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Chapter Ten
The Opulence of the Absolute
BG 10.1
श्रीभगवानुवाच
भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः
यत्ते ’हं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया
śrībhagavān uvāca
bhūya eva mahābāho
śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ
yat te ’haṃ prīyamāṇāya
vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā
SYNONYMS
śrī bhagavān_uvāca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead said | bhūyaḥ: again | eva: certainly | mahā-bāho: O mighty-armed | śṛṇu: just hear | me: My | paramaṁ: supreme | vacaḥ: information | yat: that which | te: to you | aham: I | prīyamāṇāya: thinking you dear to Me | vakṣyāmi: say | hita-kāmyayā: for your benefit. |
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to My supreme word, which I shall impart to you for your benefit and which will give you great joy.
PURPORT
The word paramam is explained thus by Parāśara Muni: one who is full in six opulences, who has full strength, full fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation, is paramam, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. While Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, He displayed all six opulences. Therefore great sages like Parāśara Muni have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna in more confidential knowledge of His opulences and His work. Previously, beginning with the Seventh Chapter, the Lord already explained His different energies and how they are acting. Now in this chapter He explains His specific opulences to Arjuna. In the previous chapter he has clearly explained His different energies to establish devotion in firm conviction. Again in this chapter He tells Arjuna about His manifestations and various opulences.
The more one hears about the Supreme God, the more one becomes fixed in devotional service. One should always hear about the Lord in the association of devotees; that will enhance one’s devotional service. Discourses in the society of devotees can take place only among those who are really anxious to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others cannot take part in such discourses. The Lord clearly tells Arjuna that because he is very dear to Him, for his benefit such discourses are taking place.
The more one hears about the Supreme God, the more one becomes fixed in devotional service. One should always hear about the Lord in the association of devotees; that will enhance one’s devotional service. Discourses in the society of devotees can take place only among those who are really anxious to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others cannot take part in such discourses. The Lord clearly tells Arjuna that because he is very dear to Him, for his benefit such discourses are taking place.
BG 10.2
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः
na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ
prabhavaṃ na maharṣayaḥ
aham ādir hi devānāṃ
maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
SYNONYMS
na: never | me: My | viduḥ: knows | sura-gaṇāḥ: demigods | prabhavam: opulences | maharṣayaḥ: great sages | aham: I am | ādiḥ: the origin | hi: certainly | devānām: of the demigods | maharṣīṇām: of the great sages | ca: also | sarvaśaḥ: in all respects. |
TRANSLATION
Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and the sages.
PURPORT
As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. No one is greater than Him; He is the cause of all causes. Here it is also stated by the Lord personally that He is the cause of all the demigods and sages. Even the demigods and great sages cannot understand Kṛṣṇa; they can understand neither His name nor His personality, so what is the position of the so-called scholars of this tiny planet? No one can understand why this Supreme God comes to earth as an ordinary human being and executes such commonplace and yet wonderful activities. One should know, then, that scholarship is not the qualification necessary to understand Kṛṣṇa. Even the demigods and the great sages have tried to understand Kṛṣṇa by their mental speculation, and they have failed to do so. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is clearly said that even the great demigods are not able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They can speculate to the limits of their imperfect senses and can reach the opposite conclusion of impersonalism, of something not manifested by the three qualities of material nature, or they can imagine something by mental speculation, but it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa by such foolish speculation.
Here the Lord indirectly says that if anyone wants to know the Absolute Truth, “Here I am present as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am the Supreme.” One should know this. Although one cannot understand the inconceivable Lord who is personally present, He nonetheless exists. We can actually understand Kṛṣṇa, who is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, simply by studying His words in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The impersonal Brahman can be conceived by persons who are already in the inferior energy of the Lord, but the Personality of Godhead cannot be conceived unless one is in the transcendental position.
Because most men cannot understand Kṛṣṇa in His actual situation, out of His causeless mercy He descends to show favor to such speculators. Yet despite the Supreme Lord’s uncommon activities, these speculators, due to contamination in the material energy, still think that the impersonal Brahman is the Supreme. Only the devotees who are fully surrendered unto the Supreme Lord can understand, by the grace of the Supreme Personality, that He is Kṛṣṇa. The devotees of the Lord do not bother about the impersonal Brahman conception of God; their faith and devotion bring them to surrender immediately unto the Supreme Lord, and out of the causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa, they can understand Kṛṣṇa. No one else can understand Him. So even great sages agree: What is ātmā, what is the Supreme? It is He whom we have to worship.
Here the Lord indirectly says that if anyone wants to know the Absolute Truth, “Here I am present as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am the Supreme.” One should know this. Although one cannot understand the inconceivable Lord who is personally present, He nonetheless exists. We can actually understand Kṛṣṇa, who is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, simply by studying His words in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The impersonal Brahman can be conceived by persons who are already in the inferior energy of the Lord, but the Personality of Godhead cannot be conceived unless one is in the transcendental position.
Because most men cannot understand Kṛṣṇa in His actual situation, out of His causeless mercy He descends to show favor to such speculators. Yet despite the Supreme Lord’s uncommon activities, these speculators, due to contamination in the material energy, still think that the impersonal Brahman is the Supreme. Only the devotees who are fully surrendered unto the Supreme Lord can understand, by the grace of the Supreme Personality, that He is Kṛṣṇa. The devotees of the Lord do not bother about the impersonal Brahman conception of God; their faith and devotion bring them to surrender immediately unto the Supreme Lord, and out of the causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa, they can understand Kṛṣṇa. No one else can understand Him. So even great sages agree: What is ātmā, what is the Supreme? It is He whom we have to worship.
BG 10.3
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्
असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
yo mām ajam anādiṃ ca
vetti lokamaheśvaram
asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu
sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate
SYNONYMS
yaḥ: anyone | mām: unto Me | ajam: unborn | anādim: without beginning | ca: also | vetti: knows | loka: the planets | maheśvaram: supreme master | asaṁmūḍhaḥ: without doubt | saḥ: he | martyeṣu: among those subject to death | sarva-pāpaiḥ: from all sinful reactions | pramucyate: is delivered. |
TRANSLATION
He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds—he, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins.
PURPORT
As stated in the Seventh Chapter, those who are trying to elevate themselves to the platform of spiritual realization are not ordinary men. They are superior to millions and millions of ordinary men who have no knowledge of spiritual realization, but out of those actually trying to understand their spiritual situation, one who can come to the understanding that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the proprietor of everything, the unborn, is the most successful spiritually realized person. In that stage only, when one has fully understood Kṛṣṇa’s supreme position, can one be free completely from all sinful reactions.
Here the word ajam, meaning unborn, should not be confused with the living entities, who are described in the Second Chapter as ajam. The Lord is different from the living entities who are taking birth and dying due to material attachment. The conditional souls are changing their bodies, but His body is not changeable. Even when He comes to this material world, He comes as the same unborn; therefore in the Fourth Chapter it is said that the Lord, by His internal potency, is not under the inferior material energy, but is always in the superior energy.
He was existing before the creation, and He is different from His creation. All the demigods were created within this material world, but as far as Kṛṣṇa is concerned, it is said that He is not created; therefore Kṛṣṇa is different even from the great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva. And because He is the creator of Brahmā, Śiva and all the other demigods, He is the Supreme Person of all planets.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is therefore different from everything that is created, and anyone who knows Him as such immediately becomes liberated from all sinful reaction. One must be liberated from all sinful activities to be in the knowledge of the Supreme Lord. Only by devotional service can He be known and not by any other means, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā.
One should not try to understand Kṛṣṇa as a human being. As stated previously, only a foolish person thinks Him to be a human being. This is again expressed here in a different way. A man who is not foolish, who is intelligent enough to understand the constitutional position of the Godhead, is always free from all sinful reactions.
If Kṛṣṇa is known as the son of Devakī, then how can He be unborn? That is also explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: When He appeared before Devakī and Vasudeva, He was not born as an ordinary child; He appeared in His original form, and then He transformed Himself into an ordinary child.
Anything done under the direction of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. It cannot be contaminated by the material reactions, which may be auspicious or inauspicious. The conception that there are things auspicious and inauspicious in the material world is more or less a mental concoction because there is nothing auspicious in the material world. Everything is inauspicious because the very material mask is inauspicious. We simply imagine it to be auspicious. Real auspiciousness depends on activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotion and service. Therefore if we at all want our activities to he auspicious, then we should work under the directions of the Supreme Lord. Such directions are given in authoritative scriptures such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, or from a bona fide spiritual master. Because the spiritual master is the representative of the Supreme Lord, his direction is directly the direction of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master, saintly persons and scriptures direct in the same way. There is no contradiction in these three sources. All actions done under such direction are free from the reactions of pious or impious activities of this material world. The transcendental attitude of the devotee in the performance of activities is actually that of renunciation, and this is called sannyāsa. Anyone acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord is actually a sannyāsī and a yogī, and not the man who has simply taken the dress of the sannyāsī, or a pseudo-yogī.
Here the word ajam, meaning unborn, should not be confused with the living entities, who are described in the Second Chapter as ajam. The Lord is different from the living entities who are taking birth and dying due to material attachment. The conditional souls are changing their bodies, but His body is not changeable. Even when He comes to this material world, He comes as the same unborn; therefore in the Fourth Chapter it is said that the Lord, by His internal potency, is not under the inferior material energy, but is always in the superior energy.
He was existing before the creation, and He is different from His creation. All the demigods were created within this material world, but as far as Kṛṣṇa is concerned, it is said that He is not created; therefore Kṛṣṇa is different even from the great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva. And because He is the creator of Brahmā, Śiva and all the other demigods, He is the Supreme Person of all planets.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa is therefore different from everything that is created, and anyone who knows Him as such immediately becomes liberated from all sinful reaction. One must be liberated from all sinful activities to be in the knowledge of the Supreme Lord. Only by devotional service can He be known and not by any other means, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā.
One should not try to understand Kṛṣṇa as a human being. As stated previously, only a foolish person thinks Him to be a human being. This is again expressed here in a different way. A man who is not foolish, who is intelligent enough to understand the constitutional position of the Godhead, is always free from all sinful reactions.
If Kṛṣṇa is known as the son of Devakī, then how can He be unborn? That is also explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: When He appeared before Devakī and Vasudeva, He was not born as an ordinary child; He appeared in His original form, and then He transformed Himself into an ordinary child.
Anything done under the direction of Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. It cannot be contaminated by the material reactions, which may be auspicious or inauspicious. The conception that there are things auspicious and inauspicious in the material world is more or less a mental concoction because there is nothing auspicious in the material world. Everything is inauspicious because the very material mask is inauspicious. We simply imagine it to be auspicious. Real auspiciousness depends on activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotion and service. Therefore if we at all want our activities to he auspicious, then we should work under the directions of the Supreme Lord. Such directions are given in authoritative scriptures such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, or from a bona fide spiritual master. Because the spiritual master is the representative of the Supreme Lord, his direction is directly the direction of the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master, saintly persons and scriptures direct in the same way. There is no contradiction in these three sources. All actions done under such direction are free from the reactions of pious or impious activities of this material world. The transcendental attitude of the devotee in the performance of activities is actually that of renunciation, and this is called sannyāsa. Anyone acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord is actually a sannyāsī and a yogī, and not the man who has simply taken the dress of the sannyāsī, or a pseudo-yogī.
BG 10.4–5
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः
सुखं दुःखं भवो ’भावो भयं चाभयमेव च
अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशो ’यशः
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ
kṣamā satyaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ
sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo ’bhāvo
bhayaṃ cābhayam eva ca
ahiṃsā samatā tuṣṭis
tapo dānaṃ yaśo ’yaśaḥ
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṃ
matta eva pṛthagvidhāḥ
SYNONYMS
buddhiḥ: intelligence | jñānam: knowledge | asam-mohaḥ: freedom from doubt | kṣamā: forgiveness | satyam: truthfulness | damaḥ: control of the senses | śamaḥ: control of the mind | sukham: happiness | duḥkham: distress | bhavaḥ: birth | abhāvaḥ: death | bhayam: fear | ca: and | abhayam: without fear | eva: certainly | ahiṁsā: nonviolence | samatā: equilibrium | tuṣṭiḥ: satisfaction | tapaḥ: penance | dānam: charity | yaśaḥ: fame | ayaśaḥ: infamy | bhavanti: become | bhāvāḥ: natures | bhūtānām: of living entities | mattaḥ: from Me | pṛthak-vidhāḥ: differently arranged. |
TRANSLATION
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, self-control and calmness, pleasure and pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy are created by Me alone.
PURPORT
The different qualities of living entities, be they good or bad, are all created by Kṛṣṇa, and they are described here.
Intelligencerefers to the power of analyzing things in proper perspective, and knowledge refers to understanding what is spirit and what is matter. Ordinary knowledge obtained by a university education pertains only to matter, and it is not accepted here as knowledge. Knowledge means knowing the distinction between spirit and matter. In modern education there is no knowledge about the spirit; they are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete.
Asaṁmohaḥ, freedom from doubt and delusion, can be achieved when one is not hesitant and when he understands the transcendental philosophy. Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment. Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution. Kṣamā, forgiveness, should be practiced, and one should excuse the minor offenses of others. Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.
Self-control means that the senses should not be used for unnecessary personal enjoyment. There is no prohibition against meeting the proper needs of the senses, but unnecessary sense enjoyment is detrimental for spiritual advancement. Therefore the senses should be restrained from unnecessary use. Similarly, the mind should not indulge in unnecessary thoughts; that is called śamaḥ, or calmness. Nor should one spend one’s time pondering over earning money. That is a misuse of the thinking power. The mind should be used to understand the prime necessity of human beings, and that should be presented authoritatively. The power of thought should be developed in association with persons who are authorities in the scriptures, saintly persons and spiritual masters and those whose thinking is highly developed. Sukham, pleasure or happiness, should always be in that which is favorable for the cultivation of the spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And similarly, that which is painful or which causes distress is that which is unfavorable for the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anything favorable for the development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted, and anything unfavorable should be rejected.
Bhava, birth, should be understood to refer to the body. As far as the soul is concerned, there is neither birth nor death; that we have discussed in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Birth and death apply to one’s embodiment in the material world. Fear is due to worrying about the future. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has no fear because by his activities he is sure to go back to the spiritual sky, back home, back to Godhead. Therefore his future is very bright. Others, however, do not know what their future holds; they have no knowledge of what the next life holds. So they are therefore in constant anxiety. If we want to get free from anxiety, then the best course is to understand Kṛṣṇa and be situated always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In that way we will be free from all fear. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. it is stated that fear is caused by our absorption in the illusory energy, but those who are free from the illusory energy, those who are confident that they are not the material body, that they are spiritual parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are therefore engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Godhead, have nothing to fear. Their future is very bright. This fear is a condition of persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhayam, fearlessness, is only possible for one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Ahiṁsā, nonviolence, means that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion. Material activities that are promised by so many politicians, sociologists, philanthropists, etc., do not produce very good results because the politicians and philanthropists have no transcendental vision; they do not know what is actually beneficial for human society. Ahiṁsā means that people should be trained in such a way that the full utilization of the human body can be achieved. The human body is meant for spiritual realization, so any movement or any commissions which do not further that end commit violence on the human body. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence.
Samatā, equanimity, refers to freedom from attachment and aversion. To be very much attached or to be very much detached is not the best. This material world should be accepted without attachment or aversion. Similarly, that which is favorable for prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted; that which is unfavorable should be rejected. That is called samatā, equanimity. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to reject and nothing to accept unless it is useful in the prosecution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tuṣṭiḥ, satisfaction, means that one should not be eager to gather more and more material goods by unnecessary activity. One should be satisfied with whatever is obtained by the grace of the Supreme Lord; that is called satisfaction. Tapas means austerity or penance. There are many rules and definitions in the Vedas which apply here, like rising early in the morning and taking a bath. Sometimes it is very troublesome to rise early in the morning, but whatever voluntary trouble one may suffer in this way is called penance. Similarly, there are prescriptions for fasting on certain days of the month. One may not be inclined to practice such fasting, but because of his determination to make advancement in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should accept such bodily troubles which are recommended. However, one should not fast unnecessarily or against Vedic injunctions. One should not fast for some political purpose; that is described in Bhagavad-gītā as fasting in ignorance, and anything done in ignorance or passion does not lead to spiritual advancement. Everything done in the mode of goodness does advance one, however, and fasting done in terms of the Vedic injunctions enriches one in spiritual knowledge.
As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but it is the best cause. Because Kṛṣṇa is good, His cause is also good. Thus charity should be given to a person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. A brahma-jana is one who knows Brahman; he is called a brāhmaṇa. Thus charity is offered to the brāhmaṇas because since they are always engaged in higher spiritual service, they have no time to earn their livelihood. In the Vedic literature, charity is also to be awarded to the renouncer of life, the sannyāsī. The sannyāsīs beg from door to door, not for money but for missionary purposes. The system is that they go from door to door to awaken the householders from the slumber of ignorance. Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life—awakening their Kṛṣṇa consciousness—it is the business of the sannyāsīs to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Vedas, one should awake and achieve what is due him in this human form of life. This knowledge and method is distributed by the sannyāsīs; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brāhmaṇas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause.
Yaśaḥ, fame, should be according to Lord Caitanya, who said that a man is famous when he is known as a great devotee. That is real fame. If one has become a great man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and it is known, then he is truly famous. One who does not have such fame is infamous.
All these qualities are manifest throughout the universe in human society and in the society of the demigods. There are many forms of humanity on other planets, and these qualities are there. Now, for one who wants to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa creates all these qualities, but the person develops them himself from within. One who engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities, as arranged by the Supreme Lord.
Of whatever we find, good or bad, the origin is Kṛṣṇa. Nothing can manifest in this material world which is not in Kṛṣṇa. That is knowledge; although we know that things are differently situated, we should realize that everything flows from Kṛṣṇa.
Intelligencerefers to the power of analyzing things in proper perspective, and knowledge refers to understanding what is spirit and what is matter. Ordinary knowledge obtained by a university education pertains only to matter, and it is not accepted here as knowledge. Knowledge means knowing the distinction between spirit and matter. In modern education there is no knowledge about the spirit; they are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete.
Asaṁmohaḥ, freedom from doubt and delusion, can be achieved when one is not hesitant and when he understands the transcendental philosophy. Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment. Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution. Kṣamā, forgiveness, should be practiced, and one should excuse the minor offenses of others. Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.
Self-control means that the senses should not be used for unnecessary personal enjoyment. There is no prohibition against meeting the proper needs of the senses, but unnecessary sense enjoyment is detrimental for spiritual advancement. Therefore the senses should be restrained from unnecessary use. Similarly, the mind should not indulge in unnecessary thoughts; that is called śamaḥ, or calmness. Nor should one spend one’s time pondering over earning money. That is a misuse of the thinking power. The mind should be used to understand the prime necessity of human beings, and that should be presented authoritatively. The power of thought should be developed in association with persons who are authorities in the scriptures, saintly persons and spiritual masters and those whose thinking is highly developed. Sukham, pleasure or happiness, should always be in that which is favorable for the cultivation of the spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And similarly, that which is painful or which causes distress is that which is unfavorable for the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anything favorable for the development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted, and anything unfavorable should be rejected.
Bhava, birth, should be understood to refer to the body. As far as the soul is concerned, there is neither birth nor death; that we have discussed in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Birth and death apply to one’s embodiment in the material world. Fear is due to worrying about the future. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has no fear because by his activities he is sure to go back to the spiritual sky, back home, back to Godhead. Therefore his future is very bright. Others, however, do not know what their future holds; they have no knowledge of what the next life holds. So they are therefore in constant anxiety. If we want to get free from anxiety, then the best course is to understand Kṛṣṇa and be situated always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In that way we will be free from all fear. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. it is stated that fear is caused by our absorption in the illusory energy, but those who are free from the illusory energy, those who are confident that they are not the material body, that they are spiritual parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are therefore engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Godhead, have nothing to fear. Their future is very bright. This fear is a condition of persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhayam, fearlessness, is only possible for one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Ahiṁsā, nonviolence, means that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion. Material activities that are promised by so many politicians, sociologists, philanthropists, etc., do not produce very good results because the politicians and philanthropists have no transcendental vision; they do not know what is actually beneficial for human society. Ahiṁsā means that people should be trained in such a way that the full utilization of the human body can be achieved. The human body is meant for spiritual realization, so any movement or any commissions which do not further that end commit violence on the human body. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence.
Samatā, equanimity, refers to freedom from attachment and aversion. To be very much attached or to be very much detached is not the best. This material world should be accepted without attachment or aversion. Similarly, that which is favorable for prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted; that which is unfavorable should be rejected. That is called samatā, equanimity. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to reject and nothing to accept unless it is useful in the prosecution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tuṣṭiḥ, satisfaction, means that one should not be eager to gather more and more material goods by unnecessary activity. One should be satisfied with whatever is obtained by the grace of the Supreme Lord; that is called satisfaction. Tapas means austerity or penance. There are many rules and definitions in the Vedas which apply here, like rising early in the morning and taking a bath. Sometimes it is very troublesome to rise early in the morning, but whatever voluntary trouble one may suffer in this way is called penance. Similarly, there are prescriptions for fasting on certain days of the month. One may not be inclined to practice such fasting, but because of his determination to make advancement in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should accept such bodily troubles which are recommended. However, one should not fast unnecessarily or against Vedic injunctions. One should not fast for some political purpose; that is described in Bhagavad-gītā as fasting in ignorance, and anything done in ignorance or passion does not lead to spiritual advancement. Everything done in the mode of goodness does advance one, however, and fasting done in terms of the Vedic injunctions enriches one in spiritual knowledge.
As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but it is the best cause. Because Kṛṣṇa is good, His cause is also good. Thus charity should be given to a person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. A brahma-jana is one who knows Brahman; he is called a brāhmaṇa. Thus charity is offered to the brāhmaṇas because since they are always engaged in higher spiritual service, they have no time to earn their livelihood. In the Vedic literature, charity is also to be awarded to the renouncer of life, the sannyāsī. The sannyāsīs beg from door to door, not for money but for missionary purposes. The system is that they go from door to door to awaken the householders from the slumber of ignorance. Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life—awakening their Kṛṣṇa consciousness—it is the business of the sannyāsīs to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Vedas, one should awake and achieve what is due him in this human form of life. This knowledge and method is distributed by the sannyāsīs; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brāhmaṇas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause.
Yaśaḥ, fame, should be according to Lord Caitanya, who said that a man is famous when he is known as a great devotee. That is real fame. If one has become a great man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and it is known, then he is truly famous. One who does not have such fame is infamous.
All these qualities are manifest throughout the universe in human society and in the society of the demigods. There are many forms of humanity on other planets, and these qualities are there. Now, for one who wants to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa creates all these qualities, but the person develops them himself from within. One who engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities, as arranged by the Supreme Lord.
Of whatever we find, good or bad, the origin is Kṛṣṇa. Nothing can manifest in this material world which is not in Kṛṣṇa. That is knowledge; although we know that things are differently situated, we should realize that everything flows from Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.6
महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा
मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः
maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve
catvāro manavas tathā
madbhāvā mānasā jātā
yeṣāṃ loka imāḥ prajāḥ
SYNONYMS
maharṣayaḥ: the great sages | sapta: seven | pūrve: before | catvāraḥ: four | manavaḥ: Manus | tathā: also | mat-bhāvāḥ: born of Me | mānasāḥ: from the mind | jātāḥ: born | yeṣām: of them | loke: the planets | imāḥ: all this | prajāḥ: population. |
TRANSLATION
The seven great sages and before them the four other great sages and the Manus [progenitors of mankind] are born out of My mind, and all creatures in these planets descend from them.
PURPORT
The Lord is giving a genealogical synopsis of the universal population. Brahmā is the original creature born out of the energy of the Supreme Lord known as Hiraṇyagarbha. And from Brahmā all the seven great sages, and before them four other great sages, named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana, and Sanatkumāra, and the Manus, are manifest. All these twenty-five great sages are known as the patriarchs of the living entities all over the universe. There are innumerable universes and innumerable planets within each universe, and each planet is full of population of different varieties. All of them are born of these twenty-five patriarchs. Brahmā underwent penance for one thousand years of the demigods before he realized by the grace of Kṛṣṇa how to create. Then from Brahmā, Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana, and Sanatkumāra came out, then Rudra, and then the seven sages, and in this way all the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are born out of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmā is known as pitāmaha, the grandfather, and Kṛṣṇa is known as the prapitā-maha, the father of the grandfather. That is stated in the Eleventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. (Bg. 11.39)
BG 10.7
एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
सो ’विकल्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः
etāṃ vibhūtiṃ yogaṃ ca
mama yo vetti tattvataḥ
so ’vikalpena yogena
yujyate nātra saṃśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
etām: all this | vibhūtiṁ: opulence | yogam ca: also mystic power | mama: of Mine | yaḥ: anyone | vetti: knows | tattvataḥ: factually | saḥ: he | avikalpena: without division | yogena: in devotional service | yujyate: engaged | na: never | atra: here | saṁśayaḥ: doubt. |
TRANSLATION
He who knows in truth this glory and power of Mine engages in unalloyed devotional service; of this there is no doubt.
PURPORT
The highest summit of spiritual perfection is knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless one is firmly convinced of the different opulences of the Supreme Lord, he cannot engage in devotional service. Generally people know that God is great, but they do not know in detail how God is great. Here are the details. If one knows factually how God is great, then naturally he becomes a surrendered soul and engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord. When one factually knows the opulences of the Supreme, there is no alternative but to surrender to Him. This factual knowledge can be known from the descriptions in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā and similar literatures.
In the administration of this universe there are many demigods distributed throughout the planetary system, and the chief of them are Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the four great Kumāras and other patriarchs. There are many forefathers of the population of the universe, and all of them are born of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the original forefather of all forefathers.
These are some of the opulences of the Supreme Lord. When one is firmly convinced of them, he accepts Kṛṣṇa with great faith and without any doubt, and he engages in devotional service. All this particular knowledge is required in order to increase one’s interest in the loving devotional service of the Lord. One should not neglect to understand fully how great Kṛṣṇa is, for by knowing the greatness of Kṛṣṇa one will be able to be fixed in sincere devotional service.
In the administration of this universe there are many demigods distributed throughout the planetary system, and the chief of them are Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the four great Kumāras and other patriarchs. There are many forefathers of the population of the universe, and all of them are born of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the original forefather of all forefathers.
These are some of the opulences of the Supreme Lord. When one is firmly convinced of them, he accepts Kṛṣṇa with great faith and without any doubt, and he engages in devotional service. All this particular knowledge is required in order to increase one’s interest in the loving devotional service of the Lord. One should not neglect to understand fully how great Kṛṣṇa is, for by knowing the greatness of Kṛṣṇa one will be able to be fixed in sincere devotional service.
BG 10.8
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः
ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṃ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṃ
budhā bhāvasamanvitāḥ
SYNONYMS
aham: I | sarvasya: of all | prabhavaḥ: source of generation | mattaḥ: from Me | sarvam: everything | pravartate: emanates | iti: thus | matvā: knowing | bhajante: becomes devoted | mām: unto Me | budhāḥ: learned | bhāva-samanvitāḥ: with great attention. |
TRANSLATION
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
PURPORT
A learned scholar who has studied the Vedas perfectly and has information from authorities like Lord Caitanya and who knows how to apply these teachings can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything in both the material and spiritual worlds, and because he knows this perfectly he becomes firmly fixed in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. He can never be deviated by any amount of nonsensical commentaries or by fools. All Vedic literature agrees that Kṛṣṇa is the source of Brahmā, Śiva and all other demigods. In the Atharva-veda it is said, “yo brahmāṇaṁ vidadhāti: pūrvaṁ yo vai vedāṁś ca gāpayati sma kṛṣṇaḥ.” “It was Kṛṣṇa who in the beginning instructed Brahmā in Vedic knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past.” Then again it is said, “atha puruṣo ha vai nārāyaṇo ’kāmayata prajāḥ sṛjeya ity upakramya.” “Then the Supreme Personality Nārāyaṇa desired to create living entities.” Again it is said:
nārāyaṇād brahmā jāyate, nārāyaṇād prajāpatiḥ prajāyate, nārāyaṇād indro jāyate, nārāyaṇād aṣṭau vasavo jāyante, nārāyaṇād ekādaśa rudrā jāyante, nārāyaṇād dvādaśādityāḥ.
“From Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā is born, and from Nārāyaṇa, the patriarchs are also born. From Nārāyaṇa, Indra is born, from Nārāyaṇa the eight Vasus are born, from Nārāyaṇa the eleven Rudras are born, from Nārāyaṇa the twelve Ādityas are born.”
It is said in the same Vedas: brahmaṇyo devakī-putraḥ: “The son of Devakī, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme Personality.” Then it is said:
eko vai nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na īśāno nāpo nāgni samau neme
dyāv-āpṛthivī na nakṣatrāṇi na sūryaḥ sa ekākī na ramate tasya
dhyānāntaḥ sthasya yatra chāndogaiḥ kriyamāṇāṣṭakādi-saṁjñakā
stuti-stomaḥ stomam ucyate.
“In the beginning of the creation there was only the Supreme Personality Nārāyaṇa. There was no Brahmā, no Śiva, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun. There was only Kṛṣṇa, who creates all and enjoys all.”
In the many Purāṇas it is said that Lord Śiva was born from the highest, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, and the Vedas say that it is the Supreme Lord, the creator of Brahmā and Śiva, who is to be worshiped. In the Mokṣa-dharma Kṛṣṇa also says, prajāpatiṁ ca rudraṁ cāpy aham eva sṛjāmi vai tau hi māṁ na vijānīto mama māyā-vimohitau. “The patriarchs, Śiva and others are created by Me, though they do not know that they are created by Me because they are deluded by My illusory energy.” In Varāha Purāṇa it is also said, nārāyaṇaḥ paro devas tasmāj jātaś caturmukhaḥ tasmād rudro ’bhavad devaḥ sa ca sarvajñatāṁ gataḥ. “Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and from Him Brahmā was born, from whom Śiva was born.”
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of all generations, and He is called the most efficient cause of everything. He says that because “everything is born of Me, I am the original source of all. Everything is under Me; no one is above Me.” There is no supreme controller other than Kṛṣṇa. One who understands Kṛṣṇa in such a way from a bona fide spiritual master and from Vedic literature, who engages all his energy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes a truly learned man. In comparison to him, all others, who do not know Kṛṣṇa properly, are but fools. Only a fool would consider Kṛṣṇa to be an ordinary man. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be bewildered by fools; he should avoid all unauthorized commentaries and interpretations on Bhagavad-gītā and proceed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with determination and firmness.
nārāyaṇād brahmā jāyate, nārāyaṇād prajāpatiḥ prajāyate, nārāyaṇād indro jāyate, nārāyaṇād aṣṭau vasavo jāyante, nārāyaṇād ekādaśa rudrā jāyante, nārāyaṇād dvādaśādityāḥ.
“From Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā is born, and from Nārāyaṇa, the patriarchs are also born. From Nārāyaṇa, Indra is born, from Nārāyaṇa the eight Vasus are born, from Nārāyaṇa the eleven Rudras are born, from Nārāyaṇa the twelve Ādityas are born.”
It is said in the same Vedas: brahmaṇyo devakī-putraḥ: “The son of Devakī, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme Personality.” Then it is said:
eko vai nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā na īśāno nāpo nāgni samau neme
dyāv-āpṛthivī na nakṣatrāṇi na sūryaḥ sa ekākī na ramate tasya
dhyānāntaḥ sthasya yatra chāndogaiḥ kriyamāṇāṣṭakādi-saṁjñakā
stuti-stomaḥ stomam ucyate.
“In the beginning of the creation there was only the Supreme Personality Nārāyaṇa. There was no Brahmā, no Śiva, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun. There was only Kṛṣṇa, who creates all and enjoys all.”
In the many Purāṇas it is said that Lord Śiva was born from the highest, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, and the Vedas say that it is the Supreme Lord, the creator of Brahmā and Śiva, who is to be worshiped. In the Mokṣa-dharma Kṛṣṇa also says, prajāpatiṁ ca rudraṁ cāpy aham eva sṛjāmi vai tau hi māṁ na vijānīto mama māyā-vimohitau. “The patriarchs, Śiva and others are created by Me, though they do not know that they are created by Me because they are deluded by My illusory energy.” In Varāha Purāṇa it is also said, nārāyaṇaḥ paro devas tasmāj jātaś caturmukhaḥ tasmād rudro ’bhavad devaḥ sa ca sarvajñatāṁ gataḥ. “Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and from Him Brahmā was born, from whom Śiva was born.”
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the source of all generations, and He is called the most efficient cause of everything. He says that because “everything is born of Me, I am the original source of all. Everything is under Me; no one is above Me.” There is no supreme controller other than Kṛṣṇa. One who understands Kṛṣṇa in such a way from a bona fide spiritual master and from Vedic literature, who engages all his energy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes a truly learned man. In comparison to him, all others, who do not know Kṛṣṇa properly, are but fools. Only a fool would consider Kṛṣṇa to be an ordinary man. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be bewildered by fools; he should avoid all unauthorized commentaries and interpretations on Bhagavad-gītā and proceed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with determination and firmness.
BG 10.9
मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम्
कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च
maccittā madgataprāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṃ nityaṃ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca
SYNONYMS
mat-cittāḥ: minds fully engaged in Me | mat-gata-prāṇāḥ: lives devoted to the service of Kṛṣṇa | bodhayantaḥ: preaching | parasparam: among themselves | kathayantaḥ ca: talking also | mām: about Me | nityam: perpetually | tuṣyanti: are pleased | ca: also. | ramanti: enjoy transcendental bliss |
TRANSLATION
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and conversing about Me.
PURPORT
Pure devotees, whose characteristics are mentioned here, engage themselves fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Their minds cannot be diverted from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Their talks are solely on the transcendental subjects. The symptoms of the pure devotees are described in this verse specifically. Devotees of the Supreme Lord are twenty-four hours daily engaged in glorifying the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts and souls are constantly submerged in Kṛṣṇa, and they take pleasure in discussing Him with other devotees.
In the preliminary stage of devotional service they relish the transcendental pleasure from the service itself, and in the mature stage they are actually situated in love of God. Once situated in that transcendental position, they can relish the highest perfection which is exhibited by the Lord in His abode. Lord Caitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a seed in the heart of the living entity. There are innumerable living entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and out of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service is just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a living entity, and if he goes on hearing and chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, that seed fructifies, just as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering. The spiritual plant of devotional service gradually grows and grows until it penetrates the covering of the material universe and enters into the brahmajyoti effulgence in the spiritual sky. In the spiritual sky also that plant grows more and more until it reaches the highest planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, the supreme planet of Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and rests there. Gradually, as a plant grows fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also produces fruits, and the watering process in the form of chanting and hearing goes on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. It is explained there that when the complete plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love of God; then he cannot live even for a moment without being in contact with the Supreme Lord, just as a fish cannot live without water. In such a state, the devotee actually attains the transcendental qualities in contact with the Supreme Lord.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also full of such narration about the relationship between the Supreme Lord and His devotees; therefore the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is very dear to the devotees. In this narration there is nothing about material activities, sense gratification or liberation. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the only narration in which the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord and His devotees is fully described. Thus the realized souls in Kṛṣṇa consciousness take continual pleasure in hearing such transcendental literatures, just as a young boy and girl take pleasure in association.
In the preliminary stage of devotional service they relish the transcendental pleasure from the service itself, and in the mature stage they are actually situated in love of God. Once situated in that transcendental position, they can relish the highest perfection which is exhibited by the Lord in His abode. Lord Caitanya likens transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a seed in the heart of the living entity. There are innumerable living entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and out of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service is just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a living entity, and if he goes on hearing and chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, that seed fructifies, just as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering. The spiritual plant of devotional service gradually grows and grows until it penetrates the covering of the material universe and enters into the brahmajyoti effulgence in the spiritual sky. In the spiritual sky also that plant grows more and more until it reaches the highest planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, the supreme planet of Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and rests there. Gradually, as a plant grows fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also produces fruits, and the watering process in the form of chanting and hearing goes on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. It is explained there that when the complete plant takes shelter under the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love of God; then he cannot live even for a moment without being in contact with the Supreme Lord, just as a fish cannot live without water. In such a state, the devotee actually attains the transcendental qualities in contact with the Supreme Lord.
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also full of such narration about the relationship between the Supreme Lord and His devotees; therefore the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is very dear to the devotees. In this narration there is nothing about material activities, sense gratification or liberation. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the only narration in which the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord and His devotees is fully described. Thus the realized souls in Kṛṣṇa consciousness take continual pleasure in hearing such transcendental literatures, just as a young boy and girl take pleasure in association.
BG 10.10
तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्
ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते
teṣāṃ satatayuktānāṃ
bhajatāṃ prītipūrvakam
dadāmi buddhiyogaṃ taṃ
yena mām upayānti te
SYNONYMS
teṣām: unto them | satata-yuktānām: always engaged | bhajatām: in devotional service | prīti-pūrvakam: in loving ecstasy | dadāmi: I give | buddhi-yogam: real intelligence | tam: that | yena: by which | mām: unto Me | upayānti: come | te: they. |
TRANSLATION
To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
PURPORT
In this verse the word buddhi-yogam is very significant. We may remember that in the Second Chapter the Lord, instructing Arjuna, said that He had spoken to him of many things and that He would instruct him in the way of buddhi-yoga. Now buddhi-yoga is explained. Buddhi-yogam itself is action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; that is the highest intelligence. Buddhi means intelligence, and yogam means mystic activities or mystic elevation. When one tries to go back home, back to Godhead, and takes fully to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, his action is called buddhi-yogam. In other words, buddhi-yogam is the process by which one gets out of the entanglement of this material world. The ultimate goal of progress is Kṛṣṇa. People do not know this; therefore the association of devotees and a bona fide spiritual master are important. One should know that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, and when the goal is assigned, then the path is slowly but progressively traversed, and the ultimate goal is achieved.
When a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga. When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life.
A person may have a bona fide spiritual master and may be attached to a spiritual organization, but still, if he is not intelligent enough to make progress, then Kṛṣṇa from within gives him instructions so that he may ultimately come to Him without difficulty. The qualification is that a person always engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and with love and devotion render all kinds of services. He should perform some sort of work for Kṛṣṇa, and that work should be with love. If a devotee is intelligent enough, he will make progress on the path of self-realization. If one is sincere and devoted to the activities of devotional service, the Lord gives him a chance to make progress and ultimately attain to Him.
When a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga. When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life.
A person may have a bona fide spiritual master and may be attached to a spiritual organization, but still, if he is not intelligent enough to make progress, then Kṛṣṇa from within gives him instructions so that he may ultimately come to Him without difficulty. The qualification is that a person always engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and with love and devotion render all kinds of services. He should perform some sort of work for Kṛṣṇa, and that work should be with love. If a devotee is intelligent enough, he will make progress on the path of self-realization. If one is sincere and devoted to the activities of devotional service, the Lord gives him a chance to make progress and ultimately attain to Him.
BG 10.11
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः
नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता
teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñānajaṃ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātmabhāvastho
jñānadīpena bhāsvatā
SYNONYMS
teṣām: for them | eva: certainly | anukampā-artham: to show special mercy | aham: I | ajñāna-jam: due to ignorance | tamaḥ: darkness | nāśayāmi: dispel | ātma: within | bhāvasthaḥ: themselves | jñāna: of knowledge | dīpena: with the lamp | bhāsvatā: glowing. |
TRANSLATION
Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
PURPORT
The modern philosophers think that without discriminating one cannot have pure knowledge. For them this answer is given by the Supreme Lord: those who are engaged in pure devotional service, even though they be without sufficient education and even without sufficient knowledge of the Vedic principles, are still helped by the Supreme God, as stated in this verse.
The Lord tells Arjuna that basically there is no possibility of understanding the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, simply by speculating, for the Supreme Truth is so great that it is not possible to understand Him or to achieve Him simply by making a mental effort. Man can go on speculating for several millions of years, and if he is not devoted, if he is not a lover of the Supreme Truth, he will never understand Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Truth. Only by devotional service is the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa, pleased, and by His inconceivable energy He can reveal Himself to the heart of the pure devotee. The pure devotee always has Kṛṣṇa within his heart; therefore he is just like the sun that dissipates the darkness of ignorance. This is the special mercy rendered to the pure devotee by Kṛṣṇa.
Due to the contamination of material association, through many, many millions of births, one’s heart is always covered with the dust of materialism, but when one engages in devotional service and constantly chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, the dust quickly clears, and one is elevated to the platform of pure knowledge. The ultimate goal of Viṣṇu can be attained only by this chant and by devotional service, and not by mental speculation or argument. The pure devotee does not have to worry about the necessities of life; he need not be anxious because when he removes the darkness from his heart, everything is provided automatically by the Supreme Lord, for He is pleased by the loving devotional service of the devotee. This is the essence of the Gītā’s teachings. By studying Bhagavad-gītā, one can become a completely surrendered soul to the Supreme Lord and engage himself in pure devotional service. As the Lord takes charge, one becomes completely free from all kinds of materialistic endeavors.
BG 10.12–13
अर्जुन उवाच
परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्
पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम्
आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा
असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे
arjuna uvāca
paraṃ brahma paraṃ dhāma
pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhavān
puruṣaṃ śāśvataṃ divyam
ādidevam ajaṃ vibhum
āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve
devarṣir nāradas tathā
asito devalo vyāsaḥ
svayaṃ caiva bravīṣi me
SYNONYMS
arjunaḥ uvāca: Arjuna said | param: supreme | brahma: truth | dhāma: sustenance | pavitram: purest | paramam: supreme | bhavān: Yourself | puruṣam: personality | śāśvatam: original | divyam: transcendental | ādi-devam: original Lord | ajam: unborn | vibhum: greatest | āhuḥ: say | tvām: unto You | ṛṣayaḥ: sages | sarve: all | devarṣiḥ: the sage among the demigods | nāradaḥ: Nārada | tathā: also | asitaḥ: Asita | devalaḥ: Devala | vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa | svayam: personally | ca: also | eva: certainly | bravīṣi: explaining | me: unto me. |
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
PURPORT
In these two verses the Supreme Lord gives a chance to the modern philosopher, for here it is clear that the Supreme is different from the individual soul. Arjuna, after hearing the essential four verses of Bhagavad-gītā in this chapter, became completely free from all doubts and accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He at once boldly declares, “You are Parambrahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” And previously Kṛṣṇa states that He is the originator of everything and everyone. Every demigod and every human being is dependant on Him. Men and demigods, out of ignorance, think that they are absolute and independant of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. That ignorance is removed perfectly by the discharge of devotional service. This is already explained in the previous verse by the Lord. Now by His grace, Arjuna is accepting Him as the Supreme Truth, in concordance with the Vedic injunction. It is not because Kṛṣṇa is an intimate friend of Arjuna that he is flattering Him by calling Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. Whatever Arjuna says in these two verses is confirmed by Vedic truth. Vedic injunctions affirm that only one who takes to devotional service to the Supreme Lord can understand Him, whereas others cannot. Each and every word of this verse spoken by Arjuna is confirmed by Vedic injunction.
In the Kena Upaniṣad it is stated that the Supreme Brahman is the rest for everything, and Kṛṣṇa has already explained that everything is resting on Him. The Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad confirms that the Supreme Lord, in whom everything is resting, can be realized only by those who engage constantly in thinking of Him. This constant thinking of Kṛṣṇa is smaraṇam, one of the methods of devotional service. It is only by devotional service to Kṛṣṇa that one can understand his position and get rid of this material body.
In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted as the purest of the pure. One who understands that Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure can become purified from all sinful activities. One cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. Arjuna’s acceptance of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme pure complies with the injunctions of Vedic literature. This is also confirmed by great personalities, of whom Nārada is the chief.
Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one’s transcendental relationship with Him. He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death. Not only does Arjuna confirm this, but all the Vedic literatures. the Purāṇas and histories. In all Vedic literatures Kṛṣṇa is thus described, and the Supreme Lord Himself also says in the Fourth Chapter, “Although I am unborn, I appear on this earth to establish religious principles.” He is the supreme origin; He has no cause, for He is the cause of all causes, and everything is emanating from Him. This perfect knowledge can be had by the grace of the Supreme Lord.
Here Arjuna expresses himself through the grace of Kṛṣṇa. If we want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, we should accept the statements in these two verses. This is called the paramparā system, acceptance of the disciplic succession. Unless one is in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible by so-called academic education. Unfortunately those proud of their academic education, despite so much evidence in Vedic literatures, stick to their obstinate conviction that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person.
In the Kena Upaniṣad it is stated that the Supreme Brahman is the rest for everything, and Kṛṣṇa has already explained that everything is resting on Him. The Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad confirms that the Supreme Lord, in whom everything is resting, can be realized only by those who engage constantly in thinking of Him. This constant thinking of Kṛṣṇa is smaraṇam, one of the methods of devotional service. It is only by devotional service to Kṛṣṇa that one can understand his position and get rid of this material body.
In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted as the purest of the pure. One who understands that Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure can become purified from all sinful activities. One cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. Arjuna’s acceptance of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme pure complies with the injunctions of Vedic literature. This is also confirmed by great personalities, of whom Nārada is the chief.
Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one’s transcendental relationship with Him. He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death. Not only does Arjuna confirm this, but all the Vedic literatures. the Purāṇas and histories. In all Vedic literatures Kṛṣṇa is thus described, and the Supreme Lord Himself also says in the Fourth Chapter, “Although I am unborn, I appear on this earth to establish religious principles.” He is the supreme origin; He has no cause, for He is the cause of all causes, and everything is emanating from Him. This perfect knowledge can be had by the grace of the Supreme Lord.
Here Arjuna expresses himself through the grace of Kṛṣṇa. If we want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, we should accept the statements in these two verses. This is called the paramparā system, acceptance of the disciplic succession. Unless one is in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible by so-called academic education. Unfortunately those proud of their academic education, despite so much evidence in Vedic literatures, stick to their obstinate conviction that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person.
BG 10.14
सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव
न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः
sarvam etad ṛtaṃ manye
yan māṃ vadasi keśava
na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṃ
vidur devā na dānavāḥ
SYNONYMS
sarvam: all | etat: these | ṛtam: truths | manye: accept | yat: which | mām: unto me | vadasi: You tell | keśava: O Kṛṣṇa | na: nor | hi: certainly | te: Your | bhagavan: O Personality of Godhead | vyaktim: revelation | viduḥ: can know | devaḥ: the demigods | dānavāḥ: the demons. |
TRANSLATION
O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the gods nor demons, O Lord, know Thy personality.
PURPORT
Arjuna herein confirms that persons of faithless and demonic nature cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He is not even known by the demigods, so what to speak of the so-called scholars of this modern world? By the grace of the Supreme Lord, Arjuna has understood that the Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṇa and that He is the perfect one. One should therefore follow the path of Arjuna. He received the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. As described in the Fourth Chapter, the paramparā system of disciplic succession for the understanding of Bhagavad-gītā was lost, and therefore Kṛṣṇa reestablished that disciplic succession with Arjuna because He considered Arjuna His intimate friend and a great devotee. Therefore, as stated in our Introduction to Gītopaniṣad, Bhagavad-gītā should be understood in the paramparā system. When the paramparā system was lost, Arjuna was again selected to rejuvenate it. The acceptance of Arjuna of all that Kṛṣṇa says should be emulated; then we can understand the essence of Bhagavad-gītā, and then only can we understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
BG 10.15
स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम
भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते
svayam evātmanātmānaṃ
vettha tvaṃ puruṣottama
bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa
devadeva jagatpate
SYNONYMS
svayam: personality | eva: certainly | ātmanā: by Yourself | ātmānam: Yourself | vettha: know | tvam: You | puruṣottama: O greatest of all persons | bhūta-bhāvana: O origin of everything | bhūteśa: O Lord of everything | deva-deva: O Lord of all demigods | jagat-pate: O Lord of the entire universe. |
TRANSLATION
Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa can be known by persons who are in a relationship with Him through the discharge of devotional service, like Arjuna and his successors. Persons of demonic or atheistic mentality cannot know Kṛṣṇa. Mental speculation that leads one away from the Supreme Lord is a serious sin, and one who does not know Kṛṣṇa should not try to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the statement of Kṛṣṇa, and since it is the science of Kṛṣṇa, it should be understood from Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna understood it. It should not be received from atheistic persons.
The Supreme Truth is realized in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and at last as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at the last stage of understanding the Absolute Truth, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A liberated man and even a common man may realize impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā, yet they may not understand God’s personality from the verses of Bhagavad-gītā, which are being spoken by this person, Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes the impersonalists accept Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavan, or they accept His authority. Yet many liberated persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person, the father of all living entities. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Puruṣottama. And if one comes to know Him as the father of all the living entities, still one may not know Him as the supreme controller; therefore He is addressed here as Bhūteśa, the supreme controller of everyone. And even if one knows Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller of all living entities, still one may not know that He is the origin of all the demigods; therefore He is addressed herein as Devadeva, the worshipful God of all demigods. And even if one knows Him as the worshipful God of all demigods, one may not know that He is the supreme proprietor of everything; therefore He is addressed as Jagatpati. Thus the truth about Kṛṣṇa is established in this verse by the realization of Arjuna, and we should follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is.
The Supreme Truth is realized in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and at last as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at the last stage of understanding the Absolute Truth, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A liberated man and even a common man may realize impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā, yet they may not understand God’s personality from the verses of Bhagavad-gītā, which are being spoken by this person, Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes the impersonalists accept Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavan, or they accept His authority. Yet many liberated persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person, the father of all living entities. Therefore Arjuna addresses Him as Puruṣottama. And if one comes to know Him as the father of all the living entities, still one may not know Him as the supreme controller; therefore He is addressed here as Bhūteśa, the supreme controller of everyone. And even if one knows Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller of all living entities, still one may not know that He is the origin of all the demigods; therefore He is addressed herein as Devadeva, the worshipful God of all demigods. And even if one knows Him as the worshipful God of all demigods, one may not know that He is the supreme proprietor of everything; therefore He is addressed as Jagatpati. Thus the truth about Kṛṣṇa is established in this verse by the realization of Arjuna, and we should follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is.
BG 10.16
वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः
याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa
divyā hy ātmavibhūtayaḥ
yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān
imāṃs tvaṃ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi
SYNONYMS
vaktum: to say | arhasi: deserve | aśeṣeṇa: in detail | divyā: divine | hi: certainly | ātma: Yourself | vibhūtayaḥ: opulences | yābhiḥ: by which | vibhūtibhiḥ: opulences | lokān: all the planets | imān: these | tvam: You | vyāpya: pervading | tiṣṭhasi: remain. |
TRANSLATION
Please tell me in detail of Your divine powers by which You pervade all these worlds and abide in them.
PURPORT
In this verse it appears that Arjuna is already satisfied with his understanding of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. By Kṛṣṇa’s grace, Arjuna has personal experience, intelligence and knowledge and whatever else a person may have through all these agencies, and he has understood Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For him there is no doubt, Yet he is asking Kṛṣṇa to explain His all-pervading nature so that in the future people will understand, especially the impersonalists, how He exists in His all-pervading aspect through His different energies. One should know that this is being asked by Arjuna on behalf of the common people.
BG 10.17
कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्
केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्यो ’सि भगवन्मया
kathaṃ vidyām ahaṃ yogiṃs
tvāṃ sadā paricintayan
keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu
cintyo ’si bhagavan mayā
SYNONYMS
katham: how | vidyām aham: shall I know | yogin: O supreme mystic | tvām: You | sadā: always | paricintayan: thinking | keṣu: in which | ca: also | bhāveṣu: nature | cintyaḥ asi: You are remembered | bhagavan: O Supreme | mayā: by me. |
TRANSLATION
How should I meditate on You? In what various forms are You to be contemplated, O Blessed Lord?
PURPORT
As it is stated in the previous chapter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is covered by His yoga-māyā. Only surrendered souls and devotees can see Him. Now Arjuna is convinced that His friend, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme Godhead, but he wants to know the general process by which the all-pervading Lord can be understood by the common man. No common man, including the demons and atheists, can know Kṛṣṇa because He is guarded by His yoga-māyā energy. Again, these questions are asked by Arjuna for their benefit. The superior devotee is not only concerned for his own understanding, but for the understanding of all mankind. Out of his mercy, because he is a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, Arjuna is opening the understanding for the common man as far as the all-pervasiveness of the Supreme is concerned. He addresses Kṛṣṇa specifically as yogin because Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the master of the yoga-māyā energy by which He is covered and uncovered to the common man. The common man who has no love for Kṛṣṇa cannot always think of Kṛṣṇa; therefore he has to think materially. Arjuna is considering the mode of thinking of the materialistic persons of this world. Because materialists cannot understand Kṛṣṇa spiritually, they are advised to concentrate the mind on physical things and try to see how Kṛṣṇa is manifested by physical representations.
BG 10.18
विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन
भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मे ’मृतम्
vistareṇātmano yogaṃ
vibhūtiṃ ca janārdana
bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptir hi
śṛṇvato nāsti me ’mṛtam
SYNONYMS
vistareṇa: in description | ātmanaḥ: of Yourself | yogam: mystic power | vibhūtim: opulences | ca: also | janārdana: O killer of the atheists | bhūyaḥ: again | kathaya: describe | tṛptiḥ: satisfaction | hi: certainly | śṛṇvataḥ: hearing | na asti: there is no | me: my | amṛtam: nectar. |
TRANSLATION
Tell me again in detail, O Janārdana [Kṛṣṇa], of Your mighty potencies and glories, for I never tire of hearing Your ambrosial words.
PURPORT
A similar statement was made to Sūta Gosvāmī by the ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya, headed by Śaunaka. That statement is:
vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma uttama-śloka-vikrame
yac chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ svādu svādu pade pade.
“One can never be satiated even though one continuously hears the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who is glorified by Vedic hymns. Those who have entered into a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa relish in every step descriptions of the pastimes of the Lord.” Thus Arjuna is interested to hear about Kṛṣṇa, specifically how He remains as the all-pervading Supreme Lord.
Now as far as amṛtam, nectar, is concerned, any narration or statement concerning Kṛṣṇa is just like nectar. And this nectar can be perceived by practical experience. Modern stories, fiction and histories are different from the transcendental pastimes of the Lord in that one will tire of hearing mundane stories, but one never tires of hearing about Kṛṣṇa. It is for this reason only that the history of the whole universe is replete with references to the pastimes of the incarnations of Godhead. For instance, the Purāṇas are histories of bygone ages that relate the pastimes of the various incarnations of the Lord. In this way the reading matter remains forever fresh, despite repeated readings.
vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma uttama-śloka-vikrame
yac chṛṇvatāṁ rasa-jñānāṁ svādu svādu pade pade.
“One can never be satiated even though one continuously hears the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who is glorified by Vedic hymns. Those who have entered into a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa relish in every step descriptions of the pastimes of the Lord.” Thus Arjuna is interested to hear about Kṛṣṇa, specifically how He remains as the all-pervading Supreme Lord.
Now as far as amṛtam, nectar, is concerned, any narration or statement concerning Kṛṣṇa is just like nectar. And this nectar can be perceived by practical experience. Modern stories, fiction and histories are different from the transcendental pastimes of the Lord in that one will tire of hearing mundane stories, but one never tires of hearing about Kṛṣṇa. It is for this reason only that the history of the whole universe is replete with references to the pastimes of the incarnations of Godhead. For instance, the Purāṇas are histories of bygone ages that relate the pastimes of the various incarnations of the Lord. In this way the reading matter remains forever fresh, despite repeated readings.
BG 10.19
श्रीभगवानुवाच
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः
प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे
śrībhagavān uvāca
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi
divyā hy ātmavibhūtayaḥ
prādhānyataḥ kuruśreṣṭha
nāsty anto vistarasya me
SYNONYMS
śrī bhagavān_uvāca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead said | hanta: yes | te: unto you | kathayiṣyāmi: I shall speak | divyāḥ: divine | hi: certainly | ātma-vibhūtayaḥ: personal opulences | prādhānyataḥ: principally | kuruśreṣṭha: O best of the Kurus | na asti: there is no | antaḥ: limit | vistarasya: to the extent | me: My. |
TRANSLATION
The Blessed Lord said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
PURPORT
It is not possible to comprehend the greatness of Kṛṣṇa and His opulences. The senses of the individual soul are imperfect and do not permit him to understand the totality of Kṛṣṇa’s affairs. Still the devotees try to understand Kṛṣṇa, but not on the principle that they will be able to understand Kṛṣṇa fully at any specific time or in any state of life. Rather, the very topics of Kṛṣṇa are so relishable that they appear to them as nectar. Thus they enjoy them. In discussing Kṛṣṇa’s opulences and His diverse energies, the pure devotees take transcendental pleasure. Therefore they want to hear and discuss them. Kṛṣṇa knows that living entities do not understand the extent of His opulences; He therefore agrees to state only the principal manifestations of His different energies. The word prādhānyataḥ (principal) is very important because we can understand only a few of the principal details of the Supreme Lord, for His features are unlimited. It is not possible to understand them all. And vibhūti, as used in this verse, refers to the opulences by which He controls the whole manifestation. In the Amara-kośa dictionary it is stated that vibhūti indicates an exceptional opulence.
The impersonalist or the pantheist cannot understand the exceptional opulences of the Supreme Lord nor the manifestations of His divine energy. Both in the material world and in the spiritual world His energies are distributed in every variety of manifestation. Now Kṛṣṇa is describing what can be directly perceived by the common man; thus part of His variegated energy is described in this way.
The impersonalist or the pantheist cannot understand the exceptional opulences of the Supreme Lord nor the manifestations of His divine energy. Both in the material world and in the spiritual world His energies are distributed in every variety of manifestation. Now Kṛṣṇa is describing what can be directly perceived by the common man; thus part of His variegated energy is described in this way.
BG 10.20
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च
aham ātmā guḍākeśa
sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ
aham ādiś ca madhyaṃ ca
bhūtānām anta eva ca
SYNONYMS
aham: I am | ātmā: soul | guḍākeśa: O Arjuna | sarva-bhūta: all living entities | āśaya-sthitaḥ: situated within | ādiḥ: origin | ca: and. | madhyam: middle | bhūtānām: all living entities | antaḥ: end | eva: certainly |
TRANSLATION
I am the Self, O Guḍākeśa, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
PURPORT
In this verse Arjuna is addressed as Guḍākeśa, which means one who has conquered the darkness of sleep. For those who are sleeping in the darkness of ignorance, it is not possible to understand how the Supreme Godhead manifests Himself in the material and spiritual worlds. Thus this address by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna is significant. Because Arjuna is above such darkness, the Personality of Godhead agrees to describe His various opulences.
Kṛṣṇa first informs Arjuna that He is the Self or soul of the entire cosmic manifestation by dint of His primary expansion. Before the material creation, the Supreme Lord, by His plenary expansion, accepts the Puruṣa incarnations, and from Him everything begins. Therefore He is ātmā, the soul of the mahat-tattva, the universal elements. The total material energy is not the cause of the creation, but actually the Mahā-Visṇu enters into the mahat-tattva, the total material energy. He is the soul. When Mahā-Viṣṇu enters into the manifested universes, He again manifests Himself as the Supersoul in each and every entity. We have experience that the personal body of the living entity exists due to the presence of the spiritual spark. Without the existence of the spiritual spark, the body cannot develop. Similarly, the material manifestation cannot develop unless the Supreme Soul of Kṛṣṇa enters.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is existing as the Supersoul in all manifested universes. A description of the three puruṣa-avatāras is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests three features, as Kāraṇodakaśāyī Visṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, in this material manifestation.” The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all causes, lies down in the cosmic ocean as Mahā-Viṣṇu or Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and therefore Kṛṣṇa is the beginning of this universe, the maintainer of the universal manifestation, and the end of all the energy.
Kṛṣṇa first informs Arjuna that He is the Self or soul of the entire cosmic manifestation by dint of His primary expansion. Before the material creation, the Supreme Lord, by His plenary expansion, accepts the Puruṣa incarnations, and from Him everything begins. Therefore He is ātmā, the soul of the mahat-tattva, the universal elements. The total material energy is not the cause of the creation, but actually the Mahā-Visṇu enters into the mahat-tattva, the total material energy. He is the soul. When Mahā-Viṣṇu enters into the manifested universes, He again manifests Himself as the Supersoul in each and every entity. We have experience that the personal body of the living entity exists due to the presence of the spiritual spark. Without the existence of the spiritual spark, the body cannot develop. Similarly, the material manifestation cannot develop unless the Supreme Soul of Kṛṣṇa enters.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is existing as the Supersoul in all manifested universes. A description of the three puruṣa-avatāras is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests three features, as Kāraṇodakaśāyī Visṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, in this material manifestation.” The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all causes, lies down in the cosmic ocean as Mahā-Viṣṇu or Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and therefore Kṛṣṇa is the beginning of this universe, the maintainer of the universal manifestation, and the end of all the energy.
BG 10.21
आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान्
मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी
ādityānām ahaṃ viṣṇur
jyotiṣāṃ ravir aṃśumān
marīcir marutām asmi
nakṣatrāṇām ahaṃ śaśī
SYNONYMS
ādityānām: of the Ādityas | aham: I am | viṣṇuḥ: the Supreme Lord | jyotiṣām: of all luminaries | raviḥ: the sun | aṁśumān: radiant | marīciḥ: Marīci | marutām: of the Marutas | asmi: I am | nakṣatrāṇām: of stars | śaśī: the moon. |
TRANSLATION
Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, of lights I am the radiant sun, I am Marīci of the Maruts, and among the stars I am the moon.
PURPORT
There are twelve Ādityas, of which Kṛṣṇa is the principal. And among all the luminaries twinkling in the sky, the sun is the chief, and in the Brahma-saṁhitā the sun is accepted as the glowing effulgence of the Supreme Lord and is considered to be one of His eyes. Marīci is the controlling deity of the heavenly spaces. Among the stars, the moon is most prominent at night, and thus the moon represents Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.22
वेदानां सामवेदो ’स्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः
इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना
vedānāṃ sāmavedo ’smi
devānām asmi vāsavaḥ
indriyāṇāṃ manaś cāsmi
bhūtānām asmi cetanā
SYNONYMS
vedānām: of all the Vedas | sāma-vedaḥ: the Sāma-veda | asmi: I am | devānām: of all the demigods | vāsavaḥ: heavenly king | indriyāṇām: of all the senses | manaḥ: the mind | ca: also | bhūtānām: of all living entities | cetanā: the living force. |
TRANSLATION
Of the Vedas I am the Sāma-veda; of the demigods I am Indra; of the senses I am the mind, and in living beings I am the living force [knowledge].
PURPORT
The difference between matter and spirit is that matter has no consciousness like the living entity; therefore this consciousness is supreme and eternal. Consciousness cannot be produced by a combination of matter.
BG 10.23
रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम्
वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम्
rudrāṇāṃ śaṅkaraś cāsmi
vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām
vasūnāṃ pāvakaś cāsmi
meruḥ śikhariṇām aham
SYNONYMS
rudrāṇām: of all the Rudras | śaṅkaraḥ: Lord Śiva | ca: also | asmi: I am | vitteśaḥ: the lord of the treasury | yakṣa-rakṣasām: of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas | vasūnām: of the Vasus | pāvakaḥ: fire | meruḥ: Meru | śikhariṇām: of all mountains | aham: I am. |
TRANSLATION
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Śiva; of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas I am the lord of wealth [Kuvera]; of theVasus I am fire [Agni], and of the mountains I am Meru.
PURPORT
There are eleven Rudras, of whom Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva, is predominant. He is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord in charge of the modes of ignorance in the universe. Among the demigods Kuvera is the chief treasurer, and he is a representation of the Supreme Lord. Meru is a mountain famed for its rich natural resources.
BG 10.24
पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्
सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः
purodhasāṃ ca mukhyaṃ māṃ
viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim
senānīnām ahaṃ skandaḥ
sarasām asmi sāgaraḥ
SYNONYMS
purodhasām: of all priests | ca: also | mukhyam: chief | mām: Me | viddhi: understand | pārtha: O son of Pṛthā | bṛhaspatim: Bṛhaspati | senānīnām: of all commanders | aham: I am | skandaḥ: Kārtikeya | sarasām: of all reservoirs of water | asmi: I am | sāgaraḥ: the ocean. |
TRANSLATION
Of priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Bṛhaspati, the lord of devotion. Of generals I am Skanda, the lord of war; and of bodies of water I am the ocean.
PURPORT
Indra is the chief demigod of the heavenly planets and is known as the king of the heavens. The planet in which he reigns is called Indraloka. Bṛhaspati is Indra’s priest, and since Indra is the chief of all kings, Bṛhaspati is the chief of all priests. And as Indra is the chief of all kings, similarly Skanda, the son of Pārvatī and Lord Śiva, is the chief of all military commanders. And of all bodies of water, the ocean is the greatest. These representations of Kṛṣṇa only give hints of His greatness.
BG 10.25
महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम्
यज्ञानां जपयज्ञो ’स्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः
maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛgur ahaṃ
girām asmy ekam akṣaram
yajñānāṃ japayajño ’smi
sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ
SYNONYMS
maharṣīṇām: among the great sages | bhṛguḥ: Bhṛgu | aham: I am | girām: of vibrations | asmi: I am | ekam akṣaram: praṇava | yajñānām: of sacrifices | japa-yajñaḥ: chanting | sthāvarāṇām: of immovable things | himālayaḥ: the Himalayan mountains. |
TRANSLATION
Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.
PURPORT
Brahmā, the first living creature within the universe, created several sons for the propagation of various kinds of species. The most powerful of his sons is Bhṛgu, who is also the greatest sage. Of all the transcendental vibrations, the “om” (omkara) represents the Supreme. Of all the sacrifices, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is the purest representation of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes animal sacrifices are recommended, but in the sacrifice of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of violence. It is the simplest and the purest. Whatever is sublime in the worlds is a representation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Himalayas, the greatest mountains in the world, also represent Him. The mountain named Meru was mentioned in a previous verse, but Meru is sometimes movable, whereas the Himalayas are never movable. Thus the Himalayas are greater than Meru.
BG 10.26
अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः
गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः
aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṃ
devarṣīṇāṃ ca nāradaḥ
gandharvāṇāṃ citrarathaḥ
siddhānāṃ kapilo muniḥ
SYNONYMS
aśvatthaḥ: the banyan tree | sarva-vṛkṣāṇām: of all trees | devarṣīṇām: of all the sages amongst the demigods | ca: and | nāradaḥ: Nārada | gandharvāṇām: the citizens of the Gandharva planet | citrarathaḥ: Citraratha | siddhānām: of all those who are perfected | kapilaḥ muniḥ: Kapila Muni. |
TRANSLATION
Of all trees I am the holy fig tree, and amongst sages and demigods I am Nārada. Of the singers of the gods [Gandharvas] I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.
PURPORT
The fig tree (aśvattha) is one of the most beautiful and highest trees, and people in India often worship it as one of their daily morning rituals. Amongst the demigods they also worship Nārada, who is considered the greatest devotee in the universe. Thus he is the representation of Kṛṣṇa as a devotee. The Gandharva planet is filled with entities who sing beautifully, and among them the best singer is Citraratha. Amongst the perpetually living entities, Kapila is considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, and His philosophy is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Later on another Kapila became famous, but his philosophy was atheistic. Thus there is a gulf of difference between them.
BG 10.27
उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्
ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम्
uccaiḥśravasam aśvānāṃ
viddhi mām amṛtodbhavam
airāvataṃ gajendrāṇāṃ
narāṇāṃ ca narādhipam
SYNONYMS
uccaiḥśravasam: Uccaiḥśravā | aśvānām: among horses | viddhi: know | mām: Me | amṛta-udbhavam: produced from the churning of the ocean | airāvatam: Airāvata | gajendrāṇām: of elephants | narāṇām: among human beings | ca: and | narādhipam: the king. |
TRANSLATION
Of horses know Me to be Uccaiḥśravā, who rose out of the ocean, born of the elixir of immortality; of lordly elephants I am Airāvata, and among men I am the monarch.
PURPORT
The devotee demigods and the demons (asuras) once took a sea journey. On this journey, nectar and poison were produced, and Lord Śiva drank the poison. From the nectar were produced many entities, of which there was a horse named Uccaiḥśravā. Another animal produced from the nectar was an elephant named Airāvata. Because these two animals were produced from nectar, they have special significance, and they are representatives of Kṛṣṇa.
Amongst the human beings, the king is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer of the universe, and the kings, who are appointed on account of their godly qualifications, are maintainers of their kingdoms. Kings like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Lord Rāma were all highly righteous kings who always thought of the citizens’ welfare. In Vedic literature, the king is considered to be the representative of God. In this age, however, with the corruption of the principles of religion, monarchy decayed and is now finally abolished. It is to be understood that in the past, however, people were more happy under righteous kings.
Amongst the human beings, the king is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer of the universe, and the kings, who are appointed on account of their godly qualifications, are maintainers of their kingdoms. Kings like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Lord Rāma were all highly righteous kings who always thought of the citizens’ welfare. In Vedic literature, the king is considered to be the representative of God. In this age, however, with the corruption of the principles of religion, monarchy decayed and is now finally abolished. It is to be understood that in the past, however, people were more happy under righteous kings.
BG 10.28
आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक्
प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः
āyudhānām ahaṃ vajraṃ
dhenūnām asmi kāmadhuk
prajanaś cāsmi kandarpaḥ
sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ
SYNONYMS
āyudhānām: of all weapons | aham: I am | vajram: the thunderbolt | dhenūnām: of cows | asmi: I am | kāmadhuk: the surabhi cows | prajanaḥ: for begetting children | ca: and | kandarpaḥ: Cupid | sarpāṇām: of all snakes | vāsukiḥ: Vāsuki. |
TRANSLATION
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi, givers of abundant milk. Of procreators I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vāsuki, the chief.
PURPORT
The thunderbolt, indeed a mighty weapon, represents Kṛṣṇa’s power. In Kṛṣṇaloka in the spiritual sky there are cows which can be milked at any time, and they give as much milk as one likes. Of course such cows do not exist in this material world, but there is mention of them in Kṛṣṇaloka. The Lord keeps many such cows, which are called surabhi. It is stated that the Lord is engaged in herding the surabhi cows. Kandarpa is the sex desire for presenting good sons; therefore Kandarpa is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes sex is engaged in only for sense gratification; such sex does not represent Kṛṣṇa. But sex for the generation of good children is called Kandarpa and represents Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.29
अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम्
पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम्
anantaś cāsmi nāgānāṃ
varuṇo yādasām aham
pitṝṇām aryamā cāsmi
yamaḥ saṃyamatām aham
SYNONYMS
anantaḥ: Ananta | ca: also | asmi: I am | nāgānām: of all serpents | varuṇaḥ: the demigod controlling the water | yādasām: of all aquatics | aham: I am. | piṭṝnām: of the ancestors | aryamā: Aryāma | yamaḥ: the controller of death | saṁyamatām: of all regulators |
TRANSLATION
Of the celestial Nāga snakes I am Ananta; of the aquatic deities I am Varuṇa. Of departed ancestors I am Aryamā, and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, lord of death.
PURPORT
Among the many celestial Naga serpents, Ananta is the greatest, as is Varuṇa among the aquatics. They both represent Kṛṣṇa. There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryamā, who represents Kṛṣṇa. There are many living entities who give punishment to the miscreants, and among them Yama is the chief. Yama is situated in a planet near this earthly planet, and after death those who are very sinful are taken there, and Yama arranges different kinds of punishments for them.
BG 10.30
प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्
मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रो ’हं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्
prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāṃ
kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛgāṇāṃ ca mṛgendro ’haṃ
vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām
SYNONYMS
prahlādaḥ: Prahlāda | ca: also | asmi: I am | daityānām: of the demons | kālaḥ: time | kalayatām: of subduers | aham: I am | mṛgāṇām: of animals | mṛgendraḥ: the lion | vainateyaḥ: Garuḍa | pakṣiṇām: of birds. |
TRANSLATION
Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlāda; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuḍa, the feathered carrier of Viṣṇu.
PURPORT
Diti and Aditi are two sisters. The sons of Aditi are called Ādityas, and the sons of Diti are called Daityas. All the Ādityas are devotees of the Lord, and all the Daityas are atheistic. Although Prahlāda was born in the family of the Daityas, he was a great devotee from his childhood. Because of his devotional service and godly nature, he is considered to be a representative of Kṛṣṇa.
There are many subduing principles, but time wears down all things in the material universe and so represents Kṛṣṇa. Of the many animals, the lion is the most powerful and ferocious, and of the million varieties of birds, Garuḍa, the bearer of Lord Viṣṇu, is the greatest.
There are many subduing principles, but time wears down all things in the material universe and so represents Kṛṣṇa. Of the many animals, the lion is the most powerful and ferocious, and of the million varieties of birds, Garuḍa, the bearer of Lord Viṣṇu, is the greatest.
BG 10.31
पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्
झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी
pavanaḥ pavatām asmi
rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām aham
jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraś cāsmi
srotasām asmi jāhnavī
SYNONYMS
pavanaḥ: the wind | pavatām: of all that purifies | asmi: I am | rāmaḥ: Rāma | śastra-bhṛtām: of the carriers of weapons | aham: I am | jhaṣāṇām: of all aquatics | makaraḥ: shark | ca asmi: I am also | srotasām: of flowing rivers | jāhnavī: the River Ganges. |
TRANSLATION
Of purifiers I am the wind; of the wielders of weapons I am Rāma; of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.
PURPORT
Of all the aquatics the shark is one of the biggest and is certainly the most dangerous to man. Thus the shark represents Kṛṣṇa. And of rivers, the greatest in India is the Mother Ganges. Lord Rāmacandra, of the Rāmāyaṇa, an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, is the mightest of warriors.
BG 10.32
सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम्
sargāṇām ādir antaś ca
madhyaṃ caivāham arjuna
adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṃ
vādaḥ pravadatām aham
SYNONYMS
sargāṇām: of all creations | ādiḥ: beginning | antaḥ: end | ca: also | madhyam: middle | eva: certainly | aham: I am. | arjuna: O Arjuna | adhyātma-vidyā: spiritual knowledge | vidyānām: of all education | vādaḥ: natural conclusion | pravadatām: of arguments |
TRANSLATION
Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the Self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.
PURPORT
Among created manifestations, the total material elements are first created by Mahā-Viṣṇu and are annihilated by Lord Śiva. Brahmā is the secondary creator. All these created elements are different incarnations of the material qualities of the Supreme Lord; therefore He is the beginning, the middle and the end of all creation.
Regarding the spiritual science of the Self, there are many literatures, such as the four Vedas, the Vedānta-sūtra and the Purāṇas, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Gītā. These are all representatives of Kṛṣṇa. Among logicians there are different stages of argument. The presentation of evidence is called japa. The attempt to defeat one another is called vitaṇḍa, and the final conclusion is called vāda. The conclusive truth, the end of all reasoning processes, is Kṛṣṇa.
Regarding the spiritual science of the Self, there are many literatures, such as the four Vedas, the Vedānta-sūtra and the Purāṇas, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Gītā. These are all representatives of Kṛṣṇa. Among logicians there are different stages of argument. The presentation of evidence is called japa. The attempt to defeat one another is called vitaṇḍa, and the final conclusion is called vāda. The conclusive truth, the end of all reasoning processes, is Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.33
अक्षराणामकारो ’स्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः
akṣarāṇām akāro ’smi
dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca
aham evākṣayaḥ kālo
dhātāhaṃ viśvatomukhaḥ
SYNONYMS
akṣarāṇām: of letters | akāraḥ: the first | asmi: I am | dvandvaḥ: dual | sāmāsikāsya: compounds | ca: and | aham: I am | eva: certainly | akṣayaḥ: eternal | kālaḥ: time | dhātā: creator | viśvato-mukhaḥ: Brahmā. |
TRANSLATION
Of letters I am the letter A, and among compounds I am the dual word. I am also inexhaustable time, and of creators I am Brahmā, whose manifold faces turn everywhere.
PURPORT
Akāra, the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, is the beginning of the Vedic literature. Without akāra, nothing can be sounded; therefore it is the beginning of sound. In Sanskrit there are also many compound words, of which the dual word, like Rāma-kṛṣṇa, is called dvandvaḥ. For instance, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa have the same rhythm and therefore are called dual.
Among all kinds of killers, time is the ultimate because time kills everything. Time is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because in due course of time there will be a great fire and everything will be annihilated.
Among the creators and living entities, Brahmā is the chief. The various Brahmās exhibit four, eight, sixteen, etc., heads accordingly, and they are the chief creators in their respective universes. The Brahmās are representatives of Kṛṣṇa.
Among all kinds of killers, time is the ultimate because time kills everything. Time is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because in due course of time there will be a great fire and everything will be annihilated.
Among the creators and living entities, Brahmā is the chief. The various Brahmās exhibit four, eight, sixteen, etc., heads accordingly, and they are the chief creators in their respective universes. The Brahmās are representatives of Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.34
मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम्
कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा
mṛtyuḥ sarvaharaś cāham
udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām
kīrtiḥ śrīr vāk ca nārīṇāṃ
smṛtir medhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā
SYNONYMS
mṛtyuḥ: death | sarva-haraḥ: all-devouring | ca: also | aham: I am | udbhavaḥ: generation | bhaviṣyatām: of the future | kīrtiḥ: fame | śrīḥ vāk: beautiful speech | nārīṇāṁ: of women | smṛtiḥ: memory | medhā: intelligence | dhṛtiḥ: faithfulness | kṣamā: patience. |
TRANSLATION
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.
PURPORT
As soon as a man is born, he dies at every moment. Thus death is devouring every living entity at every moment, but the last stroke is called death itself. That death is Kṛṣṇa. All species of life undergo six basic changes. They are born, they grow, they remain for some time, they reproduce, they dwindle and finally vanish. Of these changes, the first is deliverance from the womb, and that is Kṛṣṇa. The first generation is the beginning of all future activities.
The six opulences listed are considered to be feminine. If a woman possesses all of them or some of them she becomes glorious. Sanskrit is a perfect language and is therefore very glorious. After studying, if one can remember the subject matter, he is gifted with good memory, or smṛti One need not read many books on different subject matters; the ability to remember a few and quote them when necessary is also another opulence.
The six opulences listed are considered to be feminine. If a woman possesses all of them or some of them she becomes glorious. Sanskrit is a perfect language and is therefore very glorious. After studying, if one can remember the subject matter, he is gifted with good memory, or smṛti One need not read many books on different subject matters; the ability to remember a few and quote them when necessary is also another opulence.
BG 10.35
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्
मासानां मार्गशीर्षो ’हमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः
bṛhatsāma tathā sāmnāṃ
gāyatrī chandasām aham
māsānāṃ mārgaśīrṣo ’ham
ṛtūnāṃ kusumākaraḥ
SYNONYMS
bṛhat-sāma: the Bṛhat-sāma | tathā: also | sāmnām: of the Sāma-veda song | gāyatrī: the Gāyatrī hymns | chandasām: of all poetry | aham: I am | māsānām: of months | mārga-śīrṣo ’ham: the month of November-December | ṛtūnām: of all seasons | kusumākaraḥ: spring. |
TRANSLATION
Of hymns I am the Bṛhat-sāma sung to the Lord Indra, and of poetry I am the Gāyatrī verse, sung daily by brāhmaṇas. Of months I am November and December, and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
PURPORT
It has already been explained by the Lord that amongst all the Vedas, the Sāma-veda is rich with beautiful songs played by the various demigods.
One of these songs is the Bṛhat-sāma, which has an exquisite melody and is sung at midnight.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry; rhyme and meter are not written whimsically, as in much modern poetry. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gāyatrī mantra, which is chanted by the duly qualified brāhmaṇas, is the most prominent. The Gāyatrī mantra is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because the Gāyatrī mantra is especially meant for God realization, it represents the Supreme Lord. This mantra is meant for spiritually advanced people, and when one attains success in chanting it, he can enter into the transcendental position of the Lord. One must first acquire the qualities of the perfectly situated person, the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature, in order to chant the Gāyatrī mantra. The Gāyatrī mantra is very important in Vedic civilization and is considered to be the sound incarnation of Brahman. Brahmā is its initiator, and it is passed down from him in disciplic succession.
The months of November and December are considered the best of all months because in India grains are collected from the fields at this time, and the people become very happy. Of course spring is a season universally liked because it is neither too hot nor too cold, and the flowers and trees blossom and flourish. In spring there are also many ceremonies commemorating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes; therefore this is considered to be the most joyful of all seasons, and it is the representative of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
One of these songs is the Bṛhat-sāma, which has an exquisite melody and is sung at midnight.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry; rhyme and meter are not written whimsically, as in much modern poetry. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gāyatrī mantra, which is chanted by the duly qualified brāhmaṇas, is the most prominent. The Gāyatrī mantra is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because the Gāyatrī mantra is especially meant for God realization, it represents the Supreme Lord. This mantra is meant for spiritually advanced people, and when one attains success in chanting it, he can enter into the transcendental position of the Lord. One must first acquire the qualities of the perfectly situated person, the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature, in order to chant the Gāyatrī mantra. The Gāyatrī mantra is very important in Vedic civilization and is considered to be the sound incarnation of Brahman. Brahmā is its initiator, and it is passed down from him in disciplic succession.
The months of November and December are considered the best of all months because in India grains are collected from the fields at this time, and the people become very happy. Of course spring is a season universally liked because it is neither too hot nor too cold, and the flowers and trees blossom and flourish. In spring there are also many ceremonies commemorating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes; therefore this is considered to be the most joyful of all seasons, and it is the representative of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.36
द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्
जयो ’स्मि व्यवसायो ’स्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम्
dyūtaṃ chalayatām asmi
tejas tejasvinām aham
jayo ’smi vyavasāyo ’smi
sattvaṃ sattvavatām aham
SYNONYMS
dyūtam: gambling | chalayatām: of all cheats | asmi: I am | tejaḥ: splendid | tejasvinām: of everything splendid | aham: I am. | jayaḥ: victory | vyavasāyaḥ: adventure | sattvam: strength | sattvavatām: of all the strong |
TRANSLATION
I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.
PURPORT
There are many kinds of cheaters all over the universe. Of all cheating processes, gambling stands supreme and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. As the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa can be more deceitful than any mere man. If Kṛṣṇa chooses to deceive a person, no one can surpass Him in His deceit. His greatness is not simply one-sided—it is all-sided.
Among the victorious, He is victory. He is the splendor of the splendid. Among enterprising industrialists, He is the most enterprising. Among adventurers, He is the most adventurous, and among the strong, He is the strongest. When Kṛṣṇa was present on earth, no one could surpass Him in strength. Even in His childhood He lifted Govardhana Hill. No one can surpass Him in cheating, no one can surpass Him in splendor, no one can surpass Him in victory, no one can surpass Him in enterprise, and no one can surpass Him in strength.
Among the victorious, He is victory. He is the splendor of the splendid. Among enterprising industrialists, He is the most enterprising. Among adventurers, He is the most adventurous, and among the strong, He is the strongest. When Kṛṣṇa was present on earth, no one could surpass Him in strength. Even in His childhood He lifted Govardhana Hill. No one can surpass Him in cheating, no one can surpass Him in splendor, no one can surpass Him in victory, no one can surpass Him in enterprise, and no one can surpass Him in strength.
BG 10.37
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवो ’स्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः
vṛṣṇīnāṃ vāsudevo ’smi
pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanañjayaḥ
munīnām apy ahaṃ vyāsaḥ
kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ
SYNONYMS
vṛṣṇīnām: of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi | vāsudevaḥ: Kṛṣṇa in Dvāraka | asmi: I am | pāṇḍavānām: of the Pāṇḍavas | dhanañjayaḥ: Arjuna | munīnām: of the sages | api: also | aham: I am | vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa, the compiler of all Vedic literature | kavīnām: of all great thinkers | uśanā: Uśanā | kaviḥ: the thinker. |
TRANSLATION
Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers I am Uśanā.
PURPORT
Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Vāsudeva is the immediate expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva appear as the sons of Vasudeva. Amongst the sons of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna is famous and valiant. Indeed, he is the best of men and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. Among the munis, or learned men conversant in Vedic knowledge, Vyāsa is the greatest because he explained Vedic knowledge in many different ways for the understanding of the common mass of people in this age of Kali. And Vyāsa is also known as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Vyāsa also represents Kṛṣṇa. Kavis are those who are capable of thinking thoroughly on any subject matter. Among the kavis, Uśanā was the spiritual master of the demons; he was extremely intelligent, far-seeing, political and spiritual in every way. Thus Uśanā is another representative of the opulence of Kṛṣṇa.
BG 10.38
दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम्
मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम्
daṇḍo damayatām asmi
nītir asmi jigīṣatām
maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ
jñānaṃ jñānavatām aham
SYNONYMS
daṇḍaḥ: punishment | damayatām: of all separation | asmi: I am | nītiḥ: morality | jigīṣatām: of the victorious | maunam: silence | ca: and | eva: also | guhyānām: of secrets | jñānam: knowledge | jñānavatām: of the wise | aham: I am. |
TRANSLATION
Among punishments I am the rod of chastisement, and of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am wisdom.
PURPORT
There are many suppressing agents, of which the most important are those that cut down the miscreants. When miscreants are punished, the rod of chastisement represents Kṛṣṇa. Among those who are trying to be victorious in some field of activity, the most victorious element is morality. Among the confidential activities of hearing, thinking and meditating, silence is most important because by silence one can make progress very quickly. The wise man is he who can discriminate between matter and spirit, between God’s superior and inferior natures. Such knowledge is Kṛṣṇa Himself.
BG 10.39
यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन
न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम्
yac cāpi sarvabhūtānāṃ
bījaṃ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān
mayā bhūtaṃ carācaram
SYNONYMS
yat: that | ca: also | api: may be | sarva-bhūtānām: of all creations | bījam: the seed | tat: that | aham: I am | arjuna: O Arjuna | na: not | asti: there is | vinā: without | syāt: exists | mayā: by Me | bhūtam: created | carācaram: moving and unmoving. |
TRANSLATION
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being—moving or unmoving—that can exist without Me.
PURPORT
Everything has a cause, and that cause or seed of manifestation is Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa’s energy, nothing can exist; therefore He is called omnipotent. Without His potency, neither the movable nor the unmovable can exist. Whatever existence is not founded on the energy of Kṛṣṇa is called māyā, that which is not.
BG 10.40
नान्तो ’स्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप
एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया
nānto ’sti mama divyānāṃ
vibhūtīnāṃ parantapa
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto
vibhūter vistaro mayā
SYNONYMS
na: nor | antaḥ: a limit | asti: is there | mama: of My | divyānām: divine | vibhūtīnam: opulences | parantapa: O conquerer of the enemies | eṣaḥ: all this | tu: that | uddeśataḥ: examples | proktaḥ: spoken | vibhūteḥ: opulences | vistaraḥ: expanded | mayā: by Me. |
TRANSLATION
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
PURPORT
BG 10.41
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजो’ंशसम्भवम्
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṃ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṃ
mama tejo’ṃśasambhavam
SYNONYMS
yat yat: whatever | vibhūti: opulences | mat: having | sattvam: existence | śrīmat: beautiful | ūrjitam: glorious | eva: certainly | vā: or | tat tat: all those | avagaccha: you must know | tvam: you | mama: My | tejaḥ: splendor | aṁśa: partly | sambhavam: born of. |
TRANSLATION
Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
PURPORT
Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Kṛṣṇa’s opulence.
BG 10.42
अथ वा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्
atha vā bahunaitena
kiṃ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṃ kṛtsnam
ekāṃśena sthito jagat
SYNONYMS
athavā: or | bahunā: many | etena: by this kind | kim: what | jñātena: knowing | tava: you | arjuna: O Arjuna | viṣṭabhya: entire | aham: I | idam: this | kṛtsnam: all manifestations | eka: one | aṁśena: part | sthithaḥ: situated | jagat: in the universe. |
TRANSLATION
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord is represented throughout the entire material universes by His entering into all things as the Supersoul. The Lord here tells Arjuna that there is no point in understanding how things exist in their separate opulence and grandeur. He should know that all things are existing due to Kṛṣṇa’s entering them as Supersoul. From Brahmā, the most gigantic entity, on down to the smallest ant, all are existing because the Lord has entered each and all and is sustaining them.
Worship of demigods is discouraged herein because even the greatest demigods like Brahmā and Śiva only represent part of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. He is the origin of everyone born, and no one is greater than Him. He is samatā, which means that no one is superior to Him and that no one is equal to Him. In the Viṣṇu-mantra it is said that one who considers the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in the same category with demigods—be they even Brahmā or Śiva—becomes at once an atheist. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions of the opulences and expansions of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, then one can understand without any doubt the position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and can fix his mind in the worship of Kṛṣṇa without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotional service; therefore they are always situated in the transcendental position. Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses eight to eleven. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Tenth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of the Opulence of the Absolute.
Worship of demigods is discouraged herein because even the greatest demigods like Brahmā and Śiva only represent part of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. He is the origin of everyone born, and no one is greater than Him. He is samatā, which means that no one is superior to Him and that no one is equal to Him. In the Viṣṇu-mantra it is said that one who considers the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in the same category with demigods—be they even Brahmā or Śiva—becomes at once an atheist. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions of the opulences and expansions of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, then one can understand without any doubt the position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and can fix his mind in the worship of Kṛṣṇa without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotional service; therefore they are always situated in the transcendental position. Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses eight to eleven. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Tenth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of the Opulence of the Absolute.