Arjuna Playing the Role of a Rascal

73/08/16 Los Angeles, Bhagavad-gita 2.10

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tam uvaca hrsikesah
prahasann iva bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye
visidantam idam vacah
 [Bg. 2.10]

Translation: "O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krsna, smiling, in the midst of both armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna."

Prabhupada: So hrsikesah, prahasann iva. Krsna began to laugh, smiling, "What a nonsense this is, Arjuna." First of all he said, "Put me." Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. "Krsna, just put my chariot between the two parties of soldiers." And now... (coughs, aside:) Bring me water. He was so enthusiastic in the beginning that "Put my chariot between the two armies." Now this rascal is saying no yotsya, "I will not fight." Just see the rascaldom. So even Arjuna, Krsna's direct friend, maya is so strong that he also becomes a rascal, what to speak of others. First of all very enthusiasm: "Yes, put my chariot between the two armies." And now in the..., na yotsya iti govindam [Bg. 2.9], "I am not going to fight." This is rascaldom. So he was smiling, that "He is My friend, direct friend, and such a big, and he is now saying that 'I will not fight.' "

So Krsna smiling, this smiling is very significant, prahasann. Tam uvaca hrsikesah prahasann iva bharata, senayor ubhayor visidantam, lamenting. First of all he came with great enthusiasm to fight; now he is lamenting. And Krsna is mentioned here as Hrsikesa. He is solid. He is Acyuta. He is solid. He is not changed. Another significance of this word Hrsikesa... Because in Narada-Pancaratra the bhakti means hrsikesa-sevanam. Therefore this very name is mentioned here, Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Bhakti means to serve Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. And the master of senses, some rascals are describing that Krsna is immoral. He is master of senses and He is immoral. Just see how he has studied Bhagavad-gita. If Krsna is perfect brahmacari... Krsna is perfect brahmacari, for... It was declared by Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva is the first-grade brahmacari in the universe. He promised to Satyavati's father... You know the story. Satyavati's father... His, Bhismadeva's father was attracted by a fisherwoman, fishergirl. So he wanted to marry. And the father of the girl denied, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you." So "Why? I am king, I am asking your daughter." "No, you have got a son." Bhismadeva was the son of his first wife, mother Ganges. The mother Ganges was wife of Santanu Maharaja, and Bhismadeva was the only remaining son. The contract was between Santanu Maharaja and Ganges, Mother Ganges, that "I can marry you if you allow me that all the children born I shall throw in the water of the Ganges. And if you do not allow me, then immediately I shall leave your company." So Santanu Maharaja said, "All right, still, I shall marry you." So she was throwing all the children in the Ganges. So this Bhismadeva... So after all, father, so he became very much sorry, that "What is this? What kind of wife I have got? She is simply throwing all the children in the water." So at the time of Bhismadeva, Santanu Maharaja said, "No, I cannot allow it. I cannot allow it." Then mother Ganges said, "Then I am going." "Yes, you can go, I don't want you. I want this son." So he was wifeless. Again he wanted to marry the Satyavati. So the father said, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you because you have got a son, grown-up son. He will be king. So I cannot give my daughter to you to become your maidservant. Her... If I would have thought that her son would be the king, then I can offer you my daughter." So he said, "No, that is not possible." But Bhismadeva understood that "My father is attracted with this girl." So he approached. He said to the fisherman that "You can offer your daughter to my father, but you are thinking that I shall become king. So your daughter's son will be king. On this condition you can offer your daughter." So he replied, "No, I cannot." "Why?" "You may not be king, but your son may be king." Just see, this material calculation. Then at that time he said, "No, I shall not marry. That's all. I promise. I shall not marry." So he remained brahmacari. Therefore his name is Bhisma. Bhisma means very solid, firmly fixed. So he was a brahmacari. For the sake, for the satisfaction of his father's senses, he remained brahmacari.

So Bhismadeva, in Rajasuya-yajna, admitted that "Nobody is better brahmacari than Krsna. He was within the gopis, all young girls, but He remained a brahmacari. If I would have been within the gopis, I do not know what was, what would have been my condition." So therefore Krsna is the perfect brahmacari, Hrsikesa. And these rascals they are saying that Krsna is immoral. No. Krsna is perfect brahmacari. Dhira. Dhira means one who is not agitated even there is cause of being agitated. So Krsna is such a brahmacari. In spite of in His just on the verge of youthhood at the age of 15, 16, years, all the village girls were friends, they were very much attracted with Krsna's beauty. They used to come to Krsna for dancing in the village. But He was brahmacari. You will never hear that Krsna had some illicit sex. No. There was no such thing description. The dancing is description, but no contraceptive pill. No. That is no described here. Therefore He is Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means perfect brahmacari. Vikara-hetu, even there is cause of being agitated, He is not agitated. That is Krsna. He has got thousands and thousands of devotees, and some of the devotees, if they want Krsna as lover, Krsna accepts that, but He does not require anyone else. He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Krsna is Hrsikesa, the master of the senses.

So at least Krsna's devotees... There are many instances of Krsna's devotees. They are also... Why many? Almost all devotees, they are master of the senses, gosvami. Just like Haridasa Thakura, you know. Haridasa Thakura was young man, and the village zamindar, he was Mohammedan. So everyone was eulogizing Haridasa Thakura, such a great devotee. So the zamindar, the village zamindar, he became very much envious. So he employed one prostitute to pollute Haridasa Thakura. And she came at dead of night, nicely dressed, attractive. She was also young, very beautiful. So she proposed that "I have come, being attracted by your beauty." Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, that's all right. Come on, sit down. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy." So she sat down. But Haridasa Thakura chanting, he was chanting... We, we cannot chant even sixteen rounds, and he was chanting three times sixty-four rounds. How many it is?

Revatinandana: 196.

Prabhupada: 196 rounds. That was his only business. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna... So sometimes somebody wants to imitate Haridasa Thakura. It is not possible. So Haridasa Thakura, when it became morning, the prostitute, "Sir, now it is morning." "Yes, next night I shall... Come next night. Today I could not finish my chanting." That was a plea. In this way three days passed. Then the prostitute became converted, fell down on his..., "Sir, I came to pollute you. Now save me, I am so fallen." So Haridasa Thakura said "Yes, I know that. I could have leaved this place immediately when you came, but I wanted that you have come to me, you may be converted to this Vaisnavism." So the prostitute became a great devotee by the mercy of... Haridasa Thakura said that "You sit down in this place. You chant Hare Krsna before this tulasi plant. Now I am leaving this place."

So Krsna-bhakti is like that. Full control over the senses. As Krsna has got full control over the senses, similarly, those who are actually Krsna devotees, they have got full control over the senses. Hrsikesa. Just like Yamunacarya. He is praying, he is speaking, yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-dhamany udyatam rantum asit: "Since I have begun to feel transcendental bliss being taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna," yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde, krsna-padaravinde, the lotus feet of Krsna. "Since my citta, my heart, has been attracted by the lotus feet of Krsna," tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame, "since then, as soon as I think of sex life," bhavati mukha-vikarah, "I hate, I spit on it." This is Krsna-bhakti. Krsna-bhakti is like that. Bhakti-paresanubhava-viraktir anyatra syat. This most attractive feature in this material world is sex. That is the foundation of material life. All these people are working so hard day and night only for that sex enjoyment. Yan maithunadi-grha... They are taking so much risk. They are working, karmis, they are working so hard. What is their pleasure of life? The pleasure of life is sex. Yan maitunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Very abominable activities, but that is their pleasure. This is material life. So Krsna is not like that. But the rascals, they paint picture, and that pictures are very much appreciated, that Krsna is embracing gopis.  Somebody was telling me that... Last... Who came? That Krsna's picture. So when Krsna is killing Putana, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kamsa, or... Krsna has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopis. One who cannot understand Krsna, what is Krsna, which Vyasadeva has described what is Krsna in nine cantos, to understand Krsna, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Krsna... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rasa-lila. First of all understand Krsna. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rasa-lila. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Krsna is immoral." How Krsna can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Krsna's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Krsna is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Krsna's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Krsna is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.

So it is very difficult. Nobody can understand Krsna without becoming a pure devotee of Krsna. Because Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvatah, in truth. Tattvatah means truth. If one wants to understand Krsna as He is, then he has to take this process of devotional service, bhakta, bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When one is employed as the servitor of Hrsikesa, the master of senses. Master, and hrsikena, when your senses are also engaged in the service of the master of the senses, then you also become master of the senses. You also. Because your senses are engaged in the service of the Hrsikesa, the senses have no other opportunity to be engaged. Locked up. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. So this is the process of devotional service. If you want to become master of the senses, gosvami, svami, then you should always keep your senses engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. That is the only way. Otherwise it is not possible. As soon as you become a little slack to engage your senses in the service of the master of the senses, immediately maya is there, "Come on, please." This is the process. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare, pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. As soon as you forget Krsna, even for a moment, immediately maya is there: "Please, my dear friend, come here." Therefore we have to become very cautious. We cannot forget Krsna even for a moment. Therefore the chanting program, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama... Always remember Krsna. Then maya will not be able to touch you. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti. Maya cannot touch. Just like Haridasa Thakura. He was engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. Maya came in full-fledged strength. Still, she was defeated; Haridasa Thakura was not defeated.

So try to understand Krsna as Hrsikesa. So Hrsikesa, Krsna, began to laugh that "He is My friend, constant associate, and such weakness. He first of all was enthusiastic to ask Me to take his chariot, senayor ubhayor madhye. Now visidantan, now he is lamenting." So... We are all fools like that. Arjuna is not fool. Arjuna has been been described as Gudakesa. How he can be fool? But he is playing the part of fool. If he does not play the part of a fool, how this Bhagavad-gita will come from the mouth of Sri Krsna? And because he is devotee, he is perfectly playing in such a way that Krsna is giving instruction. So perfect teacher and the perfect disciple, Arjuna. We have to learn from their de... Our position... Arjuna is representing just like ordinary man like us, and Krsna is Hrsikesa, giving His advice, perfect advice. If we take, if we read Bhagavad-gita in the spirit of understanding like Arjuna, the perfect disciple, and if we accept the advice and the instruction of Krsna, the perfect teacher, then we should know that we have understood Bhagavad-gita. By my mental speculation, by rascal interpretation, by showing one's scholarship, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. That is not possible. Submissive. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. So we have to surrender as Arjuna, he surrendered. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I surrender unto You. I become Your disciple." To become disciple means to surrender, voluntarily accepting the instruction, the advice, the order of the spiritual master. So Arjuna has already accepted that. Although he is speaking that na yotsye, "Krsna, I shall not fight." But master, when He explains everything, he will fight. Master's order. Not to fight, that is his own sense gratification. And to fight in spite of he had no desire to fight, that is the satisfaction of the master. This is the sum and substance of Bhagavad-gita.

So Krsna, seeing Arjuna, visidantam very much affected, lamenting, that he is not prepared to do his duty. Therefore in the next verse He begins that asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "My dear Arjuna, you are My friend. Never mind, maya is very strong. Despite your being My friend, personal, you are so much overwhelmed with false compassion. So just hear Me." Therefore He said, asocyan: "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not at all good." Asocya. Socya means lamentation, and asocya means one should not lament. Asocya. So asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase. "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. What Arjuna has said, that varna-sankara, when the women become polluted, the population is varna-sankara, that is fact. Whatever Arjuna has said to Krsna in order to avoid the fighting, so those things are correct. But from the spiritual platform, those things may be correct or incorrect, but from spiritual platform, they are not to be considered very serious. Therefore asocyan anvasocas tvam. Because his lamentation was on the bodily concept of life. That bodily concept of life, in the very beginning of Krsna's instructions, it is condemned. Asocyan anvasocas tvam: [Bg. 2.11] "You are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Because anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal. So our all morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses. Senses means different parts of the body. So one who is interested with the body -- that means one who is interested with the senses -- their only business is how to... (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"Eat Like Human Being"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35
Vrndavana, August 16, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: Translation: "Whatever work is done here in this life for the satisfaction for the mission of the Lord is called bhakti-yoga, or transcendental loving service of the Lord. And what is called knowledge becomes a concomitant factor."

Prabhupada:

yad atra kriyate karma
bhagavat-paritosanam
jnanam yat tad adhinam hi
bhakti-yoga-samanvitam

A similar passage is there, samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Similar. Bhagavat-paritosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam or hari-tosanam, the same thing.

So first of all we must know what is bhagavat, or Hari, then we may try to satisfy Him. Unfortunately, we do not know what is God. Where is the question of satisfying Him? This is the... At the present moment, vague idea, what is God; practically no idea. What is their God? "God is good." They... Sometimes they say, "God is great," but what is that God, how great He is, how He is good, nobody knows. So where is the question of hari-tosanam? If I do not know... Somebody says that "You go and satisfy Mr. such and such, Mr. John." So I do not know who is Mr. John, where does he live, what does he do, then how can I satisfy him? This is the position.

So hari-tosanam or bhagavat-paritosanam can be possible when we actually know what is God. Otherwise there is no question. So, so far we are concerned, Krsna conscious devotees, we know who is God. Therefore this business is possible by us, not by others. We know what is God. We have no vague idea. We know who is God, where does He live, what does He do, His name, address, His father's name -- everything we know. Therefore we can satisfy. We are competent to satisfy because we know exactly who is God. That is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. How do you know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Yes, by history, by authority, by His action, everything complete. We know historical, from historical point of view, Krsna is there in the Mahabharata. Mahabharata means "The history of great India." Maha means great. So greater India. Greater India, this is history. Itihasa. Itihasa means history. So there is Krsna, in the itihasa, in the history. In the Vedas also, there is name of Krsna. In the Yajur Veda, there is name of Krsna and His father's name, Vasudeva. Everything is there. And besides that, Krsna appeared as He is five thousand years ago and He acted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So where is the difficulty to understand Krsna?

Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah -- everything complied. Krsna, the richest personality, the most beautiful personality, the most wise. He has given the Bhagavad-gita. Apart from other instructions, the Bhagavad-gita is there. Who has given such wise instruction throughout the whole world, throughout the whole universe? Nobody has given. God means the wisest, the richest, the most powerful, the most beautiful. So He was so beautiful that 16,108 very, very beautiful women... And this is married. And unmarried, many millions, they were attracted by Krsna, the most beautiful. Syamasundara. His name is sundara, very beautiful. Although syama, blackish, still He's so attractive. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Kandarpa-koti, He's so beautiful that He can surpass in His beauty the Cupids, millions and millions of Cupids. His name is Madana-mohana. Madana-mohana, Madana is Cupid. Cupid enchants everyone, but he is enchanted by Krsna. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana.

So bhagavat-tosanam, we must know first of all who is God, who is Bhagavan. So sastra says, authority says, and history says. What more proof you want? Huh? What more proof? Is there anyone to challenge Krsna? Everything is there. Still, why you are searching after God? This is foolishness. This is foolishness. Owls', owls' philosophy. Owls' philosophy... The owl will not open the eyes to see the sun. Just open your eyes, you see, here is sun. "No, there is no sun." This is owls' philosophy. Close the eyes, meditate. And the God is here, "No, I'll not open my eyes."

So we do not follow this philosophy, owls' philosophy. We follow real philosophy. What is that real philosophy? Sruti-pramanam, evidence from the Vedas, history, aitihya-pramana, history. And anumana-pramana. There are many, pratyaksa, anumana, aitihya... So out of that, there are so many evidential processes, but according to followers of the Vedic principle, their process is sruti-pramanam. Sruti-pramanam means if it is mentioned in the Vedas, Upanisad, then it is pramanam. Sruti-pramanam. So Vedas, there are four Vedas and 108 Upanisads, and then eighteen Puranas, then this Mahabharata. So all these are Vedic literatures. Srimad Madhvacarya describes them, these are Vedic literatures. Not only the four Vedas -- Sama, Yajur, Rg, Atharva -- but expansion of Vedas. Puranas, they are also Vedas. So in the Purana, in the history, in the Vedas, by the authorities.

Just like Brahma, the best authority because he is the first living being created within the universe. Adi-purusa. Not adi-purusa; adi-kavi. Adi-purusa is Krsna. Brahma is adi-kavi, the original learned scholar. So our theory of creation means first of all Brahma is created. So Brahma is called adi-kavi. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye means Brahma. So Brahma's knowledge, what does he say? Brahma says govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. Brahma says Govinda, Krsna. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. He's giving description about Krsna in the Brahma-samhita. And the description of Krsna's abode. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Everything is there. This is authority, sruti. Krsna is very much fond of tending cows. Surabhir abhipalayantam. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. He has got His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, where the residential houses are made of cintamani, touchstone. Touchstone, we have heard the description. Touchstone means the stone which you touch to the iron and the iron becomes gold. So such touchstone, they're used as brick. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu [Bs. 5.29].

And kalpa-vrksa. This is Krsna's abode. They are not like this. They are all spiritual. Here it is, everything is material, but there is spiritual touch. That spiritual touch we are describing in the Bhagavad-gita, bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. Without spiritual touch, there is no question of material manifestation. That is not possible. This body, your body, my body, this is material -- everyone knows. It is made of earth, air, water, fire, like that. But how it is manifested? How the beautiful body is manifested? Because there is spiritual touch. The spirit soul is there. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha... [Bg. 2.13]. This external body is changing, but it is forming on account of that spiritual touch. That spiritual touch means Krsna. Bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. So therefore the origin of everything is Krsna. Just like the origin of a big tree is the root. Similarly, Krsna is the adi-purusam. Govindam adi-purusam, sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. Just like in the tree there are trunk, branches, twigs, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, so many things. But the cause is the root.

So here it is said that hari-tosanam. Bhagavat-paritosanam. The root must be satisfied. If you want to maintain the tree, then the root or the original cause of the tree should be satisfied. Then everything is satisfied. So here in this material world they are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to become happy. They are put into the ocean of nescience. May be very expert swimmer, but simply swimming will not save you. You must know how to save. So here it is said, yad atra kriyate karma. Everyone is doing something. Vaidiki laukiki va. There are two kinds of karmas. Vaidiki means according to the Vedic rituals. Performance of big, big sacrifices and so many other, that is called vaidiki. And laukiki... Just like we have got good experience nowadays. There are so many activities, factories, mills, and scientific research work, so many. This is laukiki. So Krsna does not say... Yes. The Suta Gosvami does not say that simply by vaidiki activities, big, big ritualistic ceremonies, you can be happy. You can be happy even by laukiki. Laukiki mean these material activities. Generally, people understand, big, big factories nowadays, or agriculture or anything, there are laukiki. Laukiki means for maintenance of the body. So Narada Muni recommends that yad atra, anything you are doing, kriyate. Atra means in this material world, atra. Yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritosanam. It doesn't matter that you do not understand these Vedic rituals, but you want to develop the economic position of your country by industrial enterprises. Yes, that is also good. That is also good. How? Bhagavat-paritosanam. If it is conducted for the satisfaction of Krsna, then it is good.

So our Krsna consciousness movement does not say you stop anything. No. Whatever you have got liking, you can do, but bhagavat-paritosanam. By your work you try to satisfy Krsna. This is our proposal. We do not say the negative, stop. No. And it is confirmed in the sastras, atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah... Generally, according to Vedic principle, there are four division of karma. Not four; eight division. According to varna and asrama. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. The division of work must be there; otherwise the society cannot go on very nicely. If everyone is brahmana, not interested in anything material or simply... Because it is, after all, material world, if everyone becomes brahmana, now it will not go. There must be others. Ksatriyas means the statesman, protector, politician, diplomat, ksatriyas. And there must be vaisyas also, productive class of men. They must produce. Economic development, that is also required. Otherwise, how human society will go on? Not only intelligent class of men -- the protector class of men, the productive class of men, and the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing this temple. If we devotees remain Hare Krsna, then who will construct this temple? Everything is required. We do not say that "Stop this" or "Stop that." No.

So that division, different division, is scientifically made in the Vedic conception of life, varnasrama. Four varnas and four asramas. Asrama for spiritual advancement and varnas for material advancement. So we want both of them because our life is combination of spirit and matter. So it is not that... To make the best use of a bad bargain. Suppose you have got a car. It is not very good car. It's not American car, but Ambassador. (laughter) Thrice breaks. But you have to utilize it. Bad bargain. Similarly, some way or other, we have got this material body, we cannot neglect it. We don't say that "Neglect it. Don't care for the body." No. Why?

That is the instruction of the Gosvamis. Anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah. Don't be attached to the bodily demands. Bodily demands means eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending. These are bodily demands. So if we say that "I am not this body, so I don't care for this eating, sleeping..." No. That is not. It is not vairagya. This kind of renunciation is not recommended by our Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna consciousness movement, the Gosvamis recommend anasaktasya visayan. You do not be attached to the demands of the body, but you utilize it for advancing in Krsna consciousness. Eating is required. If you don't eat nicely, then body cannot be maintained. But anasaktasya visayan yatharham. Eating is required, but not eating too much. Not eating to the taste of the tongue, unnecessarily eating meat, fish, eggs. Why? You are human being. For you Krsna has given so much varieties of food stuff. Fruits, vegetables, nice rice, dal, milk, ghee. Why should you go to the meat-eating? This is required. You eat like human being, not like cats and dogs. But eating is not prohibited. That is not our philosophy. Don't eat like cats and dogs, but eat like human being.

Similarly, sleeping also. Sleep, you require some rest, but don't sleep twenty-six hours. Not like that. Utmost six hours to eight hours, sufficient for any healthy man. Even the doctor says, if anyone sleeps more than eight hours, he is diseased. He must be weak. Healthy man sleeps at a stretch six hours. That is sufficient. That's all. And those who are tapasvis, they should reduce sleeping also. Just like the Gosvamis did. Only one and a half hour or utmost two hours. That also sometimes not. Actually, we should reduce this. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. This is gosvami. Gosvamis does not mean go-dasa. Go means senses and dasa means servant. If we keep the title gosvami and become servant of the senses, it is cheating. You must be gosvami, means you must be master of the senses. Self-control. So what the Gosvamis did? Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau. Very humble and... Nidra means sleeping, ahara means eating, and vihara means sense enjoyment, vijitau, they conquered over.

So our process is to follow the Gosvamis. Ei chay gosai yanr tanr mui das. So we should try to follow the Gosvamis. We should keep in view what they did. They used to, I mean to say, pass their time in krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau. Krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi dhiradhira-jana-priyau. Dhiradhira. There are two classes of men in the world, dhira and adhira. Dhira means saintly persons, sober, those who have controlled their senses, gosvamis. And adhira: just the opposite. So these Gosvamis, six Gosvamis, they were popular to the both classes of men, dhira and adhira. Their character was so sublime, nice, that even in this Vrndavana when Sanatana Gosvami was there, the village men, they would accept Sanatana Gosvami as the leader of the village. Actually, they were leader. But to pose himself as leader, but cannot control others, (Bengali) gaya mane mora apni moro(?). Not like that. He must able be to lead them. So although Sanatana Gosvami was interested krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau, he was not disinterested with others who were not devotees. They were also interested. Not interested, but sympathetic. They were not interested with the materialists, but the ordinary householders, they would fight, husband and wife, and come to Sanatana Gosvami for settlement. And whatever Sanatana Gosvami would give judgment, they will accept. They will accept. He was, they were very popular, (the) Gosvamis. And they were staying sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes Radha-kunda, sometimes... They were not staying in one place.

So our, this Krsna consciousness movement, it's only aim is how to satisfy Krsna. Method, that is intelligence: What method we should accept so that our, this process of, or the propaganda of Krsna consciousness may go on very nicely. The process should be only to satisfy Krsna, hari-tosanam. That is the recommended Vedic process.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

Samsiddhi means perfection. So perfection, if we want perfection of our activities, then we shall try to satisfy by our activities the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You may say that "I do not see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. How I shall be able to know that I am satisfying or dissatisfying Him?" That you can know through your spiritual master. It is not very difficult. If your spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Krsna is satisfied. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. There is no difficulty. Yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi. You cannot satisfy Krsna by dissatisfying your spiritual master. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must satisfy. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. You do not take the excuse that "I do not know God, I do not meet Him. How I shall know that I have satisfied Him or dissatisfied Him?" No, sastra says, "Yes..." It doesn't matter. Therefore it is called parampara. Parampara. As you receive the knowledge from Krsna, from Arjuna, and from Narada, from Brahma, like that, come down to your spiritual master, similarly, as you receive the knowledge step by step, one after another, similarly, you satisfy also the Supreme Personality of Godhead from this step, this step, this step, this step. This is the process. Just like you come down step by step by step by step, similarly you go up step by step by step by step.

So this is the process, bhagavat-tosanam or hari-tosanam. Also this way. And to receive the knowledge from Bhagavan, that is also parampara system. The parampara system must be maintained, and if it is done nicely, then as it is stated here, yad atra kriyate, whatever you do, that is for your perfection. If you keep this parampara system and if you try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then whatever you do, that is perfection. It doesn't matter. The test is whether Krsna is satisfied, whether your spiritual master is satisfied. Then you are perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974

"Arjuna Playing the Role of a Rascal"

"Arjuna Playing the Role of a Rascal"

73/08/16 Los Angeles, Bhagavad-gita 2.10


Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tam uvaca hrsikesah
prahasann iva bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye
visidantam idam vacah
[Bg. 2.10]

Translation: "O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krsna, smiling, in the midst of both armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna."

Prabhupada: So hrsikesah, prahasann iva. Krsna began to laugh, smiling, "What a nonsense this is, Arjuna." First of all he said, "Put me." Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. "Krsna, just put my chariot between the two parties of soldiers." And now... (coughs, aside:) Bring me water. He was so enthusiastic in the beginning that "Put my chariot between the two armies." Now this rascal is saying no yotsya, "I will not fight." Just see the rascaldom. So even Arjuna, Krsna's direct friend, maya is so strong that he also becomes a rascal, what to speak of others. First of all very enthusiasm: "Yes, put my chariot between the two armies." And now in the..., na yotsya iti govindam [Bg. 2.9], "I am not going to fight." This is rascaldom. So he was smiling, that "He is My friend, direct friend, and such a big, and he is now saying that 'I will not fight.' "

So Krsna smiling, this smiling is very significant, prahasann. Tam uvaca hrsikesah prahasann iva bharata, senayor ubhayor visidantam, lamenting. First of all he came with great enthusiasm to fight; now he is lamenting. And Krsna is mentioned here as Hrsikesa. He is solid. He is Acyuta. He is solid. He is not changed. Another significance of this word Hrsikesa... Because in Narada-Pancaratra the bhakti means hrsikesa-sevanam. Therefore this very name is mentioned here, Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Bhakti means to serve Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. And the master of senses, some rascals are describing that Krsna is immoral. He is master of senses and He is immoral. Just see how he has studied Bhagavad-gita. If Krsna is perfect brahmacari... Krsna is perfect brahmacari, for... It was declared by Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva is the first-grade brahmacari in the universe. He promised to Satyavati's father... You know the story. Satyavati's father... His, Bhismadeva's father was attracted by a fisherwoman, fishergirl. So he wanted to marry. And the father of the girl denied, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you." So "Why? I am king, I am asking your daughter." "No, you have got a son." Bhismadeva was the son of his first wife, mother Ganges. The mother Ganges was wife of Santanu Maharaja, and Bhismadeva was the only remaining son. The contract was between Santanu Maharaja and Ganges, Mother Ganges, that "I can marry you if you allow me that all the children born I shall throw in the water of the Ganges. And if you do not allow me, then immediately I shall leave your company." So Santanu Maharaja said, "All right, still, I shall marry you." So she was throwing all the children in the Ganges. So this Bhismadeva... So after all, father, so he became very much sorry, that "What is this? What kind of wife I have got? She is simply throwing all the children in the water." So at the time of Bhismadeva, Santanu Maharaja said, "No, I cannot allow it. I cannot allow it." Then mother Ganges said, "Then I am going." "Yes, you can go, I don't want you. I want this son." So he was wifeless. Again he wanted to marry the Satyavati. So the father said, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you because you have got a son, grown-up son. He will be king. So I cannot give my daughter to you to become your maidservant. Her... If I would have thought that her son would be the king, then I can offer you my daughter." So he said, "No, that is not possible." But Bhismadeva understood that "My father is attracted with this girl." So he approached. He said to the fisherman that "You can offer your daughter to my father, but you are thinking that I shall become king. So your daughter's son will be king. On this condition you can offer your daughter." So he replied, "No, I cannot." "Why?" "You may not be king, but your son may be king." Just see, this material calculation. Then at that time he said, "No, I shall not marry. That's all. I promise. I shall not marry." So he remained brahmacari. Therefore his name is Bhisma. Bhisma means very solid, firmly fixed. So he was a brahmacari. For the sake, for the satisfaction of his father's senses, he remained brahmacari.

So Bhismadeva, in Rajasuya-yajna, admitted that "Nobody is better brahmacari than Krsna. He was within the gopis, all young girls, but He remained a brahmacari. If I would have been within the gopis, I do not know what was, what would have been my condition." So therefore Krsna is the perfect brahmacari, Hrsikesa. And these rascals they are saying that Krsna is immoral. No. Krsna is perfect brahmacari. Dhira. Dhira means one who is not agitated even there is cause of being agitated. So Krsna is such a brahmacari. In spite of in His just on the verge of youthhood at the age of 15, 16, years, all the village girls were friends, they were very much attracted with Krsna's beauty. They used to come to Krsna for dancing in the village. But He was brahmacari. You will never hear that Krsna had some illicit sex. No. There was no such thing description. The dancing is description, but no contraceptive pill. No. That is no described here. Therefore He is Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means perfect brahmacari. Vikara-hetu, even there is cause of being agitated, He is not agitated. That is Krsna. He has got thousands and thousands of devotees, and some of the devotees, if they want Krsna as lover, Krsna accepts that, but He does not require anyone else. He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Krsna is Hrsikesa, the master of the senses.

So at least Krsna's devotees... There are many instances of Krsna's devotees. They are also... Why many? Almost all devotees, they are master of the senses, gosvami. Just like Haridasa Thakura, you know. Haridasa Thakura was young man, and the village zamindar, he was Mohammedan. So everyone was eulogizing Haridasa Thakura, such a great devotee. So the zamindar, the village zamindar, he became very much envious. So he employed one prostitute to pollute Haridasa Thakura. And she came at dead of night, nicely dressed, attractive. She was also young, very beautiful. So she proposed that "I have come, being attracted by your beauty." Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, that's all right. Come on, sit down. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy." So she sat down. But Haridasa Thakura chanting, he was chanting... We, we cannot chant even sixteen rounds, and he was chanting three times sixty-four rounds. How many it is?

Revatinandana: 196.

Prabhupada: 196 rounds. That was his only business. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna... So sometimes somebody wants to imitate Haridasa Thakura. It is not possible. So Haridasa Thakura, when it became morning, the prostitute, "Sir, now it is morning." "Yes, next night I shall... Come next night. Today I could not finish my chanting." That was a plea. In this way three days passed. Then the prostitute became converted, fell down on his..., "Sir, I came to pollute you. Now save me, I am so fallen." So Haridasa Thakura said "Yes, I know that. I could have leaved this place immediately when you came, but I wanted that you have come to me, you may be converted to this Vaisnavism." So the prostitute became a great devotee by the mercy of... Haridasa Thakura said that "You sit down in this place. You chant Hare Krsna before this tulasi plant. Now I am leaving this place."

So Krsna-bhakti is like that. Full control over the senses. As Krsna has got full control over the senses, similarly, those who are actually Krsna devotees, they have got full control over the senses. Hrsikesa. Just like Yamunacarya. He is praying, he is speaking, yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-dhamany udyatam rantum asit: "Since I have begun to feel transcendental bliss being taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna," yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde, krsna-padaravinde, the lotus feet of Krsna. "Since my citta, my heart, has been attracted by the lotus feet of Krsna," tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame, "since then, as soon as I think of sex life," bhavati mukha-vikarah, "I hate, I spit on it." This is Krsna-bhakti. Krsna-bhakti is like that. Bhakti-paresanubhava-viraktir anyatra syat. This most attractive feature in this material world is sex. That is the foundation of material life. All these people are working so hard day and night only for that sex enjoyment. Yan maithunadi-grha... They are taking so much risk. They are working, karmis, they are working so hard. What is their pleasure of life? The pleasure of life is sex. Yan maitunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Very abominable activities, but that is their pleasure. This is material life. So Krsna is not like that. But the rascals, they paint picture, and that pictures are very much appreciated, that Krsna is embracing gopis. Somebody was telling me that... Last... Who came? That Krsna's picture. So when Krsna is killing Putana, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kamsa, or... Krsna has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopis. One who cannot understand Krsna, what is Krsna, which Vyasadeva has described what is Krsna in nine cantos, to understand Krsna, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Krsna... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rasa-lila. First of all understand Krsna. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rasa-lila. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Krsna is immoral." How Krsna can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Krsna's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Krsna is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Krsna's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Krsna is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.

So it is very difficult. Nobody can understand Krsna without becoming a pure devotee of Krsna. Because Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvatah, in truth. Tattvatah means truth. If one wants to understand Krsna as He is, then he has to take this process of devotional service, bhakta, bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When one is employed as the servitor of Hrsikesa, the master of senses. Master, and hrsikena, when your senses are also engaged in the service of the master of the senses, then you also become master of the senses. You also. Because your senses are engaged in the service of the Hrsikesa, the senses have no other opportunity to be engaged. Locked up. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. So this is the process of devotional service. If you want to become master of the senses, gosvami, svami, then you should always keep your senses engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. That is the only way. Otherwise it is not possible. As soon as you become a little slack to engage your senses in the service of the master of the senses, immediately maya is there, "Come on, please." This is the process. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare, pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. As soon as you forget Krsna, even for a moment, immediately maya is there: "Please, my dear friend, come here." Therefore we have to become very cautious. We cannot forget Krsna even for a moment. Therefore the chanting program, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama... Always remember Krsna. Then maya will not be able to touch you. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti. Maya cannot touch. Just like Haridasa Thakura. He was engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. Maya came in full-fledged strength. Still, she was defeated; Haridasa Thakura was not defeated.

So try to understand Krsna as Hrsikesa. So Hrsikesa, Krsna, began to laugh that "He is My friend, constant associate, and such weakness. He first of all was enthusiastic to ask Me to take his chariot, senayor ubhayor madhye. Now visidantan, now he is lamenting." So... We are all fools like that. Arjuna is not fool. Arjuna has been been described as Gudakesa. How he can be fool? But he is playing the part of fool. If he does not play the part of a fool, how this Bhagavad-gita will come from the mouth of Sri Krsna? And because he is devotee, he is perfectly playing in such a way that Krsna is giving instruction. So perfect teacher and the perfect disciple, Arjuna. We have to learn from their de... Our position... Arjuna is representing just like ordinary man like us, and Krsna is Hrsikesa, giving His advice, perfect advice. If we take, if we read Bhagavad-gita in the spirit of understanding like Arjuna, the perfect disciple, and if we accept the advice and the instruction of Krsna, the perfect teacher, then we should know that we have understood Bhagavad-gita. By my mental speculation, by rascal interpretation, by showing one's scholarship, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. That is not possible. Submissive. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. So we have to surrender as Arjuna, he surrendered. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I surrender unto You. I become Your disciple." To become disciple means to surrender, voluntarily accepting the instruction, the advice, the order of the spiritual master. So Arjuna has already accepted that. Although he is speaking that na yotsye, "Krsna, I shall not fight." But master, when He explains everything, he will fight. Master's order. Not to fight, that is his own sense gratification. And to fight in spite of he had no desire to fight, that is the satisfaction of the master. This is the sum and substance of Bhagavad-gita.

So Krsna, seeing Arjuna, visidantam very much affected, lamenting, that he is not prepared to do his duty. Therefore in the next verse He begins that asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "My dear Arjuna, you are My friend. Never mind, maya is very strong. Despite your being My friend, personal, you are so much overwhelmed with false compassion. So just hear Me." Therefore He said, asocyan: "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not at all good." Asocya. Socya means lamentation, and asocya means one should not lament. Asocya. So asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase. "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. What Arjuna has said, that varna-sankara, when the women become polluted, the population is varna-sankara, that is fact. Whatever Arjuna has said to Krsna in order to avoid the fighting, so those things are correct. But from the spiritual platform, those things may be correct or incorrect, but from spiritual platform, they are not to be considered very serious. Therefore asocyan anvasocas tvam. Because his lamentation was on the bodily concept of life. That bodily concept of life, in the very beginning of Krsna's instructions, it is condemned. Asocyan anvasocas tvam: [Bg. 2.11] "You are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Because anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal. So our all morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses. Senses means different parts of the body. So one who is interested with the body -- that means one who is interested with the senses -- their only business is how to... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973