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Hare Krsna

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada

So just try to understand how much people were advanced in the previous ages. The Bhagavad-gita talks took place between Krishna and Arjuna in the battlefield just on the verge of the battle’s beginning. So how much time could they spare? Utmost, half an hour – not more than that. So within half an hour, this Bhagavad-gita was taught to Arjuna, and he could understand it, and then he agreed to fight (nasto mohah smrtir labdha… karisye vacanam tava – Bg. 18.73) Just imagine how advanced he was in education and learning! At the present moment big, big scholars and big, big theologians are reading Bhagavad-gita for years after years but they cannot understand it.

After reading Bhagavad-gita, they are accusing Krishna as immoral. One professor in Oxford University, who is a teacher of Bhagavad-gita, has written a book. His conclusion is that Krishna is immoral. That means the professor could not understand Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita cannot be understood by any demon or third-class man. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Krishna said to Arjuna that: “I am speaking to you the same Bhagavad-gītā [Bg. 4.1], science of God, which I spoke millions of years ago to the sun-god because the paramparā is lost. And I have picked you because you are my very dear friend and bhakta (devotee) – bhakto ‘si me priyo ‘si me (Bg. 4.3).”

So Bhagavad-gita is not meant for the demons, or the abhaktas. The first condition is that he must be a devotee of Krishna. Then it will be revealed. Otherwise it is not possible. Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavritah [Bg. 7.25]. Na mam duskrtino mudha prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15].

So if one is devotee of Krishna, he can understand Bhagavad-gita very easily. Just like Arjuna understood within half an hour. But, others cannot understand. In one sense, the people at that time were so educated and advanced, that they could talk about the Absolute Truth and understand within half an hour. There was no need of books in those days. People had such sharp memories. If they heard it once from the spiritual master they would never forget. With the advancement of Kali, so many things will reduce. One of them is that the memory will be reduced. People will be weaker, there will be no more mercy, the brain will not be so powerful or sharp. These things are described in the sastra. So we cannot even imagine what kind of brain Arjuna possessed.

Another thing is that this Bhagavad-gita is part of Mahabharata. And the Mahabharata was written for stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti-gocarah [SB 1.4.25]. Stri means woman. sudra means labourer and dvija-bandhu means an unqualified person born in a high family, i.e. born in a brahmana, ksatriya, or vaisya family, but he is not a qualified brahmana or ksatriya. He is called dvija-bandhu, the friend of the twice-born.

The brahmanas (priests), ksatriyas (warriors) and vaisyas (merchants) are twice-born. One birth is given by father and mother and another birth is given by the spiritual master and by Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is mother and the spiritual master is the father. Therefore, they are called dvija, twice born.

Whereas dvija-bandhunam are those who are not actually twice born but born in the family of dvijas. One may become a son of a high-court judge, but that does not mean he’s also high-court judge. But now they are professing, “Because my father is brahmana, therefore I am also brahmana.” No. That was not accepted earlier. Your father may be brahmana, but if you are not qualified brahmana, you cannot be called a brahmana. You can be called dvija-bandhu.

So this Mahabharata was written for women, dvija-bandhus and the sudras.

stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti gocarah

“Out of compassion, the great sage thought it wise that this would enable men to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the great historical narration called the Mahabharata for women, laborers and friends of the twice-born.” [SB 1.4.25].

It is very difficult for women, dvija-bandhus and the sudras to understand the Vedic literatures directly because they have no advanced knowledge or education. Therefore the same Vedic knowledge was described in the Mahabharata in history form. Because it is history and everyone is interested in reading history, so through history, the Vedic knowledge was imparted. Therefore, Mahabharata is called the fifth Veda. There are four Vedas – Sama, Yajur, Rik, Atharva. And Mahabharata is fifth Veda. It is meant for this stri, sudra and dvija-bandhu.

And Bhagavad-gita is within the Mahabharata. So actually the Bhagavad-gita was meant for the less intelligent class of men. But, at the present moment, the highest intelligent class of men cannot understand. Just see the difference. Formerly, 5000 years, this was meant for the less intelligent class of men, and we have deteriorated so much that the so-called highest intelligent class of men cannot understand this Bhagavad-gita. And he is posted as a professor in the Oxford University.

So this class of men are leading the society. The third-class and fourth-class men have become leaders. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah [SB 7.5.31] – practically blind men are leading the society. Therefore, the world is in hellish condition. We can perceive that. So at the present moment, comparing the social status 5000 years ago… According to Darwin’s theory, 5000 years ago, men were uncivilized. Now according to Darwin, this literature is written by uncivilized men. Just see! Such highly intellectual writings and Darwin infers that they were uncivilized. “But now they have become civilized,” – that is Darwin’s theory. Mankind is now making progress, according to him.

Therefore, at the present moment, the whole generation is covered with ignorance and darkness. It has no clear knowledge. And without clear knowledge, whatever we do, that is simply embezzlement. That’s all. It is not very correctly understood. Therefore we have no correct knowledge, no correct activities, and, and the result is narakayaiva - hellish.

[An excerpt from a lecture delivered on Bhagavad Gita 1.41 in London on July 29, 1973