Chapter 70 · Class prep
A printable handout for teaching this chapter. For each verse with Personal Guidance, you'll see Prabhupāda's translation, the essence, two or three practical applications, and a discussion prompt. Press ⌘P / Ctrl P to print as a handout.
BG 70.1
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: As dawn approached, the wives of Lord Mādhava, each embraced around the neck by her husband, cursed the crowing roosters. The ladies were disturbed that now they would be separated from Him.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa's wives cursed the rooster whose crowing meant their separation from the Lord. Love does not love what pulls the beloved away, even when it is duty. The wish for more time is itself a form of bhakti.
BG 70.2
The bees’ buzzing, caused by the fragrant breeze from the pārijāta garden, roused the birds from sleep. And when the birds began to sing loudly, they woke Lord Kṛṣṇa like court poets reciting His glories.
Essence. Bees, breeze and birds woke Kṛṣṇa like court poets reciting His glories. Nature itself participates in the Lord's awakening; spiritually receptive ears can hear the morning as a chorus of praise.
BG 70.3
Lying in her beloved’s arms, Queen Vaidarbhī did not like this most auspicious hour, for it meant she would lose His embrace.
Essence. Rukmiṇī, lying in Kṛṣṇa's arms, did not like the auspicious hour because it ended their embrace. The most spiritually beneficial moment can feel like loss when measured by personal preference; bhakti also has its tender ache.
BG 70.4-5
Lord Mādhava would rise during the brāhma-muhūrta period and touch water. With a clear mind He would then meditate upon Himself, the single, self-luminous, unequaled and infallible Supreme Truth, known as Brahman, who by His very nature ever dispels all contamination, and who through His personal energies, which cause the creation and destruction of this universe, manifests His own pure and blissful existence.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa rose in the brāhma-muhūrta to meditate on the Self — self-luminous, infallible, ever-pure. Even the Supreme Lord models that the day begins inside, with the Truth, before turning outward.
BG 70.6
That most saintly of personalities would then bathe in sanctified water, dress Himself in lower and upper garments and perform the entire sequence of prescribed rituals, beginning with worship at dawn. After offering oblations into the sacred fire, Lord Kṛṣṇa would silently chant the Gāyatrī mantra.
Essence. After bathing, Kṛṣṇa performed dawn worship, fire oblations, and silent Gāyatrī. Devotional morning is not minimal compliance; it is a sequence of acts that prepares body, breath, and heart for the day.
BG 70.7-9
Each day the Lord worshiped the rising sun and propitiated the demigods, sages and forefathers, who are all His expansions. The self-possessed Lord would then carefully worship His elders and the brāhmaṇas. To those well-attired brāhmaṇas He would offer herds of tame and peaceful cows with gold-plated horns and pearl necklaces. These cows were also dressed in fine cloth, and the fronts of their hooves were plated with silver. Providers of abundant milk, they had each given birth only once and were accompanied by their calves. Daily the Lord gave many groups of 13,084 cows to the learned brāhmaṇas, together with linen, deerskins and sesame seeds.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa daily gave brāhmaṇas vast herds of decorated cows. Generosity at this scale is rare, but the principle is universal — daily, deliberate giving to those who maintain spiritual culture is part of dharma.
BG 70.10
Lord Kṛṣṇa would offer obeisances to the cows, brāhmaṇas and demigods, His elders and spiritual masters, and all living beings — all of whom are expansions of His supreme personality. Then He would touch auspicious things.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa offered obeisances to cows, brāhmaṇas, demigods, elders, gurus, and all living beings — recognizing them as His own expansions. The simple act of bowing extends respect to everyone touched by the Lord.
BG 70.11
He would decorate His body, the very ornament of human society, with His own special clothes and jewelry and with divine flower garlands and ointments.
Essence. The Lord decorated Himself with His yellow garments, Kaustubha gem, flower garlands, and ointments. Beautiful attention to the body is not vanity when offered as part of devotional life; the body deserves dignity.
BG 70.12
He would then look at ghee, a mirror, the cows and bulls, the brāhmaṇas and the demigods and see to it that the members of all the social classes living in the palace and throughout the city were satisfied with gifts. After this He would greet His ministers, gratifying them by fulfilling all their desires.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa looked at ghee, mirror, cows, brāhmaṇas, and demigods, and ensured all social classes were satisfied. A ruler's first task is to see — to actually look at the people in his care, and confirm they are well.
BG 70.13
After first distributing flower garlands, pān and sandalwood paste to the brāhmaṇas, He would give these gifts to His friends, ministers and wives, and finally He would partake of them Himself.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa distributed garlands, pān, and sandalwood to brāhmaṇas first, then friends, ministers, wives — and only at the end took some for Himself. Order of honor matters; the Lord eats last.
BG 70.14
By then the Lord’s driver would have brought His supremely wonderful chariot, yoked with Sugrīva and His other horses. His charioteer would bow down to the Lord and then stand before Him.
Essence. The chariot driver bowed and stood before the Lord with the chariot ready. Service is most beautiful when it is quietly prepared in advance; the servant's bow precedes his service.
BG 70.15
Holding on to His charioteer’s hands, Lord Kṛṣṇa would mount the chariot, together with Sātyaki and Uddhava, just like the sun rising over the easternmost mountain.
Essence. Holding the charioteer's joined hands, Kṛṣṇa mounted the chariot with Sātyaki and Uddhava — rising like the sun over the eastern mountain. The Lord lets His servants assist Him; He does not bypass their offering.
BG 70.16
The palace women would look upon Lord Kṛṣṇa with shy, loving glances, and thus He would get free from them only with difficulty. He would then set off, His smiling face captivating their minds.
Essence. The queens' shy loving glances captivated Kṛṣṇa, and He could free Himself only with difficulty, smiling as He left. Love does not pretend separation is easy; even when duty calls, tenderness is honest about the cost.
BG 70.17
The Lord, attended by all the Vṛṣṇis, would enter the Sudharmā assembly hall, which protects those who enter it from the six waves of material life, dear King.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa entered the Sudharmā assembly hall, which protects those who enter from the six material waves — hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age, and death. Sacred space genuinely shelters.
BG 70.18
As the almighty Supreme Lord would seat Himself upon His exalted throne there in the assembly hall, He shone with His unique effulgence, illuminating all the quarters of space. Surrounded by the Yadus, lions among men, that best of the Yadus appeared like the moon amidst many stars.
Essence. Seated on His throne, Kṛṣṇa shone like the moon among Yadu stars. The right person in the right seat illumines the whole gathering; presence is itself a form of leadership.
BG 70.19
And there, O King, jesters would entertain the Lord by displaying various comic moods, expert entertainers would perform for Him, and female dancers would dance energetically.
Essence. Jesters, magicians, and dancers entertained the Lord. Even the assembly of the Supreme has room for play and comedy; the spiritual life is not sour.
BG 70.20
These performers would dance and sing to the sounds of mṛdaṅgas, vīṇās, murajas, flutes, cymbals and conchshells, while professional poets, chroniclers and panegyrists would recite the Lord’s glories.
Essence. Mṛdaṅgas, vīṇās, flutes, cymbals, conchshells — and poets reciting the Lord's glories. The court of Kṛṣṇa is a court of music and praise. Bhakti is sung as much as thought.
BG 70.21
Some brāhmaṇas sitting in that assembly hall would fluently chant Vedic mantras, while others recounted stories of past kings of pious renown.
Essence. Brāhmaṇas chanted Vedic mantras and told stories of pious kings. Sacred study sits alongside sacred storytelling; both shape character, neither alone is enough.
BG 70.22
Once a certain person arrived in the assembly, O King, who had never been seen there before. The doorkeepers announced him to the Lord and then escorted him inside.
Essence. An unknown visitor was announced and escorted in. Even in a packed royal court, new voices were heard. Spiritual hospitality means making room for the unfamiliar.
BG 70.23
That person bowed down to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with joined palms he described to the Lord how a number of kings were suffering because Jarāsandha had imprisoned them.
Essence. With joined palms, the messenger described the kings imprisoned by Jarāsandha. Sometimes our duty is simply to carry someone else's plea before the Lord, faithfully and without distortion.
BG 70.24
Twenty thousand kings who had refused to submit absolutely to Jarāsandha during his world conquest had been forcibly imprisoned by him in the fortress named Girivraja.
Essence. Twenty thousand kings were locked up in Girivraja by Jarāsandha — destined for sacrifice. Worldly tyranny remains a fact; the suffering of many is sometimes the result of one tyrant's ambition.
BG 70.25
The kings said [as related through their messenger]: O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O immeasurable Soul, destroyer of fear for those surrendered to You! Despite our separatist attitude, we have come to You for shelter out of fear of material existence.
Essence. The kings prayed, 'Despite our separatist attitude, we have come to You for shelter out of fear.' Surrender often begins after we have exhausted the alternatives — and the Lord still welcomes it.
BG 70.26
People in this world are always engaged in sinful activities and are thus bewildered about their real duty, which is to worship You according to Your commandments. This activity would truly bring them good fortune. Let us offer our obeisances unto the all-powerful Lord, who appears as time and suddenly cuts down one’s stubborn hope for a long life in this world.
Essence. People bewildered by sin neglect the simple duty — worshiping the Lord according to His commands. The instruction is plain; the difficulty lies in our reluctance, not in obscurity of the path.
BG 70.27
You are the predominating Lord of the universe and have descended into this world with Your personal power to protect the saintly and suppress the wicked. We cannot understand, O Lord, how anyone can transgress Your law and still continue to enjoy the fruits of his work.
Essence. The kings wondered how anyone could transgress the Lord's law and still seem to flourish. The apparent prosperity of the unjust is one of the oldest spiritual puzzles; faith holds that the picture is not yet complete.
BG 70.28
O Lord, with this corpselike body, always full of fear, we bear the burden of the relative happiness of kings, which is just like a dream. Thus we have rejected the real happiness of the soul, which comes by rendering selfless service to You. Being so very wretched, we simply suffer in this life under the spell of Your illusory energy.
Essence. The kings admitted that their 'happiness' as kings was corpselike and dreamlike, exchanging the eternal happiness of the soul for a temporary throne. Pause to ask: what dream am I currently mistaking for happiness?
BG 70.29
Therefore, since Your feet relieve the sorrow of those who surrender to them, please release us prisoners from the shackles of karma, manifest as the King of Magadha. Wielding alone the prowess of ten thousand maddened elephants, he has locked us up in his house just as a lion captures sheep.
Essence. 'Please release us prisoners from the shackles of karma, manifest as the King of Magadha.' The kings saw Jarāsandha as karma made personal. When freedom is impossible by our own power, prayer is the right answer.
BG 70.30
O wielder of the disc! Your strength is unlimited, and thus seventeen times You crushed Jarāsandha in battle. But then, absorbed in human affairs, You allowed him to defeat You once. Now he is so filled with pride that he dares to torment us, Your subjects. O unconquerable one, please rectify this situation.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa had crushed Jarāsandha seventeen times, then allowed him to win once while 'absorbed in human affairs.' Even the Lord's apparent defeats are intentional; we cannot read divine score-keeping by mortal scoreboards.
BG 70.31
The messenger continued: This is the message of the kings imprisoned by Jarāsandha, who all hanker for Your audience, having surrendered to Your feet. Please bestow good fortune on these poor souls.
Essence. The messenger ended with the simple request: please bestow good fortune on these poor souls who have surrendered to Your feet. Real intercession is short, clear, and pointed.
BG 70.32
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the kings’ messenger had thus spoken, the sage of the demigods, Nārada, suddenly appeared. Bearing a mass of golden matted locks on his head, the supremely effulgent sage entered like the brilliant sun.
Essence. Nārada appeared, golden-matted, brilliant as the sun. Saints arrive at decisive moments to assist the Lord's plans. Their timing is rarely coincidence.
BG 70.33
Lord Kṛṣṇa is the worshipable master of even planetary rulers like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, yet as soon as He saw that Nārada Muni had arrived, He joyfully stood up along with His ministers and secretaries to receive the great sage and offer His respectful obeisances by bowing His head.
Essence. Worshipable even to Brahmā and Śiva, Kṛṣṇa joyfully stood up to receive Nārada and bowed His head. Honor flows upward and downward in the Lord's house; greatness includes the readiness to bow.
BG 70.34
After Nārada had accepted the seat offered to him, Lord Kṛṣṇa honored the sage according to scriptural injunctions and, gratifying him with His reverence, spoke the following truthful and pleasing words.
Essence. After offering Nārada a seat and worshiping him by scriptural injunction, Kṛṣṇa spoke truthful and pleasing words. Truth and sweetness can travel together; we don't have to choose between honesty and warmth.
BG 70.35
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] It is certain that today the three worlds have attained freedom from all fear, for that is the influence of such a great personality as you, who travel at will throughout all the worlds.
Essence. 'Today the three worlds have attained freedom from fear because you have come.' A great saint's presence is genuinely protective; spiritually aware company changes the atmosphere.
BG 70.36
There is nothing unknown to you within God’s creation. Therefore please tell Us what the Pāṇḍavas intend to do.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa asked Nārada about the Pāṇḍavas' intentions — even though He knew. The Lord engages with conversation as a real exchange; He does not skip the relationship because He already has the answer.
BG 70.37
Śrī Nārada said: I have seen many times the insurmountable power of Your Māyā, O almighty one, by which You bewilder even the creator of the universe, Brahmā. O all-encompassing Lord, it does not surprise me that You disguise Yourself by Your own energies while moving among the created beings, as a fire covers its own light with smoke.
Essence. Nārada acknowledged the Lord's Māyā, which bewilders even Brahmā, like fire covered by smoke. Even when the Lord disguises Himself, those with eyes to see still see — and are not surprised by the disguise.
BG 70.38
Who can properly understand Your purpose? With Your material energy You expand and also withdraw this creation, which thus appears to have substantial existence. Obeisances to You, whose transcendental position is inconceivable.
Essence. 'Who can understand Your purpose? Obeisances to You, whose transcendental position is inconceivable.' Some humility is permanent; the Lord's plans will always exceed our framework. That's a relief, not a problem.
BG 70.39
The living being caught in the cycle of birth and death does not know how he can be delivered from the material body, which brings him so much trouble. But You, the Supreme Lord, descend to this world in various personal forms, and by performing Your pastimes You illumine the soul’s path with the blazing torch of Your fame. Therefore I surrender unto You.
Essence. The Lord descends and illumines the soul's path with the blazing torch of His fame. Without His descent, we have no map out of the cycle. Bhakti walks by the light Kṛṣṇa Himself provides.
BG 70.40
Nonetheless, O Supreme Truth playing the part of a human being, I shall tell You what Your devotee Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, the son of Your father’s sister, intends to do.
Essence. Nārada agreed to tell Kṛṣṇa what His devotee Yudhiṣṭhira intended. Even when the Lord knows, devotees still bring their plans before Him; the offering of one's plans is itself devotional.
BG 70.41
Desiring unrivaled sovereignty, King Yudhiṣṭhira intends to worship You with the greatest fire sacrifice, the Rājasūya. Please bless his endeavor.
Essence. Yudhiṣṭhira intended to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice and asked Kṛṣṇa's blessing. The great endeavor begins not with self-confidence but with seeking the Lord's blessing.
BG 70.42
O Lord, exalted demigods and glorious kings, eager to see You, will all come to that best of sacrifices.
Essence. Demigods and kings would come, eager to see Kṛṣṇa. Great sacrifices gather everyone — and the Lord at the center makes them worth gathering for. We attend events less for the program than for who will be there.
BG 70.43
O Lord, even outcastes are purified by hearing and chanting Your glories and meditating upon You, the Absolute Truth. What then to speak of those who see and touch You?
Essence. 'Even outcastes are purified by hearing and chanting Your glories; what then to speak of those who see and touch You?' No level of distance from the Lord is too great for purification to begin.
BG 70.44
My dear Lord, You are the symbol of everything auspicious. Your transcendental name and fame is spread like a canopy all over the universe, including the higher, middle and lower planetary systems. The transcendental water that washes Your lotus feet is known in the higher planetary systems as the Mandākinī River, in the lower planetary systems as the Bhogavatī and in this earthly planetary system as the Ganges. This sacred, transcendental water flows throughout the entire universe, purifying wherever it goes.
Essence. The water that washed Kṛṣṇa's feet flows as Mandākinī above, Bhogavatī below, and the Ganges here — sheltering all worlds. The Lord's auspiciousness is not local; it canopies every region.
BG 70.45
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When His supporters, the Yādavas, objected to this proposal out of eagerness to defeat Jarāsandha, Lord Keśava turned to His servant Uddhava and, smiling, addressed him with fine words.
Essence. When the Yādavas pushed for defeating Jarāsandha first, Kṛṣṇa turned smiling to Uddhava and asked his counsel. Even the omniscient Lord welcomes the deliberation of trusted advisors. Decision is not always solo.
BG 70.46
The Personality of Godhead said: You are indeed Our best eye and closest friend, for you know perfectly the relative value of various kinds of counsel. Therefore please tell Us what should be done in this situation. We trust your judgment and shall do as you say.
Essence. 'You are Our best eye and closest friend, for you know perfectly the relative value of various counsels.' The Lord names Uddhava's specific gift before asking his opinion; recognition precedes request.
BG 70.47
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus requested by his master, who, though omniscient, acted as if perplexed, Uddhava took this order upon his head and replied as follows.
Essence. Uddhava took the Lord's order on his head — receiving the request as itself an honor. To be asked for one's view by the omniscient is a grace; the receiver bows before answering.