The Bhagavad-Gita, one of the most influential Scriptures of Vedic philosophy is a remarkable exploration of the human psyche.  Vedic Philosophy provides answers to all your unanswered questions i.e.,

• Why there is pain, mental distress and pleasure, peace, happiness and joy?
• Why there is rich and poor?
• Why there is healthy and sick?
• Why there is mental distress and suffering?
• What is the Divine and Demonic Natures?
• God – His qualities, nature and works?
• Soul – Its nature and qualities?
• Souls of humans and animals?
• Reincarnation – how does it happens, why one is born as he or she is?
• What is the purpose of Human life?
• What we ought to do?

If you are a thinker, curious, confused about the universe as a whole, if you have a strong desire to your questions answered, then you must seriously consider reading this philosophy. It will open your eyes, you will be able to differentiate from true to untrue, right from wrong, just from unjust, in other words “distinguish truth from illusion”, and you will be able to put together the puzzle of the whole universe.

This book is my humble and sincere effort to follow one instruction/order given by my Spiritual Master. Back in the early first years after 1966, he explained to one of his first disciples, that the Bhagavad-gita is actually pure Human Psychology, and that he should write such a book.  I heard this description from that disciple  in Vrindavan India in 1995, where he explained that he had no clue or idea on how he could write such a book, but after reading the books that my Godbrother Kundali Dasa had written and published in 1995, this disciple said, he should write it, because he was the most qualified to do so.  At that time, I was Kundali’s colleague (member of the JIVA’S project, to translate to English the works of the Six Goswamis’ of Vrindavana, and especially Srila Jiva’s Goswamis Sat-sandarbha), and assistant, and student as well.  I accepted Kundali as a Siksa-guru (instructing-guru).  It’s a long story, to be told elsewhere, but Kundali has disappeared.  So, this project has been on my mind for a long time, and it has kind of fell on my lap, so to speak.  I have been preparing for several decades to fulfill this instruction by Srila Prabhupada.

After finishing the First Chapter, I came to understand that it came out to be a book or 300 pages with 109,000 words (MS-Word Document).  Hence, I realized that this project will end up being a book for each chapter.  It took me two month to do the first chapter, so I estimate that I will be working on this project way past the year 2024.

While the book is for everyone; there are two persons who I want to sincerely and humbly dedicate this work to. 

Frist is my only son Jagajivan Bernal, who has the distinction of being named by Srila Prabhupada on June 9, 1976.  My son was born on June 5th, and I asked Prabhupada if he would name my son on June 6th, and he said “Yes”, and he did so 3 days later, 

,Second, for the past 13 years I still carry in my mind, constantly,  my oldest grandson inquiry that he posited to me in the month of December 2010, when I lived in the Himalayan Mountain Village of Naggar. I spent the next two years, writing a 1,000 plus page response, that had mixed results. Maybe, it was not what he was looking for.  However, in that regard, I am dedicating, this book, to him as well, and because he is my son’s son.  Only time will tell, if it finally gives him the answers to his inquiry.

Similar to my 1st grandson, I am also thinking that it could also be a similar inquiry, that many other young men and women may have in their minds.  His grandson’s name is David-jivan.  The following is what he wrote when he was about to graduate from high-school:

“Dear Grandpa! I’m at a spiritual crossroads of sorts at the moment, as I am becoming a man; I find it challenging to formulate into words the wonders of our universe.  I would love to hear any advice you have on finding one’s true self and discovering true meaning.”

 As it stands, this statement lacks specifics.  I used a Vedic scriptural reference regarding the meaning of words to interpret his statement.

“The meaning of a word is of three types–direct, implied and suggested.”

My grandson’s (David’s) statement was heave on implied and suggested meanings.  Therefore, I thought that it would be appropriate to rewrite his statement with direct meaning, which I posited to him and back then in 2012 he agreed with:

“I am going through the period of time in my life in which I am maturing into an adult; I am not a naive young boy anymore.  I have come to a point in my life were, to some degree, I have concerns regarding religion, the soul, God, and church.  Due to my limited abilities and resources; I find it difficult to express in systematic terms and concepts, the awe and astonishment that I have for the marvelous and sometime puzzling contents of intergalactic space, the earth, it’s inhabitants, all created things, and especially the human race.  I am enthusiastically open to receiving any opinions, information, and knowledge you have so that upon examination I  can reach conclusions regarding the factual, real, and eternal, nature of: The individuality of my soul, the Supreme Lord, the purpose and inter-relationships of everything that exists; In other words; Absolute and Eternal truths.”

Maybe this book, will this time, answer many of his concerns.

Vedic knowledge’s roots extend thousands of years into the past.  Vedas were originally a vocal tradition, but then were written in Sanskrit over 5000 years ago. Veda is a Sanskrit word from the root, vid, meaning “to know”.  Thus, Veda means “knowledge” or “wisdom”.  They contain the fundamental knowledge relating to the underlying cause of, function of, and personal response to “existence”.

The compiler of the Vedic literature, Srila Vyasadeva, divided the Vedic knowledge into various departments of material and spiritual knowledge, entrusting his disciples with particular sections. In this way, the scriptures developed into the Four Vedas, the Vedanta Sutras, 108 main Upanishads, the great Mahabharat which includes the Bhagavad-gita, and the 18 major Puranas, among other texts. Of the Puranas, the Bhagavat Purana or Srimad-Bhagavatam is described as the most ripened fruit of all Vedic literature.

Vyasadeva (Vyasa)-the literary incarnation of God, and the greatest philosopher of ancient times. The son of Parasara, and the compiler of the original Vedic scriptures, including the eighteen Puranas, Vedanta-sutra, the Mahabharata, and the Upanisads. He played a very important part in guiding the Pandavas during crucial times. He gave the vision of the battle of Kuruksetra to Sanjaya so that he could relate it to Dhrtarastra. He is still living in this world (somewhere in the Himalayan mountains); Vyasa is the empowered (saktyavesa-)avatara of God who rendered the Vedic sabda into written texts some 5000 years ago. He is also known as Vedavyasa, Badarayana and Dvaipayana.

The process of spiritual development described in the Vedic literature is one of a gradual process of God-realization and love of God. This wisdom has been carefully preserved and passed down through the centuries through the vehicle of the disciplic succession of self-realized teachers.

This ancient spiritual wisdom is now again being presented in the West through the books by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, known as Srila Prabhupada.  Unfortunately, the institution (ISKCON), he founded in 1966, was literally hi-jacked by 11 un-scrupulous disciples within weeks of his departure from this mortal world.  Moreover, in the following decades, they ignored his “Direction of Management” Letter, abandoned his Incorporations of ISKCON Temples in all nations of this Planet Earth, and they created a new corporation in India, “The GBC of West Bengal). 

And to add insult to injury, Srila Prabhupada’s Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) that was created in the USA, was abandoned, and they created a new Trust in Sweden, the “Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International” (BBTI) in order to take over the management of the proceed of sales of Srila Prabhupada books. 

Moreover, the most serious corrupt actions, was that they instituted a guru-system that is not authorized, and not according to the “Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya”—the Bengal Vaisanava sect founded by Caitanya Maha-prabhu in the late fifteenth century. Lord Caitanya’s immediate disciples, the six Gosvamis, initiated the resurrection of Vrndavana; and  Siddhanta—Essential conclusion.  Srila Prabhupada himself called it “Rubber-Stamping”, and he wrote and spoke of his opposition to such a system.

The internet has an enormous amount of documentation, regarding this corruption, and transgressions; which can easily be labeled with adverbs, like “wicket”, and “evil”..

The Website Saragrahi.Org has more information in regards to ISKCON no longer following Srila Prabhupada instructions on how his institution should be managed, and what is the qualification for a guru (spiritual master).  Moreover, there is a featured presentation, (A Treatise, “Moving Forward”, that makes a case for the Reconstitution of Srila Prabhupada’s Missions).  And in addition, you will also find all of Srila Prabhupada’s books in various audio formats, which you can listen to on-line, or download, for free, so you can listen to them at your convenience.

I advocate, am a supporter, and a promoter, that all the written and spoken works of Srila Prabhupada, are the property of his disciples, and it behooves them, to distribute these works, FOR FREE, by any means, for the benefit for humanity at large; and if the disciple has a need for Maintenance Funds, the disciple can accept anything in return.

At the Website Krishnapath.Org.  You can read and listen to on-line, or download, FOR-FREE, in various formats (text and audio), all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. (If you take advantage of this, it is understood, that if you feel you get some personal value to your life from this free service, it would be noble, to give a donation that is based on your ability to give, and the extent of your appreciation for this service, and the value you received. See the Website for details.)

Upendranath Dasa 8/10/2023