BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:18

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:18

 

gatir bharta prabhuh sakai

nivasah saranam suhrt

prabhavah pralayah sthanam

nidhanam bijam avyayam

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

gatih--goal; bharta--sustainer; prabhuh--Lord; saksi--witness;

nivasah--abode; saranam--refuge; suhrt--most intimate friend;

prabhavah--creation; pralayah--dissolution; sthanam--ground;

nidhanam--resting place; bijam--seed; avyayam--imperishable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

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.

 

PURPORT

 

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.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.