Prabhupada 0962 - We Take God as Concrete Fact
720000 - Lecture BG Introduction - Los Angeles
So, I shall speak on Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. The purpose of saying Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, explain, that there are many editions of the Bhagavad-gītā. They are interpreted in their own way, giving up the spirit of Bhagavad-gītā. So this particular name, 'As It Is' significant, perhaps there is no other edition of Bhagavad-gītā where it is written 'as it is.' In this connection, Professor Dimock of Chicago University has written a foreword, and he very much appreciates the theme. He says, "Swami Bhaktivedanta comments upon the Gita from this point of view, and that is legitimate." He accepts that Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is legitimate presentation of the great book of knowledge. He also says, "More than that, in this translation the Western reader has the unique opportunity of seeing how a Kṛṣṇa devotee interprets his own texts." So, about Kṛṣṇa... The devotees actually can interpret about Kṛṣṇa, book. Others, if they are not devotee, how they can interpret on Kṛṣṇa? Just like a member of a family can say very nicely about the head of the family; how outsiders can say about the family? That is not possible. Similarly, about Kṛṣṇa, a Kṛṣṇa devotee can speak nicely. Not others. Others have no right to speak about Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa also, admits Arjuna as the right student of Bhagavad-gītā. In the beginning, Kṛṣṇa says that, "I have selected you as my student because you are my friend and you are my devotee." So, in other words, we can understand that Bhagavad-gītā can be understood, who has intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This is, Kṛṣṇa says, "You are my dear friend." That he has intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Without becoming a devotee, nobody can be intimately related with Kṛṣṇa. These are the factors to be understood.
So, this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. The science of understanding God is there in this Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Everything has got some science, scientific book, to understand that particular subject matter. Similarly, there are different types of concepts of God. Generally, they take it as an idea but we don't take it as idea. We take God as concrete fact. Just like you are seeing me, I am seeing you. This is concrete fact. Similarly, a God can be seen by you, and God is already seeing you. There is no doubt about it. But you can see also God. That process we have to understand, how to see God. That process is mentioned in all the Vedic scriptures. That is called bhakti-yoga, that process. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If anyone wants to know Kṛṣṇa, what he is, then one has to accept the process of bhakti-yoga. There are different types of yogas. Yoga means linking oneself with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So, speculating yoga will not help us. You have to take concrete yoga. Concrete yoga is Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.