VERZ 8-12

TEXTS 8-12

Besedilo

Text

amānitvam adambhitvam
ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam
ācāryopāsanaṁ śaucaṁ
sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ

indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam
anahaṅkāra eva ca
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-
duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam

asaktir anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ
putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu
nityaṁ ca sama-cittatvam
iṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu

mayi cānanya-yogena
bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī
vivikta-deśa-sevitvam
aratir jana-saṁsadi

adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ
tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam
etaj jñānam iti proktam
ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā

Synonyms

amānitvam – ponižnost; adambhitvam – odsotnost ponosa; ahiṁsā – nenasilnost; kṣāntiḥ – potrpljenje; ārjavam – prostodušnost; ācārya-upāsanam – služenje verodostojnemu duhovnemu učitelju; śaucam – čistost; sthairyam – stanovitnost; ātma-vinigrahaḥ – samoobvladanost; indriya-artheṣu – kar se tiče čutov; vairāgyam – odpovedovanje; anahaṅkāraḥ – odsotnost lažnega ega; eva – vsekakor; ca – tudi; janma – rojstva; mṛtyu – smrti; jarā – starosti; vyādhi – in bolezni; duḥkha – trpljenja; doṣa – pomanjkljivosti; anudarśanam – opažanje; asaktiḥ – odsotnost navezanosti; anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ – nepovezanost; putra – s sinom; dāra – ženo; gṛha-ādiṣu – domom itd.; nityam – nenehna; ca – tudi; sama-cittatvam – notranje ravnovesje; iṣṭa – prijetnega; aniṣṭa – in neprijetnega; upapattiṣu – ob dosegi; mayi – Meni; ca – tudi; ananya-yogena – z neskaljenim vdanim služenjem; bhaktiḥ – vdanost; avyabhicāriṇī – nenehna; vivikta – po samotnem; deśa – mestu; sevitvam – želja; aratiḥ – nenavezanost; jana-saṁsadi – na navadne ljudi; adhyātma – o duši; jñāna – v znanju; nityatvam – neomajnost; tattva-jñāna – znanja o resnici; artha – za predmet; darśanam – filozofija; etat – vse to; jñānam – znanje; iti – tako; proktam – razglašeno; ajñānam – nevednost; yat – tisto, kar; ataḥ – od tega; anyathā – drugačno.

amānitvam — humility; adambhitvam — pridelessness; ahiṁsā — nonviolence; kṣāntiḥ — tolerance; ārjavam — simplicity; ācārya-upāsanam — approaching a bona fide spiritual master; śaucam — cleanliness; sthairyam — steadfastness; ātma-vinigrahaḥ — self-control; indriya-artheṣu — in the matter of the senses; vairāgyam — renunciation; anahaṅkāraḥ — being without false egoism; eva — certainly; ca — also; janma — of birth; mṛtyu — death; jarā — old age; vyādhi — and disease; duḥkha — of the distress; doṣa — the fault; anudarśanam — observing; asaktiḥ — being without attachment; anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ — being without association; putra — for son; dāra — wife; gṛha-ādiṣu — home, etc.; nityam — constant; ca — also; sama-cittatvam — equilibrium; iṣṭa — the desirable; aniṣṭa — and undesirable; upapattiṣu — having obtained; mayi — unto Me; ca — also; ananya-yogena — by unalloyed devotional service; bhaktiḥ — devotion; avyabhicāriṇī — without any break; vivikta — to solitary; deśa — places; sevitvam — aspiring; aratiḥ — being without attachment; jana-saṁsadi — to people in general; adhyātma — pertaining to the self; jñāna — in knowledge; nityatvam — constancy; tattva-jñāna — of knowledge of the truth; artha — for the object; darśanam — philosophy; etat — all this; jñānam — knowledge; iti — thus; proktam — declared; ajñānam — ignorance; yat — that which; ataḥ — from this; anyathā — other.

Translation

Ponižnost, odsotnost ponosa, nenasilnost, potrpljenje, prostodušnost, služenje verodostojnemu duhovnemu učitelju, čistost, stanovitnost, samoobvladanost, odpovedovanje predmetom čutnega uživanja, odsotnost lažnega ega, zavedanje, da rojstvo, smrt, starost in bolezen prinašajo trpljenje, nenavezanost, neodvisnost od otrok, žene, doma itn., notranje ravnovesje ob prijetnih in neprijetnih dogodkih, neomajno in neskaljeno vdanost Meni, željo po življenju v samoti, odmaknjenost od posvetnih ljudi, zavedanje o pomembnosti samospoznavanja in filozofsko iskanje Absolutne Resnice – to razglašam za znanje, vse drugo pa za nevednost.

Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.

Purport

Manj inteligentni ljudje včasih mislijo, da je pridobivanje tega znanja rezultat medsebojnih vplivov sestavin polja delovanja. V resnici pa je to pravi način pridobivanja znanja. Z negovanjem tega znanja je mogoče doseči Absolutno Resnico. Kot že rečeno, to znanje ni rezultat medsebojnih vplivov štiriindvajsetih materialnih elementov. Ravno narobe, živemu bitju omogoča, da se reši ujetosti v te elemente. Utelešena duša je ujeta v telo – kletko iz štiriindvajsetih elementov – pot do znanja, kot jo opisujejo ti verzi, pa ji odpira pot na prostost. Najpomembnejši element pri pridobivanju znanja je omenjen v prvi vrstici enajstega verza. Mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī: končni rezultat znanja je čisto vdano služenje Gospodu. Če se človek ne posveti ali pa se ni sposoben posvetiti transcendentalnemu služenju Gospodu, ostalih devetnajst elementov znanja nima posebne vrednosti. Kdor se posveti vdanemu služenju, ki vodi do popolne zavesti Kṛṣṇe, pa si samodejno pridobi še ostale naštete lastnosti. V Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamu (5.18.12) je rečeno: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. V tistem, ki vdano služi Gospodu, se razvijejo vse dobre lastnosti, iz katerih sestoji znanje. Za vsakogar je izjemno pomembno, da sprejme duhovnega učitelja, kar je omenjeno v osmem verzu. Ta korak je bistven celo za tistega, ki je že na poti vdanega služenja. Transcendentalno življenje se začne, ko človek sprejme verodostojnega duhovnega učitelja. Vsevišnja Božanska Osebnost, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, tu jasno pravi, da je ta metoda resnična pot do znanja. Vse, kar je proizvod uma, pa je nesmisel.

This process of knowledge is sometimes misunderstood by less intelligent men as being the interaction of the field of activity. But actually this is the real process of knowledge. If one accepts this process, then the possibility of approaching the Absolute Truth exists. This is not the interaction of the twenty-four elements, as described before. This is actually the means to get out of the entanglement of those elements. The embodied soul is entrapped by the body, which is a casing made of the twenty-four elements, and the process of knowledge as described here is the means to get out of it. Of all the descriptions of the process of knowledge, the most important point is described in the first line of the eleventh verse. Mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī: the process of knowledge terminates in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord. So if one does not approach, or is not able to approach, the transcendental service of the Lord, then the other nineteen items are of no particular value. But if one takes to devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the other nineteen items automatically develop within him. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12), yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. All the good qualities of knowledge develop in one who has attained the stage of devotional service. The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned in the eighth verse, is essential. Even for one who takes to devotional service, it is most important. Transcendental life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, clearly states here that this process of knowledge is the actual path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense.

Sestavni elementi znanja, našteti v teh verzih, so natančneje opisani v nadaljevanju. Ponižen je, kdor nima želje po slavi in časti. Zaradi materialističnega pojmovanja življenja so ljudje zelo željni časti, za tistega, ki ima popolno znanje in se zato zaveda, da se razlikuje od telesa, pa sta tako čast kakor sramota, povezani s telesom, nepomembni. Po tem materialnem slepilu ne bi smeli stremeti. Ljudje, ki bi radi zasloveli kot religiozni, se včasih brez razumevanja religioznih načel pridružijo kakšni skupini, katere člani se takih načel ne držijo, in se potem želijo uveljaviti kot religiozni vodje. Da bi ugotovili, koliko smo pravzaprav napredovali v poznavanju duhovne znanosti, se moramo preizkusiti. Za merilo napredka lahko vzamemo lastnosti iz teh verzov.

As for the knowledge outlined here, the items may be analyzed as follows. Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others, but from the point of view of a man in perfect knowledge – who knows that he is not this body – anything, honor or dishonor, pertaining to this body is useless. One should not be hankering after this material deception. People are very anxious to be famous for their religion, and consequently sometimes it is found that without understanding the principles of religion one enters into some group which is not actually following religious principles and then wants to advertise himself as a religious mentor. As for actual advancement in spiritual science, one should have a test to see how far he is progressing. He can judge by these items.

Za nenasilnega navadno velja, kdor ne ubija drugih in jim ne prizadeva telesnih poškodb, v resnici pa je nenasilen tisti, ki nikomur ne povzroča trpljenja. Večina ljudi je zaradi nevednosti ujeta v mrežo materializma, zato je neprenehoma podvržena materialnemu trpljenju. Če jim ne pomagamo razviti duhovnega znanja, smo torej nasilni. Storiti bi morali vse, kar je v naši moči, da ljudem damo pravo znanje in jih tako razsvetlimo ter jim omogočimo, da se rešijo spon materije. To je nenasilje.

Nonviolence is generally taken to mean not killing or destroying the body, but actually nonviolence means not to put others into distress. People in general are trapped by ignorance in the material concept of life, and they perpetually suffer material pains. So unless one elevates people to spiritual knowledge, one is practicing violence. One should try his best to distribute real knowledge to the people, so that they may become enlightened and leave this material entanglement. That is nonviolence.

Potrpljenje je sposobnost prenašati žalitve in sramotenje. Človeka, ki si poskuša pridobiti duhovno znanje, bodo pogosto žalili in sramotili, kajti taka je narava materialnega sveta. Celo Prahlāda, deček komaj petih let, ki je negoval duhovno znanje, se je znašel v veliki nevarnosti, ko je njegov oče začel nasprotovati njegovi vdanosti Gospodu. Na vse mogoče načine ga je poskušal ubiti, Prahlāda pa je očetovo jezo potrpežljivo prenašal. Na poti napredovanja v duhovnem znanju utegnemo naleteti na številne ovire, kljub temu pa moramo s potrpljenjem odločno nadaljevati.

Tolerance means that one should be practiced to bear insult and dishonor from others. If one is engaged in the advancement of spiritual knowledge, there will be so many insults and much dishonor from others. This is expected because material nature is so constituted. Even a boy like Prahlāda, who, only five years old, was engaged in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, was endangered when his father became antagonistic to his devotion. The father tried to kill him in so many ways, but Prahlāda tolerated him. So there may be many impediments to making advancement in spiritual knowledge, but we should be tolerant and continue our progress with determination.

Prostodušen je, kdor se ne vede diplomatsko in se niti sovražniku ne boji odkrito povedati resnice. Sprejeti verodostojnega duhovnega učitelja je neobhodno, kajti brez navodil duhovnega učitelja ni mogoče napredovati v razumevanju duhovne znanosti. Učenec se mora obrniti na duhovnega učitelja nadvse ponižno in mu služiti po najboljših močeh, tako da bo duhovni učitelj zadovoljen z njim in mu bo dal svoje blagoslove. Ker je verodostojen duhovni učitelj predstavnik Kṛṣṇe, lahko učenec z njegovimi blagoslovi zelo hitro napreduje, tudi če se ne drži vseh pravil, ali pa se mu bo, če je služil duhovnemu učitelju s popolno predanostjo, lažje držati pravil vdanega služenja.

Simplicity means that without diplomacy one should be so straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to an enemy. As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that is essential, because without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one cannot progress in the spiritual science. One should approach the spiritual master with all humility and offer him all services so that he will be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. Because a bona fide spiritual master is a representative of Kṛṣṇa, if he bestows any blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple immediately advanced without the disciple’s following the regulative principles. Or, the regulative principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without reservation.

Čistost je nujno potrebna za napredovanje v duhovnem življenju. Ločimo zunanjo in notranjo čistočo. Da bi ohranili zunanjo čistočo, se moramo redno umivati, da bi bili čisti znotraj, pa moramo nenehno misliti na Kṛṣṇo in peti Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Ta metoda očisti z uma prah karme, ki se je nabral na njem.

Cleanliness is essential for making advancement in spiritual life. There are two kinds of cleanliness: external and internal. External cleanliness means taking a bath, but for internal cleanliness one has to think of Kṛṣṇa always and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This process cleans the accumulated dust of past karma from the mind.

Stanoviten je, kdor je trdno odločen napredovati v duhovnem življenju. Brez take odločenosti ni mogoče vidno napredovati. Samoobvladanost pa je lastnost človeka, ki se ne odloči za nič, kar bi lahko zavrlo njegov duhovni razvoj. Tak način delovanja bi nam moral preiti v navado in zavrniti bi morali vse, kar je neugodno za duhovni napredek. To je pravo odpovedovanje. Čuti so tako nenasitni, da si zmeraj želijo uživanja. Če nam to, kar zahtevajo, ni nujno potrebno, jim ne bi smeli ustreči. Ugodimo jim lahko samo toliko, da ostanemo zdravi in lahko opravljamo svoje dolžnosti ter tako duhovno napredujemo. Najpomembnejši in najtežje obvladljiv čut je jezik. Kdor obvlada jezik, bo lahko obvladal tudi druge čute. Nalogi jezika sta uživanje hrane in oblikovanje glasov. Jezik moramo načrtno navaditi na to, da zmeraj uživa ostanke Kṛṣṇi darovane hrane in poje Hare Kṛṣṇa. Očem pa ne bi smeli dovoliti, da gledajo kar koli razen Kṛṣṇove prečudovite podobe. Tako jih bomo imeli pod nadzorom. Ušesa bi morali uporabljati samo za poslušanje o Kṛṣṇi, nos pa za vonjanje Kṛṣṇi darovanega cvetja. To je metoda vdanega služenja, in kot je razvidno iz teh verzov, je Bhagavad-gītā posvečena izključno znanosti o vdanem služenju. Vdano služenje je njen glavni in edini cilj. Nevedni komentatorji poskušajo odvrniti bralčev um k drugim temam, toda v Bhagavad-gīti ne bomo poleg vdanega služenja našli nobene druge teme.

Steadiness means that one should be very determined to make progress in spiritual life. Without such determination, one cannot make tangible progress. And self-control means that one should not accept anything which is detrimental to the path of spiritual progress. One should become accustomed to this and reject anything which is against the path of spiritual progress. This is real renunciation. The senses are so strong that they are always anxious to have sense gratification. One should not cater to these demands, which are not necessary. The senses should only be gratified to keep the body fit so that one can discharge his duty in advancing in spiritual life. The most important and uncontrollable sense is the tongue. If one can control the tongue, then there is every possibility of controlling the other senses. The function of the tongue is to taste and to vibrate. Therefore, by systematic regulation, the tongue should always be engaged in tasting the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Kṛṣṇa and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. As far as the eyes are concerned, they should not be allowed to see anything but the beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa. That will control the eyes. Similarly, the ears should be engaged in hearing about Kṛṣṇa and the nose in smelling the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process of devotional service, and it is understood here that Bhagavad-gītā is simply expounding the science of devotional service. Devotional service is the main and sole objective. Unintelligent commentators on the Bhagavad-gītā try to divert the mind of the reader to other subjects, but there is no other subject in Bhagavad-gītā than devotional service.

Lažni ego nas napelje k temu, da se enačimo s telesom. Kdor spozna, da ni telo, temveč duša, ima znova svoj pravi ego. Ego zmeraj obstaja. Lažnega ega bi se morali znebiti, pravega pa ne. V vedskih spisih (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣada 1.4.10) je rečeno: ahaṁ brahmāsmi – jaz sem Brahman, jaz sem duh. Ta „jaz sem“, zavedanje lastnega jaza, obstaja tudi na stopnji samospoznanja, ko živo bitje doseže osvoboditev. Zavedanju jaza pravimo ego. Kadar to zavedanje povezujemo z nestvarnim materialnim telesom, se imenuje lažni ego, kadar pa ga usmerimo na resničnost, se imenuje pravi ego. Nekateri filozofi pravijo, da bi se morali egu odreči, vendar to ni mogoče, kajti ego je znak naše individualnosti. Tisto, čemur se moramo odreči, je zmotno enačenje s telesom.

False ego means accepting this body as oneself. When one understands that he is not his body and is spirit soul, he comes to his real ego. Ego is there. False ego is condemned, but not real ego. In the Vedic literature (Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.10) it is said, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: I am Brahman, I am spirit. This “I am,” the sense of self, also exists in the liberated stage of self-realization. This sense of “I am” is ego, but when the sense of “I am” is applied to this false body it is false ego. When the sense of self is applied to reality, that is real ego. There are some philosophers who say we should give up our ego, but we cannot give up our ego, because ego means identity. We ought, of course, to give up the false identification with the body.

Vedeti bi morali tudi, da rojstvo, smrt, starost in bolezen prinašajo trpljenje. Opis rojstva najdemo v raznih vedskih spisih. Svet nerojenega otroka, njegovo bivanje v maternici, njegovo trpljenje itd. so zelo živo opisani v Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamu. Dobro bi se morali zavedati, da živo bitje ob rojstvu zelo trpi. Ker pozabimo, kako zelo smo trpeli v maternici, ne storimo ničesar, da bi se rešili iz kroga rojevanja in umiranja. Različne oblike trpljenja spremljajo tudi smrt in so prav tako opisane v verodostojnih svetih spisih. O teh temah bi morali govoriti. Bolezen in starost vsi izkusimo na lastni koži. Čeprav si ju nihče ne želi, se jima ni mogoče izogniti. Če nismo pesimistični glede življenja v materialnem svetu, zavedajoč se trpljenja, ki spremlja rojstvo, smrt, starost in bolezen, ne bomo imeli spodbude za duhovno napredovanje.

One should try to understand the distress of accepting birth, death, old age and disease. There are descriptions in various Vedic literatures of birth. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the world of the unborn, the child’s stay in the womb of the mother, its suffering, etc., are all very graphically described. It should be thoroughly understood that birth is distressful. Because we forget how much distress we have suffered within the womb of the mother, we do not make any solution to the repetition of birth and death. Similarly at the time of death there are all kinds of sufferings, and they are also mentioned in the authoritative scriptures. These should be discussed. And as far as disease and old age are concerned, everyone gets practical experience. No one wants to be diseased, and no one wants to become old, but there is no avoiding these. Unless we have a pessimistic view of this material life, considering the distresses of birth, death, old age and disease, there is no impetus for our making advancement in spiritual life.

Nenavezanost na otroke, ženo in dom ne pomeni, da do njih ne bi smeli imeti nikakršnih čustev. Naravno je, da so žena in otroci predmet naše ljubezni. Toda če nas ovirajo pri duhovnem razvoju, ne bi smeli ostati navezani nanje. Da bi postal naš dom prijeten, je najbolje, da postanemo zavestni Kṛṣṇe. Če je človek popolnoma zavesten Kṛṣṇe, si lahko ustvari zelo srečno družinsko življenje, kajti metoda zavesti Kṛṣṇe je zares preprosta. Treba je le peti Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, uživati ostanke Kṛṣṇi darovane hrane, proučevati knjige, kakršni sta Bhagavad-gītā in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, ter častiti Božanstvo. Te štiri dejavnosti nas bodo osrečile. K njim bi morali pritegniti tudi ostale družinske člane. Zjutraj in zvečer se lahko zberejo ter skupaj pojejo Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Tistemu, ki bi rad postal zavesten Kṛṣṇe in si zato uredi družinsko življenje po teh načelih, ni treba zapustiti doma in stopiti v red odpovedi. Če pa nam družinsko življenje ne pomaga duhovno napredovati, bi se mu morali odpovedati. Da bi lahko spoznali Kṛṣṇo oziroma Mu služili, moramo žrtvovati vse, kakor je storil Arjuna. Arjuna ni hotel ubiti svojih družinskih članov, ko pa je uvidel, da ga le-ti ovirajo na poti do spoznanja Kṛṣṇe, je upošteval Gospodovo navodilo ter jih v bitki pobil. Nikoli se ne smemo preveč meniti za srečo in nesrečo družinskega življenja, kajti v tem svetu ne moremo biti niti popolnoma srečni niti popolnoma nesrečni.

As for detachment from children, wife and home, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection. But when they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then one should not be attached to them. The best process for making the home pleasant is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can make his home very happy, because this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very easy. One need only chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Kṛṣṇa, have some discussion on books like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and engage oneself in Deity worship. These four things will make one happy. One should train the members of his family in this way. The family members can sit down morning and evening and chant together Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one can mold his family life in this way to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life should be abandoned. One must sacrifice everything to realize or serve Kṛṣṇa, just as Arjuna did. Arjuna did not want to kill his family members, but when he understood that these family members were impediments to his Kṛṣṇa realization, he accepted the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and fought and killed them. In all cases, one should be detached from the happiness and distress of family life, because in this world one can never be fully happy or fully miserable.

Sreča in nesreča sta stalna spremljevalca materialnega življenja, in kot svetuje Bhagavad-gītā, bi ju morali prenašati brez vznemirjenja. Ker prihajata in odhajata, ne da bi mi lahko vplivali na to, jima ne bi smeli posvečati posebne pozornosti; v obeh primerih bi morali ohraniti ravnovesje. Ponavadi smo srečni, kadar doživimo kaj prijetnega, ob neprijetnih dogodkih pa smo nesrečni. Toda kdor je na duhovni ravni, je zmeraj miren. Da bi dosegli to raven, moramo z neomajno vdanostjo nepretrgoma služiti Kṛṣṇi. To pomeni, da se zaposlimo z devetimi oblikami vdanega služenja – opevamo Gospoda, poslušamo o Njem, Ga častimo, Mu izkazujemo spoštovanje itd. – o katerih govori zadnji verz devetega poglavja. To je metoda, ki bi se je morali držati.

Happiness and distress are concomitant factors of material life. One should learn to tolerate, as advised in Bhagavad-gītā. One can never restrict the coming and going of happiness and distress, so one should be detached from the materialistic way of life and be automatically equipoised in both cases. Generally, when we get something desirable we are very happy, and when we get something undesirable we are distressed. But if we are actually in the spiritual position these things will not agitate us. To reach that stage, we have to practice unbreakable devotional service. Devotional service to Kṛṣṇa without deviation means engaging oneself in the nine processes of devotional service – chanting, hearing, worshiping, offering respect, etc. – as described in the last verse of the Ninth Chapter. That process should be followed.

Če človek živi po duhovnih načelih, samodejno izgubi željo po druženju z materialisti. Družba takih ljudi postane zanj nesprejemljiva. O svojem duhovnem napredku lahko sodimo po tem, kolikšna je naša želja po življenju na osamljenem mestu, kjer ni nekoristne družbe. Za bhakto je povsem naravno, da nima želje po zabavi, kinu in družabnih srečanjih, saj ve, da je vse to zgolj potrata časa. Obstaja veliko učenjakov in filozofov, ki proučujejo spolnost in razne druge stvari, toda po Bhagavad-gīti sta takšno raziskovalno delo in filozofsko razglabljanje brez vrednosti ter sta bolj ali manj nesmiselna. Bhagavad-gītā pravi, da bi morali z metodo filozofske analize proučevati naravo duše. Cilj našega raziskovanja bi moralo biti spoznanje samega sebe. To je nasvet, ki nam ga v teh verzih daje Kṛṣṇa.

Naturally, when one is adapted to the spiritual way of life, he will not want to mix with materialistic men. That would go against his grain. One may test himself by seeing how far he is inclined to live in a solitary place, without unwanted association. Naturally a devotee has no taste for unnecessary sporting or cinema-going or enjoying some social function, because he understands that these are simply a waste of time. There are many research scholars and philosophers who study sex life or some other subject, but according to Bhagavad-gītā such research work and philosophical speculation have no value. That is more or less nonsensical. According to Bhagavad-gītā, one should make research, by philosophical discretion, into the nature of the soul. One should make research to understand the self. That is recommended here.

Kot je tukaj jasno rečeno, je bhakti-yoga najbolj praktična metoda samospoznavanja. Ko govorimo o vdanem služenju, moramo razumeti odnos med Naddušo in individualno dušo. Individualna duša in Nadduša nista identični, vsaj ne s stališča filozofije bhakti, filozofije vdanega služenja. V Vedah je jasno rečeno, da individualna duša večno služi Vrhovni Duši. Bhakti ali vdano služenje je torej večno (nityam). O tem filozofskem zaključku bi morali biti trdno prepričani.

As far as self-realization is concerned, it is clearly stated here that bhakti-yoga is especially practical. As soon as there is a question of devotion, one must consider the relationship between the Supersoul and the individual soul. The individual soul and the Supersoul cannot be one, at least not in the bhakti conception, the devotional conception of life. This service of the individual soul to the Supreme Soul is eternal, nityam, as it is clearly stated. So bhakti, or devotional service, is eternal. One should be established in that philosophical conviction.

V Śrīmad-Bhāgavatamu (1.2.11) je rečeno: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam – „Tisti, ki dejansko poznajo Absolutno Resnico, vedo, da ima spoznavanje Vrhovnega Jaza tri stopnje. To so: spoznanje Brahmana, Paramātme in Bhagavāna.“ Spoznanje Bhagavāna, Vsevišnje Božanske Osebnosti, je najvišja stopnja spoznanja Absolutne Resnice. Zato bi se morali dvigniti na to raven in tako vdano služiti Gospodu. To je popolnost znanja.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11) this is explained. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. “Those who are actually knowers of the Absolute Truth know that the Self is realized in three different phases, as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.” Bhagavān is the last word in the realization of the Absolute Truth; therefore one should reach up to that platform of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus engage in the devotional service of the Lord. That is the perfection of knowledge.

Ta metoda pridobivanja znanja je kakor stopnišče, ki vodi od pritličja, razvijanja ponižnosti, do najvišjega nadstropja, spoznanja Vrhovne Resnice, Absolutne Božanske Osebnosti. Na tem stopnišču je veliko ljudi; nekateri so prišli do prvega nadstropja, nekateri do drugega ali tretjega itd., toda vse dokler človek ne doseže najvišjega nadstropja, spoznanja Kṛṣṇe, je njegovo znanje nižje stopnje. Tistega, ki tekmuje z Bogom, obenem pa bi si rad pridobil duhovno znanje, čaka razočaranje. Iz teh verzov je razvidno, da si brez ponižnosti ni mogoče pridobiti resničnega znanja. Kdor se ima za Boga, je največji nadutež. Čeprav strogi zakoni materialne narave živemu bitju nenehno zadajajo udarce, si živo bitje zaradi nevednosti kljub temu domišlja, da je Bog. Začetna stopnja znanja je torej amānitva, ponižnost. Človek bi moral biti ponižen in bi se moral zavedati, da je podrejen Vsevišnjemu Gospodu. Kdor se upre Gospodu, postane suženj materialne narave. To dejstvo bi morali vsi dobro poznati in biti prepričani o njem.

Beginning from practicing humility up to the point of realization of the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, this process is just like a staircase beginning from the ground floor and going up to the top floor. Now on this staircase there are so many people who have reached the first floor, the second or the third floor, etc., but unless one reaches the top floor, which is the understanding of Kṛṣṇa, he is at a lower stage of knowledge. If anyone wants to compete with God and at the same time make advancement in spiritual knowledge, he will be frustrated. It is clearly stated that without humility, understanding is not truly possible. To think oneself God is most puffed up. Although the living entity is always being kicked by the stringent laws of material nature, he still thinks, “I am God” because of ignorance. The beginning of knowledge, therefore, is amānitva, humility. One should be humble and know that he is subordinate to the Supreme Lord. Due to rebellion against the Supreme Lord, one becomes subordinate to material nature. One must know and be convinced of this truth.