The Supreme Science Described in the Bhagavad-gītā
Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that all genuine spiritual knowledge culminates in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. By studying these descriptions directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we understand the science of the soul, the complexities of material nature, the purpose of human society, and the ultimate perfection found in pure devotional service.
The Divine Nature of Kṛṣṇa
The Bhagavad-gītā leaves no room for speculation regarding the identity of the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that Kṛṣṇa is unequivocally described by Arjuna and by Himself as the Supreme Brahman, the source of all incarnations, and the ultimate enjoyer of everything.
- In Bhagavad-gita (BG 10.12), Krsna is described as the Supreme Brahman (param brahma param dhama). The word brahma means - the greatest.
- In the Bhagavad-gita God describes Himself. He says, "My appearance of taking birth just like an ordinary human being is actually transcendental."
- Krsna is unlimited, His potency is unlimited, His cows and calves are unlimited, and His space is unlimited. Therefore He is described in Bhagavad-gita as Parabrahman.
- Lord Sri Krsna, being the origin of all visnu-tattvas, is addressed here as parah puman, or Purusottama, as described in the Bhagavad-gita. He is the complete whole. The purusavataras are therefore His plenary expansions.
- He is described in Bhagavad-gita as mahesvara, or the Supreme Lord. He is Paramatma, not jivatma. Paramatma means the Supersoul, who is sitting by the side of the conditioned soul just to sanction his activities.
The Science of the Spirit Soul
True education begins with understanding the difference between the temporary body and the eternal soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Bhagavad-gītā perfectly describes the eternal nature of consciousness and its continuous transmigration from one material body to another.
- As described in Bhagavad-gita, dehino 'smin yatha dehe: (BG 2.13) the soul, the proprietor of the body, is within.
- According to the Nirukti, or the Vedic dictionary, sankhya means that which describes phenomena in detail, and sankhya refers to that philosophy which describes the real nature of the soul. And yoga involves controlling the senses.
- Neither Vedic knowledge nor modern science denies the existence of the spirit soul in the body, and the science of the soul is explicitly described in the Bhagavad-gita by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
- In Bhagavad-gita the individual souls are also described as parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Supersoul, so why not accept that Dattatreya was one of those parts.
- Even after the destruction of this body, consciousness is not destroyed. Rather, consciousness is transferred to another type of body and again makes us aware of the material conception of life. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gita.
The Material and Spiritual Energies
Kṛṣṇa controls both the inferior, material elements and the superior, spiritual living entities. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that the Bhagavad-gītā clearly contrasts the temporary, miserable nature of this material cosmos with the eternal, blissful reality of the spiritual kingdom.
- As described by God Himself in Bhagavad-gita (BG 7.4-5): besides the inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which consists of all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.
- In Bhagavad-gita the Supreme Personality of Godhead has explained that the material energy and spiritual energy both emanate from Him. The material energy is described as me bhinna prakrtir astadha (BG 7.4), the eight separated energies of the Lord.
- Bhagavad-gita describes two types of living entities, ksara and aksara, those living in the material world and those in the spiritual world.
- In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna describes the material universe as a nonpermanent place full of miseries. Why, then, would He seek pleasure in matter? He is the Supersoul, the supreme spirit, and His pleasure is beyond the material conception - CC Intro.
- Beyond this unmanifested matter is the spiritual kingdom, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as supreme and eternal. That kingdom is never annihilated.
The Four Divisions of Society (Varṇāśrama)
To maintain a peaceful and progressive human society, the Lord established the varṇāśrama system. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that the Bhagavad-gītā describes these four divisions—intellectuals, administrators, merchants, and laborers—based strictly on a person's qualities and work, completely rejecting the modern, degraded caste-by-birth system.
- As described in Bhagavad-gita (BG 4.13), human society must be divided into four orders according to quality and work. In every society there must be an intelligent class, administrative class, productive class and worker class.
- Aryan, according to Aryan civilization as described in the Bhagavad-gita, there are four divisions inaugurated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As we have already explained, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam.
- Bhagavad-gita describes the duties of the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras.
- As described in Bhagavad-gita, the caste system is the creation of the Lord and is arranged according to the quality of work rendered to society and not in terms of birthright, as falsely claimed in the present degraded society.
- One has to execute his prescribed duties according to his social position as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. The prescribed duties of the four classes of men in human society are also described in Bhagavad-gītā.
The Various Paths of Yoga
The Bhagavad-gītā comprehensively analyzes the different ladders of spiritual elevation, including karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that Kṛṣṇa describes these paths merely as stepping stones; the ultimate perfection is only reached through pure bhakti-yoga.
- Besides bhakti-yoga, the Bhagavad-gita also describes karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and dhyana-yoga. Yoga means linking with the Supreme Lord, which is possible only through devotion.
- Different processes of liberation from material entanglement have also been described: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and hatha-yoga. But here (in BG 8.14) bhakti-yoga, without any mixture of these, is mentioned.
- In Bhagavad-gita there are descriptions of karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, bhakti-yoga, dhyana-yoga, etc., but unless one comes to the point of bhakti-yoga, these other yogas cannot help one attain the highest perfection of life.
- There are many yogis and many different types of yoga systems, and all of these are discussed in Bhagavad-gita. There is hatha-yoga, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and raja-yoga; however, the real yoga system is meant for reviving our connection with Krsna.
- In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, where yoga practice is described, this realization of the personal form of the Lord is called the perfection of yoga.
The Symptoms of Pure Devotional Service
A true devotee of the Lord exhibits distinct, divine characteristics. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Bhagavad-gītā describes such a mahātmā as one who is completely free from material anxieties, always steady in happiness and distress, and constantly absorbed in satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa.
- A pure devotee cannot remain a moment without being absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This constant thinking of the Lord is described in Bhagavad-gita as satata-yuktanam, always engaging in the Lord's service.
- Activities intended to satisfy the senses of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, are called krsnarthe 'khila-cestah. This indicates that one can attempt all kinds of work, but one should do so to satisfy Krsna. This is described in Bhagavad-gita as yajnarthat karma.
- As described in Bhagavad-gita: A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear to Me.
- As described in Bhagavad-gita: one who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me - he is very dear to Me.
- In Bhagavad-gita (BG 9.2), the science of devotional service is described as pratyaksavagamam dharmyam, direct understanding of the principles of religion by realization.
The Demoniac and Foolish Nature
Not everyone accepts the supremacy of God. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes how Kṛṣṇa explicitly describes atheistic, materially attached people as mūḍhas (fools) and narādhamas (the lowest of mankind) because they squander the rare human form of life on sinful activities.
- A human being, so-called human being with two hands and two legs, but they're animals who do not accept the authority of scripture and do not accept the existence of God, so Bhagavad-gita very nicely describes them, naradhamah.
- All these materialists are described in Bhagavad-gita as naradhamas. They have attained the human form in order to get released from material bondage, but instead of doing so, they become further embarrassed amid the miserable material conditions.
- Foolish rascals are described in the Bhagavad-gita as mayayapahrta-jnanah (BG 7.15), which indicates that although they are superficially educated, maya has taken their real knowledge away. Such people are presently leading human society.
- In Bhagavad-gita (BG 7.15) Lord Krsna describes such materialistic persons as mudhas (rascals): na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah.
- Krsna describes in the Bhagavad-gita: Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.
The Scientific Authority of the Gītā
The Bhagavad-gītā is not a collection of mythological allegories; it is an exact, absolute science. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that to properly access this science, one must read the Gītā "As It Is" through the bona fide disciplic succession, rejecting the mental speculations of mundane scholars and politicians.
- Krsna consciousness is a great science; it is not a sentimental speculation regarding love. It is based on scientific propositions described in the Bhagavad-gita, in the Vedas, and in the Brahma-samhita.
- People do not try to understand this science, how it is happening. That is all described in the Bhagavad-gita. If we study Bhagavad-gita very carefully, we can understand the philosophy of life correctly.
- Bhagavad-gita has to be accepted as it is, from the disciplic succession, and it is described herein (BG 4.1) that the Lord spoke to the sun-god, the sun-god spoke to his son Manu, and Manu spoke to his son Iksvaku.
- Many rascals have come to the West to preach Bhagavad-gita. They are designated as rascals because they are bluffers who do not give real information. In our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, however, the spiritual nature is authoritatively described.
- A brahmana must be fully conversant with the Vedic conclusion, which is described in Bhagavad-gita. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah. The Vedic conclusion - the ultimate understanding, or Vedanta understanding - is knowledge of Krsna.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that all genuine spiritual knowledge culminates in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. As the supreme science spoken directly by Lord Kṛṣṇa, it flawlessly describes the eternal nature of the spirit soul, distinguishing it from the temporary, miserable material body. The Gītā systematically maps out the creation of the material and spiritual energies, defines the proper functioning of human society through varṇāśrama-dharma, and evaluates the various yoga systems, ultimately crowning pure bhakti-yoga as the highest perfection. Furthermore, it draws a sharp line between the divine qualities of a surrendered mahātmā and the foolish, demoniac mentality of those who reject God. To escape the cycle of birth and death, one must abandon the speculations of mundane scholars and submissively accept the absolute science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness exactly as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.
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