Analysis of Bhagwat Geeta I

Essays and Articles

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Typed Document

(1) Man's eternal relation with Godhead

(1) Constitution of all living entity. (2.11-30)

(2) Parts & parcels of Godhead (15.4)

(3) Compared with the Sun & the Sunrays. (2.24, 7.4-5)

(4) Qualitatively one and the same (14.2).

(5) He begets all living being in the womb of Mother Nature (14.3-4)

(6) Nature & the living entities all are subordinate to Godhead (9.10)

(7) Godhead in His impersonal feature is all-pervading including the material nature and the living entities. (9.3-4)

(8) Nature means potency. Everything that exists is emanation of Godhead. (10.8-11)

(9) Godhead is omnipotent and therefore He is the master of all potencies namely the material, spiritual & marginal potencies. (8.22)

(10) Earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intellect and ego all products of material potency. (7.4)

(11) Living entities are products of spiritual potency. (7.5)

(12) Above these two potencies is situated the Almighty Godhead (7.6-7)

(13) As omnipotent Godhead is manifested as all pervading impersonal Supreme Truth in the manner described. (7.8-11, 13.13-17)

(14) The material nature is non-permanent. (8.19)

(15) The spiritual nature is permanent (8.20)

(16) The living entity is born of spiritual nature but it has the tendency to enjoy material nature. (13.21)

(17) The living entity & Godhead being qualitatively one both are called Purusha, the enjoyer and the nature is enjoyed by them therefore nature is called Prakriti. (13.17-20)

(18) Godhead is real enjoyer, but the living entity is the conditional enjoyer under the modes of nature. (13.29)

(19) The real position of living entity is therefore that of an enjoyed by Godhead or servitor of Godhead. (9.27)

(20) Forgetfulness of this real nature of living entity is the cause of his multifarious trouble (7.13-16)

(21) Godhead comes Himself or sends His confidential servants to reclaim this forgetful living entities. (4.7-8)

(22) No one can know Godhead unless He explains Himself or He is explained by His confidential servants. (4.1-3)

(23) His descending or so-called birth is different from that of ordinary being. (4.5-6, & 9)

(24) Man's misidentifying himself with material nature is a malady of which fearfulness is born of. (4.10-11)

(25) His attempt to get rid of that fearfulness of survival by work, knowledge, or mystic power is always baffled. (4.16-18)

(26) Living entities seeks happiness by serving another living entity driven by a false desire of enjoyment. (7.20-23)

(27) When Godhead descends, the fools consider Him as ordinary man. (9.11-12, 7.24-25) x1

(28) Those who are only addicted to sinful or unlawful acts such foolish men of demoniac principles only do not want to serve Godhead. (7.15)

(29) Those who are law-abiding faithful men, they only revive their God consciousness when they are in difficulty, in need of money, or those who are inquisitive and aspiring after gathering knowledge. (7.16)

(30) God consciousness which is transcendental is never revived by dint of works, knowledge or mystic power but only by devotional service. (8.22)

(31) No one is debarred to approach Godhead; because simply by the will of approaching Him, one becomes at once purified. (10.30-32)

(32) The four castes are scattered all over the universe according to acquired qualities of the modes of nature (4.13)

(33) The Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, the Sudras (18.41-44)

(34) Any such man can attain to transcendental loving service of Godhead by his own occupation. (18.46-50)

(35) Under such transcendental mode only the ordinary workers, salvationists or the mystics also can attain to Godhead. (Bengali handwriting)

(36) The result of work is to satisfy material needs, the result of knowledge is to attain salvation and the result of mysticism to see all-pervading Godhead in His localized aspect. All these can be attained indirectly by transcendental loving service only. (18.56-66)

(37) In all scriptures therefore the only one aim is how to attain Godhead who is Sree Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (4.11)

(37a) Godhead is both Impersonal and Personal. (13.13-17)

(38) Ordinary men without any knowledge of the Supreme Godhead (Sree Krishna) worship many others who are but materially empowered living beings in order to achieve quick success of their aspirations. (4.12 + 7.20-23, 9.23-25)

(39) Presence of Godhead is perceived impersonally in the material world but He is manifested in Person in the spiritual world. (7.24-28)

(40) In the material world, He is present impersonally as described in Bhagwat Geeta - (10.19-42, 11.9-50, 9.4-10)

(41) In the spiritual world He is Personally present, first as Paramatma (16.16-19) then as Bhagwan in the transcendental world (8.20-22)

(42) In the spiritual world the Absolute Personality of Godhead extends Himself as many personalities. (10.42)

(43) Those who are self-realised souls, they only can only see the Absolute Personality of Godhead when He descends Himself by His own internal potency. (9.13-14, 10.3, 10.9-11, 12.2)

(44) The Archa Murti is the transcendental and identical representation of the Absolute Personality of Godhead for the benefit of those conditioned souls who want approaching Godhead. (9.24-26)

(45) Matter is not therefore the ultimate cause of the universe. The ultimate creator is the powerful while the material world is the power only. (9.10-12)

(2) Man's Duty Toward Godhead

(1) Every living entity being Godhead's parts & parcel it is everyone's duty to cooperate with Him. (7.3, 7.7)

(2) There are two types of living entities (a) those who are in the material world and (b) others who are in the spiritual world. (7.14-21)

(3) Those who are in the material world are subjected to threefold miseries inflicted by the material energy. (9.4, 15.7-10)

3a The spiritualists being complete harmony with the plan of God by cooperation

(4) The materialists are servant of passion and anger born of demoniac principles and are therefore punished by the External Energy of Godhead Maya (16.4-20 7.15)

(5) Such materialist when listens to the instruction of Godhead i.e. Bhagwat Geeta, attains to transcendental loving service of Godhead. (7.14 18.65-66) (16.19)

(6) The utmost important duty of humankind is therefore to cooperate with the Personality of Godhead. (9.24) (9.22) (8.15-16) (9.3)

(7) Good work, salvation by knowledge, or perfection by mystic powers are all subordinate to the transcendental loving service of Godhead. (see item 35 clause of 1st Chapter)

(8) Knowledge for salvation without attainment of transcendental loving service of Godhead is simply to accept unnecessary sufferings (12.5-12) (6.22)

(9) Real knowledge for salvation is as described in Bhagwat Geeta (13.7-11)

(10) Everyone, maybe he either Brahmin, Kshatriya Vaishya or Sudra or even less than a Sudra, must cooperate in the transcendental loving service of Godhead. (18.41-48)

(11) Salvation is not attained simply by dry speculative adventures but by service of Godhead only. (14.22-24)

(12) Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead is just like the sun. Therefore one is at once liberated from the nescience of matter as soon as he surrenders to Sree Krishna (Bengali writing) 10.10-11)

(13) One should not desire to cooperate with Godhead conditionally for some material gain. (17.21-22)

(14) Even if one agrees to cooperate with Godhead conditionally for some material gain, Godhead not only does satisfy ones' material wants but also gradually takes him to higher life. (9.22, 10.3, 10.10-11)

(15) Such pure devotional service of Godhead is attainable by the association of saints. (9.13-14, 10.8-9)

(16) By the mercy of Krishna only one can attain to Krishna by such association of saints. (10.10-11)

(17) So if one develops the sense of associating with saintly devotees, he is blessed by Krishna.

(18) Without associating with the saintly devotees no one can develop God consciousness. (13.7)

(19) Sri Krishna is the ideal saint, so one should approach Sri Krishna through His transparent medium (spiritual master) and thus Sri Krishna will reveal Himself. (2.6-7, 18.64-66)

(20) The last word of Sri Krishna is acceptable only to those who have undergone a transcendental training only (18.67-68)

(21) One who is thus completely purged of all vices only he can pin his faith in the last word of Sri Krishna (7.25-28)

(22) Such a pure-in-heart devotee is not only rare but is very much dear to the heart of Sri Krishna (7.19, 6.29-31)

(23) There are some typical signs on the person of such pure devotee of Godhead to indicate his purity (12.14-20)

(24) In order to attain to this stage of devotional mode of service one should guard against such destructive habits as are described in Bhagwat Geeta (18.4-6, 9-10, 12-13, 18-19, 21-22)

(25) One can begin to practice such devotional services under a bona fide spiritual master and by doing so one can gradually revive his God consciousness even in this mundane world. (7.16-17, 6.3-8, 6.1, 5.21-22)

(26) God consciousness or transcendental loving service of Godhead is never imposed artificially upon any living being but it is inherent in him. It can be revived only by practice. (12.6-10)

(27) The general process is to approach first to the bona fide spiritual master. (4.35-43)

(28) Next stage is to worship Krishna by all means (3.3-35, 9.26-27)

(29) Next stage is to regulate habits, diet, practice fasting on special days such Ekadashi etc. (6.14-18)

(30) To practice equilibrium of mind so that one may not be disturbed by worldly gain or loss. (5.18-20)

(31) To practice concentrating one's mind only on Sri Krishna the Absolute Personality of Godhead but not to disregard other empowered living being known as Gods. (9.22-23, 3.30-32, 7.7, 9.34, 18.65, 10.6, 10.9 11.55, 12.15)

(32) Of all such devotional practices, the most important is the association of saintly devotees, chanting the holy name of Krishna, to live in a sacred place, and to worship the Archa Murti of Sree Krishna (4.38, 9.13-14)

(33) In course of practicing such spiritual training, if a devotee commits any mistake, Sri Krishna saves him from falling down. (Bengali writing)

(34) Salvation, knowledge, renouncement all such attempts are mundane-cum-spiritual attempts. One who practices pure devotional activity, all other qualities are automatically achieved. (Bengali writing)

(3) Man's ultimate necessity and perfection of life

(1) Somehow or other if a fortunate man gets the opportunity of associating with a saintly devotee, he gets the chance of hearing & chanting the holy name of Godhead. In such process, the devotee is liberated from all mundane influence and in such state of purity only one can be situated in the spiritual Nature. (2.39-53)

(2) The symptoms of such spiritually situated devotee are significantly manifested by the following signs (2.56-72)

(3) There is no need for unnecessarily observing austere penances for spiritual advancement. The spiritually situated devotee in all ranks of life is transcendental to material existence. (12.13-20)

45+34+3=82

x4

328

(End of handwritten pages, final typed matter follows:)

(1) Sree Krishna the Absolute Personality of Godhead can be known through the transcendental loving service (18.55) (7.3)

(2) Real happiness is obtainable only through this transcendental loving service (18.66, 7.14, 7.28)

(3) Man tries to remove his difficulties by work and when baffled in that attempt he tries to get rid of the material bondage by an exercise of the mental faculty. But real happiness does not lie either in the bodily or mental plane. (6.21-23, 3.41, 2.14)

(4) Bhagwat Geeta is the cream of all the vedas, puranas, upanishads and allied other scriptures. (4.1-3) and Sree Krishna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead reveals Himself as He is in the Bhagwat Geeta (15.15)

(5) Sree Krishna is recognized by Sri Arjuna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only on the strength of the authoritative recognition of the great saints and sages (10.12-16) but also on his own transcendental personal experience as constant friend and companion of Sree Krishna (11.1-4)

(6) By the materialists Sree Krishna is perceived in Impersonal display of material energy (10.13-42)

(7) The whole material existence is maintained by His material energy (9.4-10) and He keeps his watch over it by His Plenary Portion known as Paramatma (15.12-17)

(8) Sree Krishna in His Personal feature eternally enjoys in the transcendental realm (15.6) (8.16) (8.20-22)

(9) Sree Krishna is perceived by the transcendentalists in His three transcendental features namely (1) impersonal Brahma, (14.27) (2) His Plenary Portion, Paramatma (15.17), and Purushottama the Supreme Personality of Godhead (15.18)

(10) Impersonal Brahma is His transcendental effulgence of spiritual ray (15.12) (14.27)

(11) Paramatma is His Plenary Portion who pervades the whole existence. (15.17) (18.61) (10.42)

(12) But Sree Krishna Himself is the Absolute Personality of Godhead (7.7)

(13) Sree Krishna can expand Himself both by His material, spiritual, marginal energies. By His material energy He creates this material world made up of earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego (7.4). By His spiritual energy He expands Himself as Brahman, Paramatma and the Personality of Godhead as above mentioned and By His marginal energy He expands Himself as different living being (7.5) (14.3-4) (15.7)

(14) It is mistake therefore to conclude that material world evolves out of its own energy. It is the energy of Sree Krishna (9.4-10)

(15) Sree Krishna Himself or His plenary portion descends in this material world in different period in order to keep in order His creation of material energy (4.6-9)

(16) Such incarnation of Godhead are innumerable but they are not created by man-made ideas. They are all described in the Scriptures as Vedas, Puranas etc (16.23)

(17) Sree Krishna appears Himself once in a day of Brahma the Lord of the universe (8.17)