महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः ।
भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥१३॥

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

mahātmānaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmahatmanah

great soul; of the great Lord; of the Mahā-Viṣṇu; the great soul; to all of those great souls; two great souls.—the great souls; tuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtu

again; also; and; as to; as well as; but (because of misfortune); but; certainly; due to; expletive; however; in fact; indeed; moreover; must; of course; on the contrary; only; that; then; yet.—but; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—unto Me; pārthaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpārtha

Arjuna; My dear Arjuna; O Arjuna; O Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; O Pārtha (Arjuna); O Pārtha (son of Pṛthā); O Pārtha; O son of Prthā; O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna); O son of Pṛthā (Kuntī); O son of Pṛthā; of Arjuna, son of Pṛthā (Kuntī).—O son of Pṛthā; daivīmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdaivīm

divine; of the Personality of Godhead; ominous; related to Viṣṇu; transcendental.—divine; prakṛtimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprakṛtim

prakṛti; acquired nature or modes of nature; as the source; characteristics; constitutional position; energy; habits; in the material world; material energy; material existence; material nature; matter; my own; natural position; nature; situated in spiritual energy; the material cause; transcendental form; unto material nature.—nature; āśritāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasritah

accepting; receiving; refuge; situated; situated on; taken refuge; taken shelter of; taking recourse to; taking shelter of; took shelter of (and is living in even now); under; under the protection.—taken shelter of; bhajantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhajanti

do render service; do worship; enjoy, resort to; flatter; flatters; offer transcendental loving service; render service; render transcendental service; they worship; worship.—render service; ananyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigananya

absolutely; by others; extraordinary; no other; not by others; without any other; without deviation.-manasaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmanasah

by the mind; from the mind; more than the mind; of one whose mind; of the mind; of the subtle body; than the mind; the mind; the minds; their minds; those whose minds; whose minds; within their minds.—without deviation of the mind; jñātvāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnatva

(the sage) could understand; after understanding; and deciding what to do; and knowing; by knowing; by knowing it; could understand; having known; having understood; knowing; knowing it well; knowing perfectly well; knowing well; thus knowing; understanding; when he learned.—knowing; bhūtaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhuta

all living entities; all that is created or born; an ordinary ghost; and of the Bhūtas; body; by other living entities; by the five material elements; created; creation; ego; elements; everything that be; evil spirits; ghost; ghosts; ghosts named Bhūtas; gross material elements; jinn; living entities; living entity; material elements; material ingredients; of all existence; of different nations; of living entities; of ordinary living entities; of the living beings; of the living entities; of the material elements; other living beings; other living entities; past; the evil spirits; the five elements; the five gross elements (the sky, etc.); the five gross elements; the five material elements; the ghost; the gross; the gross elements; the material elements; the material energy; the physical elements; to other living entities; with all the gross material elements.—creation; ādimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigādim

beginning; original; the original Supreme Personality.—original; avyayamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavyayam

being unchangeable; eternal; everlasting; immutable; imperishable; indestructible; inexhaustible; irreproachable; never ending; spiritual; the inexhaustible; the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inexhaustible; who is the supreme eternal; without diminution; without loss of energy.—inexhaustible. ¶

O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible. ¶

In this verse the description of mahātmā is clearly given. The first sign of the mahātmā is that he is already situated in the divine nature. He is not under the control of material nature. And how is this effected? That is explained in the Seventh Chapter: one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, at once becomes freed from the control of material nature. That is the qualification. One can become free from the control of material nature as soon as he surrenders his soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the preliminary formula. Being marginal potency, as soon as the living entity is freed from the control of material nature, he is put under the guidance of the spiritual nature. The guidance of the spiritual nature is called daivīṁ prakṛtim, divine nature. So, when one is promoted in that way-by surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead-one attains to the stage of great soul, mahātmā. ¶

The mahātmā does not divert his attention to anything outside Kṛṣṇa because he knows perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Person, the cause of all causes. There is no doubt about it. Such a mahātmā, or great soul, develops through association with other mahātmās, pure devotees. Pure devotees are not even attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s other features, such as the four-armed Mahā-Viṣṇu. They are simply attracted by the two-armed form of Kṛṣṇa. Since they are not attracted to other features of Kṛṣṇa (what to speak of the demigods), they are not concerned with any form of a demigod or of a human being. They only meditate upon Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are always engaged in the unswerving service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ¶

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः ।
नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥१४॥

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

satatamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsatatam

always; constantly; continuously; satisfied; twenty-four hours a day.—always; kīrtayantaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkīrtayantaḥ

chanting.—chanting; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—Me; yatantaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyatantaḥ

although endeavoring; endeavoring. caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—fully endeavoring also; dṛḍhaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdrdha

firm; firmly; fixed; strong; the harder portion; tight; tightly; unflinching; very determined; very firm and convincing; very strong.-vratāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvratah

his vow; the vow; vow.—with determination; namasyantaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignamasyantaḥ

offering obeisances. caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—offering obeisances; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—unto Me; bhaktyāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhaktyā

because of pure devotion; by a devotional attitude; by devotion; by devotional service (executed in nine different processes); by devotional service; by pure devotion; by pure devotional service; by rendering service in devotion; by the devotion; devotion; devotional service; in devotion; in devotional service; in full devotion; simply by devotional service; through devotion; whose devotional service; with a devotional attitude; with devotion; with devotion and faith; with devout attention; with faith and devotion; with great devotion; with great devotional love.—in devotion; nityaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignitya

always; daiiy; daily; eternal; eternally; regular; regularly; regularly, without fail; who are always.-yuktāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyuktah

accompanied; actual yogī; all engaged; associated with; being absorbed; being engaged; being united; bestowed; combined; competent for self-realization; devoutly attached; dovetailed; endowed; endowed with; engaged; engaged in the divine consciousness; fixed; in touch with the Supreme; in trance; is in the transcendental position; one who is engaged in devotional service; such engagement; surrounded; through such agency; together; well situated in yoga; with; with great attention.—perpetually engaged; upāsateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupāsate

begin to worship; follow; worship; worship very gorgeously; worships.—worship. ¶

Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion. ¶

The mahātmā cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: a mahātmā is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business. He is always engaged in the glorification of the Lord. In other words, he is not an impersonalist. When the question of glorification is there, one has to glorify the Supreme Lord, praising His holy name, His eternal form, His transcendental qualities and His uncommon pastimes. One has to glorify all these things; therefore a mahātmā is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. ¶

One who is attached to the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, the brahmajyoti, is not described as mahātmā in the Bhagavad-gītā. He is described in a different way in the next verse. The mahātmā is always engaged in different activities of devotional service, as described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, not a demigod or human being. That is devotion: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, smaraṇam, and remembering Him. Such a mahātmā has firm determination to achieve at the ultimate end the association of the Supreme Lord in any one of the five transcendental rasas. To achieve that success, he engages all activities-mental, bodily and vocal, everything-in the service of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That is called full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ¶

In devotional service there are certain activities which are called determined, such as fasting on certain days, like the eleventh day of the moon, Ekādaśī, and on the appearance day of the Lord, etc. All these rules and regulations are offered by the great ācāryas for those who are actually interested in getting admission into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world. The mahātmās, great souls, strictly observe all these rules and regulations, and therefore they are sure to achieve the desired result. ¶

As described in the second verse of this chapter, this devotional service is not only easy, but it can be performed in a happy mood. One does not need to undergo any severe penance and austerity. He can live this life in devotional service, guided by an expert spiritual master, and in any position, either as a householder or a sannyāsī, or a brahmacārī; in any position and anywhere in the world, he can perform this devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become actually mahātmā, a great soul. ¶

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् ।
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥११॥

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
mama bhūta-maheśvaram

avajānantiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavajānanti

decry; deride; disrespect; or who neglect.—deride; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—Me; mūḍhāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmudhah

foolish; rascal; stunted; the fool; the foolish man.—foolish men; mānuṣīmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmānuṣīm

in a human form; just like a human being; the human.—in a human form; tanumplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtanum

a body; body; body, or representation; form (as Hayagrīva); form; form of the demigods; his body; His transcendental form; such a body; the body.—body; āśritamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasritam

absorbed; accepted; assuming; directed.—assuming; paramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparam

above; absolute; after; after the initiation; afterwards; and afterward; another; as long as that of Lord Brahmā; as the ultimate goal of life; best; better means; beyond; beyond material nature; beyond that; but; but afterwards; distant; elevation to the heavenly planets or becoming one by merging into Brahman; enemies; far superior things; final; further supreme; Godhead; great; greater; greatest; heavy; higher; highest; liberation; merely; more supreme; most glorious; only; only or ultimately; only this earth; other; other thing; others; perfect; perfectly; sublime; superior; superior life; supreme; supreme, transcendental; that much only; the actual transcendental position; the best; the foremost; the goal of life; the greatest; the highest; the most exalted; the only means; the supreme; the supreme abode; the supreme knowledge (by which one can attain devotional service); the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme whole; the transcendental world; the ultimate goal; to the transcendental spiritual kingdom; to the transcendental world; topmost; transcendence; transcendental; transcendental knowledge; transcendental to, beyond; transcendental world; ultimate; uncommon; under control; very great; very much; who are transcendental, beyond this material world; who is transcendental.—transcendental; bhāvamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhavam

existence; Lord Śiva; repetition of birth and death; to Bhava; to Lord Śiva.—nature; ajānantaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigajānantaḥ

not knowing; without knowing; without spiritual knowledge.—not knowing; mamaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmama

by me; by Me personally; false conception; for me; for myself; from me; it is mine; me; mind; mine ("everything in relationship with this body is mine"); Mine; my (my land, my country, my family, my community, my religion); my; of Me; of Mine; of My; that; to Me; toward me; unto me; with me.—Mine; bhūtaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhuta

all living entities; all that is created or born; an ordinary ghost; and of the Bhūtas; body; by other living entities; by the five material elements; created; creation; ego; elements; everything that be; evil spirits; ghost; ghosts; ghosts named Bhūtas; gross material elements; jinn; living entities; living entity; material elements; material ingredients; of all existence; of different nations; of living entities; of ordinary living entities; of the living beings; of the living entities; of the material elements; other living beings; other living entities; past; the evil spirits; the five elements; the five gross elements (the sky, etc.); the five gross elements; the five material elements; the ghost; the gross; the gross elements; the material elements; the material energy; the physical elements; to other living entities; with all the gross material elements.—everything that be; maheśvaramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmaheśvaram

supreme master; supreme proprietor; the Supreme Lord.—supreme proprietor. ¶

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. ¶

From the other explanations of the previous verses in this chapter, it is clear that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although appearing like a human being, is not a common man. The Personality of Godhead, who conducts the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the complete cosmic manifestation, cannot be a human being. Yet there are many foolish men who consider Kṛṣṇa to be merely a powerful man and nothing more. Actually, He is the original Supreme Personality, as is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (iśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛsṇaḥ); He is the Supreme Lord. ¶

There are many īśvaras, controllers, and one appears greater than another. In the ordinary management of affairs in the material world, we find some official or director, and above him there is a secretary, and above him a minister, and above him a president. Each of them is a controller, but one is controlled by another. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller; there are many controllers undoubtedly both in the material and spiritual world, but Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller (īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ), and His body is sac-cid-ānanda, non-material. ¶

Material bodies cannot perform the wonderful acts described in previous verses. His body is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. Although He is not a common man, the foolish deride Him and consider Him to be a man. His body is called here mānuṣīm because He is acting just like a man, a friend of Arjuna’s, a politician involved in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. In so many ways He is acting just like an ordinary man, but actually His body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha—eternal bliss and knowledge absolute. This is confirmed in the Vedic language also (sac-cid-ānanda-rūpāya kṛṣṇāya): “I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is the eternal blissful form of knowledge.” There are other descriptions in the Vedic language also. Tam ekaṁ govindam: “You are Govinda, the pleasure of the senses and the cows.” Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraham: “And Your form is transcendental, full of knowledge, bliss and eternality.” ¶

Despite the transcendental qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s body, its full bliss and knowledge, there are many so-called scholars and commentators of Bhagavad-gītā who deride Kṛṣṇa as an ordinary man. The scholar may be born an extraordinary man due to his previous good work, but this conception of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is due to a poor fund of knowledge. Therefore he is called mūḍha, for only foolish persons consider Kṛṣṇa to be an ordinary human being because they do not know the confidential activities of the Supreme Lord and His different energies. They do not know that Kṛṣṇa’s body is a symbol of complete knowledge and bliss, that He is the proprietor of everything that be and that He can award liberation to anyone. Because they do not know that Kṛṣṇa has so many transcendental qualifications, they deride Him. ¶

Nor do they know that the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this material world is a manifestation of His internal energy. He is the master of the material energy. As has been explained in several places (mama māyā duratyayā), He claims that the material energy, although very powerful, is under His control, and whoever surrenders unto Him can get out of the control of this material energy. If a soul surrendered to Kṛṣṇa can get out of the influence of material energy, then how can the Supreme Lord, who conducts the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the whole cosmic nature, have a material body like us? So this conception of Kṛṣṇa is complete foolishness. Foolish persons, however, cannot conceive that the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, appearing just like an ordinary man, can be the controller of all the atoms and of the gigantic manifestation of the universal form. The biggest and the minutest are beyond their conception, so they cannot imagine that a form like that of a human being can simultaneously control the infinite and the minute. Actually although He is controlling the infinite and the finite, He is apart from all this manifestation. It is clearly stated concerning His yogam aiśvaram, His inconceivable transcendental energy, that He can control the infinite and the finite simultaneously and that He can remain aloof from them. Although the foolish cannot imagine how Kṛṣṇa, who appears just like a human being, can control the infinite and the finite, those who are pure devotees accept this, for they know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they completely surrender unto Him and engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service of the Lord. ¶

There are many controversies amongst the impersonalists and the personalists about the Lord’s appearance as a human being. But if we consult Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the authoritative texts for understanding the science of Kṛṣṇa, then we can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not an ordinary man, although He appeared on this earth as an ordinary human. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, First Chapter, when the sages inquire about the activities of Kṛṣṇa, it is stated that His appearance as a man bewilders the foolish. No human being could perform the wonderful acts that Kṛṣṇa performed while He was present on this earth. When Kṛṣṇa appeared before His father and mother, Vasudeva and Devakī, He appeared with four hands, but after the prayers of the parents, He transformed Himself into an ordinary child. His appearance as an ordinary human being is one of the features of His transcendental body. In the Eleventh Chapter of the Gītā also it is stated, tenaiva rūpeṇa etc. Arjuna prayed to see again that form of four hands, and when Kṛṣṇa was thus petitioned by Arjuna, He again assumed His original form. All these different features of the Supreme Lord are certainly not those of an ordinary human being. ¶

Some of those who deride Kṛṣṇa, who are infected with the Māyāvādī philosophy, quote the following verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to prove that Kṛṣṇa is just an ordinary man: ahaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhūtātmāvasthitaḥ sadā: “The Supreme is present in every living entity.” (Bhāg. 3.29.21)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.21

I am present in every living entity as the Supersoul. If someone neglects or disregards that Supersoul everywhere and engages himself in the worship of the Deity in the temple, that is simply imitation. We should better take note of this particular verse from the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas like Jīva Gosvāmī instead of following the interpretation of unauthorized persons who deride Kṛṣṇa. Jīva Gosvāmī, commenting on this verse, says that Kṛṣṇa, in His plenary expansion as Paramātmā, is situated in the moving and the nonmoving entities as the Supersoul, so any neophyte devotee who simply gives his attention to the arca-mūrti, the form of the Supreme Lord in the temple, and does not respect other living entities is uselessly worshiping the form of the Lord in the temple. There are three kinds of devotees of the Lord, and the neophyte is in the lowest stage. The neophyte devotee gives more attention to the Deity in the temple than to other devotees, so Jīva Gosvāmī warns that this sort of mentality should be corrected. A devotee should see that Kṛṣṇa is present in everyone’s heart as Paramātmā; therefore every body is the embodiment or the temple of the Supreme Lord, and as such, as one offers respect to the temple of the Lord, he should similarly properly respect each and every body in whom the Paramātmā dwells. Everyone should therefore be given proper respect and should not be neglected. ¶

There are also many impersonalists who deride temple worship. They say that since God is everywhere, why should one restrict himself to temple worship? But if God is everywhere, is He not in the temple or in the Deity? Although the personalist and the impersonalist will fight with one another perpetually, a perfect devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows that although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality, He is all-pervading, as is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Although His personal abode is Goloka Vṛndāvana and He is always staying there, still, by His different manifestations of energy and by His plenary expansion, He is present everywhere in all parts of the material and spiritual creation. ¶

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः ।
राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ॥१२॥

moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo
mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ
rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva
prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ

moghāśāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmoghāśāḥ

baffled hope.—baffled hope; moghaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmogha

baffled in knowledge.-karmāṇaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkarmanah

activities; and activities; deeds; material duties; of activities; of the actor; of work; one who acts; or for acting; than fruitive action; whose activities; work; work done; working order.—baffled in fruitive activities; moghaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmogha

baffled in knowledge.-jñānāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnanah

whose knowledge.—baffled in knowledge; vicetasaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvicetasaḥ

bewildered; unconscious; very much bewildered, almost unconscious.—bewildered; rākṣasīmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigrākṣasīm

demonic.—demonic; āsurīmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāsurīm

atheistic; demoniac; of the demons.—atheistic; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—and; evaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigeva

alone; also; also the word eva; although; as; as it is; as it were; as much as; as they are; at all; at that time; certainly; certainly,; certainty; completely; definitely; even; ever; exactly; exactly like; factually; Himself; immediately; in fact; in this way; indeed; it is all like that; just; just so; like; like that; like this; of course; on the very; only; quite; simply; so; surely; the word eva; they are; thus; truly; undoubtedly; very; without doubt.—certainly; prakṛtimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprakṛtim

prakṛti; acquired nature or modes of nature; as the source; characteristics; constitutional position; energy; habits; in the material world; material energy; material existence; material nature; matter; my own; natural position; nature; situated in spiritual energy; the material cause; transcendental form; unto material nature.—nature; mohinīmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmohinīm

bewildering.—bewildering; śritāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsritah

has taken shelter; took shelter.—taking shelter of. ¶

Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated. ¶

There are many devotees who assume themselves to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service but at heart do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as the Absolute Truth. For them, the fruit of devotional service—going back to Godhead—will never be tasted. Similarly, those who are engaged in fruitive, pious activities and who are ultimately hoping to be liberated from this material entanglement will never be successful either because they deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. In other words, persons who mock Kṛṣṇa are to be understood to be demonic or atheistic. As described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, such demonic miscreants never surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore their mental speculations to arrive at the Absolute Truth bring them to the false conclusion that the ordinary living entity and Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. With such a false conviction, they think that the body of any human being is now simply covered by material nature and that as soon as one is liberated from this material body there is no difference between God and himself. This attempt to become one with Kṛṣṇa will be baffled because of delusion. Such atheistic and demoniac cultivation of spiritual knowledge is always futile. That is the indication of this verse. For such persons, cultivation of the knowledge in the Vedic literature, like the Vedānta-sūtra and the Upaniṣads, is always baffled. ¶

It is a great offense, therefore, to consider Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be an ordinary man. Those who do so are certainly deluded because they cannot understand the eternal form of Kṛṣṇa. In the Bṛhad-vaiṣṇava mantra it is clearly stated that one who considers the body of Kṛṣṇa to be material should be driven out from all rituals and activities of the śruti. And if one by chance sees his face, he should at once take bath in the Ganges to rid himself of infection. People jeer at Kṛṣṇa because they are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Their destiny is certainly to take birth after birth in the species of atheistic and demoniac life. Perpetually, their real knowledge will remain under delusion, and gradually they will regress to the darkest region of creation. ¶

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ।
ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥१०॥

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

teṣāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtesam

of them.—unto them; satataplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsatata

always.-yuktānāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyuktānām

of the animals with hands, like the tigers.—always engaged; bhajatāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhajatām

engaged in devotional service; in devotional service; in rendering devotional service; of the devotees; of those devotees engaged in service; of those engaged in devotional service; of those who are engaged in devotional service; those who are in devotional service; to the devotees who always render devotional service; to those who always engage in Your service; unto those engaged in His service.—in devotional service; prītiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpriti

affection; and satisfaction; attraction; love; love for Kṛṣṇa; love of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; merciful; of love; pleasure; satisfaction; the pleasure; the satisfaction; very intimate friendly behavior.-pūrvakamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpūrvakam

in a wrong way; without following any rules and regulations.—in loving ecstasy; dadāmiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdadāmi

gave; give; I give; I give you; I promise I shall give you; I shall give; I would have delivered; that I shall give.—I give; buddhiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbuddhi

acceptance; and intelligence; by the intelligence; culture of knowledge; intelligence; of intellectual activities; of intelligence; of the intelligence; the intelligence.-yogamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyogam

yoga; yoga system; absorption, trance; action in devotion; contact; devotional service; in yoga; linking with the Supreme; meditation; mystic yoga; mystic power; mystic powers; mysticism; self-realization; service; spiritual knowledge; the device; the eightfold yoga system; the mystic yoga system; the mystic performances; the mystic process; the process of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the science of one's relationship to the Supreme; Yoga; yoga practice; yogic power.—real intelligence; tamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtam

by Him; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; for that reason; from him (Kardama); from him (Maitreya); him (Ajāmila); him (Arjuna); him (Bali); him (Cyavana); him (Dhruva Mahārāja); him (Gajendra); him (Gargamuni); him (Hiraṇyakaśipu); him (Indra); him (Jaḍa Bharata); him (Kardama); him (King Yayāti); him (King Yudhiṣṭhira); Him (Kṛṣṇa); him (Lord Indra); Him (Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva); him (Lord Śiva); Him (Nara-Nārāyaṇa); him (Nārada Muni); him (Prahlāda Mahārāja); him (Prajāpati Dakṣa); him (Pṛthu); him (Pṛṣadhra); Him (Rohiṇī-nandana, the son of Rohiṇī); him (the bull); him (the condemned person); him (the he-goat); him (the King of heaven, Indra); him (the King); Him (the Lord); him (the male bird); him (the saintly person); Him (the Supreme Lord); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa); him (Tṛṇabindu); him (Vasudeva); him (Vidura); him (Viśvarūpa); Him (Vāmanadeva); him (Vṛtrāsura); him; Him, Lord Rāmacandra; him, Mahārāja Sumitra.—that; yenaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyena

as; as if; as it were; because; by all this; by something; by such activities; by such an incarnation; by such knowledge; by that love; by the agency; by the bestower; by the chanting of which; by the same thunderbolt; by which (as a result of the yajña); by which (religious principle); by which (spiritual consciousness); by which (the glory of the Lord); by which; by which means; by which person; by which process; by which pseudo religious system; by which sound; by which way; by whom (everything is enacted); by whom (Hiraṇyakaśipu); by whom (Janaka); by whom (Kārtavīryārjuna); by whom (Lord Rāmacandra); by whom (Nārāyaṇa); by whom (the Lord); by whom (the Personality of Godhead); by whom (the Supreme Brahman); by whom (through whose mercy); by whom (Śiva); by whom; by whom, Ṛṣabhadeva; exactly like; if possible; is like; just as; just like; like; must; pulled by such time; so; so that; somehow; that; there; which; whom (my husband); whom (the Supersoul); with whom.—by which; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—unto Me; upayāntiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigupayanti

are able to express.—come; teplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigte

all; all of them (the demigods and demons); all of them (the demigods and the demons); all of them; all of those; all the gopas; all the asuric ministers; all the demigods; all the demigods and demons; all the demons; all the great sages; all the Pracetās; all the sons; all the sons of Jamadagni; all the watchmen; all those; all those persons who arrived; also from you; as desired by you; by him; by them; by You; for you; for your; from you; in your possession; Lord Paraśurāma's mother and brothers; of the two divisions; of them; of you (mother Ganges); of You (O dear Lord); of you; of Your good self; of Your Lordship; of yourself; speaking to you; such; such as you; such austerity and knowledge; such household life; such persons; such pure devotees are fully satisfied; that; that is; the gopīs and gopas; the hotā, brahmā and other priests; the cowherd men and ladies; the demigods; the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); the demons; the Gandharvas; the great sages (the Kumāras); the husbands; the men of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Pracetās; the Pāṇḍavas; the sages; the sons of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Yakṣas; their; therefore; these; these sons (the Savalāśvas); they; they are; to you; unto you; with you; You; your; Your Lordship; your request; Your service; yours; yourself.—they. ¶

To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. ¶

In this verse the word buddhi-yogam is very significant. We may remember that in the Second Chapter the Lord, instructing Arjuna, said that He had spoken to him of many things and that He would instruct him in the way of buddhi-yoga. Now buddhi-yoga is explained. Buddhi-yogam itself is action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; that is the highest intelligence. Buddhi means intelligence, and yogam means mystic activities or mystic elevation. When one tries to go back home, back to Godhead, and takes fully to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, his action is called buddhi-yogam. In other words, buddhi-yogam is the process by which one gets out of the entanglement of this material world. The ultimate goal of progress is Kṛṣṇa. People do not know this; therefore the association of devotees and a bona fide spiritual master are important. One should know that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, and when the goal is assigned, then the path is slowly but progressively traversed, and the ultimate goal is achieved. ¶

When a person knows the goal of life but is addicted to the fruits of activities, he is acting in karma-yoga. When he knows that the goal is Kṛṣṇa, but he takes pleasure in mental speculations to understand Kṛṣṇa, he is acting in jñāna-yoga. And when he knows the goal and seeks Kṛṣṇa completely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service, he is acting in bhakti-yoga, or buddhi-yoga, which is the complete yoga. This complete yoga is the highest perfectional stage of life. ¶

A person may have a bona fide spiritual master and may be attached to a spiritual organization, but still, if he is not intelligent enough to make progress, then Kṛṣṇa from within gives him instructions so that he may ultimately come to Him without difficulty. The qualification is that a person always engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and with love and devotion render all kinds of services. He should perform some sort of work for Kṛṣṇa, and that work should be with love. If a devotee is intelligent enough, he will make progress on the path of self-realization. If one is sincere and devoted to the activities of devotional service, the Lord gives him a chance to make progress and ultimately attain to Him. ¶