Gita 02.52 – Shastra without guru can be a deluding forest for the intelligence
Verse:
yadā te moha-kalilaṁ
buddhir vyatitariṣyati
tadā gantāsi nirvedaṁ
śrotavyasya śrutasya ca
Word to Word:
yadā — when; te — your; moha — of illusion; kalilam — dense forest; buddhiḥ — transcendental service with intelligence; vyatitariṣyati — surpasses; tadā — at that time; gantā asi — you shall go; nirvedam — callousness; śrotavyasya — toward all that is to be heard; śrutasya — all that is already heard; ca — also.
Translation:
When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.
Explanation:
In this verse, Lord Krishna uses a metaphor to guide Arjuna from Karma Kanda to Karma Yoga in a decisive manner. The metaphor is kalilam, meaning a forest.
When a person is lost in a forest, it’s difficult to find a way out, as there are no clearly marked paths. However, once the correct path is found, it leads to a clear destination. At that point, there’s no confusion—the way forward is evident and well-marked. Krishna refers to Moha Kalilam—the forest of delusion—symbolizing the confusion and indecision caused by attachment and ignorance. He encourages Arjuna to rise above this delusion through the clarity of Karma Yoga. In this context, the traveler through the forest represents buddhi, or intelligence—not the mind. When Lord Krishna speaks of Moha Kalilam, He is referring to the Vedic scriptures themselves. These scriptures comprise a vast and intricate body of literature, of which only a fraction is available today. Much has been lost over time. Even where texts are accessible, the intellectual capacity to fully grasp and apply their teachings has significantly diminished. The Moha Kalilam—the forest of delusion—is not merely a result of the scriptures’ vastness, but also due to their multi-layered approach. For a transcendentalist, anything less than the eternal truth is considered illusory. No matter how glorified or celebrated something may be, if it is temporary, it inevitably leads to entanglement in the material world. The only way out is to constantly remind ourselves of its impermanence and to orient our life toward seeking the eternal. The Karma Kanda sections of the Vedas are filled with alluring promises of heavenly pleasures and material rewards. These can easily distract a seeker from the higher goal of spiritual realization. To remain steady on the path toward eternity, one must use one’s intelligence to develop a clear conviction that the eternal belongs to a completely different and far superior category than the temporary. Only when we internalize this understanding and begin to pursue the eternal with determination, can we truly attain and relish it. Therefore, it is essential to constantly remember—and live by—the distinction between the temporary and the eternal.
Lord Krishna explains that even the Vedic scriptures themselves can become a Moha Kalilam—a forest of delusion—because they contain numerous promises of enjoyment that are not easily attainable. And even when such pleasures are achieved, they are fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying, no matter how captivating they may seem. The use of the word buddhi (intelligence) here is significant. The mind is not the seat of true intelligence—it is driven largely by feelings and impulses. If one is guided solely by the mind, one will inevitably become entangled in sensual pleasures. Even when one rises above the level of the mind to the level of intelligence, if that intelligence is not properly guided by a Guru toward the ultimate conclusions of Shastra, it too can become trapped. The intelligence may become stuck in the preliminary or intermediate teachings of the scriptures—sections that are designed to bring people into the path of Dharma, even if they are not yet ready to access its deepest truths. Such teachings encourage people to give up sinful actions and adopt basic religious life. But if the buddhi mistakes these initial or intermediate steps for the final goal, it leads to spiritual stagnation. One may confuse the beginning for the end, or the means for the destination. This is why Krishna warns that even buddhi—rather than helping one reach the goal—can become lost in the Moha Kalilam, the forest of delusion, if not properly directed.
As Kulashekhara Maharaj beautifully states in one of his prayers:
“āmnāyābhyasanāny aranya-ruditam”—that even the study of the Vedas (Āmnāya) without remembrance of Krishna is like crying out in a forest (aranya-ruditam). Without devotion, scriptural study becomes hollow and directionless. If a child cries in a forest, there is no one to hear the cry and no one to come to the rescue. Similarly, when we study scripture without the guidance of a Guru, and without understanding its multi-layered nature, we can feel helpless—like someone crying in the wilderness. Just as a lost child finds every direction equally uncertain—everything appears equally good or equally bad—we too become disoriented. The vast array of teachings in the scriptures, with countless statements and words that carry multiple meanings, can lead to confusion. This is referred to as Chitta-Brahma—a bewildered state of consciousness. This, in essence, is Moha Kalilam—the forest of delusion. The scriptures themselves describe this as Shabda-jāla-mahāranyam—a dense jungle of words. Without proper understanding, these words can become a form of intellectual entanglement. As another verse says:
“Na bhukta ye, na mukta ye”—one neither enjoys nor becomes liberated. Even the so-called pleasures, including those of heavenly realms, do not bring lasting satisfaction. Instead, they fuel further craving. Thus, one remains caught—neither fulfilled nor free. The way out of this entanglement is through guidance from a bona fide Guru, who helps us understand the ultimate purpose of scripture and remain fixed in that higher goal.
This is exactly what Krishna is doing for Arjuna. He tells him, “I am your Guru, leading you beyond this Moha Kalilam.” Earlier, in Bhagavad Gita 2.45, Krishna states:
“Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā, nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna” — “The Vedas deal with subjects governed by the three modes of nature, Arjuna; rise above them.” And here in this verse, Krishna says, śrotavyasya śrutasya ca – When our intelligence becomes firmly convinced that there is nothing higher than pure love for Krishna, then even the most attractive promises we may have heard in the past lose their charm. Even if we don’t remember whether we’ve been to heaven in a previous life, or even if we haven’t, we understand that heavenly pleasures ultimately revolve around the same basic activities—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—just in a more refined form. And there is nothing truly satisfying or exciting about that from a spiritual perspective. In the previous verse, Krishna spoke of the eternal destination—a realm completely free from misery and change. To attain that, O Arjuna, you must remain steadfast. If you become philosophically convinced, as emphasized in Bhagavad Gita 2.41 with the phrase “ekeha kuru-nandana” (be one-pointed in determination), then no matter how tempting the other promises may be, you won’t be swayed. Instead, you’ll stay firmly fixed on the path. As you march steadily towards Me, and attain Me, you will experience supreme happiness—a joy so complete and fulfilling that all other pleasures will appear insignificant, inconsequential, and powerless to attract you.
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