Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that "If you act and follow in the footprints of the previous ācāryas and previous great devotees and kings who have done in their lives karma-yoga, acting for Kṛṣṇa, if you follow that principle, then you shall also become free from the reaction of activities." Because Arjuna was very much afraid for being entangled in the reaction of his fighting, Kṛṣṇa therefore assures that "You shall not be... If you follow, if you act, if you fight for My sake, then you will not be entangled by the reaction of karma." Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti,
- kiṁ karma kim akarmeti
- kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ
- tat te karma pravakṣyāmi
- yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt
Now, people are misled what is karma, what is actually work, and what is not work, akarma. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'pi. Kavayaḥ means great sages, great saintly persons, great philosophers. They are also sometimes bewildered to understand what class of activities are genuine and what class of activities are nongenuine. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "I shall teach you what are genuine activities and what are nongenuine activities." Tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase aśubhāt. Yaj jñātvā: "If you understand the principle of working, then you shall get free from the bondage, material bondage."
We have to work in such a way that we may, may not be entangled with this material body. Otherwise, as we have explained, this body is our material bondage, and it is the result of our activities. So we have to perform our activities so nicely and so cautiously so that I may not be entangled, I may be free even in this life, and tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). I can, after leaving this present body, I'll have no more to come into this material world.
This science is being taught by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. And the whole activity, the whole activity is that if we engage ourself, as we find it in the Eleventh Chapter, last verse,
- mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo
- mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ
- nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu
- yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
Now, this one verse is sufficient to teach the essence of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, that "Anyone who is engaged in My work, in My work," mat-karma-kṛt... Then what is that "My work"? That "My work" is explained in the last word, I mean, the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Arjuna is taught—and with the example of Arjuna, everyone of us is taught—that we have to work only which is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).
That is the... That is the mission of human life. But we do not know that. We do not know that. And because we do not know that, we engage ourself with so many work which is concerned with the bodily or material conception of life. So mat-karma-kṛt. So one has to do what Kṛṣṇa desires. Just like Arjuna did. Kṛṣṇa desired that he should fight. Arjuna did not like to fight, but because Kṛṣṇa desired, he accepted to fight. This is Kṛṣṇa's work. That we have to select.
Now, what is the work at the present moment for us, Kṛṣṇa's work? Kṛṣṇa is not present now to dictate that "This is My work." Just like Arjuna was fortunate enough. He was personally present before Arjuna. Lord Kṛṣṇa was personally present, and He was directing. But that does not mean that we have no direction. We have direction. We have direction. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that anyone who preaches the gospel of Bhagavad-gītā to the people of the world, he is the most dear, the dearest person in the world to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa accepts him, the dearest person. So therefore our duty is to preach the principles of this Bhagavad-gītā, to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious. People are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore each and every one of us should be engaged in the preaching work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the benefit of the whole world.
Lord Caitanya, whose picture you see in the front of our this store, Lord Caitanya very nicely preached this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
- āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
- (CC Madhya 7.128)
The Lord says, āmāra ājñāya. Because He came with this mission, to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so He says, "Just take My order, and all of you, you become the spiritual master." Guru hañā. Anyone who teaches people Kṛṣṇa consciousness, never mind what, what he is and where he is, he should be understood the spiritual master. So Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya gives order to everyone that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Every country, every, I mean to say, province, you go everywhere and just preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
- yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
- āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
- (CC Madhya 7.128)
Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa means this Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction given by Kṛṣṇa. That is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. And kṛṣṇa-upadeśa is also Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of instructions by which one can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, we receive the instruction how we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So Lord Caitanya selects these very two particular books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, and He asks everyone, in any part of the world, to take up this matter very seriously and preach in the world. That is the direct order of Kṛṣṇa.
So if we take up this missionary work, to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation and without any motive behind it, as it is, as Kṛṣṇa said... We should present as it is. People misrepresent Bhagavad-gītā by their own interpretation. That should not be done. Bhagavad-gītā as it is should be presented before the people of the world. They are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as soon as they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, their life becomes happy. So this is the mission of this society, International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
As Kṛṣṇa advises, saṅga-varjitaḥ: "You should not have any attraction or any attachment for these worldly activities." If you have got attachment or attraction for these material activities, then you cannot have Kṛṣṇa, you cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. But that does not mean you should be inimical to the people of the world. No. It is your duty to give them the highest instruction, spiritual instruction, that "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious." And try your best, try your best.