SANSKRIT TRANSLITERATION

avinäshi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idam tatam
vinäsham avyayasyäsya
na kashcit kartum arhati

WORD FOR WORD TRANSLATION

avinäshi—imperishable; tu—but; tat—that; viddhi—know it; yena—by whom; sarvam—all of the body; idam—this; tatam—pervaded; vinäsham—destruction; avyayasya—of the imperishable; asya—of it; na kashcit—no one; kartum—to do; arhati—is able.

TRANSLATION

That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.

PURPORT

This verse more clearly explains the real nature of the soul, which is spread all over the body. Anyone can understand what is spread all over the body: it is consciousness. Everyone is conscious of the pains and pleasures of the body in part or as a whole. This spreading of consciousness is limited within one’s own body. The pains and pleasures of one body are unknown to another. Therefore, each and every body is the embodiment of an individual soul, and the symptom of the soul’s presence is perceived as individual consciousness. This soul is described as one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair point in size. The Shvetäshvatara Upanishad (5.9) confirms this:

bälägra-shata-bhägasya
shatadhä kalpitasya ca
bhägo jivah sa vijneyah
sa cänantyäya kalpate

“When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul.” Similarly the same version is stated:

keshägra-shata-bhägasya
shatämshah sädrishätmakah
jivah sükshma-svarüpo ‘yam
sankhyätito hi cit-kanah
[Cc. Madhya 19.140]

“There are innumerable particles of spiritual atoms, which are measured as one ten-thousandth of the upper portion of the hair.”

Therefore, the individual particle of spirit soul is a spiritual atom smaller than the material atoms, and such atoms are innumerable. This very small spiritual spark is the basic principle of the material body, and the influence of such a spiritual spark is spread all over the body as the influence of the active principle of some medicine spreads throughout the body. This current of the spirit soul is felt all over the body as consciousness, and that is the proof of the presence of the soul. Any layman can understand that the material body minus consciousness is a dead body, and this consciousness cannot be revived in the body by any means of material administration. Therefore, consciousness is not due to any amount of material combination, but to the spirit soul. In the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.9) the measurement of the atomic spirit soul is further explained:

esho ‘nur ätmä cetasä veditavyo
yasmin pränah pancadhä samvivesha
pränaish cittam sarvam otam prajänäm
yasmin vishuddhe vibhavaty esha ätmä

“The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (präna, apäna, vyäna, samäna and udäna), is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited.”

The hatha-yoga system is meant for controlling the five kinds of air encircling the pure soul by different kinds of sitting postures—not for any material profit, but for liberation of the minute soul from the entanglement of the material atmosphere.
So the constitution of the atomic soul is admitted in all Vedic literatures, and it is also actually felt in the practical experience of any sane man. Only the insane man can think of this atomic soul as all-pervading vishnu-tattva. ………………Copyright BBT International.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is is available from this website for AUD 25.00, plus postage.  Other titles are available as well. Please go to “Bookstore.”

BGAII 2.16 Version one:

“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.”

BGAII 2.16 Version two:

“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.”

Here we note that the 1983 editor attempts to restrict the meanings of the “nonexistent” and the “eternal” by reserving these two words respectively for the designation of the body and the soul. He wants us to believe that “the nonexistent” refers exclusively to the material body and “the eternal” refers to the soul only etc, etc…Such narrow interpretation is conspicuous by its absence in previous Bhagavad-gita As It Is version 1. Why would the reader require to be (mis) guided in such a way? It feels like patronizing, as well as undue influence. In the purport and in a broader sense Srila Prabhupada writes simply that “nonexistent” means matter and “existent” means spirit. He also states that this is the version of all seers of the truth or “tattva-darsibhih”. So here we get clearly the impression of an unwanted and artificial JDS imposition and a jumping over the head of Guru, as well as all other seers of truth. Unfortunately he reasons ill, as if he were not a seer of the truth.

It may be argued that the only correction required for version 1 is the replacement of “no cessation” with “no change.” “No change” includes “no cessation.” Whereas “no cessation” does NOT include “no change”, which is therefore more comprehensive. Besides that, both word for word versions give “changing quality” as translation of “abhavah”.

Additionally and from a literary point of view, even without being an expert in the Sanskrit language, one may note and appreciate Sri Krishna’s clever and symmetrical wordplay: “nasato vidyate bhavo nabhavo vidyate satah.” There is a vertical axis of symmetry just after “bhavo”. “Vidyate” are in symmetry and two sets of opposites are in symmetry as well: nasato-satah and bhavo-nabhavo. Jai Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead! He is supreme in all respects, including the composition of literature.

One has to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the platform of knowledge, because by knowledge and devotion only can one liberate himself from the clutches of maya (illusion).

I suppose here we find the import of the title Bhaktivedanta. Bhakti means devotion and Vedanta means the culmination of knowledge.

In his corrective 1983 “Second edition” of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, HH Jayadvaita Swami often made a laudable effort to get closer to the original word for word translation. BGAII 2.13 is a perfect example of his technic, wherein he replaces “The self-realized soul” with “A sober person”, the translation “the sober” being found in both versions as rendition of the Sanskrit word “dhira”. The use of “sober” is also confirmed in purport as follows: “Any man who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the individual soul, the Supersoul, and nature—both material and spiritual—is called a dhira, or a most sober man. Such a man is never deluded by the change of bodies.”

 There is therefore, no other conclusion to be drawn than this is a superior presentation.

In BGAII 2.2, He restored “the Supreme Personality of Godhead” from the word for word translation, instead of the somewhat clumsy “the Supreme Person [Bhagavan]”.

He restored “know the value of life” from the word for word translation and dropped “the progressive values of life” of previous rendition one, even though the latter also sounds good.

In the word for word however, both version of Bhagavad-gita As It Is  agree on the rendition of “anarya” as “persons who do not know the value of life” . And both versions transform the plural word “persons” into a singular “man” in the translation. 

One can therefore not fail to ask the question: “Are both these renditions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is sexist or not?”

In the purport however, we find the use of “person(s)” four times as follows:

“Such impurities were never expected from a person belonging to the civilized class of men known as Äryans. The word Äryan is applicable to persons who know the value of life and have a civilization based on spiritual realization. Persons who are led by the material conception of life do not know that the aim of life is realization of the Absolute Truth, Vishnu, or Bhagavän, and they are captivated by the external features of the material world, and therefore they do not know what liberation is. Persons who have no knowledge of liberation from material bondage are called non-Äryans. Although Arjuna was a ksatriya, he was deviating from his prescribed duties by declining to fight. This act of cowardice is described as befitting the non-Äryans. Such deviation from duty does not help one in the progress of spiritual life, nor does it even give one the opportunity to become famous in this world. Lord Krishna did not approve of the so-called compassion of Arjuna for his kinsmen.” But the verse itself is always the center of attention and my question stands.

Caitanya Caritamrita Adi-Lila 1.91

TEXT 91

”The great scripture Shrimad-Bhägavatam, compiled by Mahä-muni Vyäsadeva from four original verses, describes the most elevated and kindhearted devotees and completely rejects the cheating ways of materially motivated religiosity. It propounds the highest principle of eternal religion, which can factually mitigate the threefold miseries of a living being and award the highest benediction of full prosperity and knowledge. Those willing to hear the message of this scripture in a submissive attitude of service can at once capture the Supreme Lord in their hearts. Therefore there is no need for any scripture other than Shrimad-Bhägavatam.”

PURPORT

This verse appears in Shrimad-Bhägavatam (1.1.2). The words mahä-muni-krite indicate that Shrimad-Bhägavatam was compiled by the great sage Vyäsadeva, who is sometimes known as Näräyana Mahä-muni because he is an incarnation of Näräyana. Vyäsadeva, therefore, is not an ordinary man but is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He compiled the beautiful Bhägavatam to narrate some of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees.
In Shrimad-Bhägavatam, a distinction between real religion and pretentious religion has been clearly made. According to this original and genuine commentation on the Vedänta-sütra, there are numerous pretentious faiths that pass as religion but neglect the real essence of religion. The real religion of a living being is his natural inborn quality, whereas pretentious religion is a form of nescience that artificially covers a living entity’s pure consciousness under certain unfavorable conditions. Real religion lies dormant when artificial religion dominates from the mental plane. A living being can awaken this dormant religion by hearing with a pure heart.
The path of religion prescribed by Shrimad-Bhägavatam is different from all forms of imperfect religiosity. Religion can be considered in the following three divisions: (1) the path of fruitive work, (2) the path of knowledge and mystic powers, and (3) the path of worship and devotional service.

The path of fruitive work (karma-kanda), even when decorated by religious ceremonies meant to elevate one’s material condition, is a cheating process because it can never enable one to gain relief from material existence and achieve the highest goal. A living entity perpetually struggles hard to rid himself of the pangs of material existence, but the path of fruitive work leads him to either temporary happiness or temporary distress in material existence. By pious fruitive work one is placed in a position where he can temporarily feel material happiness, whereas vicious activities lead him to a distressful position of material want and scarcity. However, even if one is put into the most perfect situation of material happiness, he cannot in that way become free from the pangs of birth, death, old age and disease. A materially happy person is therefore in need of the eternal relief that mundane religiosity in terms of fruitive work can never award.

The paths of the culture of knowledge (jnana-märga) and of mystic powers (yoga-märga) are equally hazardous, for one does not know where one will go by following these uncertain methods. An empiric philosopher in search of spiritual knowledge may endeavor most laboriously for many, many births in mental speculation, but unless and until he reaches the stage of the purest quality of goodness—in other words, until he transcends the plane of material speculation—it is not possible for him to know that everything emanates from the Personality of Godhead Väsudeva. His attachment to the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord makes him unfit to rise to that transcendental stage of vasudeva understanding, and therefore because of his unclean state of mind he glides down again into material existence, even after having ascended to the highest stage of liberation. This falldown takes place due to his want of a locus standi in the service of the Supreme Lord.

As far as the mystic powers of the yogis are concerned, they are also material entanglements on the path of spiritual realization. One German scholar who became a devotee of Godhead in India said that material science had already made laudable progress in duplicating the mystic powers of the yogis. He therefore came to India not to learn the methods of the yogis’ mystic powers but to learn the path of transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord, as mentioned in the great scripture Shrimad-Bhägavatam. Mystic powers can make a yogi materially powerful and thus give temporary relief from the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease, as other material sciences can also do, but such mystic powers can never be a permanent source of relief from these miseries. Therefore, according to the Bhägavata school, this path of religiosity is also a method of cheating its followers. In the Bhagavad-gitä it is clearly defined that the most elevated and powerful mystic yogé is one who can constantly think of the Supreme Lord within his heart and engage in the loving service of the Lord.

The path of worship of the innumerable devas, or administrative demigods, is still more hazardous and uncertain than the above-mentioned processes of karma-kanda and jïäna-kanda. This system of worshiping many gods, such as Durgä, Shiva, Ganesha, Sürya and the impersonal Vishnu form, is accepted by persons who have been blinded by an intense desire for sense gratification. When properly executed in terms of the rites mentioned in the shästras, which are now very difficult to perform in this age of want and scarcity, such worship can certainly fulfill one’s desires for sense gratification, but the success obtained by such methods is certainly transient, and it is suitable only for a less intelligent person. That is the verdict of the Bhagavad-gitä. No sane man should be satisfied by such temporary benefits.
None of the above-mentioned three religious paths can deliver a person from the threefold miseries of material existence, namely, miseries caused by the body and mind, miseries caused by other living entities, and miseries caused by the demigods. The process of religion described in Shrimad-Bhägavatam, however, is able to give its followers permanent relief from the threefold miseries. The Bhägavatam describes the highest religious form—reinstatement of the living entity in his original position of transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord, which is free from the infections of desires for sense gratification, fruitive work, and the culture of knowledge with the aim of merging into the Absolute to become one with the Supreme Lord.
Any process of religiosity based on sense gratification, gross or subtle, must be considered a pretentious religion because it is unable to give perpetual protection to its followers. The word projjhita is significant. Pra- means ”complete,” and ujjhita indicates rejection. Religiosity in the shape of fruitive work is directly a method of gross sense gratification, whereas the process of culturing spiritual knowledge with a view to becoming one with the Absolute is a method of subtle sense gratification. All such pretentious religiosity based on gross or subtle sense gratification is completely rejected in the process of bhägavata-dharma, or the transcendental religion that is the eternal function of the living being.
Bhägavata-dharma, or the religious principle described in Shrimad-Bhägavatam, of which the Bhagavad-gitä is a preliminary study, is meant for liberated persons of the highest order, who attribute very little value to the sense gratification of pretentious religiosity. The first and foremost concern of fruitive workers, elevationists, empiric philosophers and salvationists is to raise their material position. But devotees of Godhead have no such selfish desires. They serve the Supreme Lord only for His satisfaction. Shri Arjuna, wanting to satisfy his senses by becoming a so-called nonviolent and pious man, at first decided not to fight. But when he was fully situated in the principles of bhägavata-dharma, culminating in complete surrender unto the will of the Supreme Lord, he changed his decision and agreed to fight for the satisfaction of the Lord. He then said:

nashto mohah smritir labdhä
tvat-prasädän mayäcyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehah
karisye vacanam tava

”My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Bg. 18.73) It is the constitutional position of the living entity to be situated in this pure consciousness. Any so-called religious process that interferes with this unadulterated spiritual position of the living being must therefore be considered a pretentious process of religiosity.
The real form of religion is spontaneous loving service to Godhead. This relationship of the living being with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in service is eternal. The Personality of Godhead is described as vastu, or the Substance, and the living entities are described as västavas, or the innumerable samples of the Substance in relative existence. The relationship of these substantive portions with the Supreme Substance can never be annihilated, for it is an eternal quality inherent in the living being.
By contact with material nature the living entities exhibit varied symptoms of the disease of material consciousness. To cure this material disease is the supreme object of human life. The process that treats this disease is called bhägavata-dharma, or sanätana-dharma—real religion. This is described in the pages of Shrimad-Bhägavatam. Therefore anyone who, because of his background of pious activities in previous lives, is anxious to hear Shrimad-Bhägavatam, immediately realizes the presence of the Supreme Lord within his heart and fulfills the mission of his life. Copyrights BBT International.

“One should understand, through the transparent medium of the spiritual master, that the Supreme Lord exists everywhere in His transcendental spiritual nature and that the living entities’ relationships with the Lord are directly and indirectly existing everywhere, even in this material world. In the spiritual world there are five kinds of relationships with the Supreme Lord—shanta, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya. The perverted reflections of these rasas are found in the material world. Land, home, furniture and other inert material objects are related in shanta, or the neutral and silent sense, whereas servants work in the dasya relationship. The reciprocation between friends is called sakhya, the affection of a parent for a child is known as vatsalya, and the affairs of conjugal love constitute madhurya. These five relationships in the material world are distorted reflections of the original, pure sentiments, which should be understood and perfected in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. In the material world the perverted rasas bring frustration. If these rasas are reestablished with Lord Krishna, the result is eternal, blissful life.” Adi 1.56 purport. All right reserved to BBT International.

The word RASA conjures all kinds of thoughts including the apasampradaya activities of the sahajiya class. But here Srila Prabhupada explains very nicely and fully the meaning and implications of RASA. The world is full of relationships and I am related by neutrality or “shanta” to the chair which is supporting me. The company worker is related by the relationship of servitude “dasya” to the owner (s) of the company. The friend relates to the friend through friendship (sakhya). Parents love their children in the mode of “vatsalya”. And conjugal affairs are called “madhurya” rasa. These are perverted and often frustrating reflections of the original pure and blissful relationships existing in the spiritual world and centered upon Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  There are a number of other relationships as well.

We may safely conclude from this passage that the straight forward English rendition of RASA is “relationship”. Sometimes however, as in word of word and translation of Adi 1.57 for example, it is translated as “mellow”, which sounds pretty outlandish and even disturbing, especially in the view that the Macbook dictionary does not give “mellow” as a name. It is given as a adjective and verb only. Just as the original use of “Sankhya-yoga” as title for chapter 6 of the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is has baffled us for years, the use of “mellow” provoques the same impression. The former has been corrected. What about the latter? This leads us to question whether this “mellow” rendition of the word RASA is not a misunderstanding and invention of Srila Prabhupada’s editors. We look forward to their exhaustive comments on this point.

Transcendental knowledge of Shri Krishna is deeper than the impersonal knowledge of Brahman, for it includes knowledge of not only His form and personality but also everything else related to Him. There is nothing in existence not related to Shri Krishna. In a sense, there is nothing but Shri Krishna, and yet nothing is Shri Krishna save and except His primeval personality. This knowledge constitutes a complete transcendental science, and Vishnu wanted to give Brahmaji full knowledge about that science. The mystery of this knowledge culminates in personal attachment to the Lord, with a resulting effect of detachment from anything ”non-Krishna.” There are nine alternative transcendental means of attaining this stage: hearing, chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, worshiping, praying, assisting, fraternizing with the Lord, and sacrificing everything for Him. These are different parts of the same devotional service, which is full of transcendental mystery. The Lord said to Brahma that since He was pleased with him, by His grace the mystery was being revealed. Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 1.51 P. Copyright BBT International.

The dog is my best friend.

But GOD there is not.

G    O    D    or    d   o   g ?

That is the question!

Chapter 12 of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is is a short chapter. It has only 20 verses. It is along with chapter 15, the shortest chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. In total Bhagavad-gita comprises 700 verses, as if Sri Vyasadeva, the transcriber, liked round figures. We appreciate round figures too. It makes things easier. Chapter 18 is the longest chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita with 78 verses. It is seconded by chapter 2, with 72 verses, only 6 verses short of chapter 78.

Please find a Bhagavad Gita chapters breakdown. First number refers to chapter and the second number indicates number of verses found in the chapter:

.

1: 46 verses

2: 72 verses

3: 43

4: 42

5: 29

6: 47

7: 30

8: 28

9: 34

10: 42

11: 55

12: 20

13: 35

14: 27

15: 20

16: 24

17: 28

18: 78

A total of 700 verses!

Bhagavad Gita As It Is can be obtained for a small price from this very web site. Please go to tab “Bookstore” and order your copy today: https://krishnaculture.org/store/. It can be obtained from mobile Hare Krishna books distributors, from any Hare Krishna temple and restaurant or directly from our publishing house’s offices in Sydney, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust http://www.bbt.org.au.

For the purpose of this article we shall concern ourselves with verses 13 to 20 of chapter 12 of Bhagavad- Gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedant Swami, the Founder-Acarya of the international Hare Krishna movement, started in New York city in the year 1965.

From verses 13-14, which are juxtaposed, to the end of the chapter 12, i.e. verse 20, Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, described the requisites for someone who wants to be “very dear” to Him. This expression “very dear” is found verbatim in each and every verse. However in the last verse 12.20, the word “ativa” is used, which is translated as “very, very.” Here Sri Krishna even accentuates and increases the degree of dearness to Him by stating:

“Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.”

Yes indeed here is the formula to follow to become dear to Sri Krishna, just as there are formulas to follow for a successful business life. The devotees are in business for the pleasure of Krishna.

And who would not want to endear him or herself to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, literally the ultimate boss of everything and everyone! As the saying goes: “It is all about relationships.” And the most important relationship and the most congenial one of all is our relationship with the Supreme. This is exactly what is meant by the word “yoga” or the quality of our relationship with the Supreme. Now one may say: “Hang on a second: relationship with the Supreme? That’s really too far fetched! I live in the real world of everyday problems of life.” But everyday life is also a manifestation of the external energy of the Supreme. Why dissociate the two?

There are 29 indications of how one becomes dear to the Lord, as follows:

1) Who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities. This also means we cannot eat up our friends and brothers animals.

2) Who does not think himself a proprietor.

3) Who is free from false ego.

4) Who is equipoised in happiness and distress (repeated three times).

5) Who is tolerant.

6) Who is always satisfied.

7) Who is self controlled.

8) Who is engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Shri Krishna. (mentioned three times, including in whole verse 12.20)

9) He by whom no one is put into difficulty.

10) He who is not disturbed by anyone.

11) Who is equipoised in fear and anxiety.

12) Who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities.

13) Who is pure.

14) Who is expert. He is always expert because he fully knows the essence of all activities of life and he is convinced of the authoritative scriptures.

15) Who is without cares. A devotee never takes the part of a particular party; therefore he is carefree.

16) Who is free from all pains. He is never pained, because he is free from all designations; he knows that his body is a designation, so if there are some bodily pains, he is free.

17) Who is not striving for some result.

Careful: this is a tricky expression. From the purport it is clear that it is meant that the pure devotee is not striving for some PERSONAL results. The devotee of the Lord is not a useless and aimless fellow because “he is not striving for some result”. Here are Srila Prabhupada words from the purport:” The pure devotee does not endeavor for anything which is against the principles of devotional service. For example, constructing a big building requires great energy, and a devotee does not take to such business if it does not benefit him by advancing his devotional service. He may construct a temple for the Lord, and for that he may take all kinds of anxiety, but he does not construct a big house for his personal relations.”

In the Srimad Bhagavatam 7.13.8, purport, Srila Prabhupada expresses it with even more clarity:

“Temples and monasteries should be constructed for the preaching of spiritual consciousness or Krishna consciousness, not to provide free hotels for persons who are useful for neither material nor spiritual purposes. Temples and monasteries should be strictly off limits to worthless clubs of crazy men. In the Krishna consciousness movement we welcome everyone who agrees at least to follow the movement’s regulative principles—no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling. In the temples and monasteries, gatherings of unnecessary, rejected, lazy fellows should be strictly disallowed. The temples and monasteries should be used exclusively by devotees who are serious about spiritual advancement in Krishna consciousness.”

18) Who neither rejoices nor grieves.

19) Who neither laments nor desires.

20) Who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things.

21) Who is equal to friends and ennemies.

22) Who is equipoised in honor and dishonor.

23) Who is equipoised in heat and cold.

24) Who is equipoised in fame and infamy.

25) Who is always free from contaminating association.

26) Who is always silent.

“He does not speak of anything but the topics about Krishna; therefore he is called silent. Silent does not mean that one should not speak; silent means that one should not speak nonsense. One should speak only of essentials, and the most essential speech for the devotee is to speak for the sake of the Supreme Lord.”

27) Who is satisfied with anything.

28) Who does not care for any residence.

29) Who is fixed in knowledge.