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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 10.3
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् ।
असम्मूढ: स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापै: प्रमुच्यते ॥ ३ ॥
yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca
vetti loka-maheśvaram
asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu
sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate
He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds – he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Only one who knows Kṛṣṇa as unborn, beginningless, and the Supreme Lord of all worlds is free from illusion and all sins.
Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa’s body never changes, unlike ours. Kṛṣṇa can be known only through devotional service.
Work under Kṛṣṇa’s directions, given in scripture or by a genuine spiritual master, without seeking the rewards of your actions.
Result of understanding Krishna properly — Freedom from all sinful reactions
They – Demigods/Sages/Mental speculators (as per 10.2) – cannot understand Krishna as :-
Unborn
Beginningless and
Supreme Lord of all the worlds (Supreme Proprietor)
Thus Text 10.3 describes “Undeluded among men” – Those who can understand Krishna in these 3 features (Unborn, Beginningless, Supreme Proprietor)
The most successful spiritually realized person — Very rare
One who understands Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Unborn, the Supreme Proprietor
Out of millions, one may endeavor and out of many one may succeed (Ref. Bg. 7.3)
‘Unborn’ (aja) — This ‘unborn’ is different from ‘living entity’ described as ‘unborn’ in Chapter 2 (Ref. Bg. 2.20)
Living entites are taking birth and dying due to material attachment – Thus they are changing bodies under external energy
Lord as unborn – Lord comes to the material world as the self-same ‘Unborn’ – Comes By His internal potency; body is unchangeable (Ref. Bg. 4.6)
Argument – But Krishna is the son of Devaki, how can He be unborn
Refutation – Ref. SB: He appeared before Devaki and Vasudev in His Original form, not as an ordinary child; and then transformed into an ordinary child FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 10.3 continued…
“Vetti loka maheshvaram” — This phrase means ‘Supreme Lord of all the worlds/planetary systems’ because:
He was existing before the creation and is different from His creation
Demigods were created; He is not created
Thus Krishna is different even from great demigods (Brahma and Shiva)
Only way to know Him as such as given in translation — Devotional service
Who can know – One who is free from all sinful activities
Result of knowing – Immediate Freedom from all sinful reactions
How not to perceive Krishna
Foolish Mentality – To try to understand Him as a human being (Bg. 9.11)
Sign Of Intelligence – Understand the constitutional position of Godhead
Transcendental and real auspicious activities
Transcendental – Anything done under the direction of Krishna is transcendental
Inauspicious material world – Nothing in the material world is auspicious ; We simply imagine it to be auspicious
Real auspiciousness – depends upon action in Krishna consciousness in full devotion and service
How to get such directions – From Guru, Sadhu, Sastra
Transcendental attitude of a devotee – Attitude of renunciation in the performance of all activities – This is called Sannyasa
Real Sannyasi
Acts as a matter of duty / Not take shelter in the fruits
Ref. Bg. 6.1 defines real Sannyasi and real yogi
Wrong conception of Sannyasi – Not the man in the dress of a Sannyasi or Yogi
Texts 10.3 & 10.4
Now Krishna tells us that “All the qualities possessed by any living entity comes from Him”
His origin is impossible to understand for He is the source of all
That which has been created cannot independently understand its own source
One who understands this fact, serves Krishna with devotion
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 10.3 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?
Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.