KUMARA - Bhagavad Gitabhagavad-gita.org/Gita/Commentaries/Doc/kesanew18.… · Web viewBhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verse 1 This is the final chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and in it

Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verse 1

This is the final chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and in it the Supreme Lord Krishna gives a concise synopsis of all the subjects presented in the previous 17 chapters. This He does in order to impress upon our memories the topics elaborated upon earlier and to clearly delineate how all conceptions harmoniously unite in the marvellous sublime beauty of the final conclusion. At the end of the last chapter it was explained that actions were only declared righteous if they were performed for the exclusive satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations revealed in Vedic scriptures. Such actions exclusively dedicated in chapter 17, verse 27 for His satisfaction alone are known as SAT and clearly denote that the desire for rewards is what is to be abandoned and not the activity. This was also confirmed earlier in chapter 12, verse 11 where Lord Krishna advises that controlling the mind one should relinquish the desire for the rewards of actions. Even earlier in chapter 5, verse 13 Lord Krishna had advised mentally renouncing all actions.

Why then do these two instructions seem contradictory and what is the correct understanding regarding the renunciation of all actions and the renunciation of desire for the receiving the rewards of actions? The true nature of abandonment of actions and the abandonment of the desire for rewards and the distinction between the two is what Lord Krishna will address. In this context it must be taken into consideration whether or not sannyasa or renunciation and tyaja or abandonment are actually different. The Mundaka Upanisad III.II.VI beginning veda tat vijnano sunisch meaning: Those who have purified themselves through renunciation and have ascertained and comprehended the Vedic scriptures will achieve moksa or liberation from material existence. Neither through actions, nor wealth, nor progeny but only by renunciation is immortality gained.

The evocatives mahabaho meaning mighty armed denotes Lord Krishna’s indomitable might and kesinisudana refers to His destroying a mighty demon. So He is requested to by His supreme power to destroy the misunderstanding of renunciation along with destroying the enemies on the battlefield. The evocative Hrsikesa acknowledges that Lord Krishna is the inner monitor of the mind and that only He can remove all doubts.

Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verse 1 by Keshava Kashmiri.


Lord Krishna explains that some learned men of knowledge propound renunciation as sannyasa or abandoning all activities prescribed or otherwise motivated by desire for rewards. While other men of wisdom maintain that renunciation is tyaja or abandoning the desire for rewards and not relinquishing the prescribed Vedic activitiy.



Other erudite men of knowledge assert that since all activities contain an element of desire which are producive of bondage they should all be given up. While other wise men of discernment declare that prescribed Vedic duties such as yagna or ritualistic worship and propitiation, tapah or austerities and penance and danam or charity should never to be abandoned.



Thus after relegating various divergent views regarding renunciation which is complicated and difficult to comprehend. The Supreme Lord Krishna prepares to give His conclusion stating it has been established by the wise and erudite that renunciation is of three disntinct types characterised as topmost, intermediate and lowest.



Lord Krishna reveals His absolute conclusion by declaring that under no circumstances should prescribed Vedic activities be terminated. Activities such as yagna or ritualistic propitiation and worship, tapah or Vedic austerities and penance as well as danam or charity to Vaisnavas and Brahmins are sanctifying and purifying. They have been established at the beginning of creation to benefit all living entities and they elevate the minds of those aspirants who contemplate and meditate on the Supreme Lord.



It might be submitted by an erudite enquirer that Lord Krishna Himself has stated that karma or reactions to action leads to the bondage of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death so can how can actions be sanctifying and purifying. To answer this Lord Krishna assures that absolutely such prescribed Vedic activities such as yagna or ritualistic propitiation and worship, tapah or austerities and danam or charity to the Vaisnavas and Brahmins as well as daily obligatory duties must be performed with firm conviction and full faith in the injunctions and ordinances of the Vedic scriptures; or else demerits, offenses and contamination will be incurred. But although these activities are not to be abdicated they must be performed without any sense of ego as the doer and without even the slightest desire for rewards. This can be accomplished either as a matter of duty or for the exclusive satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as revealed in Vedic scriptures.



The Supreme Lord Krishna delineates the three types of renunciation associated with prescribed Vedic activities. Prohibited actions and acts of adharma or unrighteousness as

well as any activity motivated by a desire other then the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord are undoubtedly to be abandoned. But renunciation of prescribed Vedic activities results in evil and inauspiciousness acts that propel one to hellish destinations. An example is not following ekadasi or fasting from all grains on the 11th day of the waxing and waning new moon and full moon. If one renounces this injunction one will certainly have to suffer in a hellish condition of life. So to disregard and ignore prescribed Vedic activities is not appropriate or advisable because these activities help to purify the mind. To relinquish what is benefical due to indifference, indiscretion or indiscrimination has been declared as situated in tama guna or mode of ignorance because such renunciation reveals the presence of inertia and nescience.



Here Lord Krishna speaks of the renunciation characterised by raja guna or mode of passion. The phrase dukham eva can mean troublesome. One who is unhappy about executing their obligations and forsakes their duties due to discomfort or else performs them reluctantly with minimal exertion and effort will acquire no benefit or reap any reward for their endeavors. They are known to be situated in raga guna and such renunciation will bestow neither spirirtual knowledge nor advancement in spiritual life.



Now Lord Krishna reveals renunciation characterised with the mode of goodness. Prescribed Vedic activities performed as karyam iti eva a sense of duty and tvaktya sangam abandoning attachment to receiving rewards for one’s actions and any and all ego sense are situated in sattva guna because they are performed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord by the grace of the Vaisnava preceptor. This includes both daily

activities and occasional activities. The purport is that activities performed with an intent of offering them to the Supreme Lord purifies the consciousness and bestows spiritual knowledge.



Lord Krishna explains that the aspirant who is imbued and saturated with sattva guna the mode of goodness has achieved spiritual knowledge by renunciation and possess discrimination regarding spirit and matter. The word medhavi means superior intelligence, which bequeathes upon one the faculty of retentive focus which gives the ability to comprehend the ultimate truth through any experience. Such a one neither abhors that which is undesirable nor seeks that which is desirable. Such a one does not avoid prescribed Vedic activities because they may cause discomfort such as: predawn bath daily in the cold of winter or following ekadasi by fasting from all grains on the 11th day of the waxing and waning moons and staying up all night chanting sacred incantations and meditating, etc. Such a one never gets attached to that which gives comfort and a sense of well being such as eating rich vegetarian foods, enjoying the pleasantness of beautiful environments, etc. The purport is that such a one is prepared to undergo comfort or discomfort in executing prescribed Vedic activities without attachment.



Some may conclude that if those imbued with sattva guna or the mode of goodness neither welcomes nor avoids actions conducive to happiness or unhappiness, then they should not indulge in any activities at all because anyway they are not desirous of rewards. Contrarily the very same activities if they are motivated by desire for rewards keep one enslaved in samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death. So to be safe it would be better to abandon all actions. Lord Krishna

resolves this predicament in this verse by confirming that it is impossible for any jiva or embodied being in a gross or subtle body to completely stop all actions entirely. This is because there is always some activitiy operating for the maintenance of the subtle and physical body even if it is beyond the threshold of comsciousness. So in conclusion one who has relinquished the desire for rewards for their actions performing prescribed Vedic activities with bhakti or exclusive loving devotion or performing them as a matter of duty is designated as situated in actual renunciation and not the mere abstainer of actions.



Others may speculate that just as milk products such as butter, cheese. cream and curds without thinking about them increasing the fat content of the body anyway increase bodily fat when eaten. Then likewise the performance of prescribed Vedic activities even without desire for any rewards would still yield rewards in the next life which would be obstacles in achieving moksa or liberation from material existence. So such aspirants should refrain from all actions. This conception is refuted by Lord Krishna as He clarifies that the result of those seeking rewards for actions are threefold. Those actions performed in righteousness are meritorious and they award birth in the heavenly spheres. Those actions performed unrighteously are unmeritorious leading to evil consequences and cause birth in the hellish planets and birth as animals. Those actions that are both a mixture of righteousness and unrighteousness cause one to take birth in the human realms. This applies only to those desirious of rewards for the actions they perform. For those who have renounced the desire for rewards completely they are not subject to the threefold births as there are no rewards for them to be attached to as obstacles for achieving moksa. Thus such righteous aspirants never indulge in unmeritorious conduct and hence no evil consequences are attached to them and as all their meritorious activities are already dedicated to the exclusive satifaction of the Supreme Lord, there is no possibilty of them being attached to their actions or any desire therof. So with this understanding there is no scope for any doubt about this matter.


Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verses 13, 14

Lord Krishna previously clarified that those who perform actions motivated by desire incarnate and take birth in either the heavenly, hellish or human worlds; but those who have renounced the desire for rewards are not subject to this karma or reactions to actions. Now in order to establish the fact that egoism and non-egoism are the cause of actions influenced by indiscrimination and discrimination, Lord Krishna revals the five factors which cojointly contribute to the accomplishment of all action. These five factors accomplish all actions and must be understood by the aspirants for moksa or liberation from material existence in order to achieve the discriminative knowledge that dissolves the sense of egoism while performing actions. These five factors to be presented will remove any doubt regarding the liberating or binding effects of actions. The Sankhya philosophy of analytical rationalism established by Kapila Deva an incarnation of Lord Krishna, explains these five factors in detail as a method of eradicating the effects of all actions. This method is by precise analytical ascertainment of the cause and effect of all actions. Such analysis includes atma the immortal soul, maya the illusory potency, prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence, paramatma the Supreme Soul etc. and illustrates how a jiva or embodied beings relationship with each liberates or binds one in the material existence and thus is understood to be included in Vedanta.

The five factors are the physical body, the five senses such eyes, ears, etc., the ego, the life airs which govern breathing and the atma the controller of them all. The Vedanta Sutra II.III.XXXIII beginning upadanat states: The atma of the jiva or embodied being at the death of the physical body takes the pranas along with it; therefore the atma is the controller. Some assert without any basis that the controller is the insentient ego but this opinion should be rejected based upon the evidence cited above. For how can the insentient ego be responsible for the physical body, the senses, the life airs and itself as well along with the atma. It is not possible for the insentient to control the sentient, The controller of the five factors is atma the individual immortal soul and the controller of all atmas simultaneously is paramatma the Supreme Soul

residing with the atma within the etheric heart of all living entities. Srila Vedavyasa has confirmed this in Vedanta Sutras II.III.XXXXI beginning amso nana vyapadesa:The atma is vibhinamsa an infintessimal expansion of paramatma like the rays of the sun.

Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verses 13, 14 by Keshava Kashmiri.


The five factors being the physical body, the life airs, the ego, the senses and the soul are invariably the cause of all actions. Lord Krishna now specifies that all actions performed by the mind, speech or body whether righteous as prescribed by the Vedic scriptures or unrighteous which are prohibited in the Vedic scriptures are caused by these five factors.



Now Lord Krishna explains that not withstanding the positive merits or negative demerits of actions performed by the mind, speech and body. One who is untrained, unrestrained and undeveloped is due to lack of instructions from the Vaisnava spiritual master who teaches the knowledge and import of the Vedic scriptures. Such ignorant and misguided fools who ignore the Vaisnava spiritual master who is always in the line of authorised disciplic succession from one of the four authorised sampradayas or channels of spiritual knowledge as confirmed in the Padma Purana and Garga Samhita; believe that they alone are the sole cause of their actions and not the five previously mentioned factors. Such miscreants are so deluded by this distorted mentality that they are oblivious to the fact that their very existence and everything else existing in creation is irrevocably dependent upon the Supreme Lord.



Thus after describing that the indiscrimate and unfortunate jiva or embodied being who think of themselves merely as a material body and erroneously believe they are the independent doer of actions are ignorant and of perverse, distorted understanding that pollutes their mentality. Whereas a person bereft of egoism possessed of proper understanding is not tainted with the evil consequence of karma which binds one so perniciously to samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. One whose mind has been purified through association with the Vaisnvas and instructions from the Vedic scriptures from hearing the words of the Vaisnava spiritual master no longer consider themselves the doer of actions nor are they ever attached to the desire of rewards for their actions. Such evolved beings have resolved that everything is completely dependent upon the Supreme Lord who is sustaining and energising everything and is the sole isvara the controller of all existence. Thus one has no conceptions of I will do or this is mine or I will achieve, etc. and so forth. One who has achieved the true nature of the atma the immortal soul automatically realises their eternal connection to the Supreme Lord Krishna. Such a blessd one is not affected by material activities or influenced by worldly conceptions. If a situation arises on its own accord where such a one must perform actions they never think of themselves as the doer but consider that the Supreme Lord is the doer of everything. Thus they are not fettered to actions and subsequently are not coerced to accept the resultant karma which forces one to experience the merits or demerits of actions.



Lord Krishna reaffirms that one who is free from egoism and the notions of I did this and I did that is not bound by actions and there consequent reactions. The state of egolessness is the result of a preponderance of sattva guna the mode of goodness and such affinity is the doorway leading to spiritual knowledge. So in order to present the threefold types of action and their performance He speaks of knowledge infering about the action, the object of knowledge, the qualified agent, the

prescribed procedure, the knower of the ritual to the Supreme Lord and the perfomer thereof. These threefold factors of knowledge, the knowable and the knower form the basis that motivates all actions in the form of initiating actions, instructing actions and directing actions, etc. It has been declared by the 8th century pandit Kumarila Bhatta who was responsible for defeating innumerable propounders of impersonalistic conceptions of the Supreme Lord: That directing, instructing and enjoining are all of the same idea. The action as the object of knowledge is also threefold. As mantras or sacred incantations are the most effacious means for invoking and propitaiating the Supreme Lord, ass the hands are the most effective instruments for offering oblations to the Supreme Lord and as the sruk or ladle is the most effective instrument for pouring ghees or clarified butter in the sacred fire. In the same way the Vedic ritual is accomplished by the actions of the performer of the action who is merely an instrument alsol and not the actual doer as the previously explained factors factually constitute all actions.



Now Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of the threefold factors of knowledge, the knowable and the knower on the basis of the three gunas or modes of material nature. Knowledge as the object of all actions can be explained as that which gives knowledge. The knowable is one who knows the means by which the action is accomplished. The knower is the one performing the action. These three are the essential elements and their characteristics and functions have been substantiated in the philosophy of Sankhya or analytical knowledge by Lord Krishna’s avatar of Kapila-deva and will be elaborated upon in the next three verses.



Lord Krishna speaks of three types of knowledge determined by the three gunas or modes of material nature beginning with

sattva guna or mode of goodness. One who while performing activities perceives the one undivided, immutable and imperishable nature in the form of the atma or immortal soul residing within all jivas or embodied beings simultaneously such as demigods, humans, animals, spirits, etc. which are merely exhibiting unlimited varieagated forms according to species and genre is one who is firmly situated in sattva guna.



That knowledge which has been characterised with raja guna the mode of passion cognises the manifold existence of the jiva or embodied being as related to physical bodies, seeing division in difference of forms, species, genre, etc. Establishing criteria based on bodily conception and oblivious to the true reality of the omnipresent atma or immortal soul such jivas are undeniably rooted in raja guna. The particle tu meaning however indicates that raja guna inferior to sattva guna.



That knowledge which mechanically clings to the stagnating mentality that there is nothing better than their conception, that there is nothing more to discover, that there is no other path but theirs. Who perform the most trivial types of worship merely for their own selfish goals. Who worship impersonal conceptions of God without qualities and attributes. Who worship pagan forms symbolising God. Who worship ghosts, spirits, goblins and demons. Who irrationally dedicate their lives to such mundane delusions without any tangible objective while foolishly imagining they are accomplishing results of great import. Such jivas or embodied beings are inescably enslaved in tama guna the mode of ignorance.



Having described the three types of action dependent upon the knowledge possessed by the performer in each of the three gunas or modes of material nature. Lord Krishna now presents the actions of prescribed Vedic activities beginning with sattva guna the mode of goodness. Those actions that are ordained by the Vedic scriptures as obligatory, that are performed as a matter of duty without attachment, that are executed without an egoic sense of being the doer, that are performed without desire for rewards in the form of name, fame, wealth, honor, adoration, etc.Such actions are deemed by the wise as being situated in sattva guna.



Lord Krishna explains that actions that involve excessive effort and cause stress and strain from the conception to the completion. Actions that are executed with the expectation of enjoyment and rewards. Actions that are motivated by vanity, conceit and egoism as well as desire for recognition. Such actions are known to be situated in raja guna the mode of passion.



Those actions that are undertaken through the defect of not knowing that absolutely everything is under the complete control of the Supreme Lord Krishna. Those actions that are engaged in without considering the consequences of good or evil for them or determining as to whether or not one is capable of accomplishing them. Those actions that cause harm to others and to oneself and that are merely a waste of time, energy and expenditure. Such actions are invariably situated in tama guna the mode of ignorance.



Of the three objects worth knowing Lord Krishna speaks of the performer of actions in the three gunas or modes of material nature commencing with sattva guna the mode of goodness. One who is free from the desire for rewards of actions is free from attachment to actions. Such a one has dissolved their ego involving the performance of actions. Although possessing enthusiasm and determination they are equipoised and not agitated by the infamy of failure or ecstatic by the adulation of success. Those possessing such attributes are invariably situated in sattva guna.



One who is attached to actions due to craving for rewards, who is impelled by sense gratification, who is envious of others, who is greedy, unrighteous and prone to cruelty from an oppressive nature inhibiting the welfare of others. Who is joyful gaining benefit but sorrowful at incurring loss. Such a one is undeniably situated in raja guna the mode of passion.



One lacking in self control and devoid of piety, who is vain, vile and vulgar an. Who identifies with mundane material nature without discriminative knowledge. Who is deceitful, lethargic and morose. Who is offensive to others and who procrastinates in doing what is expected. Such unfortunates are indisputably situated intama guna the mode of ignorance.



Thus Lord Krishna has described the threefold characteristics of action, its knowledge and the performer of actions based upon the the three gunas or modes of material nature. Next He will speak of buddhi or intellect and dhriti or determination also based on the influence of the three gunas. Both are essential in the ascertainment of truth and reality and worldly parlance and require clarity and reason in the case of buddhi as well as patience and forebearance applying to dhriti.



Now Lord Krishna speaks about the three types of intellect due to the influence of the three gunas or modes of material nature. He begins first by describing one situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness by explaining that buddhi or intellect that correctly determines the righteous paths of action which accomplish three of the four goals of human existence: kama or enjoyment, artha or wealth, dharma or righteousness excluding moksa or liberation which is strived for when one in the final stage of life has achieved renunciation from actions. Fear is not knowing what is to be done and fearless is knowing what is to be done according to time, place and circumstances. Samsara is bondage to the perpetual cycle of birth and death. The cause of bondage is attachment to the pleasures of sense gratification. The cause of moksa is detachment from the pleasures of sense gratification. The word buddhi meaning intellect denotes the word vetti meaning understanding by which ther is comprehension and is universally known to that effect. So there is no contradiction about the two in this light. It is like stating the sword severed the demons head but it means that someone wielding the sword severed the demons head.

Thus ends the commentary Chapter 18, verse 30 by Keshava Kashmiri.


Here Lord Krishna explains that buddhi or intellect of one situated in raja guna the mode of passion distorts reality and misunderstands what is right and what is wrong, what should be done and what should not be done. Performing action at the wrong time, in the wrong place, in the wrong way. What is prohibited they engage in and what is ordained they abstain from.



Now the influence on buddhi or intellect of one situated in tama guna or mode of ignorance is described by Lord Krishna. That intellect which is enveloped in ignorance and warped by distortion. Which considers the highest reality as an insignificant entity. Who understands the Supreme absolute truth to be lower than an abstract, impersonal conception. That considers the conditioned jiva to be erqual to the Supreme Lord. To imagine the Supreme Lord who ioverflowing with all divine qualities, attributes and potencies to be on the same platform as all other gods. Who negate the eternal and imperishable Vedic scriptures for some impermanent, temporal religious texts applicable for limited time. Who cannot tell what is real in this world and who thinks what is unreal is real.Who are unable to fathom that the Supreme Lord in one with and different from His creation simulataneously. Such a one is unavoidably situated in tama guna.



Of the three types of dhriti or determination influenced by the three gunas or modes of material existence, Lord Krishna first begins with sattva guna the mode of goodness. The proposed activity which is unwavering in its resolve, focused in mind one pointedly without deviation or cessation by utilising the yoga of meditation and pranayama or breath control to direct the function of the senses such dhriti is invariably situated in sattva guna.



Now Lord Krishna describes the dhriti or determination that is influenced by raja guna the mode of passion. The proposed activity which is engaged in for the purpose of reaping the rewards of worldly enjoyments and material possessions, which is executed with the conception that one is the doer and which one is attached to and zealous of such dhriti is undeniably situated in raja guna.



Here Lord Krishna explains that dhriti or determination situated in tama guna or mode of ignorance is dominated by evil and wickedness whose discriminatory faculties are focused on demoniac activities prohibited in the Vedic scriptures such as cow killing which they will not abandon on their own volition. Due to constant speculation reality for them is a fog of doubts and despondency acerbated by fears and grief and uncertainty.


Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verses 36, 37

Thus after presenting how the three gunas or modes of material nature influence knowledge, action, agent, intellect and determination; Lord Krishna elaborates upon the three types of sukham or happiness aspired for by every human being because all of the aforementioned factors are enacted for the sake of receiving happiness. Now the three forms of sukham will be explained to reveal what is to be embraced and what is to be avoided. The sukham by which one experiences unabated pleasure by consistent practice of devotion,

meditation and adoration of the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations as revealed in Vedic scriptures is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness. Such sukham is unhampered by the pangs of sense gratification and the attraction for sense objects and its temporary illusions of pleasure. Hence that which in the beginning by practice of detachment, restraint, renunciation, austerities, meditation, etc. appear to be like poison but at the end when they have been perfected are just like nectar, extremely delicious. By meditation on the Supreme Lord Krishna and constantly focused internally on the atma r immortal soul one stays established in sattva guna. The serenity and equanimity one derives from such sukham is like an elixir to the purified mind arising from abandonment of desire and cessation of passion, greed and infatuation that are the by products of raja guna the mode of passion and tama guna the mode of ignorance.

Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verses 36, 37 by Kesava Kasmiri


The sukham or happiness that is derived from sense gratification by the contact with the objects of the senses such as sexual and sensual bodily enjoyments, although seeming to be like nectar in the beginning when it is fresh and newly experienced but later after habitual repetition over and over again continuously throughout one’s life it becomes just like venom yielding unhappiness in this world and the next. Such activities are for begetting children in the grihasta ashram or married life and perpetuating the species otherwisw such activites keep on in bondage and and hence are deplorable. Such sukham Lord Krishna confirms as situated in raja guna the mode of passion.



That sukham or happiness which stupefies the jiva or embodied being by making perception of reality obscure. Which seems to be like nectar in the beginning as well as in the end and which is supported by slothfulness, indolence,

folly and delusion is declared by Lord Krishna as situated in tama guna the mode of ignorance.



Thus concluding His exposition on the threefold influences of the three gunas or modes of material nature the Supreme Lord Krishna reveals that there is no jiva or embodied being in a subtle body, physical body or etheric body in any species including human, demigod and demoniac in the material worlds, heavenly spheres or demoniac planets everywhere in creation that are exempt from the influence of the three gunas arising from prakriti the material substratum pervading physical existence which is a manifested potency of the Supreme Lord.



Lord Krishna having concluded an elaborate exposition on the three gunas or modes of material nature and how they influence the jivas or embodied beings; entitling those who are conscious of what is eternally in their best interest to aspire for moksa or liberation from material existence by wholeheartedly cultivating the qualities of sattva guna the mode of goodness. Now a point of contention may be raised that if all jivas are categorised in one of the three modes according to which one is predominant then a jiva for example possessing the virtues that would situate one in sattva guna would have to enjoy the equisite happiness of the heavenly planets with all of the rapturous but transitory pleasures of the celestial demigods and moksa will have eluded them. In such a situation how will they be delivered from samsara th perpetual cycle of birth and death and attain the bliss of moksa. In order to respond to such a question, Lord Krishna specifically introduces the inherent qualifications of the Brahmins as ordained by Vedic scriptures along with the natural duties that are established upon the differentiated degrees of goodness that one possesses. This applies to raja

and tama gunas as well according to varnasrama or the status and stage of lfe in which one is situated, In order to to establish that the prescribed Vedic activities enjoined in the Vedic scriptures are by nature dominated by sattva guna if performed without self motivation for the exclusive satisfaction of the Supreme Lord then as such they confer tranquillity, wisdom and devotion which all lead to moksa and heralds the imminent attainment of communion with the Supreme Lord.

The Brahmins the priestly class, the ksatriyas or royal warrior class and the vaisya’s the mercantile and agricultural class are all spoken of in unison because they only have the right to initiation making them qualified to study the Vedic scriptrures, engage in yagnas or ritualistic propitiation and worship. Whereas the sudra or servant class are mentioned separately as they have not the qualification for initiation and study of the Vedic scriptures but all are factually the product of their own innate natures.

To study the Vedic scriptures and perform yagna the prerequisite of initiation essential and required. A sudra is a fourth class citizen who may perform unauthorised activities without sin because they are only once born from the womb not twice born by the spiritual master. It is prohibited in the Vedic scripture to initiate a sudra. If done it will bring calamity upon the spiritual master, his dynasty and the whole kingdom. There are direct references in the Vedic scriptures prohibiting sudras from initiation. Such passages as: The sudra carries the dead body to the cremation ground that is a sudra and if a sudra hears a mantra his ears should be filled with wax, if he recites a mantra his tongue should be cut out and if he memorises a mantra his life should be taken. So it can be understood that in ancient times the prohibitions of a sudra were strictly enforced.

But examples are cited in Vedic scriptures attesting to the fact that if it is discered that a sudra possesses the innate qualities of sattva guna then even he can be eligible to receive initiation if this has been ascertained by the bonafide spiritual master.

There is a famous example in the Javalaopanisad of even an outcaste which is lower then a sudra humbly begging for initiation at the feet of the sage Gautama Rishi who perfunctionarily asked him who his father was. The outcaste boy did not know who his father was and told Gautama Rishi

that he would have to ask his mother and come back. When he returned he confessed that his mother had told him that she had slept with many men before he was born and so she could not verify who his father was. Yet as unsavoury as the story was because the outcaste boy had told the truth Gautama Rishi was pleased and told him that total honesty is an undeniable virtue of sattva guna thus qualifying him to receive initiation and immeadiately ordered him to shave his head, take full bath and put on clean cloth, whereby Gautama Rishi initiated him.

The innate characteristic of the Brahmins is predominance of sattva guna. That of a ksatriya is a predominance of raja guna with some sattva guna. That of a vaisya is an equal portion of raja guna and tama guna and that of a sudra is a predominance of tama guna with a little raja guna.



Lord Krishna first elaborates on the duties of Brahmins according to their respective natures based upon the inherent quality of sattva guna the mode of goodness. Control of the mind and senses, engaging in austerities such as fasting and restraint as enjoined in Vedic scriptures, external purity by being physically clean and internal purity by free of desire and animosity. Forgiving those who have been ungrateful and hateful, devoid of duplicity having mutual concordance in body, speech and mind. Firm, unshakeable faith in the Vedic scriptures. Knowledge of what is real and what is illusory. Realisation of the essence of the Vedic scriptures by understanding the actual non-contradictory conclusions of the seemingly contradictory anomalies in various Vedic scriptures. Such are the duties of Brahmins.



The duties of ksatriyas or royal, warrior class according to their inborn qualities situated in raja guna the mode of passion

are enumerated by Lord Krishna. Prowess and valour charcterised by fearless against all adversaries. Majesty is the reality of never being subjugated by others. Steadfastness is the absence of anxiety even in dangerous situations. Dexterity is skilfully fulfilling any action without hesitation even if death is an option. Generosity is donation to the pious and saintly. Rulership is protecting society from the encroachment of evil and unrighteousness.



Now Lord Krishna reiterates the duties of the vaisyas the farmer mercantile class. Cow raising and cow protecting, tilling the land for crops, trading and selling for business are the duities of vaisyas. Industrious service to the other three classes for fair recompense is the duty of sudras the worker class.

The Manu Samhita, chapter one,verses 88-91 confirm: Study of the Vedic scriptures, teaching of the Vedic scriptures, performing Vedic rituals, officiating as priests for ksatriyas and vaisyas initiated in Vedic culture, giving gifts and accepting donations are the duties of Brahmins. Protection of the citizenry, supporting and organising Vedic rituals, study of the Vedic scriptures, righteousness in ruling and giving donations to the Brahmin are the duties of ksatriyas. Protecting and raising of cows, study of the Vedas, agriculture, gift making, buying and trading are duties of vaisyas. Only one service was ordained for sudras the worker class and that was to ungrudgingly serve the three upper social orders.

The qualities of controlling the mind and senses, physical restraint of the body, etc. are commonly prescribed for all aspirants of moksa or liberation, they are naturally present in Brahmins due to being inherently predominated by sattva guna. The Vedic scriptures cite examples that others due to samskaras or previous impressions may also be situated in sattva guna as well if possessing truthfulness, forgiveness, non-violence, humility, etc. and the various qualities of sattva guna. This is apparent.

Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verses 44 by Keshava Kashmiri.


One who performs the natural prescribed duties as ordained by the Vedic scriptures according to qualification accomplihes the four goals of human existence which are: kama or enjoyment, artha or wealth, dharma or ighteousness and moksa or liberation from material existence. By devotion and wholehearted commitment to performing one’s natural duty the highest perfection is achieved in the form of self-realisation. It may be submitted that so many perform their duties perfectly and yet still do not achieve the highest perfection, this is seen to be true. But the reason for not achieving self-realisation is that they have not yet developed devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna wholeheartedly. That is why success eluded them. So this is how the natural duties of a human should be conducted.



The perfection of self-realisation is only obtained in perfection from worshipping the Supreme Lord and offering everything one possesses to Him. This can be also done by following one’s natural duties without deviation as ordained in Vedic scriptures. All jivas or embodied beings manifested from Lord Krishna who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and who created, maintains and sustains everything in all creation which is all permeated solely by Him.



Because the natural propensity inherent within is always accurate it behoves one to perform prescribed Vedic activites unto the Supreme Lord as this leads to the highest perfection. Such activities should be performed consistently for securing

one’s own best interests. This Lord Krishna alludes to with the sreyan meaning better for it is better to perform one’s own duty with the intention to propitiate the Supreme Lord even if devoid of merit or deficient in some way; it is still superior to performing the duties of another even if done exemplary. The performance of duties not sanctioned for one in the Vedic scriptures is risky and fraught with danger is susceptible to sin; but in the performance of one’s own natural prescribed duty no sin is incurred.



It may be postulated that if prescribed Vedic activities qualify one for moksa or liberation from material existence then one should abandon deeds which are violent and lethal and strive exclusively for moksa. Lord Krishna refutes this conception with the word sahajam or according to one’s natural propensity. One should never relinquish their own ordained duty in favour of anothers because all endeavours are tainted by some defect or blemish just as fire is tainted by smoke. Although dispelling darkness and cold by providing heat and light fire is accompanied by smoke which burns the eyes and irritates the nose, similarly in the quest for moksa there will be some difficulties and irritations but without clarity of intention and purity of heart it will not be possible for moksa to be achieved. Hence on should perfom their natural duty with the intention to propitiate the Supreme Lord according to qualification and relinquish all desires for rewards. When the heart becomes pure then all imperfections are dissolved and dissappear. So by worshipping the Supreme Lord following one’s own natural prescribed duty one attains self-realisation and achieves moksa. The Isa Upanisad, verse 11 beginning vidyam cavidyam ca yas states: One who knows what is nescience and what is transcendence can overcome samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.



Perfection in the form of absolute knowledge is performing propitiation unto the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations and expansions as ordained in Vedic scriptures in accordance to ones’s own natural propensity. Now He presents the resultant rewards with the words: One whose mind is unfettered and free from attachment to anything, whose senses are totally subdued and completely under control, whose desires and cravings have all evaporated and cease to exist; such a one can reach the Supreme state of perfection. This Supreme state is the highest devotion and is flowing and constant like the purifying flow of the celestial river Ganges, in the form of constant meditation and continuous remembrance of the divine form, divine qualities, divine sweetness and divine pastimes of the effulgent Supreme Lord.


Bhagavad-GitaChapter 18, verse 50

Now Lord Krishna in order to clearly establish that the Supreme state of highest devotion is the eternal cause of internal communion with the Supreme Lord explains the process. The Supreme Lord specifically emphasises that only by exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord is highest devotion of the Supreme state achieved. This is the paramount goal and ultimate attainment and it is eternally transcendent and infinite in nature. In the Bhagavat Purana, Canto 11, chapter 13, verse 14 beginning etavan yoga adisto is stated: The yoga system taught by Lord Krishna’s devotees such as the Kumaras is withdrawing the mind from external objects and focusing it on the Supreme Lord. In the Visnu Purana the Prince Prahlad exclaims to the avatar or incarnation of Lord Krishna known as Narasinghadeva that: Just as the beloved has ardent love for the lover such is the depth of love that he wishes to have in his heart for the Supreme Lord.


Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verses 51, 52, 53

Lord Krishna explains that one endowed with spiritually purified intelligence is naturally predominated with sattva guna the mode of goodness. The classification of higher and lower living entities is determined by the degree in which the mind is controlled and the senses are restrained. The mind is controlled by not indulging in positive or negative thoughts and illusory conceptions and the control of the senses is neutrality towards them without aversion or attraction towards their objects. By living in pure and remote place, exercising a light, vegetarian diet, moderation of speech, mind and body, three times daily meditating on the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord morning, noon and evening in full dispassion, completely eradicating all egoism and conceptions that one is the physical body. Lack of craving bodily sense gratification and soliciting pleasure of the senses, absence of amassing excessive possessions and freedom from mental disturbances bestows the tranquillity and peace of mind to qualify an aspirant to realise the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading al existence which is transcendental to material nature and situated on the spiritual platform is pure and impeccable without any defect or blemish.

Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verse 51,52,53 by Kesav Kasmiri


Now Lord Krishna expounds upon the characteristics of one who has become qualified for realising the state of the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence. One who has experienced the wisdom derived from the manifestation of pure knowledge and is of cheerful mind without any desire for sense objects, who neither greives what is lost or craves for what is unachieved, who due to inner satisfaction resulting from perception of the atma or immortal soul, regards a clod of earth, a stone and a lump of gold as all the same and looks at all jivas or embodied beings with the same equanimity. Such a one is not a friend to those who praise and honor him; nor an enemy to those who criticise and ridicule him. Such ones attain supreme state known as bhakti or exclusive loving devotion unto the Supreme Lord. Bhakti is the supreme perfection of all knowledge. The famous verse in Bhagavat Purana I.VII.X beginning atmaramas ca munayo meaning: All types of liberated beings who delight in communion with the immortal soul and are free from material

bondage; still eagerly desire to render bhakti unto the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations as revealed in Vedic scriptures. This confirms that Lord Krishna has transcendental qualities and divine attributes so wonderful that even those who have achieved moksa or liberation from material existence are still enthused to worship and serve Him. Liberated beings referred to are the four Kumaras led by Sanandana. In this way explaining the highest platform as that of one who renders bhakti unto the Supreme Lord with total purity of heart who is established in atma tattva or realisation of the immortal soul. Devoid of these qualifications it is not possible to realise the state of the brahman in which one perceives all jivas in a state of perfect equanimity. In the absence of realising the state of brahman it is imposiible to become established in atma tattva and devoid of atma tattva is is impossible to achieve the supreme destination and attain communion with the Supreme Lord.



Bhakti or exclusive loving devotion itself manifests the Supreme Lord and by bhakti alone He is revealed. Lord Krishna is bound by the love and devotion of His devotees. Bhakti is superior to everything and is the infallible means of attaining eternal communion with Him. Only by bhakti is it possible to comprehend the reality of Lord Krishna as He is, who He is and what He is in reality. Free from doubts, false knowledge and illusion by understanding His unlimited divine attributes and His endless divine qualities. One becomes blissfully attached to Him through the causeless mercy of His devotee and attaining His grace worships Him exclusively with love and devotion. Such a devotee is always with Him and never away from Him. Lord Krishna being completely subdued by fervent love and devotion never leaves the presence of such a devotee nor does the devotee ever leave Lord Krishna’s presence. Every second of the day In all aspects of life such a devotee is worshipping Him sometimes internally and sometimes externally and thus he abides in the Supreme Lord and the the Supreme Lord abides in him. They are never apart from each other. This has been confirmed In chapter six, verse 30 which states: One who sees the Supreme Lord in everything

and sees everything in the Supreme Lord is never separated from Him.



Thus the results of communion with the Supreme Lord have been elaborated upon by Lord Krishna. This is established through perfecting the performance of prescribed Vedic activities as a natural duty selflessly without any egoistic conceptions or any desire for rewards. Now He reveals that the results for those who are performing prescribed Vedic activities in this way taking sole refuge in the Supreme Lord Krishna as the only goal to be attained and only reward to be sought after even while embroiled in worldly associations and mundane activities will still by His Grace attain immutable, imperishable, eternal communion with Him.



If one is unable to practice detachment by themselves then one should mentally dedicate all actions to the Supreme Lord entrusting them to Him as the doer and offer all prescribed Vedic activities as well as all worldly activities in renunciation. This includes surrendering all ordinances, injunctions and prohibitions as well as one’s daily mundane duties along with the resultant hopes, aspirations and rewards unto the Supreme Lord who becomes the only goal. One who after due reflection makes this resolve has perceived that Lord Krishna is the supreme reality to attain.



If one takes full shelter of the Supreme Lord with the mind fixed on Him while performing every activity. All obstacles and

difficulties by His grace will be overcome. But if out of pride or vanity one disregards the instructions of the Supreme Lord Krishna thinking that one knows better then the eternal wisdom of the Vedic scriptures which originated from Him. Then one is doomed and will be deprived of the four goals of human existence: kama or enjoyment, artha or wealth, dharma or righteousness and moksa or liberation from material existence. One will thus be forced to continue to rot in samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.



Lord Krishna gives the caution that one should not be deluded and think that they are in any way independent of the Supreme Lord. If due to false ego one thinks that they are the independent doer of their actions and take the decision to go against their own natural propensity it would be in vain. Lord Krishna’s external energy is prakriti the material substratum pervading physical existence. From prakriti arises the three gunas or modes of material nature which adjusts itself automatically to the karma or reactions to actions acquired by the different activities a jiva or embodied being performs in countless lifetimes. Changing to the appropriate guna based on such actions the guna itself will compel one to act according to its dictates and any opposition will be futile. Thus ends the commentary to Chapter 18, verse 59 by Keshava

Kashmiri.


Continuing the previous theme Lord Krishna affirms that actions which are one’s natural duty which due to illusion one is not willing do, will in spite of that compel one to do so by the predominating guna or mode of material nature which will coerce one to do them anyway. In this present situation a ksatriya warrior is naturally possesses valour, courage and a heroic tempermant and are situated in raja guna the mode of passion. This is not random but follows a thread from previous births. A ksatriya cannot tolerate even the slightest ridicule or

insult. So upon hearing the raucous insults about his bravery and the degrading insults to his manhood dispaging his prowess from the opposing enemy a ksatriya cannot refrain from avenging their honor in battle iregardless the odds.



Before Lord Krishna spoke of doership as dependent upon material nature and the three gunas or modes of material nature that one is endowed with. This was in line with the samkhya philosophy of analytical reasoning. Now He confirms that all jivas or embodied beings are under the total control of the Supreme Lord based upon the Vedic scriptures. The Taittiriya Upanisad III.IX.II beginning sa yascayam purushe states: The Supreme Lord residing on that plane ot transcendent eternity is the same Supreme Lord that resides within the core of the etheric heart of all jivas o embiodied beings. The Brihadaranyaka Upanisad III.VIII.IX beginning etasya va aksharasya states: Verily by the Supreme Lords command the sun and moon maintain their fixed positions, the heavens and Earth keep ther respective position, the seconds, minutes, hours, days, nights, weeks, months and years all maintain their relative posions. The Supreme Lord is the ultimate controller of everything animate and inanimate which are acting under His external energy prakriti the material substratum pervading physical existence from whence arise three gunas or modes of material nature which determines all actions based upon the karma or reactions to previous good and evil actions enacted in a physical body and five senses which is likened unto a machine. The purport is that just as a puppet master controls his puppets so does the Supreme Lord control the jivas.



If it is practically impossible for one to achieve moksa or liberation from material existence and attain the eternal spiritual worlds of the Supreme Lord. How is it realistic to

aspire for it? To answer this query Lord Krishna declares to exclusively seek refuge in the Supreme Lord alone and nothing else. The Supreme Lord is the creator, protector, maintainer and sustainer of all. He compassionately revealed Srimad Bhagavad-Gita for the benefit of all living entities. Lord Krishna is extremely affectionate to His devotees. Out of His great magnamity and affection He even accepted the position as chariot driver for His dear devotee. By adhering to His dictates as given in the Vedic scriptures and devotedly following His instructions one achieves assured success in life and attains unparalleled bliss in communion with Him in the eernal spiritual worlds which are beyond time, death and all material designations.



Preparing to bestow His Grace, Lord Krishna extols the teachings of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita that have been imparted and concluded the instructions with a summary of what He has revealed thus far regarding renunciation, devotion, action and knowledge. Now He gives the instruction to contemplate and reflect upon the three paths of karma yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme Lord by action, bhakti yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme Lord by exclusive loving devotion and jnana yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme Lord by knowledge. After examining the teachings thoroughly and considereing carefully resolve accordingly the manner in which they are to be implemented into reality.



In order to dissolve the need to summarise the scriptural texts of the entire Simad Bhagavad-Gita which is poignant and deep in meaning. The Supreme Lord Krishna out of magnanimous compassion refined it to its essence with the words sarva guhyataman the most confidential of all. This ultimate essence He will reveal in the next two verses. It may be wondered why

is Lord Krishna emphasising that the ultimate essence is so much more confidential then all the other previous confidential teachings. It is to illustrate just how dear and precious his beloved devotees are to Him. So He Himself most benevolently reveals the essence which is the very heart and soul of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita for the ultimate benefit and perpetual welfare of His devotees.



The Supreme Lord Krishna reveals the secret with the instruction to fix the mind upon Him. Concentrate upon Him with one-pointed focused in bhakti or exclusive loving devotion. This instruction is to be practically applied by dedicating all actions prescribed by the ordinances and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures unto Him. Whatever prescribed Vedic activitiy offered to the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His avatars or incarnations and expansions as revealed in the Vedic scriptures is considered devotion which will lead to direct communion with Him eternally. It should not be erroneously misconstrued that one can offer actions that are prohibited in the Vedic scriptures as that would be inconscienable and offensive. It is seen that followers of Kali Ma offer meat to her in sacrifice; but if some ignornant fool offered meat to Lord Krishna they would be condemned to suffer in hellish condition for such a great offense as it is prohibited to offer Him at any time under any circumstances foods that are not in sattva guna the mode of goodness and flesh from any source is always in tama guna the mode of ignorance.

Worshipping the Supreme Lord exclusively by prescribed Vedic activities in the form of offering material possessions, or in the form of executing tapah or austerities or as simple as performing the blessed and purifying Ekadasi vrata which is fasting twice a month from all grains on the 11th day of the waxing and waning moons and which grants unalloyed devotion to Lord Krishna.

For offering worship with material things such as pure cow ghee, gold, silver, marble, etc. is possible only if one is wealthy; but even if one is poor Lord Krishna will happily

accept a fruit, a flower or just pure water from His devotees according to their capacity. Offerings in the form of austerities forebearing hunger and thirst, cold and heat, etc. in the natural course of following one’s own prescribed Vedic duties. The offerings of yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme Lord are the repitition of sacred mantras, exercises controlling the breath, the mind and the senses along with asanas or postures. The offerings of wisdom are reciting and chanting the verses of the Upanisads, the Puranas, Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, Vishnu-Saharanama the Thosand Names of Vishnu, etc. The offering of learning is studying and learning and for those more qualified teaching the meaning and conclusion of the Vedic sciptures to others.

Now in order to avoid any complacency Lord Krishna instructs to bow down to Him with regularlity fully with all the eight limbs of the body touching the ground for men. For women it should be only the knees, head and hands touching the ground as a womens breast should never touch the floor. So dedicated a devotee will advance by means of such devotion. The perfomance of millions of ritualistic ceremonies cannot compare to the results Lord Krishna’s devotees receive from bhakti. To receive the full result one should have concentrated devotion with undivided attention to Lord Krishna alone. Although the Supreme Lord is extremely difficult to propitiate even by Brahma, Shiva and the demigods who often consider themselves independent; but to His surrendered devotees He is so easy to please that even with only fresh water He is amply satified if it is offered with devotion.

After investigating and scrutinising the Vedic scripture intensely and reflecting and pondering over them repeatedly the consensus concluded by the wise and sagacious is that one should concentrate their mind and energies on meditating on the nama or name, rupa or form, guna or qualities and lila or divine pastimes of the Supreme Lord Krishna. Always remembering Him and never forgetting Him attain immortality. The sage Medhavi stated in Moksa Dharma: I am that enlightened person, non-violent, true to the self, with senses controlled, free from passion and anger, equipoised and tranquil and in this way I shall overcome death like the immortals. Undoubtedly one should abandon anything internal or external which causes attachment in the mind and distracts it from meditating fully on the Supreme Lord and remain blissfully absorbed in this state until the final moment of death. The muktas or liberated souls who have achieved this

state while still alive have declared that if one can control the mind in this way after some time it locks and one is free to establish themselves in the atma or immortal soul within the etheric heart which gives liberation granting direct communion with the Supreme Lord.

The misguided and malicious atheists of mundane intelligence and degraded impulses, such deluded living entities are unable to behold the wide open gateway to moksa or liberation from material existence that is accessible to all humanity. All their endeavours and attempts to understand the inconceivable is for them in vain because they have eternally cursed themselved for denying the existence of the magnanimous and compassionate almighty Supreme Lord.



The essence of this instruction by Lord Krishna is to surrender all prescribed Vedic actions and duties to Him without considering merits or demerits. Actual devotion is full faith and loving devotion in the Supreme Lord. Dedicating oneself completely and all that one has unto the Supreme Lord in a continuous flow like the perpetual and powerful flow of the river Ganga fully satisfies and please the Supreme Lord. This is the most natural and effacious duty for all living entities to simply surrender all that they are, all that they have to their creator, the Supreme Lord Krishna. All actions that follow the injunctions and ordinances of the Vedic scriptures are propitiation and worship of the Supreme Lord; but to follow His direct instruction which is the conclusion of all the Vedic scriptures is the highest and most exalted form of devotion. As is confirmed in Katha Upanisad I.II.XXII beginning nayam atma pravacanena meaning: Communion with the Supreme Lord is obtained only by those who the Supreme Lord Himself chooses out of His own perogative. It is without question that such an exalted one can only be a devotee of the Supreme Lord for none other then His devotees are dearer to Him in the worlds as given in Skanda Purana, Reva-khanda. So it is adequately established with evidence thoughout Srimad Bhagavad-Gita from a multitude of Vedic scriptures that bhakti or exclusive loving devotion unto the Supreme Lord Krishna is the highest attainment and prime goal for all living entities.



After elaborating on Srimad Bhagavd-Gita as the essence of all the Vedic scriptures Lord Krishna speaks of the particulars of who is qualified to receive this most sacred science. It should never be imparted to one who is not a devotee, who is without control of mind, body, speech and senses, to one who disregards their own natural duties according to status and qualification, to one who has no reverence for the spiritual preceptor and to the Supreme Lord even if practicing austerities. Who is averse to serving the spiritual master and the devotees of the Supreme Lord and never, ever to one who is envious and blasphemous of Lord Krishna.

By the rule of parallel opposites the understanding is that Srimad Bhagavad-Gita may be instructed by a devotee to one who practices austerities, who is devoted to the spiritual preceptor, who is willing to serve the devotees and who wholeheartedly loves Lord Krishna without finding fault with anybody.



One who establishes a forum for Srimad Bhagavad-Gita giving the text as well as elaborate explanations of the meaning doing this for the enlightenment of the devotees and not to receive honor or prestige; but only to please the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee who does this service disseminating this knowledge to the devotees is serving the interests of Lord Krishna fully and will surely attain His communion. The mentioning of the word bhaktesu means Lord Krishna’s devotees denoting that only by exclusive devotional service is one chosen to reside in the Supreme Lords eternal dhama or abode. The Katha Upanisad II.XXII beginning nayam atma pravachanena meaning: That devotee whom the Supreme Lord chooses by His own sweet will is the one who will attain Him. So it is established that loving devotion is what is essential to

recive the Supreme Lords grace even with the absence of austerities and such a devotee is qualified to approach the Supreme Lord based on bhakti alone. So devotion is established as the only essential ingredient to attract the attention of the Supreme Lord. The understanding is that although determination and ritualistic Vedic knowledge are noteworthy and exemplary they only bestow residence in the transitory heavenly planets and never the eternal spirirtual realms because they do not have the potency to attract the Supreme Lord whose devotees are not subjected to results of a temporary nature but to results of an eternal nature. That is the difference in devotion and empirical knowledge.



Lord Krishna now reveals why one who serves Him in the previous way certainly attains communion with Him and that is because among all the 400,000 species of human beings in the material creation as confirmed in Srimad Bhagavatam none is more exalted and dear to Lord Krishna then the devotee who imparts the knowledge of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita to His devotees and none will ever be more exalted and dear to Him in the future.



Now Lord Krishna declares that whoever studies Srimad Bhagavad-Gita under the tutelage of the spiritual preceptor and learns its purport from him; by this act Lord Krishna accepts it as propitiation to Him if the form of wisdom as He previously affirmed in chapter 4, verse 28 with the words svadhyaya-jnana-yajnah ca or propitiation by study of the Vedic scriptures. So worship of the Supreme Lord is accomplished by study and discussion of the purports, yet His devotee who simply chants or sings only the verses, because they are faithfully eulogising Him they are pleasing Him and are dearmost due to aurally hearing from themselves of His gloriesl. Just as a common person may sing a song extolling

the virtues of some great personality; such a great personality hearing it will be come most pleased and that common person will become dear to them. So in this way Lord Krishna is affirming that just by reciting the verses of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita one will become dear to Him as one will be glorifying Him by doing so.



Even if one does not recite it themselves but listens to others reciting Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. Such a person who appreciates the words of Lord Krishna and has faith in them and is not critical of a faulty pronunciation or imperfect meter. Such a person from merely hearing this divine discourse will enter the joyous heavenly spheres at the cessation of life.



By inquiring whether or not the knowledge imparted was fully ascertained and comprehended, Lord Krishna is illustrating the role of the spiritual preceptor by exemplifying their duties. A bonafide spiritual preceptor can only be found in one the four authorised sampradayas: Brahma, Sri, Rudra and Kummara sampradayas as revealed in Vedic scriptures. Such an exalted spriritual master will instruct his disciples until he is absolutely sure that their ignorance has been entirely dispelled. The inner meaning is that in chapter 2, verse 9, due to delusion, Arjuna said that he would not fight in the battle. Lord Krishna is subtley implying that if such delusion has not been eradicated then He is prepared to instruct him again.



Here Lord Krishna is addressed as acyuta meaning infallible one. This is because the omniscient Lord Krishna is cognizant of all His previous incarnations over trillions and trillions of years but Arjuna could not even remember his previous life where Lord Krishna was Narayana and he was Nara and both were celibate sages. The purport is that Arjuna was already self-realised in the previous life but this knowledge disappeared in the present life. Now it was revived again by the knowledge of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita imparted by the grace of Lord Krishna. The vocative acyuta denotes the reality that by Lord Krishna’s grace, His omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence as the supreme sovereign, the paramount controller and the sole creator, maintainer, protector and sustainer of all existence.



In this way Sanjaya narrated the complete divine discourse of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and linking it to himself remarks how amazing it was and how astounded he was by directly witnessing it. The adjective mahatma meaning great souls refers to Lord Krishna as well as all His devotees.



Sanjaya explains that he received the mercy of clairaudience and celestial vision from Vedavyasa, the author of Vedanta Sutras, Mahabharata, the Puranas, etc. Sanjaya considers himself most blessed by hearing Lord Krishna speak the divine discourse of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Thus ends the commentary to chapter 18, verse 75 by Keshava Kashmiri.


Sanjaya elaborates on his extreme blessedness by expressing the joyous and ecstatic emotions he feels and experiences by continuously remembering Lord Krishna’s divine discourse, Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.



Recollecting the phenomenal vision of Lord Krishna’s fantastic visvarupa universal form, Sanjaya is inundated with waves of indescriable ecstatsy.



The Supreme Lord Krishna is the absolute controller and self sustaining, independent sovereign of all, the most worthy of adoration, worship and propitiation, the bestower of all blessing and benedictions and the creator, maintainer, protector and sustainer of all creation. The intelligent aspirant desiring their own best welfare should completely surrender unto Him accepting Him alone as their only refuge.

I bow down to the Supreme Lord Krishna, the origin of all creation, the ultimate source and the ultimate goal, who out causeless compassion and merciful magnaminity for His devotees, manifested a ship in the form of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita to save His devotees who are drowning in the ocean of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.

I seek refuge in the Supreme Lord Krishna, who as an incarnation assumed the form of the swan Hamsa to transmit the eternal spiritual knowledge of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita to Sanaka and his brothers who subsequently empowered His Holiness Nimbadityacarya the establisher of the Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya.

His Holiness Nimbadityacarya wrote a deep and profound commentary on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita; but his commentary was so esoteric and complex that I, Keshava Kashmiri

acquiring spiritual wisdom by devout meditation on his holy feet have received inspired insight into his purports with the purpose of simplifying the explanation while illuminating the meaning. Hence my commentary clearly enlightens his purports in this way and is factually a commentary on His Holiness Nimbadityacarya’s commentary on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Now this commentary known as the Enligtener of the Principles of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita has been completed by Dig Vijaya Sri Bharati Keshava Kashmiri Bhattacarya…..OM Sri Krishnarpanam astu.

Thus ends the commentary on Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 18 entitled

Moksa-Opadesa Yoga: Final Revelations of the Ultimate Truth by Kesava Kasmiri

This completes the translations and commentaries of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Documents

KUMARA - Bhagavad Gitabhagavad-gita.org/Gita/Commentaries/Doc/kesanew18.… · Web viewBhagavad-Gita Chapter 18, verse 1 This is the final chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and in it