Gita: Essence of Essence

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

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In two tikas, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti describes the essence of Bhagavad-gita.

While describing the first essence, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti gives a beautiful blessing by saying, “These four famous verses (Bg.10.8-11), which are the essence of all topics in the Gita, will remove misery and saturate the jivas with bliss!”

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “I am the source of everything and cause everything to function. Realizing this, an intelligent person will worship Me with love. (8)

“Devotees who have absorbed their minds and hearts in Me attain bliss and satisfaction by enlightening one another with Hari-katha. (9)

“To My constantly devoted worshipers, I give the discriminative intelligence to guide them to Me. (9)

“I favor My devotees by sitting within their minds and hearts to destroy the darkness of ignorance with the light of transcendental knowledge.” (10)

Then at the very end of Bhagavad-gita, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti mentions its second essence, which is truly the quintessence of all Gita’s teachings and the essence of all Upanisads.

In his tika to (18.64), Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti writes, “Here Bhagavan Sri Krishna is saying, ‘O My Priya Bandhu Arjuna! Now I will speak the essence of the entire Gita in eight verses.’” (18.64-71)

We have arranged these eight essence verses by topic to provide clear understanding. Please deeply consider the import of the fourth and fifth essences which reveal some surprising and unknown truths regarding Gita propagation.

Misunderstanding these points often leads to committing nama-aparadha to Sri Krishna’s Divine Names, because one innocently or knowingly, “Preaches to the faithless”, which is the ninth offense to Sri Krishna’s Divine Names.

First Essence: THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL SECRET

With His heart melting like butter due to His mercy, Sri Krishna told Arjuna the deepest meaning of the Bhagavad-gita.

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Now hear My most elevated words describing the supreme secret of all secrets. Since you are very dear to Me, I will tell you what is best for you. (18.64)

sarva-guhyatamaṁbhūyaḥ, śṛṇu me paramaṁvacaḥ

iṣṭosi me dṛḍhamiti,  tatovakṣyāmitehitam

Second Essence: ESSENCE OF BHAKTI SADHANA

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Fix your mind on Me and be My devotee! Worship Me and offer respects to Me. By doing this, you will surely come to Me. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. (18.65)

man-manābhava mad-bhakto,  mad-yājīmāṁnamaskuru

māmevaiṣyasisatyaṁte,  pratijānepriyo ’si me

Third Essence: SURRENDER ALL TO ME!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, Give up all religious injunctions and take full shelter in Me. Don’t worry, I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. (18.66)

sarva-dharmānparityajya, māmekaṁśaraṇaṁvraja

ahaṁtvāṁsarva-pāpebhyo, mokṣayiṣyāmimāśucaḥ

Fourth Essence: DO NOT PREACH HERE!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “Arjuna, DO NOT SPEAK THE GITA TO ANYONE WHO IS:

1. Not austere;

2. Not My devotee;

3. Does not want to hear it;

4. Envious of Me.” (18.67)

idaṁtenātapaskāya,  nābhaktāyakadācana

nacāśuśrūṣavevācyaṁ,  na ca māṁyo ’bhyasūyati

Fifth Essence: YES—PREACH HERE!

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “One who explains this supreme secret to My devotees attains the highest bhakti. And without a doubt, he will come to Me! (18.68)

yaidaṁparamaṁguhyaṁ, mad-bhakteṣvabhidhāsyati

bhaktiṁmayiparāṁkṛtvā, māmevaiṣyatyasaṁśayaḥ

Sixth Essence: KRISHNA LOVES PREACHERS

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “No one in this world is dearer to Me than one who PREACHES TO DEVOTEES!” (18.69)

na ca tasmānmanuṣyeṣu, kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ

bhavitāna ca me tasmād, anyaḥpriyatarobhuvi

Seventh Essence: GITA STUDY IS KRISHNA WORSHIP

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “I am firmly convinced that whoever studies this sacred dialogue of ours [Bhagavad-gita] worships Me through the sacrifice of knowledge.” (18.70)

adhyeṣyate ca yaimaṁ, dharmyaṁsaṁvādamāvayoḥ, jñāna-yajñenatenāham, iṣṭaḥsyāmiti me matiḥ

Eighth Essence: BENEFIT OF HEARING GITA

Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “If a non-envious person just faithfully hears the Bhagavad-gita, he/she will become liberated and attain the higher auspicious planets. (18.71)

śraddhāvānanasūyaś ca, śṛṇuyādapiyonaraḥ

so pi muktaḥśubhāllokān, prāpnuyātpuṇya-karmaṇām

Sri Gita Upanisadki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!