f penance, austerity, charity, philosophical and sexual activities. He will attain all these only by performing devotional service, and finally attain the eternal abode.
Purport: This verse is a summary of the seven and eight chapters that specifically discuss Krishna consciousness and devotional service. When a person is studying the Vedas under the guidance of his Guru and is under His protection, he has to perform various types of penance. A brahmacharya lives as a servant in the Guru’s house, goes from house to house, brings alms and gives them to the Guru, and eats only when the Guru orders him to; if the Guru does not call him for food that day, the disciple observes a fast. These are some of the Vedic practices for practicing Brahma-Chriyan.
After a student has studied the Vedas with a guru for a certain period, that is, at least five to twenty years, he becomes a fully-fledged person. The study of the Vedas is not intended for the entertainment of the wise in the reclining chair, but for the formation of morals. After this training, the brahmachari is allowed to enter the householder’s life and get married. As a householder, he has to perform various sacrifices and achieve further development of knowledge. As described in the Bhagavad Gita, he should also give alms, discerning the qualities of goodness and virtue according to the times and circumstances of the country. After leaving the householder’s life, he should accept the Vanaprastha ashram and perform severe penances such as living in forests, wearing a veil, and not shaving his hair. By practicing brahmachari, householder’s life, Vanaprastha, and finally sannyasa, he reaches the perfection of life.
Then some reach the heavenly worlds, and when they progress further, they are liberated in the spiritual sky, that is, in the incorporeal Brahmajyoti, in the Vaikuntha world, or in the Krishna world. This process is explained in the Vedic literature.
However, the specialty of Krishna consciousness is that by engaging in devotional service, one transcends all the rituals and ceremonies of life with one technique.
The phrase “idham viditva” indicates that a person should understand the teachings given by Lord Krishna in this chapter and the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. He should not try to understand these chapters by his own learning or knowledge, but should rather meditate
It should be understood by hearing. Chapters seven to twelve are the essence of the Bhagavad-gita. The first six and the last six chapters are like the pages of the middle six chapters, which are specially protected by the Lord. If a person is fortunate enough to understand the Bhagavad-gita, especially the middle six chapters, in the company of devotees, his life becomes blessed beyond all penance, sacrifice, charity, and knowledge. Because he attains the results of all these activities only through Krishna consciousness.
roars
As intended, he bows down to the Lord and takes the rain that falls on him. When he is done, he is given alms. In devotional service
Given by Lord Krishna
Vidirya
“One who has even the slightest interest in the Bhagavad-gita should learn the Bhagavad-gita from a devotee. Because it is clearly stated in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter that the Bhagavad-gita is understood only by devotees and that no one else can properly understand its purpose. Therefore, the Bhagavad-gita should be learned from a devotee of Krishna and not from mental illusionists. This is the sign of interest. When a person searches for a devotee and by chance gets his company, the study and understanding of the Bhagavad-gita really begins. By progressing in the company of a devotee, he becomes established in devotional service. That service removes all his misconceptions about Krishna, his activities, form, pastimes, name and other qualities. When all these misconceptions are completely removed, he becomes established in his study. Then he enjoys the study of Bhagavad-gita and experiences the experience of being in constant Krishna consciousness. In a further developed state, he becomes completely situated in love of Krishna. This supreme state of perfection of life takes the devotee to the Krishna world in the spiritual sky, that is, Goloka, Vrindavan. There he becomes eternally happy.
The commentary is complete.
