Bhagavad-gita Taught Through Disciplic Succession Always

Transcript Preview

Bhagavad-gītā 4.1–2 — May 9, 1969, Columbus 690509BG-COLUMBUS [40:07 Minutes] Bg-04.01–02_690509BG-COLUMBUS Pradyumna: Bhagavad-gītā, chapter number four, "Transcendental Knowledge." One: "The Blessed Lord 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." Purport: "Herein we find the history of the Bhagavad-gītā traced from a remote time when it was delivered to the kings of all planets. The royal order is especially dedicated to the protection of the inhabitants, and as such, its members should also understand the science of the Bhagavad-gītā in order to rule the citizens and protect them from the onslaught of material bondage to lust. Human life is meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge, an eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens by education, culture and devotion. Prabhupāda: Hmm. Pradyumna: In other words..." Prabhupāda: Stop.

So in this verse the exact Sanskrit word is, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt [Bg. 4.1] [The Blessed Lord 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.] evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ sa kāleneha [mahatā] yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa [Bg. 4.2] [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.] So this Bhagavad-gītā, science of Bhagavad-gītā, is not a new presentation. Just from this verse we can understand that it was instructed to the sun-god. Sun-god, apart from what is the duration of age of sun-god, but from the Manu, because the next statement is vivasvān manave prāha...

Vivasvān. The sun-god's name is Vivasvān. Just like your the chief executive head is called the president, similarly, there is a chief executive head also in the sun planet, president. And the present president's name is... Just like your present president's name is Mr.

Nixon, similarly, the present predominating deity in the sun planet is known as Vivasvān. So everything is in detail. This is called Vedic literature. Vedic literature is not concerned only with this planet. Vedic literature deals with all the universal planets.

Just see, here is the statement. Kṛṣṇa says that "In the beginning I explained this science of Bhagavad-gītā to the present predominating deity of sun planet, whose name is Vivasvān." So do you think that Kṛṣṇa is playing joke or speaking something lie, that he said to Vivasvān, the present presiding deity? No, that is not possible. Actually He has spoken.

And Kṛṣṇa... One... Others may think of Kṛṣṇa, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ [Bg. 9.11]. [Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.] Rascals and fools may think of Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man.

But in India the great ācāryas, just like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu—practically these ācāryas are guiding the whole destiny of the Hindu world—they have all accepted Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So whatever Kṛṣṇa is speaking, that is right. Now, you can understand that if Kṛṣṇa spoke to the sun-god, and the sun-god spoke to his son Manu, then how old is this science of Bhagavad-gītā. Apart from sun-god's duration of age, if we simply take the present age, Vaivasvata Manu... Vaivasvata Manu, the age of Vaivasvata Manu is seventy-one multiplied by forty-three hundred thousands of years. Forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by seventy-one.

Continue reading full transcript in the app →