Ever wonder why even after reading Bhagavad Gita, people are not interested in dedicating their life to Krishna. The answer is given by Krishna himself in Bhagavad Gita. In the verse 4.3 of this book, Krishna says that to understand his message which he is giving in Bhagavad Gita one should be his friend and also his devotee. These are the two qualifications required to understand Bhagavad Gita.
Krishna spoke Gita to Arjuna, and even Dhritarashtra through Sanjaya came to know about the knowledge but still the blind king was not able to appreciate the knowledge. It was because he wasn’t a devotee of Krishna and never considered Krishna his friend.
In fact, he became more disturbed when at the end Sanjaya informs him that wherever Krishna is and wherever Arjuna is opulence, victory, extraordinary power and morality is guaranteed. Bhagavad Gita 18.78.
Any sane man after knowing Gita and knowing who Krishna is would have immediately given up all false notions and would have taken shelter of Krishna just like Arjuna.
Krishna spoke this great knowledge 5000 years ago and after that many people tried to share this with others. But there are people who may know all the 700 verses of Gita but are still not interested in Krishna. Why? The answer is simple – they have not developed friendly relationships with Krishna and have not decided to become a devotee of Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada knew this fact so the first thing he did was to make everyone a devotee of Krishna. In fact, the most important qualifications to share the knowledge of this great literature is to first be a devotee of Krishna. Intellectual rendition may attract people’s attention but may not transform people’s heart.
Knowing Gita from Srila Prabhupada
Srila Prabhupada being a pure devotee of Krishna could easily comprehend the message which Krishna wanted to share with all the suffering souls of this world. And moreover, Prabhupada knew Krishna’s heart. He knew that Krishna wants everyone to get connected to him and come back to him.
Prabhupada worked on this mission. He dedicated his life in bringing people closer to Krishna and making them understand Krishna’s message as it is. This is why he wrote book Bhagavad Gita as it is.
Many so-called scholars to capitalize the popularity of Gita wrote commentary on Bhagavad Gita but added their own interpretation and so the original message of Krishna was lost.
But Prabhupada said to us what Krishna wanted to share with us. Those who heard him their heart got transformed and could understand their relationship with Krishna. Prabhupada went to west and the western people after hearing Gita from Prabhupada gave their life to Krishna.
Today we see thousands and thousands of people chanting the names of Krishna all over the world, singing the glories of Krishna, worshipping Krishna in the temple selflessly.
This is because they have come to know that Krishna is the topmost reality, he is everyone’s friend, and the goal of all living beings is to become a devotee of Krishna.
With this understanding, knowing Gita becomes easy. The message of Krishna penetrates our heart and love of Krishna manifests in it.
Three Reflections
- In Bhagavad Gita 4.3, Krishna says that to understand his message which he is giving, one should be his friend and also his devotee.
- There are people who may know all the 700 verses of Gita but are still not interested in Krishna.
- Those who heard from Srila Prabhupada, their heart got transformed and they could understand their relationship with Krishna.
Ask Yourself
- Do I consider Krishna my true well-wishing friend?
Action Item
- Hear at least one lecture of Srila Prabhupada on Bhagavad Gita per week.
