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both sides of the river? Is it on an island in the middle of the river or is it somehow hovering above the river? We
may analyze the statement’s grammar, syntax, context, logic, and any other rational method and still it will be
a mystery. However, if we meet a person from that particular town, we can learn exactly how the town is on
the river. The honest statement of a person who has seen and lived in that town can clear up any ambiguity
about how the town is on the river. This is called sabda pramana - receiving knowledge from honest and perfect
authorities. The use of the word perfect requires some clarification.

Perfect knowledge from a perfect authority

Persons subject to birth, death, old age and disease are not perfect in this world. Yet, according to the Vedas it
is possible to receive perfect knowledge from a perfect authority. How is this possible? The first step is to accept
Lord Krishna as the original perfect authority. He spoke the Bhagavat-gita over 5000 years ago to Arjuna. Before
that He spoke the same to Vivasvan (the demigod of the sun) at least 120,400,000 years ago. This is explained
by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by a quote from the Mahabharata (Sarva-parva 348.51-52)

tretā-yugādau ca tato /vivasvān manave dadau / manuś ca loka-bhṛty-arthaṁ
sutāyekṣvākave dadau / ikṣv. ākuṇā ca kathito / vyāpya lokān avasthitaḥ

“In the beginning of the millennium known as Tretā-yuga this science of the relationship with the Supreme was
delivered by Vivasvān to Manu. Manu, being the father of mankind, gave it to his son Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the king
of this earth planet and forefather of the Raghu dynasty, in which Lord Rāmacandra appeared.”

Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā existed in human society from the time of Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. There are four ages of
time. We are at present in the kali yuga that began approximately 5000 years agao. The previous age is Dwapara
yuga that lasted for approximately 800,000 years and previous to that is Treta yuga that lasted approximately
1,200,000 years ago. A rough estimate is that Maharaja Iksvaku must have existed at least 2,005,000 (1,200,000
+ 800,000 + 5000) years ago because he is the king of the earth planet and the forefather of the Raghu dynasty,
in which Lord Ramachandra appeared during the Treta yuga. Thus the Bhagavad-gita has existed on the earth
for approximately 2,005,000 years ago when Manu spoke to his disciple and son Maharaja Iksvaku.

Vivasvan spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Manu at the beginning of Treta yuga. We can assume therefore that Manu
then taught his son Iksvaku not long after he learned it from Vivasvan. Therefore, the Bhagavad-gita has existed
on the earth for approximately 2,005,000 years.

When did Krishna speak the Bhagavad-gita to Vivasvan? The life of Manu is approximately 305,300,000 years,
of which 120,400,000 have passed. If we assume that before the birth of Manu, the Bhagavad-gita was spoken
by the Lord to His disciple Vivasvan, the demigod of the sun, then we can estimate the first time the Bhagavad-
gita was spoken was at least 120,400,000 years ago.

Thus the Bhagavad-gita is the oldest existing spiritual text in history. The amazing fact is that all the truths
explained by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita have remained just as relavant and unequivocally true today as
they were millions of years ago. No other book has maintained its relevancy for such a long period of time. The
old testament of the Bible is at most 3000 years old. The Koran is 1300 years old. The Buddhist writings about
2500 years old.

How do we know that the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita is still relevant? We can examine the following verses:

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ / saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ / kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate

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