Today I have declared this ancient yoga to you, for you are my devotee and friend; it is indeed a supreme secret.
Krishna reveals why he has chosen Arjuna as the recipient of this sacred knowledge, highlighting both devotion and friendship. This underscores the personal bond and trust necessary for transmitting spiritual insights, illustrating that wisdom is shared with those who are both committed and capable of understanding it.
Arjuna said: Your birth is recent, while Vivasvan’s was long ago. How am I to understand that you instructed this yoga in the beginning?
Arjuna, confused by Krishna’s claim of instructing ancient sages, questions how Krishna could exist before them. This inquiry opens the door to exploring Krishna’s divine, timeless nature and foreshadows the revelation of his transcendental form, which transcends ordinary human birth and death cycles.
The Blessed Lord said: Both you and I have had many births, O Arjuna. I know them all, but you do not remember them, O Parantapa.
Krishna explains that while he and Arjuna have lived many lives, Krishna remembers all while Arjuna forgets. This contrast emphasizes Krishna’s divine omniscience and reminds Arjuna of the limited nature of human understanding, deepening the discourse on divine knowledge versus human memory.
Though I am unborn, imperishable, and the Lord of all beings, still I appear in every age by my internal potency.
Krishna discloses his ability to manifest in the world, even though he remains unborn and eternal. This concept introduces the idea of divine incarnations that descend out of compassion for humanity, embodying timeless truths in human form to guide society and restore balance during times of crisis.
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Bharata, I manifest myself.
Krishna outlines his role in preserving dharma and combating adharma. This verse implies that divine intervention occurs when society strays from righteousness. By directly intervening, Krishna reassures Arjuna that he is part of a divine plan to restore equilibrium and protect the righteous.
To protect the righteous, annihilate the wicked, and establish dharma, I appear age after age.
Krishna explains his purpose in incarnating across ages—to protect the virtuous and eliminate forces of evil. This establishes the moral underpinning of his actions as purposeful and just, showing that his divine interventions are both preventative and restorative for preserving harmony.
One who knows the transcendental nature of my birth and actions, upon leaving the body, does not take birth again but comes to me, O Arjuna.
Knowing Krishna’s transcendental nature brings liberation, not rebirth. This commentary highlights the transformative power of spiritual understanding and devotion, suggesting that recognizing divine actions as beyond the cycle of karma frees one from attachment to material life and future rebirths.