Bhagavad-gita As It Is [Ch.4] Text 36-38

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is [Ch.4] Text 36-38

 

 

TEXT 36

 

api ced asi papebhyah

sarvebhyah papa-krttamah

sarvam jnana-plavenaiva

vrjinam santarisyasi

 

api—even; cet —if; asi— you are; papebhyah— of sinners; sarvebhyah—

of all; papa-krttamah—the greatest sinner; sarvam—all such sinful

actions; jnana-plavena—by the boat of transcendental knowledge; eva—

certainly; vrjinam—the ocean of miseries; santarisyasi— you will

cross completely.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when

you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge, you will be

able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

 

PURPORT

 

Proper understanding of one's constitutional position in relationship

to Krsna is so nice that it can at once lift one from the struggle

for existence which goes on in the ocean of nescience. This material

world is sometimes regarded as an ocean of nescience and sometimes as

a blazing forest. In the ocean, however expert a swimmer one may be,

the struggle for existence is very severe. If someone comes forward

and lifts the struggling swimmer from the ocean, he is the greatest

savior. Perfect knowledge, received from the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, is the path of liberation. The boat of Krsna consciousness

is very simple, but at the same time the most sublime.

 

 

TEXT 37

 

 

yathaidhamsi samiddhah agnih

bhasmasat kurute `rjuna

jnanagnih sarva-karmani

bhasmasat kurute tatha

 

 

yatha—just as; edhamsi—firewood; samiddhah—blazing; agnih fire;

bhasmasat--turns into ashes; kurute—so does; arjuna—O Arjuna; jnana

agnih~—the fire of knowledge; sarva-karmani—all reactions to material

activities; bhasmasat—to ashes; kurute—it so does; tatha—similarly.

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, 0 Arjuna, so does the

fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

 

PURPORT

 

Perfect knowledge of self and Superself and of their relationship is

compared herein to fire. This fire not only burns up all reactions to

impious activities, but also all reactions to pious activities,

turning them to ashes. There are many stages of reaction: reaction in

the making, reaction fructi­fying, reaction already achieved, and

reaction a priori. But knowledge of the constitutional position of

the living entity burns everything to ashes. When one is in complete

knowledge, all reactions, both a priori and aposteriori, are

consumed. In the Vedas it is stated: ubhe uhaivaisa ete taraty amrata

sadhv-asadhuni: "One overcomes both the pious and impious

interactions of work."

 

TEXT 38

 

na hi jnanena sadrsam

pavitram iha vidyate

tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah

kalenatmani vindati

 

na—never; hi—certainly; jnanena— with knowledge; sad rsam—in compari­

son; pavitram—sanctified; iha—in this world; vidyate—exists; tat—

that; svayam—itself; yoga—devotion; samsiddhah—matured; kalena—in

course of time; atmani—in himself; vindati—enjoys.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental

knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And

one who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due

course of time.

 

PURPORT

 

When we speak of transcendental knowledge, we do so in terms of

spiritual understanding. As such, there is nothing so sublime and

pure as transcendental knowledge. Ignorance is the cause of our

bondage, and knowledge is the cause of our liberation. This knowledge

is the mature fruit of devotional service, and when one is situated

in transcendental knowledge, he need not search for peace elsewhere,

for he enjoys peace within himself. In other words, this knowledge

and peace are culminated in Krsna consciousness. That is the last

word in the Bhagavad-gita.

 

Hare Krsna --Thank You very much for reading!!

All Glories to Lord Krsna

 

All Translations are done by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada