BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:38

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:38

 

kaccin nobhaya-vibhrastas

chinnabhram iva nasyati

apratistho maha-baho

vimudho brahmanah pathi

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

kaccit--whether; na--not; ubhaya--both; vibhrastah--deviated from;

chinna--torn; abhram--cloud; iva--like; nasyati--perishes;

apratisthah--without any position; maha-baho--O mighty-armed Krsna;

vimudhah--bewildered; brahmanah--of transcendence; pathi--on the path.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O mighty-armed Krsna, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the

path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material

success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?

 

PURPORT

 

There are two ways to progress. Those who are materialists have no

interest in transcendence; therefore they are more interested in

material advancement by economic development, or in promotion to the

higher planets by appropriate work. When one takes to the path of

transcendence, one has to cease all material activities and sacrifice

all forms of so-called material happiness. If the aspiring

transcendentalist fails, then he apparently loses both ways; in other

words, he can enjoy neither material happiness nor spiritual success.

He has no position; he is like a riven cloud. A cloud in the sky

sometimes deviates from a small cloud and joins a big one. But if it

cannot join a big one, then it is blown away by the wind and becomes a

nonentity in the vast sky. The brahmanah pathi is the path of

transcendental realization through knowing oneself to be spiritual in

essence, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is manifested as

Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Lord Sri Krsna is the fullest

manifestation of the Supreme Absolute Truth, and therefore one who is

surrendered to the Supreme Person is a successful transcendentalist.

To reach this goal of life through Brahman and Paramatma realization

takes many, many births (bahunam janmanam ante). Therefore the

supermost path of transcendental realization is bhakti-yoga, or Krsna

consciousness, the direct method.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.