BG 18 (1968)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is (1968)

BG 17 (1968)

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

XVIII

CONCLUSION—THE PERFECTION
OF RENUNCIATION

1:     ARJUNA SAID: O Mighty-armed One, I wish to understand the purpose of renunciation and of the renounced order of life, O Killer of the Kesi demon, Master of the Senses.

PURPORT

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, the whole Bhagavad Gita is finished in seventeen chapters. The Eighteenth Chapter is supplementary, meant to summarize the topics discussed before. In every chapter of The Bhagavad Gita, it has been stressed that devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life. This same thing will be summarized in the Eighteenth Chapter, as the most confidential part of knowledge. In the first six chapters of The Gita, stress was given to devotional service by saying that, of all yogis or transcendentalists, one who always thinks of Krishna within himself is first class. In the next six chapters, pure devotional service and its nature and activity were variously discussed. In the third six chapters, knowledge, renunciation, and conscientious activities, the material Nature and the transcendental Nature, and devotional service are described.

Two words used in this verse to address the Supreme Lord—Hrishikesha and Kesinisudana—are significant. Hrishikesha is Krishna, the Master of all Senses, Who can help us to always have equilibrium of the mind. Arjuna is expecting Him to summarize everything in such a way that he may remain equipoised. At the same time, he has some doubts; and doubts are always compared to demons. He therefore addresses Krishna as Kesinisudana. Kesi was a most formidable demon, who was killed by the Lord. So Arjuna is expecting Krishna to kill the demon of doubt.

2:     The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: To give up the results of all activities is called renunciation by the wise. And that state is called the renounced order of life by great learned men.

3:     There are learned men who say that all kinds of fruitive activities should be given up while other sages say that sacrifice, charity, and penances should never be given up.

4:     O best of the Bharatas, hear from Me now about renunciation. O tiger among men, there are three kinds of renunciation declared in the scriptures.

PURPORT

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE differences of opinion in the matter of renunciation, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, gives His judgment, which should be taken as final. After all, the Vedas are different laws given by the Lord. Now, here, the Lord is Personally present. His word should be taken as final.

5:     Sacrifice, charity, and penance are never to be given up; they must be perforrmd by all intelligent men. They are purifying even for the great souls.

6:     All these activities should be done without any expectation of result. They should be performed as a matter of duty, O son of Pritha; and that is My final opinion.

PURPORT

ALTHOUGH ALL SUCH sacrifices are purifying, no one should expect any result by such performances. In other words, all sacrifices which are meant for material advancement in life should be given up; but such sacrifices as purify one's existence, and elevate one to the spiritual plane, should not be stopped. Everything that leads to Krishna consciousness must be done. In The Srimad Bhagwatam it is said that any activity which leads to devotional service to the Lord should be accepted. That is the highest status of religion. A devotee of the Lord should accept any kind of work, sacrifice, or charity which will help him in the discharge of devotional service to the Lord.

7:     Prescribed duties should never be renounced. If, by illusion, one gives up his prescribed duties, such renunciation is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

8:     Anyone who gives up prescribed duties as troublesome, or out of fear, is said to be in the mode of passion. Such action never leads to the elevation of renunciation.

PURPORT

ONE WHO IS IN Krishna consciousness should not give up earning money out of fear that he is acting in fruitive activities. If that money earned by his activity is engaged in Krishna consciousness, or if by rising early in the morning his transcendental Krishna consciousness is benefited, such activities should not be given up out of fear, or being considered troublesome. Such renunciation is in the mode of passion. The result of passionate work is always miserable. Even if a person renounces work in that spirit, he never gets the result of renunciation.

9:     O Arjuna, one who does everything as a matter of duty and gives up attachment to the result of that particular work—his renunciation is said to be in the mode of goodness.

PURPORT

PRESCRIBED DUTY MUST be done with this mentality. Everyone should act without any attachment for the result, and without being associated with the mode of work. A man working in Krishna consciousness in a factory does not associate himself with the work of the factory, nor with the workers of the factory. He simply works for Krishna. And when he gives up the result for Krishna, that is called transcendental, or in the mode of goodness.

10:     Those who do not hate any inauspicious work, nor are attached to auspicious work situated in the mode of goodness, have no doubts about work.

11:     It is not possible for an embodied soul to give up all activities. But he who renounces the results of activity is actually the renouncer.

12:     One who does not give up the result of his work, after death achieves three kinds of results: auspicious, inauspicious, or mixed. But those who are in the renounced order of life have no such results to suffer or enjoy.

13:     O Mighty-armed One, according to the Vedanta, there are five causes in the accomplishment of any kind of work; which I shall describe to you now.

14:     The place of action; the doer; the senses; the endeavor; and ultimately the Supersoul: these are the five factors of action.

PURPORT

THE INSTRUMENTS OF our doing are our senses, and by those senses we act, or the soul acts, in various ways; and for each and every action, there is a different endeavor. But all one's activities depend on the Supreme Will, Who is seated within the heart as a Friend. Under these circumstances, he who is acting in Krishna consciousness, under the direction of the Supersoul situated within the heart, naturally has no bondage from any activity done by him, while those in complete Krishna consciousness have no responsibility for their actions. Everything is dependent on the Supreme Will, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

15:     Whether a man acts by body, mind, or words, right or wrong, all his work is constituted of these five elements.

16:     Anyone, therefore, who thinks himself the only doer, without consideration of the five factors, certainly is not very intelligent, and cannot see things as they are.

PURPORT

A FOOLISH PERSON cannot understand that there is the Supersou1, sitting as a Friend within himself, conducting his actions. Although the material causes are the place, the worker, the endeavor, and the instruments, the final cause is the Supreme, the Personality of Godhead. Therefore, one should see not only these four material causes, but the Supreme efficient cause as well. One who does not see the Supreme, thinks of himself as supreme. He is not intelligent.

17:     One who is not conducted by false ego and whose intelligence is not entangled, even killing in this world, he is not killing; and neither is he bound by such action.

18:     The stimuli to action are three: knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower. In the accomplishment of work, there are three factors—the senses, the work, and the doer.

19:     In terms of the modes of material Nature, there are different kinds of knowledge, work, and workers, which you may now hear of from Me.

PURPORT

IN THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER of The Bhagavad Gita, the three divisions of the modes of material Nature were described. In that chapter, it was said that the mode of goodness is illuminating, the mode of passion materialistic, and the mode of darkness is laziness and indolence. All the modes of material Nature are binding; they are not sources of liberation. Even in the mode of goodness one is conditioned. In the Seventeenth Chapter, the different types of worship by different types of men in different modes of material Nature were described. In this verse the Lord wishes to speak about the different types of knowledge, workers, and work itself, according to the material modes.

20:     The knowledge of one who sees in every living entity, though divided into innumerable forms, one undivided spiritual nature—that knowledge is to be understood as being in the mode of goodness.

21:     The knowledge that in every different body there is a different type of living entity is to be understood as being in the mode of passion.

PURPORT

THE CONCEPT OF THE material body as the living entity, and that, with the destruction of the body, consciousness is also destroyed, is called knowledge in the mode of passion. According to that knowledge, the body is different on account of development of different types of consciousness. Otherwise there is no separate soul which manifests consciousness. The body is itself the soul, and there is no separate soul beyond this body. According to such knowledge, consciousness is temporary. Or else there are no individual souls, but there is one all-pervading soul, which is full of knowledge, and this body is a manifestation of temporary ignorance. Or, beyond this body, there is no special individual or Supreme Soul. All such knowledge is grouped in one, as products of the mode of passion.

22:     That sort of knowledge which is attached to one kind of work as all in all, without knowledge of the truth, and which is very meager, is said to be in the mode of darkness.

PURPORT

THE KNOWLEDGE OF the common man is always in the mode of darkness, because every living entity in conditional life is born into the mode of darkness, without any proper knowledge. Therefore, one who does not develop knowledge through the authorities or scriptural injunctions has his knowledge compact in the maintenance of the body. He has no concern about acting in terms of the directions of scripture. For him God is money, and knowledge means to satisfy the bodily demands. Such knowledge has no connection with the Absolute Truth. It is more or less like the knowledge of the ordinary animals: eating, sleeping, defending, and mating. Such knowledge is described here as the product of the mode of darkness. In other words, knowledge concerning the spirit soul beyond this body is called knowledge in the mode of goodness; and knowledge producing many theories and doctrines by logic and mental speculation is the product of the mode of passion; and knowledge to keep the body nicely, without anything else, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

23:     Activity that is regulated, without attachment, love, or hatred, and done without any desire for fruitive result, is said to be in the mode of goodness.

24:     Work done with desire for the fruit, with great labor and under the false concept of the ego, is said to be in the mode of passion.

25:     Work done without any consideration of the future bondage, violent, without dependence on scriptural injunction, and which is distressing to others, done in illusion, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

26:     One who performs his duty without any association with the modes of material Nature, without false ego, with great enthusiasm, and without wavering in success or failure—such a worker is said to be in the mode of goodness.

27:     A worker too much attached to the work and to the result of the work, who wants to enjoy the result, always envious, unclean, and subjected to joy and sorrow, is said to be in the mode of passion.

28:     One who is always engaged in work against the injunction of the scriptures, materialistic, obstinate, cheating, and expert in insulting others; lazy, always morose and procrastinating—such a worker is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

29:     O winner of wealth, Arjuna, now I shall speak to you in detail about the differences of intelligence and determination, according to the different modes of material Nature. Please hear this from Me.

30:     O son of Pritha, that understanding by which one can recognize actions which should be done and actions which should not be done, what is fearful and what is not fearful, what is binding and what is liberating, is known to be in the mode of goodness.

31:     O son of Pritha, work which takes imperfect consideration of religiousness and irreligion, and therefore mistakes action to be done with action not to be done—such intelligence is said to be in the mode of passion.

32:     One who considers irreligion to be religion, and religion to be irreligion, under the spell of illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong direction—such intelligence is said to be in the mode of ignorance.

33:     O son of Pritha, that determination which is unbreakable, which is sustained with steadfastness by Yoga practice, and thus fixes the mind, life, and the acts of the senses—such determination is in the mode of goodness.

34:     Any determination sustained only for the fruitive result, in religion, economic development, and sense gratification—such determination is in the mode of passion.

35:     That determination which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness, and illusion—such unintelligent determination is in the mode of darkness.

36:     O best of the Bharatas, now please hear from Me about the three kinds of happiness which a conditioned soul enjoys, and by which he sometimes comes to the end of all distress.

PURPORT

A CONDITIONED SOUL IS engaged in enjoying material happiness again and again. He is chewing the already chewed; but sometimes, in the course of such enjoyment, he becomes relieved from the material entanglement by association of a great soul. In other words, a conditioned soul is always engaged in some type of sense gratification, but when he understands by good association that it is only a repetition of the same thing, and is awakened to his real Krishna consciousness, he is sometimes relieved from such repetitions of so-called happiness.

37:     That which in the beginning may be just like poison, but at the end is like nectar, and which awakens one to self-realization, is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.

PURPORT

IN THE PURSUIT OF self-realization, one has to follow many rules and regulations to control the mind and the senses, and to concentrate the mind on the self. All these procedures are very difficult, bitter like poison; but if he is successful in following those regulations, and comes to the transcendental position, it appears like nectar, and he enjoys life as though always drinking nectar.

38:     Happiness derived from the combinations of the sense objects with the senses appears to be like nectar in the beginning, but at the end is just like poison. Such happiness is said to be in the mode of passion.

39:     That happiness which, in the beginning and in the end, is blind to the process of self-realization, based on sleep, laziness, and illusion—such happiness is said to be in the mode of darkness.

40:     There is nothing existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is free from the three modes of material Nature.

41:     Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras are distinguished by their qualities of work, O chastiser of the enemy, in accordance with the modes of Nature.

42: Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the Brahmins work.

43:     Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the Kshatriyas.

44:     Farming, raising cattle, and business are the qualities of work for the Vaisyas, and for the Sudras there is labor and service to others.

45:     By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.

46:     By worship of the Lord, Who is the Source of all beings, all-pervading, man can become perfect, doing his work.

PURPORT

EVERYONE SHOULD THINK that he is engaged in a particular type of occupation by the Hrishikesha, the Master of the Senses. And, by the result of the work in which he is engaged, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, should be worshiped. If he thinks always in this way, in full Krishna consciousness, then by the grace of the Lord he becomes fully aware of everything.

47:     It is better to be engaged in one's own occupation, even if imperfectly performed, than to accept another's occupation, even if perfectly done. Prescribed duties, according to one's nature, are never affected by sinful reactions.

PURPORT

ONE'S OWN OCCUPATIONAL duty means the prescribed duties mentioned in The Bhagavad Gita, as we have already discussed in the previous verses: the duty of a Brahmin, the duty of a Kshatriya, the duty of a Vaisya, or the duty of a Sudra, prescribed according to the particular modes of Nature. One should not imitate another's duty. A man who is by nature attracted to such work as is done by the Sudras should not artificially claim himself a Brahmin, although he may be born into a Brahmin family. In this way one should work according to his own nature; and no such work is abominable, if performed for the purpose of serving the Supreme Lord.The occupational duty of a Brahmin is certainly in the mode of goodness; but if a person is not by nature in the mode of goodness, he should not imitate the occupational duty of a Brahmin. In the occupational duty of a Kshatriya, or administrator, there are so many abominable things: A Kshatriya has to be violent to kill his enemies, or to apprehend culprits; and sometimes a Kshatriya has to tell lies on account of diplomacy. Such violence and diplomacy accompany political affairs. But a Kshatriya is not supposed to give up his occupational duty and try to perform the duties of a Brahmin, although, in the duties of a Brahmin, there are no such faulty things.

One should act in terms of satisfying the Supreme Lord. For example, Arjuna is a Kshatriya. He is hesitating to commit violence against the other party. But, if such fighting is performed for the sake of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there need be no fear of degradation. In the business field also, sometimes a merchant has to tell so many lies to make a profit. If he does not do so, there can be no profit. Sometimes a mercantile man promises, "Oh, my dear customer, for you I am making no profit"; but one should know that, without making any profit, the merchant cannot exist. Therefore, it should be taken as a simple lie when a merchant says that he is not making a profit. But the merchant should not think that, because he is engaged in an occupation where the telling of lies is compulsory, he should give up his profession and pursue the profession of a Brahmin. That is not recommended.

Whether one is a Kshatriya, a Vaisya, or a Sudra doesn't matter, if he serves, by the result of his work, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the Brahmins who perform different types of sacrifice also sometimes kill animals; because sometimes animals are sacrificed in such ceremonies. Similarly, if a Kshatriya engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no fault on his part. In the Third Chapter these things have been clearly and elaborately explained: every man should work for the purpose of Yajna, or for Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense gratification is the cause of bondage. The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular modes of Nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only for the sake of serving the Supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.

48:     Every endeavor is covered with some sort of fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore, one should not give up the work which is born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if such work is full of fault.

49:     One can obtain the result of renunciation simply by becoming unattached to material things, self-controlled, and by disregarding material enjoyments. That is the highest perfectional stage of renunciation.

PURPORT

REAL RENUNCIATION means that one should always think himself part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, he has no right to enjoy the results of his work. Being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, the results of his work must be enjoyed by the Supreme Lord. This is actually Krishna consciousness. The person acting in Krishna consciousness is really a Sannyasi, one in the renounced order of life.

50:     O son of Kunti, learn from Me how one can attain to the Supreme perfectional stage, Brahman, by acting in the way I shall now summarize.

51-53:     Being purified by his intelligence, and controlling the mind with determination, giving up the objects of sense gratification, without any attachment and without any hatred, one who lives in a secluded place, who eats a small quantity of foodstuff, and who controls the body and the speaking power, and is always in trance, detached; who is without false ego, false strength, false pride, lust, anger, or the acceptance of material things—such a person is certainly elevated to the position of self-realization.

54:     One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments, or desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. And in that state he achieves pure devotional service unto Me.

PURPORT

TO THE IMPERSONALIST, to achieve the Brahmabhuta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further, to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in the state of liberation called Brahmabhuta, oneness with the Absolute. Because, without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, nobody can render such service to Him. In the Absolute conception of life there is no difference between the served and the servitor; but still the distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense. In the material concept of life, working for sense gratification, there is the perception of misery. But in the Absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no such thing as trouble. Therefore, the devotee in Krishna consciousness has nothing to lament over, and nothing to desire. As God, the Supreme Lord, is full, so a living entity who is engaged in God's service, in Krishna consciousness, becomes full in himself.

55:     One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the Kingdom of God.

PURPORT

THE SUPREME PERSONALITY of Godhead, Krishna, or His plenary portions, cannot be understood by mental speculation, nor by the non-devotees. If anyone wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional service, under the guidance of a pure devotee. Otherwise, the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will always be hidden from him. Neither erudite scholarship nor mental speculation can reveal the Supreme Lord. Only one who is actually engaged in Krishna consciousness and devotional service can understand what Krishna is. University degrees are not helpful. One who is fully conversant with Krishna science becomes eligible to enter into the spiritual Kingdom, the Abode of Krishna. So to become Brahman does not mean that one loses his identity. Devotional service is there, and so long as devotional service exists, there must be God and the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Such knowledge is never vanquished even after liberation.

56:     Though engaged in all kinds of activities, by My mercy, the pure devotee reaches the spiritual Kingdom in the end, without any pain.

57:     In all activities, and for their results, just depend upon Me, and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.

PURPORT

THAT ONE SHOULD act in Krishna consciousness means he should not act as the master of the world. Just like a servant, one should act fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. A servant has no individual independence. He acts only on the order of the master. A servant acting on behalf of the Supreme Master has no affection for profit and loss. He simply discharges his duty faithfully, in terms of the order of the Lord. Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting under the Personal direction of Krishna, but when Krishna is not present, how should one act? If one acts according to the direction of Krishna in this book, as well as under the guidance of the representative of Krishna, then the result will be the same. The Sanskrit word matparah is very important in this verse. It means that one has no goal in life save and except to act in Krishna consciousness, just to satisfy Krishna. And while acting in such a way, one should think of Krishna only: "I have been appointed to discharge this particular duty by Krishna." While acting in such a way, he naturally has to think of Krishna. This is perfect Krishna consciousness. One should, however, note that after doing something whimsically, he may not offer the result to the Supreme Lord. That sort of duty is not in the devotional service of Krishna consciousness. One should act according to the order of Krishna. This is a very important point: That order of Krishna comes through disciplic succession, from the bona fide spiritual master. Therefore, the spiritual master's order should be taken as the prime duty of life. If one gets a bona fide spiritual master and acts according to his direction, that means his perfection of life in Krishna consciousness is guaranteed.

58:     One who becomes conscious of Me passes over all the obstacles of conditional life. If, however, one does not work in such consciousness, and acts through false ego, not hearing Me, he is lost.

PURPORT

A PERSON IN FULL Krishna consciousness has no anxiety to execute the duties of his existence. The foolish cannot understand this great freedom from anxiety. For one who acts in Krishna consciousness, Lord Krishna becomes the most intimate Friend. He always looks after his friend's comfort, and He gives Himself to His friend, who is so devotedly engaged, working twenty-four hours a day to please the Lord. Therefore, no one should be carried away by the false ego of the bodily concept of life. One should not falsely think himself independent of the laws of material Nature, free to act. He is already under the strict material laws. But as soon as he acts in Krishna consciousness, he is liberated, free from the material perplexities. So one should note very carefully that anyone who is not active in Krishna consciousness is losing himself in the material whirlpool, in the ocean of birth and death. No conditioned soul actually knows what is to be done and what is not to be done; but a person who acts in Krishna consciousness is free to act, because everything is prompted by Krishna from within and confirmed by the Spiritual Master.

59:     If you do not act according to My direction, and do not fight, then you will be falsely directed. And, by your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare.

PURPORT

ARJUNA WAS A MILITARY man, and born of the nature of the Kshatriya. Therefore, his natural duty is to fight. But, by false ego, he was considering whether, by killing his teacher and grandfather and friends, there would be a sinful reaction. So, practically, he was considering himself master of the action, as if he was directing the good and bad results of such work. He forgot that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present there, instructing him to fight. That is the forgetfulness of the conditioned soul. The Supreme Personality gives direction as to what is good and what is bad, and one simply has to act in Krishna consciousness to attain the perfection of life. No one can ascertain his destiny as completely as the Supreme Lord can, and therefore the best thing to do is to take direction from the Supreme Lord, and act. No one should neglect the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the order of the spiritual master, who is the representative of God. One should act unhesitatingly to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That will keep him safe under all circumstances.

60:     Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kunti.

PURPORT

IF ONE REFUSES to act under the direction of the Supreme Lord, then he will be compelled to act by the modes in which he is situated. Everyone is under the spell of a particular combination of the modes of Nature, and is acting in that way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.

61:     The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

62:     O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him in all respects, so that by His mercy you can have transcendental peace and eternal abode.

63:     Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

PURPORT

GOD DOES NOT interfere with the little independence of the living entity. In The Bhagavad Gita, the Lord has advised in all respects about the elevation of the living condition. The best advice imparted to Arjuna is to surrender unto the Supersoul sitting in everyone's heart. So, by right discrimination, one should agree to act according to the order of the Supersoul. That will help him to be situated constantly in Krishna consciousness, the highest perfectional stage of human life. Arjuna is being directly ordered by the Personality of Godhead to fight. Therefore, he has no other alternative than to fight. To surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest of the Supreme. Before surrendering, one is free to deliberate on this subject as far as intelligence goes; that is the best way to accept the instruction of the Supreme Person. Such instruction comes also through the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Krishna.

64:     Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.

65:     Always think of Me. Become My devotee. Worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. The result is that you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this, because you are My very dear friend.

PURPORT

THE MOST CONFIDENTIAL part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of Krishna and always think of Him and act for Him. One should not become an official meditator. One's life should be so molded that he will always have the chance to think of Krishna. One should always act in such way that all his daily activities are in connection with Krishna. He should mold his life in such a way that, throughout twenty-four hours, he cannot but think of Krishna. And the Lord's promise is that anyone who is in such pure Krishna consciousness will certainly go back to the Abode of Krishna, where he will be engaged in the association of Krishna face to face. This most confidential part of knowledge is spoken to Arjuna, because he is the dear friend of Krishna. And everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can also become a dear friend to Krishna and obtain the same perfection as Arjuna.

66:     Give up all varieties of religiousness, and just surrender unto Me; and in return I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore, you have nothing to fear.

PURPORT

IT HAS BEEN SAID that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Krishna. So one may think that, unless he is free from all sinful reactions, how can he take to the surrendering process? To such doubts it is here said that, even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to Sri Krishna, he automatically becomes free from them. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reaction. He should unhesitatingly accept Krishna as the Supreme Savior of all living entities. With faith and love he should surrender unto Him. Devotional service to Krishna, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge as described here, and this is the essence of the whole study of The Bhagavad Gita.

67:     This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.

68:     For anyone who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

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

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

71:     And one who listens with faith and without enviousness becomes free from sinful reactions, and will attain to the planets where the pious dwell.

PURPORT

IN THE sixty-seventh verse of this chapter, the Lord explicitly forbade The Gita to be spoken to those who are envious of Him. In other words, The Bhagavad Gita is for the devotees only; but it so happens that sometimes a devotee of the Lord will 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 Krishna. They have faith in Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and 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 systems where all righteous persons are situated.

72:     O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this with your mind at perfect attention? And are your ignorance and illusion now dispelled?

73:     Arjuna said: My dear Krishna, O Infallible One, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and now I am fixed without any doubt, prepared to act according to Your instructions.

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

75:     By the mercy of Vyasa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the Master of all mysticism, Krishna, speaking Personally to Arjuna.

PURPORT

VYASA WAS THE spiritual master of Samjaya, and he admits that it was by his mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Krishna not directly, but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium; although it is true the experience is still direct. This is the mystery of disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear The Bhagavad Gita directly, as Arjuna heard it.

76:     O King, in the repeated remembrance of that conversation between Krishna and Arjuna I am taking pleasure, thrilled at every moment.

PURPORT

THE UNDERSTANDING OF The Bhagavad Gita is so transcendental that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of Arjuna and Krishna becomes perfect in righteousness, and he cannot forget such talks. This is the transcendental position of spiritual life. Or, in other words, one who hears The Gita from the right source, directly from Krishna, becomes fully in Krishna consciousness and the result of Krishna consciousness is that one becomes enlightened more and more, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.

77:     O King, remembering as well the wonderful Form of Lord Krishna, and becoming more and more struck with wonder, I rejoice again and again.

78:     Wherever there is the Master of all mystics, Krishna, 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 the inquiry of King Dhritarashtra. 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 in the battlefield, Samjaya told the King, "You are thinking of victory, but my opinion is that where there is Krishna and where there is Arjuna, every auspicious thing will also be." He directly confirmed that Dhritarashtra could not expect victory for his side. Victory was sure for the side of Arjuna, because Krishna was there. Some may protest that Krishna incited Arjuna to fight, which is immoral; but the reality is clearly stated: that The Bhagavad Gita is the supreme instruction of morality. The instruction of The Bhagavad Gita is the supreme process of religion and the supreme process of morality—all other processes may be purifying, to lead to this process, but the last instruction of The Gita is the last word of all morality and religion: Surrender unto Krishna. That is the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter, the last chapter, of The Bhagavad Gita.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eighteenth Chapter of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, in the matter of its Conclusion, and the Perfection of Renunciation.

BG 17 (1968)