"Death Is God"

73/07/09 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.2-3


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sanjaya uvaca
drstva tu pandavanikam
vyudham duryodhanas tada
acaryam upasangamya
raja vacanam abravit
[Bg. 1.2]

Translation: "Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the following words:"

Prabhupada: So Dhrtarastra inquired from Sanjaya, kim akurvata: "After my sons and my brother's sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?" This was the inquiry. So to encourage him... Because Sanjaya could understand the feelings of his master that he wanted the fight, no compromise, ksatriya spirit, "Let my sons and my brother's sons fight..." That is ksatriya spirit. "My sons are one hundred in number and they are only five, so certainly my sons will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured." That was his plan. So Sanjaya, his secretary, could understand the feeling. Of course, at last he would inform differently. Yatra yogesvarah harih. At last he described, "My dear sir, you do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because the other side is Krsna, yatra yogesvarah harih, and the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond your expectation of victory." But in the beginning he says, "Don't be discouraged. There was no compromise. Immediately your son Duryodhana..." And he is addressing himself (his son) as "raja." because Dhrtarastra would be encouraged when at least he thinks of his son becoming the king. Therefore he said "raja."

So drstva tu pandavanikam [Bg. 1.2]. Duryodhana did not expect that the Pandavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Krsna on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pandavas are well-equipped with good number of soldiers, pandavanikam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief Dronacarya....

Dronacarya was everyone's teacher, acarya. Acarya means teacher. Acaryam upasangamya [Bg. 1.2]. The military teacher. So Duryodhana, he was military teacher of the Pandavas also. When all of them were children, they were given under the instruction of Dronacarya. Dronacarya was brahmana, but he knew the military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys, the Kauravas. So... but Acarya, Dronacarya joined with Duryodhana. Bhismadeva joined with Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna. Because Arjuna or Maharaja Yudhisthira was not king at that time, the financial control was not in their hands, and these people, sons of Dhrtarastra, they were on the government political power. The financial control was in their hands. So they were giving enough money for maintenance to Dronacarya and Bhismadeva. So they felt obliged. Of course, they knew everything. But externally, they felt obligation: "Arjuna, I am getting money from Duryodhana. So in this point of danger, if I do not join him, it does not look well. I am getting financial maintenance."

Of course, Arjuna did not ask him. Arjuna was satisfied with Krsna. That's all. Krsna also divided Himself. Because it is family quarrel. So He said, "I cannot take part with anyone and even if I take part, side, of any of you, I shall not fight. Directly I shall not fight. I may be on your side or that side, but I'll not fight." Still, Arjuna was satisfied. So Krsna, in order to satisfy Arjuna, that "I shall not fight, but I shall become your charioteer. I shall drive your chariot." So in this way the battle was arranged, and when Dhrtarastra inquired, kim akurvata sanjaya [Bg. 1.1], "What did they do?" He said, "Sir, don't be disappointed. There was no compromise. Immediately your son, after seeing the military arrangement of the Pandavas, he was surprised, and immediately he went to Dronacarya." He is the commander-in-chief appointed first. "What to do?" Raja vacanam abravit [Bg. 1.2]. Then he began to speak, to inform Dronacarya. So next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

pasyaitam pandu-putranam
acarya mahatim camum
vyudham drupada-putrena
tava sisyena dhimata
[Bg. 1.3]

Translation: "O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada."

Prabhupada: So -- intelligent. This Drupada, the son of Drupada, he was meant for killing Dronacarya. Drupada Maharaja was not in good terms with Dronacarya. So he performed a yajna to get a son who could kill Dronacarya. That son is this Draupada. So Dronacarya knew that "Drupada Maharaja has got his son. In future he would kill me." Still, when he was offered to become his disciple, to learn military art, he accepted, "Yes." That means the brahmanas were so liberal: "When he is coming as my disciple, never mind, he would kill me in future. That doesn't matter. But I must give him teaching." Therefore this word is used, dhimata, very intelligent: "He has killed the military science from you just to kill you." Dhimata, tava sisyena. "Your disciple, he has arranged." This is the pointing out. So that he may be angry: "This rascal has learned from me and he wants to kill me?"

But no. Duty is duty. After all, everyone will die; nobody will exist. So nobody should be afraid of death. This is Vedic civilization. Death is inevitable. "As sure as death." Who can avoid death? So being afraid of death, we should not deviate from our duties, real duty. That is Vedic civilization. So Duryodhana wanted to point out "That this boy, your disciple, he... It is fixed up that he's meant for killing you, and he has arranged nicely military phalanx just to defeat you. And he has learned this art from you."

Therefore he is using this word, dhimata. Dhi, dhi means intelligence. Dhimat-sabda. Dhimat. Dhi means intelligence, and mat means "one who possesses." Asty arthe matup-pratyaya. When one possesses something, in this sense, this pratyaya... In Sanskrit there are pratyayas. So matup pratyaya. So matup. From matup, it comes to mat. Sanskrit language means it is so reformed that each and every word has significance. Not that like your English language. "Beauty but peauty put.(?)" No, not like that. If you say "beauty but," you must say, "peauty put." But no, you change: beauty but peauty put. Why? This kind of change cannot be allowed in Sanskrit language. If the "u" means "ah," just like beauty but, then it must always mean like that, no change. So dhimata. Dhi means intelligence. Dhi means intelligence. So one who has got intelligence. Every word is used with full meaning. Sanskrit language is so nice. Therefore it is called Sanskrit, Sanskrit, Samskrta. Samskrta means reform. And the alphabets are called devanagari. Devanagari means these alphabets... Just like in Europe the Roman letters are used, similarly, in the upper planetary system these alphabets are used, devanagari, used in the cities of the demigods. And the language is called Samskrta, "most reformed." And Sanskrit is the mother of all languages.

Even in this planet, the Latin is also derived from Sanskrit. Just like the "maternal," the matr-sabda, "paternal," pitr-sabda. So dhimata. So here the writer is Vyasadeva. So every word is selected, either in Bhagavad-gita or in Srimad-Bhagavatam or the Puranas, all writings of..., Mahabharata, each and every word is used just like weighing in the balance. So many words should be in the beginning, so many words should be in the end. And not whimsically. That cannot be allowed. That is called samskrta sahitya, literary... Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he was hearing Kesava Kasmiri, as soon as there was little discrepancy, bhavani-bharta, immediately he criticized and defeated him. Sanskrit language is so nice.

Pasyaitam pandu-putranam acarya: [Bg. 1.3] "My dear teacher, just see how many military soldiers are standing there on behalf of the Pandavas, and they have been arranged by your disciple, who is meant for killing you. So just remember." That means "You become more strong that this boy and the other party may not kill you." But Duryodhana does not know that the death does not depend on military strength or bodily strength. When death will come, nobody can check. Death is God. When Krsna desires that "This man should be killed now," or "He must die now," nobody can check....

This is the missing part (only the script since the audio file is incomplete or damaged)

...rakhe krsna mare ke mare krsna rakhe ke. If Krsna desires to kill somebody, nobody can give him protection, no power. And if He wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him. This is Krsna's protection.

Therefore this big, big commander-in-chief Dronacarya and Bhismadeva, Karna, they were very, very, big, powerful commanders. Arjuna was nothing before them. Arjuna was just like... Pariksit Maharaja compared that "My grandfather was just like an ordinary fish, and these soldiers, these commanders, (were) just like timingila." Timingila, there is a fish -- we get information from Vedic literature -- very big fish. They swallow up the whales. Timi. Timi means whale fish. And timingila means... Just like small fish are swallowed up like this. So just imagine how big such fish is. So these commanders, Karna, Dronacarya, and Bhisma, were compared with the timingila. And Arjuna although very powerful, he was compared with timi. So Pariksit Maharaja admitted "That it was not possible for my grandfather to win over the battle before these big, big commanders. It is only by the grace of Krsna he was saved." So the conclusion is if Krsna saves, nobody can kill; and if Krsna wants to kill, nobody can save. Therefore our conclusion should be that we should always be under the protection of Krsna. Avasya raksibe krsna. This is saranagati. Saranagati, surrender. Surrender means that "I am surrendering to Krsna with full faith that He is quite competent and able to give me protection." This is called surrender. Not that hesitation: "Oh, I will surrender to Krsna, and in case of danger, He may not be able to give me protection." That is not surrender. With full faith, "Yes, Krsna is so powerful, Krsna is so great, that I am surrendering to Krsna from this day: 'From this day... Krsna, I was wandering throughout the universe life after life without knowing my relationship with you. Now, today, I surrender unto you. Kindly accept me and engage me in your service.' " This is called surrender. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973