By Shyamananda dasa
Srimad Bhagavad Gita being aimed at elevating souls on different levels of conditioning by the three modes of nature and with different spiritual proclivities gives instructions on different levels to ultimately bring them to the pure devotional platform. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his commentary on the Gita categorises the levels of knowledge into three basic levels – guhya, guhyatara and guhyatama meaning confidential, more confidential and most confidential. The same has been followed by all the succeeding acaryas including Srila Prabhupada. Although it is beyond the scope of this article to give a full explanation we will discuss a few salient features of this categorisation based on these three levels of knowledge and give a mention of a few related verses of the Gita that describe them.
The basis for this categorisation is the Lord’s declaration in the concluding verses –
“Thus I have given to you knowledge still more confidential than the confidential knowledge given before. Deliberate on this fully and then do as you wish to do. Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.”(B.G.18.63-64).
As explained by Srila Prabhupada guhya implies knowledge of the impersonal Brahman, guhyatara implies knowledge of the localised Paramatma and guhyatama implies knowledge of Supreme Personality of Godhead Bhagavan (14.27,18.61,7.7). Further, knowledge in connection with sambandha is guhya, abhidheya is guhyatara and prayojana is guhyatama (10.8,10.9,10.11). Knowledge of fruitive action in the first six chapters is guhya, empiric knowledge in the third six chapters is guhyatara and bhakti in the middle six chapters is guhyatama. Knowledge of entanglement in matter is guhya, how it works is guhyatara and how one is liberated from matter is guhyatama (7.27,14.3-19,14.26). Among the five primary subjects namely isvara, jiva, prakrti, kala and karma discussed in the Gita, knowledge of prakrti, kala and karma is guhya, knowledge of the jiva is guhyatara and knowledge of isvara is guhyatama (11.32,8.3,14.3,15.7,13.28). Knowledge regarding matter is guhya, regarding spirit is guhyatara and that regarding the controller of both is guhyatama(7.4, 2.30, 15.17-19). Knowledge regarding the divine and demoniac natures is guhya, knowledge of the spiritual nature is guhyatara and knowledge of the devotional nature is guhyatama (16.1-4,2.12-30,18.65). Knowledge of dualism is guhya, knowledge of purified monism, dualistic monism and qualified monism is guhyatara and knowledge of simultaneous dualism and monism is guhyatama (2.12,14.2,9.4-5) . Knowledge of dharma, artha and kama is guhya, knowledge of moksa is guhyatara and knowledge of bhakti is guhyatama(2.31,2.32,2.37,2.39,2.40). Knowledge of the external potency is guhya, knowledge of the marginal potency is guhyatara and knowledge of the internal potency is guhyatama (7.14,15.16,9.13). Knowledge of the rasas santa and dasya is guhya, sakhya and vatsalya is guhyatara and that of madhurya is guhyatama(11.44). Knowledge regarding Brahmajyoti is guhya, regarding Vaikuntha is guhyatara and regarding Goloka Vrindavana is guhyatama(2.46,15.6,18.66). Knowledge of His avataras as Rama, Narasimha, Varaha etc. are guhya, as Krishna is guhyatara and as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is guhyatama (4.5,10.8,4.8).
Thus we see that the Lord takes the reader of Bhagavad Gita gradually to the highest stage of transcendental realisation through the three above mentioned levels of divine revelation.
Thank you. Hare Krishna!
your servant,
Shyamananda dasa brahmacari
Dear prabhu, you write
“Thus we see that the Lord takes the reader of Bhagavad Gita gradually to the highest stage of transcendental realisation through the three above mentioned levels of divine revelation.”
That realisation of course depends very much upon the quality of reading. In other words, what is the quality of the bhakti/buddhi involved while reading? Just academically studying doesn’t bring anything but worldy fantasies.