24. Learn Only from a Living Enlightened Master

Understand why this yoga was lost? When a disciple is not in the space of completion, not ready to listen, naturally the technique becomes a ritual.

'In course of time, the science was lost.' Kṛṣṇa uses a beautiful phrase, 'the supreme science was taught by Me, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ and the supreme science was received through lineage, evam paramparā prāptam.' Even a single unenlightened disciple is enough to destroy the whole science. One who creates a spiritual movement, creates it only out of the energy of Enriching with Enlightenment, from his love and compassion. Our Vedic Masters transmitted the truths through the oral tradition. The disciple sits in Upaniṣad at the feet of the Master.

Upaniṣad means sitting with the Master. Upaniṣad is nothing but a Master, who gets into a space, and lets the disciples sit around and mirror his neuron activity in their brains. Upaniṣad is the best way to transmit the experiential expression of the great tattvas. This is how Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa transmits Bhagavad Gītā to the Sun god, Vivasvān and now to Arjuna. That is why our Upaniṣads insist upon going to a Living Enlightened Master, if you want the ultimate experience. All our books are only manuals. Vedas are the only books, courageous enough to declare that they cannot give you Enlightenment.

Here Kṛṣṇa uses the words, 'rājarṣayo viduḥ,' meaning, this science is given to kingly saints, to kings and Enlightened Masters, not just to any saint. Only they can preserve the science as it is. Only a rich man who has seen the outer world, enjoyed the material wealth, can realize its emptiness and enter the inner world. Only a king can enter into Enlightenment, because he knows there is nothing in the outer space that can fulfill him.

Because you are My Devotee and Friend

Kṛṣṇa says: 'I am telling you this very ancient science of the ultimate Enlightenment, Yoga and being My devotee, my friend, you will understand the supreme mystery of this science.'

The person who does not have feeling connection with Kṛṣṇa, cannot receive the ultimate truth. You can't talk to God through logic. Here, the qualification to receive the truth is devotion. He says that You are my own, bhakto'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (4.3).' Sakhā means friend.

So, now let us enter into the science as it is revealed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Just sit with a complete, open, relaxed being in the space of listening. Let us meditate on Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the greatest Enlightened Master, JagadGuru. Let us pray to Him to allow His words to penetrate our being. Let Him reside in our inner space and enlighten our Consciousness.

I Myself Appear Age After Age (4.4-4.8)

Kṛṣṇa starts His message as a response to Arjuna's question. Arjuna asks, 'The Sun god is so much senior to you. How am I to understand that in the beginning you instructed this science to him?' Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa are almost of the same age. Suddenly, Kṛṣṇa says He gave this science to the Sun god thousands of years ago! So now, it is very difficult for Arjuna to believe Kṛṣṇa's words.

For the first time Kṛṣṇa declares His Divinity! Gītā is delivered to only one person. To express the truth, the quality of the person is important, not the quantity. Now, the disciple is ready. So Kṛṣṇa opens up.

Kṛṣṇa declares so clearly, 'I am unborn, ajopi. I never take birth. I am Parabrahma, the ultimate energy. 'I am God, bhūtānām īsvaro'pi san. You can always relate with Me. I am unborn and I never die.' I am the Lord of all living entities—ajo'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īsvaro'pi san (4.6).

I still happen in every millennium in my original form. Using My māyā, I assume the body and incarnate Myself, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā.' He happens on the planet Earth again and again in so many forms to enrich the whole humanity. Humans are in the clutches of māyā or illusion due to which they take birth. But Kṛṣṇa has māyā itself under His control and takes birth on His own wish! But again and again we miss Him. We are all conquerors of Buddha, Kṛṣṇa, Rāmakṛṣṇa, Ramaṇa Mahaṛṣi. That is why again and again He has to happen on planet Earth to lift us, to enrich us with Enlightenment.