Chapter 9: The Most Confidential Knowledge
Bg 9.18
TEXT 18
gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam
SYNONYMS
gatiù—goal; bhartä—sustainer; prabhuù—Lord; säkñé—witness; niväsaù—abode; çaraëam—refuge; suhåt—most intimate friend; prabhavaù—creation; pralayaù—dissolution; sthänam—ground; nidhänam—resting place; béjam—seed; avyayam—imperishable.
TRANSLATION
I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.
PURPORT
Gati means the destination where we want to go. But the ultimate goal is Kåñëa, although people do not know it. One who does not know Kåñëa is misled, and his so-called progressive march is either partial or hallucinatory. There are many who make as their destination different demigods, and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Süryaloka, Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas or planets, being creations of Kåñëa, are simultaneously Kåñëa and not Kåñëa. Actually such planets, being the manifestations of Kåñëa's energy, are also Kåñëa, but actually they only serve as a step forward for realization of Kåñëa. To approach the different energies of Kåñëa is to approach Kåñëa indirectly. One should directly approach Kåñëa, for that will save time and energy. For example, if there is a possibility of going to the top of a building by the help of an elevator, why should one go by the staircase, step by step? Everything is resting on Kåñëa's energy; therefore without Kåñëa's shelter nothing can exist. Kåñëa is the supreme ruler because everything belongs to Him and everything exists on His energy. Kåñëa, being situated in everyone's heart, is the supreme witness. The residences, countries or planets on which we live are also Kåñëa. Kåñëa is the ultimate goal of shelter, and as such one should take shelter of Kåñëa either for protection or for annihilation of his distressed condition. And whenever we have to take protection, we should know that our protection must be a living force. Thus Kåñëa is the supreme living entity. Since Kåñëa is the source of our generation, or the supreme father, no one can be a better friend than Kåñëa, nor can anyone be a better well-wisher. Kåñëa is the original source of creation and the ultimate rest after annihilation. Kåñëa is therefore the eternal cause of all causes.