FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 18.75

వ్యాసప్రసాదాచ్ఛ్రుతవానేతద్‍గుహ్యమహం పరమ్ । యోగం యోగేశ్వరాత్కృష్ణాత్సాక్షాత్కథయత: స్వయమ్ ॥ ౭౫ ॥
vyāsa-prasādāc chrutavān
[vyaasa-prasaadaach chrutavaan]
etad guhyam ahaṁ param
[etad guhyam aham param]
yogaṁ yogeśvarāt kṛṣṇāt
[yogam yogeshvaraat krishnaat]
sākṣāt kathayataḥ svayam
[saakshaat kathayatah svayam]
Word-for-word
vyāsa - prasādāt — by the mercy of Vyāsadeva śrutavān — have heard etat — this guhyam — confidential aham — I param — the supreme yogam — mysticism yoga - īśvarāt — from the master of all mysticism kṛṣṇāt — from Kṛṣṇa sākṣāt — directly kathayataḥ — speaking svayam — personally .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vyāsa-prasādāc chrutavān
vyāsa - prasādāt
by the mercy of Vyāsadeva
śrutavān
have heard
etad guhyam ahaṁ param
etat
this
guhyam
confidential
aham
I
param
the supreme
yogaṁ yogeśvarāt kṛṣṇāt
yogam
mysticism
yoga - īśvarāt
from the master of all mysticism
kṛṣṇāt
from Kṛṣṇa
sākṣāt kathayataḥ svayam
sākṣāt
directly
kathayataḥ
speaking
svayam
personally .
Important Words
  • vyāsa-prasādāt — by Vyāsa's mercy
    Ablative compound. Sañjaya names his source. Vyāsa's mercy is what enabled his divya-cakṣus — the divine vision by which he overheard a distant battlefield conversation.
  • guhyam — confidential
    Adjective. Sañjaya rates the teaching as confidential — echoing Kṛṣṇa's own guhya-tamam. He is in agreement with the Lord on the teaching's stature.
  • yogam — mysticism
    The Gītā is here called simply *yoga* — the supreme method. The whole text has been a synthesis of various yogas (karma, jñāna, dhyāna, bhakti); Sañjaya names them in their unified form.
  • yoga - īśvarāt — from the master of all mysticism
    Compound ablative. Yoga-īśvara — Lord of yoga, the title that will close the Gītā in verse 78. Sañjaya identifies Kṛṣṇa precisely in the title that holds all the yogas together.
  • sākṣāt — directly
    Adverb — face to face. With svayam (by Himself), Sañjaya stresses that the teaching was not relayed through intermediaries. He overheard the Lord *himself* speaking *in person*.
By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard these most confidential talks directly from the master of all mysticism, Kṛṣṇa, who was speaking personally to Arjuna.
Purport

Vyāsa was the spiritual master of Sañjaya, and Sañjaya admits that it was by Vyāsa’s mercy that he could understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that one has to understand Kṛṣṇa not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transparent medium, although it is true that the experience is still direct. This is the mystery of the disciplic succession. When the spiritual master is bona fide, then one can hear Bhagavad-gītā directly, as Arjuna heard it. There are many mystics and yogīs all over the world, but Kṛṣṇa is the master of all yoga systems. Kṛṣṇa’s instruction is explicitly stated in Bhagavad-gītā – surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. One who does so is the topmost yogī. This is confirmed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Yoginām api sarveṣām. Nārada is the direct disciple of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master of Vyāsa. Therefore Vyāsa is as bona fide as Arjuna because he comes in the disciplic succession, and Sañjaya is the direct disciple of Vyāsa. Therefore by the grace of Vyāsa, Sañjaya’s senses were purified, and he could see and hear Kṛṣṇa directly. One who directly hears Kṛṣṇa can understand this confidential knowledge. If one does not come to the disciplic succession, he cannot hear Kṛṣṇa; therefore his knowledge is always imperfect, at least as far as understanding Bhagavad-gītā is concerned. In Bhagavad-gītā, all the yoga systems – karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga – are explained. Kṛṣṇa is the master of all such mysticism. It is to be understood, however, that as Arjuna was fortunate enough to understand Kṛṣṇa directly, so, by the grace of Vyāsa, Sañjaya was also able to hear Kṛṣṇa directly. Actually there is no difference between hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa and hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa via a bona fide spiritual master like Vyāsa. The spiritual master is the representative of Vyāsadeva also. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, on the birthday of the spiritual master the disciples conduct the ceremony called Vyāsa-pūjā.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
75. By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard this supreme secret of bhakti-yoga, directly from the master of yoga Kṛṣṇa while He personally spoke it.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
75. By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard this supreme secret of bhakti yoga, directly from the master who is related to all living entities, Kṛṣṇa, while He personally spoke it.
Commentary

In this verse Saṣjaya speaks of his own qualification for hearing the conversation that just took place. By the mercy of Vyāsa, attaining a form with transcendental eyes and ears given by him, I have heard this secret. What is this secret? It is the yoga—karma yoga, jṣāna yoga and bhakti yoga—which manifests the supreme entity (param). I have heard it from the controller (īśvāra) of all beings, who has a natural fellowship with all living entities such as devas and men (yoga). I have heard it from the original form (svayam), Kṛṣṇa, from His own mouth as He spoke it (kathayataḥ), not from another person indirectly. Saṣjaya celebrates his own good fortune.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Sanjaya acknowledges the mercy of Vyasa, by whose mercy he could hear the master of mysticism,

Krishna

Focus of Learning

(a) Import of this verse

One has to understand Krishna not directly, but through the medium of the spiritual master
Spiritual master is the transparent via medium and experience is still direct

(b) Krishna as the master of all mysticism

Many mystics and yogis are there all over the world, but Krishna is the master of all yoga systems
Topmost yogi according to Krishna’s instruction: one who surrenders unto Krishna (Bg. 6.47)

(c) Vyasadeva is as bona-fide as Arjuna

Because he comes in the disciplic succession and Sanjaya is the direct disciple of Vyasa
Vyasa is a disciple of Narada Muni who is a direct disciple of Krishna

(d) Sanjaya could see and hear Krishna directly because

He is a direct disciple of Vyasa
Also senses are purified, by the grace of Vyasa

(e) Disciplic succession is must

Without disciplic succession one cannot hear Krishna and his knowledge (especially regarding Bhagavad-gita) is always imperfect

(f) Spiritual master is the representative of Vyasadeva

Therefore birthday of spiritual master is celebrated as Vyasa-puja

(a) What was so wonderful about the message

Supreme Personality of Godhead was speaking about Himself and His energies to the living entity, Arjuna (a great devotee of the Lord)
Important conversation between two great souls had never taken place before and would not take place again

(b) How to make our life happy and successful

Follow in the footsteps of Arjuna to understand Krishna
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.75 And vyasa-prasadat, through the favour of Vyasa, by having received divine vision from him; aham, I; srutvan, heard; etat [The Commentator uses etam in the masculine gender, in place of etat in the text, because it refers to the masculine word samvada.] (should rather be etam), this; guhyam, secret dialogue, such as it is; concerning the param, supreme; Yogam, Yoga-or, this dialogue itself is the Yoga because it is meant for it-; krsnat, from Krsna; yogeswarat, from the Lord of yogas; kathayatah, while He was speaking; svayam, Himself; saksat, actually; not indirectly through others.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.75 By the grace of Vyasa i.e., by the benefit of the divine sense of perception, granted by him, I have heard this supreme mystery called Yoga from Sri Krsna himself - Sri Krsna who is the treasure-house of knowledge, strength, sovereignty, valour, power and brilliance.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.75 See Comment under 18.78
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.75 Through the grace of Vyasa I have heard this supreme and most secret Yoga direct from Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, Himself declaring it.
Commentary

18.75 व्यासप्रसादात् through the grace of Vyasa? श्रुतवान् have heard? एतत् this? गुह्यम् secret? अहम् I? परम् supreme? योगम् Yoga? योगेश्वरात् from the Lord of Yoga? कृष्णात् from Krishna? साक्षात् directly? कथयतः declaring? स्वयम् Himself.Commentary Through the grace of Vyasa By obtaining the divine eye from him.Yoga This dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna? I have heard it direct from Him. This dialogue is called Yoga because it treats of Yoga and it leads to the attainment of union with the Lord.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.75 Through the favour of Vyasa I heard this secret concerning the supreme Yoga from Krsna, the Lord of yogas, while He Himself was actually speaking!
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.75 Through the blessing of the sage Vyasa, I listened to this secret and noble science from the lips of its Master, the Lord Shri Krishna.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Prema (Divine Love)
Related verses
BG 10.13 BG 15.15 BG 11.8 SB 1.4.25 SB 1.3.21 SB 12.13.1 CC Ādi 1.91 CC Madhya 25.96 CC Madhya 24.320 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.13Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
By the mercy of Vyāsa, I have heard this most secret talk directly from the master of all mysticism.
Practical Applications
  • Honor Vyāsa's mercy in transmitting the conversation.
  • Recognize that you receive through a chain of grace.
  • Don't take transmission for granted.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose mercy am I receiving the Gītā through?
  • What gratitude is appropriate?
Analogy

A messenger who has been gifted not merely the king's words but a window through which to hear them directly. Sañjaya was granted divine vision by Vyāsa precisely so that he could relay this exchange — and he honors the gift by attributing it to its source.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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