Now, after describing this, Krishna will again come to the point of how this attainment of anamayam (2.51) is beyond even the Vedas. It is a reality that is actually richer and deeper than the reality discussed in the Vedas. “We have to go beyond the Vedas,” Krishna emphasizes. In verses 52 and 53, He will conclude this section.
BG 2.52
buddhir vyatitarishyati
SYNONYMS
yada — when; te — your; moha — of illusion; kalilam — dense forest; buddhih — transcendental service with intelligence; vyatitarishyati — surpasses; tada — at that time; ganta asi — you shall go; nirvedam — callousness; srotavyasya — toward all that is to be heard; srutasya — all that is already heard; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
The verse discusses the concept of the forest of illusion and the journey of intelligence beyond the forest of delusion, as explained by Krishna. It emphasizes that in the forest of illusion, not only individuals but also their intelligence becomes trapped, leading to uncertainty about the goal and the right path to follow. The intelligence remains ensnared in the forest of delusion, causing a lack of clarity regarding Sadhana (spiritual practice) and Sadhaya (spiritual goal).
According to Krishna’s teachings, when one’s intelligence transcends the dense forest of delusion (referred to as “kalilam”), they attain a state of indifference or transcendence (nirvedam). At that moment, one becomes indifferent to everything they have heard in the past and will hear in the future, as mentioned in the scriptures (srotavyasya srutasya). Krishna essentially states that through this transcendence, one can become free from the misery caused by false hopes. These false hopes include not only worldly sensual things but also promises of sensual and heavenly pleasures found in scriptures. These promises are present even in the Vedas, which have multiple levels of teachings. The Vedas also teach Karma-Kanda, which focuses on sense gratification and contains abundant promises of sensual pleasures, as highlighted in verses 2.33 and 2.34.
Krishna advises going beyond these promises and not getting entangled in them. He urges individuals to transcend these peripheral promises because they are overshadowed by a higher reality, richer happiness, and deeper fulfillment. The world constantly stimulates people’s desires for happiness through various objects like cell phones, houses, and cars. These promises are not limited to worldly advertisements but also appear in scriptures, particularly in the Karma-Kanda section. A Western scholar has even referred to the Rig Veda as the world’s most materialistic religious book due to its numerous promises of material pleasures. However, Krishna suggests that once one understands the existence of a higher reality and experiences deeper fulfillment, they should no longer be agitated by promises of pleasure, even if those pleasures are described in scriptures or relate to other realms (lokas).
Krishna’s message is to cultivate indifference towards everything one has heard and will hear, and through this transcendence, one can attain Yoga (union with the Divine). When the intelligence goes beyond the forest of delusion, it is no longer confused about which actions to take. The understanding dawns that the ultimate objective is to return to Krishna, and all that is required is to do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal. There is no need to do anything else. When individuals attain this understanding, they have gone beyond the forest of delusion.
In Kulashekhar Maharaj’s Prayers, which emphasize the importance of remembering Krishna in religious rituals and scriptural study. Without remembrance of Krishna, these practices become useless, similar to crying in a deserted forest where no one can hear-Aryanya Ruditam. This highlights that our intelligence is often lost in the forest of delusion, filled with doubts about the right course of action. Even if we engage in devotional service, it does not necessarily mean that we have fully emerged from the forest of delusion. We may still be in the process of trying to escape. Complete liberation occurs when we are no longer attracted by promises of material pleasure, whether they originate from this world or from heavenly realms (swarga loka).
Further, Srila Prabhupada has mentioned the prayers of Srila Madhavendra Puri in the purport. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, a great devotee and ācārya in the line of the devotees, says:
sandhyā-vandana bhadram astu bhavato bhoḥ snāna tubhyaṁ namo
bho devāḥ pitaraś ca tarpaṇa-vidhau nāhaṁ kṣamaḥ kṣamyatām
yatra kvāpi niṣadya yādava-kulottaṁsasya kaṁsa-dviṣaḥ
smāraṁ smāram aghaṁ harāmi tad alaṁ manye kim anyena me
“O my prayers three times a day, all glory to you. O bathing, I offer my obeisances unto you. O demigods! O forefathers! Please excuse me for my inability to offer you my respects. Now wherever I sit, I can remember the great descendant of the Yadu dynasty [Kṛṣṇa], the enemy of Kaṁsa, and thereby I can free myself from all sinful bondage. I think this is sufficient for me.”
A person who constantly and spontaneously remembers Krishna does not need to engage in all the practices prescribed for followers of Vedic Dharma. It mentions specific practices such as Sandhya Vandan (a Vedic ritual performed three times a day) and the chanting of the Gayatri mantra, which are typically expected of sadhakas (spiritual practitioners). The verse expresses the viewpoint that although these practices are beneficial and deserving of respect, someone who remembers Krishna does not necessarily need to engage in them. The person acknowledges the value of these practices but expresses their lack of personal interest or ability to perform them, seeking forgiveness for not participating.
Further, the verse glorifies Krishna in two ways. Firstly, Krishna is described as the best among the Yadava dynasty (yādava-kulottaṁsasya) and the enemy of Kamsa, the antagonist of the Yadava dynasty. Krishna is depicted as the destroyer of Kamsa (kaṁsa-dviṣaḥ) and the remover of all sins (aghaṁ harāmi). Secondly, it states that the person constantly remembers Lord Krishna (smāraṁ smāram) whenever they sit down. They believe that this constant remembrance is sufficient because Krishna is capable of removing all sins. As a result, they conclude that they do not need anything else (kim anyena me) besides remembering Krishna.
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