Newsletter July 2021

What is the requirement for a conditioned soul to be allowed entry into the «rahasyam uttamam», the most confidential secrets of the science of bhakti? – Sri Krishna reveals it to Arjuna right in the beginning of the 4th Chapter, text 3: «bhakto ‘si me» and «sakha ceti» - become My devotee and My friend!

In the end of Chapter 3 Krishna answers Arjuna’s question about «what is impelling us to sinful acts even unwillingly, as if engaged by force.» A question highly relevant for all spiritual seekers and practising spiritualists. Krishna’s answer is straight forward: «It is kama (lust) only, Arjuna, which is born from contact with the material mode of passion…, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.» … «…curb this great symbol of sin (kama) … and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.» … “O mighty-armed Arjuna, … by spiritual strength – conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.” - With these intense and heavy words of truth the 3^rd Chapter of Bhagavad-Gita ends, leaving the reader in a thoughtful state of mind – “Is there any chance for me? How do we get spiritual strength?”…

Then Krishna starts speaking the 4^th Chapter to Arjuna, “Transcendental knowledge”, knowledge which will equip the sincere practitioner with exactly that spiritual strength Krishna was just talking about and He starts: “bhakto ‘si me” – “sakha ceti” – because Arjuna was His dear devotee and His intimate friend, he was able to understand the highest secrets of transcendental knowledge. – There we get a hint on our questions. Krishna wants us to become His devotees and His friends. – But how can we do that?

Kama, or lust, which expresses itself in a multitude of desires based on the motivation “What’s in for me? How can I derive the greatest possible enjoyment out of it?” is the complete opposite of prema (pure love of Godhead), which expresses itself in supreme selflessness.

Krishna explains in the 9^th Verse of the 4^th Chapter: “janma karma ca me divyam – evam yo vetti tattvatah…” – “Just start meditating on the divine appearance and activities of Myself, then there will not be any further birth anymore in this material world!”

By turning our backs to kama and starting to meditate on the divine pastimes of the Lord, we slowly proceed towards Krishna-prema. 

The culmination of such meditation is expressed in the following words, taken from Sivaram Swami’s “Venu-gita”: “…Even Sri Krishna is defeated when confronted by the love of the gopis. With the words “ye yatha mam prapadyante” the Gita reveals the secret of His magnanimous nature. However, when challenged by the astounding selflessness of the gopis’ love, though obliged to reciprocate, He cannot. Although nothing is impossible for Him, still He is incapable of equalling their one-pointed affection…” – Pure love ultimately even defeats God.