Bhagavad Gita – Sarartha Varsini Tika – Day 3 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | Shravana Utsava – 2025
Section 1 : Every process is dependent on bhakti !
So yesterday I explained Vishvanath Chakravarti’s explanation of the Brahma-Bhuta verse. So people who are trying to attain Brahman, if they do it properly, they also have a little bhakti and then they get liberation.
Those who don’t worship the Lord or offend the Lord, they don’t even get liberation. And those who are free of maya, etc., through Jnana, get association of devotees practicing pure bhakti, then they take to pure bhakti and they get prema, like Sukadeva Goswami. So the whole point is to show how everything is dependent on bhakti.
But superior to the person who is doing Jnana with a little bhakti, is the person who does bhakti even if he has material desires, he is better, he is superior.
So even a person who has material desires, but he is performing bhakti as his main activity, he gets the eternal abode of the Lord, which is more than Jnani gets, even if he does bhakti.
So therefore, even mixed bhakti is superior to Jnana. So if we have a lot of karma yoga and a little bhakti, then we get svarga loka. If we do karma yoga, no bhakti, no svarga loka.
If we do mostly bhakti with a little karma yoga, we can get sarupya, salokya, sarasti, these are types of liberation, but superior to sayuja. So even a person who mixes karma with his bhakti is superior to the Jnani. So one can practice Karma-Mishra bhakti, and though we mix the karmas, we can also do it with no material desires. So that is superior.
So that is represented in verse 57, where he talks about karmas, etc. But at the same time, everything is completely dedicated to the Lord, concentration completely on the Lord. So this is not exactly pure bhakti with no mixture at all, but it is much better than Karma-Mishra bhakti with desires [Laughs]. So this of course was also mentioned previously, where Krishna says, offer all your activities to me, whatever you do in sacrifice, etc. Whatever you eat, you offer to me, that was in chapter 9.
Section 2: Difference between worship of Paramatma & Bhagavan!
Then Krishna tells Arjuna all about what he should do, should he fight or not fight etc and
ultimately then he says you should depend on Paramatma. Krishna talked about acting according to your nature, but actually he says, ultimately the Lord is within you.
So if we just go according to nature, then of course that is somewhat atheistic. Behind everything is Supreme Lord as Paramatma. So therefore, Krishna advises Arjuna, you take shelter of Paramatma. Of course we know that worship of Paramatma is not the same as worship of Bhagavan. So, this is an instruction for people who worship Paramatma, a form of Vishnu. But other people are dedicated to Bhagavan and particularly to Krishna, so why should they follow this instruction? So of course, those instructions were given next.
But even the devotees can follow this instruction and instead of thinking of Paramatma, they can think of Krishna. So of course, Paramatma is guiding all the living entities, but when we have Bhagavan, He personally takes care of the devotee and guides them.
So Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur explains, a devotee will think, Krishna alone is my deity. He alone is my Guru. He alone gives me instructions which are beneficial for my bhakti. Therefore, I surrender unto Him. Krishna alone is my inner guide. He takes the place of Paramatma. I surrender unto Him, so He will engage me in actions of bhakti.
So in other words, instead of the Paramatma who is guiding living entities and fulfilling their material desires or giving them karma, now the Paramatma is advising us on bhakti.
So in the 11th Canto of Bhagavatam also, Uddhava talks about this. So he says there are two forms of Guru – external (normal) Guru, and internal. So this internal Guru we can call Paramatma, but for the devotees it is Krishna!
Section 3 : Krsna reveals the special secret in the treasure box, Bhagavad Gita !
So now Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur, he summarizes everything. I mentioned at the beginning that he divides Bhagavad Gita into three parts. So he says the Bhagavad Gita is like a treasure box. It has a base and it has a lid. So the base is Karma Yoga, first six chapters.
The lid is Jnana Yoga, last six chapters. The jewel within the treasure box is Bhakti Yoga, the middle six chapters. And then he says these two verses that come next are like the special message on the box. So what are these two things?
So in 64, Krishna says, hear the greatest secret. Previously he said the secret knowledge was this Brahman. And then he says the more secret knowledge was this Paramatma. Now he talks about the highest knowledge. So in this way he concludes the work with the highest knowledge.
So one is this verse (BG 18.65),
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te
pratijāne priyo ’si me
which also occurs in chapter 9. So he gives an order! You do this, you concentrate your mind on me, you act with devotion, you offer everything to me, you pay respects. And if you do this, you will certainly attain me alone. So you act in this way, I will respond, I will give myself to you, you will attain me, I will give myself. And he says, I make this oath or this vow to you. Now of course we can say, well you make vows like I will return to Vrindavan, but you never go back to Vrindavan [Laughs]. What kind of person are you [Laughs]?
So therefore, Krishna says, under oath, Pratijani, I will declare you are dear to me. No one cheats the person who is dear to himself. So, I won’t cheat you because you are so dear to me. So in other words, Krishna is very greatly emphasizing that you do this bhakti to me. Yes, you will attain me because I will do it.
Section – 4: Which type of devotee is the best of all according to Krsna?
And then he gives this final verse (BG 18.66)
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
So previously Krishna gave all these different recommendations. You do karma yoga mixed with your bhakti, you do karma yoga with no desires mixed with your bhakti. So should I do that? Should I continue my ashram duties, being a grhastha, my varna duties like Kshatriya, or should I renounce everything? So Krishna says, of course, ‘Sarva Dharma Parityajya’ (BG 18.66), completely give up all duties of varna and ashrama. Just surrender to me. So in other words, when he interprets this word dharma as varna and ashrama, all those duties are useless [Laughs]. So this is not unique, because even in the Bhagavatam we have similar statements.
For instance, here in the 11th canto, Krishna says, a person understanding the good and bad aspects of dharma as taught by me, gives up all his duties and simply worships me. He is the best of all! So of course it doesn’t mean only varnashrama. You give up all worship of devatas, you give up astanga yoga, you give up Jnana yoga as well as karma yoga.
So of course, previously Krishna says, you are not qualified for this pure bhakti, you mix your karma yoga with it.
But he says, you are qualified for this ananya bhakti or pure bhakti because of my great mercy. So this ananya bhakti or pure bhakti can be only attained by mercy of the pure devotee. So that’s the rule. But I’m giving the mercy myself [Laughs]. So I kind of break my own rule as I did when I fought with Bishma [Laughs]. When he fought with Bishma, he broke his own promise.
So if you follow my order, don’t fear that something will happen because you are not doing your nitya karmas or your naimittika karmas. That was also my order. Vedas say this. The Veda is also my order. It says do all your nitya and naimittika karmas. But now I’m telling you again, another order, give up all those things. Don’t follow that order [Laughs]. So it is a sin not to do your nitya karmas? No. Rather the opposite. If you continue to do your nitya karmas, you are not following my order. That becomes a greater sin [Laughs].
Section 5- What does surrender mean?
So he talks about surrender. So what is that surrender? It is called Saranagati or Prapanna etc. It’s also mentioned as one of the Angas of Bhakti in the Nectar of Devotion. But of course, it’s mentioned kind of in the middle of the Angas. And we may infer there because it’s a little more difficult to do. However, Jiva Goswami in listing the Angas of Bhakti puts surrender – number one [Laughs]. All the Angas of Bhakti must include some surrender. Otherwise, they are not Bhakti [Laughs].
So Vishvanath Chakravarti says surrender means he becomes completely dependent. And he gives a comparison. When you purchase an animal, then animal is no longer independent. It’s your animal. You do what you like with it [Laughs]. If you put it here, then the animal stays there. If you offer food, he will eat. So whatever the Lord offers, you take. That’s all. That’s surrender [Laughs]. So the devotee in surrender is like a cow.
Now, that surrender of course is famously divided into six parts here. One should accept what is favorable. That’s called anukulya. So actually, Vishvanath says that means you accept whatever the scriptures say. That is favorable. And one should reject what is pratikulya or unfavorable. That means whatever is not pleasing to the Lord. Or that means it’s against scripture [Laughs].
Okay, so one should think of the Lord and no one else as one’s master. We often say everyone is a servant of Krishna. But those who are not devotees don’t think like that.
By nature, of course, the Atma is dependent on the Lord, but they don’t agree to that. So when we become a devotee, then we have to accept the Lord is independent. I am dependent. I am dependent on the Lord or as Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakura said, it’s like the animal purchased by the master and then he just does whatever the master says.
One should have faith that when one is threatened in existence of some problem, then we just take protection of the Lord. We know that many people have problems, they start going to the devatas and praying. But if you are a real devotee, you don’t do that. You just take shelter of Krishna. Of course, when we are in danger and we pray to the Lord, they will say, that is not pure bhakti. But it’s mentioned in the commentary on Nectar of devotion concerning the verse of Bhagavad Gita, ‘anya abhilashita sunya’ / pure Bhakti, that sometimes you can have a little desire [Laughs]. Anya Abhilasha Sunya would be no desire at all except to please the Lord. But he uses the word ‘anya abhilashita sunya’, so that means in general, no other desire. So in extraordinary circumstances, we can pray to the Lord, save me or whatever [Laughs]. Of course, we know that a devotee’s prayer often to save him is not because just his body, but save him so he can do more service to the Lord.
One should employ one’s gross body, subtle body, mind, intelligence, ego, whatever, in Krishna’s service. If one is in a miserable circumstance, one should not show that, but one accepts that as ones karma. So these are the six elements within this Saranagati.
Krishna says, if you surrender to me, I will free you from all reactions. So that means all the reactions from the past, and even the recent past, and from the acts I will make you perform like giving up your Naimittika karmas, all that you are freed from. So it cannot be done by others, but it can be done by me, because I do the impossible [Laughs].
And why do I do this for you? Because you surrender. So once one takes Krishna as the master, I am completely dependent, then Krishna takes care of everything. So therefore, this is a very good summary.
By surrendering, you accomplish everything, and so you don’t have to do other types of bhakti, you don’t have to do any other yoga at all. So this is not just the statement of Bhagavad Gita or Bhagavatam, it’s a statement in scriptures and other Puranas, like Garuda Purana, there’s a verse here as well. So it says that people who surrender to you, even if they don’t meditate, they go beyond death, they go to Vaikuntha.
Actually, one portion of the Sri Sampradaya emphasizes the surrender as the ultimate thing [Laughs]. So after this, that’s actually the end of the Gita, and there’s just a few other four other verses here.
Section 6 – Qualification for receiving the teachings of Bhagavad Gita:
So they summarize again the qualification for receiving the Bhagavad Gita. So one should teach people who have faith, they have faith and devotion. And don’t teach to the people who are envious, etc. And then he glorifies, if you instruct Bhagavad Gita or these teachings, that of course is very pleasing to the Supreme Lord.
So instructing others is good, studying yourself is good.
So people are interested in sacrifice, but the best sacrifice is reading Bhagavad Gita [Laughs].
And you hear Bhagavad Gita, same result.
So in this way, we have in the Bhagavad Gita at the end, even though it’s not subject, it’s all about Jnana, at the end we have a summary, and that is that pure bhakti is ultimately the process to be followed by everybody. So ultimately what it gives is that bhakti is the best of all.
Section 7 – Comparison of all sections with Baladeva Vidya Bhushan’s commentary:
Baladeva Vidyabhushana has an interesting explanation. I don’t have time to do that, but he has an interesting explanation. The explanation is that Brahma Bhuta actually means attaining the Lord, because Brahman is also Supreme Lord [Laughs].
Of course, after that then we have this verse, then you enter into the, what does that mean? You’re going to merge into the Lord, how does that be bhakti? So he says it doesn’t mean complete merging, it is like a person entering into a crowd, you don’t disappear [Laughs]. So you attain the Lord, and you’re absorbed in the Lord, that’s all that means [Laughs].
And then, of course, he talks again, I mentioned the other day about Sanishtha, Parinisthita , and Nirapeksha devotees [Laughs].
So if we’re going through Karma Yoga, etc., and Jnana, etc., and then we realize Atma, Parmatma, this is for the Sanishtha devotee.
So, of course, better than that is the Parinisthita devotee. He may do the activities of Karma Yoga, but he has not attached at all, he has no material desires. So this is a better devotee.
And that’s represented by this verse here, 56.
And then we come to the Nirapeksha devotee. Nirapeksha devotee is a devotee practicing only bhakti and no attachment and no performance at all of Varnashrama, Karma Yoga or anything. So that is ‘man mana bhava mad bhakto’ – only bhakti and nothing else.
And only Krishna, not even any other form of the Lord [Laughs].
And, of course, he also mentions that Krishna is making a vow, you will certainly attain me. Also, of course, he makes, well, you make promises to the people of Vrindavan and you don’t return from Mathura, etc [Laughs]. But he says, I promise this, have faith in my words, you will attain me.
And, therefore, this next verse, of course, really confirms that you give up all the dharmas, this is Sarva dharman Parityajya. Of course, ‘tyajya’, of course, means giving up. The prefix there, ‘pari’ means completely.
And surrender only to Krishna, to no one else, not Shiva, no other Devata or no other form of the Lord. So here he shows that we don’t have to depend on other dharmas. Here, of course, he mentions a little bit about Sanishtha, Parinisthita and Nirapeksha.
So, if you are a Sanishtha devotee, you perform Karma Yoga, Dharma to purify yourself. Once you purify yourself, of course, you don’t have to do it. If you are a Parinisthita devotee, you purified yourself, but you want to teach others. So you continue to perform your Naimittika karmas and Nitya karmas etc. So, these two types of devotees, they perform Karma Yoga, Varnashrama, etc. So, of course, to do all of this also is a little bit difficult. So, therefore, Krishna offers this other alternative, don’t do anything like that, just do Bhakti [Laughs]. So, you just do Bhakti and you complete everything that way, that’s the Nirapeksha devotee.
So, the Sanishtha devotee, he will perform his dharmas, Karma Yoga, Varnashrama, etc. until he gets realization of Atma. Then he becomes detached from his body at that point so he has no more interest. The person who is a Parinisthita devotee, he will give up that Varnashrama dharma etc when he realized paramatma. Of course, already he is detached, he is only doing it to teach others, but he realizes the Lord is Paramatma, then he is even more detached and he will give it up. But when the Nirapeksha devotee simply surrenders to the Lord with faith, then he gives up all dharmas. So, in this way, Baladeva gives a slightly different interpretation of everything, but it’s also valid.
So, we see by studying the Gita, we can have various interpretations and we cannot say one is right and one is wrong. Both ultimately come to the same conclusion, surrender to Krishna [Laughs]. There are other interpretations, if they come to another conclusion, it’s not surrender to Krishna, then we can reject those [Laughs].
But, if they have good reasoning behind their different interpretations, fine, we can accept both. And thus, Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura and Baladeva Vidyabhusana have both written commentaries on Bhagavad Gita. Conclusion is the same, but explanation on the way is slightly different [Laughs].
Hare Krishna.
Q & A
1) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Dandavat pranams Maharaj. Maharaj, it is mentioned that once you surrender, as per Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, one gives up Varṇāśhram Dharma completely and he just surrenders to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa, after saying that you surrender, He instructed Arjuna, He desired Arjuna to fight and Arjuna fought for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. So, his activities match his Varṇāśhrama Dharma as a Kshatriya. So, there is no confusion there. But, normally, let’s say if someone surrenders and Varṇāśhrama Dharma is not there, so, what activity he should do?
So, the Nirapeksha devotee is the devotee that has no duties, only Bhaktī [Laughs]. Of course, in India, if you were in the Varṇāśhram system, the only way you get out is renounce all the things and become a Babaji [Laughs]. That’s the Gaudiya version of no Varṇāśhram [Laughs].
But if you are a Muslim or a Yavana or a Meleccha or a Chandala, not even in the Varṇāśhrama system, you can also take to Bhaktī and then you are also a Nirapeksha because you are not acting as a Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Sudra. So elsewhere, Baladeva Vidyabhushan says, well, the Pariniṣṭhā devotee is not attached to Varṇāśhrama, even though he does it, so he gets the same result as a Nirapeksha Devotee.
So, whether you follow Varṇāśhrama or don’t, if you do Bhaktī – Pure Bhaktī with no material attachments, you get the same result. At the same time, if you give up all those duties of Varṇāśrama, it is not considered as a fault, because there is no sin involved.
Of course, Bhagavad Gita here, according to Srila Visvanantha Chakravarti Thakura’s explanation he says, give up everything. That is a higher order [Laughs].
2) Hare Krishna Maharaj, Maharaj, yesterday we were discussing Karma-miśra-bhakta with no material desires. How is he different from Pariniṣṭhā Bhakta?
Actually the same. Pariniṣṭhā devotee is the term that Baladeva gives to that. He doesn’t talk about Karma-miśra-bhaktī at all. He talks about Saniṣṭha or Pariniṣṭhā, he doesn’t talk about Karma-miśra at all. But that’s actually equivalent of the Karma-miśra devotee with no desires, that is the Pariniṣṭhā. The one with desires is the Saniṣṭha.
3) Maharaj, also, when we talk about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura or Srila Prabhupada, before he took Sannyāsa, how we say that they are Pure devotees or they are Pariniṣṭhā Bhaktas?
So, the Pariniṣṭhā and the Nirapeksha – same, pure bhakti. So, they go directly to the Lord. Mixed devotees may go to Svargaloka or whatever, then eventually get up to Sālokya or whatever. So, of course, when we say the word Karma-miśra-bhaktī, we have to be a little careful. So, Karma-miśra-bhaktī, where we do have desires in that Kārma for material enjoyment, that’s the one, its is not so good.
If we do Karma-miśra-bhaktī, but there’s no desires, that’s like the Pariniṣṭhā, or we can say Niśkāma-Karma-miśra-bhaktī, then it’s equivalent of doing Pure Bhaktī. But we find that the complete renunciation, Nirapeksha, is quite rare and that’s because of qualification. So, most people are married, have families, etc. So, they can never be Nirapeksha devotees [Laughs]. So, doing Pure Bhakti, we can choose either (Pariniṣṭhā / Nirapeksha) – according to our qualification.