The essence of the essence of the essence

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Bg. 9.34 Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee,

offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me,

surely you will come to Me.

 

Krsna here gives four confidential instructions: (1) man-manah: always think

of me; (2) bhava mad-bhaktah: become My devotee; (3) mad-yaji: worship Me

and (4)) mam namaskuru: offer obeisances to Me.

 

First, Krsna tells us to always think of Him. It is not sufficient to work

hard for Krsna while our minds wander. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana comments

that here Krsna says to Arjuna: "A so-called ‘devotee' of a king, the king's

servant, actually is thinking about his own wife and so on. His thoughts are

not fixed upon the king. Thus he is not actually the king's devotee. You,

however, in contrast with such a person, should be absorbed in thinking of

Me and should be My devotee. Your mind should always be fixed, like an

uninterrupted flow of honey, on Me, the son of Vasudeva. You should think of

Me as your own master and as the very goal of your life."

 

The Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic literature. The middle six

chapters are the essence of the Gita, and the Ninth and Tenth Chapters are

the essence of the middle six chapters. Finally, the last verse of this

chapter, which is exactly in the middle of the Gita, and which will be

repeated practically verbatim at the end of the Gita, is the most

confidential and essential sloka. It is the essence of the essence of the

essence and the most confidential of all knowledge: Become a pure devotee of

Lord Krsna.

 

One may question whether this verse beginning man-mana bhava mad-bhakto is

actually the essence of the Gita. Noting that almost the same verse appears

again as Bg. 18.65, one may think that Bg. 18.66, sarva-dharman parityajya ,

is actually the essence, not 18.65. Actually, both verses are the same in

that, in both, Krsna offers the same instruction. Text 18.66 expresses

Krsna's desire that Arjuna surrender, and text 18.65 explains the components

of that surrender.

 

In Bg. 18.64, just before these essential verses, Krsna states,

sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah: "I am speaking My supreme

instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all." Sarva-guhyatamam means

"the most confidential of all." Bhuyah means "again." Krsna speaks the verse

here in Chapter Nine and again as text 18.65. Krsna also clearly says that

these verses, 18.65 and 18.66, are the most confidential knowledge of all

and are His supreme instruction. Srila Prabhupada has many times explained

this same point. In his purport to Bg. 18.65, he writes: "The most

confidential part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of

Krsna and always think of Him and act for Him. Concentration of the mind on

the form of Krsna constitutes the most confidential part of knowledge, and

this is disclosed to Arjuna because Arjuna is the most dear friend of

Krsna's."

 

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.32: "In

Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna advised Arjuna many times to surrender unto Him,

especially at the end of the Ninth Chapter -- man-mana bhava mad-bhakto: ‘If

you want to be perfect, just always think of Me, become My devotee, worship

Me and offer your obeisances to Me. In this way you will understand Me, the

Personality of Godhead, and ultimately you will come back to Me, back to

Godhead, back home.'"

 

In his purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.26.37, Srila Prabhupada says:

The complete purpose of this material world will be fulfilled when

we resume our spiritual identities and go back home, back to Godhead. The

very simple method for doing this is prescribed by the Supreme Personality

of Godhead. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. One should be

neither pious nor impious. One should be a devotee and surrender to the

lotus feet of Krsna. This surrendering process is also very easy. Even a

child can perform it. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. One

must always simply think of Krsna by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna

Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. One should

become Krsna's devotee, worship Him and offer obeisances to Him. Thus one

should engage all the activities of his life in the service of Lord Krsna.

In a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.51, Srila Prabhupada said:

 

And the very simple thing is, ya idam paramam guhyam mad- bhaktesv

abhidhasyati: this confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad-gita -- what

is that? Bhagavad-gita preaching -- the essence is: sarva-dharman parityajya

mam ekam saranam vraja. Simply go and preach. This very thing. Krsna says,

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. This is Krsna's desire.

Preach to the world: "Just be Krsna conscious." Man-mana. "Just become

Krsna's devotee." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. "Just worship Krsna."

Namaskuru. "Just offer your obeisances to Krsna." Four words. Then you

become a preacher. It is not a very difficult to become a preacher and to

become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Krsna

says. That's all. (Lecture, Los Angeles, December 28, 1973)

 

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