Commentary introduction to Chapter 4

To-day it looks as though the sense of hearing is blessed with the vision of the glory of a new dawn. Verily, before it is laid open the treasure of the Gita, and thus what was held to be a mere dream, has come to be a fact and a reality. First and foremost, spiritual vision is the theme of this dialogue; moreover the supreme person Lord Krishna reveals it, and Arjuna, the prince among his great devotees, listens to it. So the telling of this wonderful story becomes an eternal joy—a consummation as perfect as the fifth note suffused with sweet fragrance, or fragrance itself becoming sweet! Oh, what an extremely magnificent and happy dispensation of good fortune—the Divine Ganges is made to overflow with nectar! And the past meritorious deeds and penances of hearers have come to bear fruit! Now, may all sense-faculties meet in the house of hearing, merging themselves in the sense of hearing, and be regaled with the extraordinary feast of this Gita dialogue. Enough of this loose talk and digression, says the master, begin the narrative straight-away.

As Lord Krishna and Arjuna were having a talk, Samjaya said to the King Dhritarashtra, “Arjuna has indeed been blessed with the pure gift of spiritual qualities, since Lord Krishna, with great affection, is talking to him. That Secret truth was not revealed to his father Vasudeva, nor to his mother Devaki, nor to his brother Balarama. He reserves it for Arjuna. Partha monopolised the entire love of Lord Krishna, which could not be won even by Goddess Lakshmi, (so close to Him). Even Sanaka and others, who were devoutly wishing for it for ages, could not bear fruit in the measure of Partha. The affection of the Lord of the Universe towards Arjuna is really incomparable. So vast is Arjuna’s merit! The formless Lord, assumed a form and appeared as an incarnation for him. To me both of them appear to be one and the same thing in essence. Normally, He is inaccessible to the vision of even Yogins, or incomprehensible even to the Vedas, and out of the reach of the vision of concentrated meditation. That Lord Krishna who is Absolute Self, being without a beginning, and unmoved mover has become so kind and merciful towards Arjuna. In truth the entire fabric of the universe is enfolded in the person of Lord Krishna. For he is, in essence, beyond the utter extremities of the formed world—yet assuming a finite bodily form for the love of Arjuna.