5 / How Bhakti-yoga Works
In the  Bhagavad-gītā  Kṛṣṇa tells His disciple, Arjuna, “I am disclosing a most confidential part of knowledge to you, because you are My dear friend.” As is stated in the Fourth Chapter, the  Bhagavad-gītā  is spoken to Arjuna because of his one qualification: he was a devotee. The Lord says that the mystery of the  Bhagavad-gītā  is very confidential. Without being an unalloyed devotee you cannot know it. In India there are 645 different commentaries on the  Gītā . One professor has proposed that Kṛṣṇa is a doctor and Arjuna is his patient, and has made his commentary in that way. Similarly, there are commentators and people who have taken it that everyone is perfect, and that they can interpret scripture in their own way. As far as we are concerned, we agree to read the  Bhagavad-gītā  according to the instructions given in the  Gītā  itself. This has to be taken through the  paramparā , the system of discipline succession. It is being taught by the Supreme Person because “you are My dear friend. I desire that you may become prosperous and happy. Therefore I speak to you.” Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to be happy and peaceful and prosperous, but they do not want it. Sunshine is open to everyone, but if someone wishes to remain in darkness, what can the sunshine do for him? So the  Gītā  is open to everyone. There are different species of life, and lower and higher grades of understanding exist—that is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says that this knowledge is for anyone. If one has lower birth or whatever, it doesn’t matter. The  Bhagavad-gītā  offers transcendental subject matter everyone can understand provided he goes along with the principle