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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 18.67
इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन ।
न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ॥ ६७ ॥
idaṁ te nātapaskāya
nābhaktāya kadācana
na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ
na ca māṁ yo ’bhyasūyati
This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
This confidential knowledge must not be explained to those who lack austerity, devotion, or devotional service, or who envy Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda explains that discipline alone is not enough: without active devotion, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.
Learn from a pure devotee, and avoid commentaries by those who envy Kṛṣṇa and explain Bhagavad-gītā for business.
Do not teach Bhagavad-gita to one who is:
Not austere
Not devoted to Krishna’s service
Envious of Krishna
PRACTICAL APPLICATION — Various categories of persons who cannot understand Bhagavad-gita
Professional commentators – who are envious and explain Bhagavad-gita to make a business
To those who are sensuous
Even if not sensuous but are strictly following the Vedic scriptural disciplines, but if he is not a devotee, he cannot understand Krishna
Even if one poses himself as a devotee, but not engaged in Krishna conscious activities, he cannot understand Krishna
Why different people envy Krishna
Because He is the Supreme and nothing is above or equal to Him
Who should not try to comment on Bhagavad-gita — envious, faithless and those without understanding of Krishna from authority of a pure devotee
One who explains this knowledge of Bhagavad Gita to austere, nonenvious devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed
Those who study Bhagavad-gita, worship Krishna with their intelligence, and faithful and nonenvious hearers become free from sinful action
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 18.67 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?
Offer one act today with devotion.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.