Five Reasons Someone Might Be Crying While Holding Bhagavad-gita

“Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told the brahmana, ‘Indeed, you are an authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gita. Whatever you know constitutes the real purport of the Bhagavad-gita.’” (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 9.102)

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प्रभु कहे, — गीता-पाठे तोमारइ अधिकार
तुमि से जानह एइ गीतार अर्थ-सार

prabhu kahe, — gītā-pāṭhe tomārā-i adhikāra
tumi se jānaha ei gītāra artha-sāra

1. They can’t understand Sanskrit

“Why am I crying, you ask. I have this amazing book in my hands. It is highly regarded, both within my family and my community. It has ancient origins. The work is from long in the past, you see. Bhagavad-gita is actually nestled within a much larger work, known as Mahabharata. The problem is that the content is in Sanskrit. I cannot even decode the script, let alone reproduce the sounds. If you think about it, the written word is the original tape recording system. Just put your thoughts down on paper, using characters for encoding, and someone long into the future can consult those exact same thoughts, by decoding those very same characters. Sadly, I am totally inept in this area.”

2. They can’t understand the verses

“Why am I crying, you ask. I have this amazing book in my hands. I have read through the many shlokas, which are like thoughts, ideas, and transcripts put into Sanskrit words, collected as verses. I have gone through everything, but I can barely understand. I do not know what a jiva soul is, for instance. There are all of these references to tatha and yatha. It is supposedly to introduce analogy, but I cannot follow. I am having such a difficult time, but everyone tells me that this book will reveal the meaning of life. It is like I am holding a treasure chest, but the key is lost. Or worse, I have the key, but I can’t get it to work. I call up tech support for help and they chastise me for wasting their time. They say that I already have the key; I don’t need anything else.”

3. They can’t relate anything to their own lives

“Why am I crying, you ask. Everyone told me to read Bhagavad-gita. The guru advised it. The disciples of the guru are expert in this holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. Even the person who first presented it, like the narrator to the story, feels a thrill at every moment in remembering the conversation that took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.”

राजन् संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य
संवादम् इमम् अद्भुतम्
केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं
हृष्यामि च मुहुर् मुहुः

rājan saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya
saṁvādam imam adbhutam
keśavārjunayoḥ puṇyaṁ
hṛṣyāmi ca muhur muhuḥ

“O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.” (Sanjaya, Bhagavad-gita, 18.76)

“Then there is me. Hapless, pathetic ole me. Here I am, almost lifeless. I get nothing from reading this book. Did you understand that? Nothing! I can pronounce the Sanskrit perfectly. I can read the translation into the modern language. There is still no connection. I am supposed to be uplifted, but I feel that the content is geared for a higher standard of living. I am shut out from the culture; perhaps due to my upbringing. Maybe in a future life I will be qualified enough to see how the principles relate to my life.”

4. They can’t read

“Why am I crying, you ask. Well, I cannot read. People make fun of me when I try. I am holding this book of significant value, but I am unable to do anything with it. I can only pretend for so long. Who can be worse off than me?”

5. They can’t believe the kindness of Krishna towards Arjuna

Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the most intelligent person. He is a mahapurusha, despite the immediate conclusions reached from His outward behavior. He is the golden avatara, known more for His expressions of devotion than His scholarship. He dances in ecstasy to the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. He urges others to do the same, to chant the holy name and to always think of Hari, which is a name for God.

Mahaprabhu is an expert on shastra, which includes the upadesha of Krishna. This is the divine instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mahaprabhu understands that the ultimate conclusion of the upadesha is upasana. Move closer to Krishna through worship. Otherwise, the impact of the knowledge remains within duality. Any person can move higher or lower through their own experience. They can figure out what is needed to ascend the income ladder. They can think of ways to remove their distresses. The results are always temporary, because that is the nature of the life experience itself.

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान्

trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā
nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-kṣema ātmavān

“The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.45)

Bhagavad-gita is above duality. The instruction, which is spoken directly by Krishna, is for helping others to rise above duality. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu one time met a brahmana who was shedding tears while holding Bhagavad-gita. This brahmana happened to be illiterate. The tears were not for any of the reasons described above. Rather, there was ecstasy in simply contemplating the kindness of the speaker. You see, Shri Krishna was first steering the chariot. He was not in a visibly esteemed position; at least at that time. The driver is the servant. The bow-warrior Arjuna was the person giving the directions.

The brahmana felt ecstasy in considering how kind Krishna must be to assume such a role. No ego. No false prestige. No insistence on worship. And when the master in that case happened to fall into trouble, in being crippled by doubt over how to proceed, Krishna kindly changed roles. He became the guru, which is natural for Him considering that He is the adi-guru, which is the original spiritual master. Krishna stayed with the student, accepting their questions and offering contextually appropriate responses. At the conclusion, Krishna returned to the role of charioteer. Despite not knowing how to read the verses properly, Mahaprabhu declared that this brahmana’s understanding of Bhagavad-gita was perfect.

In Closing:

Still with Gita to proceed,
Despite not knowing how to read.

From the eyes tears to fall,
Because of kindness to recall.

How Krishna for His friend ready,
To remove doubts constant and steady.

If only that single image to maintain,
A perfect understanding to remain.