Bhagavad-gita cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the parampara system, acarya upasanam. One must worship the acarya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gita. Acaryavan puruso veda

Expressions researched:
"Bhagavad-gītā cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the paramparā system, ācārya upāsanam. One must worship the ācārya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gītā. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Bhagavad-gītā cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the paramparā system, ācārya upāsanam. One must worship the ācārya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gītā. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. This is the Vedic injunction. Who knows things as they are. Ācāryaṁ māṁ puruṣa, one who is under the guidance of ācārya. So you won't find this foolish nonviolence theory from any ācārya.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

So Arjuna was recognized by Lord Śiva, by King Indra and many others also. So Kṛṣṇa says that "You have got recognition from big personalities. So if you don't fight, then not only you should be irreligious, but also you'll lose your reputation." Tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi. Pāpam means sin or sinful reaction. So it has to be judged, when . . . sometimes fighting is pāpam, means sinful activity, and sometimes fighting is puṇyam, pious activities. It requires the time, circumstances, on what ground the fighting was going on, on whose order the fighting was going on. These are to be studied.

So violence and nonviolence. Our great leader, Mahatma Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence. He started the nonviolence movement, and he wanted to support . . . everyone takes advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and tries to support his view on the strength of Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore you will find so many interpretation. Everyone wants to utilize. There are more than six hundred publication, commentaries, on Bhagavad-gītā. One Dr. Rele in Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā as talks between a physician and a patient.

So these things are going on, but that is not Bhagavad-gītā. That is nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ (Padma Purāṇa, Brahma-khaṇḍa 25.16). Nāma-aparādha, ten kinds of offenses . . . this is offense. Just like nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. We say, the śāstra says, that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become cleansed of your sinful activities. That's a fact. But if somebody thinks that, "I shall go on committing sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra so it will be adjusted, neutralized," this is the most sinful activity. Nāmno balāt, by the strength of chanting, committing sin. So similarly, on the strength of Bhagavad-gītā if one wants to prove his foolish philosophy, that is a great offense. That's a great offense.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the paramparā system, ācārya upāsanam. One must worship the ācārya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gītā. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2)—this is the Vedic injunction—who knows things as they are. Ācāryaṁ māṁ puruṣa, one who is under the guidance of ācārya. So you won't find this foolish nonviolence theory from any ācārya. Many ācāryas have commented on Bhagavad-gītā—there is Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, even Śaṅkarācārya—but never said that Bhagavad-gītā is proof of nonviolence. Nonviolence is good, but when there is dharma-yuddha, righteous fighting, there is no question of nonviolence. Violence is approved.