succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in the
course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science,
as it is, appears to be lost. (Giza, IV: 1-2)

Arjuna was neither a great scholar nor a Vedantist, but a great soldier. A soldier is
not supposed to be scholarly, and so Arjuna was selected to understand the
Bhagavad-gita because of one qualification only: he was a devotee of the Lord. This
indicates that the Bhagavad-gita is especially meant for the devotee of the Lord.

There are three kinds of transcendentalists: the yogin, the impersonalist, and the
bhakta, or devotee. Krsna says to Arjuna, “I am making you the first man of the
disciplic succession. The old succession is broken. I wish to re-establish the line of
teaching which was passed down from the Sun-god. So you become the authority of
the Bhagavad-gita. ” The Bhagavad-gita is directed to the devotee of the Lord, who is
directly in touch with the Lord as a friend. To learn the Bhagavad-gita, one should
be like Arjuna: a devotee having a direct relationship with the Lord. This is more
helpful than yoga or impersonal philosophical speculation.

A devotee can be in relationship with the Lord in five different ways:

1. He may have a passive relationship.

2. He may have an active relationship.

3. He may be in friendship.

4. He may have the relationship of a parent.

5. He may have the relationship of a conjugal lover of the Lord.

Arjuna was a devotee in relationship with the Lord as a friend. This friendship is
different from friendship in the mundane world. This kind of friendship is
transcendental. Everyone has some relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, in
our present status, we have forgotten that eternal tie. Yet each of the millions upon
millions of living beings has its particular relationship. By the process of service one
can revive one’s original status with the Lord.

Now, Arjuna was a devotee, and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in
friendship. Thus, the Bhagavad-gita was explained to him. How he accepted it should
be noted. This is mentioned in the Tenth Chapter. After hearing the Bhagavad-gita
from the Lord, Arjuna accepted Krsna as the Supreme Brahman. Every living being
is Brahman, or spirit, but the supreme living being is the Supreme Brahman. Arjuna
accepted Krsna as pure, free from all material contamination, as the supreme
