Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 67

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन |
न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति || 67||

idaṁ te nātapaskyāya nābhaktāya kadāchana
na chāśhuśhruṣhave vāchyaṁ na cha māṁ yo ‘bhyasūtayi

idam—this; te—by you; na—never; atapaskāya—to those who are not austere; na—never; abhaktāya—to those who are not devoted; kadāchana—at any time; na—never; cha—also; aśhuśhrūṣhave—to those who are averse to listening (to spiritual topics); vāchyam—to be spoken; na—never; cha—also; mām—toward me; yaḥ—who; abhyasūyati—those who are envious

Translation:

This is never to be spoken by you to one who is devoid of austerity, nor to one who is not devoted, nor to one who does not do service, nor to one who speaks ill of me.

Commentary:

The Lord teaches his disciple that this great science of Liberation should not be revealed to those who are devoid of austerity and devotion.

This warning is necessary and no true seeker is excluded from the benefit of receiving the light of knowledge. It means that the seeker for Liberation should make himself fit to receive this knowledge by austerity, service and devotion.

It should not be taught to people who have neither self-control nor devotion to God. Such men are likely to disparage this great and secret knowledge and give false interpretation to the laws enunciated in the Gita. In practical life one comes across many flippant shallow people, engrossed in worldliness, who decry all spiritual knowledge as a foolish exercise in futility. Such men do great harm to society. They destroy faith and create doubts about the truth of this great science. Such men are not only unhelpful but positively harmful to society.

The idea is stated negatively, but its positive meaning is clear. The receiver of this knowledge should possess certain qualities of character. He must have acquired self-discipline by following an austere way of life. He must possess devotion. He must have served elders and teachers, and he should never scorn the wise masters, who deliver this wonderful message.

Above all, the disciple should be most eager to free himself from the ills of the flesh. This eagerness, this yearning to know the truth, to live by it, and experience the bliss of Liberation. in his own life, is the first qualification for receiving the message of the Gita.

Question: To whom should the Gita-Sastra be not taught?

Answer: To those who are devoid of austerity and devotion.

Question: What does this prohibition imply?

Answer: It implies that those who have practised austerity and who have devotion to God are most qualified to receive the Gita message.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18 🔻 (78 Verses)

01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70
71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78