What is the meaning of the word knowledge referred by God Krishna in Gita?

Shri M Gopala Krishna asked (on phone):- Gīta says that after several births one will reach God Kṛṣṇa with knowledge. What is the meaning of this word Knowledge? Is it total spiritual knowledge or any special concept?

Swāmi replied: The verse (Bahūnāṃ janmanāmante, jñānavān māṃ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ sarvamiti, sa mahātmā su durlabhaḥ) means that one will reach God Kṛṣṇa with a special type of knowledge, which is that the son of Vāsudeva is the entire absolute God and such realized person is very rare. Here, your doubt is clearly answered. The verse means clearly that the person reaching God Kṛṣṇa is with a special type of knowledge of a concept only and that concept is that a human being called “Kṛṣṇa” born to another human being called “Vāsudeva” is realized as the absolute God after several births only and that such realization is very very rare. Hence, the knowledge (jñānavān) mentioned here is not the entire spiritual knowledge but a special important concept, which is to recognize the contemporary human incarnation, called “Kṛṣṇa” as the absolute God. Of course, the entire spiritual knowledge will help to remove the obstacles misleading this special important concept. The word “prapadyate” indicated “prapatti”, which is practical service since already the theoretical knowledge (jñānavān) is with the devotee. Bhakti is theoretical devotion preached by Rāmānuja and “Prapatti” is the practical devotion taught by Madhva. Śaṇkara stands for the knowledge.

Since Kṛṣṇa also said that He will come as a human incarnation whenever there is need (yadā yadā hi…), this point applies to any contemporary human incarnation. Unless the contemporary human incarnation is recognized as the absolute God or Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa, a human being can’t be realized as the absolute God. This concept is a very simple concept and then why so many births are required to realize this simple concept? The reason is that the inherent ego and jealousy of every human being hinders any soul to accept the contemporary human incarnation as God because It is appearing as an ordinary co-human being only externally. Hence, the main hurdles in recognizing the contemporary human incarnation are only the ego and jealousy rising due to repulsion between the common human media of God and soul. Several births are needed to conquer these ego and jealousy towards a co-human form so that the contemporary human incarnation is recognized and approached as God. Hence, the Gīta says that such realization is very very rare. Full victory in conquering ego and jealousy towards co-human form is attained only by Hanumān and Gopikās, who fully recognized their contemporary human incarnations (Rāma and Kṛṣṇa). Hence such a devotee is very very rare (Sudurlabhaḥ). The two cataracts mask the two eyes, which can be operated by a doctor easily. But the two cataracts, called ego and jealousy mask the single ‘I’ or the single “Eye of Knowledge” and it is very very difficult to operate two cataracts masking the single “Eye” or ‘I’! Every human being will believe anything as God except the co-human being! The human being is prepared to accept an inert statue or photo as God but not a living co-human being as God! The human being is prepared to do lifelong penance to see the energetic incarnation of God. But the same human being is unable to recognize the contemporary human incarnation of God, which is standing before its eyes without penance even for 1 minute! There is no difference between energetic incarnation and human incarnation. The same absolute unimaginable God in energetic body is energetic incarnation and the same unimaginable God in human body is human incarnation. The energetic body is like silk dress and the human body is like the cotton dress. A peon in silk dress is respected by the foolish human being and not the chief minister in cotton dress! Indra, a servant of God in energetic form, was worshipped by the villagers and not the absolute God in human form called “Kṛṣṇa”! Finally, they were prepared to worship an inert hill, called “Govardhana” (like inert statue or inert photo) representing God as model (pratīka) and the contemporary human incarnation, the absolute God Kṛṣṇa was not worshipped!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★