SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 70
adhyesyate ca ya imam
dharmyam samvadam avayoh
jnana-yajnena tenaham
istah syam iti me matih

adhyesyate--will study; ca--also; yah--he who; imam--this; dharmyam--sacred; samvadam--conversation; avayoh--of ours; jnana--of knowledge; yajnena--by the sacrifice; tena--by him; aham--I; istah--worshiped; syam--shall be; iti--thus; me--My; matih--opinion.

TRANSLATION

And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence.

JOURNAL:

This is the last sloka I needed to patch Bhagavad Gita As It Is. I find it a very appropreate last sloka and couldn't have planned it better myself.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 69
na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah
bhavita na ca me tasmad
anyah priyataro bhuvi

na--never; ca--and; tasmat--than him; manusyesu--among men; kascit--anyone; me--to Me; priya-krt-tamah--more dear; bhavita--will become; na--nor; ca--and; me--to Me; tasmat--than him; anyah--another; priya-tarah--dearer; bhuvi--in this world.

TRANSLATION

There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.

JOURNAL:

One more sloka and the Bhagavad-Gita is complete. I have decided, next, to finish up "The Teachings of Queen Kunti" since they take place right after the Gita. I started this book awhile back so please see the "Featured Book" link on the sidebar to view previous posts.

Please post any suggestions as to which book you would like to see covered next.
Hare Krishna!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 40
na tad asti prthivyam va
divi devesu va punah
sattvam prakrti-jair muktam
yad ebhih syat tribhir gunaih

na--not; tat--that; asti--there is; prthivyam--on the earth; va--or; divi--in the higher planetary system; devesu--amongst the demigods; va--or; punah--again; sattvam--existence; prakrti aih--born of material nature; muktam--liberated; yat--that; ebhih--from the influence of these; syat--is; tribhih--three; gunaih--modes of material nature.

TRANSLATION

There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the higher planetary systems, which is freed from these three modes born of material nature.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada's purport is just one line; The Lord here summarizes the total influence of the three modes of material nature all over the universe. This is the spirit of Bhagavad Gita As It Is; to the point and without interpretation.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 36
sukham tv idanim tri-vidham
srnu me bharatarsabha
abhyasad ramate yatra
duhkhantam ca nigacchati

sukham--happiness; tu--but; idanim--now; tri vidham--of three kinds; srnu--hear; me--from Me; bharata-rsabha--O best amongst the Bharatas; abhyasat--by practice; ramate--one enjoys; yatra--where; duhkha--of distress; antam--the end; ca--also; nigacchati--gains.

TRANSLATION

O best of the Bharatas, now please hear from Me about the three kinds of happiness by which the conditioned soul enjoys, and by which he sometimes comes to the end of all distress.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 35
yaya svapnam bhayam sokam
visadam madam eva ca
na vimuncati durmedha
dhrtih sa partha tamasi

yaya--by which; svapnam--dreaming; bhayam--fearfulness; sokam--lamentation; visadam--moroseness; madam--illusion; eva--certainly; ca--also; na--never; vimuncati--one gives up; durmedha--unintelligent; dhrtih--determination; sa--that; partha--O son of Prtha; tamasi--in the mode of ignorance.

TRANSLATION

And that determination which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness and illusion--such unintelligent determination, O son of Prtha, is in the mode of darkness.

PURPORT

It should not be concluded that a person in the mode of goodness does not dream. Here "dream" means too much sleep. Dreaming is always present; either in the mode of goodness, passion or ignorance, dreaming is a natural occurrence. But those who cannot avoid oversleeping, who cannot avoid the pride of enjoying material objects, who are always dreaming of lording it over the material world, and whose life, mind and senses are thus engaged, are considered to have determination in the mode of ignorance.

JOURNAL:

I am very near the end of "patching" in the missing slokas. Only four more to go and the Gita will be complete. Remember that you can sort this blog in a number of ways on the sidebar or by using the search box at the top.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 29
buddher bhedam dhrtes caiva
gunatas tri-vidham srnu
procyamanam asesena
prthaktvena dhananjaya

buddheh--of intelligence; bhedam--the differences; dhrteh--of steadiness; ca--also; eva--certainly; gunatah--by the modes of material nature; tri-vidham--of three kinds; srnu--just hear; procyamanam--as described by Me; asesena--in detail; prthaktvena--differently; dhananjaya--O winner of wealth.

TRANSLATION

O winner of wealth, now please listen as I tell you in detail of the different kinds of understanding and determination, according to the three modes of material nature.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 28
ayuktah prakrtah stabdhah
satho naiskrtiko 'lasah
visadi dirgha-sutri ca
karta tamasa ucyate

ayuktah--not referring to the scriptural injunctions; prakrtah--materialistic; stabdhah--obstinate; sathah--deceitful; naiskrtikah--expert in insulting others; alasah--lazy; visadi--morose; dirgha-sutri--procrastinating; ca--also; karta--worker; tamasah--in the mode of ignorance; ucyate--is said to be.

TRANSLATION

The worker who is always engaged in work against the injunctions of the scripture, who is materialistic, obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others, and who is lazy, always morose and procrastinating is said to be a worker in the mode of ignorance.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 27
ragi karma-phala-prepsur
lubdho himsatmako 'sucih
harsa-sokanvitah karta
rajasah parikirtitah

ragi--very much attached; karma-phala--the fruit of the work; prepsuh--desiring; lubdhah--greedy; himsa-atmakah--always envious; asucih--unclean; harsa-soka-anvitah--subject to joy and sorrow; karta--such a worker; rajasah--in the mode of passion; parikirtitah--is declared.

TRANSLATION

The worker who is attached to work and the fruits of work, desiring to enjoy those fruits, and who is greedy, always envious, impure, and moved by joy and sorrow, is said to be in the mode of passion.

SLOKA OF THE DAY: 

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 26
mukta-sango 'naham-vadi
dhrty-utsaha-samanvitah
siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikarah.
karta sattvika ucyate

mukta-sangah--liberated from all material association; anaham-vadi--without false ego; dhrti--with determination; utsaha--and great enthusiasm; samanvitah--qualified; siddhi--in perfection; asiddhyoh--and failure; nirvikarah--without change; karta--worker; sattvikah--in the mode of goodness; ucyate--is said to be.

TRANSLATION

One who performs his duty without association with the modes of material nature, without false ego, with great determination and enthusiasm, and without wavering in success or failure is said to be a worker in the mode of goodness.

PURPORT

A person in Krsna consciousness is always transcendental to the material modes of nature. He has no expectations for the result of the work entrusted to him, because he is above false ego and pride. Still, he is always enthusiastic till the completion of such work. He does not worry about the distress undertaken; he is always enthusiastic. He does not care for success or failure; he is equal in both distress and happiness. Such a worker is situated in the mode of goodness.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 19
jnanam karma ca karta ca
tridhaiva guna-bhedatah
procyate guna-sankhyane
yathavac chrnu tany api

jnanam--knowledge; karma--work; ca--also; karta--worker; ca--also; tridha--of three kinds; eva--certainly; guna-bhedatah--in terms of different modes of material nature; procyate--are said; guna-sankhyane--in terms of different modes; yatha-vat--as they are; srnu--hear; tani--all of them; api--also.

TRANSLATION

According to the three different modes of material nature, there are three kinds of knowledge, action and performer of action. Now hear of them from Me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada, in his purport, writes; In the Fourteenth Chapter the three divisions of the modes of material nature were elaborately described. In that chapter it was said that the mode of goodness is illuminating, the mode of passion materialistic, and the mode of ignorance conducive to laziness and indolence. All the modes of material nature are binding; they are not sources of liberation. Even in the mode of goodness one is conditioned.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 18
jnanam jneyam parijnata
tri-vidha karma-codana
karanam karma karteti
tri-vidhah karma-sangrahah.

jnanam--knowledge; jneyam--the objective of knowledge; parijnata--the knower; tri-vidha--of three kinds; karma--of work; codana--the impetus; karanam--the senses; karma--the work; karta--the doer; iti--thus; tri-vidhah--of three kinds; karma--of work; sangrahah--the accumulation.

TRANSLATION

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the three factors that motivate action; the senses, the work and the doer are the three constituents of action.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 17
yasya nahankrto bhavo
buddhir yasya na lipyate
hatvapi sa imal lokan
na hanti na nibadhyate

yasya--one whose; na--never; ahankrtah--of false ego; bhavah--nature; buddhih--intelligence; yasya--one whose; na--never; lipyate--is attached; hatva--killing; api--even; sah--he; iman--this; lokan--world; na--never; hanti--kills; na--never; nibadhyate--becomes entangled.

TRANSLATION

One who is not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, does not kill. Nor is he bound by his actions.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 16
tatraivam sati kartaram
atmanam kevalam tu yah
pasyaty akrta-buddhitvan
na sa pasyati durmatih

tatra--there; evam--thus; sati--being; kartaram--the worker; atmanam--himself; kevalam--only; tu--but; yah--anyone who; pasyati--sees; akrta-buddhitvat--due to unintelligence; na--never; sah--he; pasyati--sees; durmatih--foolish.

TRANSLATION

Therefore one who thinks himself the only doer, not considering the five factors, is certainly not very intelligent and cannot see things as they are.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada, in his purport, emphasizes this point; Therefore, one should see not only the four material causes but the supreme efficient cause as well. One who does not see the Supreme thinks himself to be the doer.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 14-15
adhisthanam tatha karta
karanam ca prthag-vidham
vividhas ca prthak cesta
daivam caivatra pancamam

sarira-van-manobhir yat
karma prarabhate narah
nyayyam va viparitam va
pancaite tasya hetavah

adhisthanam--the place; tatha--also; karta--the worker; karanam--instruments; ca--and; prthak-vidham--of different kinds; vividhah--various; ca--and; prthak--separate; cestah--the endeavors; daivam--the Supreme; ca--also; eva--certainly; atra--here; pancamam--the fifth.

sarira--by the body; vak--speech; manobhih--and mind; yat--which; karma--work; prarabhate--begins; narah--a person; nyayyam--right; va--or; viparitam--the opposite; va--or; panca--five; ete--all these; tasya--its; hetavah--causes.

TRANSLATION

The place of action [the body], the performer, the various senses, the many different kinds of endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul--these are the five factors of action. Whatever right or wrong action a man performs by body, mind or speech is caused by these five factors.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 12
anistam istam misram ca
tri-vidham karmanah phalam
bhavaty atyaginam pretya
na tu sannyasinam kvacit

anistam--leading to hell; istam--leading to heaven; misram--mixed; ca--and; tri-vidham--of three kinds; karmanah--of work; phalam--the result; bhavati--comes; atyaginam--for those who are not renounced; pretya--after death; na--not; tu--but; sannyasinam--for the renounced order; kvacit--at any time.

TRANSLATION

For one who is not renounced, the threefold fruits of action--desirable, undesirable and mixed--accrue after death. But those who are in the renounced order of life have no such result to suffer or enjoy.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 11
na hi deha-bhrta sakyam
tyaktum karmany asesatah
yas tu karma-phala-tyagi
sa tyagity abhidhiyate

na--never; hi--certainly; deha-bhrta--by the embodied; sakyam--is possible; tyaktum--to be renounced; karmani--activities; asesatah--altogether; yah--anyone who; tu--but; karma--of work; phala--of the result; tyagi--the renouncer; sah--he; tyagi--the renouncer; iti--thus; abhidhiyate--is said.

TRANSLATION

It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to give up all activities. But he who renounces the fruits of action is called one who has truly renounced.

JOURNAL:

In his purport, Srila Prabhupada gives this definition of sannyasis, which I am sure some see as very radical; There are many members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who work very hard in their office or in the factory or some other place, and whatever they earn they give to the Society. Such highly elevated souls are actually sannyasis and are situated in the renounced order of life.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 10
na dvesty akusalam karma
kusale nanusajjate
tyagi sattva-samavisto
medhavi chinna-samsayah

na--never; dvesti--hates; akusalam--inauspicious; karma--work; kusale--in the auspicious; na--nor; anusajjate--becomes attached; tyagi--the renouncer; sattva--in goodness; samavistah--absorbed; medhavi--intelligent; chinna--having cut off; samsayah--all doubts.

TRANSLATION

The intelligent renouncer situated in the mode of goodness, neither hateful of inauspicious work nor attached to auspicious work, has no doubts about work.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 78
yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama

yatra--where; yoga-isvarah--the master of mysticism; krsnah--Lord Krsna; yatra--where; parthah--the son of Prtha; dhanuh-dharah--the carrier of the bow and arrow; tatra--there; srih--opulence; vijayah--victory; bhutih--exceptional power; dhruva--certain; nitih--morality; matih mama--my opinion.

TRANSLATION

Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

JOURNAL:

In his purport to this final sloka of the Gita, Srila Prabhupada summarizes the contents of the book. Here are some excerpts:

The instructions of Bhagavad-gita constitute the supreme process of religion and of morality. All other processes may be purifying and may lead to this process, but the last instruction of the Gita is the last word in all morality and religion: surrender unto Krsna. This is the verdict of the Eighteenth Chapter.

From Bhagavad-gita we can understand that to realize oneself by philosophical speculation and by meditation is one process, but to fully surrender unto Krsna is the highest perfection. This is the essence of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.

In Bhagavad-gita five principal subject matters have been discussed: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, material nature, the living entities, eternal time and all kinds of activities. All is dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. All conceptions of the Absolute Truth--impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma and any other transcendental conception--exist within the category of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although superficially the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entity, material nature and time appear to be different, nothing is different from the Supreme. But the Supreme is always different from everything. Lord Caitanya's philosophy is that of "inconceivable oneness and difference." This system of philosophy constitutes perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 77
tac ca samsmrtya samsmrtya
rupam aty-adbhutam hareh
vismayo me mahan rajan
hrsyami ca punah punah

tat--that; ca--also;samsmrtya--remembering; samsmrtya--remembering; rupam--form; ati--greatly; adbhutam--wonderful; hareh--of Lord Krsna; vismayah--wonder; me--my; mahan--great; rajan--O King; hrsyami--I am enjoying; ca--also; punah punah--repeatedly.

TRANSLATION

O King, as I remember the wonderul form of Lord Krsna, I am struck with wonder more and more, and I rejoice again and again.

JOURNAL:

I have added a link to a video of George Harrison leading kirtan on the Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison page of this blog.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 18 Text 76
rajan samsmrtya samsmrtya
samvadam imam adbhutam
kesavarjunayoh punyam
hrsyami ca muhur muhuh

rajan--O King; samsmrtya--remembering; samsmrtya--remembering; samvadam--message; imam--this; adbhutam--wonderful; kesava--of Lord Krsna; arjunayoh--and Arjuna; punyam--pious; hrsyami--I am taking pleasure; ca--also; muhuh muhuh--repeatedly.

TRANSLATION

O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krsna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; The result of Krsna consciousness is that one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.

His life was certainly an example of his statement.