"When to Be Nonviolent-Violent"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.50
Los Angeles, May 12, 1973


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

naino rajnah praja-bhartur
dharma-yuddhe vadho dvisam
iti me na tu bodhaya
kalpate sasanam vacah

Translation: "There is no sin for a king who kills for the right cause, who is engaged in maintaining his citizens. But this injunction is not applicable to me."

Prabhupada: Explain.

Pradyumna: Nama om... (recites pranama mantras) The first part of this verse, the first half of this verse, naino rajnah praja-bhartur dharma-yuddhe vadho dvisam iti, this is a statement or an injunction of sastra, that for the killing, or the vadha, dvisam, of the enemies, dharma-yuddhe, in religious fight, rajnah praja-bhartur, of a king who is maintaining his citizens He has to maintain his citizens. So if there is some danger, then he has to eliminate the enemy.

Prabhupada: What is religious fight? Religious fight means you have got right to kill your aggressor. If somebody takes your property, if somebody sets fire in your house, if somebody kidnaps your wife, or somebody is trying to kill you, they are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed immediately. It is not that somebody has become an aggressor, and if I say, "Now I have become a Vaisnava, I'll not be violent. I shall tolerate. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us to be tolerant like the tree or the grass. So I shall become tolerant. Let him do." Just like Gandhi used to say. Somebody questioned him that "If somebody comes and violates the chastity of your daughter in your presence, what will you do?" He said, "I shall remain nonviolent." But that is not sastric injunction. This is foolishness.

If somebody is aggressor, he must be killed immediately. Dharma-yuddha. Yudhisthira Maharaja is thinking that "Although there was fight, the fight was between our own men, my brother, my nephews, my grandfather. So they are family members. I have killed them for my kingdom." He is thinking in that way. He is a pious man. Violence is required. We don't say nonviolence. Just as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He gave us the instruction, trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna: "One should be tolerant, forbearing like the tree, like the grass." Amanina manadena: "One should give respect to others. In this way one should chant Hare Krsna mantra." Because in chanting Hare Krsna mantra, there will be so many aggressors. The nature is so cruel. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, a five-years-old boy. His only fault was that he was chanting Hare Krsna, and the father was aggressor, giving him trouble so many ways. So we must be prepared.

Therefore as there is danger... Suppose Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us that "Be tolerant," but not that where violence is required we should be tolerant. No. Just like while Nityananda Prabhu was injured by Jagai and Madhai, He wanted to immediately kill him. Similarly, nonviolence does not mean that in right causes also you will remain nonviolent. No. You do not attack anybody unnecessarily. You do not kill unnecessarily animal even, not even an ant. You should be nonviolent by your nature. But when there is aggression, there are enemies, the sastra says, dharma-yuddha. That is dharma-yuddha.

So praja-bhartur dharma-yuddhe vadho dvisam. Dvisam, envious. So they must be killed. But Yudhisthira Maharaja was thinking in terms of fight between the family: their friends, their nephews, their grandfather. So he was thinking himself as culprit. But in dharma-yuddha... The Pandavas, they tried to settle the issue. Actually, the kingdom belonged to Maharaja Yudhisthira. It was inheritance from his father, Pandu. But some way or other, they were cheated by the Kurus. They were sent to the forest. In the meantime they grabbed everything. And when they came back, so asked, "Give us some..., our ruling power,"so they would not give. "No. Without fight, we shall not give." So the Pandavas, even Krsna tried their best to settle up the issue, but there was no settlement. So at that time, war was declared. That is dharma-yuddha. They tried to settle up the fight, but it was not possible. When it is not possible, then the last resort is to take to fighting. That is dharma-yuddha.

The battlefield... It is therefore called dharma-ksetra. Dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre [Bg. 1.1]. That fight was right. And especially when Krsna was present, it is already dharma-ksetra. Wherever... Just like this is temple. Similar houses are there, many. Why it is temple? Because Krsna is there. Therefore it is called dharma-ksetra, temple. What is the difference between temple? In other houses there may be big hall like this. There may be many men eating, sleeping. That is not temple. Where actually God is there, that is called temple. Similarly, although battle of Kuruksetra was a fighting place, because Krsna was there, therefore it is dharma-ksetra. Wherever Krsna is there, that is dharma-ksetra. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. So those who are bhaktas, they can make every place a pilgrimage, because they can sing the glories of the Lord and they can bring the Lord in that place. So it doesn't matter whether if he is here or there, in America or India. Wherever Krsna is there, that is dharma-ksetra. Dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1].

So that fight was quite sanctioned by the sastra. It is not the Pandavas did wrong, no. They did right thing. But Yudhisthira Maharaja, being too cautious, too religious, he is thinking that "I did not carry out the injunction of the sastra that fighting is meant for the enemies, not for the friends. So I have fought with my friends, with my relatives, with my brothers. Therefore I am most abominable." That is the nature of the Vaisnava. They always think of themselves as very humble, meek. That is the trnad api... Personally, one should remain very humble and meek, but that does not mean that when there is... For a ksatriya, to kill the enemies, that is dharma-yuddha. That is religious. Therefore there was section -- ksatriya section, the brahmana section, the vaisya section -- that everyone is engaged in his own occupational duty. So other section, brahmana, vaisya, sudras, if they are in difficulty, they should lodge complaint to the king. Just like in these days also, suppose one is wrong-doer. He has done wrong to me. I cannot take directly to punish him. No. That you cannot do. You have to lodge the complaint to the government agent, and if required, government can kill him, sanction, "Kill this man. He is a murderer." So the sanction should come from there. Similarly, these divisions, very scientific. Killing business is for the ksatriya, not for the brahmanas. Ksatriya, he can kill; there is no sin for him. The brahmanas are not going to kill.

So this system -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- very scientific system. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. But now everything is lost. But to make people happy, the Vedic culture is the most perfect. The ksatriyas are meant for fighting. Ksatriyas are meant for ruling, punishing. These are meant for the ksatriyas. They are exacting taxes. That is their means of livelihood. The government can levy tax for expenditure. You cannot levy tax. So there are living means of everyone. For brahmana, the living means: pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. Brahmana is meant for teaching others and become himself a learned scholar. That is brahmana business. Pathana pathana yajana yajana. He should be a great worshiper of Visnu, and he should teach others also. Just like we are not only worshiping Krsna in our temple, but we are making propaganda. This is brahmana's business. But if the government calls all our students to the draft board, "Come on, fight," that is nonsense. Of course, they have got clauses not to disturb the ministerial class. That exception is there. Many of our students was excused from being called by the draft board on the ground that they have adopted the religious, ministerial order. That rule is prevalent everywhere, at all times.

So at the present moment the society is chaos because there is no proper training for the particular class of man. A brahmana should be trained up, a ksatriya should be trained up, a vaisya should be trained up, a sudra should be trained up, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13], according to quality. Why Vedic culture has failed in India, it is simply remaining in name? Because everyone claims to become brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, by birth only, no qualification. The brahmana has no qualification of a brahmana, and because he is born of a brahmana father or brahmana family he is claiming, "I am brahmana." This is not sastra's sanction.

So just see, here is a ksatriya, ideal ksatriya, Maharaja Yudhisthira. How he is lamenting. He has done right thing; still, he is conscious that he has killed his family members, bandhu. Bandhu bandhaya, relatives. Then? Go on. Hm? Yes. What is the time? Chant Hare Krsna. All right, chant more. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973

"This Body Belongs To Others"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48
Los Angeles, May 10, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

aho me pasyatajnanam
hrdi rudham duratmanah
parakyasyaiva dehasya
bahvyo me 'ksauhinir hatah

Translation: "King Yudhisthira said: O my Lord, I am the most sinful man. Just see my heart, which is full of ignorance. This body, which is ultimately meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men."

Prabhupada: So anyone explaining. You can explain.

Pradyumna: This King Yudhisthira is lamenting that the body, this material body, does not actually belong to us. We can even see relatively that the material body belongs, while we are inside this material body, it belongs to the family. We have debts to pay to so many living entities -- to our forefathers, our family. It belongs to our country. Our country takes it and says, "You take your body and you fight in Vietnam," or "You do this kind of work" or "You don't do this." It is subject to the religion we are born in. It is subject to so many rules and regulations beyond ourselves. This body, even while we are in it, does not belong to us, and before we came into this body, it was matter, belonging to someone else, and after we leave this body, as it says in the purport, "While there is life in the body it is meant for the service of others, and when it is dead it is meant to be eaten by dogs and jackals or maggots." So after death the body is disposed of in different ways. Some people bury the body; in that case the worms take the body. Some people burn the body; in that case it is consumed by fire and becomes ashes.

Prabhupada: This one word, parakyasya is very important. If you work... Somebody is working very hard, nobody is interested to work very hard for others. That is not the material philosophy. Everyone wants his own satisfaction, means sense gratification. So those who are in the bodily concept of life, they are working for their bodily sense gratification. But if we consider philosophically, we'll see that even this body does not belong to me. Therefore it is a very important word, parakyasya. From the very beginning. The body was given by father and mother. So if anyone creates something, so that thing belongs to the creator. If the father and mother has created this body, then from the very beginning the body belongs to the father and mother. And actually, in the childhood, as the father and mother says, "Sit down here, eat this, don't go there," everything is controlled by the father and mother, and originally given by the father and mother. So how we can claim, "This is my body"? From the very beginning. Then somebody maintains you. Suppose you are working in office, in a factory. So actually that body belongs to him, the maintainer. Just like a dog. The master maintains it, and the dog's body is meant for the service of that master. As soon as the master indicates, "You do this," immediately he does it. A dog has no independence, practical. So in this way the body belongs to the master. In the beginning, body belongs to the father and mother. Then, if you grow up, then body belongs to your country. In this way, go up to the death point, and after death also, the body belongs to others.

There are three stages, three different kinds of transformation of this body after death: stool, ashes and worms, uh, earth or dirt. According to the Vedic civilization, the body is burnt into ashes. So the body becomes ashes. And somebody throws the body to be eaten up by some animal. The Parsee community in India, they throw the body to be eaten by the vultures. That is their system. So after eating, the vultures, they pass stool; so body becomes stool. Is there any scientist to take the stool of vulture and make again a body? The body has turned to be stool, the body has turned to be ashes. Why not take little ashes and turn it to again body? Scientific method. Is it possible?

So this is called ajnanam. If you work for your own thing, there is some sense. But if you are working for others only, you have no claim, and day and night, hard work, then what is that intelligence? That is ass's intelligence. Ass. Ass just like works very hard, not for himself. He works for the washerman, for carrying tons of cloth on his back and for a morsel of grass. So in the actual sense also, if you go to see a gentleman, busy gentleman, businessman, ask him that "We want to talk with you something about Krsna consciousness." "Oh, I have no time. I have no time, sir." "Why?" "I am very busy." "Why you are busy?" "For business." "What is this business for?" "For maintaining my family." So in this way, ultimately, he is thinking he is working for himself, but he is working for others.

So our intelligence is, if we have to work for others and sacrifice this body for others, why not for Krsna? That is our philosophy. If I am whole time, whole duration of life, I am working for others... Others means, ultimately, my senses. The senses are others. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesah. My senses dictating, "You stick to this woman and go to hell." "Yes, I am ready. Yes." Kama, lust. So I am servant of the lust. Neither I am servant of the woman or servant of this man or that man. I am servant of my lust. And the lust is dictating that "You do this nonsense." "Yes, I'll do. Yes, I'll do." So in this way, we are actually servant of our senses and the dictation of the senses. This is our position. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesah. Durnidesa means... Nirdesa means direction, and durnidesa means bad direction. Just like people, they are doing so many sinful activities for maintaining this body. But at the ultimate analysis the body belongs to somebody else. So we are fool, that I am doing so much sinful activities for others. This is sense. But one... Everyone is under this ignorance. Although he is working for others, he is thinking "I am working for myself, for my interest." Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they do not know what is actually his self-interest. He is working for other's interest, but he is thinking that "I am working for my interest." This is ajnana.

So therefore Yudhisthira Maharaja says, aho me pasyata ajnanam: "Just see how much foolish I am. I am foolish, I am." This body... I may be king, but this body, although I am king, if I do not discharge my duties nicely, president or king or very big man, immediately votes will be against me. So I am working for others. I have to keep... Just like recently in your country, the democratic party and... What is the other party? Republic party. So many things are going on, ajnana. This is ajnana. Philosophy means to see intelligently, darsana. The translation of philosophy means darsana. Darsana means seeing. Philosophy means to see the actual fact. That is called philosophy. So if we philosophically take all these things, we are working for others out of ignorance, and I am thinking that "It is my interest. It is my self-interest..." Actually, you have to work for others. That is your business. And that other is Krsna, not this material world. I have to work for others. Because I am servant originally. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. That is the constitutional position of every living entity, a servant. He cannot be master. If you don't become servant of Krsna, then you have to become a servant of maya. You cannot be master of maya. That is not possible. Master of maya is Krsna. Mama maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya [Bg. 7.14]. A master can control maya, but we are not master. We are servant. How we can control maya? It is impossible. But if you become servant of Krsna, maya will not touch you. That's all. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot control maya. That is not possible, because you are servant. If you don't become servant of Krsna, you must become servant of maya.

So we are falsely trying to enjoy maya. Enjoy means master. That is not possible. Tribhir gunamayair bhavaih. This is the influence of the three modes of material nature. We are falsely thinking that... The so-called scientific advancement, they are also trying to control over maya, nature. That cannot be. It is not possible. But they will go on trying for it. The maya, there is a nice example I have seen in somewhere, in India. There was a mirror and a bird, a sparrow, was coming. And as soon as he comes before the mirror, there is another sparrow on the other side. So he'll strike the mirror, that "There is another bird." And he would also strike. In this way he was struggling. That shadow sparrow was striking and he was trying. He was trying. He thought that "I shall defeat the other sparrow." But that is not possible. That is not possible. I have seen it practically. This is foolishness. The bird is thinking that "There is another sparrow. Strike it." And he is also striking. That perpetual striking is going on. That is called struggle for existence. He has no sense.

So, so long we are nonsense, we have to go, struggle for existence. Struggle for existence in this life. Suppose I am struggling, I am thinking, "If I could have possessed the strength of an elephant or a tiger, I would have been successful." Then next life he gets the body of lion, tiger, or elephant. Nature will give. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. Krsna is very kind. Whatever you want, He will give you, up to mukti. The Mayavadi philosophers... Mukti means to merge into the existence of Brahman. Krsna will give you very easily. But He is very strict to give you bhakti. That is His special... Because to the bhaktas, Krsna, although the Supreme, He becomes within the grip of the bhaktas. Vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. Adurlabha. For bhakta He becomes, He becomes controlled by the bhakta. The topmost bhakta is Radharani. So although Krsna is the isvarah paramah, the supreme controller, He is controlled by Radharani, because She is bhakta. Nobody can excel Her devotion, Her service. In sixty-four ways... These are described in the Bhakti-rasa..., Nectar of Devotion, how Srimati Radharani excels in Her devotional service, everyone, everyone. There are stages, different. Just like the Pandavas, they are also bhaktas. But the gopis excel them. And the gopis are also bhaktas, but Radharani excels all of them. So there are stages of bhaktas. Therefore Krsna is very cautious to endow one with this devotional service. He can give mukti very easily. Mukti, to achieve mukti, liberation, that is not very difficult job. But if one becomes a bhakta, devotee, mukti will stand before him with folded hands. Muktih mukulitanjali sevate asman.

For a devotee, mukti is not very important. Kaivalyam narakayate. Prabodhananda Sarasvati says that mukti, kaivalyam, one with the supreme, kaivalyam, kevalam, narakayate: "What is this? It is as good as the hell." That is the opinion of the bhakta. They don't want mukti. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi. Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "I don't want any material wealth," dhanam. Na janam. "I don't want to be leader of hundreds and thousand of people, president or this or that. No." These are material desires. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is nullifying everything: "No, I don't want this." Na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam. "I don't want any beautiful wife also." These are material desires. Everyone wants. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu rejects. Then you want mukti? Because after all, mukti... Dharma artha kama moksa. Moksa means mukti. People are addicted to these four principles. So ultimately, You want mukti? "No. That is also not." Why? Mama janmani janmani. Janma, if one takes birth again, then there is no mukti. Mukti means no more taking birth in this material world. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "I don't want this, don't want this, don't want this." And janmani janmani means "I don't want mukti also." Janmani... If one is mukta, he is liberated, he cannot take birth again. So He says, mama janmani janmani: "Let there be birth after birth, birth after birth. It doesn't matter." Then what You want actually? No. Mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi: "Simply I want to serve You. That's all. It doesn't matter. What shall I do with mukti? I may go to hell; it doesn't matter. But I want to serve You there also."

So for a devotee there is no such distinction: "Here is hell" or "Here is heaven," "Here is Vrndavana" or "Here is Los Angeles," "Here is..." No. Because Krsna is everywhere. Wherever He gets the opportunity of serving Krsna, that he wants. That's all. Nothing more. Mama janmani janmanisvare. Janmani janmani, it doesn't matter. What kind of janma will be... Of course, from the sastras we can understand that sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. To take birth by a devotee is different little than another's. Because one who has dedicated to Krsna, He is under Krsna's control, direct. Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. So that bhakti means he is sinless, spotless. So therefore there is no possibility of his taking birth in lower animal group. That is not. He will get birth; that is assured -- sucinam srimatam gehe -- either in a very rich family or in a pure brahmana's family. Because he will get another chance of developing his devotional service in a pure brahmana family or pure Vaisnava family. Vaisnava is greater than a brahmana. That is a great opportunity. Because the father, mother, they are engaged in devotional service. Just like these children who were born amongst our devotees, they are not ordinary children. Because from the very beginning they are getting chance of devotional service: dancing, chanting, seeing the Deity, offering a flower, offering obeisances to the spiritual master. These things will not go in vain. Don't think. Every account is kept. Every account. Therefore the Deity worship is recommended -- why? If somebody comes, consciously or unconsciously, and offers obeisances, he gets immediately credit certi..., credit note, yes. Immediately. In this way, when the credit notes are so much, oh, it is a big amount. It is a big amount. Then he can purchase Krsna. This is bhakti. Even... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Even little of it can save you from the greatest danger. Bhakti is so nice. Svalpam api. Just like Ajamila. Ajamila, he was the greatest sinful person. But at the time of death, he uttered "Narayana," and he was protected by Krsna. Immediately Narayana's soldiers came and protected him from the Yamaraja's soldiers. Ajamila uddhara.

So Yudhisthira Maharaja is very advanced devotee. He says that pasyata ajnanam: "Just see my ignorance. I have killed so many soldiers simply for this body." Pasyata ajnanam me hrdi rudham duratmanah: "And this ignorance is deeply rooted in my heart." People are... Every step, they are being baffled; still, they will do the same thing. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. No sense is coming. No sense is coming. Duratmanah. Not mahatmanah. Mahatmanah means he is no more interested in this kind of business. That is called mahatmanah. Those who are repeatedly engaged in this kind of business, they are called duratmanah. Only for the body's sake working very hard. So if you analyze, the whole world is doing that. Duratmanah.

Parakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me aksauhinih. Now the aksauhini is mentioned here. One, what is the exact word, one group of soldiers?

Devotees: Phalanx.

Prabhupada: Phalanx, another name?

Devotees: Regiment?

Prabhupada: Regiment or something like..., composing. Just like in your country you have got. The Seventh Fleet or something like that was sent to India. They have got a group, so many ships, so many soldiers, so many... But formerly there was no ship, no aeroplane. They used to fight with horses, soldiers, elephants. So the estimation is there. You read the estimation.

Pradyumna: "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,000 cavalry is called an aksauhini. And many aksauhinis were killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra."

Prabhupada: So that's all right. Let us have kirtana. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973

"My Body And I Belong To Krsna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48
Mayapura, October 28, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation: "King Yudhisthira said: O my lot! I am the most sinful man! Just see my heart, which is full of ignorance! This body, which is ultimately meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men."

Prabhupada:

aho me pasyatajnanam
hrdi rudham duratmanah
parakyasyaiva dehasya
bahvyo me 'ksauhinir hatah

So Yudhisthira Maharaja says that this body is meant for others. It is others' body. Everyone should be interested for his own body. Who is interested for other's body? I eat for maintenance of my body, not that your body. It is the very good argument given by Yudhisthira Maharaja that "First of all ascertain whether it is your body. If for the bodily sense gratification, satisfaction, you are committing so many sinful life, but first of all consider whether this body is yours."

Now, first of all, consideration is: this body is given by the father and mother. So actually the body belongs to the father and mother. Or just like the slaves -- they sell their body to the master. So somebody, if maintains your body, then it becomes... The body belongs to him. Suppose you are working somewhere and he is giving you money for maintaining your body; then actually the body is maintained for the person who gives me payment. You see. So many people are going to the other side of the river, running very quickly to go there because the body is sold to that master who is paying for eating. Otherwise why he's taking the body there? So actually the body belongs to others. And spiritually the body belongs to Krsna. But when we forget our relationship with Krsna -- the body belongs to somebody else; that's a fact -- then we think that "The body belongs to my father and mother" or this and that... Sometimes we do not think that. So why, from material point of view, if the body does not belong to me, why shall I commit so many sinful activities for others?

So Yudhisthira Maharaja is repentant that parakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me 'ksauhinir hatah: "Many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, horses, elephants, men we have killed." Aksauhini, there is a calculation 64,000 elephants, 64,000 horses and 64,000, like that. Exactly I cannot, but some of the items are 64,000. Chariots. One... Nowadays it is called exactly? A group of soldiers? What is called?

Devotee: Phalanx.

Prabhupada: Phalanx, and another name is there.

Brahmananda: Division.

Prabhupada: Division. One division. One division of army consisting of so many horses, so many elephants and chariot... There are different types of fighter. Somebody would fight from the back, riding on the back of the elephant, somebody on horses. That is also nowadays current, cavalry. And somebody on chariot, somebody standing, infantry... So, one aksauhini means 64,000 elephants, horses, chariots and so many thousand infantry. That makes one division. So Krsna Himself gave so many divisions to Duryodhana. Altogether there were eighteen divisions or more than that. They were all killed.

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes (reading), "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 calvary is called an aksauhini." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many aksauhinis were killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Maharaja Yudhisthira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility of killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne. This body is, after all, meant for others. While there is life in the body, it is meant for the service of the others, and (when) it is dead it is meant to be eaten up by the dogs and jackals." Even it is dead body, that is also meant for others. If you throw it on the street, then it will be eaten by the animals and the vultures. So body is meant for others. Or if you don't throw, if you burn it, then -- it is right of the sons to burn it -- then it belongs to them. So either living or dead, logically the body belongs to others. And another logic is: Who is interested to maintain a body which belongs to others? This is logic. And other point is that everyone is maintaining this body with so many sinful activities, although the body does not belong to him.

So real sanity is to understand that this body belongs to Krsna. We are misunderstanding that this body belongs to my father, mother, or my master or to the cats and dogs or the vultures, in so many ways. That is material. Materially, we can understand that. But spiritually, this body belongs to Krsna because the body is made of, I mean to say, prepared by the eight elements. We have got the five elements, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. There is earth, water, air, fire, and the mind and the intelligence and the false ego. This is the eight combination of the matter. Then, the matter being agitated, there are ten senses and then sense objects. In this way this body is composition of twenty-four elements. But all these elements, Krsna says, bhinna me prakrtir astadha: "That is My energy." This body is made by Krsna's property. Earth, water, air, fire -- this is all Krsna's property. You cannot create earth, or you cannot create water. You cannot create sky, nothing of the material elements. It is created by Krsna, and this body is..., this external body is made of these eight elements. Similarly, I am also Krsna's. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param jiva-bhutam. Me param prakrtim jiva-bhutam. Jiva, the living entities, they are para-prakrti, superior energy, but that is also me: "Mine." So I, as aham brahmasmi, because Krsna is absolute, in that sense, I, the energy of Krsna, and Krsna, we are one. Aham brahmasmi means that, or "I belong to Krsna." The Mayavadi thinks that "I have become Krsna." No. The Vaisnava philosophy is that "I am Krsna's property, not that I become Krsna." Just like the part and parcel of my body, this finger. The finger can claim that "I am part and parcel of the body," but the finger cannot claim that "I am the whole body." That is not possible.

So actually our body belongs to Krsna, and I also belong to Krsna. Parakya. In both senses it belongs to other. Other means Krsna. So, logically both the body, mind, intelligence, and myself -- everything should be engaged for Krsna's interest. That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Krsna says that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. He is also ksetra-jna. I am ksetra-jna because I possess this body, and the body is ksetra, the field of activities. Just like here the cultivators, they have got... Each one of them have got some land, and they are producing food grains or any other products according to his ability and capacity, and he's enjoying this property. Therefore he's called ksetra-jna or ksetri. The field is called ksetra and the owner is called ksetri, or ksetra-jna. Ksetra-jna means that cultivator knows that "This earmarked land is mine." Ksetra-jna. "It belongs to me." So actually this field does not belong to him; it belongs to the government, because he has to pay, collect, tax to the collector. So actually land does not belong to him; it belongs to the government. Similarly, where is the difficulty to understand that although I am cultivating this body, karma...? Taking this body as my field of activities, we are doing work. Everyone can understand it. But finally this body belongs to Krsna, as this land belongs to the government.

Therefore Krsna claims, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi. Just as there are in cities, two taxes: occupier tax and owner's tax... Rented house, actually the house belongs to the landlord, but the tenant also claims, "This is my house." But finally the house belongs to the landlord. So Krsna claims, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. The same example: As a piece of land, some bighas of land, belongs to a certain person -- he can claim, "This is my land" -- similarly, other man can claim, "It is my land," other can claim, "My land," but all these lands belongs to the government. Similarly, I claim this is my body, you claim it is your body, he claims it is his body, but ultimately all bodies, becomes (belongs) to Krsna. This is clear understanding. Where is the difficulty to understand that everything belongs to Krsna? Isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to Krsna."

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. And when you come to the right knowledge, after many, many births... Even Maharaja Yudhisthira... Of course, he is playing the part of ordinary man, pious man. Pious man is also not perfect. Yudhisthira Maharaja should have thought like this, that "Yes, this body does not belong to me, but it belongs to Krsna, and Krsna desired that with this body there must be fighting for His satisfaction." So Arjuna thought like that. Arjuna thought like that. Therefore Arjuna is higher grade devotee than Yudhisthira Maharaja. Yudhisthira Maharaja has got personal consideration. When Krsna advised him that "You go to Dronacarya and speak this lie, that his son Asvatthama is dead, otherwise he'll not die. You go and speak," so he hesitated. He said, "How is that? I never spoke lie. How can I go and say him the lie?" So this personal consideration is there, that "If I speak lies, then I will be sinful, and I'll be punished and so on, so on." But a devotee does not think like that. "Maybe it is sinful, but it will satisfy Krsna; I must do it." This is devotee's decision.

Just like Krsna sometimes became sick. So, in Dvaraka... You have seen that play in Bombay. And so many physicians came; nobody could cure Him. Then Krsna suggested His own medicine, that "If some of my devotees will give the dust of his feet on My head, then I'll be cured." So the first devotee, Narada and others, everywhere, it was approached that "Give your dust of feet. Krsna is suffering." "No, no, no. How can I give my dust of feet? Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead." But when the gopis were approached, when they heard that Krsna is sick, and He's in urgently necessity of the dust of His devotees' feet, so immediately they began to give: "Take it, take it immediately. Immediately." They did not consider that "Giving the dust of my feet to Krsna, I shall go to hell." "Never mind, I shall go to hell; it doesn't matter, but let Krsna be cured." That is first consideration.

So this is the topmost devotee, prepared to do anything without any consideration. That is pure(?) devotee. Anyabhilasita-sunyam anukulyena krsnanusilanam [BRS 1.1.11]. There should be no personal desire. That should be zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-ana... Simply one should try to please Krsna. There is no other consideration. Only to satisfy Krsna. That is pure bhakti. That is explained by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura,

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam

This is perfect conclusion, that "I shall execute the desire of Krsna." "But Krsna is not physically present before me. Then how I shall know what Krsna desires?" That is not very difficult. Krsna's representative is there, the spiritual master. If you fulfill the desire of the spiritual master, then you fulfill the desire of Krsna. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. That is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. If you please your spiritual master, then you know that "I have pleased Krsna." Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi: ** "If you displease your spiritual master, then you are nowhere. Your position is lost."

Therefore, yesterday we were explaining the ten kinds of offenses. Out of ten kinds of offenses, the serious offense is guror avajna, disobedience of the order of guru. This is the verdict of the sastra. Krsna is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of maya, and He advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gita left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Krsna. So He is helping us from within -- buddhi-yogam dadami tam -- from within. Tene brahma hrda. These statements are there in the sastras. "He expounded the Vedic knowledge," hrda, "from the heart," -- brahma means Vedic knowledge, sabda-brahman -- "to Brahma." Because at that time there was nobody to instruct him. So how he got the instruction of Vedas? Because Krsna instructed. Krsna hoite catur-mukha, hoy krsna-sevonmukha. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung. Catur-mukha means Brahma. So being instructed by Krsna, Brahma became inclined to serve Krsna. Therefore he has written Brahma-samhita. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. He understands, "Here is adi-purusa. I am the only creature now within the universe, so I am getting instruction from Krsna, hrda, from my heart."

So Krsna, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Krsna is so kind. Guru-krsna-krpa. Krsna is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasayatmika buddhih, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Krsna, I must execute. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration, in the name of Krsna, guru, then it is spoiled. No. We should receive the instruction as it is, especially...

Krsna says... Just like Krsna says to Yudhisthira, "Go and speak the lie," and He speaks to Arjuna that yudhyasva mam anusmara: [Bg. 8.7] "You fight," so not the instruction the same to everyone. Krsna knows who is capable to do something particular, and similarly, guru also knows. So it is not that the same instruction is given to all. There may be, because variety. It is not impersonalism, one kind of... No. Variety. Krsna is anandamaya. Ananda means variety is the mother of enjoyment. Unless there are varieties, how there can be ananda? Krsna is sac-cid-ananda. So Krsna's business is variety. The Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They simply understand that we are one. No. Varieties. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Krsna is enjoying varieties. He is living in the cintamani-dhama. There are surabhi. He's tending, tending the cows, and He's playing with the cowherd boys. He's making jokes with the gopis. He is enjoying the company... Varieties. He's becoming the son, dependent son of mother Yasoda. So Krsna is variety. Without variety, there cannot be enjoyment. So therefore variety of instruction also.

So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Krsna is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Krsna, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Krsna. The mind is meant for Krsna. I am also Krsna's part and parcel, so parakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Krsna. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna and serve Him, then our life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974

"Material Affection Has No Meaning"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.47
Mayapura, October 27, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation: "King Yudhisthira, son of Dharma, overwhelmed by the death of his friends, was aggrieved just like a common, materialistic man. O sages, thus deluded by affection, he began to speak."

Prabhupada:

aha raja dharma-sutas
cintayan suhrdam vadham
prakrtenatmana viprah
sneha-moha-vasam gatah

Sneha, love, affection, and moha, illusion. So, prakrtena. Prakrtena means on the bodily conception of life. Actually, sneha is different. There are affection in different stages. This morning I was reading the statement of a fisherman who caught Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His trance, and by touching Caitanya Mahaprabhu he became spiritually ecstatic, but he thought that he has become ghostly haunted: "Here is a ghost." And he was thinking, "I am ghostly haunted, so if I become mad, who will take care of my wife and children?" This is the position. The fisherman was actually, spiritually, by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, simply by touching Him, he was so much spiritually advanced that he was chanting, dancing, crying -- means all the symptoms of spiritual ecstatic transformation was visible in his body -- but he thought that he had gone mad on account of touching the body, ghost. He was thinking like that. And the man thinking was that "If I become mad like this, then who will take care of my wife and children?"

This is sneha. Everyone is thinking. Even the lower animals, they are also thinking of giving protection to the children. I have got personal experience in Kanpur, I was sitting in my room, and one monkey was outside the door with his (her) kitty to take something out of my eating. But by chance the small kitty entered through the bars of the window within the room, and I saw the mother became almost mad immediately: "Oh, my son has gone inside, and it will not be allowed to come again." Anyway, I managed to push the small kitty to go away; then she was relieved. So this affection for children, for wife, for family members, increase, then to society, to country, even to the whole human society. There are so many persons. They have given their state (estate) for benefit of the whole human society. There are many, many philanthropists, charitably disposed men. They do that.

But all these activities are simply moha, illusion, only moha. It has no value. If you say that "So many things, it has no value?" it has value -- temporary, punya. Punya... There is also papa also. Suppose if you give charity... Charity is pious activities, but if you give charity to a brahmana, then it is -- proper brahmana, qualified brahmana, Vaisnava -- then your charity is properly utilized. And if you give the same charity to a drunkard, then you commit sinful activity. If you do not know what kind of charities we shall perform, if you blindly give charity, then sometimes you may be doing pious activities, but sometimes you are clearing the way for going to hell. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated there are three kinds of charities: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. If you perform sattvika charity, then you get good result; rajasika charity, you get some profit; and tamasika charity, you go to hell. So one must be very careful even for this sneha, or charity, or philanthropy.

There is another story -- it may be fact -- that a boy was raised by his aunt very liberally. Then, gradually, the boy became, in bad association, a thief. And the aunt was encouraging, "Oh, it is a very good business. You are bringing so many things without any labor." So... Or out of affection he (she) did not chastise the boy when he was stealing. Then he, at the end, became a murderer. So he committed a murder. Then when he was to be hanged, so the government men inquired, "What is your last wish?" "Now, I want to speak with my aunt through the ear." Then he was allowed. And the aunt was generally crying that "My nephew is going to be hanged." She was... So he caught up her ear with the teeth and cut it. So he said, "My dear aunt, if you would have chastised me in the beginning, then today, this position, that you are crying and I am going to be hanged, this would not have happened. But you did not do that. Therefore you are uselessly crying now, and this is your punishment: I cut off your ear with the teeth." A very good instruction.

So the so-called sneha, if it is not properly done... Nature's regulation is so strict that you cannot avoid the consequence. That is not possible. These are practical. I have seen another practical... In front of our residence there was another neighbor. So the old man had his daughter-in-law. So she was beating her one child. So I inquired through my servant, "Why this young woman is beating her child?" Now, then the servant brought me the news that this boy gave parata to his elder brother who is suffering from typhoid. The typhoid... In typhoid fever, solid food is forbidden strictly, but the boy did not know. He asked his younger brother that "If you steal one parata and if you give me, I am very much hungry." So he became very sympathetic to his brother, and he gave the parata. And the boy was ill; he aggravated the illness. So as soon as the mother heard that he gave a parata to him, he (she) began to beat: "Why did you give?" Now, it was charity, it was affection and sympathetic, but the result was beating with shoes. So if we do not know where charity should be given, then, where affection should be there, then we are under the laws of nature; we shall be punished if it is not properly done. There is punishment.

Therefore it is said, prakrtena atmana. Prakrtena, by worldly relationship, prakrtena atmana viprah sneha-moha-vasam gatah. Sneha, affection; moha, illusion. Just like Arjuna, the same thing: out of affection he was denying. He was denying, "No, no, Krsna, I shall not fight. There, on the other side, there are my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather, and my teacher, Dronacarya, all my object of affection and obeisances, and I will have to kill them. You are inducing me. No, no, don't do it." That is prakrtena. He did not know the spiritual necessities. Sometimes we take sannyasa. I have seen. One of our Godbrother, big Godbrother, he took sannyasa. So his son was crying, and he was also crying. Then, if you have got affection for your family, society, then why you are taking sannyasa? That is prakrtena. We should not be carried away by this material affection, no. That is not good. You must do your duty. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, that "Arjuna, you are being carried away by your material affection, and you are hesitating to execute your duty. This is not good." Anarya-justam: "This is befitting for the anarya, non-Aryan." Non-Aryan means not civilized, and Aryan means civilized. This is the distinction. Now people are very much fond of calling themselves as civilized, Aryan, belonging to the Aryan family. Where is the Aryan civilization? Aryan civilization means this Vedic civilization. Just like Arjuna, a ksatriya, belonged to the Aryan civilization, and because he was denying to fight, Krsna accused him, "Oh, this is just like non-Aryans." Anarya-justam, non-Aryans.

So this is Aryan civilization. Aryan civilization means giving importance to the spiritual life. That is Aryan civilization. And those who are giving importance to the material life, prakrta, that is called prakrta. Sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah. In devotional life also, there are prakrta-bhaktas. Prakrta-bhaktas are described,

arcayam eva haraye
pujam yah sraddhayehate
na tad-bhaktesu canyesu
sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

"A devotee" -- of course, that is the beginning -- "who is carrying the arca, Deity worship very nicely," arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhaya, "with great affection, regulative principle, but he does not know," arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate, na tad-bhaktesu, "but he does not know how to respect a devotee," na tad-bhaktesu canyesu, "he does not know how to do good to others -- simply he is attached to the Deity worship -- "sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah, "he's still on the material platform."

So one has to make advance. What is that advance? That advance is... What is that verse? The four kinds of... Prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah. Isvare tad-adhinesu. The further advancement... One has to make advance, stage by stage, from the kanistha-adhikari, from the lower stage, to the middle stage to the higher stage. So the next stage, from prakrta, from material position... Of course, any devotion is, any devotee is not on the material platform. He is... But if we remain more on the material platform, not on the spiritual platform, then we'll fall down. We'll fall down. Therefore one should try to make forward march. The forward march is to become a preacher. Bhaktesu canyesu. Preaching means to obey the order of the spiritual master or superior authorities and to do good to others, do good to others. They are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. Try to preach them. This is the second stage. If we simply become blocked up for Deity worship and do not preach, then we remain in the lowest stage. But when we take up this work, preaching...

Preaching means he must be conscious, Krsna conscious, advanced. Krsna conscious means that he's a lover of Krsna. Isvare tad... He'll see four things: first Krsna, isvara; and tad-adhina, the devotees... Isvare tad-adhinesu and balisesu. Balisa means people, ignorant men, who do not know what is Krsna consciousness. They are called balisa, just like child. Child is called balisa. Ignorant men, balisesu, dvisatsu ca, and other class. He'll see four things: isvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he'll see the devotees of Krsna; he'll see some ignorant person; and he'll see some envious person. That you will have to meet. If you become preacher, then you'll create so many enemies also. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. His father became enemy, not outside. Outside he might have many enemies, but the five-years-old boy, because he was taking opportunity in the school and as soon as the teachers are out, in the tiffin hour, he would immediately stand up on the bench and preach... You have seen the picture. He was preaching amongst his small class friends. That preaching work is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, how he was intelligently preaching.

His first was... Kaumaram... Bhakta? I forget now. My memory is becoming old. (laughs) So, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. That, he was preaching: "My dear friends, we are now unmarried boys, so this is the opportunity. Now we are unmarried. We are not very much attached to family life. This is the opportunity." Kaumara acaret prajnah. Because as soon as one becomes materially affectionate... Here it is said, prakrtena atmana viprah sneha-moha-vasam. The more we increase... When the child, when we are children, we have got little affection for playing or for father, mother, that's all, limited. But the more we grow, and especially when you are married, then this material affection increases, more entangled. That is also stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. This material life means sex life. So a man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. This is material bondage. This is natural not only human society -- in dog society. Just see. The dog is crying, is crying at night because he has lost that woman. Is it not? Just see, even in the dog, what to speak of human being. So this is material life, to be affectionate unnecessarily. Therefore devotional service means vairagya-vidya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed by His example how He gave up the affection of young, beautiful wife, very nice home, most affectionate mother, most influential position in the society -- gave up.

So this is the..., people do not know what is devotional service. Devotional service means... Just like Kunti was praying, "My dear Krsna, kindly help me how can I give up this affection of my family, the Pandavas and the Vrsnis." This is required. This is the first sacrifice, not prakrtena vasam gatah. Then it is... Actually, the perfection of life is no more affection for anything material: brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. That is the beginning, when we have lost complete affection for... We are not cruel; that is not another... But we know, we should know, that this is not required. This is simply moha. This is simply moha. This is illusion. It has no meaning. It is simply entanglement. That one must know. That is called vairagya. Vairagya-vidya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote hundred verses appreciating Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, of which two verses are available, because when he sent the hundred verses glorifying Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He immediately torn the papers, but the devotees collected the torn papers and saved one or two slokas. So one of the most important sloka is,

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
[Cc. Madya 6.254]

Who is this Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu? He immediately recognized, "He is Krsna. He is Krsna." Krsna, as the Supreme Person, He ordered this vairagya-vidya, "Just give up, nonsense, all these things. Just surrender to Me." This is vairagya-vidya. The so-called affection and duty and so on, so on, sarva-dharman parityajya: [Bg. 18.66] "Give up." This is vairagya-vidya. So Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya could understand that "He is the same Krsna, same Krsna. Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead ordered, but He did not personally teach how to become elevated in vairagya-vidya. Here is the same person, He has come again to teach practically how to attain this vairagya-vidya stage." Therefore he said, vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yogam. Vairagya-vidya means you become detestful to the material thing -- param drstva nivartate -- but, as Kunti said that "My affection may increase for you," vairagya-vidya means not only simply give up affection of this material, but you increase your affection for Krsna. That is vairagya, not that giving up all affection for the material world, you become zero. The zero stage is brahma-bhuta stage: "I have no more any affection for material things." But zero stage, you cannot stay. That is not our nature. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. We want ananda.

So we give up this association. Unless we take Krsna's association there will be no ananda; it is simply zero. In the zero platform you cannot remain for many years or many days. Then you'll fall down. If you don't get, if you don't increase your affection for Krsna -- simply you give up the affection of this material world -- then you cannot stay for many days. You'll fall down. You'll fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Simply negative process will not help you. You must take the positive position. So that is required. Otherwise, devotional service means vairagya-vidya. It is the transcendental education to become unattached to this material world. This is called vairagya.

In another place it is said,

vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]

Vairagya or jnana, these two things required in human life, to become unattached to this material world and, based on jnana, knowledge. Just like a so-called sannyasi, they give up as a sentiment and take sannyasa, but unless he has knowledge, he cannot stay; he'll fall down. He'll fall down. Therefore vairagya and jnana, two things must be there. Jnana means full knowledge that "I am spirit soul; my only necessity is spiritual advancement of life." This is jnana. And then, naturally, he has no more any affection for material things.

So Yudhisthira Maharaja was thinking -- it is natural -- that on account of his position, to become the emperor of the world, suhrdam vadham, so many friends have been killed. Aha raja dharma-sutas cintayan suhrdam vadham. This is natural. But duty is duty. When Krsna says that, as He did to Arjuna, that "You must fight. You must kill them," that is duty. That is Krsna consciousness -- no consideration of my affection. That is duty, and Arjuna did it. This is the duty of the devotee. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. First-class devotion is to serve Krsna just to please Him. If He is pleased, if He says that "You kill your son," then we should be prepared to do that. That is called vairagya-vidya. Of course, never Krsna says like that, but actually, in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Arjuna was ordered, if not the son but the nephew. But his sons were also killed. So this is duty. So many people inquire, "Krsna was inducing people to fight." But this fight by the order of Krsna and the fight or war declared for the satisfaction of the politicians, they are not the same. We must always remember. They are not the same.

Just like Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja was standing, and his father was being killed. Is it a very good thing? Suppose if I am here and somebody kills me, and if you do not protest, is it a very good business? People will be surprised that "So many disciples are there, and this man is being killed, and nobody do anything?" So from material point of view, Prahlada Maharaja could have asked Nrsimhadeva, "My Lord, do not kill my father." He could have asked, and immediately his request would have been granted. But he did not do that. He was standing and seeing. But he knows that "This killing of the body of my father is not killing. I shall save him. I shall save him." That he did. When he was offered benediction, he did not take anything. He said, "My Lord, what shall I do, all this material benediction? I have seen in the case of my father. He was so strong that even the demigods were frightened for his presence. His position was so strong, and You finished it within a minute. So what is the benefit of taking? No, no. Please do not request me." But although he did not ask anything for his personal self, but he asked the Lord, prayed, that "One thing I request." "What is that?" "My father was a great demon, and he was against You. He has committed so many sinful life. So I know he'll have to suffer for these things. I request You to excuse him." This is Vaisnava son. "Oh, yes, immediately." Immediately.

So he knew that "What is this of asking for this material...? My father is not this body, but he has to suffer so many things for his sinful activities. I shall save him in due course of time." Therefore that is called putra. Putra means

pun-namno narakad yasmat
trayate pitaram sutah
tasmat putra iti proktah
svayam eva svayambhuva

This is represented by the alphabet pu, and trayate, tra. Combined together, putra. The putra's duty is to save the father from hellish condition of life. Therefore there is sraddha ceremony. So here is a putra. Real putra, Prahlada Maharaja, that he saved his father from the hellish condition of life. Similarly, a father should be the protector of his child not only simply by feeding him, making him very fat in this life, but from death. Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum, pita na sa syat. One should not become father, one should not become mother, one should not become guru, one should not become relative, husband, and so many. The list is there. Why? If he cannot save his subordinate from imminent death. That is father; that is mother; that is guru. And how one can be saved from imminent death or repeated death? Simply by Krsna consciousness.

janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti...
[Bg. 4.9]

You can save your son, your disciple, your relative or anyone whom you love, real affection. Then give him Krsna consciousness, and he'll be saved from death. That is the purport of this.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974

"The Ksatriya Spirit"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46
Los Angeles, May 8, 1973


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

vyasadyair isvarehajnaih
krsnenadbhuta-karmana
prabodhito 'pitihasair
nabudhyata sucarpitah

Translation: "King Yudhisthira, who was much aggrieved, could not be convinced, despite instructions by great sages headed by Vyasa and the Lord Krsna Himself, the performer of superhuman feats, and despite all historical evidence."

Prabhupada: So Maharaja Yudhisthira was very much aggrieved. He was thinking, Vaisnava, that "I am a petty king, and for giving me the throne, so many people have been killed." That is the greatest war within the recollection of five thousand years, Kuruksetra, battle of Kuruksetra. What is this figures? Six million, four hundred thousand people died in that battle. What is the statistics of the last war? How many people died? Is there any statistics?

Devotee: Two million.

Prabhupada: Two million. And here it is six million.

Devotee: 640,000,000.

Prabhupada: Eh? Last war?

Devotee: No, Kuruksetra, 640,000,000.

Prabhupada: Oh. Six hundred forty?

Devotee: Bhagavad-gita, 640,000,000.

Prabhupada: Oh. So which is greater? (laughter) Hare Krsna. It is zero. It is a business of zero, add or subtract. So anyway, a very large number of people died, and Yudhisthira Maharaja, because he is Vaisnava, although he was ksatriya... Ksatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is ksatriya's business. Ksatriya, when there is question of fight...

Just like Bhismadeva, Bhismadeva, grandfather of Arjuna, very affectionate grandfather... Because the Pandavas, Yudhisthira Maharaja, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, when their father died they were small children. Naturally Bhisma is the grandfather of the family and he had to take care to raise the children. In one side he is grandfather, and he actually raised the children. So very affectionate, especially fatherless... And the daughter-in-law Kunti was so helpless because this Dhrtarastra and his family, they were trying always to kill these Pandavas. And Vidura and Bhismadeva, they were giving protection some way or other. So still, although so much affectionate, when the war was declared, Bhismadeva took the side of Duryodhana. He did not take the side of Pandavas, although they were very affectionate, beloved. He replied that "This side, Duryodhana, they are maintaining me. I am maintained by them. So I cannot go against them. That is not possible." Naturally, Bhismadeva would have come to the side of Pandavas because very affectionate. But he said that "That is not possible, because I am maintained by them." This is the duty. If somebody maintains you, you must be very much grateful to him. These are the examples, Vedic culture. He is not maintained by anyone, but because he had no claim on the kingdom, he was thinking himself that "I am dependent on this family."

Actually, the kingdom belonged to Bhismadeva, the kingdom. But he promised... His father wanted to marry Satyavati. At that time his father was old enough. Bhismadeva was grown-up boy, twenty, twenty-two years. But nature, his father wanted to marry again. Bhismadeva is the son of mother Ganges. Bhismadeva's father married the predominating deity mother Ganges, of the Ganges water. So she was very beautiful. So she agreed to marry Bhismadeva's father on one condition. What is that condition? That all the children that will be begotten, they will be thrown in the Ganges water. This was the condition. If the king agreed, then she would marry. So when a man becomes mad after woman... So he agreed, "Yes, I shall throw all the children. Never mind. (laughter) Come on." Maya-mohita. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. This whole world, rascal world, they are captivated by this woman. Woman is captivated by man, man is captivated by woman. This is the tie here in this material world. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. I have explained several times. The whole material existence means this attraction. [break] Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. There are so many instructory verses. Here sex enjoyment is the most prominent, and people are captivated by this. This is life. So anyway even the father of Bhisma, he was captivated. so this was the condition. So in this way every child was being thrown in the Ganges water. So after all... Bhismadeva's father became very mortified. So Bhisma, when Bhisma was going to be thrown in the water, he objected, "No, I cannot allow. I cannot allow." "Then I am going." "Now you can go. I shall keep this child."

So Ganges, Mother Ganges, left Bhisma's father. And Bhisma was raised by his father. He became grown-up. Again this father became captivated with Satyavati. Satyavati. Satyavati, before her marriage... Satyavati is the daughter of a fisherman. The fishermen... In your country there is no such distinction. But in our country there are classification. A fishermen, there is a class. So their girls and women, very well-figured, very enchanting figure. So Satyavati was the daughter of a fisherman, and Bhisma's father become enchanted. So he went to the fisherman. He was king. So "Give me your daughter. I shall marry." "Oh, you are already married. You have got son. Why shall I give my daughter to you?" "No, I am king. I shall maintain her." "No, no, No. I don't want to give." In India still, if a man wants to marry, and if he has got children by his former wife, people will hesitate to give him daughter, because there are stepsons. So nobody wants that "My daughter will be troubled by the stepson,-daughter. No." Still they are practiced. To marry for the second time becomes a problem. But nowadays these things are gone.

So the grown-up son, Bhismadeva, he understood that "My father is inclined to marry that girl." So he went to plead, canvass: "So why don't you give your daughter to my father?" "No, no, I cannot give my daughter to your father. You are his son. You will inherit the kingdom, and my daughter's son will not inherit. So how can I give my daughter?" So he said that "I'll not accept the kingdom. I promise that your daughter's son will inherit the kingdom." "No, no, no. Still I cannot." "Why?" "You'll marry. Then your son will be inheritor. My grandson will not be inheritor." He was calculating in that way, paka businessman. (laughter) So he promised that "You give your daughter to my father, and I promise that I shall not marry. So there will be no son. So naturally my stepmother's son will inherit the kingdom." Then he agreed.

So Bhismadeva's father, although it was little shameful that the son is canvassing for the marriage of father, still, he could understand that "My son is so sensible that I wanted to marry, and he has managed." So he gave him one benediction: "My dear son, you'll remain brahmacari, I can understand. But I give you one benediction, that unless you desire to die, you will never die." Iccha-mrtyu. "This benediction you will have. Unless you desire that ‘Now I shall die,' nobody can kill you, and you'll never die." So this was, the... Therefore... And because he promised so seriously that "I shall not marry," he gave up his kingdom, therefore his name is Bhisma. Bhisma means "very serious." So this Bhismadeva actually maintained the whole Pandava family. That means Pandava, the Pandava and Yudhisthira and Pandu, they are the sons of the stepmother. And because Bhismadeva was elderly son, practically he maintained even Yudhisthira, here, Dhrtarastra and Pandava. And then again, Pandu, he died, his sons, these Pandavas, Yudhisthira, they were also raised by Bhismadeva. So much affection.

But when there was question of fight, so Bhismadeva fought so severely that Arjuna had to be protected by Krsna. Bhismadeva, you know... In Mahabharata these stories are there. Bhismadeva actually had some affection. So Duryodhana thought that "My grandfather is not fighting properly because the other side, his beloved grandsons. I am also grandson, but I am not so beloved. But the other side, Pandavas, because they are fatherless, he has more affection for them. So he is officially fighting. He is not fighting with his real vigor." He complained that. But actually, that wasn't a fact, that "My dear grandfather, you are not fighting with Arjuna with your full vigor. I can understand that." "Oh, I am not fighting? So what do you think?" "Now, I want that you decide to kill them all tomorrow. You can do that." "All right. I shall do that. If you are doubting about my fighting, then I shall..." So he made special five arrows to kill the five brothers next. So Duryodhana asked his grandfather that "Let me keep these five arrows with me. I shall deliver you tomorrow morning. Otherwise it may be missing."

So all these things -- Krsna is Paramatma; He knows everything. So He saw that "There is danger tomorrow. Now Bhisma has decided to kill all these Pandavas." So He asked Arjuna, "Arjuna, you just go, approach Duryodhana this evening." Formerly the practice was, daytime there is fight, but in the after evening they are all friends. After evening they are friends. One can go this camp, that camp, and talk together, sit together, just like friends. There is no enemy. So Duryodhana sometimes promised Arjuna that "I want to give you some benediction. You can ask." So Arjuna said -- Duryodhana was elder than Arjuna -- that "I will ask you in proper time." So Krsna reminded that "Today, tonight you go to Duryodhana and ask him to deliver those five arrows kept in secret. Otherwise tomorrow you will be finished."

So Duryodhana went to, er, Arjuna went to Duryodhana in the camp. Duryodhana received him well: "Come on, brother. What do you want?" He thought that "We are fighting. Arjuna has come to beg the kingdom without fighting." So they were so liberal. He said, "Yes, come in. If you want the kingdom without fighting, I am prepared." But a ksatriya will never beg, "Give me, sir, without..." No. If they can own by fighting, then they will claim. This is ksatriya spirit. So he said that "No, I have not come to beg the kingdom. We shall fight, go on fighting. But I want those five arrows you have kept." Oh, immediately he delivered. Although he was very cautious that these five arrows may not be missing, but promise is promise. Immediately he delivered. So Bhisma understood later on that the five arrows were taken by Arjuna by trick. So still, he promised that "Even without those five weapons, today I shall kill Arjuna. Unless Krsna gives His special protection to Arjuna, there is no escape. Either Krsna has to break His promise, otherwise His friend will be killed."

So Krsna, when He joined Arjuna, He said that He would not fight: "I can help you simply by becoming your charioteer, but I cannot fight." Because the purpose was that Arjuna was to gain the fight. But if Krsna would fight, people would say that Krsna won the fight, not Arjuna; that He avoided fighting. It was sure. Krsna fights or not fights, because He was on the side of Arjuna, it was sure that He would gain the battle. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Yatra yogesvaro harih. Where there is Krsna, the victory is assured. So in this way there was fierce fighting between Arjuna and Bhisma. And Arjuna's chariot became broken into pieces, and he fell down, and when Krsna saw that "Now Arjuna is going to be killed," He broke His own promise. He broke His own promise and took one wheel of the chariot and reached before Bhisma that "Now I shall kill you." Bhisma immediately gave up his weapon. So "That was my promise, that I wanted that either You have to break Your promise or Your friend will be killed. So now You have broken Your promise. So I am giving up. Because it is not expected that I shall fight with You." (laughter) So Krsna said that "Yes, I have kept your promise, but I have broken My promise. You decided, you promised..."

So this is Krsna's business, to... Bhisma was a devotee, great devotee of Krsna. So he promised that either Krsna would break His promise, otherwise His friend will be dead. So he broke His promise. So sometimes Krsna breaks His promise, own promise, for the sake of a devotee. Nobody is expected to break his promise, but Krsna is so kind, for protection of His devotee He can do anything. He can break His promise also. This is Krsna's position. So such Bhisma was so affectionate to the Pandavas. So Krsna wanted... Bhisma was lying on the bed of arrows, preparing for his death. So Krsna wanted that these Pandavas should go to Bhisma and hear his instruction. Therefore, despite His advice to Maharaja Yudhisthira, that "There was no wrong on your part. You are thinking that you have killed, or for your sake so many men have been killed. That is not... You are not responsible for that. You are not sinful..." For a ksatriya, killing is not sinful. For a brahmana, sacrificing an animal in the arena, that is not sinful. So it is all explained in the Bhagavad-gita, sa dosam api na tyajet. Killing is bad, but a ksatriya's business is to kill. Without killing, one cannot become perfect ksatriya. Because he has to give protection, and there are so many demons, rascals. So if the king becomes nonviolent, how other citizens will be given protection? No.

So the king's business is as soon as he sees one undesirable element, immediately he would kill him. That is real protection. Just like when Pariksit Maharaja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you." He immediately took out his sword. This is king, that... Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Praja. Praja means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called praja. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there. Equal right. Your country says equality given. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect. It is due to, I mean to say, absence of Krsna consciousness. A Krsna conscious person will not distinguish like that. For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul. Even a small ant has got soul. But they have to kill. They have to eat. They are philosophizing different way. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill," and now they are interpreting, "Killing means murdering human being." But that is not in the Bible.

So they are manufacturing their own ways of understanding Bible and ethical principles. Therefore it is becoming valueless. It is becoming valueless. No value. One cannot change the words of the authority. If you believe in Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot make any change to your convenience. This is rascaldom. You cannot be a Christian if you violate the orders of Lord Jesus Christ. But they are doing so. Now the Christian priests... We had a meeting in Sydney. One priest asked me, "What we have done that they are not anymore caring for us?" I told him that "You are always violating the ten commandments, and you say what you have done? Lord Jesus Christ says, ‘Thou shalt not kill,' and you are killing, expert in killing. And you are still Christian? So you cannot understand what you have done? You have always misguided people." I told him. So he was not very happy to hear this straight answer. (laughter) But he admitted...

Anyway... So for ksatriya, just like Maharaja Pariksit... If ksatriya becomes nonviolent... Just like our Mahatma Gandhi started nonviolence in politics. So that was a political policy, but in politics there is no question of nonviolence, in politics. That is foolishness. Actually, India gained independence not by nonviolence. That is a great history. India gained independence... Gandhi was fighting with nonviolence for thirty, thirty-five years; there was no result. But one of the leaders, when he, I mean to say, ensued fighting, then within, I think, within one year the Britishers left. So in politics there is no question of nonviolence. So a king, a protector, ksatriya... Ksatriya means ksat... Ksat means injury, injury. And tra, tra means deliver. So a ksatriya's business is to deliver a person who is going to be injured. That is ksatriya. Just like this cow was going to be injured, and as soon as Maharaja Pariksit saw it, he immediately took his sword to kill him. So this is ksatriya.

Therefore ksatriyas are allowed to go in the forest and kill some animal. Because he has to practice. So what kind of animal? Not the cows or simple animal. He must kill one tiger, one lion, one jungle boar. Ferocious, very ferocious animals, That was the ksatriya's business. Not that a rabbit (laughter) or an innocent bird, sports. This kind of sporting was not allowed. If you want to kill, you must kill one rhinoceros. Then one can understand that you have power of killing. That ksatriya used to do. Even, say, twenty-five years ago, Maharaja of Jaipur, he used to go into the forest every year and he would fight with a tiger, simply with a sword, simply with a sword. He would fight with a tiger in the jungle, and he was so expert, he would kill. And then the tiger would be brought in procession, in royal procession. Because the king used to say, "This tiger is the king of forest, or the lion is the king of the forest. I am also king. So after his death, there must be a royal reception." So this was, the function was going on. So ksatriya means they used to kill, practice. Unless they practice, how they can kill? And now our president, they practice only smoking, (laughter) that's all. That's all. And when there is fight, he is in the chamber, safety chamber, and others are, the poor boys, they are called by the draft board, and go and fight. This is not ksatriya, These are sudras. Ksatriya, when there is fight, the king must come forward first. The other party's king also. The king will fight with king, and the soldiers will fight soldiers according to position. And when the king is killed, then victory is owned. It doesn't require that all the soldiers were killed. No.

So there are many... This is actually Vedic culture. You will find all this from Mahabharata. Bhagavata also, we are trying to explain as far as possible. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, this is natural division. So for fighting, ksatriya. In India, because still there are some ksatriyas, there is no such draft board. The ksatriya class, they would come forward to be recruited by the military department. They will not go away. They will be very glad to accept military service, because in their blood the ksatriya spirit is there. In India there is no scarcity to find out a fighter. But when people are trained as sudra, how he can fight? Therefore it is very scientific. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brahmana, this boy is ksatriya, this boy is vaisya, and this boy is sudra." So they should be given separate employment. Then there will be peace. If a person is employed according to his natural tendency, he becomes successful, he becomes successful. But if you give some employment, just like to put a cart before a horse, like that, no, that will not be successful.

Therefore Krsna says that... You can say that "There is no need of ksatriya; let there be all sudras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brahmana must be there, the ksatriya must be there, the vaisyas must be there and the sudras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business. He must see that the ksatriyas, those who are ksatriya spirited, they are being trained up as ksatriya. The brahmanas are being trained up as brahmana. Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brahmana; the arms, that is ksatriya; the belly, that is vaisya; and the legs, they are sudra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is trying to educate some brahmanas. If the society take our help and conduct the business of the society -- ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be chaos and confusion.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973

"Politics-Me King, Others Killed"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46
Mayapura, October 26, 1974



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: "King Yudhisthira, who was much aggrieved, could not be convinced, despite instructions by great sages headed by Vyasa and the Lord Krsna Himself, the performer of superhuman feats, and despite all historical evidence."

Prabhupada:

vyasadyair isvarehajnaih
krsnenadbhuta-karmana
prabodhito 'pitihasair
nabudhyata sucarpitah

After the Battle of Kuruksetra, when everything was settled, Maharaja Yudhisthira, who is well known as Dharmaraja, very pious king, he was very much aggrieved. It is said that sixty-four crores of men were dead within eighteen days in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. So Maharaja Yudhisthira is very much pious, he did not like the idea of so many persons being killed simply for the sake of enthroning him on the throne of the kingdom. He was very much aggrieved that "For me so many men have died. How much sinful I have become, although I am going to be the king."

But he had no cause to become aggrieved. Even great learned sages like Vyasa... Therefore it is said, vyasadyaih. Not only Vyasa, vyasadyair isvara. And Krsna was there. He's isvara, isvarah paramah, not only ordinary isvara but the supreme isvara. Isvara means controller. So there are many different types of controller, but the supreme controller is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. So he also tried to convince Maharaja Yudhisthira that it was duty. For a ksatriya, in dutiful war, dharma-yuddha... Dharma-yuddha... Therefore the battlefield of Kuruksetra is called dharma-ksetra. Although there was fighting, but the fighting arena was not ordinary land. It is dharma-ksetra because the fighting was being performed under the superintendence of Krsna, Dharma-setu, the leader of all religiosity. Under His superintendence, under His care, the fighting was going on. Therefore this fighting was not ordinary fighting. People cannot understand that how fighting can be religious principle. Yes, the fighting can be also religious principle -- but not the present fighting. Present fighting, the politicians, out of their whims, they declare war, that is not religious fighting; that is abominable. That is to serve their political ends. When the politicians cannot control the mass of people being dissatisfied, they make a clique to declare some war so that all their attention may be diverted. This is politics.

But the Battle of Kuruksetra was not that type of battle. One should be aware of the Battle of Kuruksetra very nicely. It was dharma-yuddha. Dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. Why they settled up that the fighting should take place in the dharma-ksetra? They are to fight, yuyutsavah. It was settled they will fight, but why they selected the dharma-ksetra? This is Vedic system. Even up to date, in villages, not in the cities... In the cities, as soon as there is some misunderstanding between you and me, we go to the court, either criminal court or civil court, to settle up, and it takes years to settle up the business. It goes on. I have seen for generation. One generation passed another generation; the fighting is going on in the court. But if people are Krsna conscious, it could be settled within few minutes. Still among the villagers the system is current in India: when there is some fighting, they go to a saintly person or in a temple to settle up. Just like when Sanatana Gosvami was there in Vrndavana, so in that area, whenever there was some fighting between two parties, they would come to Sanatana Gosvami: baba, ap isko phars lakharji.(?) Baba means saintly person. So they would come to Sanatana Gosvami, and they would ask him to become mediator, arbitrator, to settle up. And whatever verdict or judgment he will give, they will accept that "Baba has said. That's all right." Therefore Srinivasa Acarya has prayed the Gosvamis, dhiradhira. Krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau, dhiradhira-priyau.

Dhiradhira-priyau. There are two kinds of men. One is dhira -- very learned, sober, everything in knowledge, wise. They are called dhira. Therefore Krsna says dhiras tatra na muhyati.

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

He has specifically mentioned the word dhira. Dhira means the sober, learned... Generally we call in English language "gentleman." Gentleman means he must be sober, learned, and thoughtful. That is gentleman. But nowadays, gentleman is different -- simply by dress. Dhira and adhira. So there are two classes of men, and the Gosvamis were very dear to both classes of men, dhiradhira. That is the sign of a saintly person, samatitya. Samatitya: they have no enemy. Ajata-satravah. Even the adhira, the saintly person considers as friend, and even a dhira, he considers friend. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. This is the dhira.

So these saintly persons were also advising, Vyasadeva, and vyasadyaih, not only Vyasadeva. There were other big, big saintly persons. The monarchy, as it is conceived in the Vedic civilization, that is not this monarchy. Just like we have got experience in the history, a monarch means get money and spend it for wine and woman. Not that kind of monarch. Monarchy means the king... The ideal monarchy -- Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit -- they were very much advanced in spiritual knowledge, in administrative knowledge, in economic development. Everything, perfectly they were educated, and they were being guided by saintly persons like vyasadyaih. Vyasadyaih. Maharaja Ramacandra was being guided by Vasistha. So the kings were guided by a committee of saintly persons. Big, big learned, saintly persons, brahmanas, they would give advice to the king. He is already learned. There was a case, Vena Maharaja, the father of Prthu Maharaja. He was very much upstart. Therefore the committee of the learned brahmanas and saintly persons killed him. Because he was not hearing to the committee of the saintly persons, brahmanas, he was killed, and his son, Maharaja Prthu, was enthroned. There were many cases. If the king was an upstart, the brahmanas, they were so powerful, they did not require any weapon; simply by their words they will kill him.

So this monarchy is different. People now, they have taken to democracy. Democracy is also mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no more monarchy or the kingdom ruled by the ksatriyas, but amongst the people who will be tricky, some way or other get the votes of the people, he will be seated on the throne. That is stated. Some way or other. So therefore, people are in trouble because so many rascals, they somehow or other manage to get some vote and become the president and minister and... So what they know? They do not know how to govern, how to bring peace in the country. But this monarchy, Maharaja Yudhisthira, just see. Because for the sake of his personal interest so many have been killed, he was sorry. Just see. Not that some way or other, you divide India: "Let me become Prime Minister, that's all." We have got political information that in India when it was..., the proposal was for partition, Gandhi was completely against this partition. He said, "Better I will have no independence; still, I shall not allow the country to be divided." He was stubborn on this point. But he was absent, and in the meantime our, the big Prime Minister signed it, agreed, partition because he wanted to be prime minister anyway, some way or other. "Let the country go to hell." This is politician, going on. Not...

Yudhisthira is not like that: "Let... Somehow or other, let me become King. Let so many people were killed. Never mind." No. He was so sorry, so sorry that he could not be solaced even by the instruction of Krsna and saintly person like Vyasadeva. He was so sorry. Of course, he accepted, but personally he was so very, very sorry, that "So many people have been killed for me." But what could be done? It was Krsna's desire. Krsna comes -- paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8], His two business. So He wanted to establish the kingdom of His representative. He wanted that "Maharaja Yudhisthira is right representative. He should be enthroned on the kingdom of whole world." Formerly Bharatavarsa meant this whole planet, not this small tract of land. Now it is called India. But the Bharatavarsa means the whole planet, this planet. There was one flag. Up to Maharaja Pariksit there was one flag, not like at present there are hundreds and thousands of flags. You Americans, you know. In New York, when we pass through that United Nation building, we see so many flags are there. They are united, but everywhere the flag is increasing, disunited. Not like that. Actually, by monarchy, the pious king, there was unity all over the world. All over the world. And in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra it was a family fight, so all the kings of different parts of the world, they joined this side or that side. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. So... But still, Maharaja Yudhisthira did not like that so many people would be killed for the sake of enthroning him, but Krsna desired. Krsna desired. Krsna wanted it, that... Duryodhana, they were demonlike, simply making politics and diplomacy. Their only business was... Dhrtarastra along with his sons, they were simply making diplomacy how to kill the Pandavas and catch over the kingdom. That was their policy.

So the political head, executive head, of course, he should be intelligent to understand diplomacy and politics, but his only business is to see how people in general are in happiness. That is his business. Nowadays political parties, they are simply engaged how to keep up their position. All the political parties -- I have seen personally -- simply they are making plan how to keep their position in the government so they may not be dethroned, other party may not come. The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?" That is the duty of the government first. But nobody is caring. Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.

So Maharaja Yudhisthira was not that type of king. Therefore he is known as Dharmaraja Yudhisthira, most pious king. So he was now sorry, and prabodhito 'pi, prabodhito 'pi. He was trying to pacify Maharaja Yudhisthira, "Don't be sorry. It is done for the sake of good cause for establishing dharma-samsthapanarthaya, so don't be sorry," but still, he could not be pacified. Sucarpitah. Suca means distress. He was so much distressed within his mind that he could not be satisfied.

So, next verse? Or you can speak... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974

"We Can Purchase Krsna By Love"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.45
Los Angeles, May 7, 1973


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.)

tam badham ity upamantrya
pravisya gajasahvayam
striyas ca sva-puram yasyan
premna rajna nivaritah

Translation: "Thus accepting the prayers of Srimati Kuntidevi, the Lord subsequently informed other ladies of His departure by entering the palace of Hastinapura. But upon preparing to leave, He was stopped by King Yudhisthira, who implored Him lovingly."

Prabhupada: So the capital of the world empire is called Hastinapura or Gajasahvaya. Gaja and hasti means elephant. Maybe there were many elephants, because formerly the kings, they used to keep many, many horses, elephants. Still, in New Delhi they have taken, kept some token elephants in the rajyapal bhavan(?), or the President's house. So formerly there was one king, and the capital was Hastinapura. The king of Hastinapura was ruling all over the world. There was one flag. These are mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. There were not many states, and the world was under one culture, Vedic culture.

So people, the advanced people, they were Aryans, arya. Aryans means advanced. So the Indo-European stock, they are also Aryans. They came from Central India, Central Asia, and some of them went to Indian side. That is the history. The Caspian, Caspian Sea, that was the place of Kasyapa Muni. Kasyapa. From Kasyapa the Caspian has come. Just like formerly the capital of Afghanistan was known as Gandhar. Now it has become Kandahar. So by historical references, it will be ascertained that the whole, this planet was known as Bharatavarsa. What is now India is now known Bharatavarsa, but formerly the whole planet was known as Bharatavarsa. Formerly, this planet was known as Ilavrtavarsa, but since the time of King Bharata, who also, the forefathers of the Pandavas, the planet is called Bharatavarsa. So everywhere there was Vedic culture. The treasures are still available, and the history of the whole world is called Mahabharata. The same point, Bharata. And Mahabharata means "greater Bharata," greater. Just like nowadays we say "greater India," greater some city, "greater New York," so this Mahabharata means is history of the greater Bharatavarsa.

So Hastinapura was capital, and the king of Hastinapura was the emperor of the world. There were, the other, there were states, but they were paying tax to the emperor. So Krsna, after receiving the fine prayer, nicely composed by Kuntidevi, He accepted, badham. Badham means, "Yes, that's all right." He smiled because whatever Kunti has said, they are true. That is not exaggeration. And therefore Krsna smiled that Kunti was so pleased to enunciate the glories of the Lord. She knows what Krsna is. So He said badham, "Yes, it is all right." In this way, He was prepared to go, to return to Dvaraka, and the ladies also, when they were returning, so Yudhisthira Maharaja requested, "My dear Krsna, my dear brother, if You kindly stay a few days more."

So Krsna is fully independent. He could have refused: "No, I cannot stay more." But here it is said, premna. Premna means out of love. Rajna nivaritah. Maharaja Yudhisthira cannot order the Supreme Personality of Godhead to stay or to undo His decisions. But premna, everything is possible. Premna. Premna means by love. Therefore, if we increase our love for Krsna, then Krsna becomes purchased by us. Krsna agrees. Krsna is the order-giver for everyone, but He accepts the order of the devotee. Just like Krsna, while driving the chariot, Arjuna said senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta: "My dear Krsna, You are Acyuta." Acyuta means who never falls, falls back. So "You have accepted my charioteer post..." So charioteer post means He has to carry the order of the king who is on the chariot. Chariot driver is a driver, and the master is the man who is sitting on the chariot. That is the position. So Arjuna knew that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Out of friendship, He has become my charioteer, order-carrier." So when he requested Him, ratham sthapaya me acyuta... "Just place my chariot between the two soldiers," senayor ubhayor madhye, so he was little hesitating that "I am ordering Krsna." Therefore he reminded: "Acyuta." Acyuta means who never falls back. Therefore, he reminded that "Krsna, although You are my master, but because You have voluntarily accepted to become my charioteer, therefore I am asking You. It is not disrespect. So you have to carry it as a charioteer." Krsna also said, "Yes, I am willing. Yes." This is the position.

So if we can purchase Krsna by love... That is stated in the Brahma-samhita: durlabha, vedesu durlabham, vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. God is adurlabha, vedesu durlabha, not adurlabha. I am sorry. Vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. Durlabha means very difficult to obtain. Dur. Dur means with difficulty. And labha means getting. So Brahma says that officially if you study Vedic literature to find out God, to know about God, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. Therefore those who are depending on personal studies, speculation, personal knowledge to understand God, for them, Krsna is durlabha, very difficult to find out. It is not possible. Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said that "I do not expose Myself." Krsna reserves the right of being exposed to anyone and everyone. No. That is not possible. Although the Vedic literature is meant for to find out Krsna, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah... [Bg. 15.15]. All knowledge... Vedic, veda means knowledge. So any department of knowledge, you may pursue, the business is how to find out Krsna. That is real business. Either you take chemistry or physics or politics of sociology, anything, medicine, everything -- all departmental knowledge -- the aim is to find out Krsna.

That was being done by Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He was teaching grammar to His students. So He was explaining dhatu. Dhatu means verb. So He was explaining Krsna. Later on, the students, they became little dissatisfied that "Nimai Pandita simply explains Krsna in everything." So the small school was closed by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They are described as adhama-paduya. That is in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Adhama, adhama-paduya means, adhama, adhama means very low grade, adhama. And uttama means high grade. Uttama and adhama. And madhyama. Madhyama means via-media. There are three grades in everything, first class, second class, third class. So this class of students, adhama, who are not interested to understand God or Krsna, they are third-class student. Adhama-paduya. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was explaining during His instruction, Krsna. But the adhama-paduya did not like it.

So the purpose of education means to know God, to know Krsna. That is the ultimate purpose. But they do not know. These rascals, they do not know. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know the ultimate goal of life is Visnu. They are trying to be learned scholar simply by material acquisition. Therefore it is called durasaya. What is the purpose of education? Purpose of education to know the supreme cause, sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1], and become happy. Everyone is inquisitive, jijnasu. Everyone is jijnasu. So that jijnasu, that propensity, for the lower animals, they are anxious to inquire "Where is food? Where is food?" Ahara-nidra. "Where is shelter, where is sex, and where is defense?" The jijnasu. Everyone is inquiring. The whole world is inquiring. Those businessmen going into the market, they immediately inquires. The answers are, nowadays there is what is called telex...?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupada: The paper comes automatically...

Devotees: Telex.

Prabhupada: Telex. So they are getting... In Zurich, we saw that every bank is by television giving the quotation, of price quotation. That city is very speculative. They are speculating on the price of gold and they purchase and sell, so they must know the price of the gold, every moment, how the market is changing. Their brain is always in that way.

So everyone is inquisitive, every one of us, even the animals, birds, beasts, everyone, inquisitive. But when one becomes inquisitive to understand God, then his human life is fulfilled. Then he is actually in human life. Otherwise, to simply inquisitive what is the price of gold, that means selling and purchasing, make some profit, and when there is profit, then there is sense gratification. That's, this is their aim. When they get some money, immediately how to spend it for sense gratification, not only for personal self but also family. Diva carthehaya rajan kutumba-bharanena va [SB 2.1.3].

Our life is being spoiled. How? Nidraya hriyate naktam. At night we are sleeping or enjoying sex. Nidraya hriyate naktam vyavayena ca va vayah [SB 2.1.3]. Vyavaya means sex. So at night we have got two business, sleeping and sex. And daytime, diva carthehaya rajan. At daytime, simply "Where is money? Where is money?" Artha, or self-interest. Diva carthehaya rajan. Ihaya means searching after, desiring. Then, as soon as he gets money, then what business? Diva carthehaya rajan kutumba-bharanena va [SB 2.1.3]. Kutumba means family. So as soon as we get money, we spend it, go to the store, purchase so many things. So this is our business. The materialistic life means to spoil the night by sleeping and sex life, and to spoil the day: "Where is money? Where is money?" and spend it. That's all. Is it not? This is the clear analysis of materialistic life. Carthehaya. "Where is money? Where is money?" This is also inquisitiveness, "Where is money? Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is this, where is that?" So this inquisitiveness is there in the animals. Then what is the use of this human form of life, the, if the same inquisitiveness is there -- where is money or where is shelter, where is food, where is sex? No. This inquisitiveness is already there in the animal life. Now you have got better life, human form of life, intelligent life, advanced life. Still you'll be engaged in these inquiries. This is Vedic civilization. These things are not to be inquired. They are already there. Supply is there.

So what should be the inquisitiveness in this human form of life? Therefore the Vedanta-sutra says: athato brahma jijnasa. Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth, or Krsna. Krsna is the Absolute Truth, ultimate goal. So that is human life, when we inquire about. Therefore those who are inquisitive about God, they are not ordinary persons. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gita as sukrtina. Sukrtina means background is pious. Just like you are all. You have come to Krsna consciousness movement on account of their, of your very nice background. In your past life you must have cultivated Krsna consciousness, advanced, but it was not complete. Therefore, Krsna has given the chance again: "Now come to this platform and make your life successful." Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Yoga-bhrasta. Those who could not fulfill or finish the Krsna consciousness business completely, they're given another chance, another chance. What is that chance? Sucinam srimatam gehe. Sucinam means very pure family, brahmana family, Vaisnava family. Just like these children. They have taken birth now in the Vaisnava family. Father is Vaisnava, mother is Vaisnava. And they are taken care of. So very exalted life. From the very beginning of life, they are chanting Hare Krsna mantra, they are dancing, they are taking prasadam. The atmosphere is so congenial for spiritual life. They are getting chance. So this is a chance. These children are not ordinary children. Because they could not complete Krsna consciousness in their previous life, they have been given chance to take birth in a family, the father and mother, they're Krsna conscious. This is... Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. These are there.

So to become Krsna conscious, even if you fail in this life, in one life, there is no loss. There is no loss in this way that you get another chance. But if you are not Krsna conscious, there is no certainty whether you are getting next life human form of life or cat's or dog's. There is no... That will be decided according to your karma. Therefore we should take to Krsna consciousness seriously and try our best to complete it in this life. Not waiting for another life. Although there is chance. The next life, even if we fail... But we should not be indolent: "O, if I fail in this life, I shall have another chance." No. We must decide to finish this Krsna consciousness business in this life and immediately go back to home, back to Godhead. That should be our determination.

Because Krsna consciousness means to understand Krsna. That's all. Krsna is everything. Krsna is the origin of everything. If this much we can understand, that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the cause of all causes, He is the source of everything, these three, four things if we can understand, if we can understand... If we can understand one thing, we understand everything. If you simply understand Krsna. That is the Vedic injunction. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. Simply by understanding Krsna, everything becomes understood. The scientists, they are making research, so many things, but a Krsna conscious person can understand very easily all the problems of the world.

Just like we were discussing this morning, that Krsna, we have to accept Krsna with mystic power, acintya-sakti. Acintya-sakti means beyond our conception. Because the mystic power is there in us also. Although we are teeny living entities, so many mystic power we have got within. We do not know. We cannot understand. Take, for example, just like your hair. You cut, it is again growing. You do not know how it is growing, but it is growing. That is a fact. That's a fact. How it is growing, that you do not know. That is mystic power. That is mystic power. So many things, there are. So if there is any cut on your body, an injury, even if you don't apply medicine, automatically it becomes cured. How it is being cured? Even if you don't go to the doctor, physician, automatically it will be cured. We are experiencing daily. That is mystic power. We are creating so much chemicals, even by passing stool, what to speak of other things. The stool is analyzed by scientists. It contains the greatest amount of... What is...? Hypo...?

Svarupa Damodara: Hydrophosphates.

Prabhupada: Hydrophosphate. Hydrophosphate is the very nice medicine for weak health. But that... Just try to understand that such important medicinal value, we are producing in our stool, what to speak of other things. So that is mystic power.

So we have got this mystic power, but we do not know. The example is given like that. The, the deer who has got musk in the navel and the flavor is very nice, so he is jumping here and there, here and there, here and there. Where is this flavor? He does not know the flavor is in his navel. You see. The flavor is there in him, but he is finding out, "Where it is? Where it is?" Similarly we have got so many dormant mystic power within us. We are unaware. But if you practice the mystic yoga system, some of them you can evolve very nicely. Just like the birds are flying, but we cannot fly. Sometimes we desire, "Had I the wings of a dove..." There are poetry: "I could immediately go." But that mystic power is also within you. If you develop by yogic practice, you can also fly in the air. That is possible. There is a planet which is called Siddhaloka. In the Siddhaloka, the inhabitants, they are called... Siddhaloka means they have got so many mystic powers. We are trying to go to the moon planet by so many machines. They can fly. As soon as they desire, they can go.

So mystic power there is in everyone. It has to be developed. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. We have got so many dormant powers. It has to be cultivated. Just like Krsna. Say, four or five years ago, you did not know what is Krsna. By cultivation you are coming to know Krsna, what is God, what is our relationship. So the human life is meant for such cultivation, not for seeking where is food, where is shelter, where is sex. These are already there. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido na labhyate... These things are not our subject matter of inquiry. These are already there. It is enough there even for the birds and beasts. And what to speak of human being? But they have become so rascal. They are simply absorbed in the thought of the where is food, where is shelter, where is sex, where is defense. This is the misguided civilization, misguided. There is no question of these things for... There is no problem at all. They do not see that the animal has no problem, the bird has no problem. Why the human society will have such problem? That is not at all problem. Real problem is how to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is real problem. That problem is being solved by Krsna consciousness movement. If you simply understand what is Krsna, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], there are no more material birth.

So Krsna consciousness movement is so nice, if you make friendship with Krsna, then you can talk with Krsna as Yudhisthira Maharaja requested: "Krsna, kindly stay a few days more." So Krsna, not few days more, Krsna will remain perpetually with you if you love Krsna.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973