Gita Overview Mumbai 18.62-64 Why bhakti is the conclusive message of the Gita

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna. So I might seem to be going a little faster in the last few verses. The reason was that I was told that many of you have some questions.
So I was hoping that we should be able to devote at least one class for question answers. So Monday if we have two classes, then we should be able to complete the Gita by Monday morning. Much of it will complete today itself.
Then Monday evening, if we have a class, then we can have full question answers at that time. And most of the concepts that are there, we have already discussed them. That’s why I was not going too much into the details.
But it’s not that anything major we are neglecting while we’re discussing this. So let’s go over some things quickly here. 61, 62, we have just completed that.
I’ll just revisit that. So here, so here actually this ends in 55, then 56. Onwards, practise bhakti from whatever is our present level.
And Krishna says if you don’t do that, then you will be dragged down. So going backwards, let’s look at this first. So what is happening in the 18th chapter? The 18th chapter started with Krishna telling that if you don’t have faith, or it started, ended with the 17th chapter, if you don’t have faith, then whatever you do is lost.
Then overall Arjuna asked a generic question about the whole Bhagavad Gita by saying, still in the background, should I act or should I not act? Is action an act of faith or is renouncing action and going to the forest an act of faith? So that’s why to get that original dialectic resolved, that original question answered, Arjuna asked what is the difference between tyaga and sannyasa? And again Krishna, now he has introduced the framework of the three modes. So again he uses that same framework to analyse tyaga, dhrim, three modes. And then at the end of that analysis, he says that if you want to become disentangled, the way is by acting in goodness without attachment.
That is renunciation in the mode of goodness. So now that was the beginning of the first section, karma yoga. Then still the question remains, how if a karmic person is acting, how that person doesn’t become bound? And in the answer to that, Krishna gives an elaborated analysis of action.
First he talks about the five factors of action and the purpose of the section talking about the five factors is to illustrate what is it that causes bondage. That is, yasya na aham kruto bhavo buddhir yasya na vitte. One who acts without thinking that I am the doer, such a person doesn’t become bound.
On the other hand, atmanam kevalam tuya. On the other hand, if somebody thinks that I am the doer, that person will get bound. So what causes bondage is the conception that not just I am the doer, but I am the only doer.
The results are coming because of me alone. Atmanam kevalam tuya. So when Krishna is telling the five factors of action are there, so he’s also acknowledging that we are one of the doers.
But when atmanam kevalam means only, atmanam means I over him. Kevalam tuya. If I think I am the only doer, then that is what causes bondage.
Then how can one avoid the conception that I am the only doer? For that, Krishna says that knowledge, action has all these factors. So he talks about karanam karmakarta cha and jnanam jnanya parijnata. So these six concepts are talked about in 18.18 and then they get reduced to three, which Krishna analyses.
Karanam, karma, karta and jnana. And after that he analyses buddhi, dhruti and sukha. So the purpose of this whole analysis is to situate oneself in goodness because when one is situated in goodness, one will be able to see.
So if I think about my activities objectively, I can understand that my success doesn’t depend only on me. Surely I play a role in it, but I don’t determine the success. When I’m in passion, I’m so elated with my success or so dejected by my failure that I don’t think of anything else much.
But when I’m goodness, then I can see properly. So if I situate myself in goodness, then I will understand that I’m not the only doer and I won’t take more credit than is due and that’s how I can stay free from bondage. And to be able to pursue this, perceive and pursue.
Pursue means to see and pursue means to go after. To be able to perceive and pursue this, one has to abide by scripture. So after analysing these modes Krishna talks about from the 14th verse onwards, he talks about varanashram.
And when he’s talking about varanashram, the whole idea is to enable up, to show Krishna, show Arjuna how this is a system by which one will eventually become liberated. So by acting according to scripture, a scriptural direction which is a customised to our nature, then gradually one becomes purified. How does action purify? Because one is restraining the scope of action.
It’s like I am here, the world is here. If I just act and interact with the world, that interaction will create bondage. Because the world is filled with sense objects which I’ll strive to get.
So the solution of jnana is just don’t interact with the world. Withdraw from the world. That is difficult and Krishna doesn’t recommend that to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita largely.
So the other way is that, actually there’s no need to withdraw from the world, but rather recognise that the world can be used as an offering to Krishna. So that was the theme of svakarmana tam abhyarcha, worship him by your work. That means we have to interact with the world, but interact with the world in a way that connects us with God.
So the world is here, I am here. God is above. So how do I ensure that my interaction with the world connects me with God? That happens in two ways.
One is that the actions that I do in this world are those sanctioned by God. So then what happens is my actions are, I’m still acting with the world, but it is regulated by scripture. And not only is my action regulated by scripture, the fruit that I get, that also I offer to God.
So in that way, the interactions with the world, rather than entangling me into the world, they enable me to come out and connect with God. And by this, when one is purified, one gradually advances. So here Krishna tells the traditional Vedic progression.
First one does adequate karma, becomes purified. Then one starts getting detached and disentangled. And one realises Brahman.
And then after that one comes to Bhagavan. That was talked about from 49 to 53, was talked about Brahman realisation. 54-55 talked about going from Brahman to Bhagavan.
And then after that, Krishna tells Arjuna, you don’t have to do all this. The alternative way. Sarvakarmāṇepisadā kurvāṇum adhipāśyā.
Whatever work you are doing, you do that work, but do it for me directly. And when he talks about this, he tells Arjuna that I will free you from all reactions. So he doesn’t use the word reactions over here.
He uses the word obstacles. So then he says, if you don’t do it, you’ll become a puppet of nature. So here don’t do it means, that means Krishna is offering two ways.
One way is the way of gradual progression. The other way is of rapid progression. The gradual progression is the path of karma kāṇḍa, jñāna kāṇḍa, ultimately leading to mokṣa.
The rapid progression is the bhakti path. So Krishna has given the gradual progression from 40-41 onwards till 55. Now after that he gives the, just quickly tells the rapid path from then 56, 57, 58.
And then when Krishna says vināṅkṣasī, I will be lost completely. What is that referring to? That means if you don’t follow either the gradual path or the rapid path, then you will be lost. Let’s explain this a little bit more clearly.
So in the Vedic culture, there are two ways for advancement. The gradual way, gradual way and the rapid way. The gradual way is karma kāṇḍa, jñāna kāṇḍa and then mokṣa.
So that is what Krishna briefly summarises from 41 to 55. Then the rapid way is bhakti. So here Krishna doesn’t specifically tell this is a rapid way.
The glory of that way, we will talk about a little later. But here he talks about 56 to 58. Then after that, if you don’t follow either, then lost.
That’s what he talks about in 59 and 60. So the whole idea of this analysis is that one has to follow scripture. Vināṅkṣasī otherwise.
But when one has to follow scripture, what is the best way to follow scripture? Krishna is going to say that it is the path of bhakti. So here in 59 and 60, Krishna talked about, remember I said 60th verse has this three times. We are bound.
That is avasya, that is nipaddha and that is necchasi. So there he was talking about how all of us are bound by nature. And the way to go beyond that is by surrendering to the controller of nature.
So here, generally speaking, whenever Krishna is referring to the super soul, he refers to the super soul in the third person. The reason for that is when Krishna is talking about bhakti and bhagavān, the super soul doesn’t reciprocate loving relationships with the conditioned soul. Super soul is the well-wisher of the conditioned soul, but there is no loving reciprocation.
Whereas Krishna is talking with Arjuna and Krishna and Arjuna are the Lord and the devotee. That’s why when he is referring to that devotional dimension of his own interactions, he will refer to himself in the first person as mām. Whereas when he is referring to the super soul, he will refer to himself as tamām.
But here, till earlier, whenever Krishna has referred to the super soul, it has been more in objective terms. Okay, there is this upadrishtana mantra, there is this being situated in all the realms. He is maintaining everyone.
Till now, whenever Krishna has referred to the super soul, he has not referred to the super soul so much in affectionate terms. In terms of, super soul loves you. He is not talking about it like that.
samoham sarve bhuteshu na me dveshusti na priya. So, in samoham sarve bhuteshu, ācārya has explained, this refers to the super soul. badhiya bhajanti tu mām bhaktyā mai te teśu chāpyaham.
This refers to the bhagavān aspect. But as the bhagavad-gītā is coming towards its climax, as bhakti aspect is being emphasised more and more, Krishna talks here about surrender to the super soul. tam eva śaraṇaṁ lakṣya.
He says, surrender to the super soul. By surrendering to the super soul, you will become liberated. You will attain the supreme destination.
So, takprasādāt. So, actually, generally speaking, we don’t talk about the super soul in terms of the super soul giving birth. Supersoul, udāsīna vadāsīnam.
But Krishna is going to reveal shortly how he and the super soul are one in a very sweet way. So, because that climax is coming up. So, takprasādāt.
He also uses the word prasādāt. Mercy. By his mercy, what will happen? parāṁśāntiṁ.
You will attain the supreme peace. Arjuna, you are thinking that you want peace, but don’t think that you will get peace by avoiding this war. The peace that one gets by, say, avoiding troublesome situations, that is not a sustainable peace.
Because the problems will come back in some other form and trouble us. But the peace that we get when we surrender to God, that is the highest. Actually, there is peace of the mind and there is peace of the heart.
They are two different things. Peace of the mind is the peace that I get when my mind stays unagitated and peaceful. So, peace of the mind is just no anxieties or troubles.
Peace of the heart is what Krishna is talking about here as parāṁśāntiṁ. That is the peace that comes from love, from loving and being loved. Actually speaking, there is a much deeper contentment.
When a mother loves a child, a mother begets a child and she actually loses her peace at that time. But within that loving bond, there is a far deeper satisfaction. So, this is talking about actually, in the Bible there is a phrase that, the peace that passeth all understanding.
The deeper peace that comes, that you cannot understand by material logic. But it is a really deep peace that comes by inner connection with God. So, externally things may be shaking in a person’s life, but if one is internally connected with God, one is peaceful.
So, Krishna is talking about this as parāṁśāntiṁ. Prasāda parāṁśāntiṁ sthānam prāptasi śāśvatam. So, actually Arjuna in the start of the second chapter, he had asked for these two things, shanti and sthāna.
You know, the idea is that as a kṣatriya, he has a place to live, a place to rule. So, Krishna is going to tell over here that here you will get parāṁśāntiṁ and you will get śāśvatam sthānam. So, no matter what sthāna one gets in this world, there is never śāśvatam.
But by surrendering to Krishna, we will get supreme peace and the eternal destination, eternal situation for ourselves, eternal place of residence. This is the ultimate benefit that one wants. Ultimately, what do we need? We need a place to stay and we need peace of mind.
So, you will get both of these by surrendering to Krishna. So, actually, there is the battle that goes on even when a devotee surrenders to Krishna. But that battle is to keep serving Krishna.
Actually, when there is a battle whether I should surrender to Krishna or not, that battle is different from the battle when a surrendered devotee fights for Krishna. Sometimes we may find Krishna consciousness not peaceful. That’s because we are still battling whether I should surrender to Krishna or not.
But once I surrender, then it takes the whole experience to a higher level and then the connection with Krishna brings a far greater joy. Krishna is talking to Arjuna about this, that surrender to that superson. Now, Krishna Chitrakoot describes at this point that Arjuna is lost in thought.
Arjuna is thinking deeply. So, then what does Krishna do? Krishna sorts out his concluding statement and then he takes the discussion to a higher level. So, I have spoken this knowledge which is more secret than what I have spoken earlier.
And then, Vimarshan means deliberation, deep thought. As much as you need, think about it. And then, as is your desire, accordingly you can act.
Now, it’s interesting Krishna is using the same form of the word Ichashi. Earlier he had used in 18.59, kartum nechashi anmohaad karishyatya vasyamitah. So, there is a nechashi.
Actually, even if you don’t have desire, you will have to act in that way. But now he is saying, as is your desire, act accordingly. What is the meaning? That we have a free will.
And the Bhagavad Gita says that you will be forced to act. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have free will. We have free will, but our free will is to choose how to act.
See, actually how it works is, we are forced to act as we choose to desire. It’s a very significant statement. I will explain this first, let me write it down.
We are forced to act as we choose to desire. So, this is the scope and the limit of our free will. We have free will.
What is our free will? We can desire whatever we want. But once I desire and once that desire goes beyond a particular strength, then things go out of my control. So, then just the momentum carries me away.
So, we are forced to act as we choose to desire. Once I desire something, then that builds a momentum and I can’t come out of that momentum. So, let’s revisit 2.62 and 2.63 to understand this.
2.62 and 2.63 talk about Dhyayato Vishayan Bhoomsa. Okay, I have got this in an article. Let me copy it from there.
Okay, I’ll just write it down. I remember it. So, first is Dhyayato.
So, I’ll analyse this. In English, you can put this as contemplation. Then what happens in Dhyayato? Sangha.
Sangha is attraction. Then after that is Kama. So, Kama is obsession.
It’s not just attraction, it’s wanted. Then after that, there is Krodha. Krodha is irritation.
What is this Krodha? This is when I want something and people tell me, don’t do it. Or I know scriptures tell me I should not do it. Who says I can’t do it? So, I become irritated by it.
So, I am using different English translations over here to illustrate this point and explain this afterwards. Then after that, Krodha, Dhavati, Sammoha. So, Sammoha is delusion.
That means I forget what is right and what is wrong. Smriti Brahma. Smriti Brahma is, I am using specific words over here.
I’ll explain why. This is oblivion. Oblivion means I completely, it’s like a memory blackout.
I forget everything. Then Buddhinash. So, Buddhinash is stupefaction.
I become stupid. And then lastly is Pranashyati. Pranashyati is destruction.
So, now I use the word shanshan everywhere so that it’s easier to remember all of them. Now, the idea over here is what? See, when we do dhyayato, that time contemplation starts. From that time, the desire starts coming.
I contemplate on a sense object. At that time, the desire starts coming. Then when the desire comes in, as I contemplate more and more, then I develop, oh, that’s nice.
Let me get it. So, it becomes stronger. And actually, as it moves forward, the momentum becomes stronger and stronger.
So, when I choose to desire, the momentum carries me away. And now, is from contemplation to destruction, is it a irreversible or unstoppable sequence? No. It can stop at any time.
But generally speaking, once there is Buddhinash, when the intelligence is destroyed, it’s almost impossible to stop at that time. Before that, it is possible to stop. But the overall message of the Gita is that once we choose to desire in a particular way, then material nature takes over.
Remember, the earlier we discussed the soul desires, the super soul sanctions, and material nature executes. So, it’s not that whenever we desire, things go out of control. When we desire and Krishna sees, okay, you’re desiring, how strong is it? Do you really want this? Krishna will, as the voice of conscience, even speak, it’s not good for you.
No need to get into this. But if we persist with that desire, then Krishna sanctions. And then once material nature takes over, once Krishna has sanctioned, then things also go beyond our control.
Material nature takes over and so things get done in that. So, our protection is before material nature takes over. Yes, good question.
Why is it that when we have desires in goodness, like say studying Bhagavatam, we don’t get carried away by those desires. Whereas, when there are passionate desires, we get carried away by them. Whenever we act in a particular way, that creates grooves within our mind.
So, there is already a pathway for going in a particular direction, even a little force is enough to take us in that direction. Whereas, there is no pathway, then to go in that direction requires more effort. So, because we have acted in particular ways in the past, so there is already that groove, that pathway is created.
And that’s why going along that direction is easier. But the principle is common for both unhealthy desires and healthy desires. So, if we create a pattern for healthy desires, then over a period of time, we will find that those healthy desires will also become habitual.
If we practise the Krishna conscious lifestyle of sleeping early, waking up early for one year, two years, three years, then even if we go to home, we go to relatives, we go to some place where everybody else is staying awake, still we feel, now it’s my time to sleep. And not only we’ll sleep, actually over a period of time we’ll find it is natural to wake up also. Sometimes if we are exhausted, things are different.
But if we are in a routine, so that good habits also get developed. But because the outside culture as well as the inner impressions, they are more conducive towards the negative habits. That’s why those may seem to be more quick to form and more long to last.
Because they are quick to form because the sort of allurement towards them is much more aggressively marketed. They are quick to form and because we get into them and they connect with our past impressions, so they are longer, they are long to last. On the other hand, if we develop devotional desires, they may be slower to form, but they will also be longer to last.
They’ll only be slower to form. So, we just have to sort of keep cultivating. That’s why Anushi Ilanam, it’s cultivation.
And the whole process is that once one goes beyond Anartha Nivrutti, then the positive habits become natural. That Chakravarthy Parth describes in Madhurya Kalambani, that just as before Anartha Nivrutti, the sadhaka’s mind, sadhaka may be doing bhakti, activity, may be chanting, but the mind goes off to sense gratification. But once a person goes beyond Anartha Nivrutti, Nishtha, Ruchi, Asakti, especially from the Ruchi onwards, the sadhaka may be engaged in some material activities, say occupational duty or whatever, but the mind will just take off and go to Krishna.
So, that means what has happened? The positive habits have become habitual. The devotional habits have become habitual. And Krishna also talks about this in the sixth chapter, when he’s talking about the deviated yogi.
And the deviated yogi is in modern next life. So, normally Krishna uses the word avasya to refer to how we are helplessly attracted towards materialism. But here, this is I think sixth point, purva abhyasa tene meya, it’s 43, 43 or 44.
So, there Krishna says that by the purva abhyasa, by the past practise, what will happen? One will be helplessly attracted to higher principles. So, now if we are not yet helplessly attracted and we may see some other devotees who are helplessly attracted towards Krishna, so that is simply because we have not done adequate abhyasa. So, for example, Radhanath Maharaj writes in his journey home that when if somebody asked him why he would perform so much austerity, like say just taking one carrot for one whole month and drinking water.
So, he writes that at that time I didn’t feel as if these were my decisions. Now, I felt as if a higher hand of destiny was leading me. So, that is basically priyateya avasyotisa.
And this is not just necessarily for very advanced devotees also. Actually, there are many people who feel some sort of inexplicable attraction towards something spiritual. They may not be able to explain it and they may not even sustain that attraction because other attractions may overpower.
But there are many people who may have done some spiritual activity in the past and because of that, either in this life or in earlier life, they feel something tugging at their heart. Although the world’s tug at their heart will be stronger at present, but that tug also remains, that pull remains. So, for us, basically, if we keep doing abhyas, then that will happen.
And in general, what makes that practise easier to do is a sangha. So, if an association where that practise is normally done, then it becomes easier to do. But the principles are similar.
It’s not that good habits are necessarily tougher to form. They may seem tougher to form because those grooves have not yet been created. So, the way to create the grooves is actually just by doing those activities.
Is it clear? Yes, it can refer to previous lives also, as well as this life also. Especially this purva abhyas and Krishna’s life, that’s from previous life. That’s very clearly.
He’s talking about a person who practised bhakti in this life or practised transcendence in this life, but then couldn’t continue. And then in the next life, when he starts off, the person will be automatically attracted. Any other questions? Yeah.
So, why I was talking about this point is, Krishna is acknowledging the point, yatha ichcha kuru. So, he’s saying that ichcha, that we do have desire, and according to our desire, we can choose to act. So, apart from that, he’s emphasising to Arjuna that now I have completed my speech.
Now, deliberate and decide what you want to do. So, before we talk about the deliberation, let’s look at this point of guvya and guvya tara. So, the first confidential knowledge is basically about standard varnashram dharma.
The more confidential knowledge is about surrendering to the super soul beyond the varnashram. So, there is more confidential knowledge, guvya tara. And then Krishna will give some more higher knowledge.
What is the difference between the first and the second? The first is a gradual path. The second is a faster path. But here, when one is surrendering in the tam eva saranam gaccha sarva bhavayi na maratha, that is more to escape from material nature.
It is not primarily out of devotion to the Lord. There’s a difference between the two. Somebody may practise bhakti because one may feel bhakti is the best means to attain liberation.
And the other is one practises bhakti because one loves Krishna. So, the confidential knowledge is, okay, I don’t want to be in material existence. So, let me practise varnashram dharma.
And by that, I’ll get liberated. Very few people have this knowledge also. That’s why it’s confidential.
But it’s not just dharma that liberates, it’s not the practise of varnashram dharma that liberates me. Actually, if I surrender to Supreme Lord, that will liberate me. That is more confidential knowledge.
But the most confidential knowledge is that actually Supreme Lord is not just a means, is not just an object or a tool for me to attain my liberation. He’s actually an object of my love. That is the most confidential knowledge that I will give you now.
So, that’s what Krishna will talk about in the next verse. But here, Chakravarti Pada describes that when Krishna tells Arjuna, Asheshena is as much as you want, you can deliberate on it. So, the implication is Krishna is saying, I am ready to wait.
For as long as it takes, I’m ready to wait. I can hear you. And in case something is not clear, is actually later on he will say that I’m ready to clarify it also.
But the Asheshena means I’m ready to wait for you. But the implication is also that, how long will you keep me waiting? the super soul has been waiting in the heart for so many lifetimes. Asheshena actually and ultimately it is the soul who has to take the decision to surrender to Krishna.
Krishna cannot take the decision for us. So on the spiritual path Krishna walks with us but not for us. What is the difference between the two? That means Krishna cannot make the spiritual journey for us.
It is we who have to make the spiritual journey. But Krishna can walk with us and make the spiritual journey easier for us. But it is our journey.
So Asheshena means that Krishna will wait for us for as long as we don’t start walking. So in a sense you know Krishna is with us and also Krishna in the spiritual world also. So if Krishna is already with us then what is the need to go to spiritual world? The journey is a journey of realisation.
Right now we are not realised Krishna’s presence. We have not developed devotion for him. So that’s why it’s a gradual progression.
But he cannot do the walking for us. That’s why he’s saying now Arjuna I have spoken. Now the onus is on you.
Now you have to decide what you want to do. Now after describing this Arjuna starts thinking. Imagine your class is going on.
Suddenly a very serious question comes. So now what do you want to do? I never thought I had to do something. I thought I just had to hear the class.
So suddenly the onus gets transferred because although in a sense we know Bhagavad Gita has 700 verses and so we know that Bhagavad Gita is coming to an end now. But from Arjuna’s point of view, it is not that Krishna is telling now the last chapter has started. Now the last chapter is going to end.
So till now Krishna has not in a sense thrown the gauntlet to Arjuna like that. He says okay this is what you should do. This is how you should act.
If you do this, this will happen. If you don’t do this, this will happen. But directly Krishna throws the gauntlet.
Now you decide what you want to do. Suddenly Krishna pauses and Arjuna becomes lost in thought and he’s thinking Second chapter was spoken that time, that was spoken at that time, that was spoken at that time. So many things were spoken.
What should I actually do? So when he starts thinking like this, at that time Krishna’s heart overflows with compassion. Although Krishna has completed his message, Krishna feels no. Why should Arjuna be bewildered like this? So I will make things crystal clear for Arjuna.
So the subsequent verses, although the whole of Gita is an expression of Krishna’s compassion, but the last part of the Gita from this verse onwards, after this verse from 63rd to 64th onwards, it’s just Krishna’s compassion overflowing. Arjuna is lost in thought, unable to decide. So Krishna says, I will help you make that decision easier for you, easier and clearer for you.
So that’s why he says, muja tara jnana was given, but he said now I will give you guhya tama jnana. I will give you the most confidential knowledge. sarva guhya tamam guhya ha sarva guhya tamam guhya ha shrunume paramam vachaha shrunume paramam vachaha ishtosime drudamiti ishtosime drudamiti tato vakshamite hitam tato vakshamite hitam So sarva guhya tamam, earlier it was guhya tara, but now it is guhya tama.
It is the most confidential knowledge, but it is guhya ha. I have spoken it earlier also Arjuna, in case it was lost to you, I will speak it again. sarva guhya tamam guhya ha And to emphasise it, shrunume paramam vachaha It makes it twice, that it is guhya tama and it is paramam vachaha.
So there is no ambiguity of what Krishna is telling. This is the most confidential, this is the supreme instruction. So in a sense, when somebody says this, Ok, now I will make an important point.
Now I am going to make the most important point. What does that indicate? That this is, if you forget everything else, don’t forget this. This is the most important point.
So, sometimes different people say that Krishna has spoken different sections of the Bhagavad Gita and they are all meant for different people. So whichever part you like, you can take that. So the karmakandis can take the karma part, the jnanis can take the jnana part, the yogis can take the yoga part.
That’s fine, they can take it. But what is Krishna’s take home message? It is Krishna, there is a flow of thought in the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavad Gita’s thought itself is leading towards the conclusion. And how do we know that is the conclusion? We have Krishna’s own testimony for that.
So Krishna’s own testimony is, this is the highest knowledge. Now let us look at where all Krishna has used this paramam vachaha and where all he has used guhyatama. So he has used these words earlier, but he has never used both of them together in such an emphatic way.
Context is very very important in understanding meaning. So sarva guhyatama, importance of this verse. Why is this verse important or why is this section conclusive? Now we can say conclusive because it just comes in the conclusion of the Gita.
But that’s not the only reason. So if you look at its flow itself, this is a very important point because many people say Bhagavad Gita is all kinds of things for all kinds of people. Whatever you want you can take from the Gita.
That is fine, but what does the Gita want us to take from it? That is important, isn’t it? That is important because ultimately Gita is spoken by somebody and it is a particular context. So context is critical to comprehend content. Context means where it is placed, in what situation it is spoken.
That is critical if you want to comprehend content. Otherwise anybody can take any part. According to people who do research in education, they find that when people attend classes, the audience generally understands, or rather carries only 5-10% of what the speaker speaks.
The audience comprehends or carries only 5-10% of what the speaker speaks. And only God knows which 5-10% it is. Nobody knows that actually.
It will be entirely different for different people depending on when they were concentrating, what were the thoughts that were going on in the back of their mind, and what are their past impressions of life. So it will vary. This is an intrinsic subjectivity that is unavoidable.
That is fine. So if different people can gain inspiration in different ways from Bhagavad Gita, there is no objection to that. But when the teacher spoke, the teacher wanted to emphasise certain points.
Whether the audience gets it or not, that’s a different issue. So we agree that different people can derive different meanings from the Gita, and you can’t deny them that they are right. But what is wrong is to say that that is the meaning of the Gita.
The two are different things. From a teacher’s class, different students may learn different things. But the teacher wanted to teach something.
So if I want to know what the teacher wanted to teach, then I can’t just rely on my subjective inspiration, my subjective comprehension, on my own thought process. So I have to actually closely look at the teacher’s words and then find out. That’s why many times if you hear a lecture, I have this experience, if you hear a lecture, and we say, okay, this point I like, this point I like, this is a good lecture.
But then afterwards, if you sometimes read the transcription of the lecture, and look at, oh, there are so many points spoken. And then look, okay, this was the flow of the lecture that was going on. Many times when we hear a lecture, we may not even comprehend that there is a flow going on.
And we may not realise, okay, this was the flow and this was all that was going on. If you really want to study closely, hearing a lecture and then reading the transcription can be quite an illuminating experience. Because we realise there is so much that we miss out.
So, now, of course, the transcription itself doesn’t necessarily help us to fully understand the thought process of the speaker. But still, it gives us a better insight in the thought process than just hearing. So, what we are now trying to understand is, what is the thought process of Krishna by which he is coming to a conclusion? And Prabhupada is saying, this is Bhagavad Gita as it is.
What is the reason for that? Now, when Prabhupada says Bhagavad Gita as it is, Prabhupada doesn’t necessarily always trace the technical flow of the Gita over verse by verse. When he is saying as it is, he is talking more in terms of conclusions. What is the conclusion of the Gita? And Prabhupada uses the conclusion throughout the Gita.
So, as it is, is not necessarily a technical analysis of the Gita’s flow. Prabhupada’s technical analysis is also quite deep. But that is not the emphasis as it is.
There is a conclusion of the Gita and Prabhupada is presenting the conclusion as it is. So, now, Krishna talks about guhiyatama. Where is first time? Anyone remembers? 9.1, yes.
Iti te guhiyatamam jnanam. Correct. That is the first time he uses guhiyatamam.
Then after that? There is something before that is? I think 10.2. Guhya eva maha baaho. Jhunme paramam vachaha. Itte ham priyamanaya.
Vakshamit kamyaya. Is it 10.2? Please check it. No, not 10.2. 10.1 only.
Let’s see. 10.2 is 9.2 surgana. Yeah.
Guhya eva maha baaho. Jhunme paramam vachaha. Itte ham priyamanaya.
Vakshamit kamyaya. So, here Krishna is using paramam vachaha. And then actually he uses many words over there.
But let’s focus on this now. Then after that? When does he come again? Supreme knowledge. He talks about it in 14 chapter also.
14.2 I think. 14.2 is what? What is 14.1 then? Jnanam jnanam uttamam. So, that is something like that.
It’s not exactly the same words. Jnanam. Jnanam uttamam.
So, these are all superlatives. Paramam, guhyatamam, uttamam. Then? 15 chapter.
So, now he has used this superlative several times. Now, if you look at 9.1. What is it that guhyatamam referring to? It is bhakti only. Very clearly bhakti.
9 chapter is titled as bhakti yoga. Nobody debated. Shankaracharya calls it bhakti yoga only.
And if you look at the content also, it is bhakti only. There is mami parthya, apashyaktya, ye pisutra, papu yonaya is there. There are so many verses which very clearly that is talking about bhakti.
What is the confidential knowledge? That is bhakti. Now, if you look at the 10th chapter, its flow builds up to complete to climax in the chatushloki gita. After that there is a question by Arjuna.
Arjuna’s summation of his understanding. And then the question which leads to the vibhuti description. But the sort of the thought flow which Krishna is referring to, that culminates in the chatushloki.
And chatushloki is entirely about bhakti. He is centred on bhakti. And then gyananam gyanam uttamam.
This knowledge is the best of the knowledge that I am going to give. Then after that Krishna gives the knowledge of the three modes. That is fine.
But the whole knowledge of the three modes is given so that we can become liberated from the three modes. Isn’t it? And when Krishna talks about liberation in 14.20, Arjuna asks the question, three questions. kairlingaisthi unayata athito bhavati pravokki macchara katham chaitan What are the internal characteristics? What is the external behaviour of those who are transiting the modes? And most importantly, how does one transcend the modes? And the answer is mam chayogya vicharena So here, the most confidential knowledge is not just the knowledge of the modes.
If somebody is in a prison, and I will give you a very important knowledge. That knowledge is not just the construction of the prison. Construction of prison is fine, but the purpose of giving knowledge about the construction of the prison is to tell how you can escape from the prison.
Isn’t it? So, just the knowledge of the three modes is not the most confidential knowledge. Gyananam gyanam uttamam. Most important knowledge.
That is, the knowledge is the means to become free from the modes. And that is given actually in 14.26, that is bhakti. As the means to become free from the modes.
Then, now if you look at 15.20 This is Krishna saying, guhiyatamam shastram And what is this most confidential knowledge? Before that Krishna has described 15.16 to 18, Trishloki Bhagavad Gita. And, even if somebody doesn’t call this as Trishloki Bhagavad Gita, see the important point is not what names you use. Ramacharya uses the word Chatusloki Bhagavad Gita.
But even if one doesn’t use Chatusloki Bhagavad Gita, actually it’s very clear what is the content. In 10.8 to 11 it is machitta, madhgata, prana, bodhahanta, parasparam vedami, buddhi, yogam, tam. This is clearly bhakti.
Nobody can deny this is bhakti. Similarly, here before 15.20 is 15.19 And that is clearly about two things. yomam eva samudho janati purushottama sa sarvavid bhajati mam sarvabhavena bharata So, this is actually talking about Bhagwan as the highest truth and bhakti as the highest sadhana.
So, yomam eva samudho janati purushottama sa sarvavid Who is the highest, best knower? The knowledge of Bhagwan as the highest truth and bhakti as the best means. How can we say bhakti is the best means? yomam eva samudho janati purushottama sa sarvavid bhajati mam sarvabhavena bharata. So, bhajati is referring to bhakti.
And how does he perform bhakti? sarvabhavena, wholeheartedly. So, Krishna has, wherever he has used superlative, the best, you know, guhyatama paramam vachaha jnananamuttamam, guhyatamam He is, if we look at the context he is always talking about bhakti only. But here, in 18.64, when Krishna uses it, it is the only place where two superlatives are combined.
And, along with a declaration of affection. What are the two superlatives here? Correct. paramam vachaha sarvabhuyatamam bhuya guhyatamam is one superlative.
Then, paramam vachaha is the second superlative. And then, ishtosine dhrudhamiti tatovakshamitehitam So, dhrudha ishta So, you can translate it as I am determined to love you. Hmm? Tehitam For your benefit.
So, hitam, Tehitam, Krishna has spoken many times. I’ll let you know that. For example, in 10.1 also, bhuyayomam paramam vachaha teham priyamanaya bakshamitekam So, actually 10.1 comes quite close.
In 10.1, three of these elements are present. What are the three elements there? There is bhuyayomahabahu shurme paramam vachaha is there. Then after that, bhuyayomahabahu shurme paramam vachaha teham priyamanaya So, priyamanaya is affection is there.
And bakshamiteham priyamanaya bakshamitekam Two separate letters are combined with two declarations of affection. So, this pitch of emotion, this intensity of expression, it is nowhere to be found before in the Bhagavad Gita. 10.1 comes close to it.
But still, it’s not the same. This is the most intense. And that’s why when Krishna is giving this thing, or when suppose somebody tells, parent tells the child, I love you very much.
For your benefit, I am telling you this. I may have taught you many things throughout my life, throughout your life. Even if you forget everything else, this is the most important.
Please remember it. So, when the parent tells something like that, that obviously indicates that this is the most important. So, this verse is critical to understand the sort of supreme importance of what will come next.
So, it’s like sometimes you set up a stage so that ultimately the player can perform. This verse, in fact, the whole Bhagavad Gita is setting the stage. There is guhya gyan, guhyatar gyan, guhyatam gyan.
And that’s why the verses that will come next, which we’ll discuss tomorrow, they are the most important verses. Chakravarthy Pat talks that these are actually the Bhagavad Gita is like a treasure chest. And in that treasure chest, there is a lid and there is a below surface.
And the below surface is like the first six chapters. The inner treasure, the inner jewels are the middle six chapters. And the top lid, top lid is like the last six chapters.
So, it starts from bottom up. But suppose a person is too lazy to open the treasure chest. Who will open the treasure chest? Don’t bother about that.
So, just to attract the person to open the treasure chest, the jewels that are inside it, two of those jewels are put right on the lid only. So that people will say, oh, these jewels are here, let me see it. And then you open and see, oh, there are so many jewels like this.
So, that heart of bhakti, which you see here, it is nine chapters and ten chapters, what has come earlier. So, Krishna puts that bhakti right at the top, that means at the end of the Gita, that’s 18.65 and 66. So, 66 is called by Ramacharya, the Charam Shloka of the Gita.
Charam is the supreme shloka, the climax. So, we’ll discuss this tomorrow. Any questions? Quickly about this? So, thank you very much.
Shreemad Bhagavad Gita Ki Jai! Shila Prabhupada Ki Jai! Gaur Bhakta Vandaki Jai! Vitaay Gaur Premanday!