In the Bhagavad-gītā . . . we are trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to preach Bhagavad-gītā. We have not invented something, but we are preaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. Therefore, because we are presenting pure Bhagavad-gītā, people are accepting it very quickly. Unfortunately, before this, in the Western countries there was so many translation of Bhagavad-gītā, but everyone's attempt is to make Kṛṣṇa minus Bhagavad-gītā. They are commenting Bhagavad-gītā without Kṛṣṇa; kingdom of God without God. That is their attempt. But we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is.
In the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. We are presenting in that way. We are presenting Kṛṣṇa in the Western world. When I first went there, the people were saying, "God is dead," exactly in the same way as in our country also. We have been misled by so-called leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. There is a statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
- durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
- andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
- te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
- (SB 7.5.31)
But actually we are misled by the so-called blind leaders. They have no vision what is the actual goal of life. Not only in a particular country; everywhere the same mischief is going on. Therefore, as a blind man, if he leads other blind men, there will be catastrophe, similarly, because we are led by blind men, the whole world is in catastrophe. Nobody is in peace. Everyone is unsatisfied in spite of so much material education, advancement of material education, because the missing point is Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).
So the Vedic literatures, the Vedic civilization, is pointing out to Viṣṇu. As you know in the Ṛg mantra, Ṛg Veda: tad viṣṇuṁ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Those who are actually intelligent, brāhmiṇs, they are looking after self-realization, making the target on the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. That is the missing point. In the Bhagavad-gītā we are taught by the Lord Himself to give us enlightenment, what is the aim of life. That aim of life the Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The ultimate target of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Bhagavad-gītā's teaching. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam.
- sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
- mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
- vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaṁ
- Vedānta-vid Vedānta-kṛd cāham
- (BG 15.15)
Unfortunately, we do not understand or do not try to understand or do not like to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. If we try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then we have to accept a certain prescribed process. Not that because one is very erudite scholar academically, because one has got some degrees of the university he will be able to understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not like that. Even a very layman, illiterate man, without any understanding of the Vedas, if he is a devotee, he can understand Bhagavad-gītā, whereas a person, very erudite scholar, with reputation, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā.
I shall cite one example when Lord Caitanya was traveling in the South India. When He was in the Raṅganātha temple of South India, one brāhmiṇ was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and his friends and neighbors knew that the brāhmiṇ was illiterate. He could not know even what is written there, but still he was trying to read Bhagavad-gītā. So some of his friends were criticizing him: "Hello, brāhmiṇ. How you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He knew that, "They are criticizing," so he remained silent.
But Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw that he was reading Bhagavad-gītā with transcendental ecstasy. He therefore approached him, "My dear brāhmiṇ, what you are reading?" The brāhmiṇ could understand that this gentleman, or this sannyāsī—Caitanya Mahāprabhu at that time was a sannyāsī—He was not joking; he was serious. So he informed Him, "My dear Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja asked me to Bhagavad-gītā . . . to read Bhagavad-gītā a few chapters daily, although he knew that I am illiterate. So I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I cannot actually read it."
But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: "But I sometimes see that you are in full ecstasy, and sometimes you are crying." He said: "Yes, Sir. I feel some ecstasy." "What is that?" He said that, "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand I feel that Kṛṣṇa is the chariot driver of Arjuna. So I feel that how Kṛṣṇa is kind, that He has accepted a menial service of His devotee.