Gita 11.53 Krishna can’t be known by the Vedas, although the Vedas are meant for knowing him

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.

Bhagavad Gita 11.53 Krishna is speaking to Arjuna over here. And Krishna is, after giving Arjuna the Virat Rupa is now giving him darshan of his two-handed form.

And he's telling Arjuna that don't think that this two-handed form is ordinary. But this also is very difficult to see. And how have you seen it, Arjuna? Now if you see, the study of the Vedas.

And then those who study the Vedas, there are three main processes which are talked about. Yajna, Dāna, Tapa. Krishna will talk about Yajna, Dāna, Tapa a little later in the 18th chapter when he talks about how Yajna, Dāna, Tapa are the means to purification, to elevation.

And then whether they should be practiced by those who are renounced. That discussion comes. So basically Yajna, Dāna, Tapa are three standard forms of expression of one's religiosity in the Vedic context.

So Krishna is telling here that none of these three along with of course the place where they are described in the Vedas, by none of these I can be known. As I am, Arjuna, as you are able to see me here, it's not possible to see me thus. It's interesting that Krishna will later say in Gita 11.15 that by all the Vedas, I am to be known.

So when he says that by all the Vedas, I am to be known. And now he's saying that actually by the Vedas, he cannot be known. He cannot be known.

It's interesting, isn't it? And he's saying by the Vedas, I cannot be known. And he says even by the processes that are given in the Vedas, I cannot be known. So the point is that the word Veda is an elastic term.

There is a generic meaning of the word Veda and there is a specific meaning of the word Veda. So from the specific meaning point of view, the word Veda refers to the process of the four Vedas, basically, the Iksan, Yajur, Atharva Veda and the various ritual sacrifices that are described in those books. Now along with that, there's also the understanding that Vedas are much more.

That the Vedas are a body of knowledge which has a particular purpose. So Krishna is stating here that ultimately, Arjuna, by the Vedas, it is I who am to be known. It is through the way, through the cultivation of knowledge, which is given in the Vedas, that we will be able to know Krishna.

In the sense that, that is the ultimate purpose of those Vedas. But we need the, as will be mentioned in the next words, Bhakti Atharvanya Ashakya Hamevam Vidha Arjuna, that it is by, it is not simply by the study of the Vedas or it's not simply by following the processes that are given in the Vedas, that one can know Krishna. It is by the practice of Bhakti Yoga that one can know Krishna.

So now, the Vedas hint towards Bhakti, but the Vedas primarily focus on helping us to know, helping us to achieve material prosperity through religious piety. And when one lives according to the Vedas, living the life of Yajnanadapa, at that time the person is oneself not very interested in higher spiritual enrichment. So, the Vedas, being like a desire tree, reciprocate with the desire of the person and they provide the person with what that person is looking for.

So, material piety can't grant spirituality. That's the essential theme of this message. Material piety doesn't enhance our spirituality.

Material piety is not bad. It can also be good. In fact, it is very good at times.

But the important thing is that it alone is not spiritual. This is one of the significant features of the Bhagavad Gita as compared to many other religious texts, say the Bible or the Quran, that it differentiates between matter and spirit in a very clear way. And thus, it also differentiates between material elevation and spiritual liberation.

So, going to Swarga, going to heaven is considered good, but it is far from the best. And when compared to the best, even the good is considered to be bad. There is a saying that often the good is the worst enemy of the best.

Something like that can happen to us or can happen to those who come in the religious circles. If they get caught in material piety, they cannot rise to spirituality. And the Bhagavad Gita makes this difference very categorically clear, the difference between material piety and devotional spirituality.

In the next verse, it will say it is by devotional spirituality one can know Krishna. But in this verse, it is very clear that by material piety, one cannot know him. So, this clear differentiation between matter and spirit, between the material and the spiritual, between elevation to heaven and liberation beyond heaven, liberation beyond this world, this clear differentiation is what enables us to move onwards in our journey towards life's ultimate perfection.

And Krishna has in the vision which he gave over here, has also stated that, oh Arjuna, the Devatas were also assembled in the vision of the universal form and the Devatas were also astonished. Some of the Devatas were scared on seeing this. That form which is Mahad, which is very great and which is Ugra.

So, knowing that, on seeing this, even the Devatas were astonished. They were astounded and they were fearful. So, Krishna has revealed to Arjuna the Virat Rupa and then Krishna has told him that from that Virat Rupa he has changed himself to his two-handed form and now he is saying, Arjuna, yes, you asked for the darshan of the Virat Rupa, I gave it to you.

But don't think that that is great. That is great, no doubt, but that is not the greatest. The greatest is the darshan of my two-handed form and this knowledge of Krishna in his two-handed form, the darshan of Krishna with the understanding of Krishna's position in his two-handed form, that can be had only through the practice of Bhakti.