BG 2.47, 4.3, 9.14, 10.12–14 – Gita-jayanti

Giriraj Swami: So, my dear devotees, we have gathered to discuss Gita-jayanti. Gita-jayanti is the day on which Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna.

The Gītā is also known as the Gītopaniṣad, and is considered one of the Upanishads. The name Bhagavad-gītā is sometimes translated as “The Song of God.” Gītā means “song.” God, Krishna, is so sublime that whatever He speaks is music and poetry. The word Bhagavān has been analyzed by Vedic authorities. Bhaga means “opulence” and is related to the word Bhāgya: “good fortune.” And van means “one who possesses.” So, Bhagavān means “He who possesses all opulence in full.”

Vishnu Purana 6.5.47:

aisvaryasya samagrasya

viryasya yasasah sriyah

jnana-vairagyayos caiva

sannam bhaga itingana

TRANSLATION

Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

COMMENT

All of us possess some wealth. I may have ten dollars, but if I look further, I will find someone who has a hundred dollars. And if I look still further, I will find someone who has a thousand, and a million, and a billion. But no one can say that he possesses all the wealth in all creation, that no one is equal to him or greater than him in wealth. When we come to that person who has all wealth—no one is equal to or greater than Him—that is Bhagavān, Krishna.

The Bhagavad-gītā was originally spoken by Krishna to Arjuna. As stated in the Gītā 4.1,

TEXT 1

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāha

manur ikṣvākave ‘bravīt

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.

COMMENT

So, Lord Krishna originally spoke the Gītā to Vivasvān, the sun-god, who spoke it to his son Manu, who in turn spoke it to Ikṣvāku. In this way, the knowledge was passed on through disciplic succession from one to the next to the next. But in the course of time, that chain became broken.

TEXT 2

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam

imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ

sa kāleneha mahatā

yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa

TRANSLATION

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.

COMMENT

Naṣṭa means “spoiled.” You may have a nice place of prasāda, but if you leave it aside and it becomes old and contaminated, it becomes naṣṭaḥ, spoiled. It is food, but you don’t get the benefit. To get the real benefit of the Bhagavad-gītā, one must receive it through paramparā (evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ).

Five thousand years ago, Lord Krishna detected that the chain was broken, and that, consequently, the knowledge was lost. So, He came again and spoke the Bhagavad-gītā again, to Arjuna. “Now, Arjuna, you become the first recipient of this knowledge in the new chain, so that the knowledge is received and presented as it is.” Srila Prabhupada called his translation of the Gītā the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. “As it is” means as Krishna spoke it and as Arjuna understood it – five thousand years ago.

How did Arjuna understand it? First, he accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TEXT

arjuna uvāca

paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum        [Bhagavad-gītā 10.12]

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest.

COMMENT

So, we are discussing how to receive the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and to do so, we have to accept it as Krishna’s spoken, and as Arjuna understood it. And how did Arjuna understand it? First, he accepted Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he accepted everything that Krishna said as true.

TEXT 10.14

sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye

yan māṁ vadasi keśava

TRANSLATION

O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me.

COMMENT

“I accept whatever You say, in total.” He did not discriminate that he liked some parts of the Gītā but not other parts. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye, “I accept in total everything that You have said.”

If we begin to discriminate, “I like this portion, but I don’t like that portion,” we become implicated in ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya, “half-hen” logic. A farmer had a hen that was laying eggs. But the farmer thought that only the hind portion was valuable, because that portion gave eggs, and the neck portion was simply troublesome, because it just ate food. He concluded, “I will cut the neck portion, which is just a botheration, and keep the hind portion, which gives eggs.” And when he cut the neck portion, of course, the hen died, and there were no more eggs.

One verse in the Bhagavad-gītā that is very popular among some people states, karmaṇy evādhikāras te, “You are entitled to do your work.” They think, I can go to work, I can make and spend money, I can take care of my family, and enjoy with my family and friends. This is a precious instruction. But when they come to sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, “Give up all varieties of religion and duties and just surrender to Krishna," that is a little troublesome, and they want to cut that part, “We don’t really need that, we will just keep the valuable part: I can do my work.”

In order to get the full benefit of the Bhagavad-gītā, it is essential to accept it as it is. Devotees who have accepted it as it is and applied its principles in their lives have undergone extraordinary transformations. This knowledge can really help people. And any genuine person who gets something good will naturally want to share it with others. Anyone who has imbibed the nectar of the Bhagavad-gītā, gotten the benefit of Bhagavad-gītā, want to share its knowledge with others. It is natural. If you are eating a nice plate of prasāda and taste something really good, it is natural to say, “You should try this, it is really good” or, “You should try this with this, it is a really good combination.” Anyone, any child, will do that. So, when you actually experience the benefit of the Bhagavad-gītā in your life, you will naturally want to share the knowledge with others so they too can benefit and become happy.

Now, why did Krishna choose Arjuna to be the first student of the Bhagavad-gītā? Arjuna was not a sannyasi, he was a married man, and he was not a brahman, he was a warrior. Why Arjuna? Krishna explains:

TEXT

sa evāyaṁ mayā te ‘dya
yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
bhakto ‘si me sakhā ceti
rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam        [Bhagavad-gītā 4.3]

TRANSLATION

That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

COMMENT

The main qualification for understanding the Gītā is bhakto ‘si me, to be Lord Krishna’s devotee. And later Krishna says that one should hear the Gītā with faith, and without envy, śraddhāvān anasūyaś ca śṛṇuyād api yo naraḥ, [Bhagavad-gītā 18.71] this is a most important point, to get the true benefit of the Gītā, one must be a devotee.

What does it mean to be a devotee? Sometimes the word devotee is used quite broadly. To begin, let us understand “devotee” in contrast to karmi, jnani, and yogi. These are all technical (as well as general) terms. A karmi engages in fruitive work. He works for personal gain, “I have worked and earned, now I have the right to enjoy the fruits.” That is 90 percent of the world. People work, and they feel, “I have earned the money, so I have the right to spend it on myself, on my family, on my community, on my country,” (or whatever limited or extended concept of sense gratification they have). But the Gītā says, “No.”

TEXT

karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana        [Bhagavad-gītā 2.47]

TRANSLATION

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.

COMMENT

The fruits belong to Krishna. If you invite a carpenter to your house and give him wood and nails and glue—everything he needs—and say, “I want you to build me a cabinet," in the end, to whom does the cabinet belong? Does it belong to the carpenter, or does it belong to you? It belongs to the proprietor, not to the worker. The worker has assembled the ingredients supplied by the proprietor, but that does not make him the owner.

The entire material creation, this entire cosmic manifestation, the elements, are provided by Krishna. The earth we walk on, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the fire or electricity we use, everything belongs to Him, and we cannot rightly claim any of it for ourselves. We may assemble the elements in different ways, but it belongs to Him, and is meant to be used for His purposes.

A karmi engages in work and wants to keep the fruits for himself. A karma-yogi engages in work but gives the fruits to Krishna. A man may grow a tree that produces fruit. A karmi will keep the fruit for himself, whereas the karma-yogi will give the fruit, or some of the fruit, to Krishna. The sakāma-karma-yogi has selfish desires, but he still gives something to Krishna. If the tree produces a hundred mangoes, he may give one or two or ten or twenty to Krishna. And as he becomes purified, as he develops more faith and becomes more attached to Krishna, he will give more to Krishna. And eventually, he may give all one hundred mangoes to Krishna, without any selfish desire, that is niṣkāma-karma-yoga. But he will not be the loser. Krishna will give him His prasāda, His mercy. 

The jnanis and often the yogis are impersonalists; they believe that God is ultimately impersonal—nameless, formless, without qualities, without activities. They may even go so far as to think that Krishna’s form is material, and just as we have a physical body made of flesh and bones and blood, so does Krishna. And according to them, if Krishna is material, then His name, form, qualities, and activities, are also material. People may chant His name, but ultimately, they have to go beyond that. Ultimately, according to them, we have to go beyond all these illusory forms and names, and come to the all-pervading impersonal light, and merge and become one with that. Then there is no you, no me, no Krishna, just oneness.

In theory, that is also a possibility, but it is very rare to achieve that state, and very difficult. Not only is the impersonal path difficult, but the result is also not very satisfying because ultimately, everyone wants happiness and love.

The two most basic human needs are to love and be loved. We want friends, we want family, we want community, and we are not happy without them. If you were a billionaire but could never see any other living being, would you be happy? No. You would be so desperate for company, for relationship, that you would say, “I don’t want this wealth, I just want to be with people I love and who love me.” In a way, this was Arjuna’s thinking at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. He considered, “What is the use of winning a kingdom, if in the course of the battle, all my friends and family die? What is the use? With whom will I enjoy my kingdom?” The thought of being without family and friends overwhelmed Arjuna.

TEXT

na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād
yac chokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām
avāpya bhūmāv asapatnam ṛddhaṁ
rājyaṁ surāṇām api cādhipatyam        [Bhagavad-gītā 2.8]

TRANSLATION

I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to dispel it even if I win a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth with sovereignty like that of  the demigods in heaven.

COMMENT

There is much truth to what Arjuna said at the beginning of the Gītā, but that truth is on a lower level. By the mercy of Lord Krishna, after hearing the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna was elevated to a higher, better understanding. He realized that perfect happiness and love were to be realized in relationship with Krishna. And so, Arjuna surrendered to Krishna.

Krishna gave Arjuna the choice. Krishna did not force Arjuna, because true surrender, or true love, is voluntary. Krishna gave Arjuna the freedom to deliberate, and then decide.

TEXT

iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhya-taraṁ mayā
vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa
yathecchasi tathā kuru        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.63]

TRANSLATION

Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

COMMENT

Yathecchasi tathā kuru, you can do whatever you like. We all have free will given to us by God, but after hearing the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna immediately responded kariṣye vacanaṁ tava, “I will do whatever you say.” That is the position of the surrendered devotee.

TEXT

arjuna uvāca
naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā
tvat-prasādān mayācyuta
sthito ‘smi gata-sandehaḥ
kariṣye vacanaṁ tava        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.73]

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, 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.

COMMENT

The first instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā is that we are not the body but the soul within the body. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the beginning, and if we understand even one line of the Bhagavad-gītā from the very beginning, our lives will change. If we understand just this one point from the very beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, our entire life will change. We will work for the benefit of the soul, which is our actual self, and is part and parcel of the Supreme Self, God, Krishna. Knowing that our real relationship is with him, not with the body. And then, gradually, step by step, we will come to the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gītā.

TEXT

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ‘si me        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.65]

TRANSLATION

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.

TEXT

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.66]

TRANSLATION

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

COMMENT

The critical point is man-manā, to always think of Krishna. And how can we always think of Him? In the Ninth Chapter of the Gītā Krishna says,

TEXT

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate        [Bhagavad-gītā 9.14]

TRANSLATION

Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.

COMMENT

Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ —if we always (satataṁ) engage in glorifying Krishna, chanting His holy name (kirtana), we will always think of Him.

We are Hare Krishna devotees, and we are speaking about the Bhagavad-gītā. What is the connection? The chanting of Hare Krishna is the real way to follow the instructions of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the incarnation of Krishna for the present Age of Kali, who inaugurated the Hare Krishna movement five hundred years ago, taught, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ, “Always chant the holy name of Hari [Krishna].” And in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sri Krishna gives the same instruction: satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ —always engage in kirtan, chanting the holy name of Krishna. So, the chanting of Hare Krishna is really the fulfillment of Lord Krishna’s ultimate instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā: man-manā —always think of Krishna. And chanting is the best and easiest way to think of Him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the authorized biography of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, relates an instructive story. While touring South India, Sri Chaitanya came to the holy place of Śrī Raṅga-kshetra, when there, in front of the temple, He saw a brahman holding the Bhagavad-gītā and crying, surrounded by people who were laughing and criticizing him. Lord Chaitanya asked him, “Why are these people laughing?” And the brahman replied, “I am holding the Bhagavad-gītā, but I am more or less illiterate. I don’t know how to pronounce the words properly, and I do not know what they mean. But my guru ordered me to read the Gītā, and so I read all eighteen chapters every day.” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why are you crying?” And the brahman replied, “When I hold the Bhagavad-gītā, I see before me Krishna and Arjuna on the chariot. Krishna is acting as Arjuna’s chariot driver. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful. While seeing Lord Krishna instructing Arjuna, I weep in ecstatic happiness.” Then Lord Chaitanya told the brahman, “You are the true authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gītā. You know the true purport of the Bhagavad-gītā.” And Lord Chaitanya embraced him.

Proud people may think, “Oh, these Hare Krishna people can’t understand much. They don’t know Sanskrit. They don’t have the saṁskāras. Let them chant. But actually, by chanting the holy name of Krishna, one awakens one’s love for Him, which is the real purport of the Bhagavad-gītā. By chanting, one fulfills the Lord’s instructions in the Bhagavad-gītā to always think of Him and sing His glories. Although some who chant may not be very learned or knowledgeable in a certain sense, if they are genuine devotees of Krishna, they are fulfilling the real purport of the Bhagavad-gītā.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness not only presents the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā but also gives the practical means by which one can fulfill its purport—to become a devotee of Krishna, to always think of Him, to worship Him, to offer homage to Him, and to preach His message. After personally surrendering to Krishna, one can go further and teach this knowledge. This is Lord Krishna’s last instruction:

TEXT

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ
mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati
bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā
mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.68]

TRANSLATION

For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

TEXT

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu
kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ
bhavitā na ca me tasmād
anyaḥ priya-taro bhuvi        [Bhagavad-gītā 18.69]

TRANSLATION

There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.

COMMENT

The real conclusion of the Bhagavad-gītā, built upon one’s full surrender to Krishna, is to spread this message and thus become most dear to Krishna.

This is the opportunity we all have. On the occasion of Gita-jayanti, we think of Krishna, recite the Gītā, and perform the yajña, but the real essence of the celebration is to bring more people to Krishna, to the wisdom of the Gītā. As devotees, we want to bring others to Krishna, and when we do, Krishna is even more pleased. And that is what Gita-jayanti is really meant to do: to please Krishna, to bring the Bhagavad-gītā to more people and bring more people to Krishna—and make us dear to Krishna. Thank you very much, Hare Krishna. So, are there any questions or comments?

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaja, I have a question, because there were so many different editions of Bhagavad-gītā, but why this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, why we are recommending people so much? Because there have been so many editions in the past, and especially we as Indians, we know that. Even before coming in contact with Krishna consciousness I was reading the Bhagavad-gītā from a different publishing company, from a different author, but I was not able to understand it until I didn’t get in touch with Bhagavad-gītā from ISKCON. So, how do we convince people that Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is the best? That they should start reading it? We put so much emphasis in giving out to people but they normally have it as it is, they wrap it up in a red cloth, and it is with the plastic. How do we encourage them to read it?

Giriraj Swami: It is true, there are many editions of the Bhagavad-gītā, and in the introduction to the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Srila Prabhupada raises the question of, “When there are already so many other translations of the Bhagavad-gītā, what is the need of another one?” And he gives the answer that in almost all the other editions of the Bhagavad-gītā, the translator has tried to present his own philosophy, and he hasn’t presented the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, as Krishna has spoken, and as Arjuna understood it. So, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is necessary to get the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Srila Prabhupada said, “If you have your own philosophy, that is fine, you can preach your own philosophy, but don’t do it in the name of the Bhagavad-gītā.” So, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is necessary, and we should place the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in people’s hands, and we should encourage them to read it, and say that, “It will really help you, it will improve the quality of your life. It is in your interest to read it.” And we hope for the best. We can check up on them and ask, “Have you started reading it? Have you gotten anything from it? What have you learned?” We can’t force them.

Devotee: Yes, thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Organizer: Okay, Maharaja, we have one devotee from Sevia, his name is Osi Kombudiaz [Unintelligible 01:25:43]. So, I will ask him to unmute and speak.

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. [Unintelligible 01:26:17]

Translator: “Thank you very much for the program today.” And the question, you were already telling about it, but still, he wants to ask.

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:26:49]

Translator: His question is that, you were saying that to encourage the people to read it, that you already said, but when we give the Bhagavad-gītā, if you can go a little deeper in that, about how we can inspire them to read it.

Giriraj Swami: I mean, I already said a bit about it, but to take it a step further, you can say how the Bhagavad-gītā has helped you personally, include how your life has improved by reading the Bhagavad-gītā and applying the principles in your life, and you can give some examples how it is helped you. Yes, how you’ve become more peaceful and happier, how you’ve given up some of your bad habits that were causing you to stress. Srila Prabhupada said, “We should preach according to our realization.” So, whatever you have gained personally from the Bhagavad-gītā, you can give your own example. That should touch the people’s hearts and inspire them to want to read the Gītā.

Devotee: [Unintelligible 01:29:55]

Organizer: Okay, so, we have another hand raised by Rasa-sthali devi dasi So, I’ll ask her to unmute please and speak.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Devotee: How do you encourage small children to recite Bhagavad-gītā?

Giriraj Swami: Have you ever recited the Bhagavad-gītā?

Devotee: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: And what inspired you to recite the Bhagavad-gītā? You are looking up. [laughter] You are looking up to God? [laughter] You are asking God what inspired you?

I think you tell the other children that you recited, and you really enjoy it a lot, and you can ask them to join you, and you can recite together.

Devotee: Okay, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: How old are you?

Devotee: Six.

Giriraj Swami: That is a good age to be reciting the Bhagavad-gītā. Nice. You also chant Hare Krishna?

Devotee: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: You do? Good. You chant Hare Krishna, you recite the Bhagavad-gītā, that is good.

Devotee: I do three rounds of japa every day.

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful, wonderful. That means you do one round for every two years of your age. So, as you get older, then you will chant more. Excellent. What is your name? You are not Rasa-sthali devi dasi, yes?

Devotee: That is my mommy.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, I thought so. What is your name?

Devotee: Yadav.

Giriraj Swami: Yadav? Nice, it is the name of Krishna’s, wonderful. Okay, Hare Krishna.

Devotee: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Are there any other questions or comments, reflections?

Devotee: Guru Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yes?

Devotee: I just want to share these days about distributing the Bhagavad-gītā. How many people really in need because I found people crying and taking the Bhagavad-gītā, people really wanted to know, they just crossed the temple and they saw “Hare Krishna” the day before, and then I went and said, “Oh, I just saw the name, and I wanted to know what it was," and then I came with the Bhagavad-gītā, they said, see like, God see, you know, because he saw your desire and now brings you the answer to your question. And this is wonderful. I mean, the people are really waiting for them, and then, you were saying to give our practical, at times we don’t need even to talk, yes, they see the peaceful attitudes of the devotee, it is enough to grant it. Because they see something different, and they want the same. So, it is very good, very nice experience that Krishna gave us.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, so will you translate that, or will someone else translate? And we have it in almost every language now. So, we don’t have that much time left, probably. I mean, I have time, but I would like to request, as far as possible, the devotees on Zoom to put on your cameras so we can see your moon-like faces, and it is more personal.

Devotee: So, Guru Maharaja, I just wanted to add that Ganga Mataji is in Malaga right now, and she has set up a goal of distributing five hundred Bhagavad-gītās here.

Giriraj Swami: Wonderful.

Devotee: Please bless her that she can accomplish that goal.

Giriraj Swami: Jaya. I wish you all the best, that is excellent. Any other questions or comments?

Organizer: There is somebody Bengali. Please unmute yourself.

Giriraj Swami: She is originally from Russia.

Devotee: Okay, thank you very much, I can now unmute myself. Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you, Giriraj Swami Maharaja. Really, I had an old question from myself about paramparā in Bhagavad-gītā paramparā, because if we open the page in Bhagavad-gītā, there is no listed Arjuna inside. And this is my question, why he is not listed here? Could you explain please? Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Translation?

Translator: Oh, I am sorry, I got distracted with the tulasi that she has behind in the light. Can you repeat it, please? Can you repeat the question, please?

Giriraj Swami: Rhea [Unintelligible 01:39:21], can you repeat the question?

Devotee: Thank you very much, because the management here, I am with myself, not me. Okay, my question is, in Bhagavad-gītā, there is a list of paramparā, list of thirty-two persons, and there is no Arjuna inside, and my question is, why?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, in a way, Srila Prabhupada’s listing, you could say, his paramparā, Krishna, to Brahma, to Narada, to Vyas, to Madhava, and then through Lord Chaitanya, Rupa Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, and down through paramparā, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Gaura Kishore dasa Babaji, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Srila Prabhupada, but not everyone who’s in the paramparā is mentioned. Yes, and it is like Arjuna, he was the recipient of the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā from Krishna, but he didn’t have disciples, he didn’t have his own paramparā. So, we have this paramparā, and it is bona fide. Is it clear? Yes, she is agreed. But good question, good question. So, if there are no more questions or comments, we can conclude now by Vaishnava Praṇāma. I will say in English, and you can say in Spanish, and then we will all say in Sanskrit.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord, who are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca 

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Ananta koti Vaishnava vrinda ki jaya. Srila Prabhupada ki jaya.