Bhagavad-Gita Q's & A's

Govindaram · January 20, 2004

Teaching and Study Guide to Bhagavad-gita As It Is (new98)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Translation and Commentary by

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

guide prepared by Subhananda dasa brahmacari, Bh.S.

Editor, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

(For further explanations, consult the verse(s)-with "purports" cited at the conclusion of each answer.)

Chapter One

Q1. Why does Arjuna decide not to fight in the Battle of Kuruksetra?

A. When Krishna, in response to Arjuna's request, draws Arjuna's chariot between the opposing armies, Arjuna sees his relatives and friends assembled in the ranks of both armies. Seeing their militant spirit and foreseeing their imminent death, Arjuna is overwhelmed with grief and compassion and decides not to fight. Not yet understanding the higher purpose of the battle (that Krishna desires the demoniac armies annihilated), Arjuna analyzes the entire situation in terms of his own interests. He thus decides that he is not interested in achieving military victory and winning a kingdom at the expense of the lives of his friends and relatives and the welfare of society. (1.21-46)

Chapter Two

Q1. What does Krishna mean when He tells Arjuna, "While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief"?

A. Krishna is intimating that it is the eternal soul (self), and not the temporary material body, which is ultimately important. Arjuna's compassion for his relatives was misdirected, being aimed exclusively at their temporary bodily welfare. Because of identifying the outward material body with the self, Arjuna had forgotten that the actual self, the soul, being spiritual and eternal, cannot be slain. Only the temporary material body is slain. Therefore, Arjuna's lamenting the death of the opposing soldiers was due only to illusion. (2.11)

Q2. What is the nature of the soul as distinct from the body?

A. The soul, or self, is beginningless, eternal and unchanging. It cannot be destroyed or altered by any means, material or spiritual. Being transcendental and atomic, the soul cannot be perceived, ascertained, measured or apprehended by material senses or instruments. Each soul is eternally a distinct and individual conscious entity. (2.11-30)

Q3. What is transmigration (reincarnation)?

A. "Transmigration" means change of body. When situated within a temporary material body, the eternal, unchanging soul transforms (ages) from childhood to adulthood to old age. Even during the life cycle of a particular body, therefore, the soul is transmigrating. When the material body, through disease, old age, or other circumstances, becomes uninhabitable for the soul, the soul leaves the body ("dies") and enters a new body within the womb of a mother and "takes birth." (The transmigrating soul is awarded a new body by nature in accordance with his karma, or activities.) (2.13, 22)

Q4. How does Krishna describe the person in "transcendental consciousness"?

A. Such a person, fully cognizant of his spiritual identity and separateness from matter, is not interested in material pleasure. Thus he controls his outward senses. With controlled senses and with mind and intelligence fixed on the Supreme, he is unaffected by material dualities such as happiness and distress, loss and gain. Such a person, at the end of the present body, attains the spiritual world. (2.54-72)

Chapter Three

Q1. Can one achieve freedom from karmic reactions by abstaining from activity?

A. No. The soul is active by nature; it can never remain inactive. In the conditioned state of material existence, the modes of material nature force the embodied soul to act under their control. One can be released from karmic reactions, however, by engaging in active "works of devotion," or karma-yoga. (3.4-8)

Q2. What is karma-yoga?

A. In his conditioned state, the jiva performs self-centered activities directed toward bodily gratification. Under the law of karma, he has to suffer or enjoy the reactions to the pious and impious acts he performs in the pursuit of sense gratification. These karmic reactions force him to take repeated births in the material world. Karma-yoga, "the art of work," is a means by which he can escape this material entanglement. In karma-yoga, one performs duties according to the directions of the scriptures (the Vedas). Such activities purify and elevate the performer to the platform of performing activities for the satisfaction of Visnu (Krishna). Selfless activity, performed in the service of the Supreme, yields no material reactions and thus frees one from bondage to matter. (3.1-3, 9-35)

Q3. What does Krishna call "the destroyer of knowledge and self-realization"?

A. Kama, or lust, the desire for material sense gratification, impels the conditioned jiva to try to enjoy and exploit material sense objects. In the pursuit of sense gratification, the bound jiva performs sinful acts, which bind him to repeated birth and death. The more materially absorbed he becomes, the more he forgets his position as a transcendental living entity. Understanding the transcendental nature of the soul, one should conquer lust, Krishna tells Arjuna, by controlling the senses. (3.36-43)

Chapter Four

Q1. What is the nature and purpose of Krishna's descending to the material world ?

A. Whereas the ordinary conditioned jiva is forced to assume a material form under the supervision of the law of karma, Krishna descends to the material world in His own eternal, transcendental form by His independent will. He appears in the material world in His original form as an incarnation or expansion whenever it is necessary to reestablish the principles of religion (dharma). Krishna states that one who understands the nature of His appearance and activities reaches the spiritual world. (4.4-9)

Q2. How does transcendental knowledge free one from karmic reactions?

A. "Transcendental knowledge," or the understanding that the self is not material but eternal and transcendental to matter, frees one from karmic reactions because when situated in that knowledge one ceases to perform fruitive activities directed toward material sense gratification One realizes sense gratification to be merely temporary and illusory pleasure. In the absence of fruitive activities to gratify the senses, there are no karmic reactions to bind one. (4.18-24, 36-42)

Q3. Why and how does one approach a spiritual master? What is the criterion of a genuine guru?

A. Since transcendental knowledge is beyond the range of material sense perception and empiric speculation, one has to approach a guru, one who has realized the truth in a line of "disciplic succession" originating with God. The disciple approaches a bona fide guru in a submissive attitude, always prepared to render service and eager to submit humble inquiries regarding spiritual advancement. When the student is thus qualified, the guru imparts transcendental knowledge to him. (4.34)

Chapter Five

Q1. What are the characteristics of the devotional worker (karma-yogi)? What are his realization, his mode of activity and his ultimate destination ?

A. The person acting in karma-yoga does not identify with the actions of his body, mind and senses, for he understands his real position as transcendental to the material body. Understanding further that he and everything in his possession belong to Krishna, he engages his body, senses, mind and intellect in His service. Acting in such an unattached, devotional manner, rather than acting for personal sense gratification, he is unaffected by reactions to work. Thus his work elevates him to the position of full enlightenment regarding his self and the Supreme Self (Krishna), and he proceeds "straight on the path of liberation." (5.7-17)

Q2. What are the characteristics of the self-realized person (the "humble sage,liberated person,perfect mystic," Brahman-realized or Krishna conscious person) ?

A. The self-realized soul is not illusioned by the false identification of the material body with his true self. He realizes himself to be a fragmental part of God. His mind is steady because he is not disturbed by temporary gains and losses of material things. Fixed in transcendental knowledge, he views all beings with equal vision and works for their ultimate spiritual welfare. Unattracted by material sense pleasure, he enjoys "the pleasure within," concentrating on the Supreme. (5.18-28)

Q3. The self-realized person, Krishna tells Arjuna, is "always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings." What is the nature of such welfare activity?

A. In light of the temporality of the material body and the eternality of the real self, the self-realized person views bodily oriented welfare activity as insufficient. Attributing suffering to a lack of consciousness of God (Krishna), he works to instill God consciousness in others. (5.25)

Chapter Six

Q1. In yoga practice, what is the purpose of controlling the mind?

A. The soul is entrapped by matter because of the conditioned mind's attraction to material nature. The uncontrolled mind intensifies the soul's material bondage. The purpose of yoga is to control the mind (with the intelligence) and to draw it away from attachment to material sense objects. Krishna advises Arjuna (at the end of Chapter Six and also later in the Gita) to control the mind by concentrating it on Him in devotional service (bhakti-yoga). (6.5-7, 26, 36)

Q2. What is dhyana-yoga? How is it performed?

A. Dhyana means "meditation." Dhyana-yoga (technically known as asöaìga-yoga, or "the eightfold path") is a mechanical system for controlling the mind and senses through restraining one's breath, focusing one's mind, and so on. This culminates in samadhi, or mental absorption in the Supreme, specifically in Paramatma, the form of Krishna within the heart. In a secluded place, the dhyana-yogi sits on a particular type of seat, assumes the proper meditational posture and stares at the tip of the nose with half-closed eyes. Then, "with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life," the yogi meditates on Paramatma, making Him "the ultimate goal of life." (6.10-19, 31)

Q3. Why does Arjuna reject the meditational system described by Krsna ?

A. Arjuna says, "The system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady." The requirements of dhyana-yoga (leaving home, finding a completely secluded place, mechanically controlling the mind, and so on) seem to Arjuna too difficult for him, or for any ordinary man. (6.33-36)

Q4. Which yoga system does Krishna recommend to Arjuna as the foremost, at the conclusion of the chapter? Why?

A. Krishna says, "Of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." Krishna thus extols bhakti-yoga, the devotional path, because bhakti (devotion to Krishna) is, according to the Gita, the sanatana-dharma (eternal constitutional position) of the living entity. (6.47)

Chapter Seven

Q1. What are Krishna's two basic energies, and what is their interrelationship? What is Krishna's relationship with these two energies?

A. Krishna's "inferior" energy (matter, or apara prakrti) consists of eight gross and subtle material elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and false ego. It is the "stuff" of the material world. Krishna's "superior" energy (spirit, or para prakrti) consists of the living entities (jivas), who are qualitatively one with Him. Under the influence of material nature, the jivas identify with the material energy and try to predominate and enjoy matter. When freed from this influence, the jiva attains mukti, or liberation. Krishna is the origin and controller of both energies. (7.4-7)

Q2. What are the four kinds of "miscreants" who don't surrender to Krishna and the four kinds of pious men who do?

A. The four classes of miscreants are (1) the mudhas, grossly foolish, hard-working fruitive workers, (2) naradhamas, those who follow regulative principles of social and political life but do not follow religious principles, (3) mayayapahrta-jnanis, those who are highly educated or learned but are illusioned by maya, and (4) asuram bhavam aSritas, those who are openly atheistic.

The four classes of pious men are those who approach the Supreme Lord because (1) they are distressed, (2) they need money, (3) they are inquisitive, or (4) they are searching for knowledge of the Absolute Truth. (7.15-18)

Q3. Why does Krishna criticize the worshipers of demigods?

A. "Those whose minds are distorted by material desires" worship demigods to win material benedictions. Because such worshipers seek material gains, which are limited and temporary, they are "men of small intelligence." They do not know, Krishna declares, that He is the source of their faith in the demigods as well as the actual bestower of the demigods' favors (7.20-23)

Chapter Eight

Q1. What is the significance of the time of death for the embodied jiva?

A. The quality of the jiva's consciousness at death determines his next birth: "In whatever condition one quits his present body, in his next life he will attain to that state without fail." (8.6)

Q2. What advise does Krishna give Arjuna regarding the time of death? What will be the result of following that advise?

A. Krishna tells Arjuna that one who leaves the body remembering Him attains His abode. Because the quality of one's consciousness at death is influenced by one's consciousness and activities during his life, Krishna instructs Arjuna to practice remembering Him while performing his prescribed duties. By such remembrance, "one is sure to achieve the planet of the divine, the Supreme Personality." (8.5, 7-8)

Q3. According to Krishna, how should Arjuna meditate on Him?

A. Krishna tells Arjuna, "Think of the Supreme Person as one who knows everything, who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond any material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He is luminous like the sun, beyond this material nature, transcendental." (8.9)

Q4. What is the nature of the spiritual world, and how is it attained?

A. Beyond the material world, which undergoes a perpetual cycle of creation and destruction, is the eternal, spiritual world, which is "transcendental to this manifested and nonmanifested matter" and is never annihilated. This "highest destination" is attained, Krishna says, by "unalloyed devotion." Once it is attained, one never returns to the material world. (8.17-22)

Chapter Nine

Q1. How does Krishna describe His relationship with His creation (the cosmic universe)?

A. Krishna is the source, maintainer and controller of the universe. In a perpetual cycle of creation and destruction, He manifests the material world and, after a long period, absorbs it back into His nature. When manifested, the entire cosmic creation rests within Him, while He simultaneously pervades the universe through His diverse potencies. Although maintaining and pervading the universe through His different potencies and energies, He remains transcendental, separate and independent in His personal form. All material activities (such as the embodiment of living beings) are carried out by the material nature, which acts under His supreme direction. (9.4-10)

Q2. Who are "the foolish," and who are "the great souls"?

A. The foolish are those bewildered persons who, ignorant of Krishna's transcendental nature and supreme dominion, deride His personal humanlike form. Such persons are "attracted by demoniac and atheistic views." That is, they consider Krishna's personal form material and therefore subordinate or inferior to His impersonal feature as the all-pervading Brahman. The "great souls" are those who are fully aware of Krishna as "the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and who worship Him with devotion. (9.11-14)

Q3. How does Krishna advise Arjuna to become free from karmic reaction?

A. Arjuna will be freed from "all reactions to good and evil deeds" by making Krishna the object and beneficiary of all actions, offerings and austerities. Although Krishna is neutral, anyone who renders Him such service in devotion "is a friend, is in Me, and I am a friend to Him." (9.26-29)

Chapter Ten

Q1. Whom does Krishna enlighten?

A. Those who know Krishna as the source of everything surrender unto Him with pure devotion. To those who are so devoted, Krishna tells Arjuna, "I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." (10.8-11)

Q2. What is the lesson Arjuna is to learn from Krishna's revelation of His divine opulences?

A. By giving Arjuna a small indication of His specific opulences as He manifests them in His all-pervading energies, Krishna demonstrates that all wondrous phenomena manifesting great power, beauty, grandeur and sublimeness, in either the spiritual or material world, are merely fragmental manifestations of His divine energies and opulences. As the supreme cause of all causes, therefore, Krishna is the supreme object of worship for all beings. (10.19-41)

Q3. After Krishna reveals His opulences, what is His final teaching to Arjuna?

A. Krishna says, "But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself, I pervade and support this entire universe." In other words, more important than knowledge of His separate opulences is the understanding that these and all things exist because of Krishna's entering them as Paramatma (Supersoul), by which He pervades and supports the entire universe. (10.42)

Chapter Eleven

Q1. What is the universal form (visva-rupa) revealed by Krishna to Arjuna?

A. The universal form is a colossal, terrifying, yet temporary vision of Krishna's power and opulence in His form as the cosmic universe and His destructive form as Time. In this spectacular vision, Arjuna can see "the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place, although divided into many, many thousands." (11.9-49)

Q2. Why does Arjuna request Krishna to reveal His universal form?

A. Although he himself fully accepts Krishna as the Absolute Truth and the source of everything, Arjuna fears that in the future others might consider Him an ordinary person. Therefore, to establish Krishna's divinity, he requests Krishna to reveal His universal form to show how He controls the universe although He is apart from it. Arjuna prays, "O greatest of all beings, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation; I wish to see that form of Yours." (11.1-3)

Q3. After He returns to His original, two-armed form as Krishna, what qualification does Krishna cite as necessary to see and understand His humanlike form ?

A. Krishna states, "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." He further states that one thus engaged in pure devotional service "certainly comes to Me." (11.54-55)

Chapter Twelve

Q1. What does Krishna say in response to Arjuna's inquiry about the relative positions of the devotee engaged in Krishna's service (bhakti) and those who worship Brahman, the impersonal form of Krishna?

A. Krishna replies to Arjuna, "He whose mind is fixed on My personal form, always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith, is considered by Me to be most perfect." But "for those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome." Although the "impersonalists" eventually achieve Him, their path, being indirect, is more difficult. For the devotee who has fixed his mind upon Krishna, however, worshiping Him in devotional love and service, Krishna is "the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death." (12.1-8)

Q2. How does Krishna describe the devotee who is "very dear" to Him?

A. The devotee is free from material desires, material dualities and possessiveness, false ego, anxiety and envy. He is "a kindly friend to all creatures,equal to both friends and enemies," and "equal in both happiness and distress," and he engages in devotional service with determination, with mind and intelligence fixed on Krishna. (12.13-20)

Chapter Thirteen

Q1. What are the three subjects discussed in this chapter? What is their relationship?

A. Chapter Thirteen is concerned with the material body, the soul and the Supersoul (Paramatma) and their relationship. The body is composed of twenty-four gross and subtle material elements. It is the ksetra, or "field" of activities, for the soul, who is therefore the ksetra-jna, or "knower of the field." The material body is animate only because of the presence of the living spiritual soul. Beyond the soul is the Supersoul, an expansion of Krishna who simultaneously appears in all bodies, accompanying the individual soul as the indwelling witness, maintainer and guide. This Supersoul is transcendental to the modes of nature and is the supreme knower in all bodies. (13.1-7, 13-35)

Q2. What is the result of understanding these three items and their relationship ?

A. By analytically understanding the body, the soul and the Supersoul, the embodied jiva can understand (and execute) the process of liberation from the body and return to the spiritual world. (13.24, 35)

Chapter Fourteen

Q1. What are "the modes of material nature"? What are the characteristic effects of each of the three modes on the conditioned jiva?

A. The living entity is by nature transcendental, but when conditioned by the material world, he acts under the spell of material nature, which is divided into three qualities, or "modes" (gunas): the mode of goodness (sattva-guna), the mode of passion (rajo-guna) and the mode of ignorance (tamo-guna). These three conditioning forces, acting individually or collectively, influence the conditioned jiva's psychophysical condition and his actions. The mode of goodness is illuminating and leads one to self-knowledge and happiness. Conditioning by the mode of passion is characterized by fruitive activities impelled by intense desire for material enjoyment, the end result being distress. Those influenced by the mode of ignorance are characterized by ignorance, indolence, sleep and madness. (14.6-18)

Q2. How can the conditioned jiva transcend the influence of the modes?

A. "One who is engaged in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." Since knowledge (jnana) is a component of devotion (bhakti), devotional service (bhakti-yoga) enlightens one with knowledge of the workings of nature's modes, and it enables one to understand his own eternal position as transcendental to the modes. With that realization, one transcends the conditioning influence of the modes. (14.19, 26)

Q3. What is the "Brahman platform," and what lies beyond it?

A. "Brahman" means "spiritual." The Brahman platform is the preliminary spiritual position reached by the jiva when he has become free from material conditioning by the influence of the modes of nature. A person on the Brahman platform, in full realization of his transcendental position, is unconcerned with and unaffected by material dualities. He does not engage in material activities. Beyond the Brahman platform is Krishna Himself, who says, "I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman." After attaining the Brahman platform, the liberated jiva becomes qualified to engage in the devotional service of Parabrahman (the Supreme Brahman), Krishna. (14.22-27)

Chapter Fifteen

Q1. What does Krishna explain about the dynamics of transmigration?

A. Krishna explains to Arjuna that one's consciousness, particularly one's consciousness at the time of death (which has been fashioned during life), determines the type of material body one will have next. "The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another." Assuming a new body equipped with a particular set of senses, he proceeds to enjoy a particular set of sense objects. Krishna further explains that the foolish cannot understand the process of transmigration, whereas the wise can. (15.8-11)

Q2. What is "the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures"?

A. There are two classes of beings: the "fallible" (the conditioned souls in the material world) and the "infallible" (the liberated souls in the spiritual world). Beyond them both, however, is Krishna Himself, who maintains both the material and spiritual worlds. Thus He is "celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person." Whoever knows Him as such is "the knower of everything." Thus he engages in devotional service to Krishna. This knowledge "is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures," Krishna says. "Anyone who understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection." (15.16-20)

Chapter Sixteen

Q1. What is the difference between those of "divine" qualities and those of "demoniac" qualities?

A. The godly, or those of divine qualities, are those who live regulated lives, abiding by the authority of scripture. Such persons attain liberation from the material world. On the other hand, those possessing demoniac qualities are those who live unregulated lives, acting whimsically for sense gratification, disregarding the injunctions of scripture. Such persons are further bound by material nature. (16.5, 23-24)

Q2. What are the divine (transcendental) qualities?

A. "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, sense control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, peacefulness, aversion to faultfinding, compassion toward every living entity, freedom from greed, gentleness, shyness, determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, and freedom from both envy and the passion for honor-these are the transcendental qualities, born of the godly atmosphere, O son of Bharata." (16.1-3)

Q3. What are the characteristics of those of demoniac qualities? What is their fate?

A. The demoniac are atheistic and materialistic. Conceiving the world to have no foundation or purpose, they act whimsically and destructively. Their ultimate goal of life being gratification of the senses, they are absorbed in impermanent, material things. Bound by multitudinous material desires, they obtain money by any means. The demoniac are conceited, lusty, complacent and impudent. There is no end to their anxiety. Such demoniac persons take birth in various lower species of life and "sink down to the most abominable position of existence." They can never approach Krishna. (16.6-18)

Chapter Seventeen

Q1. What are the three kinds of food, sacrifice, austerity and charity in each of the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance) ?

A. See Chapter Seventeen, verses 7 through 22. http://www.asitis.com/17/7.html

Q2. What is the difference between faith in the lower modes of nature (passion and ignorance) and faith in the mode of goodness?

A. When performed in passionate and ignorant faith, activities such as sacrifice, penance and austerity are enacted selfishly for material benefits such as wealth, power and honor. Such acts of faith, performed without faith in the Supreme and in violation of the scriptures, yield only impermanent, material results and are therefore useless. On the other hand, acts of faith performed in the mode of goodness are executed according to duty and scriptural regulations, without selfish, fruitive intentions. Such acts are performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme, and thus they purify and elevate the performer and gradually lead him to the platform of pure faith and devotion to Krishna. Such Krishna-bhakti (devotion to Krishna) is transcendental faith, beyond the modes of nature. (17.23-28)

Chapter Eighteen

Q1. What are the three kinds of knowledge, action, workers, intelligence, determination, and happiness in each of the three modes of material nature?

A. See Chapter Eighteen, verses 19 through 40. http://www.asitis.com/18/19.html

Q2. What are the four social orders, and what are the qualities of their respective modes of work? How does a person attain perfection by acting in his particular social order?

A. According to the material modes one has assumed, one naturally conforms to one of four fundamental occupational divisions of human society: brahmanas (teachers and priests), ksatriyas (rulers and warriors), vaiSyas, (farmers, traders, etc.) and Sudras (laborers). Krishna enumerates the qualities of these orders as follows: "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge and religiousness-these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work. Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity and leadership are the qualities of work for the ksatriyas. Farming, cow protection and business are the qualities of work for the vaisyas, and for the Sudras there is labor and service to others."

By working in accordance with his respective social duty, the conditioned soul can ultimately transcend the modes and attain spiritual perfection by offering the results of his work to God. (18.41-48)

Q3. What does Krishna tell Arjuna is the only way to understand Him? What is the result of such understanding?

A. Krishna says, "One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God." (1 8.55)

Q4. What is Krishna's final and conclusive instruction to Arjuna?

A. Krishna says, "Give up all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore you have nothing to fear." Krishna thus instructs Arjuna to abandon all religious processes and duties (viz., karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, the socio-religious duties of the social orders, endeavor for attainment of Brahman and Paramatma, and so forth) and simply surrender unto Him and engage, as His pure devotee, in eternal, transcendental loving service-the eternal and supreme dharma. Krishna has described the nature of that pure devotion in the previous verse: "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail." (18.65-66)

Q5. At the conclusion of the dialogue, what does Krishna inquire of Arjuna, and how does Arjuna answer?

A. "[Krishna said:] O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this with your mind at perfect attention? And are your ignorance and illusion now dispelled? Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and now I am steady and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions." (18.72-73)

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Govindaram · January 20, 2004

Back To Godhead Magazine

Volume 3, Part 6, May 20, 1956

VOLUME III PART VI

Delhi, Sunday 20th May 1956

By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada:

How to broadcast the teaching of Bhagwat Geeta

[This is the first part of the Gita Nagari series-Ed. note]

1. The Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna appears Himself in this mortal world by dint of his Internal Potency in order to be visible to the conditioned souls and specially to human being, although in essence He is eternally unchangeable Supreme Truth and Absolute Lord of the visible and invisible worlds. He is ever existent prior to the creation of the manifested world. The Vedas are known to be transcendental because they were impregnated in the heart of Brahma by Sree Krishna after creation of the universes and as such Vedic knowledge has descended in a transcendental process of aural reception from Sree Brahma to Narada, from Narada to Vyasa, from Vyasa to Sree Sukhdeva Goswami and Sree Sukhdeva Goswami to other disciples by succession. The Vedic knowledge is famous as Sruti because it has descended in the above process of hearing only. But the original Teacher of such knowledge is nobody else than Sree Krishna Himself.

2. Sreemad Bhagwat Geeta and the transcendental knowledge thereof has also descended in the above process of aural reception from Vaivaswata Manu but when the chain of disciplic succession was broken at the beginning of the Kali Yuga by the influence of the External Energy of the Personality of Godhead known as Maya, it was again reincarnated by the Supreme Authority of Sree Krishna Himself at the battlefield of the sacred place of Kurukshetra in the presence of His most beloved friend and devotee Sree Arjuna. He summarised the full text of the Vedas and Upanishads in the teachings of Sree Bhagwat Geeta in order to give facility to the people of the present age, who are mostly affected by the influence of Kali Yuga or the age of quarrel and disagreement.

3. The summumbonum teaching of Sreemad Bhagwat Geeta is that RELIGION means the art and science of learning the transcendental process of surrendering unto the Lotus Feet of the Absolute Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna. The purity of such religious knowledge becomes polluted when conditioned souls become too much influenced by the External Energy of Godhead as they forget their eternal relation with Him and thereby become too much addicted to the material process of sense gratification which is the lowest and crude form of human existence. When such irreligious life of the people in general flourished by the influence of External Energy of Godhead, the world at large suffers terribly in all directions in the way of challenging the very existence of Godhead.

4. The Personality of Godhead and His transcendental utterances as sounded in the Bhagwat Geeta are identical. Sreemad Bhagwat Geeta is therefore eternally the Personality of Godhead Himself with full potency and therefore when the transcendental knowledge of Bhagwat Geeta is received in the manner as it was received by Sree Arjuna we can be equally enlightened as Arjuna was. When the law-abiding devotees of Godhead become disturbed by the unlawful activities of the Ashuras i.e. those who are averse to acknowledge the Supreme Authority of Godhead, at such critical time either the Personality of Godhead or His counterpart Form of transcendental Sound appears in this mortal world in order to save the faithful and annihilate the unbelievers. As such Bhagwat Geeta descended directly from the utterances of the Personality of Godhead in order to save the faithful and to annihilate the unbelievers at the juncture of disappearance of the Dwapara Yuga and appearance of the Kali Yuga in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, which was fought between two rival political parties namely the Kurus and the Pandavas.

At the present age the same fight between two rival parties of politicians without any guidance of the transcendental direction of Godhead is merrily going on at the expense of the innocent poor people of the world and as such Sree Krishna has descended again in the shape of Geeta Nagari with the same purposes of saving the faithful and annihilating the unbelievers as He did in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

5. The Geeta Nagari will therefore be the main preaching centre of the Supreme Authority of Sree Krishna the Personality of Godhead. It shall be proclaimed from that place that Sree Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the Absolute Enjoyer of all benefits derived from all kinds of work, sacrifice, cultivation of knowledge; that He is the Absolute Proprietor of all the manifested universes and that He is the unalloyed friend and philosopher of all living entities namely the gods or rulers, the general people, the beasts, the birds, the reptiles, the plants and trees or the aquatic animals residing in every nook and corner of the great universe. When such knowledge will be fostered from the vantage of Sree Geeta Nagari, at that time only, real peace and prosperity will usher in the world so anxiously awaited by all kinds of people. Unfortunately the present trend of human civilization is conducted just on the opposite direction of the above views. The human being has declared himself as the supreme enjoyer of everything and the proprietor of the world. He has declared himself foolishly as the friend and philosopher of the people in general enamoured by material power and wealth, which is bringing in ruination for himself and his followers. Every human being is imagining himself as an independant God (?) and foolishly trying to guide the activities of his so-called followers without knowing the art and science of such leadership business. Such leadership for the actual benefit of the people in general can effectively be conducted when the leaders themselves will know the art and science of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sree Krishna and shall be able to convince their followers that God alone has the absolute prerogative in the above-mentioned three main functions.

On the other hand the natives of India only have the prerogative to understand this position of Godhead from the pages of Bhagwat Geeta and they are alone able to preach this truth throughout the whole world. It is therefore desired that the authorities who shall guide the activities of the Geeta Nagari may make such organised effort as will help this mission of the Geeta Nagari on a permanent basis.

The pangs of a demoralised type of civilization designed by the demoniac principled leaders are being felt keenly by the people in general and to save them from that untold miseries of life is to take shelter of the transcendental message of Bhagwat Geeta.

A vivid picture of the demoniac principled leader is given in the pages of Bhagwat Geeta in the sixteenth chapter as follows:

We can know the real heart of an 'Ashura' in the statement of Bhagwat Geeta. At the present moment practically every man is infected with a sense of false prestige, pride, anger, vanity, cruelty and similar qualities born of poor fund of knowledge. There area always two classes of men of which the one is known as the Devas or the gods and the other is known as the Ashuras or the demons. The Ashuras are unable to realise what should be done or what should not be done in the human form of life. Those who are qualified with godly qualities generally do perform charities, possess controlling power of the sense organs, perform sacrifices, practice penance and non-violence, love, truth, learn toleration, remains peaceful, refrain from speaking ill of others, become kindly in behaviour, eradicate lust and hankering, practice patience and purify habits. These are some of the many godly qualities of men known as gods. But unfortunately these godly qualities are rarely experienced in the character of the present generation and in most cases the qualities of the demons are vivid in all directions. Such men of demoniac principle are generally unclean in habits. They do not believe in the Supreme authority of God and they think without any reason that desire or necessity is the ultimate cause of creations, without knowing that disposal is more important cause than desire. The demoniac observations are always imperfect in fact and practice.

People addicted to demoniac principles, devoid of transcendental knowledge, imperfectly educated and inventors of violent work leading to miseries and destruction of the world have greatly developed in this age. Although these people indirectly realise that their mode of activities had already diminished the duration of life of the people in general, yet they consider the advancement of material knowledge as progress of life, dictated by a strong sense of vanity under the cover of unclean habits. The effect of this pernicious type of material civilization is that people have almost forgotten the question of life after death and thus have taken to an irresponsible way of life leading to untold miseries and distress of material existence. The demoniac way of thinking has covered their unsatiated desire for work and enjoyment till the end of material existence. These people are embarrassed with such thousand and one desires enlarging the circle of exploiting habits in greater and greater circumference. They have now become mad so to say for such enlarged activities of material civilization. Such people think unrestrictedly and at all times like this. "I have accumulated so much wealth just now and in the next I am going to accumulate more wealth. I am god (?) and nobody is equal to my position."

"I have killed this enemy and I am arranging to kill the other one. I am god and I am the enjoyer of everything. I am happy and I am perfect. I do not think anybody else is richer than me. I can perform all sorts of sacrifices and by doing so I can purchase all virtues." The Ashuras therefore exhibit a feat of their unalloyed foolishness by such contemplations as above mentioned.

Saintly politicians of modern age like Mahatma Gandhi and others inspired by the teachings of Bhagwat Geeta, although imperfectly, have tried to lead such politicians of demoniac principle, as they may be influenced by the teachings of Bhagwat Geeta. Mahatma Gandhi's movement in the political field such as non-violence, non-cooperation, truthfulness, sacrifice etc. are some of the brilliant examples for subduing the demoniac tendency of the people in general. Such example in the life of Mahatma Gandhi made him well recognised all over the world in spite of their being temporary measures and it may safely be concluded that Mahatma Gandhi's success in such movements was solely and wholly dependant on the inspiration of Bhagwat Geeta. Leaving aside his all other activities in the political field, the four following principles which he adopted sincerely in his mature old age are in essence derived from the teachings of Bhagwat Geeta for practical application for social and spiritual upliftment in the present order of things. They are as follows:-

A.Leaders and politicians may take lessons from the life of Mahatma Gandhi, who was undoubtedly a great and busy politician, in respect of his daily evening prayer meetings and regular recitation of Bhagwat Geeta. He followed this principle of life most faithfully even up to the last moment of his lamented life. People in general and the leaders in particular may follow this footprints of Mahatma Gandhi if they at all want to do some good to their followers. Such regular habit of reciting the readings of Bhagwat Geeta makes one able to get rid of the demoniac way of life and gradually rising up to the plane of pure devotional life of the gods. When such devotional life is enriched by recitation of the readings of Bhagwat Geeta, all the good qualities of the saints and gods automatically overcome the reciter without any extraneous effort on his part. And a person however qualified he may be in the mundane sense of the term, if he is devoid of the principles of devotional life as above mentioned, he shall surely hover in the mental plane of uncertainty and as such will always fail to enter into the noumenon existence of life. Those who have developed such noumenon existence of life generally known as spiritual life are called Mahatmas in the language of Bhagwat Geeta. The definition of real Mahatmas are given below from the reading of Bhagwat Geeta.

B.The temple entry movement of Mahatma Gandhi is another attempt to deliver people in general from spiritual degradation and by such movement the mass of people can be saved from gliding down to the lowest status of demoniac life. Even when he was at Noakhali (Pakistan) during the dark hours of the partition days, he never hesitated to reinstall the deities of Sree Sree Radha Govinda Sreemurties there and by such examples he had done immense good for the people in general. Leaders and politicians may take lessons from this particular incidence of his life. It may be said in this connection that there are thousands and thousands of Vishnu temples or other temples all over India. And these temples were originally the centres of spiritual enlightenment which helped subduing the demoniac way of life of the people in general and thereby they would live in peace and prosperity. At the present moment in most cases those spiritual educational centres have been rendered into rendezvous of demoniac dance for want of culture of the teachings Bhagwat Geeta. They have become on the contrary so many plague spots for preaching atheism and advancement of demoniac principles for want of proper and regular spiritual propaganda under able leadership. The mission of Geeta Nagari must have its aim amongst others to rectify the anomalies that have entered into the life of these centres of spiritual education and regenerate them to the sense of spiritual life through the exemplary life of devotees that may be created from the practical life of Sree Geeta Nagari. The Bhagwat Geeta [bg. 9.25] encourages us in such spiritual culture as follows:-

Janti Devabrata Devan,

Pitrin Janti Pitribrata

Bhutani, Janti Bhutejya,

Janti Madjajina, Api, mam.

C.Mahatma Gandhi started the Harijan movement in order to raise the status of the fallen people either by social injustice or otherwise. But such movement may not be restricted only amongst the Bhangis and Chamars who are proclaimed as such by social injustice but such movement may be extended amongst those also are passing in the society as Brahmins and Kshatriyas etc. but in practice their mentality is more degraded than the lowest of the Bhangis and Chamars. Harijan means the associate of God himself. Chamars and Bhangis or for the matter of that, people of the mentality of the Chamars and Bhangis, can never be promoted to the position of the Harijan, unless and until such persons are helped to go up to the place of the Harijan by methods approved by the Harijans such as Arjuna, Prahlad, Dhrubamoharaj, Yamaraj, Bhisma, Janaka, Narada, Vyasa etc. There is no bar for anyone to rise up to that position of Harijans as it is stated in the Bhagwat Geeta in the following lines:-[bg. 9.32]

Mam, Hi, Partha, Byapashritya, Jey, Api, Syu, Papa, Yonaya, Striya, Vaishya, Tatha, Sudra, Te, Api, Janti, Param, Gati.

Mahatma Gandhi did not approve of the present system of castes as is prevailing in India and there is ample support of this movement of casteless society in the Bhagwat Geeta in its own way. Casteless society does not mean that there will remain no section or subsection of social division because without that no society can exist; but there may not be any caste simply for the sake of birthright accidents. Bhagwat Geeta approves of the caste system in terms of mundane quality acquired but not in terms of accidents of birth. (To be continued.)