Bhagavad Gita -Srila Prabhupada 736

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is -Shri Shrimad A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Conclusion—The Perfection of Renunciation
Chapter 18: Verse- 57

cetasä sarva-karmäni mayi sannyasya mat-parah
buddhi-yogam upäsritya mac-cittah satatam bhava[1]

TRANSLATION

In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.

PURPORT

When one acts in krsna consciousness, he does not act as the master of the world. Just like a servant, one should act fully under the direction of the Supreme Lord. A servant has no individual independence. He acts only on the order of the master. A servant acting on behalf of the supreme master is unaffected by profit and loss. He simply discharges his duty faithfully in terms of the order of the Lord. Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting under the personal direction of krsna but when krsna is not present how should one act? If one acts according to the direction of krsna in this book, as well as under the guidance of the representative of Krsna, then the result will be the same.

The Sanskrit word mat-parah is very important in this verse. It indicates that one has no goal in life save and except acting in krsna consciousness just to satisfy Krsna. And while working in that way, one should think of krsna only: “I have been appointed to discharge this particular duty by Krsna.” While acting in such a way, one naturally has to think of Krsna. This is perfect krsna consciousness. One should, however, note that after doing something whimsically he should not offer the result to the Supreme Lord. That sort of duty is not in the devotional service of krsna consciousness. One should act according to the order of Krsna. This is a very important point. That order of Krsna comes through disciplic succession from the bona fide spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual master’s order should be taken as the prime duty of life. If one gets a bona fide spiritual master and acts according to his direction, then one’s perfection of life in krsna consciousness is guaranteed.


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References

  1. cetasä=by intelligence; sarva-karmäni=all kinds of activities; mayi=unto
    Me; sannyasya=giving up; mat-parah=under My protection; buddhi-yogam=devotional activities; upäsritya=taking shelter of;
    mat-cittah=in consciousness of Me; satatam=twenty-four hours a day; bhava=just become.

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