Translation of commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā 18.66

Reader Abhinav requested a translation of Gaudiya commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā 18.66. I provide those below.

As a reminder, BG 18.66 is as follows:

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja | ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||

I will first translate the commentaries below and then provide a translation of the verse.

Śrī Sanātana Goswami’s commentary

Śrī Sanātana Goswami’s commentary is as follows:

sanātanaḥ (hari-bhakti-vilāsaḥ 10.63) : sarvān nitya-naimittikādi-karma-lakṣaṇān parityajya sarvathā tyaktvā mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, mad-eka-niṣṭho bhavety arthaḥ |

sarva-dharmān means all [those dharmas which are] characterized as nitya and naimittika karmas. Parityajya means giving up altogether. mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja means become fixed in me alone.

The above is pretty self-explanatory. According to Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is recommending the giving up of nitya and naimittika karmas which are varṇāśrama dharmas. Does this refer to giving up of the results of the dharmas, and not the dharmas themselves? The answer is ‘no’, because of the word ‘parityajya’ which is to mean sarvathā tyaktvā – giving up altogether. We will see a similar concept in Śrī Jīva Goswami and Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary.

He gives an alternative meaning —

yad vā, śaraṇāgatatva-mātreṇāpi mām ekam āśraya | kim utaikāntitvena ?

Alternatively, [the meaning is] “take shelter of me alone purely as a śaraṇāgata”. [The intent is to say] what then to speak of [taking shelter of me alone as] an ekāntika?

Here Śrī Sanātana Goswami makes a difference between a śaraṇāgata and an ekāntika. Both take shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone, but the ekāntika is superior among the two.

nanu vihitākaraṇena pāpaṁ syāt | tatrāha—sarvebhyo vihitākaraṇajebhyaḥ kathañcin niṣiddhācaraṇajebhyaś ca | tathā saṁsāra-duḥkha-kāraṇa-karma-rūpebhyaḥ tad-vāsanādi-rūpebhyo’pi pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmīti |

Objection: if one does not perform one’s prescribed karma, one must accrue sin. [Śrī Kṛṣṇa] replies: I will free you (mokṣayiṣyāmi) from all (sarva) sins (pāpebhyo) which are a) generated owing to non-performance of prescribed karmas, b) generated by accidental performance of prohibited karma, c) in the form of karmas that are the cause of the misery of saṁsāra, and d) in the form of the vāsanās or latent impressions [for performing] them.

Śrī Sanātana Goswami interprets the word ‘sins’ here as referring to the consequences of not performing one’s karma. Śrī Jīva Goswami and Śrī Viśvanātha take a different approach. Their reasoning is that following Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s direct instruction to give up these dharmas cannot possibly accure sin. Therefore, the word ‘sins’ must be interpreted differently, as we shall see below.

ataḥ, mā śucaḥ | pāpa-bhayena bhīṣma-droṇādi-vadhena vā śokaṁ mā kuru | evaṁ cānya-loka-śikṣaṇārtham arjunam adhikṛtyoktaṁ, na tu taṁ prati tathopadeśaḥ | tasya narāvatāratvena parama-sakhyādinā ca svata eva parama-bhāgavatatvāt

Therefore [because I will free you from all sins], do not grieve. Do not grieve out of fear of sin, or because of the killing of Bhīṣma, Droṇa and others. In this way, this instruction was given to Arjuna as its object in order to educate others. It is not actually an instruction for Arjuna. This is because Arjuna is himself a parama-bhāgavata, being an avatāra of nara, and being a dear friend.

Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary

Śrī Jīva Goswami interprets this verse in a similar fashion as Śrī Sanātana Goswami in the Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha Anuchheda 82.2. I reproduce Babaji’s translation below. Śrī Jīva Goswami first raises an objection —

nanu nānā-pratibandha-vikṣiptasya mama kathaṁ tvan-manastvādikam eva sidhyet ?

[GĪTĀ   18.66 says:] [In regard to Kṛṣṇa’s advice,] Arjuna might raise the following objection: “How can my mind, which is upset by a host of obstacles, become established exclusively in You?”

Here, Arjuna is referring to the instruction in the previous verse to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa (man-manā bhava). The reply is:

tatrāha—sarveti | sarva-śabdena nitya-paryantā dharmāḥ vivakṣitāḥ | pari-śabdena teṣāṁ svarūpato’pi tyāgaḥ samarthitaḥ | pāpāni pratibandhās tad-ājñayā parityāge pāpānutpatteḥ

In response, Kṛṣṇa speaks the next verse. The word “all” here indicates all duties up to and including daily obligatory rites (nitya-karma). By the prefix pari- [in parityajya, conveying the sense of completion in regard to the action of the verb tyajya], Kṛṣṇa indicates that conventional duties themselves (svarūpato’pi) are fit to be given up [and not just the attachment to the results of such action]. The word “sins” (pāpāni) refers instead to obstacles, because the renunciation of conventional duties cannot result in sin when undertaken on His order.

As we see, Śrī Jīva Goswami interprets the verse to state that varṇāśrama dharmas are to be given up entirely. As this is Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s direct instruction, giving up the dharmas does not accrue any kind of sin. Therefore, the word pāpāni in the second line of the verse must be interpreted differently – they refer to obstacles (pratibandhas) in fixing one;s mind on Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary, part I

And now for the commentary from Śrī Viśvanātha.

viśvanāthaḥ : nanu tad-dhyānādikaṁ yat karomi tat kiṁ svāśrama-dharmānuṣṭhāna-pūrvakaṁ vā, kevalaṁ vā ?

Should I perform meditation and other items [which Śrī Kṛṣṇa recommended in the previous verse] accompanied by performance of the dharmas appropriate for my āśrama, or should I perform them exclusively?

tatrāha—sarva-dharmān varṇāśrama-dharmān sarvān eva parityajya ekaṁ mām eva śaraṇaṁ vraja |

Completely giving up all varṇāśrama-dharmas [sarva-dharmān], take shelter of me alone.

Śrī Viśvanātha interprets the words sarva-dharmān parityajya in an identical fashion to Śrī Sanātana and Śrī Jīva. Now, he takes up a discussion of the word ‘parityajya’. I think this is probably refuting the Advaitin interpretation of the word. He writes:

parityajya sannyasyeti na vyākhyeyam arjunasya kṣatriyatvena sannyāsānadhikārāt na cārjunaṁ lakṣīkṛtyānya-jana-samudāyam evopadideśa bhagavān iti vācyam | lakṣyabhūtam arjunaṁ prati upadeśaṁ yojayitum aucitye saty evānyasyāpi upadeṣṭavyatvaṁ sambhaven na, tv anyathā

The word parityajya should not be glossed as sannyasya or taking sannyāsa. Arjuna is not qualified for sannyāsa, being a kṣatriya. Nor should one counter that Bhagavān instructed others, with Arjuna as merely the immediate object of instruction. Only if the instruction is applicable to Arjuna, the immediate object of instruction, can it be construed to be also applicable to others; otherwise not.

Now he refutes one more possible interpretation – that the instruction is to give up the results of the karma, and not the karma itself. For this, he brings to bear several verses from the Bhāgavata.

na ca parityjyety asya phala-tyāga eva tātparyam iti vyākhyeyam asya vākyasya [..] ity-ādibhir bhagavad-vākyaiḥ sahaikārthasyāvaśya-vyākhyeyatvāt atra ca pari-śabda-prayogāc ca |

Nor should one state that the intended meaning of parityajya is the renunciation of results of the karma. This is because of the use of the word here of ‘pari’ (completely) and because this statement [verse 18.66] must be explained in a way that it has oneness in meaning with the following statements of Bhagavān —

Below, I will provide translations of each of these verses from Babaji’s Bhakti Sandarbha translations along with corresponding commentaries by Śrī Jīva Goswami.

1. devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṝṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ nāyaṁ kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan |
   sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam || [bhā.pu. 11.5.41]

O King, one who abandons all obligations and wholeheartedly resorts to the refuge of Bhagavān Mukunda, who alone is worthy of shelter, is no longer a servant of or a debtor to the devas, the sages, the living beings in general, family members, humankind, or the forefathers. (SB 11.5.41)

Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary is below.

From this statement, it is clear that a person who has taken full shelter of Bhagavān is no longer a servant of all those mentioned in the verse but only a servant of Bhagavān. Consequently, he is no longer eligible for the practice of karma. The word kartam, “obligations,” means “that which is ordinarily to be done” (kṛtyam). [The devotee abandons all such conventional obligations.]

On this verse, Śrī Jīva Goswami’s reproduces Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary and cites one more verse:

2. martyo yadā tyakta-samasta-karmā niveditātmā vicikīrṣito me |
tadāmṛtatvaṁ pratipadyamāno mayātma-bhūyāya ca kalpate vai || [bhā.pu. 11.29.32]

When a mortal being relinquishes all duties and surrenders unto Me, he becomes desirous of undertaking the path specially distinguished by Me,7 and on attaining liberation, he becomes one in essential being with Me, endowed with divine opulences of the same nature as My own [mad-aikyāya mat-samānaiśvaryāya]. (SB 11.29.34)

3. tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā |
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate || [bhā.pu. 11.20.9]

One should engage in works only until one has developed detachment from sense pleasure, or until one has awakened faith in hearing narrations about Me. (SB 11.20.9)

Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: “The word karmāṇi, ‘works,’ refers to the daily and occasional obligatory duties (nitya andnaimittika-karma).”

Therefore, the defect mentioned in the following verse does not apply to one in whom either detachment or śraddhā has been born:

śruti-smṛtī mamaivājñe yas te ullaṅghya varttate
ājñācchedī mama dveṣī mad-bhakto’pi na vaiṣṇavaḥ

Śruti and Smṛti are My orders. One who transgresses them disobeys Me and is averse to Me. Even if such a person is My devotee, he cannot be considered a Vaiṣṇava.

The reason why the defect mentioned here is inapplicable to one in whom detachment or śraddhā has been born is because Bhagavān Himself has ordered the abandonment of nitya and naimittika-karma at that point. Rather, if one were to continue to engage in nitya and naimittika-karma even after the awakening of either detachment or śraddhā, that itself would be a transgression of Bhagavān’s order [as given in SB 11.20.9].

After developing śraddhā in bhakti, one should not continue to engage in nitya and naimittika-karma, as that would involve disobeying Bhagavan’s order. I had previously thought that this logic was unique to Śrī Viśvanātha as provided in his commentary on BG 18.66. It is actually present in Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary, and probably the source for latter commentators.

And now to the final verse cited by Śrī Viśvanātha —

4. ājñāyaiva guṇān doṣān mayādiṣṭān api svakān |
dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajet sa ca sattamaḥ || [bhā.pu. 11.11.37

In like manner, he is the best of those established in authentic being (sattamaḥ) who worships Me, having abandoned all of his prescribed duties, even though they have been ordained by Me, and in spite of knowing the virtues [of performing them] and the defects [of neglecting them]. (SB 11.11.32

Again, Śrī Jīva Goswami cites Śrīdhara Svāmī in commenting on this verse in the Bhakti Sandarbha —

Śrīdhara Svāmī comments: “Because of firmness in bhakti, such a person becomes qualified for the path of nivṛtti, or ‘detachment,’ and thus relinquishes his prescribed duties.”

Verse 1, 3 and 4 are reproduced in reverse order in Bhakti Sandarbha Anuccheda 173. So these three verses are really pivotal to the viewpoint of the Caitanya tradition on karma.

Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary, part II

I now return to Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary. He writes —

ata ekaṁ māṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, na tu dharma-jñāna-yoga-devatāntarādikam ity arthaḥ | pūrvaṁ hi mad-anya-bhaktau sarva-śreṣṭhāyāṁ tavādhikāro nāstīty atas tvaṁ yat karoṣi yad aśnāsītyādi-bruvāṇena mayā karma-miśrāyāṁ bhaktau tavādhikāra uktaḥ | samprati tv atikṛpayā tubhyam ananya-bhaktau evādhikāras tasyā ananya-bhakter yādṛcchika-mad-aikāntika-bhakta-kṛpaika-labhyatva-lakṣaṇaṁ niyamaṁ sva-kṛtam api bhīṣma-yuddhe sva-pratijñām ivāpanīya datta iti bhāvaḥ |

Therefore, take shelter of Me alone, and not varṇāśrama dharma, jñāna, yoga, and other devatās. Previously, I had stated that you are qualified for karma-miśrā bhakti by speaking the verse yat karoṣi yad aśnāsī etc. to you, considering that you did not have the qualification for the topmost ananya-bhakti. But now, because of extreme grace for you, I have granted you the qualification for ananya-bhakti, disregarding my own rule that ananya-bhakti must only be obtainable by the grace of my one-pointed devotee of its own accord. This is similar to how I broke my own vow [of not taking up weapons] in the battle with Bhīṣma.

Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary is ineffably beautiful, and indeed a privilege to translate for me! There is no ambiguity, no internal contradictions, and no confusion in his writings, and indeed the writings of any of the Goswamis. And they know the heart of Śrī Kṛṣṇa like no one else!

Now he takes up the meaning of the word ‘pāpāni’ or ‘sins’.

na ca mad-ājñayā nitya-naimittika-karma-tyāge tava pratyavāya-śaṅkā sambhavet |

One should not doubt that following my order to give up nitya-naimittika-karma will cause one to accrue sin.

He gives the reasoning:

veda-rūpeṇa mayaiva nitya-karmānuṣṭhānam ādiṣṭam adhunā tu svarūpeṇaiva tat-tyāga ādiśyate ity ataḥ kathaṁ te nitya-karmākaraṇe pāpāni sambhavanti ?

The nitya karmas [part of varṇāśrama-dharma] are enjoined by me only in the form of the Vedas. Now, I myself am recommending that they be given up completely (svarūpeṇaiva). So how can there be sin due to not performing these dharmas?

He finally adds the same insight that Śrī Jīva Goswami brought out in the Bhakti Sandarbha (above), but Śrī Jīva Goswami does not appear to take it to its natural conclusion in BG 18.66. There, he interprets the word ‘sins’ as obstacles. Śrī Viśvanātha, however, does take it to its natural conclusion —

pratyuta ataḥ paraṁ nitya-karmāṇi kṛta eva pāpāni bhaviṣyanti sākṣān mad-ājñā-laṅghanād ity avadheyam|

In fact, after this instruction of mine, sins will accrue if nitya-karmas are performed, because of transgressing my [final] order.

Then, what does the word ‘sins’ mean in 18.66? Śrī Viśvanātha offers a very interesting and original explanation. But to build the case, he must go off on a slight tangent as we see below.

Śrī Viśvanātha’s commentary, part III

The rest of this commentary is really a testament to Śrī Viśvanātha’s genius. He writes:

nanu yo hi yac-charaṇo bhavati, sa hi mūlya-krītaḥ paśur iva tad-adhīnaḥ | sa taṁ yat kārayati, tad eva karoti | yatra sthāpayati tatraiva tiṣṭhati | yad bhojayati, tad eva bhuṅkte iti śaraṇāpatti-lakṣaṇasya dharmasya tattvam |

Objection: that person who takes the shelter of someone else, is dependent like an animal that has been purchased. As the owner makes him work, he works. He stands where the owner makes him stand. He eats that which the owner feeds him. This is the essential meaning of the dharma named śaraṇāpatti.

People often ask me what it means to “take shelter”. The term śaraṇāpatti is rather nebulous when translated into English, but here, Śrī Viśvanātha provides a detailed explanation. He continues:

yad uktaṁ vāyu-purāṇe–
ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanaṁ |
rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā |
niḥkṣepanam akārpaṇyaṁ ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ || iti |

This is stated in the Vāyu-purāṇa-
There are six symptoms of self-surrender: a firm resolve to act congenially to Bhagavān, to forsake all that is unfavorable to Bhagavān, a firm belief that Bhagavān will give one protection, deliberate acceptance of Bhagavān as one’s guardian and nourisher, submission of the self, and humility. (Vaiṣṇava Tantra)

Śrī Viśvanātha explains each of these items —

bhakti-śāstra-vihitā svābhīṣṭa-devāya rocamānā pravṛttir ānukūlyaṁ tad-viparītaṁ prātikūlyam | goptṛtve iti sa eva mama rakṣako nānya iti yat | rakṣiṣyatīti sva-rakṣaṇa-prātikūlya-vastuṣūpasthiteṣv api sa māṁ rakṣiṣyaty eveti draupadī-gajendrādīnām iva viśvāsaḥ | niḥkṣepanaṁ svīya-sthūla-sūkṣma-deha-sahitasya eva svasya śrī-kṛṣṇārtha eva viniyogaḥ | akārpaṇyaṁ nānyatra kvāpi sva-dainya-jñāpanam iti ṣaṇṇāṁ vastūnāṁ vidhātr-anuṣṭhānaṁ yasyāṁ sā śaraṇāgatir iti |

The word ānukūlya implies performance of activities enjoined in the bhakti-scriptures that please one’s own worshippable lord. That which is opposed to this is prātikūlya. The sense of the words goptṛtve varaṇaṁ is ” He alone is my protector and no one else”. rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso refer to the conviction, like Draupadī and Gajendra, that “He alone will protect me when entities that are opposed to one’s protection are present”. niḥkṣepanaṁ means the submission of one’s self, along with one’s subtle and gross body, in the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. akārpaṇya means not professing one’s humility in front of anyone else. That which involves performance of these six items is called śaraṇāgati.

Having defined śaraṇāgati, he now gives his explanation of the word ‘sins’ in the verse:

tad adyārabhya yady ahaṁ tvāṁ śaraṇaṁ gata eva varte tarhi tvad-uktaṁ bhadram abhadraṁ vā yad bhavet tad eva mama kartavyam | tatra yadi tvaṁ māṁ dharmam eva kārayasi tadā na kācic cintā | yadi tv īśvaratvāt svairācāras tvaṁ mām adharmam eva kārayasi, tadā kā gatis tatrāha—aham iti | prācīnārvācīnāni yāvanti vartante yāvanti vā ahaṁ kārayiṣyāmi tebhyaḥ sarvebhya eva pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi | nāham anya-śaraṇya iva tatrāsamartha iti bhāvaḥ |

[Arjuna speaks] If from now on, I take your shelter, then, I am obligated to do whatever auspicious or inauspicious things you tell me to do. Among these, if you engage me in dharmic activities, there is no worry. But if, being the Supreme Lord, and being independent, you engage me in adharmic activities, then what will be the outcome? To this, He replies: I will free you from all sins, do not lament. I will free you from all sins, ancient or modern, as well as whatever sins I will engage you in. The sense is that “I am not incapable of doing that like other shelters”.

This is pretty self-explanatory. He continues:

tvām alambyaiva śāstram idaṁ loka-mātram evopadiṣṭavān asmi | mā śucaḥ svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vā śokaṁ mā kārṣīḥ | yuṣmad-ādikaṁ sarva eva lokaḥ sva-para-dharmān sarvān eva parityajya mac-cintanādi-paro māṁ śaraṇam āpadya sukhenaiva vartatām | tasya pāpa-mocana-bhāraḥ saṁsāra-mocana-bhāro’pi mayāṅgīkṛta eva |

I have instructed this scripture, while taking you as the object, verily for everyone. Do not lament, whether for yourself or for others (mā śucaḥ). Giving up all your dharmas and other dharmas, you and others [the Pandavas], who are fixed on my remembrance, be situated happily, having taken my shelter. The burden of freeing you from sins and from saṁsāra has been already been accepted by me. As I have stated —

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate |
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham || [gītā 9.22] iti |

Those people who are exclusively devoted to Me (ananya) and who worship Me, being constantly absorbed in meditation on Me — for them, who are ever united with Me, I bear the responsibility to furnish their needs and to protect their possessions.

hanta etāvān bhāro mayā sva-prabhau nikṣipta ity api śokaṁ mākārṣīr bhakta-vatsalasya mama na tatrāyāsa-leśo’pīti nātaḥ param adhikam upadeṣṭavyam astīti śāstraṁ samāptīkṛtam

Do not even lament, thinking, “Alas, I have put such a burden on my own Lord”. I, who am affectionate to My devotees, do not feel even the slightest effort in bearing it. What else remains to be said?

In this way, Śrī Kṛṣṇa has concluded this scripture.

Summary

Verse 18.66 can now be translated in three different ways according to the three commentaries.

Śrī Sanātana Goswami —

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja | ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||

Giving up all nitya and naimittika karmas (sarva-dharmān) altogether (parityajya), become fixed in Me alone (mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja). I will free you (mokṣayiṣyāmi) from all (sarva) sins (pāpebhyo) which are a) generated owing to non-performance of prescribed karmas, b) generated by accidental performance of prohibited karma, c) in the form of karmas that are the cause of the misery of saṁsāra, and d) in the form of the vāsanās or latent impressions [for performing] them. Therefore [because I will free you from all sins], do not grieve (mā śucaḥ ||). Do not grieve (mā śucaḥ) out of fear of sin, or because of the killing of Bhīṣma, Droṇa and others.

Śrī Jīva Goswami —

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja | ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||

Giving up all dharmas up to and including nitya-karma (sarva-dharmān), in and of themselves, and not just giving up the attachment to the results of such actions(parityajya), take shelter of Me alone. I will free you from all obstacles (sarva-pāpebhyo) to fixing your mind on Me. Do not grieve.

Śrī Viśvanātha

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja | ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||

Completely giving up all varṇāśrama-dharmas [sarva-dharmān], be situated happily, taking shelter of me alone. I will free you from all sins, ancient or modern, as well as whatever sins I will engage you in. Do not lament, whether for yourself or for others.