52 Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge

There are also many philosophers with different
opinions, and they’re always contradicting one
another. If the truth cannot be understood by read-
ing various scriptures, by logical argument or philo-
sophical theories, then how can it be attained? The
fact is that the wisdom of the Absolute Truth is very
confidential, but if we follow the authorities, it can
be understood.

In India, there are disciplic successions com-
ing from Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka,
Visnusvami and other great sages. The Vedic litera-
tures are understood through the superior spiritual
masters. Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita from
Krsna, and if we wish to understand it, we have to
understand it from Arjuna, not from any other
source. If we have any knowledge of Bhagavad-gita,
we have to see how it tallies with the understanding
of Arjuna. If we understand Bhagavad-gita in the
same way that Arjuna did, we should know that our
understanding is correct. This should be the criteria
for our studying of Bhagavad-gita. If we actually
want to receive benefit from Bhagavad-gita, we have
to follow this principle. Bhagavad-gitd is not an
ordinary book of knowledge which we can purchase
from the market place, read and merely consult a
dictionary to understand. This is not possible. If it
were, Krsna would never have told Arjuna that the
science was lost.

It is not difficult to understand the necessity of
going through the disciplic succession to understand
Bhagavad-gita. If we wish to be a lawyer, an engineer
or doctor, we have to receive knowledge from the
