“By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature, which is like My own nature. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation nor disturbed at the time of dissolution.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.2)

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इदं ज्ञानमुपाश्रित्य मम साधर्म्यमागता:
सर्गेऽपि नोपजायन्ते प्रलये न व्यथन्ति च

idaṁ jñānam upāśritya
mama sādharmyam āgatāḥ
sarge ’pi nopajāyante
pralaye na vyathanti ca

“Let me preface this by saying that this is not a criticism of the book. The world desperately needs an authentic version of that sacred text. It is relatively small in comparison to the much larger work in which it is originally found. There is not much narrative to keep the reader engaged. There is not much to anticipate in the before and after, in following from beginning to end. Nevertheless, from opening a single page, from hearing a single shloka, life can change for the better and forever.

“I am speaking of the book called ‘Bhagavad-gita As It Is.’ The author takes a bold approach. He is essentially throwing down the gauntlet, insinuating that other versions of Bhagavad-gita are not good. They are not ‘as it is.’ I like the confidence. A long time ago, it was this vision that appealed to me. I appreciated the drive for authenticity, the sell for the person who might otherwise be on the fence.

“I remember reading the book for the first time as an adult and really liking it. It helps so much in dealing with grief. Right from the beginning, where Krishna explains to Arjuna the imperishable nature of the individual. I am learning to appreciate more and more this concept of avyakta. The individual is unmanifest most of the time. This is only in relation to our perception. We fail to properly comprehend this truth.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना

avyaktādīni bhūtāni
vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva
tatra kā paridevanā

“All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.28)

“Another thing that struck me was the repeated reference to Mayavada and Mayavadis. An inside tip to people reading books with words they don’t understand. Many times you can decipher the definition from the context. It was a little tough for me with the Mayavada term, but I got the general sense that it was not something good. It should not be taken seriously or as the final word of authority when understanding the science of self-realization.

“The issue I have is that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada makes repeated reference to this philosophy, its supporters, and its conclusions. When I am reading the books for the first time, I have no idea what he is talking about. It makes no sense to me why there is this disproportionate mention of a philosophy that we are not supposed to follow. Why am I being told about how bad Mayavada is when I don’t even know what it is?”

The sheer number of the references within purports to shlokas reflects the disturbing landscape within the literary world or the larger arena of ideas. This applies to the category of religion and more specifically Hinduism. The “As It Is” suffix in the title only became necessary because of the reality of the situation. There are too many versions of Bhagavad-gita to count. The vast majority of those presentations are through the lens of Mayavada or something resembling it.

In ages past, the spiritual guide would not really care what others are doing. The sphere of influence was localized. It was a big world, as they would say. Someone approaches the saint. This potential disciple must have the proper qualifications in order to learn. The teacher will not accept just any random student who approaches them. In the manner that someone today must go through an admissions process prior to enrolling in a prestigious university, so the seeker of the truth, tattva, must be accepted by the one who has seen that truth, tattva-darshi.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

The teacher usually will not maintain a static syllabus. Their instruction will ebb and flow based on the questions of the student. Depending on what the student knows, what they don’t know, what they have heard, and what they are looking to learn, the teacher will respond accordingly. This is indeed the flow to the Bhagavad-gita conversation itself, between the teacher and student, Shri Krishna and Arjuna.

When you transition to the realm of publishing, where the recorded instruction sits on a shelf for others to purchase, borrow, or casually peruse, there is now the added factor of competition to consider. The expert spiritual guide has a general idea of the teachings presented in the other books of the same category sitting on the same shelf in the library or bookstore. The teacher then responds accordingly, taking special care to address egregious mistakes which may spread like a wildfire, distributing ignorance to a population that is already confused about their identity, their suffering, and their purpose in life.

This is all to say that we will find the Mayavada philosophy everywhere when trying to access Bhagavad-gita. It is a bogus philosophy in the sense that the conclusion is incomplete. The teacher within Bhagavad-gita Himself makes several references refuting this false idea of absolute oneness between the individual and Divinity. I can never become God. If I have to become God, it means that at some point I am not God. If ever at some point I am not God, it means that I am fallible. I thus cannot be called Achyuta, which is one way to address Krishna.

The teacher of Arjuna reveals that by following the timeless path of self-realization, which is also known as sanatana-dharma, a person can ultimately attain a nature which is similar to Krishna’s. The distinguishing factor is the vulnerability to birth and death. The transcendental nature means that when the time for creation rolls around again, the liberated soul will not take birth in the land of birth and death, mrityu-loka.

At the same time, nowhere does Krishna say that Arjuna will ever become Krishna and vice versa. Arjuna will never claim to be the origin of the creation. Arjuna can never say that He is the universal knower, kshetrajna, corresponding to every single instance of a field, kshetra.

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम

kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi
sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata
kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ
yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama

“O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and its owner is called knowledge. That is My opinion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.3)

These simple truths are enough to refute the Mayavada philosophy, but the spiritual guide wisely repeats the same instruction for emphasis. Mayavada is like the last snare of illusion in this world. Most of us fall right into the first snare, which is identifying with the body and considering material enjoyment to be the height of living. After frustration, defeat, sadness, and despair, we might succumb to the last illusion, which is thinking that we are God, that we can become God, or that there is no God but only this attributeless energy akin to nothingness.

तेषां सतत-युक्तानां
भजतां प्रीति-पूर्वकम्
ददामि बुद्धि-योगं तं
येन माम् उपयान्ति ते

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

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.10)

Fortunately, there is the authentic presentation of Bhagavad-gita available to save us from the madness. To get the proper understanding, to progress towards the truth, to come closer to Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is Bhagavad-gita, as it really is and as it will always be.

In Closing:

As properly to see,
As will always be,

Truth of Krishna to know,
With proper understanding to go.

Not by Mayavada deluded,
Which improperly concluded.

That all merging into one,
And distinction with Divinity none.

Categories: questions

Tags: advaita, dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, vedanta