एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः ।
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥४-२॥
Transliteration:
Lord Krishna addressed Arjuna thus: O traveler of path of jnana yoga, follower of absolute truth… the doctrine of jnana yoga was further passed by King Ikshvaku (scion of solar dynasty) to his most able follower down the line. After King Ikshvaku, many other competent kings learnt this delicate cosmic truth. This absolute truth just could not be transferred by one to another. Unless the seeker was competent, sacred teachings of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga could never be transferred to one.
The doctrine of jnana yoga can only be assimilated by one who was as competent as Swami Vivekananda, the famous disciple saint of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa of present times! In his entire lifetime, the sacred teachings of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga were delivered by Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa to Swami Vivekananda alone and none other. In his lifetime, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa found only Swami Vivekananda competent enough to assimilate teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita.
As time passed by… the doctrine of jnana yoga did not percolate any further. As competent shisyas (students) were not available down the line… the wisdom of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga stopped in its track! On mother earth there was none to receive these precious words of jnana wisdom contained in jnana yoga and karma yoga! During this period… none on mother earth reached God! All pursued material goals of life than spiritual.
The Explanation:
Lord Krishna emphasizes on Arjuna that he was right candidate to receive wisdom of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga. Having indulged in penance of highest order, he gained desired purity necessitated for assimilating teachings stated by Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. Pandava Prince Arjuna knew Lord Krishna was a truthful and impartial person. His dictates always catered to benefit of mankind and could never go wrong. Confident and assertive, Arjuna had no choice but listen to teachings of Lord Krishna.
Through Bhagavad Gita chapter 4 verse 2 Lord Krishna makes one thing absolutely clear… jnana wisdom in field of spirituality can only be gained by undergoing penances of highest order. It was only through path of penance one cuts across shackles of karma forever. Reaching stage of enlightenment (kaivalya jnana) meant our karma negating to zero forever. Gaining wisdom of ages was not that easy, prime reason why very few people in entire history of mankind travelled path of spirituality to reach God.
Lord Krishna exhorts Arjuna to follow path of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga. Lord Krishna says… as ordained by God Almighty, this extremely potential yoga (combination of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga) passed from one generation to another until it reached intelligent kings of their times! From King Ikshvaku… this path of jnana yoga further reached kings, aspirant of following path of sanyasa… a Yogi! Only one who had the inherent capability of assimilating these teachings, finally invoked wisdom of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga.
For a worldly person, for one immersed in material life… journey of spiritual path carried no meaning! No matter what the persuasion, such people always preferred path of religion compared to path of spirituality… one that directly led seekers to God Almighty! With advancement of science, the inherent Moha (deep emotional attachment) took deeper roots. The bloated ego led human beings further away from path of pure spirituality… so much so that wisdom of jnana yoga, nishkama karma yoga lay hidden for millenniums to come!
In absence of learned people, the wisdom of Vedas and Upanishads almost became non-existent. With none to follow path of spirituality… path of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga was practically replaced by rituals, path of religion that never led to God Almighty! Though people were inherently aware of hidden wisdom within, but none was prepared to follow path of spirituality. During times of Arjuna there was none other than Arjuna who could follow wisdom of ages… prime reason why Lord Krishna gave sermon of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
Lord Krishna had total confidence in his shisya (pupil) Arjuna… prime reason why he dictated the doctrine of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna! Lord Krishna knew that it was only Arjuna who could re-establish Dharma (righteousness) in face of adharma (lawlessness). Unless hidden wisdom of jnana yoga and nishkama karma yoga became clear to Arjuna, he would not lift arms and get prepared to fight the enemy! The teachings of Bhagavad Gita, the sermon of Bhagavad Gita was equally applicable to individual self and also the battlefield of Kurukshetra!
By preaching teachings of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, Lord Krishna was only doing his duty as an avatar (God manifest in human form)… a saviour, messiah! Arjuna knew no matter what… he could never shun teachings of Lord Krishna. Whenever he was in doubt, he repeatedly clarified the same from Lord Krishna, until he finally understood the inner gist of wisdom! The relationship between Lord Krishna and Arjuna was that of a preceptor and a seeker. Nothing in this manifest world could sway blind faith that Arjuna carried in Lord Krishna!
Mounted with this power of faith… Arjuna learnt from Lord Krishna vital truths of inner life by travelling path of jnana yoga, nishkama karma yoga!
Essay by: Vijay Kumar “Atma Jnani”… The Man who Realized God in 1993 – May 7, 2013
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