Chapter 31 · 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 31.1
The great saint Maitreya continued: After that, the Pracetās lived at home for thousands of years and developed perfect knowledge in spiritual consciousness. At last they remembered the blessings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and left home, putting their wife in charge of a perfect son.
Essence. After thousands of years at home with perfect spiritual knowledge, the Pracetās remembered the Lord's blessings and left, putting their wife in charge of a son. Long householder life ends rightly by remembering the original promise; transitions are planned, not abandoned.
BG 31.2
The Pracetās went to the seashore in the west where the great liberated sage Jājali was residing. After perfecting the spiritual knowledge by which one becomes equal toward all living entities, the Pracetās became perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Essence. They went to the western seashore to Jājali; perfecting equal vision, they became perfect in Kṛṣṇa-consciousness. Right location + right practice + right teacher produces the result; all three must coincide.
BG 31.3
After practicing the yogāsana for mystic yoga, the Pracetās managed to control their life air, mind, words and external vision. Thus by the prāṇāyāma process they were completely relieved of material attachment. By remaining perpendicular, they could concentrate their minds on the uppermost Brahman. While they were practicing this prāṇāyāma, the great sage Nārada, who is worshiped both by demons and by demigods, came to see them.
Essence. Practicing yogāsana, prāṇāyāma, controlling life-air, mind, words, vision; standing perpendicular, fixing on Para Brahman. Specific technical practices yield specific transcendental results; the recipe is detailed.
BG 31.4
As soon as the Pracetās saw that the great sage Nārada had appeared, they immediately got up even from their āsanas. As required, they immediately offered obeisances and worshiped him, and when they saw that Nārada Muni was properly seated, they began to ask him questions.
Essence. Seeing Nārada arrive, they immediately got up from āsana, offered obeisances, worshiped him, then asked questions. Even mid-practice, the right teacher's arrival is the priority; you don't say 'wait for my session to end.'
BG 31.5
All the Pracetās began to address the great sage Nārada: O great sage, O brāhmaṇa, we hope you met with no disturbances while coming here. It is due to our great fortune that we are now able to see you. By the traveling of the sun, people are relieved from the fear of the darkness of night — a fear brought about by thieves and rogues. Similarly, your traveling is like the sun’s, for you drive away all kinds of fear.
Essence. We hope you had no disturbances coming; we're fortunate to see you; just as the sun's travel relieves darkness-fear. The teacher's arrival is itself a sun-rising; honor the moment with the right words.
BG 31.6
O master, may we inform you that because of our being overly attached to family affairs, we almost forgot the instructions we received from Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.
Essence. Because of family-attachment we almost forgot the instructions from Śiva and Viṣṇu. Honest confession: householder life corrodes even high instruction; renewal is needed.
BG 31.7
Dear master, kindly enlighten us in transcendental knowledge, which may act as a torchlight by which we may cross the dark nescience of material existence.
Essence. Kindly enlighten us in transcendental knowledge that becomes a torchlight to cross material darkness. The right request from a serious disciple: not material favors but the torchlight.
BG 31.8
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, being thus petitioned by the Pracetās, the supreme devotee Nārada, who is always absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, began to reply.
Essence. Always absorbed in the Lord, Nārada began to reply. The teacher's reply emerges from his own absorption; you receive transmission from whatever the teacher is actually full of.
BG 31.9
The great sage Nārada said: When a living entity is born to engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller, his birth, all his fruitive activities, his life span, his mind and his words are all factually perfect.
Essence. When a person is born to engage in devotional service, his birth, actions, lifespan, mind and words are all perfect. Right purpose retroactively makes the whole life perfect; everything counts.
BG 31.10
A civilized human being has three kinds of births. The first birth is by a pure father and mother, and this birth is called birth by semen. The next birth takes place when one is initiated by the spiritual master, and this birth is called sāvitra. The third birth, called yājñika, takes place when one is given the opportunity to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Despite the opportunities for attaining such births, even if one gets the life span of a demigod, if one does not actually engage in the service of the Lord, everything is useless. Similarly, one’s activities may be mundane or spiritual, but they are useless if they are not meant for satisfying the Lord.
Essence. Three births: by parents (śaukra), by initiation (sāvitra), by performing yajña (yājñika). Animals only have the first; humans can have all three.
BG 31.11
Without devotional service, what is the meaning of severe austerities, the process of hearing, the power of speech, the power of mental speculation, elevated intelligence, strength, and the power of the senses?
Essence. Without devotional service, what's the use of austerity, hearing, speech, intelligence, strength, or sense-power? The instruments are valuable only when aimed at the right target; aimless capacity is wasted.
BG 31.12
Transcendental practices that do not ultimately help one realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead are useless, be they mystic yoga practices, the analytical study of matter, severe austerity, the acceptance of sannyāsa, or the study of Vedic literature. All these may be very important aspects of spiritual advancement, but unless one understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, all these processes are useless.
Essence. Transcendental practices that don't help one realize the Lord — yoga, sāṅkhya, austerity, sannyāsa, Vedic study — are useless. The instrumental test for any practice: does it actually deliver the Lord?
BG 31.13
Factually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original source of all self-realization. Consequently, the goal of all auspicious activities — karma, jñāna, yoga and bhakti — is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Essence. The Lord is the original source; the goal of all auspicious activities — karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti — is the Lord. All paths point to the same goal; only bhakti reaches without detour.
BG 31.14
As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.
Essence. Like watering the root energizes the whole tree, worshiping the Lord automatically satisfies demigods and all beings. Root-targeted action multiplies; branch-watering is laborious and inefficient.
BG 31.15
During the rainy season, water is generated from the sun, and in due course of time, during the summer season, the very same water is again absorbed by the sun. Similarly, all living entities, moving and inert, are generated from the earth, and again, after some time, they all return to the earth as dust. Similarly, everything emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in due course of time everything enters into Him again.
Essence. Water comes from sun in rainy season, returns to sun in summer; living entities come from earth, return to earth. Source-and-return is the structural pattern; nothing originates and dissolves randomly.
BG 31.16
Just as the sunshine is nondifferent from the sun, the cosmic manifestation is also nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality is therefore all-pervasive within this material creation. When the senses are active, they appear to be part and parcel of the body, but when the body is asleep, their activities are unmanifest. Similarly, the whole cosmic creation appears different and yet nondifferent from the Supreme Person.
Essence. Like sunshine isn't different from sun, cosmic manifestation isn't different from the Lord; senses appear part of body but actually emanate from one source. Acintya-bhedābheda: simultaneously one and different; the philosophical resolution is non-binary.
BG 31.17
My dear Kings, sometimes in the sky there are clouds, sometimes there is darkness, and sometimes there is illumination. The appearance of all these takes place consecutively. Similarly, in the Supreme Absolute, the modes of passion, darkness and goodness appear as consecutive energies. Sometimes they appear, and sometimes they disappear.
Essence. Clouds, darkness, illumination appear consecutively in the sky; modes of passion, ignorance, goodness appear in the Absolute. Modes are weather in the sky of the Absolute; recognize and don't take them as ultimate.
BG 31.18
Because the Supreme Lord is the cause of all causes, He is the Supersoul of all individual living entities, and He exists as both the remote and immediate cause. Since He is aloof from the material emanations, He is free from their interactions and is Lord of material nature. You should therefore engage in His devotional service, thinking yourself qualitatively one with Him.
Essence. The Lord is cause of causes, Supersoul of individuals, remote and immediate cause, free of interaction with material emanations. Multiple levels of causality, one Person; surrender resolves them all.
BG 31.19
By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other, and restricting the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janārdana.
Essence. Show mercy to all beings; be satisfied somehow; restrict senses — quickly satisfies Janārdana. Three simple practices; very practical, not technical.
BG 31.20
Being completely cleansed of all material desires, the devotees are freed from all mental contamination. Thus they can always think of the Lord constantly and address Him very feelingly. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing Himself to be controlled by His devotees, does not leave them for a second, just as the sky overhead never becomes invisible.
Essence. Cleansed of material desires, devotees think of the Lord constantly and address Him feelingly; He, knowing Himself controlled by devotees, doesn't leave them. The Lord is controllable by sincere devotion; this is structural, not sentimental.
BG 31.21
The Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very dear to those devotees who have no material possessions but are fully happy in possessing the devotional service of the Lord. Indeed, the Lord relishes the devotional activities of such devotees. Those who are puffed up with material education, wealth, aristocracy and fruitive activity are very proud of possessing material things, and they often deride the devotees. Even if such people offer the Lord worship, the Lord never accepts them.
Essence. The Lord becomes dear to devotees who have no material possessions but are full in devotional service; the puffed-up are not received. Poverty of possessions + richness in devotion = the recipe for being dear to Him.
BG 31.22
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient, He becomes dependent on His devotees. He does not care for the goddess of fortune, nor for the kings and demigods who are after the favors of the goddess of fortune. Where is that person who is actually grateful and will not worship the Personality of Godhead?
Essence. Though self-sufficient, He becomes dependent on devotees; doesn't care for Lakṣmī or favor-seeking kings. Where is one actually grateful and surrendered? The Lord seeks the grateful soul more than the soul seeks the Lord.
BG 31.23
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear King Vidura, Śrī Nārada Muni, the son of Lord Brahmā, thus described all these relationships with the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the Pracetās. Afterward, he returned to Brahmaloka.
Essence. Nārada described all these relationships to the Pracetās, then returned to Brahmaloka. The teaching ends and the teacher returns home; the student now lives with what was given.
BG 31.24
Hearing from Nārada’s mouth the glories of the Lord, which vanquish all the ill fortune of the world, the Pracetās also became attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Meditating on His lotus feet, they advanced to the ultimate destination.
Essence. Hearing the Lord's glories vanquishing ill fortune, they became attached to Him, meditated on His feet, and advanced to the ultimate destination. Hearing → attachment → meditation → arrival; the sequence works.
BG 31.25
My dear Vidura, I have told you everything you wanted to know about the conversation between Nārada and the Pracetās, the conversation describing the glories of the Lord. I have related this as far as possible.
Essence. I have told you everything you wanted to know about the conversation between Nārada and the Pracetās — as far as possible. The teacher's humility about completeness; even the best telling is partial.
BG 31.26
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O best of kings [King Parīkṣit], I have now finished telling about the descendants of the first son of Svāyambhuva Manu, Uttānapāda. I shall now try to relate the activities of the descendants of Priyavrata, the second son of Svāyambhuva Manu. Please hear them attentively.
Essence. Now I'll relate the descendants of Priyavrata, second son of Svāyambhuva Manu. The narrative continues with a new lineage; one story closing opens another.
BG 31.27
Although Mahārāja Priyavrata received instructions from the great sage Nārada, he still engaged in ruling the earth. After fully enjoying material possessions, he divided his property among his sons. He then attained a position by which he could return home, back to Godhead.
Essence. Priyavrata received instructions from Nārada but still ruled the earth; after enjoying possessions he divided property among sons and attained going home. The mature ruler hears the teaching, completes the role, then exits cleanly.
BG 31.28
My dear King, in this way, after hearing the transcendental messages of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees from the great sage Maitreya, Vidura was overwhelmed with ecstasy. With tears in his eyes, he immediately fell down at the lotus feet of his guru, his spiritual master. He then fixed the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the core of his heart.
Essence. Hearing the transcendental messages, Vidura was overwhelmed with ecstasy; with tears he fell at Maitreya's lotus feet. Right hearing produces tears and falling-at-feet; that's the bodily signature of real reception.
BG 31.29
Śrī Vidura said: O great mystic, O greatest of all devotees, by your causeless mercy I have been shown the path of liberation from this world of darkness. By following this path, a person liberated from the material world can return home, back to Godhead.
Essence. By your causeless mercy I've been shown the path of liberation from darkness; one liberated can return home. Recognition that mercy was causeless makes the path itself sweeter; humility seasons the journey.
BG 31.30
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Vidura thus offered obeisances unto the great sage Maitreya and, taking his permission, started for the city of Hastināpura to see his own kinsmen, although he had no material desires.
Essence. Vidura offered obeisances and, with permission, started for Hastināpura to see his kinsmen — without material desire. The saint goes to family not to enjoy but to teach; presence with no neediness is its own gift.
BG 31.31
O King, those who hear these topics about kings who are completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead obtain without difficulty a long life, wealth, good reputation, good fortune and, ultimately, the opportunity to return home, back to Godhead.
Essence. Hearing about surrendered kings yields long life, wealth, reputation, fortune, and ultimately return home. The story-rich economy of devotion: hearing is itself the means to many ends, even worldly ones.