GITA SHLOKA 4.1, GITA WAS SPOKEN AT LEAST 120,400,000 YEARS AGO BY LOD TO SUN GOD; AND IN HUMAN SOCIETY IT HAS BEEN EXTANT FOR TWO MILLION YEARS. IT WAS RESPOKEN BY THE LORD AGAIN TO ARJUNA ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, 17th July

GITA SHLOKA 4.1, GITA WAS SPOKEN AT LEAST 120,400,000 YEARS AGO BY LORD TO SUN GOD; AND IN HUMAN SOCIETY IT HAS BEEN EXTANT FOR TWO MILLION YEARS.  IT WAS RESPOKEN BY THE LORD AGAIN TO ARJUNA ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, 17th July

TRANSLATION

The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the 

father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.

PURPORT

Herein we find the history of the Bhagavad-gita traced from a remote time when it was delivered to the royal order, the kings of all planets. This science is especially meant for the protection of the inhabitants and therefore the royal order should understand it in order to be able to rule the citizens and protect them from the material bondage to lust. 

HUMAN LIFE IS MEANT FOR CULTIVATION OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE, IN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AND THE EXECUTIVE HEADS OF ALL STATES AND ALL PLANETS ARE OBLIGED TO IMPART THIS LESSON TO THE CITIZENS BY EDUCATION, CULTURE AND DEVOTION. 

IN OTHER WORDS, THE EXECUTIVE HEADS OF ALL STATES ARE INTENDED TO SPREAD THE SCIENCE OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS SO THAT THE PEOPLE MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT SCIENCE AND PURSUE A SUCCESSFUL PATH, UTILIZING THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE.

In this millennium, the sun-god is known as Vivasvan, the king of the sun, which is the origin of all planets within the solar system. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated:

yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam

raja samasta-sura-murttir asesa-tejah

yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kalacakro

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

"LET ME WORSHIP," LORD BRAHMA SAID, "THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, GOVINDA [KRSNA], WHO IS THE ORIGINAL PERSON AND UNDER WHOSE ORDER THE SUN, WHICH IS THE KING OF ALL PLANETS, IS ASSUMING IMMENSE POWER AND HEAT. THE SUN REPRESENTS THE EYE OF THE LORD AND TRAVERSES ITS ORBIT IN OBEDIENCE TO HIS ORDER."

THE SUN IS THE KING OF THE PLANETS, AND THE SUN-GOD (AT PRESENT OF THE NAME VIVASVAN) RULES THE SUN PLANET, WHICH IS CONTROLLING ALL OTHER PLANETS BY SUPPLYING HEAT AND LIGHT. HE IS ROTATING UNDER THE ORDER OF KRSNA, AND LORD KRSNA ORIGINALLY MADE VIVASVAN HIS FIRST DISCIPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE OF BHAGAVAD-GITA. 

THE GITA IS NOT, THEREFORE, A SPECULATIVE TREATISE FOR THE INSIGNIFICANT MUNDANE SCHOLAR BUT IS A STANDARD BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE COMING DOWN FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL. 

In the Mahabharata (Santi-parva 348.51-52) we can trace out the history of the Gita as follows:

treta-yugadau ca tato vivasvan manave dadau

manus ca loka-bhrty-artham sutayeksvakave dadau

iksvakuna ca kathito vyapya lokan avasthitah

"IN THE BEGINNING OF THE TRETA-YUGA [MILLENNIUM] THIS SCIENCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPREME WAS DELIVERED BY VIVASVAN TO MANU. MANU, BEING THE FATHER OF MANKIND, GAVE IT TO HIS SON MAHARAJA IKSVAKU, THE KING OF THIS EARTH PLANET AND FOREFATHER OF THE RAGHU DYNASTY IN WHICH LORD RAMACHANDRA APPEARED. THEREFORE, BHAGAVAD-GITA EXISTED IN THE HUMAN SOCIETY FROM THE TIME OF MAHARAJA IKSVAKU."

AT THE PRESENT MOMENT WE HAVE JUST PASSED THROUGH FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF THE KALI-YUGA, WHICH LASTS 432,000 YEARS. BEFORE THIS THERE WAS DVAPARA-YUGA (800,000 YEARS), AND BEFORE THAT THERE WAS TRETA-YUGA (1,200,000 YEARS). THUS, SOME 2,005,000 YEARS AGO, MANU SPOKE THE BHAGAVAD-GITA TO HIS DISCIPLE AND SON MAHARAJA LKSVAKU, THE KING OF THIS PLANET EARTH. 

The age of the current Manu is calculated to last some 305,300,000 years, of which 120,400,000 have passed. Accepting that before the birth of Manu, the Gita was spoken by the Lord to His disciple, the sun-god Vivasvan, a rough estimate is that the Gita was spoken at least 120,400,000 years ago; and in human society it has been extant for two million years. 

It was respoken by the Lord again to Arjuna about five thousand years ago. That is the rough estimate of the history of the Gita, according to the Gita itself and according to the version of the speaker, Lord Sri Krsna. It was spoken to the sun-god Vivasvan because he is also a ksatriya and is the father of all ksatriyas who are descendants of the sun-god, or the surya-vamsa ksatriyas. 

BECAUSE BHAGAVAD-GITA IS AS GOOD AS THE VEDAS, BEING SPOKEN BY THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, THIS KNOWLEDGE IS APAURUSEYA, SUPERHUMAN. 

SINCE THE VEDIC INSTRUCTIONS ARE ACCEPTED AS THEY ARE, WITHOUT HUMAN INTERPRETATION, THE GITA MUST THEREFORE BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT MUNDANE INTERPRETATION. THE MUNDANE WRANGLERS MAY SPECULATE ON THE GITA IN THEIR OWN WAYS, BUT THAT IS NOT BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS. THEREFORE, BHAGAVAD-GITA HAS TO BE ACCEPTED AS IT IS, FROM THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION, AND IT IS DESCRIBED HEREIN THAT THE LORD SPOKE TO THE SUN-GOD, THE SUN-GOD SPOKE TO HIS SON MANU, AND MANU SPOKE TO HIS SON IKSVAKU.

GITA SHLOKA 3.43 KNOWING ONESELF TO BE TRANSCENDENTAL TO MATERIAL SENSES, MIND AND INTELLIGENCE, ONE SHOULD CONTROL THE LOWER SELF BY THE HIGHER SELF AND THUS—BY SPIRITUAL STRENGTH—CONQUER THIS INSATIABLE ENEMY KNOWN AS LUST.16TH JULY

GITA SHLOKA 3.43 KNOWING ONESELF TO BE TRANSCENDENTAL TO MATERIAL SENSES, MIND AND INTELLIGENCE, ONE SHOULD CONTROL THE LOWER SELF BY THE HIGHER SELF AND THUS—BY SPIRITUAL STRENGTH—CONQUER THIS INSATIABLE ENEMY KNOWN AS LUST.

TRANSLATION

THUS KNOWING ONESELF TO BE TRANSCENDENTAL TO MATERIAL SENSES, MIND AND INTELLIGENCE, ONE SHOULD CONTROL THE LOWER SELF BY THE HIGHER SELF AND THUS—BY SPIRITUAL STRENGTH—CONQUER THIS INSATIABLE ENEMY KNOWN AS LUST.

PURPORT

THIS THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA IS CONCLUSIVELY DIRECTIVE TO KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS BY KNOWING ONESELF AS THE ETERNAL SERVITOR OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, WITHOUT CONSIDERING IMPERSONAL VOIDNESS AS THE ULTIMATE END.

IN THE MATERIAL EXISTENCE OF LIFE, ONE IS CERTAINLY INFLUENCED BY PROPENSITIES FOR LUST AND DESIRE FOR DOMINATING THE RESOURCES OF MATERIAL NATURE.

DESIRE FOR OVERLORDING AND SENSE GRATIFICATION ARE THE GREATEST ENEMIES OF THE CONDITIONED SOUL; BUT BY THE STRENGTH OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, ONE CAN CONTROL THE MATERIAL SENSES, THE MIND AND THE INTELLIGENCE.

ONE MAY NOT GIVE UP WORK AND PRESCRIBED DUTIES ALL OF A SUDDEN; BUT BY GRADUALLY DEVELOPING KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, ONE CAN BE SITUATED IN A TRANSCENDENTAL POSITION WITHOUT BEING INFLUENCED BY THE MATERIAL SENSES AND THE MIND—BY STEADY INTELLIGENCE DIRECTED TOWARD ONE'S PURE IDENTITY.

THIS IS THE SUM TOTAL OF THIS CHAPTER.

IN THE IMMATURE STAGE OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE, PHILOSOPHICAL SPECULATIONS AND ARTIFICIAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL THE SENSES BY THE SO-CALLED PRACTICE OF YOGIC POSTURES CAN NEVER HELP A MAN TOWARD SPIRITUAL LIFE.

HE MUST BE TRAINED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS BY HIGHER INTELLIGENCE.

Bhagvat THE GOAL OF LIFE IS TO BECOME A DEVOTEE OF LORD KRSHNA SO THAT ONE MAY BE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE. THE SPIRITUAL MASTER HELPS THE DISCIPLE ATTAIN THIS STAGE BY DEVELOPING KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS,15th July

Bhagvat THE GOAL OF LIFE IS TO BECOME A DEVOTEE OF LORD KRSHNA SO THAT ONE MAY BE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE. THE SPIRITUAL MASTER HELPS THE DISCIPLE ATTAIN THIS STAGE BY DEVELOPING KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS

TRANSLATION

Shri Shukadeva Gosvami said: O King Parikshit, when Bali Maharaja was thus advised by his spiritual master, Shukracarya, his family priest, he remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his spiritual master as follows.

PURPORT

Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura remarks that Bali Maharaja remained silent at a critical point. How could he disobey the instruction of Shukracharya, his spiritual master? It is the duty of such a sober personality as Bali Maharaja to abide by the orders of his spiritual master immediately, as his spiritual master had advised. BUT BALI MAHARAJA ALSO CONSIDERED THAT SHUKRACHARYA WAS NO LONGER TO BE ACCEPTED AS A SPIRITUAL MASTER, FOR HE HAD DEVIATED FROM THE DUTY OF A SPIRITUAL MASTER. 

ACCORDING TO SHASTRA, THE DUTY OF THE GURU IS TO TAKE THE DISCIPLE BACK HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. IF HE IS UNABLE TO DO SO AND INSTEAD HINDERS THE DISCIPLE IN GOING BACK TO GODHEAD, HE SHOULD NOT BE A GURU. Gurur na sa syat (Bhag. 5.5.18). ONE SHOULD NOT BECOME A GURU IF HE CANNOT ENABLE HIS DISCIPLE TO ADVANCE IN KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. 

THE GOAL OF LIFE IS TO BECOME A DEVOTEE OF LORD KRSHNA SO THAT ONE MAY BE FREED FROM THE BONDAGE OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna). THE SPIRITUAL MASTER HELPS THE DISCIPLE ATTAIN THIS STAGE BY DEVELOPING KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. Now Shukracarya has advised Bali Maharaja to deny the promise to Vamanadeva. 

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEREFORE, BALI MAHARAJA THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO FAULT IF HE DISOBEYED THE ORDER OF HIS SPIRITUAL MASTER. HE DELIBERATED ON THIS POINT—SHOULD HE ACCEPT THE ADVICE OF HIS SPIRITUAL MASTER, AND SHOULD HE INDEPENDENTLY DO EVERYTHING TO PLEASE THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD? HE TOOK SOME TIME. Therefore it is said, tüshnim bhütva kshanam rajann uvacavahito gurum. AFTER DELIBERATING ON THIS POINT, HE DECIDED THAT LORD VISHNU SHOULD BE PLEASED IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN AT THE RISK OF IGNORING THE GURU'S ADVICE TO THE CONTRARY.

ANYONE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GURU BUT WHO GOES AGAINST THE PRINCIPLE OF VISHNU-BHAKTI CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS GURU. IF ONE HAS FALSELY ACCEPTED SUCH A GURU, ONE SHOULD REJECT HIM. Such a guru is described as follows (Mahabharata, Udyoga 179.25):

SHRILA JIVA GOSVAMI HAS ADVISED THAT SUCH A USELESS GURU, A FAMILY PRIEST ACTING AS GURU, SHOULD BE GIVEN UP, AND THAT THE PROPER, BONA-FIDE GURU SHOULD BE ACCEPTED.

"A SCHOLARLY BRAHMANA EXPERT IN ALL SUBJECTS OF VEDIC KNOWLEDGE IS UNFIT TO BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER WITHOUT BEING A VAISHNAVA, BUT IF A PERSON BORN IN A FAMILY OF A LOWER CASTE IS A VAISHNAVA, HE CAN BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER." (Padma Purana)

GITA SHLOKA 3.41 ONE SHOULD CURB THIS GREAT SYMBOL OF SIN [LUST] BY REGULATING THE SENSES, AND SLAY THIS DESTROYER OF KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-REALIZATION 14TH JULY

GITA SHLOKA 3.41 ONE SHOULD CURB THIS GREAT SYMBOL OF SIN [LUST] BY REGULATING THE SENSES, AND SLAY THIS DESTROYER OF KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-REALIZATION 

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.

PURPORT

The Lord advised Arjuna to regulate the senses from the very beginning so that he could curb the greatest sinful enemy, lust, which destroys the urge for self-realization, and specifically, knowledge of the self.

Jnanam (ज्ञान) refers to knowledge of self as distinguished from non-self, or, in other words, knowledge that the spirit soul is not the body.

Vijnanam (अध्यात्म) refers to specific knowledge of the spirit soul and knowledge of one's constitutional position and his relationship to the Supreme Soul.

It is explained thus in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: jnanam parama-guhyam me yad-vijnana-samanvitam / sarahasyam tad-angam ca grhana gaditam maya: 

"THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF AND THE SUPREME SELF IS VERY CONFIDENTIAL AND MYSTERIOUS, BEING VEILED BY MAYA, BUT SUCH KNOWLEDGE AND SPECIFIC REALIZATION CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IF IT IS EXPLAINED BY THE LORD HIMSELF." BHAGAVAD-GITA GIVES US THAT KNOWLEDGE, SPECIFICALLY KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF.

THE LIVING ENTITIES ARE PARTS AND PARCELS OF THE LORD, AND THEREFORE THEY ARE SIMPLY MEANT TO SERVE THE LORD.

THIS CONSCIOUSNESS IS CALLED KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.

SO, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF LIFE ONE HAS TO LEARN THIS KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THEREBY ONE MAY BECOME FULLY KRSNA CONSCIOUS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.

LUST IS ONLY THE PERVERTED REFLECTION OF THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS NATURAL FOR EVERY LIVING ENTITY.

BUT IF ONE IS EDUCATED IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THAT NATURAL LOVE OF GOD CANNOT DETERIORATE INTO LUST.

WHEN LOVE OF GOD DETERIORATES INTO LUST, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO RETURN TO THE NORMAL CONDITION.

NONETHELESS, KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS IS SO POWERFUL THAT EVEN A LATE BEGINNER CAN BECOME A LOVER OF GOD BY FOLLOWING THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE.

SO, FROM ANY STAGE OF LIFE, OR FROM THE TIME OF UNDERSTANDING ITS URGENCY, ONE CAN BEGIN REGULATING THE SENSES IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF THE LORD, AND TURN THE LUST INTO LOVE OF GODHEAD—THE HIGHEST PERFECTIONAL STAGE OF HUMAN LIFE.

GITA SHLOKA 3.40  A HUMAN BEING WHO IDENTIFIES THIS BODY MADE OF THREE ELEMENTS WITH HIS SELF, WHO CONSIDERS THE BY-PRODUCTS OF THE BODY TO BE HIS KINSMEN, WHO CONSIDERS THE LAND OF BIRTH AS WORSHIPABLE, AND WHO GOES TO THE PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE SIMPLY TO TAKE A BATH RATHER THAN MEET MEN OF TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE THERE, IS TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN ASS OR A COW. 13TH JULY

TRANSLATION

The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.

PURPORT

The enemy has captured different strategic positions in the body of the conditioned soul, and therefore Lord Krsna is giving hints of those places, so that one who wants to conquer the enemy may know where he can be found.

 Mind is the center of all the activities of the senses, and thus the mind is the reservoir of all ideas of sense gratification; and, as a result, the mind and the senses become the repositories of lust.

 Next, the intelligence department becomes the capital of such lustful propensities.

 Intelligence is the immediate next-door neighbor of the spirit soul.

 Lusty intelligence influences the spirit soul to acquire the false ego and identify itself with matter, and thus with the mind and senses.

 The spirit soul becomes addicted to enjoying the material senses and mistakes this as true happiness.

 This false identification of the spirit soul is very nicely explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke

sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idyadhih

yat-tirtha-buddhih salite na karhicij

janesv abhijnesu sa eva gokharah.

"A HUMAN BEING WHO IDENTIFIES THIS BODY MADE OF THREE ELEMENTS WITH HIS SELF, WHO CONSIDERS THE BY-PRODUCTS OF THE BODY TO BE HIS KINSMEN, WHO CONSIDERS THE LAND OF BIRTH AS WORSHIPABLE, AND WHO GOES TO THE PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE SIMPLY TO TAKE A BATH RATHER THAN MEET MEN OF TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE THERE, IS TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN ASS OR A COW."