“So many interpretation may be in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but when I am opening the book I am seeing there how sweet and nicely adjusted every word [is] within bhakti-yoga. And that ideal given Srila Guru Maharaj, and it’s come from Bhaktivinod Thakur’s treasury.” Morning darshan, 1st April 2007, Nabadwip. (previously published here, now with podcast link)

(4th April 2007, Ganges, Nabadwip)

070401 Nabadwīp
Rough transcript of today’s lecture:

tulya-nindā-stutir maunī
santuṣṭo yena kenachit
aniketaḥ sthira-matir
bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
BG 12.19

ye tu dharmāmṛtam idaṁ
yathoktaṁ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā mat-paramā
bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
BG 12.20

iti-śrī-mahābhārate śata-sāhasryāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ vaiyāsikyāṁ
bhiṣma-parvaṇi śrīmad-bhagavad-gītāsūpaniṣatsu brahma-
vidyāyāṁ yoga-śāstre śrī-kṛṣṇārjuna-saṁvāde
bhakti-yogo nāma dvādaśo ‘dhyāyaḥ

[Bengali reading and brief conversation on BG 12.19-20.]

(6:00)
Actually Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 700 or more than 700, when I join, that time I heard from Srila Guru Maharaj 700 interpretation. But now more happen, maybe 800, maybe 1000 interpretation of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. That means so many learned personality, their own thinking and quality and qualification, they try to present to general people, their own idea try to present. But Sri Vyasadev, He Himself given His own interpretation, like Vedanta-darsan. Vedanta-darsan compose by Vedavyas, Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyas, father of Śukadev, He compose Vedanta-darsan. Wants to give very short way the whole Vedic literature’s substance and very gist way given in Vedanta-darsan.

athāto brahma-jijñāsā
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.1

janmādy asya yataḥ
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.2

tat tu samanvayāt
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.4

Etc., little little, short word, and so much light within there, knowledge. But who will understand it? Very difficult. Then he make Srimad Bhagavatam as interpretation of Vedanta-darsan.

gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ‘sau
vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ
Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya-līlā, 25.143, Garuḍa-purāṇa

Guru Mahārāj given that sloka, what can remember that sloka Guru Mahārāj given? We written there in the Samadhi Mandir.

artho ‘yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ
Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya-līlā, 25.143, Garuḍa-purāṇa

This is the first line.

artho ‘yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ
bhāratārtha-vinirṇayaḥ
gāyatrī-bhāṣya-rūpo ‘sau
vedārtha-paribṛṁhitaḥ
Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya-līlā, 25.143, Garuḍa-purāṇa

artho ‘yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ
Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Madhya-līlā, 25.143, Garuḍa-purāṇa

Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-darsan, the full of knowledge given within Vedanta-darsan very short, but that nobody can understand purely. Some qualified personality they understand, no doubt, but general people cannot understand. Then he make Srimad Bhagavat and there much widely describe everything. Example given our Acharya, what name?

athāto brahma-jijñāsā
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.1

This is first sutra and Srimad Bhagavat started that explanation of past sutram, that is,

janmādy asya yataḥ
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.2

Second sutra taken the gist of second sutram and explain fully and so much.

janmādy asya yataḥ

This is second sutra, Brahma-sutra, Vedanta-darsan. And Srimad Bhagavat started from second,

athāto brahma-jijñāsā
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.1

It is for too much unqualified personality, for that,

athāto brahma-jijñāsā

But who is something enter into the religious ground, religious platform, they can play in that platform with the meanings of

janmādy asya yataḥ
Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.2

This second sutram. And Srimad Bhagavat started from there,

janmādy asya yato ‘nvayād itarataś chārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ‘mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi
SB: 1.1.1

Sankaracharya summarily dismiss from here. Sankaracharya’s philosophy is nirakar, nirvises, nihsakti, no form, no quality qualification, no power, nirakara, nirvises, nihsakti, etc.. But within this first sloka Sankaracharya summarily dismiss because conclusion given Vyasadev,

satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi
SB: 1.1.1

Whom you will mediate if there is no form? Must be there form otherwise cannot dhimahi, cannot meditate. Satyam, it is truth, reality. What Sankaracharya told, nirakar, nirvises, no. There is reality and beautiful. ‘Reality The Beautiful,’
Srila Guru Maharaj told this word. This topics come through the slokas,

tulya-nindā-stutir maunī
santuṣṭo yena kenacit
BG: 12.19

Actually the bhakti-yoga, this is everywhere indicated by Vyasadev and other so qualified person there also. And they agreed it, like Aitreya Rsi, Vasista Rsi, Chyavan Rsi, Saradvan Rsi, Aristanemi, Brghu Rsi, Angira Rsi, Parasara Rsi, Visvamrta Rsi, Parasuram, they all, Vedavyas Himself, Narad Rsi, all stalwart, big, big qualified scholar. But bhakti-yoga, all accepted with much honour. But here is one thing we will see, everyone honouring bhakti-yoga, everyone much respect bhakti-yoga and they, everyone heard it from Sukadev Goswami in Pariksit Maharaj’s assembly, that [sukhasya liptrayate?]. He was in pray-upavesah, fasting, nothing taken one drop of water also, and hearing the Hari-katha from Sukadev Goswami Krishna-katha from Sukadev Goswami and fully satisfied and told,  “I am now fully satisfied.”

dvijopasṛṣṭaḥ kuhakas takṣako vā
daśatv alaṁ gāyata viṣṇu-gāthāḥ
SB: 1.19.15
I don’t care for that. You continue the whole devotional picture to show. My English is poor, but something I am adding.

Anyhow, Vedavyas later all composed organised way and given form as Srimad Bhagavatam.

I want to say this: more than 700 interpretation of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but our Bhagavad-gita is completely different from others, I am thinking. Only this sloka, half sloka I remember of given that Prabhu, and when I open this book, our translation I have seen, two three word only added here and that is sufficient for establishing the bhakti-yoga. Here is written I have seen, sthira-matir, one word is here.

aniketaḥ sthira-matir
bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ
BG: 12.19

Sthira-mati means settled mind, meanings is that, settled mind, sthira-mati. But our translation gone in the line of bhakti-yoga and Guru Maharaj mention it. Sthira-mati, what for sthira-mati? To eat paramanna? Sthira-mati? Guru Mahārāj said here

paramārtha viṣaye niśchita jñāna-viśiṣta

Paramartha visaye nischita, this is the transcendental knowledge captured and stayed in that platform. Launching pad to throw the rocket, from launching pad, that launching pad strong to throw the rocket. Sthira-mati. In transcendental mentality there is steady, steadiness coming there. Who have that, he is a good and Krishna like him.

me priyo naraḥ
BG: 12.19

Me means I like him, me priyo narah, Krishna Himself told, here. There is 20 slokas in twelfth chapter, Srimad Bhagavad-gita… twelfth chapter twenty sloka only, but full of bhakti-yoga. But our Gurudev originally given us ideal in every chapter is bhakti-yoga established, from first to eighteen chapter. Srimad Bhagavad-gita, first, second, this way eighteen chapter, Srimad Bhagavad-gita , 700 hundred slokas. But everywhere is bhakti-yoga indicated. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, not only single way, double way. One is raga-marga, another is vidhi-marga. Vidvad-rañjana-bhasya and rasika-ranjana-bhasya, two kinds of explanation. When Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad he is translating, that time Guru Maharaj engage me to hear from him and his translation, try to watch. And sometimes when Guru Maharaj is Kolkata and he is asking me,”Today, what explanation happening? Today what discussion happen?”

And that way I understand, two kind of process, Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur given us. One is Visvanath Chakravarti and one is Baladev Vidyabhusan. Visvanath Chakravarti what given? That is rasika-ranjana-bhasya. He explain Bhagavad-gita following the Visvanath Chakravarti rasika-ranjana bhasya, Bengali bhasya. And what given, both are Sanskrit but Bhakti Vinod Thakur given Bengali for us, very merciful. And Baladev Vidyabhusan, his Sanskrit is very enrich with so much exalted language, exalted word in Sanskrit for pandit, scholar. Baladev Vidyabhusan, he was very strong in Sanskrit and scholar and manywhere he have got challenge to establish achintya-bhedabheda conception of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Specially it’s happen in Jaipur, [baro?] kilometer or 8 kilometer far, no. From Jaipur there meeting happen. I cannot remember name of that place. That famous name, Galta, like that name. There all the sampradaya, they challenge to Mahaprabhu’s sampradaya and that time Visvanath Chakravarti was sick in bed and he sent Baladev Vidyabhusan. Galta, that name place named Galta. And they told,”Have you interpretation of Vedanta-darsan?”

But that time not interpretation of Vedanta-darsan-bhasya. Vedanta-bhasya not in the sampradaya of Mahaprabhu Chaitanyadev. And summarily they told,”No, we have not.” Then that group of pandit told,”We do not want to hear from you because you have no authentic any interpretation of Vedanta-darsan.” Then Baladev Vidyabhusan told,”Give me twelve days time. I shall present to you interpretation of Vedanta-darsan.”

Ok, After twelve days. And that time Baladev Vidyabusan come back to Govinda temple and pay dandavat to Govindadev,”I want to compose interpretation of Vedanta-darsan.”

And Govindadev given one garland to him with that garland he started. And there also this sloka I think so, I remember little.

yaḥ sankhya-paṅkena kutarka-pāṁśunā
vivarta-gartena cha lupta-dīdhitim
śuddhaṁ vyadhād vāk-sudhayā maheśvaraṁ
kṛṣṇaṁ sa jīvaḥ prabhur astu me gatiḥ

There he make pranam to Jiva Goswami, Baladev Vidyabhusan and started Vedanta-darsan. And name given Govinda-bhasyam. Then after twelve days taken that Govinda-bhasyam and challenge to the Vaisnav schools there, four Vaisnav school and plus some. And they are defeated by Baladev Vidybhusan. And establish there bhakti-yoga. That book was in Guru Mahārāj’s room, Vedanta-darsan Govinda-bhasya. Hare Krishna.

Anyhow, Guru Maharaj was so learned you can say, externally. Internally, he is my guru, no question I have, but externally have seen no one scripture was in our library what do not know Srila Guru Maharaj. Guru Maharaj knows all, and specially philosophical property, or philosophical thinking, all he knows. What was not under the thinking of philosophy, that’s also he knows.

Janardan Maharaj: One of the first times when I met Srila Guru Maharaj, one of the first things he told me, he says,

“Bhakti is an affair of the heart, it has nothing to do with power or knowledge.”

That he told me. Then I said, “How you can say that in the sense that everyone knows you are so learned? You know all scriptures and you have so much knowledge and you are telling it has nothing to do with power or knowledge.”

Then he smiled and he said, “Bhakti is the king and knowledge is like a minister coming to offer his dandavats and services to bhakti.”

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes Maharaj. Sometimes I am telling that, Guru Maharaj’s, the teachings, not necessary to read anything. Full book of knowledge, full Ganges, full book of knowledge, not necessary to read. But there I am keeping some place. Who is preacher, really try to preach Krishna conception, Krishna consciousness, for them necessary to read something. Otherwise, for bhajan, for practicing life, not necessary to read anything. Only chant Hare Krishna and be happy. But if you want to preach Krishna conception by order of Mahaprabhu, “Everyone give this knowledge, Krishna consciousness.”

And they will do many question and for their questions answer necessary to give them. Then necessary to read something. Few days before we started here, what was my dream you can say, the Sanskrit school, here started Sanskrit school. But not Sanskrit actually, it is Jiva Goswami Prabhu’s Sanskrit grammar. What I read something, that. And here running that school and very happily I am almost everyday I am keeping some idea. It is running nicely. Actually, Jiva Goswami Prabhu also given that idea, Mahaprabhu said,

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Ādi-līlā, 17.31

That is the sufficient for everyone.

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

But if you want to preach to the conditioned souls, they have so many questions. Necessary to give some answer, then you need some knowledge about scriptures, and which way you will get it? Through Sanskrit grammar, that help you will get. But Sanskrit is good, language is very good. Someone getting naturally Sanskrit property, sampad, Sanskrit sampad. By the grace of Gurudev, it is possible to get. Before the literary style, it was sruti-mantram, like that. Hearing from the Gurudev, not writing anything that time, always hearing from Gurudev, serving Gurudev, and becoming learned and going back to house. Later, it is come in the form of literature and Vedavays done it. Sama-veda, Rg-veda, Yajur-veda, Atharva-veda, and Pancham-veda, Mahabharat. Anyhow, so many interpretation may be in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, but when I am opening the book and I am seeing there how sweet and nicely adjusted every word within bhakti-yoga. And that ideal given Srila Guru Maharaj, and it’s come from Bhaktivinod Thakur’s treasury. Bhaktivinod Thakur given that ideal to us, Srila Guru Maharaj for us collected from there everything. Srila Swami Maharaj Prabhupad also given Srimad Bhagavad-gita As It Is. But there also some neutralise with other conception. But Guru Maharaj fully given knowledge to us, that is bhakti-yoga. And everything within bhakti-yoga and that is reasonable way. All Sanskrit word, I told one word just now, sthira-mati. Yes, settled mind, but settled with where? Settled with paramanna or puspanna? Like that. That mention Srila Guru Maharaj, sthira-mati. But I am also unhappy with my age and situation, health situation. Srila Narottam Das Thakur told,

takhana nā haila janma ebe dehe kibā karma
Prārthanā: 42.3

“When Mahaprabhu and His parsada, so many parsada was present in this earth, that time I not born. What shall I do with my body now?” Narottam Das Thakur told. And I am also thinking, now everyone gone and my attention come more and more to the scriptures and realisation. If it was within Guru Maharaj’s time, this kind of inquiry within mind. That was very nice but not happen. That time I was only for collection, not for tasting. And now I am tasting what collected. But everything is invalid.  One fourth strength in  body, mind, etc., etc…  And that time was full but not given attention. But still it is very happy news and this Chaitanya Bhagavat, Chaitanya-charitamrta, Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-samhita, and so many scriptures come out from our Math, not only in Bengali or Sanskrit, it is so many different languages, Russian, language, English language, German language, French language, Spanish, so many languages. Now Japanese coming and Chinese already I have got, no? Home Comfort, something. Krishna knows.

Siddhanti Maharaj: When you say interpretation, did Bhaktivinod Thakur translate Bhagavad-gita in Sanskrit?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: No, Sanskrit. Yes, Bengali. Following the Sanskrit of Visvanath Chakravarti and following the Baladev Vidyabhusaṇ Sanskrit, two kind of interpretation he translated and given us in Bengali language. And that is bhaṣyam, that is very wise presentation, wisely presented.

Siddhanti Maharaj: Guru Maharaj also translated in Bengali, Bhagavad-gita?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes, this is in my hand.

Siddhanti Maharaj: Yes but he’s consulting something with Bhaktivinod Thakur, right?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Not something, fully.

Siddhanti Maharaj: Fully?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes.

Siddhanti Maharaj: But he translated from Baladev Vidyabhusaṇ?

Srila Govinda Maharaj: All, all is there. It is like Vedanta-darsan you can say. Our Srimad Bhagavad-gita like Vedanta-darsan, Vedanta-darsan is shortly expressed and wisely presented. And our Bhagavad-gita also like that.

Siddhanti Maharaj: But what I am saying Maharaj is that when Guru Maharaj translated Bhagavad-gita into Bengali then he’s not giving very extensive purports or commentaries, few commentaries on each sloka. And so…

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Very clear each sloka, very clear and perfectly presented, each sloka, each word.

Siddhanti Maharaj: That’s what I am saying. That’s his translation or that’s his commentary. Is that his word for word translation, phrase, sentence, is very clear and completely in the line of bhakti-yoga. It’s not that he’s making extensive commentary like Swami Maharaj but his interpretation is word by word. And that will differ from some Sankaracharya line Sanskrit kind of person and that the difference.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Different, Sankaracharya line.

Siddhanti Maharaj: Or anybody else, but Guru Maharaj word is perfect in bhakti-yoga.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: No, it is true Srila Swami Maharaj sometimes neutral position because “as it is” he wants to do. Then he must be little neutral. But Guru Maharaj fully dedicated to bhakti-yoga, his book and Sanskrit meanings, full of bhakti-yoga. There Sanskrit words’ meanings with full of bhakti-yoga. That is the speciality of Guru Maharaj. One word I can say, upayanti te.

yena mām upayānti te
BG: 10.10

Upayanti, there is generally meanings coming one sense, but Guru Maharaj enter into the deepest position and shown us there is parakiya-ras.

Siddhanti Maharaj: But Maharaj we can say also Swami Maharaj also didn’t know English. English wasn’t his primary language; therefore, he cannot put each word in pure bhakti-yoga.

Janardan Maharaj: That’s not what he’s saying so much. He is saying the Bhagavad-gita presents many different subject matters,

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes.

Janardan Maharaj: Karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, so many different subject matters, so when Srila Prabhupad presented, he was presenting those subject matters as they come up in the Bhagavad-gita. But when Srila Guru Maharaj presented it all in the terms of bhakti-yoga.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes, yes. But very clear.

Siddhanti Maharaj: And also because that’s his language, Bengali is his language.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: No, no, that is not a question. Question is that Srila Swami Maharaj same with Guru Maharaj almost and where is Swami Maharaj not explain, there Guru Maharaj explain to Swami Maharaj in this veranda. And Swami Maharaj said, “No other meanings is possible of this sloka. What you are giving, that is the super and final.” Swami Maharaj himself told. I was there. And no other explanation is possible. “What you given, that is the truth.” Then discussion going on, Swami Maharaj and Guru Maharaj with Srimad Bhagavad-gita in Sita Kanta Banerjee lane. When Guru Maharaj going there, Swami Maharaj keeping some list, where is contradiction, and they are doing discussion about that. But age giving some opportunity to the sincere searcher, not only seeker, searcher. And we have got that opportunity from the Westerners, when some western people like [Dayal Gaurāṅga?], many question have done about that science, yes, approaching to philosophy, etc. etc… I forgot. Svarup Damodar, Darwin theory, etc. etc… It is searcher, westerners. Not Indian anyone question, and I have no question to Guru Maharaj. What Guru Maharaj  telling, that is final to me, and I can establish that. What I am hearing from Guru Maharaj without question, that I can establish anywhere. That challenge I given to Dum Dum Park.

‘Siddhanti Maharaj: You gave the whole world that challenge.

Srila Govinda Maharaj: Yes, I told you call one meeting, I shall be there. If I cannot prove, I shall rub my nose twelve hand in front of everyone. I shall rub my nose in the ground twelve hand. That challenge I given, and no one taken that challenge. I am very happy Maharaj, with that. To say I am very happy because I know no one can defeat Srila Guru Maharaj’s conception, no one can. And without questioning we heard it, and it’s called sraddha, basis, faith is our basis. Basis, Guru Maharaj what telling, that is final. Bas, basis. And that time my age was one year maybe in Math, or six months, maybe one year or six months, ’48.  ’47 I join. Within ’48 this happen. They complain against me,

“This boy memorise one book and challenging us, defeating us.”

That book is name Gaudiya-kanthahara. Guru Maharaj give me that book and told you can memorise it. Here is so many our conception is very wisely distributed by Prabhupad Saraswati Thakur. And I memorise whole Gaudiya-kaṇthahara. And I am challenging with them. I was foolish, no doubt, challenging. It was not necessary to do. But that time I am thinking I was pandit, I become pandit. That happen. Hare Krishna.

Jaya Om Viṣṇupad Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj ki jaya!
[Jaya Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj ki jaya!]
All The Assembled Devotees ki jaya!
Śrīla Guru Mahārāj’s Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh ki jaya!
Harinām Saṅkīrtan ki jaya!
Haridās Ṭhākur ki jaya!
Gaura-Premānande!
[Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj ki jaya!]