Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Verse 18

[bilva]

Chapter 9. The Most Confidential Knowledge

TEXT 18
gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam

SYNONYMS
gatih--goal; bharta--sustainer; prabhuh--Lord; saksi--witness;
nivasah--abode; saranam--refuge; su-hrt--most intimate friend;
prabhavah--creation; pralayah--dissolution; sthanam--ground; nidhanam--
resting place; bijam--seed; avyayam--imperishable.

TRANSLATION
I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the
refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the
annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the
eternal seed.

EXPLANATION
Gati means the destination where we want to go. But the ultimate goal
is Krsna, although people do not know it. One who does not know Krsna
is misled, and his so-called progressive march is either partial or
hallucinatory. There are many who make as their destination different
demigods, and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods
they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Suryaloka,
Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas or planets, being
creations of Krsna, are simultaneously Krsna and not Krsna. Actually
such planets, being the manifestations of Krsna's energy, are also
Krsna, but actually they only serve as a step forward for realization
of Krsna. To approach the different energies of Krsna is to approach
Krsna indirectly. One should directly approach Krsna, for that will
save time and energy. For example, if there is a possibility of going
to the top of a building by the help of an elevator, why should one go
by the staircase, step by step? Everything is resting on Krsna's
energy; therefore without Krsna's shelter nothing can exist. Krsna is
the supreme ruler because everything belongs to Him and everything
exists on His energy. Krsna, being situated in everyone's heart, is
the supreme witness. The residences, countries or planets on which we
live are also Krsna. Krsna is the ultimate goal of shelter, and as
such one should take shelter of Krsna either for protection or for
annihilation of his distressed condition. And whenever we have to take
protection, we should know that our protection must be a living force.
Thus Krsna is the supreme living entity. Since Krsna is the source of
our generation, or the supreme father, no one can be a better friend
than Krsna, nor can anyone be a better well-wisher. Krsna is the
original source of creation and the ultimate rest after annihilation.
Krsna is therefore the eternal cause of all causes.

Following is a quotation by Swami Gaurangapada:
"A vaporiser evaporates water for us to breathe in, similarly the Guru
and Vaishnavas extract the essence of all knowledge and make it
accessible to us."

Please chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, to
realize the supreme basis of everything.