53: Krishna at Face Value

CHAPTER 11, TEXT 51: When Arjuna thus saw Kṛṣṇa in His original form, he said: O Janārdana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature.

The Gita has been studied for thousands of years. Scholars often recognize certain philosophical points in the Gita as truths and laws of nature, such as the law of karma, the eternality of the soul, the modes of material nature, and much more (https://www.ancient.eu/Bhagavad_Gita/). Krishna's words are taken at face value, no metaphorical bending or interpretation required.  

But when it comes to Krishna's statements that fools deride him when he descends in human form (9.11) or that one should worship Him with love and devotion by meditating on His form (9.22), Krishna's words suddenly are not taken at face value. They're seen as metaphorical.  

Many scholars take one of two standpoints: 1) Either Krishna is seen as an ordinary human being who gave some great wisdom to his friend on a battlefield, or 2) this battle at Kurukshetra never actually took place - the whole Bhagavad-gita is interpreted as a metaphor for the soul's battle for goodness and truth. 

There's a third possibility, though: 3) The battle of Kurukshetra took place, Krishna is God in human form conversing with his dear friend, instructing him how to live in this world and become a loving devotee. Bhaktivedanta Swami's commentary on the Bhagavad-gita is aptly entitled As It Is. 

Take everything Krishna says at face value. As it is. No metaphorical mind-bending.

If He says that there's a law of karma, there's a law of karma. 

If He says that there are three modes of material nature, there are three modes of material nature. 

If Krishna displays the universal, cosmic form, a form that only God can display, then that is Krishna's power and Krishna is God. 

If Krishna is described in His original form as having two hands and being very beautiful, then His original form has two hands and He is very beautiful. 

Prabhupad writes, "Here the words mānuṣaṁ rūpam clearly indicate the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be originally two-handed." This is clear. There is no need for a twisted interpretation to this verse and these statements. 

If Krishna's other statements of profound philosophical truths are so often taken at face value, why not these statements that He is the Supreme Controller, the Supreme Source of All, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead who comes in the form of a human to exchange love with His devotees? Although Krishna may look ordinary, He is not. Prabhupad argues this point, "If Kṛṣṇa is like an ordinary human being, then how is it possible for Him to show the universal form and again to show the four-handed Nārāyaṇa form?" Krishna has already shown and stated that He has displayed His universal form as well as his Narayan form - this is certainly not something an ordinary human being can do. So then the only other option is to see all of Krishna's words as metaphor. That option seems to be a little bit like cherry-picking the verses and ideas that are comfortable and leaving the rest as vaguely "metaphorical." 

After experiencing the terrifying universal form, Arjuna is now satisfied and at peace in his heart to behold his dear friend, Krishna, in his original two-armed form. This form is beautiful, a form that Arjuna can look in the eyes, a form that he can see with his ordinary eyes. 

Two seemingly opposing possibilities - that Krishna is in a human form and Krishna is all-powerful God - are reconciled once we just take Krishna's words at face value, As They Are. 

Prabhupad concludes his commentary on this verse by emphasizing that "the original verses of Bhagavad-gītā are as clear as the sun; they do not require lamplight from foolish commentators." 

I often feel like one of those foolish commentators as I do this Gita Project, trying to shed lamplight upon the brilliance of the sun of Krishna's and Prabhupads' words. That said, I just want to be as loyal and true to their words as possible, and if by God's grace I can accomplish this, then I am content to be a little lamp basking in the radiance of the sun of Krishna's teachings which illuminate the world. 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/11/51/

48: Spark of Splendor

CHAPTER 10, TEXT 41: Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.

"I love to travel, and I've traveled a good part of the world, but I am so tired of traveling right now in my life," I said to my friend Shanti. "What about you? Do you want to travel?"

"I want to travel so badly," she said with passion. "It's been a couple years since I've traveled because I've been completing my degree, but I miss it. I miss the adventure, the fresh culture, the sense that I'm being shaken out of my ordinary routine,"

I paused a moment, for those reasons were the reasons that I had burned to travel the world in my 20s. "Wow. You're right. Travel is magical. Have you seen those new Microsoft landing page image things? These amazing pictures of the world?"

Shanti paused and then nodded, "Yes! Whenever you log in to your account? Yes I have,"

"Amazing, right? These exotic images of places around the world, just so stunning and breathtaking. I feel that wanderlust in my heart again to travel the world,"

"Absolutely," Shanti agreed. "And seeing such beauty it's like, yes, like, this is God. This is God's temple, mama mana mandire, like you always used to sing,"

"Yes," I murmured. "Yes indeed."  

When I was 14 years old living in Hawaii, I did not live near a physical temple of Krishna. I longed to live near one, but I could not. So I turned to a temple that I experienced every day - the breathtaking beauty of nature in Hawaii. Almost every evening I would ride my bike to the crest of a mountain to watch the glorious sunset over the Pacific Ocean, and I would sing the song Mama Mana Mandire: may You reside in the temple of my heart. 

I began to realize that God's creation is His temple and appreciating His beauty is worship. 

In the years that followed when I lived near a temple and also traveled the world, that song threaded its way into my life. Every time I experienced some moment of beauty in nature that took my breath away, I would sing, as Shanti reminded me, "Mama mana mandire...".

This is God. This is His temple. 

So when I read this verse of the Gita this morning, 10.41, I exclaimed in delight. This verse is like an old friend, words that I've heard since I was a little girl, reminding me that even the most wondrous, breathtaking sunset or waterfall or rainbow is but the tiniest, glittering spark of God's splendor. 

below are screenshots of the Microsoft landing page things :)

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/10/41/