In this post we are continuing our series on sharanagati and the Temple of Love and Affection by presenting the conclusion of the explanation given by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj of Krishna’s final instruction to Arjuna in Srimad Bhagavad-gita.
Temple of Love and Affection Verse Eighteen
Explanation by Srila Govinda Maharaj
(excerpted from the upcoming release Amnaya Tattva)
Srila Guru Maharaj also explained that after Krishna declared, “Sarva-dharmān parityajya, Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, abandon all varieties of religion and surrender unto Me,” His battlefield mentality was damaged and He needed to end His conversation with Arjuna.
When the word ‘vraja’ came from His mouth His mood softened. The sound of the word ‘vraja’ brought Krishna’s consciousness to Vraja Dham, Sri Vrindavan Dham. If anyone says, “Vraja, vraja, vraja,” their mind will think of Vraja Dham. So why would Krishna not also think of Vrindavan when He said, “Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja”? When Krishna remembered Vraja Dham at this time He thought, “What is sharanagati? What is surrender? That exists in its supreme form only in Vraja Dham.”
The word vraja actually means gaman kora, gachchha, ‘move’, ‘go’. Srila Guru Maharaj explained that ‘vraja’ means, “Dive deep into Reality, dive deep into the reality of sharanagati.” When Krishna remembered Vraja Dham and the surrendered devotees of Vraja Dham in this way, His mood changed and He ended His conversation with Arjuna. He even forgot Arjuna actually.
After His shloka, sarva-dharmān parityajya, Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, He thought, “Enough! What I have explained is sufficient and it is not necessary for Me to explain anything more at this time.” So He concluded by telling Arjuna,
idaṁ te nātapaskāya nābhaktāya kadāchana
na chāśuśrūṣave vāchyaṁ na cha māṁ yo ’bhyasūyati
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.67)
“Do not give this consciousness I have given to you to an ease-lover, to someone who is not My devotee, to someone who does not engage in My service or to someone who is envious of Me.”
Krishna told Arjuna, “Yathechchhasi tatha kuru, Now you can do as you like; I have told you enough of what is necessary for you and it is not necessary for Me to say anything more. I am finishing our conversation and you can now do as you like.”
Arjuna was Krishna’s intimate friend and he understood that if he said anything more it would give pain to Krishna. So Arjuna immediately surrendered and said,
naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā tvat-prasādān mayāchyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehaḥ kariṣye vachanaṁ tava
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.73)
“You have undoubtedly been so merciful to me and my illusion is now gone. I am now firmly situated in my real consciousness and all my doubts are gone. I shall now follow Your instructions and do my duty.”
Then Krishna said, “Start the fighting!” And Arjuna said, “Yes. This is my job as You have given it to me, so I shall finish it as soon as possible, and then You will get some relief.” This is Krishna consciousness—acting fearlessly for the satisfaction of Krishna.
Krishna is so beautiful and so merciful. We can see that all charm, ecstasy, love and harmony exist within the Krishna conception. So, kaṁ vā Dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema, who shall we surrender to other than Krishna? Everything is present wherever Krishna is.
In the final shloka of Srimad Bhagavad-gita Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra,
yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ
tatra śrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.78)
“Oh foolish King, you are asking me so many things. How can you again ask me who will be victorious in the battle of Kurukshetra? You must understand that victory will always be wherever Krishna is.”
What can I say more than, “Take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna!”