BG In Essence - Suhotra Maharaja Archives

Godhead, who by His omniscience perfectly understands His ownposition and that of the condi- tioned living entity, represented by theeating bird. That living entity, on the other hand, does not understandhimself or the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus calledeternal- ly conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead, being fullof perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated. One who is enlightened inself-realization, although living within the material body, sees himselfas transcendental to the body, just as one who has arisen from a dreamgives up identification with the dream body. A foolish person,however, although not identical with his material body buttranscendental to it, thinks himself to be situated in the body, just asone who is dreaming sees himself as situated in an imaginary body. Anenlightened person who is free from the contamination of materialdesire does not consider himself to be the performer of bodilyactivities; rather he knows that in all such activities it is only thesenses, born of the modes of nature, that are contacting sense objectsborn of the same modes of nature.Focus on the Purport of Bg 10.8The Second Essence: The Catur-Sloki Gita(Bg 10.8-10.11)The Essence of God Realization in Four VersesA learned scholar who has studied the Vedas perfectly and has information fromauthorities like Lord Caitanya and who knows how to apply these teachings canunderstand that Krsna is the origin of everything in both the material andspiritual worlds, and because he knows this perfectly he becomes firmly fixed inthe devotional service of the Supreme Lord. He can never be deviated by anyamount of nonsensical commentaries or by fools. Lord Krsna is the source of allgenerations, and He is called the most efficient cause of everything. He says,"Because everything is born of Me, I am the original source of all. Everything isunder Me; no one is above Me." There is no supreme controller other thanKrsna.Notes:1. In this verse, Sri Krsna begins His explanation of how a Vedantist should movebeyond intellectual theory to practical realization of the Absolute Truth.Quotation from Srila Prabhupada:Krsna says that mattah parataram nanyat, "There is no more superiorexistence than Myself." Aham sarvasya prabhavah. "I am the origin."Janmadyasya yatah. This verse, this code [of the Vedanta-sutra], isexplained by Krsna Himself that "I am the origin of everything."Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.4-5 Purport: