BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:28

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 8:28

 

vedesu yajnesu tapahsu caiva

danesu yat punya-phalam pradistam

atyeti tat sarvam idam viditva

yogi param sthanam upaiti cadyam

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

vedesu--in the study of the Vedas; yajnesu--in the performances of

yajna, sacrifice; tapahsu--in undergoing different types of

austerities; ca--also; eva--certainly; danesu--in giving charities;

yat--that which; punya-phalam--result of pious work;

pradistam--indicated; atyeti--surpasses; tat sarvam--all those;

idam--this; viditva--knowing; yogi--the devotee; param--supreme;

sthanam--abode; upaiti--achieves; ca--also; adyam--original.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of

the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere

sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive

activities. Simply by performing devotional service, he attains all

these, and at the end he reaches the supreme eternal abode.

 

PURPORT

 

This verse is the summation of the Seventh and Eighth chapters, which

particularly deal with Krsna consciousness and devotional service. One

has to study the Vedas under the guidance of the spiritual master and

undergo many austerities and penances while living under his care. A

brahmacari has to live in the home of the spiritual master just like a

servant, and he must beg alms from door to door and bring them to the

spiritual master. He takes food only under the master's order, and if

the master neglects to call the student for food that day, the student

fasts. These are some of the Vedic principles for observing

brahmacarya.

 

After the student studies the Vedas under the master for a period from

five to twenty years, he may become a man of perfect character. Study

of the Vedas is not meant for the recreation of armchair speculators,

but for the formation of character. After this training, the

brahmacari is allowed to enter into household life and marry. When he

is a householder, he has to perform many sacrifices so that he may

achieve further enlightenment. He must also give charity according to

the country, time and candidate, discriminating among charity in

goodness, in passion and in ignorance, as described in Bhagavad-gita.

Then after retiring from household life, upon accepting the order of

vanaprastha, he undergoes severe penances--living in forests, dressing

with tree bark, not shaving, etc. By carrying out the orders of

brahmacarya, householder life, vanaprastha and finally sannyasa, one

becomes elevated to the perfectional stage of life. Some are then

elevated to the heavenly kingdoms, and when they become even more

advanced they are liberated in the spiritual sky, either in the

impersonal brahmajyoti or in the Vaikuntha planets or Krsnaloka. This

is the path outlined by Vedic literatures.

 

The beauty of Krsna consciousness, however, is that by one stroke, by

engaging in devotional service, one can surpass all the rituals of the

different orders of life.

 

The words idam viditva indicate that one should understand the

instructions given by Sri Krsna in this chapter and the Seventh

Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. One should try to understand these chapters

not by scholarship or mental speculation but by hearing them in

association with devotees. Chapters Seven through Twelve are the

essence of Bhagavad-gita. The first six and the last six chapters are

like coverings for the middle six chapters, which are especially

protected by the Lord. If one is fortunate enough to understand

Bhagavad-gita--especially these middle six chapters--in the

association of devotees, then his life at once becomes glorified

beyond all penances, sacrifices, charities, speculations, etc., for

one can achieve all the results of these activities simply by Krsna

consciousness.

 

One who has a little faith in Bhagavad-gita should learn Bhagavad-gita

from a devotee, because in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is

stated clearly that Bhagavad-gita can be understood only by devotees;

no one else can perfectly understand the purpose of Bhagavad-gita. One

should therefore learn Bhagavad-gita from a devotee of Krsna, not from

mental speculators. This is a sign of faith. When one searches for a

devotee and finally gets a devotee's association one actually begins

to study and understand Bhagavad-gita. By advancement in the

association of the devotee one is placed in devotional service, and

this service dispels all one's misgivings about Krsna, or God, and

Krsna's activities, form, pastimes, name and other features. After

these misgivings have been perfectly cleared away, one becomes fixed

in one's study. Then one relishes the study of Bhagavad-gita and

attains the state of feeling always Krsna conscious. In the advanced

stage, one falls completely in love with Krsna. This highest

perfectional stage of life enables the devotee to be transferred to

Krsna's abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vrndavana, where the

devotee becomes eternally happy.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighth Chapter of the

Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Attaining the Supreme.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.