18.56-78 – Krishna reveals his heart of love Gita Study Pune 2013

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

So we come to the last section of the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna will talk about how bhakti can elevate a person from the whatever level that person is currently to the highest level. So in a sense, this 18th chapter reveals two distinct glories of bhakti. We discussed these roughly in the 9th chapter, but I'll repeat it here.

One glory of bhakti is that it takes us to the summit of spirituality, of spiritual realization. So how is that? Actually when we come to the Brahman platform, which many people think is the summit of spiritual realization, that's where we begin bhakti, that's where we begin parabhakti, and from there we understand Bhagawan, who is the actual summit of spiritual realization. So one glory of bhakti is that it takes us to the summit of spiritual realization.

And now this is talked about in 54-55 verses, I'll put it this way here, we are talking about the glory of bhakti. So now this verse and this section in general will tell us another glory of bhakti, that is, it extends down to wherever we are, to raise us up from there. So that means bhakti will take us, it's like an elevator, which will take us to the top story of the building.

But then it is also an elevator which will come down to whichever level we are at, and from there it will take us up. So this is indicative of the glory of bhakti. And now the purpose of this section is, Arjuna is telling that whatever goal can be attained, whatever perfection is attained by that step by step progression from karma yoga to gyan yoga to bhakti, that can be arranged just by the practice of bhakti.

That's the significance of this phrase, sarva karmaani api sadha, in this 56th verse. Sarva karmaani api sadha means whatever karma you are doing right now, from there you can become elevated. Sarva karmaani api sadha, kurvano madhya pashrayah, madhprasadadvapnoti, shashvatam padam avyayam.

So madhprasadadvapnoti, so wherever a person is, if from that level a person takes madhya pashrayah, takes shelter of me, then by my mercy, the person will become elevated to the highest level. So throughout the Bhagavad Gita, the word prasad has come only once. Where was it? Prasadamadhigacchati, 2.64. So that section, prasadamadhigacchati and prasadamadhukkhana, where is this other prasad you are saying? It is going to come now.

It has not come. So it has come only once in 64 and 65 of the 2nd chapter. But now we will see, the prasad will come repeatedly.

It is not prasad which we can eat, but it is the mercy that we can relish. So Krishna is saying the references to prasad will come several times. Let us see how it comes.

So this indicates actually how the prasad is such a significant concept in the process of bhakti and how the last part of the Gita is talking about prasad. So it is 64, 65, that is there. Now it is going to come in, we will come back to this verse, it is there in 18.58, then it is there in 18.62, and after that again it is there in, Arjuna speaking, 18.72, and after that again it is there in yasaprasadachritvan, that is 75 I think.

So we will come to that. So in this last section of the Bhagavad Gita, the concept of mercy comes more than anywhere else. And that indicates that this whole process of bhakti which is glorified in the last section is centered on, has a very central role for mercy.

So Krishna is saying, how can bhakti elevate you from wherever you are? It is by my grace, mad prasadat. So now after describing this, Krishna will describe, kurvano mad vipashraya, that is the key element. So whatever karma you are doing, you take shelter of me, by my mercy you will attain the shashvatapada, the eternal destination.

Now the next verse will describe how we do this kurvano mad vipashraya, because that is the key element, what we have to do, by which we will get the grace of Krishna through bhakti. So how do we take shelter of Krishna? Let's describe in the next verse. cetasa sarvakarmani, mai sannyasya madparaha, buddhiyogamupashritya, machittasatatambhava.

So this is actually, a verse is talking about progression. First is cetasa sarvakarmani mai sannyasya, that means whatever work you are doing, you with your consciousness offer the work to me. So this is more or less the karma yoga stage, the bhagvatarpit karma yoga stage, where whatever work we are doing, sarvakarmani mai sannyasya, offer that.

But then he is saying one more level is, madparaha, make me as the supreme goal, madparaha. And then, how does one do all this, how does one offer the work to Krishna, how does one make Krishna a goal, we use our buddhi, buddhiyogamupashritya, buddhiyogamupashritya, buddhiyogamupashritya, so this is, again, this is a word, where is buddhi yoga most famously coming, adami buddhiyogam tam. So, now buddhiyoga is not a special kind of yoga, a fifth kind of yoga apart from the four yogas, buddhiyoga is a compound word, which has, you remember two meanings we discussed in 10.10, the buddhi that leads to yoga and the yoga that brings buddhi.

So, the buddhi that leads to yoga, that means, we get the intelligence by which we become reunited with Krishna and the yoga that brings buddhi, that means the process of devotion that we practice, by which we get the intelligence to return to Krishna, we discussed this earlier, but now what we are discussing is, where all do the, the word buddhiyoga first time it came in the Bhagavad Gita in 2.39, एशाते भिहिता सांखे बुद्धिर्योगेत्वा इमाम्शुर्णु, बुद्ध्या युक्तो यया पार्थ, कर्मब्रण्धन् प्रहास्यसी। And now it is coming in 18.57, so, so now actually all the word is the same, the meanings are significantly different based on the context, so 2.39, एशाते भिहिता सांखे बुद्धिर्योगेत्वा इमाम्शुर्णु, so how to practice yoga with buddhi, so there is no clear mention of what the yoga is and what the buddhi is at that stage, but in the context, so in the 10.10, तदावि बुद्धियोगम् तम् येनमामुपयान्तिते, in this here it refers to intelligence that will enable us to do yoga and return to Krishna, so in that sense, if you see the focus of the word buddhi yoga in 2.39 is, what we should practice, in 10.10, buddhi yoga is more of a gift which is given by Krishna to us, and in 18.57, it is दी बुद्धियोगम् उपाशुत्य, the process by which to take shelter of Krishna, so in each of these contexts, the term is the same, but the meaning is evolving more and more, so बुद्धियोगम् उपाशुत्य मच्चित्तः सत्तं भवः, so with buddhi yoga, take shelter of me, and in this way, you will come back to me, now Krishna will describe, Krishna has almost given like a very clear instruction over here, this is whatever your situation is, practice bhakti yoga, buddhi yoga will come to me, now Krishna will talk in terms of choices and consequences, you know we discussed how the Bible is a book of commandments, but the Bhagavad Gita is a book of choices, use choices, there are choices, there are consequences, so Krishna speaks, so Krishna often speaks in terms of contrasts, if you do this, this will happen, if you do this, this will happen, so instructing by, so I gave a class on how there are different voices of Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, so there are 8 different voices, Krishna chastises, Krishna encourages, Krishna promises, Krishna warns, Krishna contrasts like that, there are 8 different voices of Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, so this is one of the voices, this is contrasting and it is something which he uses constantly in the Bhagavad Gita, so for example, he will say, I will not go over all of them, but we will just look at some of them, in 3.3132, he talks about faith and faithlessness, similarly in 4.3940, he will tell about, one who has shraddha, one who doesn't have shraddha, so like that Krishna does contrast, you do this, this will happen, you do this, this will happen, and in this way he tells Arjuna, now you decide what you want to do, so this contrast comes quite prominently again in 9.25, what is yantidevavrata, devan pitrn yantipitravrata, you worship this, you will get this, you worship this, you will get that, now you decide what you want to do, so now this contrast will come most directly here in 18.58, which is the most direct reference to KC, Krishna consciousness and no Krishna consciousness, so if you look at the Sanskrit also, it is very reference to machittah, machittah is very close to conscious of Krishna, that is Krishna consciousness, machittah sarva durgaani, matprasada tarishasi, atha chetvam ahankaraan, nashroshasi vinangshasi, so machittah, if you become conscious of me, you will cross over all obstacles by my grace, matprasada, Krishna is using a very significant word, tarishasi, he is not even saying you will climb over, he is saying tarishasi, you will float over, you will automatically go over, you will rise above the obstacles, atha chetvam ahankaraan, if however you think that you don't need my help, ahankaraan, nashroshasi, you don't hear me, then what will happen, vinangshasi, vinangshasi means you will be lost, so Krishna is telling over here, very clear contrast, if you practice Krishna consciousness, this will happen, if you don't practice Krishna consciousness, this will happen, so actually it is said that, it is phrased as, with Krishna we flourish, without Krishna we perish, so without Krishna we perish, that choice Krishna gives to us, so if you become Krishna conscious, we flourish, now what does it mean when it says that, actually by Krishna consciousness we will pass over all obstacles, see Krishna is using a significant word, tarishasi, he is not saying your obstacles will go away, mat chitta sarva durgani matprasada tarishasi, he is not saying the obstacles will go away, he is saying you will cross over the obstacles, what this means is, even for a devotee, obstacles will come, but the devotee will not be stopped by the obstacles, the obstacles will come, but the devotee will pass over the obstacles, the devotee's progress will continue on, the devotee's movement forward will continue on, so actually there are problems in devotee's lives and there are problems in non-devotee's lives, but there is significant difference between, anyway, so what is the difference between a devotee's suffering and a non-devotee's suffering, actually a non-devotee's suffering simply brings frustration, whereas a devotee's suffering brings renunciation, realization and devotion, I will explain this, so the difference between a devotee's suffering and a non-devotee's suffering is that, both suffer, but a devotee's suffering brings something additional, which is not there in a non-devotee's suffering, for non-devotee, the suffering simply brings frustration, why does it like that, because basically non-devotee has only one definition of happiness, that is material happiness, and when there are problems in the material level, there is no scope for enjoyment left, and that is why there is frustration, whereas for a devotee, when there is suffering, then that suffering leads to realization, what is the realization, the realization has two aspects, one is the devotee realizes that this material realm is actually a place of suffering, so often we know it, the scriptures say it, but still we don't accept it, but when we realize it ourselves, when we get suffering, we realize that okay, this world is actually a place of suffering, and that realization, what the scriptures are saying is true, that leads to renunciation, because now, why does it lead to renunciation, because the devotee understands that there is another realm of existence, there is a material level of existence and there is a spiritual level of existence, the materialist doesn't know about the spiritual level of existence, that's why if suffering is at the material level, that is the end of life, there is nothing that a person can do, especially if a person gets a terminal disease or a person's loved one dies, suffering that involves death are just crushingly devastating for a person who is materialistic, but for a devotee when suffering comes, so a devotee wants to move on the spiritual track, but still the temptations keep getting the devotee also, alluring the devotee towards the material track of life, but when sufferings come on the material track, then that realizes, the scriptures are telling the truth, that actually there is suffering at the material level, so that realization leads to renunciation, and normally one gives up the material conceptions, the desires of material enjoyment, but along with that a devotee takes shelter of Krishna, so it is not just giving up the desires of material enjoyment or giving up material enjoyment, but when the suffering comes, the devotee takes shelter of Krishna, and when the devotee takes shelter of Krishna, we experience the shelter of Krishna, and that experience of the shelter of Krishna gives us an experience of richer, higher happiness, and then that increases our devotion, that means Krishna came to my, when I called out to Krishna, Krishna came to my shelter, he helped me, he protected me from my suffering, and that leads to devotion, so that's why actually this is a significant difference between sufferings for a devotee and a non-devotee, so for a devotee also the suffering comes, but what Krishna says is, because the devotee has a higher track for life also, sufferings will come at the material level, but the devotee knows life is not, existence is not only at the material level, therefore the devotee rises to the higher level, rises to a higher consciousness, spiritual consciousness, and then it crosses over the suffering, the suffering stays at the material level, sometimes the suffering may go away, sometimes the suffering may stay at the material level, but by rising to a higher level of suffering, so sometimes we say we should try to transcend problems, now what does it mean to transcend problems, does it mean that we just tolerate problems or neglect problems or what does it mean, the transcending problems primarily means that it doesn't necessarily have to be one way, that we have to tolerate problems only, we may have to respond to the problems and solve the problems in an assertive way as Arjuna does over here, in the Bhagavad Gita he has to fight a war to solve the problem, but transcending problems, you remember the Bhagavad Gita is not a message of either silence or violence, it is a message of transcendence, yes, it is a transcend, transcending problems means not letting the problems dominate our consciousness, that's how we transcend the problems, but becoming Krishna conscious, so we understand that however big the problem is, Krishna is bigger than the problem, so the nice prayer is don't tell Krishna how big your problems are, tell your problems how big Krishna is, so don't tell Krishna, Krishna I am your devotee, why are you sending this problem, that problem, such big big problems you are sending in my life, now tell your problems how big Krishna is, so what happens is, when the problems are there, we just get overwhelmed by the problem, it's a big problem, how will I solve this, how will I solve that, how will I solve that and then the bigger the problem becomes in our mind, the smaller becomes our determination, the smaller becomes our fighting spirit and then the problem crushes us, but when we remember no matter how big the problem is, Krishna is far bigger than that problem, then we will not become disheartened, Prabhupada writes in a purport that a devotee when he faces problems, a devotee may be perplexed, but he is never discouraged, but he is never discouraged, that means that sometimes when a problem comes, a devotee may not immediately, perplexed means basically indecision, I don't know what I should do, that may happen, it's not that every time there is a problem, there is a snap solution that a devotee gets immediately, this is what I should be showing, sometimes Krishna's answer may take some time to come also, so a devotee may be perplexed, but that doesn't mean that the devotee becomes discouraged, Krishna is with me and Krishna will guide me, just let me be patient, let me work on, so what we should do is, don't become problem conscious, stay Krishna conscious, don't tell Krishna how big the problems are, how big our problems are, because basically what is happening, this doesn't mean that we don't share our troubles with Krishna, but even while sharing our troubles with Krishna, we can seek help from Krishna, but the focus should not be the trouble, the focus should be Krishna, tell the problems how big Krishna is, so in this way, so 18.15, it assures us that with Krishna's help, we will transcend all problems, but devotee transcends the problems, so he goes beyond the problems by the grace of Krishna. Now after describing this, Krishna has given two choices in this verse, either do this or do that, then in the next verse he will describe, if you do the other one, previous verse he has said, become conscious of me, in this verse he gives two options, then in the consequence of the other option he will give, if you do not become conscious of me, what happens, so he described, so if you take shelter of ahankara, instead of taking shelter of me, now for Arjuna, now Krishna is returning back to the Bhagavad Gita, very lofty levels of virata rupa and brahma jnana and prakriti and purusha and jiva and all that, now Krishna is returning back to the battlefield and for Arjuna, the practical application would be fighting, so if you decide you will not fight, so again Krishna is not telling directly Arjuna to fight, but this is just a reference to fighting in an indirect way, if you decide you will not fight, then what will happen, your vyavasaya, your determination will be put and will be subject to illusion and material nature will engage you, what does it mean material nature will engage you, a kshatriya has the nature to fight and that nature cannot be entirely given up, so artificially, temporarily Arjuna may give up the kshatriya nature of fighting, but chakravarti pad explains that when Arjuna is living as a renunciate in the forest and then he goes for alms and when he goes for alms and he asks for alms and somebody does not give, then what will happen, prakriti sthwam niyokshati, he will take out his sword, how dare you refuse, for a kshatriya refusal is very difficult to tolerate, how dare you refuse, so at that time material nature will engage you, so your determination will be misdirected, so chakravarti pad Krishna is saying over here, when at that time you start fighting, I will come there and I will laugh at you, I will laugh at you Krishna is taunting Arjuna over here, prakriti sthwam niyokshati and then he will talk about the general principle, so how prakriti will force you, so swabhav jena kaunteya, by the swabhav everybody is mound, nibadhah, sve nakarmana, so there is swabhav and there is swakarma, swabhav is our nature and according to our nature there is our activity, so swabhav jena kaunteya, nibadhah sve nakarmana and then kartum na icchasi, even if one says I will not do that, yenmohath, because of moha karishise avasyo pitath, so Krishna is basically telling that we cannot just artificially give up our nature, we will have to act according to our nature, but scriptures give us a way to act according to our nature by which we will become elevated, but if one does not follow the scriptural guidance, then one will anyway act according to one's nature and that time because the scriptural guidance is not there, one will go under illusion, one will become bound, karishise avasyo pitath, so one will become helpless, now this verse seems to indicate that actually we are slaves of material nature, that actually we are all bound by material nature, nibadhah sve nakarmana, swabhav jena kaunteya, so in modern society there is this coming up in a different way, it comes up through the idea that they are genetically bound, now the idea is that all of us have certain genetic nature and we cannot change that, so that is the idea that is widely coming up in today's society, because from the modern scientific perspective there is no atma, there is no soul, there is no independent consciousness, whatever consciousness is there ultimately is just resulting from the interaction of the body and especially the chemicals, you know chemicals in the brain, so therefore and how are these chemicals acting? They are all acting according to our genes, so if somebody is short tempered, somebody is shy, somebody is brusque, different people are different natures, why are they like that? That is because their genes are like that, that is because their when a man comes to the puberty, a woman comes to the puberty, it is natural that they will be impelled and there is no reason, what is natural there is no reason to stop that, it is unnatural to stop that actually, that is their argument, but actually speaking this basically makes us into, make human beings into slaves of our genes which are ultimately slaves of our chemicals, whatever chemicals are there, hormones, genes, chemicals, so the idea is that we have no free will and we are just acting according to our genes or according to our hormones, but the whole principle of human society is based on the assumption of responsibility and justice, now if a person just goes and kills somebody else and then the person is taken to court, he says that, what is this? Why did you kill? He says, you know, that is how I felt, so what does it mean? We are expected to control our feelings, isn't it? Our genes, now our understanding is that the genes may push people to behave in particular ways, but the genes push, however we can counter push, they don't force us, remember whatever conditionings are there, the conditionings we may talk about in the Vedic language in terms of samskara, modern science may talk in terms of genes or whatever, or hormones, but whatever we are conditioning, our conditionings can only impel, they cannot compel, what is the difference between impel and compel? Impel means to push, compel means to force, so here Krishna talks about subhavavad, but immediately he will tell us that there is something beyond subhavavad, subhavavad is what? That we are just products of our nature, so whatever we are conditioning, they can only impel, not compel, impel means they push, but compel means force, we can counter push and we can, that is the whole idea of free will and without that we would not have any human society, so genes may push us in particular directions, but we can counter push, that is definitely possible, in most cases, so now Krishna in immediately next verse will tell that actually he says, you, we are avasya, we are avasya in front of our subhavad, but there is someone else who is beyond, and by taking shelter of him, we can become free from our subhavad, so we alone, yes, it is very difficult for us to overcome our conditioning, but by taking shelter of Krishna, it is possible, so in that context he will talk about the person who is the controller of material nature, so the previous verse was talking about avasya, we are helpless, but Krishna is contrasting that by Eshwara, there is a being who is Eshwara, and he is Eshwara of all living beings, and he is situated at Hridesha, the significance of Hridesha is that he is close to us, we can take shelter of him, Arjuna Tishchati, and what is he doing while he is situated in the heart, so the living beings are situated in a yantra made of maya, and while they are situated like that, this living being is directing their wanderings, now actually speaking in the Sanskrit, there is no direct reference to directing, so basically it is like, there are, if you remember we discussed how 15.15 also has two distinct sections, 15.7 also has two distinct sections, so this verse also has two distinct sections, so first section is 18.61 AB, that is there is the controller of all living beings who is situated in the heart, and the second part is all living beings are wandering about in a machine made of maya, so brahmayan means to wander about, causing to travel, so brahman, the significance is brahmayan, brahman is to wander, so we wander by our own will, brahmayan means to cause to wander, so the idea, the connection is, is it that the super soul is causing us to wander, super soul is causing us to go to hell or go to heaven or go all over material existence, no, the super soul is not causing, but the super soul is giving us the options as per our desire, you know, in the Vishnu Sahasranam, one of the names of lord Vishnu is Kamaha, so Kamadeva is of course Cupid and Krishna is a transcendental Cupid, but he is saying Kamaha, so Baldev Vidyabhushan translates Kamaha in his Vishnu Sahasranam commentary as, the source of all desires, it's a very interesting translation, so is Krishna the source of all desires, so for example, if a man is attracted to a woman immorally, is that desire also coming from Krishna, he is the source of all desires, yes, all desires come from Krishna, but Krishna also gives us the wisdom about which desires to choose, it's just like when we say all desires come from Krishna, that means, it's like when there is a multiple choice exam, all the options come from the teacher, isn't it, but the teacher has also given education which option to choose, isn't it, so if the student chooses the wrong option, the blame doesn't go to the teacher, the blame goes to the student, so when he is saying Brahman, what does Brahman essentially refer to, causes to wander, so what that means is, this Krishna is causing us to wander according to our desires, and according to our desires means, the desires that we choose among the desires that he gives us as options, so the source of all desires, so in fact, he is the source of all desirable objects also, even the beauty of the opposite sex, the beauty of all the sense objects comes from Krishna, so they are all sparks of his splendor, so he is the source of all desires, so he gives us an array of desires to choose from, and the wisdom to choose the right desire, and according to the desire we choose, he causes us to wander, that means, Krishna is not forcing us to wander, Krishna gives us the options, and as per the options, we choose, and accordingly we wander, so therefore, Krishna, Prabhupada uses a simple word over here to explain all this, directing, so directing means, when Krishna is directing the wanderings of all living beings, that means he is primarily, the word director is significant in many ways, that in a movie, the director is directing everyone, but generally the director is invisible, the director is invisible, similarly, Krishna in material existence is invisible, but the director is, in a sense, moving all the strings, making everyone, making everyone act in particular ways, similarly, Krishna is making everyone act, however, he is making us act according to the desire that we choose, that means, Krishna is not bound, Krishna is not responsible for our actions, we are responsible, but still, he is also the, he is causing us to wander, that means, actually speaking, how we act in material nature is a great mystery, and I discussed, I don't know, there is this example of so many different animals who have such, animals and birds, who have such amazing powers, that how they act is a mystery, now there is a devotee scientist, his name is Ishwar Krishna Prabhu, he has written a book called Nature's IQ, which is a book on Ethology, Ethology is the study of animal behaviour, and he uses the study of animal behaviour to list many behaviours that just cannot be explained in Darwinian evolutionary terms, and one of the examples which is very well known is the bird migration, when birds migrate, birds may be born in one particular part of the world, and then they start migrating, migrating, they go to another part of the world, and then they die over there, they live for some time over there, then when the next generation comes back, they start migrating back, and the bird returns back, and exactly the progeny of the bird returns back to the nest where the bird was living here, now is the, first of all do the birds have a system of recording addresses in their brain, and even if they have a system of recording addresses in their brain, and how that recorded address will be passed through the genes, because the genes don't change generally speaking, so how that recorded address will be passed through the genes down to the next generation, and how they come back exactly to the same place, it's practically inconceivable, and not only that, sometimes the birds just fly, they fly thousands of miles, and how they find their direction, it's very difficult to know, so some ideal scientist thought that maybe because of the sun and the stars in the sky, they are able to find their directions, but then they found that actually even when the whole sky is overcast, it's completely clouded, still they are able to find the direction, so then they tried to see that maybe there is some, there are some magnetic forces associated with the brain of the, brain of the birds, and those magnetic forces, the lines of those magnetic forces align with the magnetic field of the earth, and then the birds go accordingly, now the problem with this idea is that different birds go to different areas, and all birds essentially have similar brains, isn't it? That means the idea would be that each bird has some special magnetic forces, magnetic lines, and that these go in different places, so they even actually blindfolded the birds and took them from one place to another, and left them there, the birds would rise up, move around a few times, and then straight go back in the direction where they were brought back, just reach their suite, so now basically, and they did this whichever direction you go, they tried to test using, whether the, you take the bird too many times around and whether you can confuse the bird's magnetic compass, you know the bird's magnetic compass never gets confused, so now they have the, use the word instincts to explain this behavior, but the problem with instincts is, most instincts are so complex that they cannot be explained in terms of natural selection, in terms of just genetic firings or genetic behavior, so these are very complex issues, and Brahmins are Bhutani, how are they wandering about? It is the Lord who is guiding them, so there may be some material mechanism which scientists may find out, because whenever Krishna acts, there is a corresponding material mechanism through which things happen also, but the material mechanism alone is not enough, so Krishna is guiding all living beings in their wandering and that's how they go around in material existence, now Krishna will, why is he suddenly describing the Lord who is guiding the wanderings? The purpose is to describe how the previous verse said that actually you will be bound by material nature and you will get lost, now Krishna says there is a person who is beyond material nature, if you take shelter of him, you will go beyond material nature and you will attain eternal destination, so this is the way out of Subhavavad, what is the way out? Beyond Subhavavad, beyond Prakriti, there is Ishwara and by taking shelter of Ishwara, we also will go beyond Prakriti, so through that Lord, you surrender and by surrendering to him, two things will happen, of course, how you should surrender? Sarvabhavena, wholeheartedly, surrender, tat prasadad, by his mercy, param shantem, you will attain the supreme peace, so not the peace of temporary, not having violence in this world, but the supreme peace of living in harmony with God and that peace, sthanam prapsah shashatan, that will give you eternal destination, that will lead you to liberation, there are lot of points you will not be able to discuss, yeah, so there is a difference between param shantem and ordinary shantem, so ordinary peace of the mind, there are no anxieties or no troubles, we call it peace of the mind, but beyond the peace of the mind is the peace of the heart, peace of the mind will come when there are no agitations, but if you see devotee's life, there are so many anxieties and devotees take up anxieties for Krishna, but still there is a deeper peace, there is a peace of the heart that comes from being of loving and being loved, so the Bible also talks about the peace that passeth all understanding, that means it is such a deep peace that from the material point of view, it doesn't appear like peace, this is the peace that comes when one understands that God is in control and God will take care, God will guide me forward, so here what Krishna is talking about, just surrender to the Supreme Lord, when you surrender to the Supreme Lord, then that enables us to accept His grace, why do we need to surrender, actually and we may say that if God wants to do what He wants to do, He is going to do it anyway whether I surrender or not, if I am going to get problems in my life, if things are going to go wrong, they are going to go wrong, whether I surrender or not and you are saying even if you surrender, the problems are not going to go away, the problems will remain still, then what is the point in surrendering, actually as long as we don't surrender, resentment blocks our connection with Krishna, whereas surrender opens the way for us to connect with Krishna, so here I will explain this, the peace of the heart is param shantin, which Krishna is talking about in this, when we love Krishna and try to act according to His will for His pleasure, then that brings a deeper, richer fulfillment, a deeper, richer joy and that is a very deep peace, the peace that passes all understanding, so the shanti that Krishna is referring to is param shantin and sthana, Krishna is telling that we will get two things, see Arjuna, the whole battle was fought, there Arjuna had two choices, if you remember at beginning of the war, either he can have shanti or he can have sthana, isn't it, he can have peace or he can gain kingdom and Arjuna thinks that okay, leave alone the kingdom, I want peace, I don't want fight, but Krishna is saying you will get, Arjuna's choice was shanti or sthana, but he said, but Krishna assures him, he will get both at a higher level, what is that higher level, that is he will get the deeper shanti of living in harmony with God and the sthana that he will get is the shashvatah sthana, the eternal destination, the eternal destination of returning back to Krishna, to be in His abode forever, so there Arjuna thought that if I don't get sthana, I lose, if I don't have shanti, I lose, so in a sense it was a lose-lose option, Krishna is telling him, no, it's a win-win option for you, you will get both, you will get shanti also, you will get sthana also, sthanam prapsasi shashvatam, so when Krishna talks about shanti over here, he is talking about shanti at a much deeper level and Arjuna is not having a misunderstanding now, because Krishna has repeatedly clarified that, so after describing this, now Krishna will say that I have completed my message, I have completed my message more or less, so what does this mean, he has completed his message, now he will tell Arjuna, now you can do what you want to do, let's recite that verse and we will discuss, so now I have given you knowledge more confidential than what I have given you earlier, so what is this more confidential knowledge, this more confidential knowledge is, the knowledge in this world means, people work and they earn a living, then they live and then they die, so confidential knowledge is the knowledge by which one does one's work in a way that one will get gradually elevated, that was talked from the first verse to the 40th verse or we could say that the 55th verse gradually, I will explain this, so you are talking about confidential, more confidential, so confidential knowledge Krishna talked about in the first section of this chapter, that is 18.155, so gradual elevation from Karma to Bhakti and Bhagwan, that is what he talked about first, that is confidential knowledge, then more confidential knowledge is what he talked just now, more specifically this is 59 to 62, surrender to the controller of material nature, after this now he is going to give the most confidential knowledge, just surrender to me, so let's look at this, so I have given you knowledge that is more confidential than what I had given earlier, earlier I had talked about slow step by step process, then I talked about the super soul, surrender to the super soul, and now what should you do, sorry, so levels of confidential knowledge in chapter 18 of the Gita, so confidential, more confidential, most confidential, now let's look at what is this most confidential knowledge, but before that he says, now deliberate deeply, the word Asheshena is where Acharya used to say, as long as you want, Asheshena, you can deliberate as long as you want, and then so then as you desire accordingly you act, so Krishna doesn't force us, no, Krishna on the spiritual path, Krishna walks with us, what does that mean, that is, we have to make the spiritual advancement, Krishna will be our side, he will encourage us, he will guide us, he will empower us, but it is we who have to make the journey, Krishna walks with us, but not for us, so that walk we have to do, so that's the meaning of it, now you have to act, I am there with you, but you have to act, so, as long as you take, so the idea is how long will you wait, so many lifetimes you have been waiting, how long will you keep waiting, how long do you want to deliberate, make a decision now, and act, now, at this point, Chakravarthy Bhai described that Arjuna goes deep into thought, Arjuna starts thinking, see now suddenly, imagine a long lecture is going on, and suddenly in which, now, what are you going to do, hey, I didn't know I was supposed to do something, suddenly in the middle of a long lecture, what are you going to do, now do as you want, so it is, Arjuna is taken aback, he starts thinking, so Chakravarthy Bhai described that, Krishna said that in the second chapter, that in the sixth chapter, that in the ninth chapter, that in the fifteenth chapter, that in the seventeenth chapter, so what exactly I am supposed to do, so Arjuna gets lost deep in thought, and when Arjuna is such a lost in serious thought, so at that time, Krishna's heart overflows with compassion, and that overflow of compassion comes forth as these last eight verses of the Gita, 65 to 72, so in a sense, Krishna has now concluded, now you decide what you want to do, but now Krishna says, Arjuna, you don't have to think so much, I will tell you clearly what you should do, so I will tell you clearly what you should do, so this is the verse, which has the single verse, which has the maximum superlatives, one verse in the Gita, now superlative means, that which is having good, better, best, so this verse has three superlatives, there is no other verse in the Gita, which has so many superlatives, so what are the three superlatives over here, Sarva Guhyatamam Bhuyaha, first is most confidential knowledge, I will just say, I have written it somewhere, so there are many places, Sarva Guhyatamam, where does Krishna talk about it, so Sarva Guhyatamam, we discussed this earlier, remember, I will not write all of it now, 9.1 is one place, Nantute Guhyatamam, Pravaksham in Suvyave, then Krishna talked about, Parambhuya, Bhuyaeva Mahabahu, Shunume Paramamvachaha, so Paramamvachaha had come in 10.2, 10.1, then immediately and again we had in 15 chapter, 15 chapter was, so there was Guhyatamam again, so there are the superlative Krishna has used, Guhyatamam has used twice, Paramamvachaha he has used once, but here Krishna is using both of them together, and then not only that, he is also talking about Ishto Sime Dhrudameti, so there are three expressions, Sarva Guhyatamam is there, then Paramamvachaha is there, and then he is saying Ishto Sime Dhrudameti, so almost the first two lines are having superlatives, very strong superlatives together, and the next two lines are having very intense expressions of affection, Ishto Sime Dhrudameti, you are very dearly loved by me, so Ishto Sime Dhrudameti is often translated sometimes as, I am determined to love you, Krishna is, we are determined to forget Krishna, but Krishna is determined to love us, Ishto Sime Dhrudameti, so actually no matter what we do, there is, there is nothing that we can do which can stop Krishna from loving us, there is nothing that we can do that can ever stop Krishna from loving us, he will always keep loving us, no matter what happens, Ishto Sime Dhrudameti, therefore, because I love you so much, so I am speaking this for your benefit, for your benefit, so this is a very, words of very intense affection, so in this way every line Krishna is trying to convince Arjuna that whatever I am going to tell is for, I love you and it is for your good, it is the highest, the best knowledge that I am going to give and that best knowledge now will come in the next two verses. manmana bhava mad-bhakto madhyaji maam namaskuru madhyaji maam namaskuru maame vaishyasi satyam te prati jane priyosi me so almost two and a half parts of this verse are similar to 9.34, but the difference is satyam te, this is, I am speaking the truth, so if you see the difference between 9.34 and 18.65 is, 9.4 the emphasis is on what you have to do, you will come to me, if you stay engaged like this, if you make your atma parayan to me, then you will come to me, whereas in 18.65 the emphasis is on Krishna's promise, you will come to me, I am speaking the truth, satyam te, and prati jane priyosi me, so now the word prati jane had come earlier in a very significant place in the Gita, where was it? 9.31, 32, no, 9.31 I think, kshipram bhavati dharmatma shanti, kaunteya prati jane hi name bhaktah pranasyati, so there was prati jane hi, so there Krishna told Arjuna, you declare to the world, but here Krishna is saying, I declare, what do I declare? Priyosi me, you are very dear to me, satyam te priyosi me, so you see that Krishna is giving the same message, but the emphasis is different, there the emphasis is on our obligation, whereas here it is on Krishna's promise, what we have to do, then we will come back, here in 18.65 it is, on Krishna's we can basically see from this word that, the emphasis is on Krishna's heart, love is coming out over here, Krishna's love and promise, now after describing this, now why will Krishna make, why does Krishna want this manmana bhav, mad bhakto, mad yaji, why does he want? Actually, you know, then that 7th chapter, when Krishna talks about the four kinds of people who come to me, pious people, so there he describes in 7.17, udara sarva evaite jnanitva atmaiva vimatham, so he says, all the four kinds of people who come to me are udaraha, now Prabhupada translates the word udara as broad minded, they are large hearted, they are pious, but Ramacharya gives a very sweet translation, udara means charitable, that's the normal meaning of udara, aap bahut udara dilke ho, so now why will Krishna call somebody as udara, what is the reason that Krishna should say that the people who come to me are charitable, that is because Krishna controls everything in existence except one thing, the one thing that Krishna doesn't control is our heart, but he is hungry for the love of our heart and he is so hungry that if somebody offers his love to Krishna, then Krishna feels that you have done a great charitable act for me and Krishna feels grateful that you have offered me your love and that's why he says you are so udara, that you are offering your love to me, so that is udaraha, that is the bhakti of Krishna, that is the bhaktavatsali of Krishna, he is so hungry for love and that's why Krishna is saying manmana bhava, you just offer your love to me, you will come back to me, satyam te priyosi me, he is reassuring, promising unambiguously over here and then naturally now Krishna has told you do this, but Krishna has told so many things also in the Bhagavad Gita, so Arjuna gets a question, what about all those other things, Krishna says just forget them.

So all that I have talked about earlier, just give it up, you know there are some people who just can't comprehend this verse, because they have the idea how can Krishna tell us to give up dharma, so I am talking about pathantarbhed, there are some people they recite the bhavata sarva adharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, they add a O before that, why because they can't comprehend how Krishna can tell you to give up dharma, but the idea is, it's not only irreligiosity, but even religiosity, that is a gradual way to come to Krishna, but when we are coming to Krishna directly, even religiosity can be an obstacle, so therefore sarva adharman parityajya, give up all varieties of religions, mam ekam saranam vraja, just surrender unto me and mam ekam, to me alone, you surrender and then aham tvam sarva papebhyo, I will free you from all sinful reactions, do not fear, moksheshaya ma shuchaha, so actually each of the lines of this verse is very very important, sarva adharman parityajya, so Krishna is telling over here, that in the Vedic culture and in my own discussion, there are so many things that I have talked about and you have also heard it, just forget it all, in the second chapter in verse 52 and 53, Krishna talked about a person who has attained samadhi and Krishna tells that person, what is the characteristic, that yathate moha kalilam buddhir viti tarishyati, tathagantasi nirvedam, shrotavyasya shu tasya cha, that means he says, such a person, when your intelligence has gone through the forest of delusion, at that time, you will become indifferent to whatever else you are hearing or whatever else you have heard or whatever else you will hear, shrotavyasya shu tasya cha, what this means is, he says that when a person has become clear in the understanding sadhana and sadhya, then nothing else matters for such a person, nothing else matters, so what this means, Krishna is telling that this is the stage you should come to, you just forget everything else, I have given you the conclusion, just stick to this and you will attain the ultimate destination, don't bother about anything else, this is the supreme path that I have given you. You know Prabhupada, he came to, when he was in New York, a college professor invited him, first time when he came to New York, a college professor invited him to give a lecture and then he was asking about Christianity and about various religions and then this interview comes in this Acharya series, so he says, you know, at that time, Swami gave me a very brilliant insight, he said, I was asking about this religion and that religion, I felt as if he was just tolerating me, he was answering questions briefly but he was tolerating me and then he gave me some piece of advice which helped me to understand where his heart stood at, so he said, when you have found your way, all this study of comparative religion is just sense gratification, so once you have found your way, there is no need, okay, what is their way, what is their, what is their way, you just move on your way, you will return back, so there is no need for that, that's why he says, sarva dharman partha, give up all other ways, give up all other ways, just surrender unto me, so the Vedic culture has many rituals but there are all ultimate purposes, vedaistha sarvair aham eva vedya, so just mam ekam saranam vraja, so mam ekam saranam vraja refers to surrender to me alone and the word vraja, Chakravarti path says here, refers to, refers to Vrindavan, so surrender in the mood of Vrindavan, now some, some, some Gita commentators, they try to give a impersonalist twist to what is the most intensely personal and devotional section of the Gita and they say the word vraja in Sanskrit means go, it doesn't mean come and Prabhupada also gives allowance for them, Prabhupada says vraja means go in the word to word translation and come in a sentence translation, so what does it mean? Actually speaking, if you look at the standard dictionaries, vraja has many meanings, the standard meaning is go, but come is also one of the meanings of vraja, but actually, so the impersonalists try to interpret and say that actually there is some other truth beyond Krishna and you have to go and surrender to that absolute truth, but it doesn't make any grammatical sense because mam ekam saranam vraja, so I am right here, if you have to surrender to some other truth beyond me and me alone, then what is the point in go? So the word vraja here is used to indicate, Krishna is telling, the word go means, go it is surrender in the mood of vraja, go to vraja means remember the surrender of the vrajavasis and surrender in that mood, surrender in that mood, so actually there are not many references to Vrindavan in the Bhagavad Gita, what all are the references to vraja or vraja bhakti or Vrindavan in the Gita? Yeah, all of you remember that, Brahmi is one, 2.72, we have discussed that, then daivim prakrishnim ashritah, that is 9.13 and then Bhaktivinoda Thakur gives a very brilliant explanation of 9.30, 9.30 is what? Apichet suduracharo bhajate ma mananyabhag, so I don't know, in your class was this discussed, the conservative interpretation, the liberal interpretation, the various interpretations of this verse, I gave a 3 hour class on this verse, I can't do all that, it should be a class, I have told it, so I will not repeat it now, so there what does he say, apichet suduracharo bhajate ma mananyabhag, sadhur eva samantavya samyagya vasito hisah, then shipram bhavati dharmatma sasvachantir nigachati, so he says, Bhaktivinoda Thakur raises the question over here, I won't go into all the interpretations of that verse by the various acharyas, but the point here is, there is also a vraja meaning in that verse, apichet suduracharo bhajate ma mananyabhag, so Bhaktivinoda Thakur raises the issue, that if somebody is ananyabhag, is doing unlawed devotional service, then how can such a person be suduracharo, a person is unbreaking devotional service, then how can there be any terrible behavior from such a person, so he says, this verse has a deeper meaning, is that the sudurachara is not actual, it is apparent, and so what is it referring to, it is referring to the Gopis of Vrindavan, the Gopis of Vrindavan when Krishna played the flute and called them at the night, ananyabhag, they without any distraction just came to him, and when they came to him like that, from the point of your worldly morality, that is suduracharo, but actually speaking, they are all sadhus, because their determination is always well situated, and then he says, actually speaking, see there are three levels talked about in this set of verses, one is suduracharo is the lowest, then ananyabhag bhakti is the highest, and next verse, dharmatma is not as high as ananyabhakti, so then he says, the verse does not make any sense, somebody is doing ananyabhakti, that person does sudurachara, and then such a person becomes dharmatma, so it does not make any sense, so he says, that actually the person is ananyabhag, but appears to be sudurachara, and he says, so he says, those who consider that these gopis are sadhus, they will become dharmatma, by glorifying the gopis as ananyabhag, as sadhus, those who do this, they will become dharmatma very quickly, by glorifying the gopis, shipram bhavati dharmatma, that is also a reference to Vrindavan, so surrender to me alone, but surrender to me alone in the way that the residents of Vraja have surrendered, and then Krishna says, so when we give up some duties, some reactions may come, but whatever reactions come, I will free you from those sinful reactions, and nothing will remain, so now Krishna earlier in the 7th chapter, in 29th, 30th verses, he is talking about how, we have to become free from sinful reactions, he says that, when you become free from sinful reactions, then you will become dhruday in my bhakti, so, but here he is saying, I will free, there he says, you become free from sinful reactions, but he is saying, I will free you from sinful reactions, so here the mood is of love, so there it is like, a mother, and the mother's child is growing, the mother trains the child, you know, you should, whenever you want to respond to nature, you should go to the washroom, and the mother says, don't soil your clothes, so sometimes the mother, if the child soils the clothes, the mother says, if you are unclean, don't come to me, the mother is annoyed with the child, and if the child says, I don't know how to clean my clothes, mother's heart will overflow, come, I will clean you, so 7.29 is like krishna tells, don't come to me as long as your clothes are soiled, but when the devotee surrenders, krishna says, come to me, I will clean you, I will free you from all sinful reactions, and then he says, do not have any fear, do not have any doubt, so, actually, fear is something which can check us by not allowing us to do the right thing, so how do we give up our fear, by faith, to the extent we put faith, to the extent our fear will go away, so, the more we hold on to faith, the more fear goes away, the more we let go of faith, the more fear takes hold, that's why he says, not fear, have faith in me, your fear will go away, and then, now after he describes this, in a sense, krishna has completed the bhagavad gita, and now he gives the phalashruti, this most confidential knowledge that I have given you, what should be done with this knowledge, then he says that, so, of course, I am not going into the characteristics of surrender which Prabhupada talks about in the purport, so, let's move forward, idam te na tapaskaya, na bhaktaya kadachana, na cha shushru shave vacham, na chamamyo abhyasuyati, na chamamyo abhyasuyati, so he is telling, don't give this knowledge, those who are not tapaskaya, those who are not austere, na abhyasuyati, na bhaktaya, those who are not devotees, those who do not serve, and those who are envious, and naturally we get the question, then who is left, isn't it, who is left, so, actually, here krishna, krishna's mood is to be understood, see, a father may have very, very precious jewels kept in the innermost parts of the treasury, and they are so precious that the father doesn't tell anyone about the jewels, but when the son does something well or the father feels very great affection for the son, then the father takes the son to the innermost part of the treasury, and then he opens the treasury and tells, these are the jewels that I have for you, so, like that, krishna has bared his heart and shown the jewels of love for all that are there in his heart, and now the same father, when he tells about these treasures that are there, he will also tell the son, don't tell about this to your brothers and sisters, because although they are ultimately meant for his children only, if they are not responsible enough, they will not understand their value, he says, don't throw pearls to a swine, so they will not understand the value, so don't tell about it right now, but the purpose is not to hide it, but the purpose is to encourage the person to grow up, the children to grow up, so that they can become mature enough to receive it, so the idea that the bhakti knowledge is confidential, it doesn't mean that krishna wants to keep it hidden, but if we are not spiritually grown up, then we will not be able to realize what a treasure this bhakti is, we will either become envious of krishna, or we will just neglect the whole thing, we will misunderstand the whole thing, that's why when krishna says don't tell anyone, the meaning is not just hide it from everyone, but help people to grow up, and when they are grown up, then you tell it about them, so therefore he says don't tell it to everyone, because they will misunderstand, but the idea is don't tell it to everyone also means that, see how much trust I have in you, that I have told it to you, that this is such a special knowledge, confidential knowledge, I have told it to you, and then krishna says arjuna, if I don't tell it to anyone, he says no, actually it is meant to be shared, so how is it to be shared, krishna describes in three levels, first he says is actually share this knowledge, so as I said don't give it to people who are unqualified, but do help people to become qualified, so that they will get that knowledge, so you know we are not meant to laugh at others, we are meant to laugh with others, what is the difference, laugh at others means we think they are so fallen, they are so foolish, and we laugh at them, no, our idea is that we have to elevate them, and we elevate them, and the joys that we are having in devotional service, we want them also to have those joys, so we are not meant to laugh at others, we are meant to laugh with others, laugh with others does not mean, not become ignorant and sensual like them, but help them rise, so krishna will tell now three different ways by which he can elevate others to the level of bhaktaya, by which they can all relish this sweet message of love that krishna has given, sweet gift of his limitless love that he is revealing, so first he talks about preach this message, so this is paramam guhyam gyan, which is giving, those who are devotionally inclined, give it to them, and if you do that, what will happen, so now where is krishna talking about parabhakti, in 18.54, he says parabhakti will come after one goes through karma yoga, gyan yoga, and then one attains brahma platform, then one will get parabhakti, but that same parabhakti krishna says you can get, if you just preach my message, so preaching is so glorious, that that attainment, which is attained after many many lifetimes by going through karma yoga, gyan yoga, and coming to the brahman platform, that will come just by the practice, by the preaching krishna consciousness, so bhakti mayi param kritva, so he says not only will you attain parabhakti, but ma me vai satya samjaya, you will also come back to me, and of this there is no doubt, so krishna is reassuring a double promise, you will get pure devotional service, and you will get my kingdom also, you will return to me also, and then sometimes, in a emotion, we may say, I don't have any friend like you, whatever is my wealth is your wealth, and then afterward that person comes, that is not to be taken seriously, that's what happened with drupada and drona, he says you are my friend, and I will give whatever you want, and when drona went, he was not ready to give anything, so is krishna becoming sentimental, and saying like this, I will give you everything, I will give you parabhakti, I will get you back to my abode, krishna says no, you know whatever I am, you are so dear to me, the person who preaches is so dear to me, that in the future also, nobody will become more dear to me, you will always forever stay very dear to me, and in the next verse, bhavitah nachame tasmad, bhavitah nachame tasmad, anya priyataro bhuvi, anya priyataro bhuvi, so, there is no one more dear to me, and nor will anyone be more dear to me in the future, that means, I love you now, but in the future, I start loving somebody else, so I don't care for you, it won't happen like that, krishna loves the devotee who shares his message, who shares his love, and forever such a person will be dear to me, so here krishna is exhorting, share my message, preach my message, now somebody may say, preaching is very difficult, I can't do that, and krishna says, if you can't preach, at least study, that is the next verse, he says, so, he says, if you cannot, at least study my message, and if you study this message, sacred conversation, what are you doing, you are worshipping me with your intelligence, so actually, we often think of worship more in terms of aarti, we use ghee lamp, and we use flowers, but worship is to be done with everything, so we can worship krishna with our intelligence, so every time we study the bhagavad gita in a devotional attitude, we are doing aarti of krishna with the paraphernalia of our intelligence, so this is a very devotional understanding of study, generally often we think of study as a very intellectual activity, study as a very intellectual activity, I try to study so that I can understand, but our goal is, our study should be a means of serving krishna, a means of worshipping krishna, you know, in the path of bhakti, we also use logic, but for a bhakta, logic is the minister, not the master, what is the difference, logic is the minister, not the master, that means, a minister is someone who takes advice from, so like that, when we are trying to understand, we use logic, but then when krishna is speaking with his heart, logic is not our master, if something doesn't make sense in logic, we don't reject it, because krishna is beyond logic, so we don't make logic into a god, we understand krishna is god, and in service to krishna, we will use logic also, logic is our minister, not our master, so those who are overly logical, what happens is, they are not serving or worshipping krishna with studying bhagavad gita, they are actually serving and worshipping logic only, and that's why they can't understand, they can't understand bhagavad gita, and that's why their study of bhagavad gita is not necessarily devotional service, so krishna says, you study in a devotional way and that will be worship of me, now somebody may say that studying is also very complex, I can't study it, and krishna says, at least here, you can't study at least here, he says, shraddha vanana suyascha, shraddha vanana suyascha, shrunyad apiyonaraha, shrunyad apiyonaraha, sopimuktah shubhaloka, sopimuktah shubhaloka, prapnuyat punyakarmanam, prapnuyat punyakarmanam, so shraddha vanana suyascha, so with shraddha, without end, we just hear, he says, shrunyad apiyonaraha, one who hears, sopimuktah, so a person will become free from asubhaloka, from all the inauspicious places, and then prapnuyat punyakarmanam, so a person will attain the world that are obtained by the punyakarmanam, so actually the acharya described that this is not just referring to swargaloka, but is actually referring to the higher planets, janloka, tapaloka, where a person attains, because when one hears the Bhagavad Gita, one actually develops bhakti, and bhakti takes us higher than swarga also, so it's like Krishna is extending the rope of mercy downwards, he says, first you preach, somebody says, somebody like to throw a rope down, you hold your arms and pick up, and you just hold your arms and climb up, he says, no, no, I can't climb up, okay, you just hold my arms and I'll pull you out, he says, no, I can't hold that much also, then that person says, send the rope down with a lasso tied to it, you just tie it and I'll pull you out completely, so it's like that, Krishna says, you preach, he says, you can't preach, you study, if you can't study, you're here, by that also you'll come back to me, so Krishna is extending the rope of mercy downwards and downwards and downwards, just pick it up, just accept that mercy and come, and this way Krishna completes the phalashruti, after completing the phalashruti, then he asks Arjuna, have you understood? So, oh Arjuna, have you heard this? By ekagrenachetasa, ekagra, agra is ahead, ek is one, ekagra means the attention is at one point ahead, nowhere else, ekagra refers to concentration, so have you heard attentively, have you heard with one pointed attention, ekagrenachetasa, the idea of hearing with one pointed attention is, have you understood, if you hear attentively, you'll have understood, and he makes that clear, have you heard attentively, and by hearing, has your ignorance and has your illusion been destroyed, oh Dhananjaya, so Dhananjaya is one who has attained great wealth, so Arjuna, have you attained the wealth of knowledge, have you given up, have you become free from the poverty of illusion and ignorance, so here, Chakravarthipada says, that when Arjuna is asking this question, he is anxious, Krishna is asking this question, Krishna is anxious, has Arjuna understood properly, and he says, if Arjuna has not understood properly, Krishna says, I can repeat whatever you have not understood, and if you want, I can repeat the full Bhagavad Gita again for your sake, have you understood clearly, so that is Krishna's love for Arjuna, he is asking, sometimes, if you go to a college professor, he explains something, Sir, I have not understood this, come to my private tuitions, pay extra fee, then I'll explain, so it's like that, but here, Krishna is so concerned that Arjuna understands, he is ready to repeat the whole thing, again, if required, and now, Arjuna speaks, so this is the last verse, this is the verse which reveals Arjuna's understanding, so I'll explain this verse, and then we'll look at the significance of this section, Arjuna Vacha, Nashto Moha Smrute Labdha, Tvad Prasadanmaya Chuta, Sthito Smigata Sandeha, Karishe Vachanam Tava, Karishe Vachanam Tava, so Nashto Moha, so Arjuna was asked, Kachit Agyanasam Moha Pranashtas, so same word Arjuna is using, Nashto Moha, and my Moha is destroyed, Smrute Labdha, so all of us are suffering from amnesia, Krishna's word is cure our amnesia, we regain our memory, and how has all this happened, Tvad Prasadanmaya Chuta, it's by your mercy, Arjuna, O Krishna, O Achuta, you never fail your devotees, you have given me, and now, Sthito Smigata, now I am well situated, I have Katha Sandeha, earlier Arjuna was saying that I will not fight, I want to go away from the battlefield, but Sthito Smigata, I am rightly situated now, Katha Sandeha, all my doubts have gone away, and Karishe Vachanam Tava, I will do what you say, so this is the highest expression of surrender, you know, at the end of the Bhagavad Gita, sometimes we hear, the whole idea, sometimes people go for some Satsang, they hear some Katha, Bahut Accha Pravachan Tha, Mazaa Gaya, so Arjuna doesn't tell to Krishna, Mazaa Gaya, what does Arjuna say, Karishe Vachanam Tava, I will do what you say, so you know, scripture is like a doctor's prescription, a doctor's prescription is not for entertainment, very nice prescription doctor, no, the doctor's prescription for the application, so when we go to a doctor, actually we go for applying what is taught, so Karishe Vachanam Tava, now why is this, this is talking about practical application, but it is also the highest expression of surrender, why? You know, in Bible, when Jesus knows that in the future, tomorrow, the next morning, they are going to betray him and he is going to be crucified, so at that time he prays to God, he said, let the hemlock pass, hemlock refers to the poison cup, so at that time when people would be killed, often they would be given a poison cup and they would drink the poison cup and they die, that's how Socrates was killed, so he says, let the cup of poison pass, my dear Lord, but then he says, let thy will be done, not mine, so that is the expression of surrender, my dear Lord, whatever is your will, let that happen, but what Arjuna is telling over here is, not just let thy will be done, but I will do thy will, it's a higher expression, let thy will be done means, okay, let it happen, your will is happening, you are making it happen, let it happen, but what Arjuna is saying is, not just let thy will be done, he says, I will do thy will, whatever you want, I will make it happen, so this is a very important point, so Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said, that in every town and village, the holy name will be chanted, we say, yes, it is going to be chanted and Lord's protection is there, Lord's prophecy is there, it will come true, but that is not a devotee's attitude, a devotee says, my Lord has said it, then therefore, it is my responsibility to make it happen, so the Lord's will is my responsibility, so yes, Lord is omnipotent, that is definitely true, but then the Lord can do anything and everything, but when we have a devotional mindset, we want to assist the Lord and it's far higher than, not just, I will do thy will and that was Shila Prabhupada's mood also, Shila Prabhupada, he had no assistance, but all alone he went to America and I will do thy will, he had the faith that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's prophecy will be fulfilled, but that meant, Prabhupada said, some fool will fulfill it, so that, but he also understood that somebody has to do it, somebody has to take it up, so he says, I will take it up, some fool will fulfill, that was Prabhupada's conviction, so that is our responsibility. Now, the Bhagavad Gita, after six chapters, in the eleventh chapter Sanjay was speaking, till now the setting was Krishna and Arjuna only from the twelfth chapter onwards, the setting shifts backwards and Sanjay comes, Sanjay gives his concluding words.

So, in this way I have heard the conversation between Vasudev and Partha, now he uses the word Mahatma to refer to both of them, why? Now, the Lord is superly Mahatma, but Arjuna has heard and surrendered, so Arjuna is exhibiting the characteristics of a Mahatma, Mahatmanas tu mam partha, daivim prakritam ashrita, so Arjuna by saying karishche vachanam tava, is taking shelter of the daivim prakritam, that is how Arjuna has also become a Mahatma, parthasuche mahatmanah, and then samvadam imam ashravsham, I have heard samvadam, which is adbhuta, it is wonderful. So, now the word, Krishna uses two words over here, adbhutam and romaharshanam. So, what is the significance of these words? The word harsh will come again in one of my Gita Delhi articles.

So, the word wonder has two meanings, there is an experience of awe and there is an absence of understanding. So, what does it mean? If I see a huge mountain, how great is this mountain? So, there is an experience of awe, there is wonder because of that. So, that is Krishna, Sanjay is thinking, how great is Krishna, how much is his love? So, he is awestruck by the wisdom within Krishna's message and the glory of Krishna.

So, that is adbhutam. Another meaning of wonder is, it is so wonderful, Krishna is so great, I cannot understand it. There is an absence of understanding.

So, the more we meditate on the Gita's verses, the more we become awestruck at how simple seeming verses embody life's profoundest insights. So, we just become awestruck, there is so much wisdom within the Gita. That is one sense of wonder.

And the other is, we can never fully understand Krishna's love and beauty, yet every moment that we remember, serve and love him, our understanding deepens. Consequently, we become filled with a sense of wonder. That is a celebration, not of ignorance, but of the mystery of divine love.

So, that means, that mystery is increasingly, but never completely unravelled at every moment for all of eternity. That is how there is an absence of, no matter how much we know Krishna, there is still more to be known. So, in that sense, there is, Krishna is so wonderful that there is always more beauty, more love, more wonder, more mystery to be relished.

So, Adbhutam Romaharshanam. It is a wonderful conversation. Now, he will describe that Romaharshan two verses later.

But before that, he talks about how he thinks, I have heard such a wonderful conversation. So, how did I get to hear that? He immediately thinks of his spiritual master and his mercy. So, Vyasa, Prasada, Shrutvan, by Vyasa's mercy, I have heard it.

This is param, this is supreme conversation. And what is speciality of this? That Lord is Yogeshwara, Krishna is Sakshat, he himself spoke it. Now, there is so much knowledge given in the Vedic scriptures, but actually, as it is said in the Gita Mahatma that, you know, that when Krishna himself has spoken, what need is for any other scripture? Because Krishna is the ultimate goal of all knowledge, Krishna is the source of all knowledge.

So, when he himself speaks, there is no need. So, he himself has spoken this knowledge. Then he will describe in two verses how this knowledge is having an effect on him.

What is that effect? He is thrilled by it. So, Mohur Mohu, again and again, Prabhupada writes, one who becomes Krishna conscious, he experiences life with a thrill. He enjoys life, last sentence of the purport, he enjoys life with a thrill.

Not only for some time, but at every moment, at every moment. So, actually, this verse and the next verse, they seem to be similar in terms of their effect. But the focus of the remembrance is different.

Here, the remembrance is, samskriti is of samvadam. Here he is remembering the conversation, how wonderful was the conversation and he is feeling thrilled by that. And next verse, as he remembers the conversation, he thinks about the person who spoke that conversation and how amazing that person is and how extraordinary was the rupa that that person manifested during the Bhagavad Gita.

So, he thinks of the rupa and that makes him thrilled further. So, by remembering tattva samskriti, samskriti, rupam. So, this rupa can refer to the form of Krishna who spoke this Bhagavad Gita.

It can refer also to the vishwarupa, that magnificent form that Krishna showed during the conversation of the Gita. And vismayome mahandrajan, he has become vismith, he has become completely astonished, stunned by rishameecha, punah, punah, again and again. I am feeling thrilled.

So, the Bhagavad Gita is a conversation at many levels. At an immediate level, it is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. Then at another level, it is a conversation between Dhritarashtra and Vyasa.

At a deeper level, it is a conversation between the soul and the super soul. And whenever we share Krishna's message, it is also a conversation between us and people. So, actually if you see, first let's look at the first two levels and then the last one we will look at the third level.

So, now if you see in these two levels, the conversation when Krishna spoke to Arjuna, it was successful in the sense that Arjuna's heart became transformed. And Arjuna decided to Krishna's will. But the same message was heard by Dhritarashtra to Sanjay.

But Dhritarashtra's heart was not transformed. So, does that mean Sanjay was unsuccessful? No. Actually, even the Supreme Lord does not interfere with anyone's free will.

Supreme Lord can do his very best to express his love. And we can try to repeat his message. But that may not change some people's heart.

But Sanjay was not unsuccessful. Because just by hearing and repeating Krishna's message, irrespective of whether people are transformed or not, Sanjay became Rishyamichamuhurmu, Rishyamichapunapuna. So, there is a thrill in sharing Krishna's message that is not dependent on whether that message is received gratefully or is rejected summarily by others.

So, Dhritarashtra did not accept Krishna's message, but still Sanjay is saying Rishyamichamuhurmu. So, actually what happens is when we become a channel for Krishna's message, then others may or may not benefit. But we become enriched by that.

We become purified. We become filled with ecstasy by that. And that's why in sharing Krishna's message, in preaching, there is never any failure.

At least we are become successful by that. We become purified. We become go back to God.

And that's why when we preach, the focus is on, yes, we are concerned about others and we want to make sure that others understand. But ultimately, we preach for our own sake, for our own purification. When we repeat Krishna's message, the purpose is people will hear.

But the primary purpose is to make the soul sitting in this body here. The soul sitting in this body, he needs to hear Krishna's message. And when we try to preach, first of all, we are forced to study seriously.

After studying seriously, we contemplate deeply and then we speak. And this whole process purifies us. And often, when we try to share Krishna's message, such illuminating thoughts come up, connections come up, insights come up, that we ourselves feel inspired that how this has come up.

And then we see the magic of Krishna consciousness happening in our lives. That's why irrespective of externally whether we succeed or not, by trying to share Krishna's message, we are ourselves spiritually successful. Saurabh Maharaj writes that in Nilamrit, when Prabhupada was in America.

And he was very unsuccessful in India, then he went to America. And then there also nothing worked out, first in Butler, then he went to New York, nothing worked out with Dr. Patel. Then he went to the Bowery and there, his hippie, David Heves, attacked him.

His typewriter was stolen. And then Lal Bahadur Shastri was supposed to help him, but he died in Russia before coming to China, before coming to America. And then Padampad Singhania refused to send help.

And on top of all that, his own godbrother's disciple said that your mission is ludicrous. Mukti Brahmachari said like that. And still Prabhupada continued preaching.

So there in Nilamrit it is written that, you know, at that time, Prabhupada was successful. Why was he successful? Because every day, he was still chanting Krishna's name. He was speaking Krishna's message to whoever came.

He was working on translating and commenting on Krishna's book. He was offering bhoga to Krishna. He was serving Krishna.

So in Krishna's eyes, he was successful. Whether the world would benefit from his message or not, that would depend on the world. That time will tell.

So if we are serving Krishna in Krishna's eyes, we are successful. So in Krishna's eyes, Sanjay is completely successful. And that success is manifest as the ecstasy in Sanjay's heart.

Rishami, Rishami. He is so thrilled by that. And now, now Sanjay wants, why should Dhritarashtra also be deprived of this ecstasy? That's why he wants Dhritarashtra to give up, give up his obstinacy.

But still, he also, you know, Sanjay knows that I am subordinate. Vidura was like his brother. Although younger brother, still he was a brother.

So brothers can chastise brother. But Sanjay was a servant. So Sanjay cannot instruct Dhritarashtra.

So he indirectly tells what is the fate that is going to happen. So this is a, you know, there is a very beautiful symmetry. The first verse raises a question and the whole Bhagavad Gita is the answer to that, what happened.

But what happened was a question which referred to also what is going to happen in the battle. So that is answered in the last verse. So 1.1 is answered in 18.78. So wherever there is Krishna, he is Yogeshwara.

So the idea of Yogeshwara is that Dhritarashtra is very confident that my military strength is much stronger than his. We have 11 Akshavani, they have only 7. But he says the numbers don't matter because Krishna is Yogeshwara. He will use all his yogic powers, mystic powers.

And he is, along with him is Arjuna. And he says Arjuna has what? Dhanurdhara. He is Dhanurdhara.

And actually the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita ends with Arjuna putting aside his bow. That because of Shoka, he puts aside his bow. So at the start of the first chapter, he has put aside his bow.

But at the end of the 18th chapter, he has lifted up his bow. So what is the meaning of this? Actually Arjuna's bow, Arjuna's Gandiva represents the soul's determination to serve Krishna. The soul's determination to serve Krishna, that is represented by Arjuna's Gandiva.

And what happens in the first chapter? First chapter, you know everything is normal. Arjuna has blown his conch shell also, he is ready to fight. But then he says, I want to see.

There are four verses where eyes, seeing are used. So he sees and after seeing what happens? He does his own reasoning. And then what happens? So the setting of the Bhagavad Gita is no doubt historical.

But along with the historical, there are also deeper meanings to it. So our Acharyas are not against the deeper meanings, as long as they don't substitute the literal meaning. They can supplement the literal meaning.

So actually, what does Arjuna's setting represent? Actually Arjuna was with Krishna, but by reliance on Pratyaksha and Anuman, what happened? His determination got lost. So actually, 22 to 26, roughly 22 to 26 is Pratyaksha. Arjuna is seeing Pratyaksha and telling what I am seeing.

And based on the Pratyaksha, 27 to 46 is Arjuna's Anuman. His own reasoning is, if I fight, this will happen. How can I kill my relatives? How this? How that? So in this world, when we use Pratyaksha and Anuman for acquiring our knowledge, Pratyaksha and Anuman we have to use.

But when we make them as our foremost sources of knowledge, then what happens? Our determination to Sir Krishna goes away. And then when Krishna spoke the message of Bhagavad Gita, that is Shabda. So by Shabda, our determination becomes again restored.

So what happened to Arjuna was? So like that, in this world also, if we do Pratyaksha and Anuman, Pratyaksha will see there are so many enjoyable things in this world. Now we can't even see Krishna. What is the point? And then we say, our mind will do so much false reasoning and I can practice devotional service later and so many ideas will come up.

But then, when there is Shabda, then Dhanur Dharaha. Again our determination to Sir Krishna will be restored. So the Bhagavad Gita actually is a conversation, as I said, not just between Krishna and Arjuna, not just between Sanjay and Dhritarashtra, but it is also a conversation between the soul and the super soul.

Just as Arjuna was on a chariot, we are also on the chariot of the body. Prabhupada when he gave the second initiation ceremony at that place where Hayagriva Prabhu and others got initiated, one of the early initiation ceremonies. So he told the devotees, now you should never lament because Krishna has taken the reins of your chariot in his hands and he will always protect you.

So what has happened is, you remember the chariot body analogy? Who is the charioteer? That is Buddhi. But our own Buddhi is not strong enough to guide us. So in the Bhagavad Gita also, there is a chariot and Arjuna is on the chariot.

Arjuna is the passenger. But his charioteer is Krishna. So the whole process of Bhagavad Gita is to make, whole message of the Bhagavad Gita is to make Krishna our charioteer.

To make Krishna's message as our Buddhi. We don't put our own separate independent intelligence, but we found our intelligence, we root our intelligence in Krishna's message. And when that happens, when we accept Krishna as our charioteer, then what happens? tatra shreer vijayo bhutir dhruvani tirma tirmama There will be wealth, there will be victory, there will be bhuti, there will be extraordinary opulence and there will be niti.

Now the word niti is also significant here because apparently there were some immoral things that happened. Even Krishna himself seemed to have made those immoral things happen. But actually, they were the ultimate morality.

Krishna talks about that vyutam chalaya tamasmi, if you try to cheat, I am the greatest among all the cheaters. So what Krishna does, because he is the welfare of all living beings, what he does is actually for the supreme welfare of everyone. So that's why it is the highest niti.

So when we take shelter of Krishna, then this is what will come in our life also. tatra shreer vijayo bhutir dhruvani tirma tirmama. So in the Bhagavad Gita, when we understand that these are not just verses that were spoken 5000 years ago on a remote battlefield somewhere long ago.

These are the speaker of them is alive and active in our own hearts. And when we meditate on the Gita, then what will happen is these Gita verses will come back to us when we need them. Krishna from within the heart will speak those verses and they will become our protection.

They will become our weapons in the fight against illusion and they will guide us on the journey back to Krishna. So the Bhagavad Gita is not just a book that we read or study and then close. Yes, we read it one particular time, but then that is meant to awaken us to the presence of Krishna in our heart.

The love of Krishna that is forever waiting and beckoning us. And when we see Bhagavad Gita with this vision, then the Krishna who is present in our heart, he becomes, as I said, he is always there, but he is not alive or active for us, but he becomes alive and active. And then Bhagavad Gita becomes not just a, it becomes a living book.

It becomes a book not just to be studied, but it is a book that is to love and to be lived. And that is how the Bhagavad Gita had said, the Gita lives not in texts. The Gita lives through those who love the Gita.

So such a lover of the Gita was Shri Prabhupada. And what did he do especially? He gave us the conclusion of the Gita in a very unambiguous and very clear way. So I'll just conclude with this point here.

So now somebody may say Bhagavad Gita has spoken so many things. So many other words could be said that these are the, these are the conclusion. But this is the conclusive section of the Gita.

As I said that there are many places where Krishna uses superlative, 9.1, 10.1, 14.2, 15.20. But other places, only this is the place, the starting of this last section of the Gita, two superlatives are combined with two declarations of affection, Guhyatmam, Paramahamsa, Dhrishtam and Tehitam. Now, beyond that, what Krishna talks about is, Krishna is telling this is the highest message. And we also see Arjuna's actions.

So there are multiple ways. There is superlative emphasis which Krishna is giving. This is the most important message.

And Krishna is telling, give up everything else. And then Arjuna is also acting based on that message. So in this way, we can clearly understand that this is the conclusion of the Gita.

And it is Vaishnava Prabhupada's mercy that we have come to know about Krishna's love. And we can relish this love and we can share it with everyone. Thank you very much.

Gaura Bhatta Vrindaki. Thank you very much.