Explanation:

            Krishna gives unique features of his personality. The first word Krishna uses here is “Aja.” Aja means “I am unborn.” Unborn takes birth. This is explained about Krishna in the prayers of Queen Kunti and in various places throughout the Vedic literature.

            So, people are confused as to why Krishna appears to them, and Krishna explains this in the next two verses. Some people tell Krishna appeared in order to relieve the burden of the miscreants. Others tell he appeared to fulfill the wishes of his parents, Vasudeva and Devaki, who wanted to have God as their child. Others tell he was simply pleased with the Yadu dynasty, who are great devotees, in order to glorify the family, Krishna appeared there. So, like this, various people give various reasons for Krishna’s appearance. But the most important thing to understand is that Krishna does not take birth. Krishna is Aja, Krishna is unborn. And another word, “Ava Yatma,” which is important here, is that Krishna’s body does not perish. So, Krishna has a body that is eternal. There is no birth and there is no death.

            Krishna is telling, “I am the controller of all the created beings and the matters existing in this world. I am the Lord of all matter and the conditioned living entities here in this world. Then how do we understand that Krishna took birth? We all know, he appeared in the present House of Kansa and he appeared from the womb of Devaki. That is why Krishna tells here we will see one who understands the nature of my birth and activities. He will become liberated. It is a great science. We have studied the science of birth of formal living entities like us. Male and female gametes fuse and emulsification happens, embryo develops and then we know the sciences very nicely. X Chromosome Y chromosome has so many things we have defined. And this is how we take birth. This is a science. Birth is a science. Similarly, Krishna’s birth is also great science. If we understand this science, it does not have much impact in our life. Male and female will be attracted to each other. Births will keep on happening. But if we understand the science of appearance of Krishna, there will be no more miserable birth for us. We will be liberated in our spiritual life. So, this science is very important to be understood, and this science is explained in Srimad Bhagavatam. Once we finish Bhagavad Geeta, we should aspire to reach Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhagavad Gita is ABCD of spiritual life and Bhagavatam is post graduate study. So, in Srimad Bhagavatam it is mentioned how Krishna took birth. Krishna appeared in the heart of Vasudev. From the heart of Vasudev, Krishna got transferred to the heart of Devaki. From there Krishna entered the home of Devaki and then he came out in his four handed form. From there, Krishna entered the home of Devaki, and then he came out in his four-handed form, the Narayana form, having a conch shell, disks, a mace, and a lotus, all the ornaments dressed in his body. He had a very nice helmet with grown-up hairs and complete beauty and opulence. Because Krishna wanted to show them that if he appeared in 200 forms, they would have thought, “Oh, another ordinary baby has appeared, like six have appeared before.” Now Krishna told, “I have come in this form because you prayed to me in this four-handed form, thus see. I am God, I am having four hands. And just to satisfy your desires, I have appeared now.” And then Devaki requested, “You please come in a two-handed form as an ordinary child.” So this is how Krishna took birth. It was not by any biological process, but it was a spiritual process. And we also have heard that Krishna also died. This is a drama. Just like we see on the theatre. Drama happens and a person appears to be dead is only acting. He is lying still on the stage because it is a part of his or her role. In a similar fashion, Krishna has created so many bodies. In a similar fashion, Krishna has created so many bodies. So he can create and leave one more body. What is the loss for Krishna? How is it difficult? So Krishna leaves one body which appears like the form of Krishna in this world and people think Oh, Krishna is dead. No, Krishna is not dead. He has left a form which appears exactly like his spiritual form. To be fool us. So Krishna is very, very kind. As we will see, Krishna tells, “As people surrender unto me as they approach me, so do I reciprocate.” So some people who want to become atheists, they do not want to believe in God. Krishna creates such a situation that they have firm beliefs. No, Krishna is not God; see, he also died. And those who want to understand the science of Krishna, Krishna reveals that science also.

            So, if you want to become atheists, Krishna will give us logic on how to become atheists. If you want to understand God again, Krishna will guide. Krishna is a loving father, simply satisfying whatever desires we have. But the important point is which desire is beneficial for us, that also we need to understand from Krishna, and if we desire that, then we will be happy. Krishna is eternal. Just like ordinary yogis, sometimes they can just become visible and then become invisible. When an ordinary yogi can do that, why can’t Krishna, the Yogeshwar, do that? So, Krishna does not take birth; Krishna appears. Thus, we call the appearance day of Krishna or the Disappearance Day. We don’t call birth and death.

            Now, the second line is also very important, where Krishna mentions that there are two segments in existence: Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha means the enjoyer, Prakriti means the enjoyed. Purusha means the energetic, and Prakriti means the energy. Energies controlled by the Enjoyer for his pleasures. So Krishna has got broadly speaking two categories of energies Prakriti. Krishna maintains them in their own internal potency. So here Krishna is telling although this material world is separated energy of Krishna. Krishna answers in the next verse. He has appointed various demigods and the topmost controlling deity, Durga, of this material world. Where the living entities who want to compete with God. Who want to enjoy independent of God. They are given residence here. But other living entities who simply want to serve God in loving relationship. For them, there is another existence that is called Sanatan Dham or Vaikuntha Dham. The Kingdom of God. Krishna maintains them in their own internal potency. To understand internal and external, consider this example: just like a cow’s blood is its internal energy, and the same blood is transformed into milk, which comes out of the cow. So that milk is also energy of cow. But it is separated now.

            In a similar fashion, everything is the energy of Krishna. And when a portion of that energy is separated from Krishna, where Krishna is not visible to the living entities who want to enjoy independently, that is called the external potency of Krishna. So, all of us have taken these forms, which are created by the external potency of Durga. But Krishna is explaining that although He appears in this world, His appearance is not like that of ordinary living entities. He does not take any form created by external potency, but He exhibits Himself in His internal potency, His personal energy. He appears by His internal energy. He appears by His internal energy. We are also spirit souls. He appears by His internal energy. This form is made of external energy. If we leave this form, then we become invisible as spirit souls. Again, we take another form. But when Krishna comes here, His form is not made up of matter; Krishna’s form is made up of spirit. His form is completely made up of spirit. There is no difference between Krishna and His form. It is completely spirit. That is what Krishna explains here, because He does not take any material bodies. There is no question of birth and death for Him. His form is completely made up of spirit.

            Now, one may ask, why Krishna appears? Krishna is the Supreme controller; He is controlling everyone. What is the need for God to appear in this world? Krishna answers in the next verse.