At first I pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances to the lotus feet of most worshipable Srila Gurudev, who is the redeemer of the fallen souls, the bestower of knowledge about the Absolute, the non-different manifestation of the Supreme Lord and the bestower of service of the Supreme Lord. I pray for his causeless mercy. I pay my prostrated obeisances to the lotus feet of the worshipable Vaishnava and pray for their causeless mercy. I pay my due respects to all who are inclined to listen to the discourse on the Supreme Lord. May they all become satisfied.

Everything happens by the desire of the Supreme Lord. Without His will, even a leaf of a tree cannot move. Most worshipable Srila Gurudev has established the deities in this temple so that devotees can have their darshan. Srila Gurudev is non-different manifestation of the Supreme Lord. The deities established by him are not ordinary deities. So I have got the opportunity to get the darshan of both the deities and the devotees.

Today’s topic is ‘Essence of Bhagavad Gita’ or ‘The Purport of Bhagavad Gita’ or ‘The Inner Significance of Bhagavad Gita’. Who can speak about the inner significance of Gita? Who is the speaker of Gita? He is Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Himself and so one must surrender completely at His Lotus feet and read or hear Gita for His satisfaction only. Sri Shankaracharya has written in the glories of Gita,

gītā su-gītā kartavyā
kim anyaiḥ śāstra-vistaraiḥ
yā svayaṁ padmanābhasya
mukha-padmād viniḥsṛtā

Gita is to be recited or sung nicely means for the satisfaction of Sri Krishna. There is no description of any other scripture needed, if you read Gita with profound devotion then everything you will get from Gita. Gita has emerged from the lotus lips of Padmanabha, Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna.

Who is Sri Krishna? Sri Krishna is the Supreme Lord Himself. In Gita, Sri Krishna speaks about Bhagavat-tattva—about Bhagavan, Paramatma and Brahma. Srimad Bhagavat 1.2.11 says,

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jṣānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate

“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance Brahma, Paramatma or Bhagavan.”

If I read Gita with vanity then neither can I benefit myself nor others. A lusty person like me does not have the eligibility to read Gita. ‘Kama’ or ‘lust’ means gratifying one’s own senses. There is a proverb (in Hindi language), ‘jahan kam, tahan nahi ram’—Supreme Lord does not reside at the place where there is lust. So, where there is lust, Supreme Lord, His personal abode, His personal associates etc. do not get manifested.

As the conditioned souls understand this body to be the person, they have tendency for sense gratification. The word ‘tat’ refers to the object which is beyond the three modes of material nature. It can be understood by common sense that this material body and the material sense organs are all perishable by nature. Whatever we can see by means of our material senses are also perishable and even while the body is alive these sense organs will perish. Our eyes, ears etc. will wither. Our material sense organs are not capable of making us view or perceive the spiritual objects. A person who knows about the objects which are beyond the material senses (adhokṣaja) is called ‘tattva-vit’. Only such a person, who may be personal associate of Supreme Lord or a completely surrendered soul, has entrance into the transcendental realm of the Supreme Lord and he only can speak about these transcendental subjects.

A person who has got the actual knowledge of the Supreme Lord is called ‘tattvagya’. Some call this Absolute Knowledge as Brahma, some as Paramatma and some as Bhagavan. The Undivided Knowledge is known by three names, Brahma, Paramatma and Bhagavan. The manifestation which is greater than the greatest is called ‘Brahma’. And the manifestation which is minute then the minutest is called ‘Paramatma’.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18.61)

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

He resides in the minute (anu) or atomic living entities as Paramatma. For this reason Mahaprabhu has asked us to give respect to each and every living entity. It is written, ‘jive samman dibe jani krishna adhishthan’—one should give respect to all considering the fact that Krishna resides in each and every living being. So even if a living being has some defect in him because of some of his past deeds, one should pay proper respect to him because Supreme Lord resides in the heart of everyone.

I had witnessed one incident in Kolkata Math when Gurumaharaj was present. One person belonging to one of the thirteen pseudo-sects (āula, bāula, kartābhajā, neḍā, daraveśa etc.) came to our Math. On seeing him, one person of the Math drove him out. Gurumaharaj called for that person who drove him out. Gurumaharaj told him that the Lord is residing in the heart of every living being and so we should not have hostile mentality towards any person of this world. So we should not attack any person of this world out of personal grudge since we envy no person of this world. He asked the person to bring him back and treat him with affection and feed him Prasadam. If he wants to hear pure devotional conclusions we should speak to him.

Gurumaharaj cautioned us against disparaging the persons of the pseudo sects but to be careful of our own eternal welfare, we should remain aloof from such evil company and should also condemn the evil practices, but without any personal grudge to anybody. We commit a gross mistake when we reprimand those proponents—persons of anti-devotional ideologies, because in reaction there is fear of our being contaminated with those evil thoughts. We should censure the anti-devotional thoughts or practices but not the persons. Any kind of hatred to any person will be an obstacle to our spiritual amelioration. That, we should not do under any circumstance. If we keep hostile mentality to them then we shall be committing a Himalayan blunder, simply a Himalayan blunder!

So, here it is mentioned that only one who can dive deep into the heart of the Supreme Lord can speak about Him. Who is Bhagavan? He is the one in whom, all the three—smaller than the smallest (aṇutva), greater than the greatest (bṛhatva) and in between smallest and greatest (madhyamtva) reside simultaneously. He not only possesses six-fold qualities but infinite qualities. The Lord can be compared to millions of suns put together. Paramatma is only a part of Him. The Lord appeared as a small boy whom we call Gopala but the entire universe resided in His mouth. Mother Yashoda even tried to tie up Gopala. But each time she tried to do so, the rope fell short by two fingers, ‘simar madhye asim’—He is unlimited even within limitations. We cannot understand all these. The Lord has unlimited qualities.

It is written in Gita-mahatmya, sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopāla-nandanaḥ—all the Upanishads, quintessence of the Vedas, are like cows and Gopalanandana means Nanda Maharaj’s son Gopala, Krishna, is milking. Who is speaking about these glories? The most revered Shankaracharya. Yes, his language is good. Gopalanandana, Krishna is milking those cows. That milk is the essence of all the scriptures. Further he writes, dogdhā gopāla-nandanaḥ pārtho vatsaḥ—Partha (Arjun) is the calf. Without calf, cow would not give milk. So to milk the cows you have to bring the calf. Here, calf is the pure devotee, personal associate of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, Arjun. He also says, su-dhīr bhoktā—those who are su-dhīr, they drink the milk. Those who have got pure devotion, they are su-dhīr, their wisdom is nice, good i.e. for the Absolute Good Sri Krishna. For that reason, su-dhīr, a devotee can taste this milk.

Only that person who is one-pointedly dedicated to the Lord can realize Him. Service to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is the topmost. Then it is written, eko mantras tasya nāmāni yāni—there is only one mantra, the highest mantra is the name of Krishna. The Lord has descended in the form of His Holy Names and so chanting the Holy Names is His service. This is not only the teaching of Gaudiya Math but is substantiated by all Mahatmas. Nandanandana Sri Krishna (the son of Nanda Maharaj) is Avatari (the source of all the avataras). So if you want to understand Gita then you have to take absolute shelter to His lotus feet. Then only you can understand the teachings of Gita properly otherwise you will misinterpret.

When I first went to America, I went to a place called Phoenix. I visited a Church where a conference was held. They made me sit in a chair. There was arrangement for Prasadam after the discourses. It was arranged by a household-devotee, Akinchandas. There were many Americans present there in the conference. When we left the Church after the conference concluded, I met one American gentleman on the road who was present in the conference. He told me, “I like Gita very much and without reading Gita I do not even go to work”. I was astounded to hear that in the Western country there is such a person who is so much devoted to Gita. After that he said, “Swamiji, though I go through Gita every day, I do not believe Krishna as the Supreme Lord. He might be a super human being, a great diplomat or a great politician but not the Supreme Lord.” Since our conversation was on the road there was no place for us to sit down and have a talk and so I couldn’t explain him much. I told him, “You go through Gita, every day. Mention some verses from Gita which substantiate that Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is a super human being or He is a great diplomat and a politician. You go through Gita, you have to give evidence from the verses of Gita.”

There is no such verse but just the opposite,

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat
kiṣcid asti dhanaṣ-jaya
mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ
sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 7.7)

There is nothing superior to Me, everything is ever linked with Me, dependent on Me. Nothing can be detached from Me.

Supreme Lord is transcendental and is present everywhere. He possesses inconceivable potency. So it is said that the person who has entered in the heart of the Supreme Lord can understand the purport of His teachings. Supreme Lord and His devotees are transcendental, beyond our material senses.

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhayā na bahunā śrutena
yamevaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām
(Mundak Upanishad 3.2.3)

The Supreme Lord cannot be known by erudition, intellect or scriptural knowledge. He reveals His Eternal Transcendental Form to a completely surrendered soul.

Supreme Lord cannot be satisfied by any material qualifications like beauty, intellect, fame, followers etc. He can be satisfied only by unconditional submission to Him. He will reveal Himself only to the one who is inclined to serve Him and who is whole-heartedly surrendered to Him. Even Brahmaji could not understand Him by his own strength, what to speak of conditioned souls like us.

Now I shall speak regarding the inner significance of Gita what I have heard from my Gurumaharaj. I remembered an incident which took place in Kashmir. Pujyapad Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj became a guest in the house of one wealthy man in Kashmir. Many people were invited to the house where the program was arranged. Many of them were wealthy personalities. There Pujyapad Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj was speaking that one who wants to progress in devotion has to quit all sorts of things connected with Kali, like gambling, eating non-vegetarian food, illicit connection with women and any sort of intoxication. He told them that even tea is considered as an intoxicant and so drinking tea is also forbidden. On hearing this, the wealthy man who invited Srila Sant Maharaj became very shocked. He thought, “We are running business on tea manufacturing and we do advertisement on consuming tea. Oh! Where from this sage has come? By speaking against consuming tea, he is ruining us.”

Actually, there is no mention anywhere of the tradition of consuming tea in ancient time. It was not there in Indian culture. It has been introduced by the British people. Initially, they used to distribute it for free and later when people became addicted to it, they started charging money for that.

So after such words from Srila Santa Goswami Maharaj all became morose. Suddenly one person in the crowd said to Srila Maharaj, “Swamiji! You are telling that tea comes under intoxicant and so drinking tea is forbidden. But I have not seen the mention of it anywhere. On the other hand, in Gita, Krishna has sanctioned consuming tea.”

When Maharaj asked him to show the verse of Gita where Krishna talks about consuming tea, he uttered,

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir gyānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 15.15)

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.”

As per the explanation of that man, Lord Krishna resides as ‘cā (cha)’, which means tea, in the heart of every living entity. Tea can bestow the knowledge; as well can remove all the miseries. He also continued to say that tea had many qualities, and if he (Maharaj) would drink it, he would also be satisfied. He was trying to explain that since the word ‘cā’ is written in that verse of Gita, Krishna has sanctioned consuming tea. Is it the real meaning of the verse? Here, cā means ‘and’, not ‘tea’.

This is the condition of people in general. For fulfilling their ulterior motives, they quote verses from the scriptures and interpret those verses wrongly in their own manner for fulfilling their whims. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to South India, in Rangnatha Temple, he met a Brahmin who used to read Gita, every day. That man was ordered by his Gurudev to read Gita before taking any sort of meal. Following the orders of his Gurudev, he used to go to temple and recite Gita, every day, despite being illiterate. Many learned scholar used to visit that temple. They used to criticise the Brahmin saying, “You do not know Sanskrit. Why do you read Gita? You should first learn how to read Sanskrit verses properly.”

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu witnessed the Brahmin engrossed in reciting verses of Gita and while reciting he was experiencing ecstatic feeling. He also heard the criticism by the learned scholars. He approached the Brahmin and told him, “I am satisfied by your Gita recitation”.

The Brahmin became afraid seeing Mahaprabhu standing near him. He replied, “I am an illiterate person having no knowledge of Sanskrit and I cannot read it properly.”

“How come devotional ecstatic feelings appear in you while reading? I see you crying while reading!”

“Actually when I read Gita, I visualize the Lord of all the universes, Sri Krishna driving the chariot of His beloved devotee, bound by his love for Him. On visualising this, I cannot restrain my tears. But I do not understand the meaning of these verses!”

“Your reading of Gita is successful.”

So, one can have thorough knowledge of Sanskrit language and be a very learned person, but if after going through Gita, he doesn’t accept Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and instead considers Him a super human being, a great diplomat or a politician then his reading of Gita is absolutely futile. I heard even many people in India also have such mentality. How can one understand the real implication of the teachings of Gita when one does not have the knowledge about the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna?

Gita is famous throughout the entire world. So many learned people have translated it in many ways, but most of them has translated it as per their own tastes and motives. Conditioned souls who are not submitted to the Lord cannot understand the real purports of His teachings. They will misinterpret them as per their own ulterior motives and tastes. So, it is not at all easy.

When the war between Kaurava and Pandava was about to begin at Kurukshetra, Dhritarashtra was listening to all that was going on in the battlefield from Sanjay, who was given divine eyes by his Gurudev, Maharshi Vedavyas Muni. With those divine eyes, Sanjay was witnessing all that was going on in the battlefield and was narrating everything to Dhritarashtra. Dhritarashtra asked Sanjay,

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 1.1)

My son Duryodhona and the sons of Pandu, Yudhishthira etc. have assembled at the battlefield in Kurukshetra for fighting. What are they presently doing there?

Viswanath Chakravarthy Thakur, in his commentary to the above verse, raised a question that as both the parties have assembled there with the desire to fight against each other, then why is Dhritarashtra asking such a question? He himself then explains the inner mood of Dhritarashtra. Since Kurukshetra is Dharmakshetra (a place of justice and religion), Dhritarashtra was suspicious about the possibility that, because of the influence of the place, the heart of his sons may change and they may become righteous. The sons of Pandu were already religious and righteous. If both the parties come to the understanding that killing each other’s kinsman is not proper then there is a possibility of reconciliation between them. This is the reason he is asking this question to Sanjay on what both the assembled parties are doing. Though externally Dhritarashtra seemed to be favouring the reconciliation, internally he is thinking that if the war will not take place, then his sons would always be facing some trouble or other from the Pandavas. So internally he is favouring the war to take place.

When Arjun came to fight he saw all his near and dear ones, including friends, guru, relatives etc. standing against him to fight. They were all ready to lay down their lives. On seeing this Arjun played the pastimes of becoming bewildered like an ordinary man.

He told Krishna that on seeing them he lost all his spirit for fighting and at any cost he will not be able to kill his friends and relatives. He told that even if the sons of Dhritarashtra kill him and take over the kingdom he will not fight back. It is better to beg for his livelihood than to kill his own relatives. In response to his words, Krishna asked him,

kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ
viṣame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
akīrti-karam arjun
(Srimad Bhagavat Gita 2.2)

Krishna advised Arjun, “You belong to the warrior class and it is your responsibility to fight. Such an act on your part to not face the enemies in battlefield will destroy all your fame and glories. You should leave such mental weakness that has befallen you at this time and get ready to fight your enemies. You have all strength and those who possess such strength, for them to submit themselves to such mental weakness is not good.” He says,

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajṣā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.11)

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.”

Arjun told Krishna that his mental weakness had made him selfish and being bewildered he is now unable to distinguish between right and wrong. He also told that since Krishna is superior He should judge between right and wrong, religion and irreligion.

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.7)

Arjun told Krishna, “I am surrendering unto You and becoming Your disciple. Please advise me on what is good for me.”

Then Krishna started speaking Gita and sequentially told about karma-yoga, gyan-yoga and bhakti-yoga. He spoke many things on karma like akarma, vikarma etc. No one can remain without doing any karma. The act of not performing any karma is called ‘akarma’ and act of performing karma which is against the scriptural injunction is called ‘vikarma’. The act of performing yagnya (fire sacrifice) is also karma. If such karma is performed for the satisfaction of Vishnu, then the performer of such sacrifice will have no bondage. Any act that is not performed for the satisfaction of Vishnu will bind one to the chain of karma (fruitive activities).

yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra
loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya
mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 3.9)

“Work done as a sacrifice for the Lord has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.”

So Krishna asked Arjun to perform acts only for the satisfaction of the Lord without any personal desire. Now any such act which is done for the satisfaction of the Lord without any personal gratification is called Bhakti. Here, Krishna is making karma as a medium; but ultimately He is taking one towards bhakti only.

Krishna told Arjun that as fire burns down wood, when one is enlightened with transcendental knowledge that knowledge itself burns down the false ego that originates from performing karma. Then He said,

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 7.19)

Only after many many births, a transcendentalist can realize Krishna. The Lord said that one cannot know or realize Him by performing fruitive activities or practicing knowledge. Only one who is completely surrendered to His lotus feet can fully know Him. When one realizes that no one is greater or equal to Supreme Lord then he will surrender to Him. So, here also Krishna, making the gyana-yoga as a medium, ultimately takes Arjun to bhakti only. Then He tells,

tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogi
jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ
karmibhyaś cādhiko yogi
tasmād yogī bhavārjuna
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.46)

A yogi is better than a tapasvi (one who performs penances), a gyani and a karmi. So Arjuna, you become a yogi.

After that Krishna says, “Among millions of such yogis only one who is dedicated and surrendered to Me completely is the best of all.”

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.47)

So among all the yogis, the one who performs worship of My personal form is the best. This is My opinion.

Krishna continues to speak to Arjun, “Even if you don’t kill them, they will die since I have already killed them. You just have to become an instrument behind the killing.”

He then showed His universal form to Arjun. Arjun saw that Universal form by means of transcendental eyes. Only a pure devotee of the Lord, with eyes tinted with pure devotion (prema-netra), can see His transcendental form. Only by the mercy of such a pure devotee can one attain the abode of the Lord and the Lord Himself.

yo mām evam asammūḍho
jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ
sarva-bhāvena bhārat
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 15.19)

Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Lord, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.

Krishna ultimately advises Arjun to surrender fully to His lotus feet. By surrendering unto Him, one will get eternal peace and His eternal abode.

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 15.65)

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

Surrendering unto the lotus feet of Sri Krishna is the secret of all secrets which was advised by Krishna Himself. He asked Arjun to engage all his senses in His service but if it is not possible to do so then he is advised to engage his mind in His service, because if mind is engaged then all other senses will become engaged automatically.

Krishna says to Arjun by engaging his mind, senses and objects of senses, he will develop love for Him. He declares this knowledge to be the topmost secret. Actually, all the while Arjun was playing the pastimes of bewilderment like an ordinary conditioned soul so that Krishna gives him all the teachings which are meant for conditioned souls like us.

At last, Krishna advises Arjun,

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 15.66)

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

Krishna advises Arjun to abandon all the religions and take absolute shelter of His Lotus feet, surrender unto Him whole heartedly. In the conversation between Sri Raya Ramananda and Sriman Mahaprabhu, elaborated in Chaitanya Charitamrita, the highest stage of surrender is discussed, which is at a very higher level than the one advised here by Krishna. But not all are eligible for it.

Here, the Lord is assuring us that if anybody takes His shelter, He will free him from all sorts of sins. So the ultimate teaching of Srimad Bhagavad Gita is total submission to the Lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

When one will listen to Gita from a pure devotee of Lord, he will get Krishna-prema (Divine love for Krishna). If we follow the teachings of our Gurudev, Param Gurudev, Bhaktivinoda Thakur, we will be able to develop Divine Love for Supreme Lord.

So the ultimate teaching of Gita is to surrender to the Lord completely without any fear. The Lord assures us that He will free us from all sorts of sins. After listening to this Arjun told Krishna,

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā
tvat-prasādān mayācyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehaḥ
kariṣye vacanaṁ tava
(Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18.73)

Now all my doubts are dispelled and I am ready to do anything that You desire.