The Story so far:
Arjuna, the representative of Pandavas is arrayed for battle against his cousins Kauravas. Lord Krishna is his charioteer and so his victory is assured. Neverthess Arjuna is plagued by all kind of doubts and even considers a life of Sanyas as better than fighting against his own kinsmen. But Lord Krishna is nudging him on, saying as a ksatriya he needs a kingdom which is realizable only if he fights and wins the battle. The Lord further advances the argument that in any case the souls of his cousins will live on even if they are dead. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (but strangely) Arjuna had a blood relationship with Him. It also appears that Krishna has a teacher and a grandfather! One is often attached to family life, namely to wife, children and other members, on the basis of “skin disease.” A scholarly brähmana, expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge, is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiñëava, or expert in the science of Kåñëa consciousness. But a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiñëava, or Kåñëa conscious. Enlightened, perfect knowledge of self-realization, or Kåñëa consciousness, would make Arjuna fight.
Further along the way, we pick up some significant (and fanciful) assertions like:
“Religious violence is sometimes a necessary factor”
“The brähmaëas also attain the heavenly planets by sacrificing animals in the sacrificial fire”.
“The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the gradual
evolutionary process from one form to another.”
transcendental loving service of the Lord. Consequently, he becomes qualified to enter into the Vaikuëöha planets, where there is neither material, miserable life, nor the influence of time and death.
“A transcendentally situated person has no sense desires resulting from petty materialism; rather, he remains always happy in his natural position of eternally serving the Supreme Lord”. This can be true only when a transcendentally situated person is no longer a resident of the world.
A fully Kåñëa conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest. This is interesting. Because “Grace” is a very Christian word. And now here we see the suggestion that only due to the grace of God we attain Krishna consciousness. Check out the Bible, epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 2:
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
One who is fixed in Kåñëa consciousness is not affected by good and evil because he is simply concerned with Kåñëa, who is all good absolute. Such consciousness in Kåñëa situates one in a perfect transcendental position called, technically, Samadhi.
“As long as one is in the material world there is always the possibility of good and evil,
because this world is full of duality.” This is what I said earlier. If a person is not affected by good and evil, he must be dead. Hmmm………….
The restrictions are there for the less intelligent neophytes in the spiritual advancement of life, but such restrictions are only good if one actually has a taste for Kåñëa consciousness. When one is
actually Kåñëa conscious, he automatically loses his taste for pale things.
I do not like the construction of “less intelligent beings”. If that be the case only intelligent beings have a chance of advancing to the glorious life beyond. This is absolutely contrary to the Word of God found in the Bible: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” (1 Corinthias 1:26)
Let’s dive in. (my remarks are given in red. As before, they spring from a normal human view; however the biblical perspective is also given where relevant). The Text in black is my abridged version of the Purport as given in the book of Gita and it is mostly verbatim.
Text 61
That the highest conception of yoga perfection is Kåñëa consciousness is clearly explained here. And, unless one is Kåñëa conscious, it is not at all possible to control the senses. As cited in the verse given, the great sage Durväsä Muni picked a quarrel with Mahäräja Ambaréña, and Durväsä Muni unnecessarily became angry out of pride and therefore could not check his senses. On the other hand, the King, although not as powerful a yogé as the sage, but a devotee of the Lord, silently tolerated all the sage’s injustices and thereby emerged victorious. The King was able to control his senses because of the qualifications mentioned in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. King Ambaréña fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Kåñëa, engaged his words in describing the abode of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the temple of the Lord, his ears in hearing the pastimes of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the form of the Lord, his body in touching the body of the devotee, his nostrils in smelling the flavor of the flowers offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, his tongue in tasting the tulasé leaves offered to Him, his legs in traveling to the holy place where His temple is situated, his head in offering obeisance unto the Lord, and his desires in fulfilling the desires of the Lord … and all these qualifications made him fit to become a mat-paraù devotee of the Lord.” (Bhäg. 9.4.18-20) “The senses can be completely controlled only by the strength of devotional service to Kåñëa.” Also the example of fire is sometimes given: “As the small flames within burn everything within the room, similarly Lord Viñëu, situated in the heart of the yogé, burns up all kinds of impurities.” The Yoga-sütra also prescribes meditation on Viñëu, and not meditation on the void. The so-called yogés who meditate on something which is not the Viñëu form simply waste their time in a vain search after some phantasmagoria. We have to be Kåñëa conscious—devoted to the Personality of Godhead. This is the aim of the real yoga.
“As cited in the verse given, the great sage Durväsä Muni picked a quarrel with Mahäräja Ambaréña……” Where does this story come from? Is that also in the Vedas? Do we need to read that as well?
After holding up Krishna as Lord and talking so much about Krishna conciousness, why this sudden turn to Vishnu?
TEXT 62
One who is not Kåñëa conscious is subjected to material desires while contemplating the objects of senses. The senses require real engagements, and if they are not engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, they will certainly seek engagement in the service of materialism. In the material world everyone, including Lord Çiva and Lord Brahmä—to say nothing of other demigods in the heavenly planets—is subjected to the influence of sense objects, and the only method to get out of this puzzle of material existence is to become Kåñëa conscious. Lord Çiva was deep in meditation, but when Pärvaté agitated him for sense pleasure, he agreed to the proposal, and as a result Kärtikeya was born. When Haridäsa Öhäkur was a young devotee of the Lord, he was similarly allured by the incarnation of Mäyä Devé, but Haridäsa easily passed the test because of his unalloyed devotion to Lord Kåñëa. As illustrated in the verse of Çré Yämunäcärya, a sincere devotee of the Lord shuns all material sense enjoyment due to his higher taste for spiritual enjoyment in the association of the Lord. That is the secret of success. One who is not, therefore, in Kåñëa consciousness, however powerful he may be in controlling the senses by artificial repression, is sure ultimately to fail, for the slightest thought of sense pleasure will agitate him to gratify his desires.
The concept of demigods is curious. By definition, there can only be one God as stated by me several times (God is omnipotent. We cannot have several demigods engaged in turf-wars)
Once again, suppression of sex is glorified; this is quite contrary to what we read in the Bible as explained in Misc. 105.
Interesting that Lord Çiva could be lured into sex! Who is this Parvati anyway – human or goddess? Why do the two children so unlike each other and one of them sporting a trunk? How exactly did Parvati “agitate” the Lord for sensual pleasure?
TEXT 63
By development of Kåñëa consciousness one can know that everything has its use in the service of the Lord. Those who are without knowledge of Kåñëa consciousness artificially try to avoid material objects, and as a result, although they desire liberation from material bondage, they do not attain to the perfect
stage of renunciation. On the other hand, a person in Kåñëa consciousness knows how to use everything in the service of the Lord; therefore he does not become a victim of material consciousness. For example, for an impersonalist, the Lord, or the Absolute, being impersonal, cannot eat. Whereas an impersonalist tries to avoid good eatables, a devotee knows that Kåñëa is the supreme enjoyer and that He eats all that is offered to Him in devotion. So, after offering good eatables to the Lord, the devotee takes the remnants, called prasädam. Thus everything becomes spiritualized and there is no danger of a downfall. The devotee takes prasädam in Kåñëa consciousness, whereas the nondevotee rejects it as material. The impersonalist, therefore, cannot enjoy life due to his artificial renunciation; and for this reason, a slight agitation of
the mind pulls him down again into the pool of material existence. It is said that such a soul, even though rising up to the point of liberation, falls down again due to his not having support in devotional service.
A life in such constant tension is not liberation!
Test 64
It is already explained that one may externally control the senses by some artificial process, but unless the senses are engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, there is every chance of a fall. Although the person in full Kåñëa consciousness may apparently be on the sensual plane, because of his
being Kåñëa conscious, he has no attachment to sensual activities. The Kåñëa conscious person is concerned only with the satisfaction of Kåñëa, and nothing else. Therefore he is transcendental to all attachment. If Kåñëa wants, the devotee can do anything which is ordinarily undesirable; and if Kåñëa does not want, he shall not do that which he would have ordinarily done for his own satisfaction. Therefore, to act or not to act is within his control because he acts only under the direction of Kåñëa. This consciousness is the causeless mercy of the Lord, which the devotee can achieve in spite of his being attached to the sensual platform.
Does this imply that a Krishna Conscious person is a mindless puppet which can be manipulated? Does he not possess the wisdom to discern between right and wrong?
TEXT 65
For one who is so situated in the Divine consciousness, the threefold miseries of
material existence exist no longer; in such a happy state, one’s intelligence soon
becomes steady.
The Purport is not given, so we cannot understand.
Text 66
Unless one is in Kåñëa consciousness, there is no possibility of peace. So it is confirmed in the Fifth Chapter (5.29) that when one understands that Kåñëa is the only enjoyer of all the good results of sacrifice and penance, and that He is the proprietor of all universal manifestations, that He is the real friend of all living entities, then only can one have real peace. Therefore, if one is not in Kåñëa consciousness, there cannot be a final goal for the mind. Disturbance is due to want of an ultimate goal, and when one is certain that Kåñëa is the enjoyer, proprietor and friend of everyone and everything, then one can, with a steady mind, bring about peace. Therefore, one who is engaged without a relationship with Kåñëa is certainly always in distress and is without peace, however much one may make a show of peace and spiritual advancement in life. Kåñëa consciousness is a self-manifested peaceful condition which can be achieved only in relationship with Kåñëa.
“Peace” again is not a word that appears in Bhagvat Gita all that much, unlike in Jesus’s discourses that we read in the Bible. “27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid “(John 14) is but one example.
Read Ephesians 2:14-16
For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
We believe that Christ died on the cross to reconcile us to God and make peace between God and ourselves.
TEXT 67
Unless all of the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, even one of them engaged in sense gratification can deviate the devotee from the path of transcendental advancement. As mentioned in the life of Mahäräja Ambaréña, all of the senses must be engaged in Kåñëa consciousness, for that is the correct technique for controlling the mind.
We are human, aren’t we? If all of the senses are engaged in Kåñëa consciousness, how do we carry on the business of life?
TEXT 68
As enemies are curbed by superior force, similarly, the senses can be curbed not by any human endeavor, but only by keeping them engaged in the service of the Lord. One who has understood this—that only by Kåñëa consciousness is one really established in intelligence and that one should practice this art under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master—is called sädhaka, or a suitable candidate for liberation.
Who is this Master? What are his credentials? How do we find him? Is he human? Is it a question of higher intelligence?
TEXT 69
There are two classes of intelligent men. The one is intelligent in material activities for sense gratification, and the other is introspective and awake to the cultivation of self-realization. Activities of the introspective sage, or thoughtful man, are night for persons materially absorbed. Materialistic persons remain asleep in such a night due to their ignorance of self-realization. The introspective sage remains alert in the “night” of the materialistic men. The sage feels transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of spiritual culture, whereas the man in materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties of sense pleasure, feeling sometimes happy and sometimes distressed in his sleeping condition. The introspective man is always indifferent to materialistic happiness and distress. He goes on with his self-realization activities undisturbed by material reaction.
Okay, this is only about intelligent men; what about men who lack intelligence? Are they in the picture at all?
TEXT 70
Although the vast ocean is always filled with water, it is always, especially during the rainy season, being filled with much more water. But the ocean remains the same—steady; it is not agitated, nor does it cross beyond the limit of its brink. That is also true of a person fixed in Kåñëa consciousness. As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue. The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires because of his fullness. A Kåñëa conscious man is not in need of anything because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities. Therefore he is like the ocean—always full in himself. Desires may come to him like the waters of the rivers that flow into the ocean, but he is steady in his activities, and he is not even slightly disturbed by desires for sense gratification. That is the proof of a Kåñëa conscious man—one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace. Others, however, who fulfill desires even up to the limit of liberation, what to speak of material success, never attain peace. The fruitive workers, the salvationists, and also the yogés who are after mystic powers, are all unhappy because of unfulfilled desires. But the person in Kåñëa consciousness is happy in the service of the Lord, and he has no desires to be fulfilled. In fact, he does not even desire liberation from the so-called material bondage. The devotees of Kåñëa have no material desires, and therefore they are in perfect peace.
As we said in the previous article such perfect peace is possible only in death.
“ A Kåñëa conscious man is not in need of anything because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities”. So is he already in heaven? Does “material desires” imply sensual types as well?
TEXT 71
To become desireless means not to desire anything for sense gratification. In other words, desire for becoming Kåñëa conscious is actually desirelessness. To understand one’s actual position as the eternal servitor of Kåñëa, without falsely claiming this material body to be oneself and without falsely claiming proprietorship over anything in the world, is the perfect stage of Kåñëa consciousness. One who is situated in this perfect stage knows that because Kåñëa is the proprietor of everything, therefore everything must be used for the satisfaction of Kåñëa. Arjuna did not want to fight for his own sense satisfaction, but when he became fully Kåñëa conscious he fought because Kåñëa wanted him to fight. For himself there was no desire to fight, but for Kåñëa the same Arjuna fought to his best ability. Desire for the satisfaction of Kåñëa is really desirelessness; it is not an artificial attempt to abolish desires. The living entity cannot be desireless or senseless, but he does have to change the quality of the desires. A materially desireless person certainly knows that everything belongs to Kåñëa , and therefore he does not falsely claim proprietorship over anything. This transcendental knowledge is based on self-realization—namely, knowing perfectly well that every living entity is the eternal part and parcel of Kåñëa in spiritual identity. and therefore the eternal position of the living entity is never on the level of Kåñëa or greater than Him. This understanding of Kåñëa consciousness is the basic principle of real peace.
“The living entity cannot be desireless or senseless”. This is not quite in agreement with the averment in previous para.
TEXT 72
One can attain Kåñëa consciousness or divine life at once, within a second —or one may not attain such a state of life even after millions of births. It is only a matter of understanding and accepting the fact. Khaöväìga Mahäräja attained this state of life just a few minutes before his death, by surrendering unto Kåñëa. Nirväëa means ending the process of materialistic life. According to Buddhist philosophy, there is only void after the completion of this material life, but Bhagavad-gétä teaches differently. Actual life begins after the completion of this material life. For the gross materialist it is sufficient to know that one has to end this materialistic way of life, but for persons who are spiritually advanced, there is another life after this materialistic life. Before ending this life, if one fortunately becomes Kåñëa conscious, he at once attains the stage of Brahma-nirväëa. There is no difference between the kingdom of God and the devotional service of the Lord. Since both of them are on the absolute plane, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord is to have attained the spiritual kingdom. In the material world there are activities of sense gratification, whereas in the spiritual world there are activities of Kåñëa consciousness. Attainment of Kåñëa consciousness even during this life is immediate attainment of Brahman, and one who is situated in Kåñëa consciousness has certainly already entered into the kingdom of God. Brahman is just the opposite of matter. Therefore brähmé sthitiù means “not on the platform of material activities.” Devotional service of the Lord is accepted in the Bhagavad-gétä as the liberated stage. Therefore, brähmé-sthitiù is liberation from material bondage. Çréla Bhaktivinode Öhäkur has summarized this Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gétä as being the contents for the whole text. In the Bhagavad-gétä, the subject matters are karma-yoga, jïäna-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. In the Second Chapter karma-yoga and jïäna-yoga have been clearly discussed, and a glimpse of bhakti-yoga has also been given, as the contents for the complete text.
In one sense, this reads like more mumbo-jumbo, unintelligible to ordinary men. Let us see if the further chapters throw any light.
Epilogue
Watching me dabble in biblical narratives, it was a senior friend who suggested it might be interesting to have a look at the Baghvat Gita and study how that book deals with the subject of cycle of life and eternity. The idea appealed to me as I always wanted to read the Gita.
But it is not an easy journey. Particularly painful is the newfound knowledge that the Gita comes asymptotically close to the Truth as revealed in the Bible and yet it ties itself with a zillion knots and fails to recognize the innate simplicity of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, preferring to lose itself in an ambiguous concept of Krishna Consciousness.
I am aware my views are open to debate, and I forwarded my writings to the Vedanta Academy which frequently conducts lectures on Gita. I received a polite reply saying that “You would appreciate as a principle we do not comment on other people’s interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita.”
So, there it is. If you have something to say, possibly we can have a healthy discussion.
In the meanwhile, we will move on. Shall we?
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Congrats Judah for deep diving into Bhagavad-Gita!
BG is a part of Mahabarata as you will know. Written in Sanskrit by Vedavyasar a Tamilian . Krishna bears strong characteristic similarities to Christ and surely Vedavyasar was inspired by Yeshua!
BG is an epic parable based on the Truth, meant for Indian minds. The British called it a mythology which is wrong….it is actually a Parableology!
Subsequent to 8th century, after formation of Aryavartha, BG came into the hands of the Aryan rulers it got interpolated with many caste overtones….for instance, Sudras are not supposed to read it and it is supposed to be mentioned in the text! Though a Sudra wrote it!!!
I think the first commentary was written by Adishankara.
The translations into English was the corrupted version of BG ….so one has to have much discernment and sans prejudice … and more importantly, have the mind of Vedavyasar the original author who undoubtedly must have been a ‘Believer’!
Thanks for the in-depth explanation