The Commentary on The Sacred Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Introduction

Let my mind be eternally devoted to Sri Govindaji, the Supreme Lord Krishna , who is the source of all pleasures for the cows and the  senses. Who is the Ultimate Truth ! Who is infinite and who is an abode of inconceivable powers. Who is the indwelling monitor of every living entity as paramatma the supreme soul. Who is extremely competent in the protection of His devotees. Who is the ultimate source of all universes, material and spiritual and who is eternally blissful.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita by which the ocean of ignorance becomes completely evaporated and by which pure devotion is nourished is the source from which the ultimate reality becomes illuminated eternally in spite of its inconceivability.
I am offering my humble obeisance unto that Gita Upanisad, the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, which was composed by the Supreme Lord Krishna, Himself, who is the abode of all true virtues.
The Supreme Lord Krishna, who is the Supreme God of Gods, who is full of unfathomable, transcendental bliss, who is inconceivably omnipotent, the Supreme Ultimate Personality, counselled Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra.
The Supreme Lord Krishna by whose will the complete creation, preservation and annihilation of a myriad of variegated universes are subject to. Whose lotus feet are incessantly meditated upon by Brahma, Shiva and all the demigods.
That Sri Hari, the Supreme Lord Krishna who removes all sufferings of His devotees, after pleasing His own associates by His pastimes, who had descended with Him right from the very beginning of His appearance; and after delivering the living entities caught by the tigress of ignorance. The Supreme Lord Krishna desiring the salvation of posterity and future generations even after the disappearance of His manifest pastimes, bestowed upon the earth Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.
Although Arjuna was His dear associate, by His inconceivable potency He made him appear bewildered and then again to dispel his bewilderment, He narrated Srimad Bhagavad-Gita which illuminates the Ultimate Truth regarding Himself, His eternal associates and His eternal abode.
In the Gita Upanisad known as Srimad Bhagavad-Gita five main topics are described:
1) isvara... the Supreme Lord
2) jiva... the living entities
3) prakriti... the material substratum
4) kala... time
5) karma... the results of actions
Among these five the only one among them who is all pervading and omniscient is Isvara, the Supreme Lord and the one who is incomplete in knowledge is the known as jiva, all living entities.
The one which in substance contains the three modes of goodness, passion and ignorance is prakriti, the material substratum. The one which although is of material substance but is beyond the three modes is kala, time and the one which is invariably performed by all living entities or jivas and is variously defined as advishta which is fate, destiny, predestination and others is karma, the results of actions.
Among these five, Isvara, jiva, prakriti and kala are eternal and the four being jiva, prakriti, kala and karma are all subject to Isvara. Karma, the results of actions is described as pragathava which has no beginning but does have an end. An example of pragathava is: summer is coming but from where summer has come from cannot be ascertained; but it can be determined when summer is over and has ended. Karma is to be understood like that.
Isvara is knowledge Himself; so is the jiva and they are both the knower. Isvara is complete, the predominator and the jiva is incomplete, the predominated. Both are substantiated by the word asmad, meaning the ego. In both cases the ego is not of the mahat-tattva, the total material energy.
Isvara and jiva are both the knowers and the enjoyers. This is verified by Vedanta and the sagacious conclusions of the learned. Though knowledge and the knower are non-different like the sun and its rays yet there is a difference due to special attributes. The special attribute likened to difference is not actually different and although there is no essential difference the function of difference is utilised to discern dharmi the subject from dharma the object. Like the difference between fire and fires power of combustion. When it is said that time is always present, it is apparent that there is no difference between time and always; yet they are used together anyway. So in this way the wise realise difference in spite of apparent non-difference.
In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, the difference between Brahman the Ultimate Truth and its attributes which are also the Ultimate Truth is not sanctioned.
In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita the identity of the jiva-atma the individual consciousness, paramatma the Ultimate Consciousness and His dhama or transcendental abode and the means of attaining His dhama are revealed. In the process of revealing this the science of the individual consciousness in relation to the Ultimate Consciousness and the science of the Ultimate Consciousness in relation to the performance of devotional service to the Ultimate Supreme Personality is declared. The components of the material substratum are also declared as the 24 elements of creation from the creator paramatma, the Supreme Soul and Ultimate Consciousness.
The means of attaining paramatma who is the Ultimate Consciousness and indwelling monitor of every living entity are threefold: By karma, jnana and bhakti. Karma is described as included within the successive order of the means only when all sense of proprietorship conceptions of I and mine and all desires for the results of ones actions as described in the Vedas are completely renounced; by this the individual consciousness is sufficiently purified to qualify for jnana and bhakti.
Karma as verified in the Vedas are primarily those actions without any violence. Karma activated due to violence is considered secondary because activities of this nature have no connection whatsoever to the means of attaining the Ultimate Consciousness who is paramatma and takes one far, far away from any oppurtunity for the means of attaining any communion with Him and receiving salvation. Whereas jnana and bhakti are directly connected to the means of salvation.
Now the question arises that if by performing karma  as described in the Vedic scriptures, the consciousness becomes purified and the knowledge of the Ultimate Truth begins to dawn and salvation is attained. Then what is the necessity of bhakti. The answer is when that very knowledge is enhanced with some special quality it is called bhakti. The difference between jnana and bhakti are like a winkless gaze and a side long glance.
The jnanis enquire after the transcendental manifestation by which the five types of liberation are gained. Whereas bhakti enquires about the variegated pastimes of the transcendental manifestation who is the Supreme Lord Krishna and His Vedically authorised incarnations and expansions, by which the bliss of His direct service is the highest objective that automatically includes all that liberation has to offer.
Bhakti is often found to be associated with sravanam,  which is hearing and others and also with bhava which is transcendental ecstasy and others as well. It should be clearly understood that the hearing referred to herein is hearing Hari katha which is topics about the Supreme Lord Krishna and His phenomenal pastimes. Now if bhakti is an enhanced form of jnana then how can hearing about the Supreme Lord be considered the practice of jnana. Like a locket of hair from the Supreme Lord Krishna represents transcendental bliss; similarly as Hari katha or relishing the topics and pastimes of Lord Krishna fully represents the most complete bliss of jnana.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is divided into three sections each one containing six chapters. In the first section it is desribed that the jiva the individual consciousness is factually a part of isvara the Ultimate Consciousness and that the individual consciousness has the inherent capabilty to experience devotion for the Ultimate Consciousness. The jnana referred to in this section is accomplished by niskama karma which is desireless actions.
In the middle section, bhakti which manifests itself from knowledge of the unlimited glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna is described as the means of attaining Him, the highest objective.
In the final section the identity of isvara, jiva and prakriti which Lord Krishna mentioned earlier are described in full.
The names of the three sections in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita are the first section is called Karma Yoga, the second section is called Bhakti Yoga and the third section is called Jnana Yoga. These names are given as such because the knowledge  given in each section is predominated by that particular subject matter; but Lord Krishna's final words in the concluding chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, establishes the supreme position of bhakti. Like what is indicated on a box, labelled treasure chest, the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita factually proclaims the glories of bhakti.
Those by qualification who are entitled entry to Srimad Bhagavad-Gita are of three categories:
1) sraddhyam...those who are reverent
2) sa-dharma nishta...those who are righteous and sincere in performing their scriptural duties
3) vigitendriya...those who are of controlled senses
Furthermore there are three types of living entities within the aforementioned categories. The first two are performed by householders and the third is performed by one who is in renunciation.
1) sanistha...those who sincerely practice scriptural duties for gaining admission to heavenly planets
2) pari nistha...those who are devoted to the Supreme Lord Krishna performing devotional service out of love for Him in order to inspire and demonstrate to the common man the glories of bhakti yoga
3) nirapakya...those who have completely purified their consciousness by consistently chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord Krishna and by constantly meditating on His form and His pastimes. Engaged 100 per cent in His transcendental, devotional service, exclusively; totally renounced internally from all material conceptions and completely free from all material designations.
The relationship between the Supreme Lord Krishna and Srimad Bhagavat-Gita is that Lord Krishna is the established and Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is the establisher. Factually all the Vedic scriptures are the establisher of Lord Krishna; but the unique speciality of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita is that Lord Krishna, Himself is directly speaking.
The subject matter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita scientifically and comprehensively establishes the reality of Lord Krishna as the Supreme Lord of all. The objective of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita establishes that the highest goal of life is to surrender fully to Him and to ecstatically join Him in His eternal pastimes; by the cessation of ignorance and all other miseries.
In Srimad Bhagavad-Gita the words Brahman which is the spiritual substratum pervading all existence indicates the Ultimate Truth and aksar which  means imperishable refer also to: isvara the Supreme Lord, jiva-atma the self realized soul and prakriti the material substratum. The word ksar meaning perishable refers to the conditioned souls and the physical body.
The word atman meaning soul also refers to: isvara, jiva-atma the individual consciousness, deha the physical body, manah the mind, buddhi spiritual intelligence, dhriti patience and yatna endeavor.
The word prakriti material substratum also refers to the three modes being: sattva goodness, rajas passion and tamas ignorance; desires, ones own individual nature and ones eternal spiritual identity.
The word bhava which can mean transcendental ecstasy also refers to satta existence, avipraya intention, ones own individual nature, padartha matter, janma birth, kriya actions and atma soul.
The word yoga which is the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the Ultimate Consciousness refers to karma reactions, bhakti devotional service, jnana knowledge and citta vritti-nirodha which is complete control of all mental faculties.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita contains the revelatory words of the Supreme Lord, Himself. Thus it is the best of all scriptures. What is the necessity of other elaborate scriptures if they are not used in conjunction with Srimad Bhagavad-Gita which emanated directly from the mouth of Lord Krishna.
The words of King Dhritarastra and others as quoted in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita were composed by Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa to keep the consistency with the narration and they are absorbed into Srimad Bhagavad-Gita in the way salt particles are absorbed in a salt ocean.

Interpretations of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita
1948 Commentary by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj
In order to make a distinction between these two classes of bona fide and mala fide interpretations, we have to make an impartial study of the book, and such unbiased study only will make us able to discern the bona fide from the mala fide.
In this connection, we may first of all try to find out the origin of the Bhagavad-Gita. It is wrong to believe that the Bhagavad-Gita was first spoken in the battlefield of Kuruksetra as it is a part of the great history of India, namely, the Mahabharata. We can understand from the talks of Sri Krsna and Arjuna, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, that long, long before the battle of Kuruksetra, this philosophy was once spoken by Sri Krsna to Vivasvan (the Sun), and from Vivasvan the knowledge was transferred to Manu, and from Manu it was transferred to King Iksvaku. And, in that way of disciplic succession, the knowledge has come down to generations after generations, but in course of time, such disciplic succession broke, and therefore, Sri Krsna again repeated the same yoga or transcendental knowledge to Arjuna. In the beginning of the Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 4, verses 1-3 this fact is stated as follows:
This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.
Rsis and kings or the kings who were as good as the rsis is the meaning of the word rajarsaya, and, as such, every one, whether he was a householder or mendicant, knew Bhagavad-Gita before the battle of Kuruksetra, or before the period of Mahabharata, which is calculated to be at least five thousand years before, and as such, how it is hinted that the same knowledge was lost. That transcendental knowledge was lost because there must have been some mala fide interpretations of the knowledge, and such knowledge would do more harm than good to the people. It had to be repeated again by Sri Krsna before a bona fide king, and for this, Arjuna was selected at a critical moment because Sri Krsna acknowledged him to be not only a confidential friend, but also a bona fide devotee at the same time. We have to mark the words in Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 4, verse 3 especially bhakto ’si etc.
Sri Krsna had many friends and relatives at that time who might have been great scholars also, but He selected Arjuna as the bona fide person to grasp the knowledge of Bhagavad-Gita only because Arjuna was a great devotee of the Lord. It may be concluded therefore that the principle of Bhagavad-Gita can be understood only by personalities like Arjuna, who was a completely surrendered soul to Sri Krsna, and this knowledge (yoga) can be explained only by personalities like Sri Krsna (i. e. His bona fide devotees) or for the matter of that by the Personality of Godhead only.
Under such circumstances, the bona fide interpretations can be given only by those who follow the footprints of Arjuna, or, in other words, one who happens to come in the line of disciplic succession from Sri Arjuna as it was formerly delivered from Vivasvan to Manu (and Iksvaku). That is the first condition of understanding Bhagavad-Gita. And, violations of this condition means breaking of the link of disciplic succession and thereby losing the real purpose of the great philosophy. Beside, Bhagavad-Gita is not a new thesis of speculative philosophy, but it is as old as the Sun is. Nobody can say what is the age of the Sun, neither can anybody calculate the age of Manu. According to authentic sastras, the age of a Manu is 72 x 4,200,000 years. It is also understood that at the present moment, the Manu who has been referred to in the Bhagavad-Gita has been passing his age on the point of the 28th period, out of the above mentioned 72 periods of 4,200,000 years each, and because Manu was told by Vivasvan, it may be safely calculated that Bhagavad-Gita was spoken once before the battle of Kuruksetra at least 197,600,000 one hundred ninety-seven million sixty hundreds of thousand years before.
A transcendental source of knowledge which was coming down in a chain of disciplic succession for millions of years before the battle of Kuruksetra must have been studied by various scholars of the period, but still, we don’t find more than one edition or interpretation of the Bhagavad-Gita as represented by Sri Arjuna; but during the last two hundred years, we have so many interpretations of Bhagavad-Gita by different speculators. This advancement of speculative activities by different mundaners without any reference to the chain of disciplic succession, are all mala fide interpretations, and spread of such mala fide knowledge on the so-called basis of the Great Book of Knowledge, will do more harm than good to the people.
We find also in the last chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, that the Personality of Godhead has persistently advised that the essence of Bhagavad-Gita must not be disclosed to a person at any time who has not undergone any disciplinary method of austerity and penances, who is not a devotee of Sri Krsna, who is unwilling to accept the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita and, lastly, one who actually envies Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. The sloka which instructs the above procedure is found in chapter 18, verse 67 as follows:
So, according to Bhagavad-Gita, the following four classes of readers are incompetent to understand the principle of Bhagavad-Gita, and therefore they are not able to make any bona fide interpretations whatsoever. They are:
1. Ordinary men who have no training in austerity or penance.
2. Those who are not devotees of Godhead but are either mundane workers, mundane philosophers or mundane mystics.
3. Those who do not come in the line of disciplic succession like Vivasvan, Manu, Iksvaku, Arjuna, etc.
4. Those who disbelieve Sri Krsna as the Absolute Personality of Godhead.
And, these unlucky four classes of men are described in the Bhagavad-Gita as (a) Naradhamah the lowest class of men, (b) mudhah non-intelligent men of society, (c) mayayapahrta-jnana persons who have sufficient mundane education, but they are robbed of essential knowledge by the illusory energy or maya, and (d) the asuras who disbelieve in the very existence of Godhead. In chapter 7, verse 15 can be found a description of the above fact as follows:
These four mala fide classes of men have done tremendous harm to the society by making mala fide interpretations of the Bhagavad-Gita according to their limited sensual perceptions, and the result is that the whole atmosphere has been surcharged with mala fide poisons, which are eating the vital necessities of life. We can very well imagine how this process can do harm if we compare it partially with adulterated foodstuff or adulterated medicines. Foodstuff and medicines are concerned with the material body only, but the knowledge which is administered in the Bhagavad-Gita is concerned with spirit soul. In the very beginning of Bhagavad-Gita, the identity of the material body and the spirit soul has been elaborately explained, and the specific instruction of Bhagavad-Gita has always been stressed for the benefit of the spirit soul. The subject matter of the material body and mind has not been neglected in Bhagavad-Gita, but on the contrary, it has been nicely coordinated with the necessities of the spirit soul; but more importance and attention has been drawn on the subject matter of the spirit soul. Therefore, if we protest so much against spread of adulterated foodstuff and medicines which are concerned with the temporary material body only, we have to protest more vigorously against the spread of adulterated interpretations of Bhagavad-Gita because that concerns to the eternal vital power of the spirit soul as verified in chapter 2, verse 17.
“Arjuna inquired: O Krsna, what is the situation of those who do not follow the principles of scripture but worship according to their own imagination? Are they in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: According to the modes of nature acquired by the embodied soul, one’s faith can be of three kinds—in goodness, in passion or in ignorance. Now hear about this.
O son of Bharata, according to one’s existence under the various modes of nature, one evolves a particular kind of faith. The living being is said to be of a particular faith according to the modes he has acquired.
Men in the mode of goodness worship the demigods; those in the mode of passion worship the demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits.
Those who undergo severe austerities and penances not recommended in the scriptures, performing them out of pride and egoism, who are impelled by lust and attachment, who are foolish and who torture the material elements of the body as well as the Supersoul dwelling within, are to be known as demons.
Even the food each person prefers is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Now hear of the distinctions between them.
Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.
Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.
Mental speculationists can manufacture wonderful interpretations of Bhagavad-Gita by an intellectual activity, but such interpretation cannot be accepted as bona fide because that is not transcendental to the mundane senses, neither to the material mind in subtle state. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, such interpretations depending on the mind and senses are sure to be doomed like a boat on the troubled sea. It is shown in Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 2, verses 67-72:
“As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.
Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence.
What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego, he alone can attain real peace.
By these presents it is not however meant that we shall have to accept somebody who is a professional spiritual master or a social spiritual master. The transcendentalist is one who has known Sri Krsna as He is. Sri Krsna is never the person Who can be conceived by mental or physical adjustment. He can only be known by those who have full surrender unto Him. He cannot be understood by sense perception because He is behind a curtain spread by yogamaya. Unless that curtain is removed by the process of transcendental loving co-operation with Him, one cannot know Sri Krsna as He is as follows.
Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” [Bg. 7.3]
Sri Vyasadeva experienced Sri Bhagavan in the following way given below.
This param bhavam or transcendental nature of Sri Krsna, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is unknowable to the unlucky four classes of men as aforesaid. Some of them who are influenced by asurabhava or demoniac nature especially consider that Sri Krsna is no better than an ordinary man and the extraordinary qualities that He possessed can be acquired by any ordinary man, or in other words, any one and every one can become a Sri Krsna or more than Him. But the mahatmas who are graced by Sri Krsna know Him otherwise. Such mahatmas know Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality bhutamahesvaram, while the asuras or raksasas (like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu) who defy Sri Krsna as the Supreme Being above everthing and thereby are baffled in their speculative work, frustrated in their hopes, befooled in their search of knowledge thus remain entrapped by the illusory laws of material nature which they are unable to conquer by any amount of speculative method. [margin note: (Nobody is at or above: (asrama urdhva))] These asuras and mahatmas are definitely distinguished in the Bhagavad-Gita in so many words, as in Chapter 9, Texts 12–14:
“Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.
O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.
Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” The whole purpose of Bhagavad-Gita is to reveal Sri Krsna the Personality of Godhead as He is. The whole theme of Bhagavad-Gita is to preach the surrendering process of all living beings unto the Lotus feet of Sri Krsna, because all living beings are His parts and parcels, and without this surrendering process, nobody can conquer the indefiable laws of Nature. Material existence of all living beings means a perpetual struggle struggle for existence and a continued fight with Prakriti without any success. [margin note (as done by induction)] Advancement of material science has undoubtedly discovered many weapons by the Asuras to fight with the laws of Nature, but without full surrender unto the Lord Krsna, nobody can get relief from such perpetual struggle for existence. The fittest person who shall survive this struggle is one who has completely surrendered unto the Will of Sri Krsna the Personality of Godhead.
This fact is further stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 18, verses 65-66 below:
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.
Further evidence is given in Bhagavad-Gita, 10, verses 8-11 as follows:
“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.”
There are certain extraordinarily learned prospective mahatmas who try to understand Sri Krsna by the ascending process of acquiring knowledge, but such process is not only defective, but also troublesome. Such learned scholars attain the Lotus feet of Sri Krsna after many, many births and deaths. Such would-be mahatmas are stated in the Bhagavad-Gita as follows:
“That which the Vedantists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns—that is My supreme abode. (Bg. 8.21)
“For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied. (Bg. 12.5)
Preaching of Bhagavad-Gita is not, therefore, a proposition of mental speculation and putting in different mental interpretations of speculative empiric philosphers. It is the one without a second, concrete fact for the amelioration of the sufferings of humanity especially and animality generally. It must be presented in the bona fide method of spreading the knowledge, strictly in the line of transcendental chain of disciplic succession. Om Tat Sat.

Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya