Verse 18.68

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.68:

य इमं परमं गुह्यं मद्-भक्तेष्व् अभिधास्यति ।
भक्तिं मयि परां कृत्वा माम् एवैष्यत्य् असंशयः ॥ ६८ ॥

ya imaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati |
bhaktiṃ mayi parāṃ kṛtvā mām evaiṣyaty asaṃśayaḥ || 68 ||

yaḥ–who; imam–this (Bhagavad-gītā); paramam–supremely; guhyam–confidential knowledge; mat-bhakteṣu–to My devotees; abhidhāsyati–will teach; bhaktim–devotional service; mayi–to Me; parām–the highest; kṛtvā–attaining; mām–to Me; eva eṣyati–will certainly attain; asaṃśayaḥ–becoming free from all doubts.

He who instructs this most confidential knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā to My devotees will attain the topmost transcendental devotion to Me. Thus becoming free from all doubts, he will finally attain Me.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

In two verses, the first starting with yaḥ, Śrī Bhagavān is describing the result attained by those who give instruction on this Bhagavad-gītā. “First, they attain transcendental devotion to Me, and later, they attain Me.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In this verse, Śrī Bhagavān is describing the symptoms and destination of the genuine preachers and hearers of the Gītā. While giving Arjuna the Gītā’s most confidential instruction (18.65), Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, “You are very dear to Me and that is why I am explaining this highly intimate truth to you.” In the previous verse, Kṛṣṇa also instructed Arjuna, “Give this knowledge of the Gītā only to one who is self-controlled, faithful, endowed with a service attitude and who possesses love for Me.”

It is therefore essential for anyone who preaches Bhagavad-gītā to have strong faith in Kṛṣṇa and be exclusively devoted to Him, to be fully conversant with tattva-jñāna and free from any doubts. If one who preaches the message of the Gītā knows it in theory but does not practise it, or if he is bereft of the above-mentioned qualities, then he is not bona fide. One must never hear the Gītā’s instructions from such a person, for by doing so, both the listener and the speaker will remain deprived of the Gītā’s actual knowledge.

Scripture describes the qualifications and the characteristics of a sincere listener. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava:

etair doṣair vihīnāya brahmaṇyāya priyāya ca
sādhave śucaye brūyād bhaktiḥ syāc chūdra-yoṣitām

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.29.31)

One should give these teachings to those who are free from the defects of false pride, atheism, wickedness, faithlessness and arrogance and who have bhakti. They should be dedicated to the welfare of the brāhmaṇas, strive for bhagavat-prema, possess a saintly nature and above all, they should be devotees. These instructions can also be given to a simple worker or to a woman who has faith in Me and bhakti to Me.

From this it is clear that one’s caste, creed, age, activities, etc., are not considerations in deciding who is fit to receive the knowledge of the Gītā. Anyone with the above-mentioned qualities is qualified to hear this Gītā. This principle is substantiated in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 22.64): “śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti adhikārī–a faithful person is a truly eligible candidate for bhakti.”

Śrī Kapiladeva has also said:

śraddadhānāya bhaktāya vinītāyānasūyave
bhūteṣu kṛta-maitrāya śuśrūṣābhiratāya ca
bahirjāta-virāgāya śānta-cittāya dīyate
nirmatsarāya śucaye yasyāham preyasāṃ priyaḥ

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.32.41–42)

Only narrate this to faithful, devout persons who are submissive, free from malice, well-wishing to all living entities, engaged in service, detached from external sense pleasures, peaceful, free from envy and whose only beloved is Me.

In essence, any person who has faith in Śrī Kṛṣṇa and devotion to Him is qualified to hear the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who impart the instructions of the Gītā to such qualified persons attain the topmost bhakti, and finally, without a doubt, they attain Kṛṣṇa. The qualified listeners also attain that supreme destination.