Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

So with this Krishna has more and less completed the BG then He starts giving us phala sruti. In Vedic scripture at the end generally phala sruti is given. Or what is the glory of this book in terms of hearing in terms of speaking it.

So first Krishna talks about the glory by talking about the confidentiality of the knowledge , how this knowledge is very rare and precious. 

Bg 18.67

idaṁ te nātapaskāya
nābhaktāya kadācana
na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ
na ca māṁ yo ’bhyasūyati

Synonyms: 

idam — this; te — by you; na — never; atapaskāya — to one who is not austere; na — never; abhaktāya — to one who is not a devotee; kadācana — at any time; na — never; ca — also; aśuśrūṣave — to one who is not engaged in devotional service; vācyam — to be spoken; na — never; ca — also; mām — toward Me; yaḥ — anyone who; abhyasūyati — is envious.

Translation: 

This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me.

idaṁ te nātapaskāya, So Krishna is telling O Arjuna don’t tell this knowledge to these category of people. Tapaskāya is austerity those who do not perform austerity 

nābhaktāya kadācana, and don’t speak it to abhaktāya those who are not devotees. 

na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ, aśuśrūṣave means those who are not engaged in service 

bhaktaya refers to attitude of devotion where as śuśrūṣave refers to activity of service. 

na ca māṁ yo ’bhyasūyati, and certainly do not speak it to ’bhyasūyati, those who are envious.

We may think that then who is left how many people have above qualities? Then what is the meaning of this verse? 

There are multiple meaning of this verse.

The first and foremost is Krishna is referring to the most confidential knowledge, in general people can understand according to their adhikar. In 18.64 Krishna has told that He is giving most confidential knowledge, sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ, Krishna’s greatest blessing is Krishna Himself. 

E.g. like a parent doesn’t reveal treasure to his small children thinking that they will misuse the treasure similarly Krishna wanted us to grow up and those who are envious those who are not devoted Krishna doesn’t want to reveal this to them. Srila Prabhupada writes in the beginning that Bhagavad Gita is spoken in public that means the idea is everyone can hear it. So Krishna want this knowledge to given to everyone but Krishna wants them to grow up and understand it. 

Like one of the child has grown up so father will take that child and show the treasury to him and then father tells him that don’t tell it to your other brothers wait till they grow up and become mature. This doesn’t mean the treasure is not meant for other brothers and sisters only thing is father wanted them to mature so that they can handle it properly. 

As in biblical tradition it is said don’t throw pearls in front of pigs they will not value it so in the same way such people will not understand the value of this Krishna’s love and this message and they will reject it, they will not care for it and they will commit offenses to Krishna.

So the purpose is not to hide the purpose is to encourage people to grow up and then to give them when they have grown up. 

So idaṁ doesn’t mean all the knowledge Karma Yoga etc. Atam Tattav etc can be given to people but verses like Serva Dhraman Parityaja should not be told because people will think what Krishna is saying that worship only Him, they will think negative about Krishna.

End of transcription.