For Eternal Beginners
श्री भगवान् उवाच -
इमम् विवस्वते योगम् प्रोक्तवान् अहम् अव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुर् इक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
एवम् परम्परा प्राप्तम् इमम् राजर्षयो विदुः ।
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥ २ ॥
स एवायम् मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः ।
भकोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यम् ह्येतद् उत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥
zrI bhagavAn uvAca -
imam vivasvate yogam proktavAn aham avyayam |
vivasvAn manave prAha manur ikSvAkave'bravIt || 1 ||
evam paramparA prAptam imam rAjarSayo viduH |
sa kAleneha mahatA yogo naSTaH parantapa || 2 ||
sa evAyam mayA te'dya yogaH proktaH purAtanaH |
bhako'si me sakhA ceti rahasyam hyetad uttamam || 3 ||
श्री भगवान् उवाच [zrI bhagavAn uvAca] Lord Krishna said अहम् [aham] I प्रोक्तवान् [proktavAn] preached इमम् अव्ययम् [imam avyayam] this eternal योगम् [yogam] method विवस्वते [vivasvate] to the brilliant one, the Sun. विवस्वान् [vivasvAn] The Sun, as the originator of the human race, प्राह [prAha] conveyed this मनवे [manave] to Manu. मनुः [manuH] Manu अब्रवीत् [abravIt] conveyed it to इक्ष्वाकवे [ikSvAkave] Ikshvaku.
परन्तप [parantapa] Arjuna, एवम् [evam] in this way, राजर्षयः [rAjarSayaH] kings who were also sages विदुः [viduH] knew this, परम्परा प्राप्तम् [paramparA prAptam] having obtained the knowledge from previous generations. महता कालेन [mahatA kAlena] Over a long period of time, सः योगः [saH yogaH] this method नष्टः [naSTaH] was lost इह [iha] in this world.
सः एव [saH eva] The very same पुरातनः [purAtanaH] ancient योगः [yogaH] method मया प्रोक्तः [mayA proktaH] has been told by me ते [te] to you इति [iti] since मे भक्तः [me bhaktaH] you are my devotee सखा च [sakhA ca] and my friend. एतत् हि [etat hi] This is indeed रहस्यम् [rahasyam] hidden knowledge उत्तमम् [uttamam] of excellent nature.
The Lord says- ‘I’ve been teaching this method for millions of years’
The Lord says- In the previous chapter, I described the method of working without attachment. I didn’t describe it merely to have you make war.
Right at the beginning of the current manvantara (a period spanning 4,320,000 human years), I preached this method to Vivasvan. I did that for the benefit of the world- To enable people to achieve moksha , the ultimate goal.
Vivasvan conveyed this to Manu. Manu, in turn, conveyed it to Ikshvaku. In this way, it was passed on from generation to generation. It was known by kings who were sages .
Though the method has remained unchanged since ancient times, knowledge of this method was lost due to the weakness of its listeners. I have taught you this very method in detail. I taught this due to your friendship, due to your devotion and due to the fact that you surrendered and approached me.
It’s not possible for anyone other than Me to know this method and speak about it, since it is knowledge of the highest order. It is hidden in the Upanishads.
Continuing this conversation, Arjuna now asks to know the real nature of the Lord’s incarnation in its true form.