500
501 PURPORT
502
503 This should not be misunderstood. In the Seventh Chapter
> the Lord says that one who is engaged in mischievous
> activities cannot become a devotee of the Lord. One who is
> not a devotee of the Lord has no good qualifications
> whatsoever. The question remains, then, How can a person
> engaged in abominable activities-either by accident or by
> intention-be a pure devotee? This question may justly be
> raised. The miscreants, as stated in the Seventh Chapter,
> who never come to the devotional service of the Lord, have
> no good qualifications, as is stated in the Srimad-
> Bhagavatam. Generally, a devotee who is engaged in the nine
> kinds of devotional activities is engaged in the process of
> cleansing all material contamination from the heart. He
> puts the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart,
> and all sinful contaminations are naturally washed away.
> Continuous thinking of the Supreme Lord makes him pure by
> nature.
504
505 According to the Vedas, there is a certain regulation that
> if one falls down from his exalted position he has to
> undergo certain ritualistic processes to purify himself.
> But here there is no such condition, because the purifying
> process is already there in the heart of the devotee, due
> to his remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead
> constantly. Therefore, the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare
> Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama
> Rama, Hare Hare should be continued without stoppage. This
> will protect a devotee from all accidental falldowns. He
> will thus remain perpetually free from all material
> contaminations.
506
507 Bg 9.32
508
509 TEXT 32
510
511 TRANSLATION
512
513 O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they
> be of lower birth-women, vaisyas [merchants] and
> sudras [workers]-can attain the supreme destination.
514
515 PURPORT
516
517 It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in
> devotional service there is no distinction between the
> lower and higher classes of people. In the material
> conception of life there are such divisions, but for a
> person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the
> Lord there are not. Everyone is eligible for the supreme
> destination. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18) it is stated
> that even the lowest, who are called candalas (dog-eaters),
> can be purified by association with a pure devotee.
> Therefore devotional service and the guidance of a pure
> devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination
> between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can
> take to it. The most simple man taking shelter of the pure
> devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to
> the different modes of material nature, men are classified
> in the mode of goodness (brahmanas), the mode of passion (
> ksatriyas, or administrators), the mixed modes of passion
> and ignorance (vaisyas, or merchants), and the mode of
> ignorance (sudras, or workers). Those lower than them are
> called candalas, and they are born in sinful families.
> Generally, the association of those born in sinful
> families is not accepted by the higher classes. But the
> process of devotional service is so strong that the pure
> devotee of the Supreme Lord can enable people of all the
> lower classes to attain the highest perfection of life.
> This is possible only when one takes shelter of Krsna. As
> indicated here by the word vyapasritya, one has to take
> shelter completely of Krsna. Then one can become much
> greater than great jnanis and yogis.
518
519 Bg 9.33
520
521 TEXT 33
522
523 TRANSLATION
524
525 How much more this is so of the righteous
> brahmanas, the devotees and the saintly kings. Therefore,
> having come to this temporary, miserable world, engage in
> loving service unto Me.
526
527 PURPORT
528
529 In this material world there are classifications of people,
> but, after all, this world is not a happy place for anyone.
> It is clearly stated here, anityam asukham lokam: this
> world is temporary and full of miseries, not habitable for
> any sane gentleman. This world is declared by the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead to be temporary and full of miseries.
> Some philosophers, especially Mayavadi
> philosophers, say that this world is false, but we can
> understand from Bhagavad-gita that the world is not false;
> it is temporary. There is a difference between temporary
> and false. This world is temporary, but there is another
> world, which is eternal. This world is miserable, but the
> other world is eternal and blissful.
530
531 Arjuna was born in a saintly royal family. To him also the
> Lord says, "Take to My devotional service and come quickly
> back to Godhead, back home." No one should remain in this
> temporary world, full as it is with miseries. Everyone
> should attach himself to the bosom of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead so that he can be eternally happy.
> The devotional service of the Supreme Lord is the only
> process by which all problems of all classes of men can be
> solved. Everyone should therefore take to Krsna
> consciousness and make his life perfect.
532
533 Bg 9.34
534
535 TEXT 34
536
537 TRANSLATION
538
539 Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My
> devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being
> completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.
540
541 PURPORT
542
543 In this verse it is clearly indicated that Krsna
> consciousness is the only means of being delivered from the
> clutches of this contaminated material world. Sometimes
> unscrupulous commentators distort the meaning of what is
> clearly stated here: that all devotional service should be
> offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.
> Unfortunately, unscrupulous commentators divert the mind of
> the reader to that which is not at all feasible. Such
> commentators do not know that there is no difference
> between Krsna's mind and Krsna. Krsna is not an ordinary
> human being; He is Absolute Truth. His body, His mind and
> He Himself are one and absolute. It is stated in the Kurma
> Purana. as it is quoted by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
> Gosvami in his Anubhasya comments on Caitanya-caritamrta (
> Fifth Chapter, Adi-lila, verses 41–48), deha-dehi-vibhedo '
> yam nesvare vidyate kvacit. This means that there is no
> difference in Krsna, the Supreme Lord, between Himself and
> His body. But because the commentators do not know this
> science of Krsna, they hide Krsna and divide
> His personality from His mind or from His body. Although
> this is sheer ignorance of the science of Krsna, some men
> make profit out of misleading people.
544
545 There are some who are demonic; they also think of Krsna,
> but enviously, just like King Kamsa, Krsna's uncle. He was
> also thinking of Krsna always, but he thought of Krsna as
> his enemy. He was always in anxiety, wondering when Krsna
> would come to kill him. That kind of thinking will not help
> us. One should be thinking of Krsna in devotional love.
> That is bhakti. One should cultivate the knowledge of Krsna
> continuously. What is that favorable cultivation? It is to
> learn from a bona fide teacher. Krsna is the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, and we have several times explained
> that His body is not material, but is eternal, blissful
> knowledge. This kind of talk about Krsna will help one
> become a devotee. Understanding Krsna
> otherwise, from the wrong source, will prove fruitless.
546
547 One should therefore engage his mind in the eternal form,
> the primal form of Krsna; with conviction in his heart that
> Krsna is the Supreme, he should engage himself in worship.
> There are hundreds of thousands of temples in India for the
> worship of Krsna, and devotional service is practiced there.
> When such practice is made, one has to offer obeisances to
> Krsna. One should lower his head before the Deity and
> engage his mind, his body, his activities-everything. That
> will make one fully absorbed in Krsna without deviation.
> This will help one transfer to the Krsnaloka. One should
> not be deviated by unscrupulous commentators. One must
> engage in the nine different processes of devotional
> service, beginning with hearing and chanting about Krsna.
> Pure devotional service is the highest achievement of human
> society.
548
549 The Seventh and Eighth chapters of Bhagavad-gita have
> explained pure devotional service to the Lord that is
> free from speculative knowledge,
> mystic yoga and fruitive activities. Those who are not
> purely sanctified may be attracted by different features of
> the Lord like the impersonal brahmajyoti and localized
> Paramatma, but a pure devotee directly takes to the service
> of the Supreme Lord.
550
551 There is a beautiful poem about Krsna in which it is
> clearly stated that any person who is engaged in the
> worship of demigods is most unintelligent and cannot
> achieve at any time the supreme award of Krsna. The devotee,
> in the beginning, may sometimes fall from the standard,
> but still he should be considered superior to all other
> philosophers and yogis. One who always engages in Krsna
> consciousness should be understood to be a perfectly
> saintly person. His accidental nondevotional activities
> will diminish, and he will soon be situated without any
> doubt in complete perfection. The pure devotee has no
> actual chance to fall down, because the Supreme Godhead
> personally takes care of His pure devotees. Therefore, the
> intelligent person should take directly to the process of
> Krsna consciousness and happily live in this material world.
> He will eventually receive the supreme award of Krsna.
552
553 Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Ninth Chapter of
> the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of the Most
> Confidential Knowledge.
554