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Your Questions About Gita.
Dear Sir,
I have read your comments/questions and would like to respond from a
disciple's point-of-view, coming in the parampara system from Lord Krishna
in the Bramha-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. I will not be voicing my own
opinions here, but will rather attempt to represent the teachings of Lord
Krishna and the previous acaryas. If you want direct scriptural evidence
for any points I will present, then feel free to respond at my internet
email address: Prabhupadacarya.Dasa@com-link.org
1) Interpretation is not only unnecessary in acquiring spiritual
knowledge, it is condemned. Interpretation is used to illuminate
something which is not self-evident. Trying to give illumination to Lord
Krishna's Gita is like trying to illuminate the sun with a match.
Spiritual knowledge is not understood nor transmitted by interpretation,
but rather by "revelation". Thus the Gita is titled "As It Is". The guru
or acarya is simply a message carrier who distributes spiritual knowledge
to the world as he received it from his guru, who ultimately received the
knowledge from Lord Krishna. This is the Parampara system Krishna alludes
to in Gita evam parampara praptam imam rajarsaya vidu. This is the
difference between empiric and dedudtive means of acquiring knowledge.
2)Is the Gita applicable to my life? Yes. One need not interpret Gita in
order to apply Lord Krishna's teachings. One simply has to understand
those teachings and agrre to abide by them. Krishna says man mama bhava
mad bhakto"always think of Me and become My devotee". So apply that means
to do it, always think of krishna and become His devotee. He also
explains how to become His devotee.
3)Gita if the most-that's not logical. Gita is the most perfect teaching
because it is spoken by the original Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord
Sri Krishna. Who could present a better summary of the entire Vedas than
Lord Krishna? I haven't found one.\
4) One must not read any other scripture. Actually the words used by
Srila prabhupada were "one need not read". I didn't see the word "must"
as you used it. It is true that Gita is enough. If it the only book in
existence it would be enough to reach spiritual perfection, not other
scripture is needed. But we do read other scriptures and encourage it.
5)Krishna is a part of us, we are not a part of krishna. Actually,
Krishna includes everything. There is nothing seperate from Him. But
nothing is Krishna except Krishna Himself. Krishna is within us, but
ultimately everything rests in Krishna. Is is simultaneously within
everything and seperate from it. We are part and parcel of Krishna, as
the leaves and twigs and branches are part and parcel of the tree.
Krishna is the root of that tree and we benefit by watering that root in
the form of rendering service to Krishna.
6)The idols are not the same as Krishna. Krishna's form is also Krishna
directly. THere is not difference between Krishna's name, form, qualities
or activities. Krishna is absolute by nature. The Deity of Krishna is
non-different from Krishna, that is the nature of things spiritual.
7) Symbols are different than the objects they represent. In terms of
material symbols you are correct. By when you try to apply that material
principle to the spiritual realm it falls apart. The spiritual energy is
absolute whereas the material energy is relative. Krsna and His name are
identical in all respects. In fact, the process for approaching Krishna
is to chant His holy names. Holy name is different than a mundane name
like John or Bob. The sound vibration of Krishna's name is altogether on
a different frequency, it is a spiritual sound vibration, sabda brahma
I hope this clears up some of the contradictions you mentioned. Your
questions were very good and show that you are very thoughtful and
inclined towards understanding the Absolute Truth. I encourage you to
make many more such inquiries so that you can better understand and
appreaciate the vast source of spiritual knowledge available in the Gita
and the other Vaisnava sastras.
At Your Service,
Prabhupadacarya Dasa
