Bhagavad Gita

VERSE 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥१॥

śrī bhagavān uvāca –
idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy-anasūyave
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt

Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Because you are not envious I shall now explain to you the greatest of all secrets. I shall explain this knowledge and its realisation, knowing which you shall become free from all inauspiciousness.

VERSE 2

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ।
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ॥२॥

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum avyayam

This is the greatest of all knowledge (rāja-vidyā) and the greatest of all secrets (rāja-guhya). It is most purifying and most excellent. This path of dharma is directly perceived; it is simple to practice and imperishable.

VERSE 3

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य परन्तप ।
अप्राप्य मां निवर्तन्ते मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि ॥३॥

aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa
aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani

O vanquisher of the enemy, those that lack faith in this path of dharma can never attain Me and are forced to be reborn in the continuous cycle of birth and death.

Anuvṛtti

Now Śrī Kṛṣṇa will emphasise to Arjuna what He considers to be the greatest secret, or guhya, of the yoga system, so that any remaining doubt that Arjuna may still harbour might be dispelled. This has already been mentioned in previous chapters, but now Kṛṣṇa will make it definitive. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, the Cause of creation, the origin of all living beings, the Controller, the object of knowledge, the mantra oṁ and so forth. One who knows this in his heart of hearts and lives solely by such a creed will surely attain Kṛṣṇa. This is the positive incentive. The negative incentive is also explained by Kṛṣṇa that those who are not fixed in Him will be reborn in the cycle of birth and death.

In verse 3 Kṛṣṇa uses the word aśraddadhānāḥ. Śraddhā means ‘faith’ and aśraddhā means ‘without faith’. This describes those who do not have the resolute determination to perform bhakti-yoga. Of such persons Kṛṣṇa says that they will continue in the cycle of saṁsāra. That is not to say that they are damned to some eternal hell, but simply put, they cannot attain the platform of liberation.

First it is important to understand that śraddhā is not to be confused with the belief or mundane faith that is usually associated with a particular religion such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism. Christian faith, Muslim faith, Hindu faith etc. implies a belief in a particular set of moral ideals, myths, superstitions and dogmas, but śraddhā is something entirely different.

Śrat dadhāti iti śraddhāḥ – ‘That which leads to truth and self-realisation is known as śraddhā.’ Śraddhā is developed by association with saintly persons who are self-realised and free from the contamination of material nature. In such association the conviction develops that by surrender and taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa all other purposes are served. Without such śraddhā and fixed determination, one cannot follow the path of bhakti-yoga.

VERSE 4

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।
मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥४॥

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv-avasthitaḥ

I pervade the entire cosmos through My unmanifest form. All living beings are supported by Me, but I am not supported by them.

VERSE 5

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥५॥

na ca mat sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram
bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

Yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My divine powers! Although I am the origin of all living beings and I maintain them, I am not influenced by them nor by My material nature.

VERSE 6

यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यं वायुः सर्वत्रगो महान् ।
तथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय ॥६॥

yathākāśa-sthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatra-go mahān
tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mat-sthānīty-upadhāraya

Try to understand that just as the mighty wind rests within the vast expanse of the sky, similarly all beings rest within Me.

VERSE 7

सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं यान्ति मामिकाम् ।
कल्पक्षये पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ विसृजाम्यहम् ॥७॥

sarva-bhūtāni kaunteya prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām
kalpa-kṣaye punas tāni kalpādau visṛjāmy-aham

O son of Kuntī, at the end of a day of Brahmā, all living beings enter into Me. I manifest them again at the beginning of a new creation.

VERSE 8

प्रकृतिं स्वामवष्टभ्य विसृजामि पुनः पुनः ।
भूतग्राममिमं कृत्स्नमवशं प्रकृतेर्वशात् ॥८॥

prakṛtiṁ svām avaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ
bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśāt

Because I control material nature, I continuously manifest the living beings that are helplessly manipulated by their natures.

VERSE 9

न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ।
उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ॥९॥

na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
udāsīnavad āsīnam asaktaṁ teṣu karmasu

O Dhanañjaya, such actions cannot bind Me. I am detached and indifferent to these activities.

VERSE 10

मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः सूयते सचराचरम् ।
हेतुनानेन कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते ॥१०॥

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram
hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

Under My command, material nature produces the universe with all its moving and non-moving beings. O son of Kuntī, because of this the universe continually manifests.

Anuvṛtti

Everyone acts in the material world and everyone is held responsible for their actions by the laws of material nature or the laws of karma. Newton’s Third Law of Physics states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. At a glance this sounds like a good definition of karma, but karma is much more complicated than that. The saying, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ also does not accurately define the laws of action and reaction. Karma is far more intricate and complicated than a simple one on one analogy can provide. Suffice to say that when one performs an action he is held responsible and thus liable for the reaction, whatever that may be. Material nature may therefore be considered superior to the energy of the living beings, in that the living beings have no control over material nature. People are expert in exploiting nature, yet they cannot control the adverse reactions that result from it. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, on the other hand, does not incur karma or a reaction when He acts because material nature is always under His control – īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ.

VERSE 11

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा मानुषीं तनुमाश्रितम् ।
परं भावमजानन्तो मम भूतमहेश्वरम् ॥११॥

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram

Because they do not know My divine nature as the Supreme Controller of all living beings, those who are ignorant mock Me when I assume a human form.

VERSE 12

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः ।
राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ॥१२॥

moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ
rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ

All their aspirations, activities and knowledge are futile and senseless. Such persons adopt a contemptible, malicious nature and become bewildered.

VERSE 13

महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः ।
भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥१३॥

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty-ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

However, those great personalities who do take shelter of My divine nature, worship Me with a steady mind and know Me to be the imperishable origin of all beings.

VERSE 14

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः ।
नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥१४॥

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā nitya-yuktā upāsate

They are always glorifying Me, endeavouring with determination and firmly fixed in their vows. Offering their obeisance to Me with devotion, such bhakti-yogīs always worship me.

VERSE 15

ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते ।
एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥१५॥

jñāna-yajñena cāpy-anye yajanto mām upāsate
ekatvena pṛthaktvena bahudhā viśvato-mukham

Others worship Me with the sacrifice of knowledge, considering themselves to be non-different from Me. Others worship Me in many different forms, while others venerate Me as the universal form.

Anuvṛtti

Those that deride the message of Bhagavad-gītā are referred to as mūḍhā or having a foolish mentality. Intelligent persons, when confronted with the scope of knowledge in Bhagavad-gītā, will surely be in agreement, or at least charmed. For this reason, Bhagavad-gītā is the most widely read literature on theistic science in the world.

Atheism is certainly not a new phenomenon as there have always been such thinkers since ancient times. Yet atheism in modern times seems driven more as a reaction to fanatical religious dogma than by rational argument. Indeed, often times the arguments of the atheist are as irrational as those of religious fanatics. When presented with an intelligent proposal, a rationalist should be willing to accept it, regardless of where that proposal leads, even if it leads to undermine his atheistic world view. Such would be the mentality of a real seeker of truth or science.

For the most part, in the modern arena of debate between theists and atheists, the student of Bhagavad-gītā would not side with either because both are predominately ignorant of higher knowledge. Coming in contact with Bhagavad-gītā, both the atheists and religious fanatics are silenced because within the Gītā lies the most definitive knowledge of the Absolute Truth ever revealed to the world.

VERSE 16

अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाहमहमौषधम् ।
मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥१६॥

ahaṁ kratur ahaṁ yajñaḥ svadhāham aham auṣadham
mantro’ham aham evājyam aham agnir ahaṁ hutam

I am the ritual, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering, I am the sacred herbs, I am the mantra and I am the clarified butter, I am the sacred fire and I am the act of offering.

VERSE 17

पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः ।
वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ॥१७॥

pitāham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ
vedyaṁ pavitram oṁkāra ṛksāma yajureva ca

I am both the father and the mother of the universe, I am the Maintainer, the Grandsire, the object of all knowledge, the purifier, the syllable oṁ and I am the Ṛg Veda, Sāma Veda and the Yajur Veda.

VERSE 18

गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् ।
प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥१८॥

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam

I am the supreme objective, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the shelter, and the dear-most friend. I am creation, maintenance and destruction, I am the greatest wealth and the indestructible seed.

VERSE 19

तपाम्यहमहं वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि च ।
अमृतं चैव मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन ॥१९॥

tapāmy-aham ahaṁ varṣaṁ nigṛhṇāmy-utsṛjāmi ca
amṛtaṁ caiva mṛtyuś ca sad asac cāham arjuna

I create heat and I bring forth the rain and also withdraw it. I am eternality and I am death. I am reality and I am illusion, O Arjuna.

Anuvṛtti

If someone were to ask, “Where is Kṛṣṇa?” one might respond with another question: “Where isn’t Kṛṣṇa?” After turning over every stone and grain of sand in the universe, one would be hard-pressed to find something or somewhere that is not Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately Kṛṣṇa pervades everything in the entire universe and beyond. He is uniquely an individual, our dearest friend, our well-wisher and the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā.

It may be interesting to note that in the history of the world no literature other than Bhagavad-gītā so clearly and boldly proclaims the Absolute Truth. All other attempts pale in comparison. The Absolute Truth is directly speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna.

VERSE 20

त्रैविद्या मां सोमपाः पूतपापा यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते ।
ते पुण्यमासाद्य सुरेन्द्रलोक-मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि देवभोगान् ॥२०॥

trai-vidyā māṁ soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpā
yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ prārthayante
te puṇyam āsādya surendra-lokam
aśnanti divyān divi deva-bhogān

Those who are conversant with the three Vedas worship Me indirectly, and by drinking soma they become purified and attain the higher planets. By their pious activities they reach the abode of Indra where they enjoy the celestial pleasures of the demigods.

VERSE 21

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ॥२१॥

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ
kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante

After they have experienced the extensive pleasures of the higher planets, their pious credits become exhausted and they again enter the mortal plane. Therefore, the results of those who perform Vedic rituals to obtain material enjoyment are fleeting.

VERSE 22

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥२२॥

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy-aham

But for those who are always absorbed in thoughts of Me, who worship Me and who are always associated with Me, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.

VERSE 23

येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः ।
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम् ॥२३॥

ye’pyanya-devatā bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
te’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty-avidhi-pūrvakam

O Kaunteya, those that worship other demigods with faith actually worship Me, but they do so improperly.

Anuvṛtti

Śrī Kṛṣṇa has mentioned those that drink soma. In ancient times, some 10,000 years ago, soma was a celestial elixir taken by the performers of certain Vedic rituals that was meant to elevate one to higher planets. Soma was not simply an intoxicant, as some readers of the Bhagavad-gītā have surmised. Only those fully conversant in the three Vedas who were expert in performing Vedic rituals were allowed to drink soma. Due to the passage of time, we do not know exactly how soma was made, but we do know that it was an elixir and not simply an intoxicant like wine, whisky or gañjā.

Those who are conversant in the Vedas reach the higher planets and enjoy celestial pleasures. Kṛṣṇa says that when their pious credit is exhausted, they again enter the mortal plane of Earth. Therefore, the understanding is that all endeavours for material pleasure are temporary, even those experienced in higher planets.

But for the bhakti-yogī there is no need to perform complicated and costly Vedic rituals because all the purposes of such ceremonies are fulfilled by acts of devotion and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. The intimacy of the bhakti-yogīs with Kṛṣṇa is such that He proclaims that He carries what they lack and preserves what they have. This is the extension of Kṛṣṇa’s shelter (āśraya), for those who surrender to Him. This theme is repeated throughout the Bhagavad-gītā.

VERSE 24

अहं हि सर्वयज्ञानां भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव च ।
न तु मामभिजानन्ति तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति ते ॥२४॥

ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhureva ca
na tu mām abhijānanti tattvenātaś cyavanti te

It is I who am the enjoyer and object of all sacrifices. But those who are ignorant of My true nature fall down from the path of self-realisation.

VERSE 25

यान्ति देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति पितृव्रताः ।
भूतानि यान्ति भूतेज्या यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि माम् ॥२५॥

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṛn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad yājino’pi mām

The worshippers of the demigods attain the realm of the demigods. The worshippers of the ancestors reach the domain of the ancestors. The worshippers of ghosts and spirits go to the world of the ghosts and spirits. But those who worship Me come to Me.

VERSE 26

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति ।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥२६॥

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

If one offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or some water, I will accept that offering from My pure-hearted devotee.

VERSE 27

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् ।
यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥२७॥

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad arpaṇam

O Kaunteya, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, whatever penances you undertake, do that as an offering unto Me.

VERSE 28

शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः ।
संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥२८॥

śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase karma-bandhanaiḥ
sannyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi

By doing so, you will become free from the bondage of karma and it’s auspicious and inauspicious effects. By renouncing the results of your actions and connecting yourself with Me, you will become liberated and attain Me.

Anuvṛtti

No one can live in this world without consuming something. There are some yogīs in India that try to avoid entanglement with this material world to the extreme. To this end they give up clothing, food and even water. But because they do not recognise Kṛṣṇa as the proprietor and enjoyer of all things, they eventually fall down from their position of false renunciation. We say ‘false renunciation’ because real renunciation means to renounce the idea of oneself being the proprietor and enjoyer and to recognise Kṛṣṇa as the proprietor and the enjoyer of everything.

In the stage of real renunciation, one offers everything first to Kṛṣṇa and accepts only the remnants of such offerings for his maintenance. The process of offering food to Kṛṣṇa by chanting appropriate mantras is to be learned from the guru. When food is offered to Kṛṣṇa by mantra the food becomes ‘Kṛṣṇanised’. This is called prasādam, or Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that if one offers Him with devotion a leaf, flowers, fruits or some water He will accept that. This means that non-vegetarian foodstuff such as meat, fish and eggs, as well as preparations containing such things are not offerable to Kṛṣṇa. Food offerable to Kṛṣṇa includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and milk products. It should be noted that being Gopāla, the protector of the cows, Kṛṣṇa is very fond of milk products such as yogurt, butter etc. A diet of such food offered to Kṛṣṇa will make one healthy and fit for the practice of yoga as well as free from karmic reactions.

VERSE 29

समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः ।
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् ॥२९॥

samo’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo’sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy-aham

I am equal to all living beings. I neither hate nor favour anyone. Yet whoever worships Me with devotion is with Me and I am certainly with them.

VERSE 30

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक् ।
साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः ॥३०॥

api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

Even if one is impious and has committed abominable acts, if he worships Me with one-pointed devotion, such a person should be considered saintly because his determination is perfect.

VERSE 31

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥३१॥

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

He quickly becomes virtuous again and attains everlasting peace. O Kaunteya, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.

VERSE 32

मां हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः ।
स्त्रियो वैश्यास्तथा शूद्रास्तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥३२॥

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

O Pārtha, even if persons of impious birth, women, merchants (vaiśyas) and labourers (śūdras) take shelter of Me, they will also reach the highest destination.

VERSE 33

किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या भक्ता राजर्षयस्तथा ।
अनित्यमसुखं लोकमिमं प्राप्य भजस्व माम् ॥३३॥

kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām

What to say of the pure brāhmaṇas and pious kings? Now, having come into this temporary world of misery, devote yourself to Me!

VERSE 34

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु ।
मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥३४॥

man-manā bhava mad bhakto mad yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

Always think of Me. Be My devotee. Worship Me. Offer your respects unto Me. In this way, by dedicating yourself to Me and surrendering to Me, you will come to Me.

Anuvṛtti

It is important to note here that Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that He is equal to all living beings. That is to say that Kṛṣṇa has no ‘chosen people’. Everyone is equal in His eyes as His eternal parts and parcels. Kṛṣṇa does not arbitrarily cause one person to enjoy life and another to suffer. Enjoyment and suffering are the results of one’s own pious or impious activities in this life and in past lives.

When one approaches Kṛṣṇa, He reciprocates directly with that person. One does not have to be born in a particular country, family, religion, caste, gender or race to approach Kṛṣṇa. Nor is one first required to perform certain pious activities such as penances or charity before one can approach Him. The door is open to everyone and Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with each individual accordingly.

But there is also no doubt that those who are deeply devoted to Kṛṣṇa and have taken shelter of Him completely, are very dear to Him and at the end of life they will surely come to Kṛṣṇa in His Supreme Abode.

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमहाभारते शतसाहस्रयां संहितायां
वैयासिक्यां भीष्मपर्वणि
श्रीमद्भगवदीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायं योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
राजगुह्ययोगो नाम नवमोऽध्यायः।।

oṁ tat saditi śrī-mahābhārate-śata-sāhasryāṁ saṁhitāyāṁ vaiyāsikyāṁ bhīṣma-parvāṇi
śrīmad bhagavad-gītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahma-vidyāyāṁ yoga-śāstre śrī kṛṣṇārjuna-saṁvāde
rāja-guhya-yogo nāma navamo’dhyāyaḥ

OṀ TAT SAT – Thus ends Chapter Nine entitled Rāja-Guhya Yoga from the conversation between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna in the Upaniṣad known as Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, the yoga-śāstra of divine knowledge, from the Bhīṣma-parva of Mahābhārata, the literature revealed by Vyāsa in one hundred thousand verses.