Verse 18.67
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन | न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ||६७||
Transliteration (IAST)
idaṁ te nātapaskāya nābhaktāya kadācana | na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ na ca māṁ yo 'bhyasūyati ||67||
Word-by-Word Meanings
idam-this
te-by you
na atapaskāya-not to one without austerity
na abhaktāya-not to one without devotion
kadācana-ever
na ca aśuśrūṣave-nor to one who does not serve
vācyam-should be spoken
abhyasūyati-is envious of/finds fault with
Translation
This is never to be spoken by you to one who is without austerity, nor to one without devotion, nor to one who does not render service, nor to one who speaks ill of Me.
Commentary
Krishna specifies the qualifications needed to receive this teaching. Shankaracharya explains four disqualifications: lack of tapas (discipline), lack of bhakti (devotion), unwillingness to serve a teacher, and hostility toward God. Ramanuja notes that this is not elitism but protection - sharing sacred knowledge with the unprepared can lead to misunderstanding and harm.
Themes
jnanabhaktidharma