The Essence of Devotion and the Essence of Surrender :Focus on Purport of Bg 18.65

krsna · 07-22-2004, 11:14 AM

THE THIRD AND FOURTH ESSENCES

THE GITA-RAHASYA AND THE CHARAN-SLOKI
(Bg 18.65 & 18.66)

The Essence of Devotion and the Essence of Surrender

Focus on the Purport of Bg 18.65

**The most confidential part of knowledge is that one should become a pure
devotee of Krsna and always think of Him and act for Him. One should not
become an official meditator.**

Notes:

1. The rahasya or secret of the Bhagavad-gita is revealed by Krsna only to His
devotees.

Bg 4.3
"That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told
by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore
understand the transcendental mystery of this science."

2. The secret of the Bhagavad-gita is that although Sri Krsna summarizes for
Arjuna the karma, jnana and mystic yoga systems, His purpose in instructing
Arjuna is to establish bhakti-yoga as not only the "topmost yoga system" but
ultimately the only yoga system that returns the jiva to His original eternal
position in the spiritual world.

Bg 6.47
"And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of
Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me--he is the
most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My
opinion."

Bg 12.2
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who fix their minds on My
personal form and are always engaged in worshiping Me with great and
transcendental faith are considered by Me to be the most perfect."

Bg 18.55
"One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by
devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such
devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

SB 11.14.25
"Just as gold, when smelted in fire, gives up its impurities and returns to
its pure brilliant state, similarly, the spirit soul, absorbed in the fire of
bhakti-yoga, is purified of all contamination caused by previous fruitive
activities and returns to its original position of serving Me in the spiritual
world."

3. The other yoga systems outlined in the Bhagavad-gita are meant to prepare
an unqualified person for the path of bhakti-yoga.

Bg 18.67
"This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not
austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is
envious of Me."

Quote from Srila Prabhupada
"So drdham iti, isto'si me drdham iti tato vaksyami 'I am not speaking to the
rascals. I am speaking to you because you are My most confidential friend.'
What is that? Man-mana bhava mad bhakto mad yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi
satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me. 'You are My dear friend.' This is... Sarva
dharman parityajya. 'Whatever I've spoken, they are all nonsense. There is
sense, but the truth which I am speaking to you just now, "You just become My
devotee, just think of Me, just offer your obeisances unto Me, just work for
Me," this is the most confidential.' But those who are not able to understand,
they are not to be spoken. They are to be instructed that you become a yogi,
you practice your breathing, you sit like this, you sit like that. Because
he's unable to understand. Therefore He says, idam te na atapaskaya. One who
has not undergone severe austerities, don't speak this final knowledge. He'll
not understand. He'll misunderstand. Just like scholars, like Radha-Krishnan,
misunderstands because he has no tapasya. It requires tapasya to understand
this philosophy. Therefore Bhagavat says tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyed
sattvam. 'My dear boys, just accept austerity voluntarily. Restrain.'"

**One should always act in such a way that all his daily activities are in
connection with Krsna. He should arrange his life in such a way that
throughout the twenty-four hours he cannot but think of Krsna.**

Notes:

1. Bhagavad-gita 8.6-8 explains why we should always think of Krsna.

"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, or son of
Kunti, that state he will attain without fail. Therefore, Arjuna, you should
always think of Me in the form of Krsna and at the same time carry out your
prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your
mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without a doubt."

**And the Lord's promise is that anyone who is in such pure Krsna
consciousness will certainly return to the abode of Krsna, where he will be
engaged in the association of Krsna face to face. This most confidential part
of knowledge is spoken to Arjuna because he is the dear friend of Krsna.
Everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can become a dear friend to Krsna and
obtain the same perfection as Arjuna.**

Notes:

1. "The path of Arjuna" refers to the path of practical engagement in
devotional service as given in this verse. There are four items of practice
mentioned--"Always think of Me", 'become My devotee", "worship Me" and "offer
your homage to Me." From these four the nine processes of devotional service
expand.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada:
"Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. Smaranam 'also always thinking of Me.' Yoginam api
sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo
matah. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. That is sravanam
kirtanam visnoh smaranam, always thinking of Krsna."

"The simple thing is that you follow the instruction of Krsna, man-mana bhava
mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. So this is very natural. This temple
worship is meant for that purpose. Actually, when we see the Deity,
immediately our mind become Krsna conscious. At least, we think of Krsna,
"Here is Krsna." So that is man-mana. Chanting also, chanting, that is
Krsna-mana, man-mana. In this way you become bhakta. Regularly chanting, you
become bhakta. Without becoming bhakta, nobody can chant. So man-mana bhava
mad-bhakto mad-yaji. And worship Deity. He has come very kindly to accept your
service. You just dress Him, just bathe Him, just decorate Him with ornaments,
with garland, with nice thing."

"And what is that bhakti? Mad-bhakta. Devotional... Devotion means service.
Mad-yaji. You render some service to the Lord. Just like we are engaged here
always. Whenever you'll come, you find us engaged some duty. You see. We have
manufactured some duty, just to think of Krsna only. Therefore our Society's
name is Krsna Consciousness, Society for Krsna Consciousness. We have got so
many literatures. Each and every boy is engaged. Somebody's printing,
somebody's writing, somebody's typewriting, somebody's dispatching, somebody's
attending letter, somebody's cooking. Twenty-four hours, we are thinking of
Krsna. How? Because we are engaged in the duties of Krsna. So mad-yaji mam
namaskuru. And what is that duty if you have no obedience? You have to obey.
Therefore it is said namaskuru, you offer your respect. So bhakti minus
respect, that is not bhakti. With love, with respect, with designated duties,
if you be engaged in Krsna consciousness, then your life will be successful."

Quote from SB 7.5.23-24, Purport
"Arcanam means worshiping Lord Visnu as one does in the temple, and vandanam
means offering respectful obeisances. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam
namaskuru. Vandanam means namaskuru--offering obeisances or offering prayers.
Thinking oneself to be nitya-krsna-dasa, everlastingly a servant of Krsna, is
called dasyam, and sakhyam means being a well-wisher of Krsna. Krsna wants
everyone to surrender unto Him because everyone is constitutionally His
servant. Therefore, as a sincere friend of Krsna, one should preach this
philosophy, requesting everyone to surrender unto Krsna. Atma-nivedanam means
offering Krsna everything, including one's body, mind, intelligence and
whatever one may possess.
One's sincere endeavor to perform these nine processes of devotional
service is technically called bhakti."

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
Question: "What is the business of Krsna consciousness society?"
Prabhupada: "Always thinking of Krsna. As Krsna says. Man mana bhava
mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. These four principles. Always think of
Krsna, become Krsna's devotee, worship Krsna and offer your respect,
obeisances to Krsna. That's all. This is Krsna consciousness. They are doing
that. Nothing more, nothing less. These four principles."

**These words stress that one should concentrate his mind upon Krsna--the very
form with two hands carrying a flute, the bluish boy with a beautiful face and
peacock feathers in His hair. There are descriptions of Krsna found in the
Brahma-samhita and other literatures. One should fix his mind on this original
form of Godhead, Krsna. One should not even divert his attention to other
forms of the Lord. The Lord has multiforms as Visnu, Narayana, Rama, Varaha,
etc., but a devotee should concentrate his mind on the form that was present
before Arjuna. Concentration of the mind on the form of Krsna constitutes the
most confidential part of knowledge, and this is disclosed to Arjuna because
Arjuna is the most dear friend of Krsna's.**

Notes:

1. Quotes from Prabodhananda Sarasvati's Sri Vrndavana-mahimamrta (2.19)
"Within the boundless, all-pervading effulgence of the brahmajyoti is the
extremely blissful and effulgent realm of Lord Visnu. Within that realm of
Lord Visnu is another effulgent realm of immeasurable transcendental bliss.
Within that place is this forest of Vrndavana."

(14.22)
"When moon-faced Lord Krsnacandra places the flute to His splendid smiling
lips and plays very sweetly, Sri Radha fixes her eyes upon Him, and the
residents of Vaikuntha feel ecstasy and the hairs on their bodies stand erect
with joy. However, when Lord Narayana, the master of Vaikuntha, fixes all His
senses in meditation on this scene, He faints in the ecstasy of love. At that
time the goddess of fortune becomes unhappy, and the residents of Vaikuntha
cannot find the slightest happiness anywhere."

2. Quote from Sri Krsna-sandarbha 29.23
"The reason some people maintain that Krsna is a partial expansion of the
Original Personality of Godhead, and not the Original Personality of Godhead
Himself, is described by the Lord in Bhagavad-gita (7.25):

'I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent to the foolish and
unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal potency (yogamaya), and so
the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible.'

"Sri Krsna only partially reveals Himself to the ordinary living entities.
Because of this partial revelation, ordinary people believe that Krsna is
merely an expansion of the Original Godhead."

Focus on the Purport of Bg 18.66

**Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up
all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender
to Krsna.**

Notes:

1. There are two paths to Krsna consciousness given in the Bhagavad-gita: the
path of gradual elevation by knowledge, and the path of immediate,
unconditional surrender. In 18.66 Sri Krsna declares that the path of
unconditional surrender is the best, for in this way one attains all
perfection without separate effort.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"First of all, one becomes jnanavan; then he surrenders to Vasudeva.
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. This is one process. Another
process is you become a devotee of Vasudeva, then jnana, vairagya, will
automatically come."

SB 6.1.19
"Although not having fully realized Krsna, persons who have even once
surrendered completely unto His lotus feet and who have become attracted to
His name, form, qualities and pastimes are completely freed of all sinful
reactions, for they have thus accepted the true method of atonement. Even in
dreams, such surrendered souls do not see Yamaraja or his order carriers, who
are equipped with ropes to bind the sinful."

2. To surrender to Krsna even before having realized Him is itself the
superior path of knowledge, because Krsna is the goal of all cultivation of
knowledge. One who simply surrenders to Krsna begins his spiritual life at
the point of full knowledge.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"Therefore the whole world is confused. They do not know where to repose the
love. That do not know. Therefore Krsna is canvassing: sarva dharman parityaja
mam ekam. 'Come here! Love Me! Increase your attachment for Me. Everything
will be all right.' Otherwise it is simply vague. Srama eva hi kevalam. Simply
waste of time. Dharma svanusthitha pumsam visvaksena kathasu ya, notpadayed
ratim yadi srama eva hi kevalam. It is simply waste of time."

3. The other processes of dharma explained in the Bhagavad-gita are based upon
bhoga (enjoying separately from Krsna) or tyaga (renouncing separately from
Krsna).

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"Krsna says: sarva dharman pari... You have to give up this bhoga dharma and
tyaga dharma. Sarva dharman parityaja. You are now engaged in two kinds of
dharma. Somebody, karmis, they are bhoga, bhoga dharmi. They want to enjoy.
And tyagi, they want to renounce this bhoga. So both of these will not help
you. Bhoga-tyaga. Then what? Seva. You have to take the dharma of seva. That
is bhakti. Krsna-seva. For Krsna, you can accept anything. That is... it may
appear bhoga. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, Prthu Maharaja, they were kings,
very opulent kings. Dhruva Maharaja. So still they were great devotees. Not
only ordinary devotees, mahajanas. So this bhoga-tyaga has no meaning. It has
no benefit. One has to become devotee. Either in the bhoga field or in the
tyaga field. It doesn't matter. Bhoga-tyaga is not required. Required
service."

4. Unconditional surrender is the priti-purvaka, the method of love, which is
vidhi-purvaka (the right method) as opposed to avidhi-purvaka (see Bg 9.23).
For an example of the difference between the two, one may refer to the story
of the wives of the brahmanas in Krsna Book.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"They neglect this word, avidhi-purvakam. They simply say that to worship
other demigods is also the same. No. It is not the... It is avidhi-purvaka.
And if you... Suppose you are in trouble. You have to satisfy the police
commissioner. But you are trying to satisfy the police commissioner by bribing
the constable. That is avidhi-purvaka. If it is known, then you'll be punished.
So don't try to satisfy Krsna--avidhi-purvakam. Vidhi-purvakam. That
vidhi-purvakam is direct. Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. That
is wanted. That is vidhi-purvakam. Otherwise avidhi-purvakam. And how? The
avidhi... The vidhi-purvaka, how? Just as the Ganges water is flowing
automatically toward the sea, similarly, your devotional service like that,
automatically, without any check... Then your life is perfect."

**In the Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has become free from
all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Krsna. Thus one may think
that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he cannot 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
Krsna he is automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort to free
oneself from sinful reactions.**

Notes:

1. Surrendering to Krsna destroys sin at its very roots.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"This, these four kinds of stages of sinful activities, in stock, almost
fructified, manifest, all the stages of sinful activities can be immediately
nullified. Because it is assured by Krsna: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami. It is not imagination. If we believe in the words of Krsna, then
there is no question of denying this fact. Krsna personally says, aham tvam
sarva-papebhyo moksa... Sarva-papebhyo. The kutastha, phalonmukha, prarabdha,
everything. It become immediately nullified. Simply by this process, by
surrendering."

2. Other methods of religion cannot deliver one from the root of sin because
they are essential man-centered, not God-centered. The root of sin is our very
lack of surrender to Krsna; this unsurrendered attitude manifests in
man-centered religions as the portrayal of God as mankind's order-supplier.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada:
"Therefore Krsna says, 'First of all surrender. Then try to understand.'
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva papebhyo
moksayisyami. When you surrender, and by that surrendering process, when you
are free from the resultant action of sinful activities, then you can
appreciate God, not that God is my order-supplier."

"Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja: 'You have manufactured so
many rascaldom in the name of religion. Give up all this nonsense. Simply
surrender unto Me.' This is wanted. But Krsna knows that 'If I say to the
rascals, "Surrender unto Me," he'll take otherwise.' A big scholar says, 'Oh,
this is too much, sophistry.' Krsna is demanding: 'Simply surrender unto me.'
And the commentor, commentator is remarking, 'Oh, this is too much.'

3. As one requires no preliminary knowledge to surrender to Krsna, similarly
one requires no preliminary purity or piety.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"So without being pavitra, without being pious, without being free from
contamination of material activities, nobody can approach Krsna. That's a
fact. But Krsna is so kind that He orders that `Even if you have got some
kamana, some desire, material desire, still, you can take shelter upon Me.'
Sarva-dharman parityajya. `You do not take shelter of anything else. Simply
depend on Me.' Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. `You haven't
got to depend on anything else. I will give you protection.' So we have to
take faith in the words of Krsna and pinch (sic) our complete faith and
devotion at the lotus feet of Krsna."

Bg 9.32
"O son of Prtha, those who take shelter of Me, though they be of lower
birth--women, vaisyas [merchants] and sudras [workers]--can attain the supreme
destination."

SB 11.14.18
"My dear Uddhava, if My devotee has not fully conquered his senses, he may be
harassed by material desires, but because of his unflinching devotion for Me,
he will not be defeated by sense gratification."

**The process of surrender to Krsna is described in the Hari-bhakti vilasa
(11.676):

anukulyasya sankalpah
pratikulyasya varjanam
raksisyatiti visvaso
goptrtve varanam tatha
atma-niksepa-karpanye
sad-vidha saranagatih**

Notes:

1. Just as the four items of Bg 18.65 take into account the nine processes of
devotional service given in the sastra, so the method of surrender advised in
18.66 takes into account the sad vidha saranagati (sixfold method of
surrender) given in the sastra.

Quote from CC Madhya-lila 22.100:
"One who is fully surrendered is qualified with the six following
characteristics. (1) The devotee has to accept everything that is favorable
for the rendering of transcendental loving service to the Lord. (2) He must
reject everything unfavorable to the Lord's service. This is also called
renunciation. (3) A devotee must be firmly convinced that Krsna will give him
protection. No one else can actually give one protection, and being firmly
convinced of this is called faith. This kind of faith is different from the
faith of an impersonalist who wants to merge into the Brahman effulgence in
order to benefit by cessation of repeated birth and death. A devotee wants to
remain always in the Lord's service. In this way, Krsna is merciful to His
devotee and gives him all protection from the dangers found on the path of
devotional service. (4) The devotee should accept Krsna as his supreme
maintainer and master. He should not think that he is being protected by a
demigod. He should depend only on Krsna, considering Him the only protector.
The devotee must be firmly convinced that within the three worlds he has no
protector or maintainer other than Krsna. (5) Self-surrender means remembering
that one's activities and desires are not independent. The devotee is
completely dependent on Krsna, and he acts and thinks as Krsna desires. (6)
The devotee is meek and humble."

**One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Krsna. His name is Krsna
because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful,
all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Krsna is fortunate. There are different
kinds of transcendentalists--some of them are attached to the impersonal
Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but
one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as Krsna Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other
words, devotional service to Krsna, in full consciousness, is the most
confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-
gita.**

Notes:

1. Unreserved surrender to Krsna is the method of devotion of the gopis, who
are the most perfect transcendentalists.

SB 11.12.13-15
"All those hundreds of thousands of gopis, understanding Me to be their most
charming lover and ardently desiring Me in that way, were unaware of My actual
position. Yet by intimately associating with Me, the gopis attained Me, the
Supreme Absolute Truth. Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the Vedic mantras
as well as the procedures of supplementary Vedic literatures and their
positive and negative injunctions. Disregard that which has been heard and
that which is to be heard. Simply take shelter of Me alone, for I am the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, situated within the heart of all conditioned
souls. Take shelter of Me wholeheartedly, and by My grace be free from fear
in all circumstances."

2. Krsna's invitation to the living entities to surrender to Him under His
full protection is the expression of His own unreserved love for His eternal
parts and parcels.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"Krsna loves us more than we love Him. We do not love Him. But Krsna loves.
Krsna loves every living being. He says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti
murtayo yah: 'Every living being, whatever form he is, that doesn't matter, I
am the bija-pradah pitah, I am the seed-giving father.' So the father is
always affectionate to the sons. The sons may forget the father, but the
father cannot forget. So Krsna comes here out of His love for us to deliver
us, to give us the right path. Sarva-dharman parityajya: 'My dear sons, why
you are rotting in this miserable world? You come to Me. I'll give you all
protection. You are the son of the Supreme. So you can enjoy life very
supremely, very magnificently, without any death. Why you are rotting?' That
is Krsna's mercy."

3. In Bg 18.66 Sri Krsna is inviting the living entities to enter into an
intimate loving relationship with Him.

Quote from Srila Prabhupada:
"Everyone has prema, love. This propensity to love others. That is... There
is, everywhere. But that prema, that love, is originally for Krsna.
Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. That is the original prema. But because we are
illusioned, that prema is being applied or used for so many maya. Prema I have
got. I have got my love. That is a fact. But I do not know where to repose
that love. That is my misfortune. Therefore Krsna says that sarva dharman
parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. 'You have got prema. You apply it to Me.
Then you'll be benefited.' Prema is already there. You are simply misusing it.
Therefore you are not happy. This is the process. Prema, you have got. But you
are misusing it. But if you take Krsna's word, that "Give your prema unto
Me..."

GITA-RAHASYA and CHARAN-SLOKI SUMMARY:

SB 11.11.33
"My devotees may or may not know exactly what I am, who I am and how I exist,
but if they worship Me with unalloyed love, then I consider them to be the
best of devotees."

SRILA PRABHUPADA ANSWERS A DOUBT ABOUT BG 18.66

The doubt may be expressed thusly: Why, if Bg 18.66 is an essential verse of
the Bhagavad-gita, did Lord Caitanya say "This is only external" when this
verse was quoted by Sri Ramananda Raya during Ramananda's explanation of the
ultimate goal of life?

"So as I told you, Ramananda Raya, the discussion between Ramananda Raya and
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya proposed different steps of spiritual
advancement, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, 'Yes, this is good, but this is
external. It is not very effective.' Even sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam
saranam vraja, that also Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, 'It is also not effect.' It
is not effective for these go-kharas. Otherwise it is effective. But in the
beginning, they cannot. Otherwise in the Bhagavad-gita it is plainly said,
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam. Who is taking it? Nobody is taking it.
Therefore it is not effective for the go-kharas. It is effective for one who
is actually human being, but they are not human being. They are all rascals,
go-kharas. Therefore it is not effective. If you instruct a dog, 'My dear dog,
please surrender to Krsna,' will he do that? So similarly, human being who
does not surrender, he is no better than the dog. What is the difference
between dog and this human being, go-kharas? The cats, the dogs, they cannot
do it. And if you human beings, they cannot do also, then what is the
difference? Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etad pasubhir naranam.
Simply eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. These are common things of
the cats and dogs and the human beings. The human being is specially benefited
when he surrenders to Krsna. Otherwise he is cat and dog. So Caitanya
Mahaprabhu knew that these cats and dogs, they are so degraded, they cannot
understand what is the meaning of surrendering to Krsna. They cannot
understand. Therefore He said, eho bahya, age kaha ara: 'This is external.
Please speak more, something effective.'"

07-22-2004, 03:35 PM

That was quite the post, prabhu! Thank you.