BHAGAVAD-GITA 11:54

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 11:54

 

bhaktya tv ananyaya sakya

aham evam-vidho 'rjuna

jnatum drastum ca tattvena

pravestum ca parantapa

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

bhaktya--by devotional service; tu--but; ananyaya--without being mixed

with fruitive activities or speculative knowledge; sakyah--possible;

aham--I; evam-vidhah--like this; arjuna--O Arjuna; jnatum--to know;

drastum--to see; ca--and; tattvena--in fact; pravestum--to enter into;

ca--also; parantapa--O mighty-armed one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be

understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen

directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My

understanding.

 

PURPORT

 

Krsna can be understood only by the process of undivided devotional

service. He explicitly explains this in this verse so that

unauthorized commentators, who try to understand Bhagavad-gita by the

speculative process, will know that they are simply wasting their

time. No one can understand Krsna or how He came from parents in a

four-handed form and at once changed Himself into a two-handed form.

These things are very difficult to understand by study of the Vedas or

by philosophical speculation. Therefore it is clearly stated here that

no one can see Him or enter into understanding of these matters. Those

who, however, are very experienced students of Vedic literature can

learn about Him from the Vedic literature in so many ways. There are

so many rules and regulations, and if one at all wants to understand

Krsna, he must follow the regulative principles described in the

authoritative literature. One can perform penance in accordance with

those principles. For example, to undergo serious penances one may

observe fasting on Janmastami, the day on which Krsna appeared, and on

the two days of Ekadasi (the eleventh day after the new moon and the

eleventh day after the full moon). As far as charity is concerned, it

is plain that charity should be given to the devotees of Krsna who are

engaged in His devotional service to spread the Krsna philosophy, or

Krsna consciousness, throughout the world. Krsna consciousness is a

benediction to humanity. Lord Caitanya was appreciated by Rupa Gosvami

as the most munificent man of charity because love of Krsna, which is

very difficult to achieve, was distributed freely by Him. So if one

gives some amount of his money to persons involved in distributing

Krsna consciousness, that charity, given to spread Krsna

consciousness, is the greatest charity in the world. And if one

worships as prescribed in the temple (in the temples in India there is

always some statue, usually of Visnu or Krsna), that is a chance to

progress by offering worship and respect to the Supreme Personality of

Godhead. For the beginners in devotional service to the Lord, temple

worship is essential, and this is confirmed in the Vedic literature

(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23):

 

yasya deve para bhaktir

yatha deve tatha gurau

tasyaite kathita hy arthah

prakasante mahatmanah

 

One who has unflinching devotion for the Supreme Lord and is directed

by the spiritual master, in whom he has similar unflinching faith, can

see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by revelation. One cannot

understand Krsna by mental speculation. For one who does not take

personal training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master,

it is impossible to even begin to understand Krsna. The word tu is

specifically used here to indicate that no other process can be used,

can be recommended, or can be successful in understanding Krsna.

 

The personal forms of Krsna, the two-handed form and the four-handed,

are completely different from the temporary universal form shown to

Arjuna. The four-handed form of Narayana and the two-handed form of

Krsna are eternal and transcendental, whereas the universal form

exhibited to Arjuna is temporary. The very word sudurdarsam, meaning

"difficult to see," suggests that no one had seen that universal form.

It also suggests that amongst the devotees there was no necessity of

showing it. That form was exhibited by Krsna at the request of Arjuna

so that in the future, when one represents himself as an incarnation

of God, people can ask to see his universal form.

 

The word na, used repeatedly in the previous verse, indicates that one

should not be very much proud of such credentials as an academic

education in Vedic literature. One must take to the devotional service

of Krsna. Only then can one attempt to write commentaries on

Bhagavad-gita.

 

Krsna changes from the universal form to the four-handed form of

Narayana and then to His own natural form of two hands. This indicates

that the four-handed forms and other forms mentioned in Vedic

literature are all emanations of the original two-handed Krsna. He is

the origin of all emanations. Krsna is distinct even from these forms,

what to speak of the impersonal conception. As far as the four-handed

forms of Krsna are concerned, it is stated clearly that even the most

identical four-handed form of Krsna (which is known as Maha-Visnu, who

is lying on the cosmic ocean and from whose breathing so many

innumerable universes are passing out and entering) is also an

expansion of the Supreme Lord. As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.48),

 

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya

jivanti loma-vila-jajagad-anda-nathah

visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

"The Maha-Visnu, into whom all the innumerable universes enter and from whom

they come forth again simply by His breathing process, is a plenary

expansion of Krsna. Therefore I worship Govinda, Krsna, the cause of

all causes." Therefore one should conclusively worship the personal

form of Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who has eternal

bliss and knowledge. He is the source of all forms of Visnu, He is the

source of all forms of incarnation, and He is the original Supreme

Personality, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita.

 

In the Vedic literature (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.1) the following

statement appears:

 

sac-cid-ananda-rupaya

krsnayaklista-karine

namo vedanta-vedyaya

gurave buddhi-saksine

 

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Krsna, who has a transcendental form

of bliss, eternity and knowledge. I offer my respect to Him, because

understanding Him means understanding the Vedas and He is therefore

the supreme spiritual master." Then it is said, krsno vaiparamam

daivatam:

"Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Gopala-tapani 1.3) Eko vasi

sarva-gah krsna idyah: "That one Krsna is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, and He is worshipable." Eko 'pi san bahudha yo 'vabhati:

"Krsna is one, but He is manifested in unlimited forms and expanded

incarnations."

(Gopala-tapani 1.21)

 

The Brahma-samhita (5.1) says,

 

isvarah paramah krsnah

sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah

anadir adir govindah

sarva-karana-karanam

 

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, who has a body of eternity,

knowledge and bliss. He has no beginning, for He is the beginning of

everything. He is the cause of all causes."

 

Elsewhere it is said, yatravatirnam krsnakhyam param brahma narakrti:

"The Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, His name is Krsna, and He

sometimes descends on this earth." Similarly, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam

we find a description of all kinds of incarnations of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, and in this list the name of Krsna also

appears. But then it is said that this Krsna is not an incarnation of

God but is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself (ete

camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam).

 

Similarly, in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, mattah parataram nanyat: "There

is nothing superior to My form as the Personality of Godhead Krsna."

He also says elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita, aham adir hi devanam: "I am

the origin of all the demigods." And after understanding Bhagavad-gita

from Krsna, Arjuna also confirms this in the following words: param

brahma param dhama pavitram-paramam bhavan, "I now fully understand

that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth,

and that You are the refuge of everything." Therefore the universal

form which Krsna showed to Arjuna is not the original form of God. The

original is the Krsna form. The universal form, with its thousands and

thousands of heads and hands, is manifest just to draw the attention

of those who have no love for God. It is not God's original form.

 

The universal form is not attractive for pure devotees, who are in

love with the Lord in different transcendental relationships. The

Supreme Godhead exchanges transcendental love in His original form of

Krsna. Therefore to Arjuna, who was so intimately related with Krsna

in friendship, this form of the universal manifestation was not

pleasing; rather, it was fearful. Arjuna, who was a constant companion

of Krsna's, must have had transcendental eyes; he was not an ordinary

man. Therefore he was not captivated by the universal form. This form

may seem wonderful to persons who are involved in elevating themselves

by fruitive activities, but to persons who are engaged in devotional

service the two-handed form of Krsna is the most dear.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.