Chapter 18, Verse 69.

TEXT 69

 

na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah
bhavita na ca me tasmad
anyah priyataro bhuvi

SYNONYMS

 

na--never; ca--and; tasmat--therefore; manusyesu--among mankind; kascit--anyone; me--My; priya-krt-tamah--more dear; bhavita--will become; na--nor; ca--and; me--My; tasmat--than him; anyah--other; priya-tarah--dearer; bhuvi--in this world.

TRANSLATION

 

There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.

Chapter 18, Verse 70.

TEXT 70

 

adhyesyate ca ya imam
dharmyam samvadam avayoh
jnana-yajnena tenaham
istah syam iti me matih

SYNONYMS

 

adhyesyate--will study; ca--also; yah--he; imam--this; dharmyam--sacred; samvadam--conversation; avayoh--of ours; jnana--knowledge; yajnena--by sacrifice; tena--by him; aham--I; istah--worshiped; syam--shall be; iti--thus; me--My; matih--opinion. 

TRANSLATION

 

And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation worships Me by his intelligence.

Chapter 18, Verse 71.

TEXT 71

 

sraddhavan anasuyas ca
srnuyad api yo narah
so 'pi muktah subhal lokan
prapnuyat punya-karmanam

SYNONYMS

 

sraddha-van--faithful; anasuyah ca--and not envious; srnuyat--does hear; api--certainly; yah--who; narah--a man; sah--he; api--also; muktah--being liberated; subhan--auspicious; lokan--planets; prapnuyat--attains; punya-karmanam--of the pious.

TRANSLATION

 

And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reactions and attains to the planets where the pious dwell.

PURPORT

 

In the 67th verse of this chapter, the Lord explicitly forbade the Gita's being spoken to those who are envious of the Lord. In other words, Bhagavad-gita is for the devotees only, but it so happens that sometimes a devotee of the Lord will hold open class, and in that class all the students are not expected to be devotees. Why do such persons hold open class? It is explained here that although everyone is not a devotee, still there are many men who are not envious of Krsna. They have faith in Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If such persons hear from a bona fide devotee about the Lord, the result is that they become at once free from all sinful reactions and after that attain to the planetary system where all righteous persons are situated. Therefore simply by hearing Bhagavad-gita, even a person who does not try to be a pure devotee attains the result of righteous activities. Thus a pure devotee of the Lord gives everyone a chance to become free from all sinful reactions and to become a devotee of the Lord. 

Generally those who are free from sinful reactions are righteous. Such persons very easily take to Krsna consciousness. The word punya-karmanam is very significant here. This refers to the performance of great sacrifice. Those who are righteous in performing devotional service but who are not pure can attain the planetary system of the polestar, or Dhruvaloka, where Dhruva Maharaja is presiding. He is a great devotee of the Lord, and he has a special planet which is called the polestar.

Chapter 18, Verse 72.

TEXT 72

 

kaccid etac chrutam partha
tvayaikagrena cetasa
kaccid ajnana-sammohah
pranastas te dhananjaya

SYNONYMS

 

kaccit--whether; etat--this; srutam--heard; partha--O son of Prtha; tvaya--by you; eka-agrena--with full attention; cetasa--by the mind; kaccit--whether; ajnana--ignorant; sammohah--illusion; pranastah--dispelled; te--of you; dhananjaya--O conqueror of wealth (Arjuna).

TRANSLATION

 

O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this attentively with your mind? And are your illusions and ignorance now dispelled?

PURPORT

 

The Lord was acting as the spiritual master of Arjuna. Therefore it was His duty to inquire from Arjuna whether he understood the whole Bhagavad-gita in its proper perspective. If not, the Lord was ready to re-explain any point, or the whole Bhagavad-gita if so required. Actually, anyone who hears Bhagavad-gita from a bona fide spiritual master like Krsna or His representative will find that all his ignorance is dispelled. Bhagavad-gita is not an ordinary book written by a poet or fiction writer; it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any person, if he is fortunate enough to hear these teachings from Krsna or from His bona fide spiritual representative, is sure to become a liberated person and get out of the darkness of ignorance.

Chapter 18, Verse 73.

TEXT 73

 

arjuna uvaca
nasto mohah smrtir labdha
tvat-prasadan mayacyuta
sthito 'smi gata-sandehah
karisye vacanam tava

SYNONYMS

 

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; nastah--dispelled; mohah--illusion; smrtih--memory; labdha--regained; tvat-prasadat--by Your mercy; maya--by me; acyuta--O infallible Krsna; sthitah--situated; asmi--I am; gata--removed; sandehah--all doubts; karisye--I shall execute; vacanam--order; tava--Your. 

TRANSLATION

 

Arjuna said, My dear Krsna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

 

PURPORT

 

The constitutional position of a living entity, represented by Arjuna, is that he has to act according to the order of the Supreme Lord. He is meant for self-discipline. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that the actual position of the living entity is that of eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme Lord, he becomes the liberated servant of God. The living entity's constitutional position is to be a servitor; he has to serve either the illusory maya or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord, he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In illusion the living entity is serving in this material world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks of himself as the master of the world. This is called illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over, and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare of maya to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory energy is to understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and agree to act according to His order. 

The word moha is very important in this verse. Moha refers to that which is opposed to knowledge. Actually real knowledge is the understanding that every living being is eternally a servitor of the Lord, but instead of thinking oneself in that position, the living entity thinks that he is not a servant, that he is the master of this material world, for he wants to lord it over the material nature. That is his illusion. This illusion can be overcome by the mercy of the Lord or by the mercy of a pure devotee. When that illusion is over, one agrees to act in Krsna consciousness. 

Krsna consciousness is acting according to Krsna's order. A conditioned soul illusioned by the external energy of matter does not know that the Supreme Lord is the master who is full of knowledge and who is the proprietor of everything. Whatever He desires He can bestow upon His devotees; He is the friend of everyone, and He is especially inclined to His devotee. He is the controller of this material nature and of all living entities. He is also the controller of inexhaustible time, and He is full of all opulences and all potencies. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can even give Himself to the devotee. One who does not know Him is under the spell of illusion; he does not become a devotee, but a servitor of maya. Arjuna, however, after hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, became free from all illusion. He could understand that Krsna was not only his friend, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And he understood Krsna factually. So to study Bhagavad-gita is to understand Krsna factually. When a person is in full knowledge, he naturally surrenders to Krsna. When Arjuna understood that it was Krsna's plan to reduce the unnecessary increase of population, he agreed to fight according to Krsna's desire. He again took up his weapons--his arrows and bow--to fight under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Chapter 18, Verse 74.

TEXT 74

  

sanjaya uvaca
ity aham vasudevasya
parthasya ca mahatmanah
samvadam imam asrausam
adbhutam roma-harsanam

SYNONYMS

 

sanjayah uvaca--Sanjaya said; iti--thus; aham--I; vasudevasya--of Krsna; parthasya--of Arjuna; ca--also; maha-atmanah--two great souls; samvadam--discussing; imam--this; asrausam--heard; adbhutam--wonder; roma-harsanam--hair standing on end. 

TRANSLATION

 

Sanjaya said: Thus have I heard the conversation of two great souls, Krsna and Arjuna. And so wonderful is that message that my hair is standing on end.

PURPORT

 

In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Dhrtarastra inquired from his secretary Sanjaya, "What happened in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra?" The entire study was related to the heart of Sanjaya by the grace of his spiritual master, Vyasa. He thus explained the theme of the battlefield. The conversation was wonderful because such an important conversation between two great souls never took place before and would not take place again. It is wonderful because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking about Himself and His energies to the living entity, Arjuna, a great devotee of the Lord. If we follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Krsna, then our life will be happy and successful. Sanjaya realized this, and as he began to understand it, he related the conversation to Dhrtarastra. Now it is concluded that wherever there is Krsna and Arjuna, there is victory.

Chapter 18, Verse 75.

TEXT 75

 

vyasa-prasadac chrutavan
etad guhyam aham param
yogam yogesvarat krsnat
saksat kathayatah svayam

SYNONYMS

 

vyasa-prasadat--by the mercy of Vyasadeva; srutavan--heard; etat--this; guhyam--confidential; aham--I; param--the supreme; yogam--mysticism; yoga-isvarat--from the master of all mysticism; krsnat--from Krsna; saksat--directly; kathayatah--speaking; svayam--personally. 

TRANSLATION

 

By the mercy of Vyasa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Krsna, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.

 

PURPORT

 

Vyasa was the spiritual master of Sanjaya, and Sanjaya admits that it was by his mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Krsna not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is direct. This is the mystery of the disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear Bhagavad-gita directly, as Arjuna heard it. There are many mystics and yogis all over the world, but Krsna is the master of all yoga systems. Krsna's instruction is explicitly stated in Bhagavad-gita--surrender unto Krsna. One who does so is the topmost yogi. This is confirmed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Yoginam api sarvesam.

 
Narada is the direct disciple of Krsna and the spiritual master of Vyasa. Therefore Vyasa is as bona fide as Arjuna because he comes in the disciplic succession, and Sanjaya is the direct disciple of Vyasa. Therefore by the grace of Vyasa, his senses were purified, and he could see and hear Krsna directly. One who directly hears Krsna can understand this confidential knowledge. If one does not come to the disciplic succession, he cannot hear Krsna; therefore his knowledge is always imperfect, at least as far as understanding Bhagavad-gita is concerned. 

In Bhagavad-gita, all the yoga systems, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga, are explained. Krsna is the master of all such mysticism. It is to be understood, however, that as Arjuna was fortunate enough to understand Krsna directly, similarly, by the grace of Vyasa, Sanjaya was also able to hear Krsna directly. Actually there is no difference between hearing directly from Krsna or hearing directly from Krsna via a bona fide spiritual master like Vyasa. The spiritual master is the representative of Vyasadeva also. According to the Vedic system, on the birthday of the spiritual master, the disciples conduct the ceremony called Vyasa-puja.

Chapter 18, Verse 76.

TEXT 76

 

rajan samsmrtya samsmrtya
samvadam imam adbhutam
kesavarjunayoh punyam
hrsyami ca muhur muhuh

SYNONYMS

 

rajan--O King; samsmrtya--remembering; samsmrtya--remembering; samvadam--message; imam--this; adbhutam--wonderful; kesava--Lord Krsna; arjunayoh--and Arjuna; punyam--pious; hrsyami--taking pleasure; ca--also; muhuh muhuh--always, repeatedly. 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krsna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.

 

PURPORT

 

The understanding of Bhagavad-gita is so transcendental that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of Arjuna and Krsna becomes righteous, and he cannot forget such talks. This is the transcendental position of spiritual life. In other words, one who hears the Gita from the right source, directly from Krsna, attains full Krsna consciousness. The result of Krsna consciousness is that one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment

Chapter 18, Verse 77.

TEXT 77

 

tac ca samsmrtya samsmrtya
rupam aty-adbhutam hareh
vismayo me mahan rajan
hrsyami ca punah punah

SYNONYMS

 

tat--that; ca--also; samsmrtya--remembering; samsmrtya--remembering; rupam--form; ati--great; adbhutam--wonderful; hareh--of Lord Krsna; vismayah--wonder; me--my; mahan--great; rajan--O King; hrsyami--enjoying; ca--also; punah punah--repeatedly. 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, when I remember the wonderful form of Lord Krsna, I am struck with even greater wonder, and I rejoice again and again.

 

PURPORT

 

It appears that Sanjaya also, by the grace of Vyasa, could see the universal form Krsna exhibited to Arjuna. It is, of course, said that Lord Krsna had never exhibited such a form before. It was exhibited to Arjuna only, yet some great devotees could also see the universal form of Krsna when it was shown to Arjuna, and Vyasa was one of them. He is one of the great devotees of the Lord, and he is considered to be a powerful incarnation of Krsna. Vyasa disclosed this to his disciple Sanjaya, who remembered that wonderful form of Krsna exhibited to Arjuna and enjoyed it repeatedly.

Chapter 18, Verse 78.

TEXT 78

yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama

SYNONYMS

 

yatra--where; yoga-isvarah--the master of mysticism; krsnah--Lord Krsna; yatra--where; parthah--the son of Prtha; dhanuh-dharah--the carrier of the bow and arrow; tatra--there; srih--opulence; vijayah--victory; bhutih--exceptional power; dhruva--certain; nitih--morality; matih mama--is my opinion. 

TRANSLATION

 

Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

 

PURPORT

The Bhagavad-gita began with an inquiry of Dhrtarastra. He was hopeful of the victory of his sons, assisted by great warriors like Bhisma, Drona and Karna. He was hopeful that the victory would be on his side. But, after describing the scene on the battlefield, Sanjaya told the King, "You are thinking of victory, but my opinion is that where Krsna and Arjuna are present, there will be all good fortune." He directly confirmed that Dhrtarastra could not expect victory for his side. Victory was certain for the side of Arjuna because Krsna was there. Krsna's acceptance of the post of charioteer for Arjuna was an exhibition of another opulence. Krsna is full of all opulences, and renunciation is one of them. There are many instances of such renunciation, for Krsna is also the master of renunciation. 

The fight was actually between Duryodhana and Yudhisthira. Arjuna was fighting on behalf of his elder brother, Yudhisthira. Because Krsna and Arjuna were on the side of Yudhisthira, Yudhisthira's victory was certain. The battle was to decide who would rule the world, and Sanjaya predicted that the power would be transferred to Yudhisthira. It is also predicted here that Yudhisthira, after gaining victory in this battle, would flourish more and more because he was not only righteous and pious, but he was a strict moralist. He never spoke a lie during his life. 

There are many less intelligent persons who take Bhagavad-gita to be a discussion of topics between two friends in a battlefield. But such a book cannot be scripture. Some may protest that Krsna incited Arjuna to fight, which is immoral, but the reality of the situation is clearly stated: Bhagavad-gita is the supreme instruction in morality. The supreme instruction of morality is stated in the Ninth Chapter, in the thirty-fourth verse: man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. One must become a devotee of Krsna, and the essence of all religion is to surrender unto Krsna, as stated, Sarva-dharman. The instructions of Bhagavad-gita constitute the supreme process of religion and of morality. All other processes may be purifying and may lead to this process, but the last instruction of the Gita is the last word in all morality and religion: surrender unto Krsna. This is the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter. 

From Bhagavad-gita we can understand that to realize oneself by philosophical speculation and by meditation is one process, but to fully surrender unto Krsna is the highest perfection. This is the essence of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. The path of regulative principles according to the orders of social life and according to the different courses of religion may be a confidential path of knowledge in as far as the rituals of religion are confidential, but one is still involved with meditation and cultivation of knowledge. Surrender unto Krsna in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness is the most confidential instruction and is the essence of the Eighteenth Chapter. 

Another feature of Bhagavad-gita is that the actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Absolute Truth is realized in three features--impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth means perfect knowledge of Krsna. If one understands Krsna, then all the departments of knowledge are part and parcel of that understanding. Krsna is transcendental, for He is always situated in His eternal internal potency. The living entities are manifested and are divided into two classes, eternally conditioned and eternally liberated. Such living entities are innumerable, and they are considered fundamental parts of Krsna. Material energy is manifested into twenty-four divisions. The creation is effected by eternal time, and it is created and dissolved by external energy. This manifestation of the cosmic world repeatedly becomes visible and invisible. 

In Bhagavad-gita five principal subject matters have been discussed: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, material nature, the living entities, eternal time and all kinds of activities. All of these are dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. All conceptions of the Absolute Truth, namely, impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma, or any other transcendental conception, exist within the category of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although superficially the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entity, material nature and time appear to be different, nothing is different from the Supreme. But the Supreme is always different from everything. Lord Caitanya's philosophy is that of "inconceivably one and different." This system of philosophy constitutes perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. 

The living entity in his original position is pure spirit. He is just like an atomic particle of the Supreme Spirit. The conditioned living entity, however, is the marginal energy of the Lord; he tends to be in contact with both the material energy and the spiritual energy. In other words, the living entity is situated between the two energies of the Lord, and because he belongs to the superior energy of the Lord, he has a particle of independence. By proper use of that independence he comes under the direct order of Krsna. Thus he attains his normal condition in the pleasure-giving potency. 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighteenth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of its Conclusion--the Perfection of Renunciation.