When To Reject Guru

73/08/05 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.4-5

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

arjuna uvaca
katham bhismam aham sankhye
dronam ca madhusudana
isubhih pratiyotsyami
pujarhav ari-sudana
 [Bg. 2.4]

gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan
sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke
hatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaiva
bhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan
 [Bg. 2.5]

Translation: "Arjuna said: O killer of Madhu (Krsna), how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhisma and Drona, who are worthy of my worship? It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though they are avaricious, they are nonetheless superiors. If they are killed, our spoils will be tainted with blood."

Prabhupada: So the first problem was for Arjuna how to kill the kinsmen, family men. Now, when he was chastised by Krsna as a friend that "Why you are so weak? Don't be weak. This is sentiment. This kind of compassion is sentiment. Uttistha. You better get up and fight." If I do not want to do something, I can offer so many pleas. You see. So next he is presenting gurun: "All right, Krsna, you are talking about my kinsmen. I accept that it is my weakness. But how do You advise me to kill my guru? Dronacarya is my guru. And Bhismadeva is also my guru. So do you want me to kill my guru? Gurun hi hatva. And not only ordinary guru. This is not that they are ordinary men. Mahanubhavan. Bhisma is a great devotee, and similarly, Dronacarya also, a great personality. Mahanubhavan. So katham bhismam aham sankhye dronam ca madhusudana. "They are two great personalities. They are not only my gurus, but they are great personalities." And Krsna is addressed "Madhusudana." Madhusudana means... Madhu was Krsna's enemy, a demon. So He killed. So "You are Madhusudana, You are killer of Your enemies. Can You give me any evidence that You have killed Your guru? So why You are asking me?" This is the purport. Isubhih pratiyotsyami pujarhav ari-sudana. Again Ari-sudana. Ari means enemy. Madhusudana, particularly "the killer of the Madhu demon." And next is Arisudana. Ari means enemy. So Krsna has killed so many demons, ari, who came to fight with Him as enemy. Therefore His name is Arisudana.

So Krsna has got enemies also, what to speak of ourself. This material world is so made, that you must have some enemies. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness, jealousy. This material world is like that. So there are jealous enemies of God also. They are called demons. Ordinary jealousy or enemy, that is natural. But even to God. Just like yesterday night, evening, somebody came to see me. He was arguing that "Why Krsna should be accepted as God?" That was his argument. So Krsna has enemies. Therefore Krsna... Not only He, but everyone who is in the material world is enemy of Krsna. Everyone. Because they want to be competitor of Krsna. Krsna says that bhoktaram: "I am the supreme enjoyer." Sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the Supreme proprietor." And the Vedas also confirm, isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. "Everything is the property of the Supreme Lord." Sarvam khalv idam brahma. These are Vedic injunctions. Yato va imani bhutani jayante: "From whom everything has come." Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. These are Vedic versions. But still, we, because we are enemies, "No, why Krsna shall be the proprietor? I am the proprietor. Why Krsna shall be God only. I have got another God. Here is another God."

So Krsna has enemies. Arisudana. And He has to kill them. Krsna has got two businesses: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Miscreants... They are miscreants. The demons who challenge Krsna, who want to compete with Krsna, who want to share with the property of Krsna, they are all enemies of Krsna, and they should be killed. So killing business is all right here for the enemies, not ordinarily. Then the next question is, "All right, enemies, you can kill, admitted But how you advise me to kill my gurus? Gurun ahatva. But if for Krsna's sake, if there is need, you have to kill your guru also. That is the philosophy. For Krsna's sake. If Krsna wants, then you cannot... If Krsna wants that you should kill your guru, then you have to do it. That is Krsna consciousness. Of course, Krsna will not ask you to kill guru, but... Because guru and Krsna are the same. Guru-krsna-krpaya. We get Krsna consciousness through the mercy of guru and Krsna. So real guru is never to be killed, but the so-called guru has to be killed. The so-called, pseudo guru, false guru, he should be killed. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. While Prahlada Maharaja... He was standing. Here is, Nrsimhadeva is killing his father. Father is guru. Sarva-devamayo guruh. Similarly, father is also guru, at least, official guru. Materially he is guru. So how Prahlada Maharaja allowed Nrsimhadeva to kill his guru? He's father. Everyone knows that Hiranyakasipu is father. Would you like to see that your father is being killed by some person and you'll stand? You will not protest? Is that your duty? No, that is not your duty. When your father is attacked, you must protest. At least, if you are unable, you must fight. You first of all lay down your life: "How is that, my father is being killed in my front?" That is our duty. But Prahlada Maharaja did not protest. He could have requested -- he is devotee -- "My dear sir, Prabhu, my Lord, You can excuse my father." He didn't. But he knew that "My father is not being killed. It is the body of the father." Later on he begged for his father in a different way. First of all, when Nrsimhadeva was angry, He was killing the body, he knew that "The body is not my father. The soul is my father. So let the Lord satisfy Himself by killing the body of my father; then I shall save him."

So Prahlada Maharaja... Nrsimhadeva offered Prahlada Maharaja, "Now you can take any kind of benediction you like." So Prahlada Maharaja replied, "My Lord, we are materialists. I am born of a father absolutely materialist. So I am also, because I am born of a materialist father, I am also materialist. And You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are offering to give me some benediction. I can take any kind of benediction from You. I know that. But what is the use of it? Why shall I ask You for any benediction? I have seen my father. Materially, he was so powerful that even the demigods, Indra, Candra, Varuna, they were threatened by his red eyes. And he gained over, control over the universe. He was so powerful. And riches, wealth, power, reputation, everything complete, but You have finished it in one second. So why You are offering me such benediction? What shall I do with them? If I take that benediction from You and I become puffed up and do everything wrong against You, then You can finish it within a second. So kindly do not offer me such benediction, such material opulence. Better give me benediction to be engaged in the service of Your servant. I want this benediction. Let me be benedicted by You that I may be engaged in the service of Your servant, not directly Your servant."

Then, after many prayers, after pacifying the Lord... He was very angry. Then when He was little pacified, he asked, "My dear Lord, I can ask You one, another benediction. that my father was very, very staunch enemy of You. That was the cause of his death. Now I ask You kindly excuse him and give him liberation." This is Vaisnava son. He did not ask anything for himself. And although he knew that his father was the greatest enemy, still, he is asking his benediction, "This poor fellow may be liberated." So Lord Nrsimhadeva guaranteed, said, "My dear Prahlada, not only your father, but your father's father, his father, up to fourteen generations, all are liberated. Because you are born in this family." So anyone who has become a Vaisnava, a devotee of the Lord, he is giving the greatest service to the family. Because in relationship with him, his father, mother, anyone, they will be liberated. Just like we have got experience, if a person dies in the fight immaturely, his family is taken care of by the government. Similarly, to become a devotee is the greatest qualification. He has got everything. Yatra yogesvaro harih yatra dhanur-dharah parthah. When there is Krsna and when there is devotee, all victory, all glories are there. That is guaranteed.

So gurun ahatva. A devotee of Krsna, if need be, if he's unqualified guru... Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected. That is Jiva Gosvami's... Karya-karyam ajanatah. A guru who does not know what to do and what not to do, but by mistake, by mistakenly I have accepted somebody as guru, he can be rejected. By rejecting him, you can accept an actual bona fide guru. So guru is not killed, but he can be rejected. That is the injunction of the sastra. So Bhismadeva or Dronacarya, certainly they were gurus, but Krsna indirectly giving indication to Arjuna, that "Although they are in the position of guru, you can reject them." Karya-karyam ajanatah. "They do not know factually." This Bhismadeva, he materially considered his position. He knew everything from the beginning, that the Pandavas, they were parentless, fatherless children, and he raised them from the very beginning. Not only that, he was so much affectionate to the Pandavas that he was thinking, when they were sent to forest, banished, at that time Bhismadeva was crying, that "These five boys, they are so pure, so honest, and not only pure and honest, so powerful warriors, Arjuna and Bhima. And this Draupadi is practically directly the goddess of fortune. And they have got their friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. And they are suffering?" He cried. He was such affectionate. Therefore Arjuna is considering, "How can I kill Bhisma?" But duty is so strong. Krsna is advising, "Yes, he must be killed because he has gone to the other side. He has forgotten his duty. He should have joined you. Therefore he is no more in the position of guru. You must kill him. He has wrongly joined the other party. Therefore there is no harm, killing him. Similarly Dronacarya. Similarly Dronacarya. I know they are great personalities, they have got great affection. But only on material consideration they have gone there." What is that material consideration? Bhisma thought that "I am maintained by the money of Duryodhana. Duryodhana is maintaining me. Now he is in danger. If I go to the other side, then I should be ungrateful. He has maintained me so long. And if I, in the time of danger, when there is fighting, if I go to the other side, that will be..." He thought like this. He did not think that "Duryodhana may be maintaining, but he has usurped the property of the Pandavas." But it is his greatness. He knew that Arjuna will never be killed because Krsna is there. "So from material point of view, I must be grateful to Duryodhana." The same position was for Dronacarya. They were maintained.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that visayira anna khaile malina haya mana. Such great personalities became darkened because they took money from them, anna. If I am provided by somebody who is too much materialist, then that will affect me. I will become also materialist. I will also become materialist. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that "Those who are visayi, those who are not devotees, do not accept anything from them because it will make your mind unclean." So therefore a brahmana and a Vaisnava, they do not accept directly money. They accept bhiksa. Bhiksa. Just like here it is said bhaiksyam. Sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke. When you ask somebody... Still, bhiksa is also sometimes prohibited from a person who is too much materialist. But bhiksa is allowed for sannyasis, for brahmana. So therefore Arjuna is speaking that "Instead of killing such great gurus who are so great personalities, mahanubhavan..." So bhaiksyam. For a ksatriya... A brahmana, a sannyasi can beg, can beg alms, but not a ksatriya, not a vaisya. That is not allowed. So he was a ksatriya, Arjuna. So he says, "Better I shall take the profession of a brahmana and beg from door to door instead of enjoy the kingdom by killing my guru." That was his proposal. So on the whole, Arjuna is illusioned -- illusioned in the sense that he is forgetting his duty. He is a ksatriya, his duty is to fight; never mind the opposite party, even he is son, a ksatriya will not hesitate to kill his son even if he is inimical. Similarly, the son, if the father is inimical, he would not hesitate to kill his father. This is the stringent duty of the ksatriyas, no consideration. A ksatriya cannot consider like that. Therefore Krsna said, klaibyam: "You don't be coward. Why you are becoming coward?" These topics are going on. Later on, Krsna will give him real spiritual instruction. This is... Ordinary talks are going on between the friend and the friend.That's all right. Thank you. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973

No Hard Labor-Only Light

No Hard Labor-Only Light

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.52
Detroit, August 5, 1975

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Nitai: "The foolish embodied living entity, inadept at controlling his senses and mind, although he does not desire to, he is forced to act by the different influences of the modes of material nature. He is just like the silkworm, who by the thread created from his own saliva creates a cocoon and becomes encaged in it without any possibility of getting out. The living entity has similarly engaged himself in a network of his own different fruitive activities and cannot find a way to get out of it. In that condition, he is always bewildered and repeatedly dies."

Prabhupada:

dehy ajno 'jita-sad-vargo
necchan karmani karyate
kosakara ivatmanam
karmanacchadya muhyati
 [SB 6.1.52]

This is the position of all of us living entities. Because we cannot control the mind and the senses, especially karmendriya, the eyes, the ear, the tongue, the touch, the udara upastha... Pani, pada, payu, udara, upastha, these five karmendriya Pani means hand, payu means rectum, and pada means leg. Udara means belly, and upastha means genital. And these are karmendriya, and mind So mind dictates, "Oh, let me see this beautiful thing" -- immediately eyes act. "Let me hear this sweet song" -- immediately ear is engaged. So of all, the jihva, the tongue, is very strong. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, ta'ra madhye jihwa ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. Amongst all the senses, the tongue, taste, it is very strong. In your country especially, for the tongue so many advertisement: this wine, that wine, varieties of cigarettes, restaurants, roasted beef, so many things, just attracting the tongue, "Please come here. Please come here and be entangled." This advertisement. So one has to control the tongue. Ta'ra madhye jihwa ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. This is very secret science that you have to clear out your path of liberation by controlling the tongue. Then other things will be controlled, the straight line: tongue, then belly, then genital. Therefore in our society we have restricted the tongue: "Don't eat meat. Don't take intoxication." And then, the straight line: "No free use of the genital, illicit sex." These things are required if you want to be free from this material entanglement. This is called tapasya.

Human life is meant for tapasya, not to live like cats and dogs and hogs. That is not human life. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. This body, all bodies, are there in the darkness. Therefore it is said, dehy ajnah. The lower animals, they are ajnah. They cannot control. But human body is meant for controlling. Na ayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke. Nrloke means "in the human society." Na ayam deha. Everyone has got body. Cats and dogs, they have got body. The trees also have body. The worms have body. All living entity, anyone who has come into this material world, under different body or different dress, they are suffering in this material world. Therefore the sastra is meant for the human being so that he can understand his awkward position. So everywhere this is advised, ayam deha: "You had many other bodies in your past lives' evolution. Now, this body," ayam deha, nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke, "one who has got this human form of body," nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam [SB 5.5.1], "don't engage yourself for simply for eating, sleeping, in very hard labor." Just like at the present moment huge, big, big industries, karma It is called ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities. Anyone who has gone into the factories, it is ferocious activities, unnecessarily economic development. So this is kastan, so much laboring. Even the animals, they do not undergo so much laboring. And a human being is engaged in so much laboring? Kastan kaman. And what for, laboring, working? Now, kaman, to sense gratify, that's all. This is the highest state. Whole day and night, night shift, day shift, and -- who was telling? Upendra -- that our next door neighbor, he wanted to sleep up to ten o'clock. So when they were, I mean to say, sweeping the floor he became disturbed because last night he had drunk and sense gratification, now, little disturbance, he cannot sleep. You are creating in this way entanglement, ajnah, dehy ajnah, on account of his ignorance. And this education system is keeping him more and more in ignorance. Mudha.
So this principle they do not know, that this human life, actually the desire is like that, that "Let me earn some money. Then I shall go in a village or in a secluded place I shall live very peacefully." And those who have got money, at the weekend they go out for peaceful living. So that is the tendency, not to work hard, but live peacefully. That can be done. Everyone can do that, provided he lives in the village, he lives in the village and produces his own food, little labor, vegetable, food grains. Anyone can produce. This is human civilization. Therefore... Not that all, everyone has to do. The third class... First-class men, they should cultivate knowledge to guide the human society, brahmana. Sama dama titiksa... [Bg. 18.42]. They should learn, ideal men. Under their advice... Brahmana is considered to be the guru of other sections: ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. So anyone can live very peacefully without any hard labor. What is this civilization? For getting foodstuff one has to go hundred miles away from home, daily passengers. And some of them are going in the foreign countries also. Recently there was news that in Africa, Uganda, that, the President Amin, he asked some very respectable English gentleman to carry his palanquin just to insult them. But the Englishmen, now they are in a precarious condition. The British Empire is now finished. Now they had to carry this man. And under protest they could not go away because they have got business. So why one should go so far distance? Everyone can produce his foodstuff at home. Nature's arrangement is so nice. If not, little trade. So it is not meant for so much hard labor. Sastra says, "This kind of laboring hard simply for satisfaction of senses is the business of the hog and pig. It is not the business of the human being." Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1].

So human society, they should rectify their mode of civilization by taking this Krsna consciousness movement. Then they will be happy. Otherwise, if they keep themself in ignorance, ajnah, dehy ajnah, then ajita-sad-varga: he will never be able to control the senses. The yoga system, hatha-yoga system, is meant for this class of rascals, ajita. Yoga indriya-samyamah. Real meaning of yoga means controlling the senses. So because everyone is ajita-sad-varga-ajita means not conquered -- so those who are too much addicted in the bodily concept of life, for them this hatha-yoga is prescribed. The purpose is to control the senses, not that to reduce fat or something else. No. Real purpose is yoga indriya-samyamah because unless we control the senses, we remain in ignorance, blind, and go on. Ajita-sad-vargo necchan. Necchan. Na icchan. If we do not try, then even though I do not want to do something, even I... On the cigarette package there is, that "It is not good for health." So I do not like that my health should be ruined, but necchan, I am compelled to smoke. This is our position. It is written, warning there. Government has written. What is the written there?

Satsvarupa: "The surgeon general has determined that smoking may be hazardous to your health."

Prabhupada: "May be." Not assured. (laughter) Therefore they take it, "may not be." But we don't say "may be." We say "No intoxication," because it is actually harmful to the health and in every respect. We see so many places in airplane, "No smoking. No smoking." But the rascal will not stop that... Nobody can smoke, but allowed, "Now you can smoke." They say also. First of all write, "No smoking," then, as soon as the plane is running, they say, "Now you can smoke." So this is going on. This is education. This is education. And blind, simply blind rascals. I always say that, the strong word, rascal, because blind, ajnah, anicchan. They hear that smoking is not good, "determined," but as soon as the cigarette packet is there, "Give me a cigarette." Necchan. This is called tapasya, that you have to beat your mind with shoes at least twice. My Guru Maharaja used to say that "When you get up, your first business is to beat the mind with shoes. And when you go to bed, you have to beat the mind with broomstick." (laughter) Then you will be able to control the mind.

So all catastrophes are happening on account of this rascal mind. Mind is not rascal; I am rascal. I am using my mind in a different way. So this can be stopped. You can control the mind if you place your mind always at the lotus feet of Krsna. Then it is possible. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Ambarisa Maharaja, he practiced it. He was very responsible emperor of the world. He had many responsible duties, but he was a great devotee. How? This is the process, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18], always thinking of Krsna. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh. When the mind is controlled, if you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, then this maya cannot touch your mind.

 

yahan krsna, nahi tahan

mayara adhikara. Maya andhakara.
krsna surya-sama; maya andhakara,
yahan krsna, tahan nahi mayara adhikara
 [Cc. Madhya 22.31]

Krsna surya-sama. Krsna is just like sun. If you want that "In the sunshine or in the sun globe I shall inject darkness," it is not possible. It will be a failure. Sun is so bright that even a big darkness cannot enter. At night it is big darkness, but sun is so strong that as soon as there is glimpse of the sun, immediately whole darkness gone. You haven't got to drive the darkness by separate endeavor. Simply await for the sun rising. Immediately finish. So maya is darkness. So if you bring Krsna within your heart, all maya will be finished. No more maya. This is the process. That is called Krsna consciousness. Maya can act only when there is no Krsna. So therefore Gosvami, sad-gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, advises, yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet sarve vidhi-nisedha syur etayor eva kinkarah. Somehow or other, you fix up your mind on Krsna.

So when I started this movement, somehow or other, I tried to fix up the mind of these boys in Krsna. In the beginning I never said that "You have to do this. You have to do that." But somehow or other, they are very nice boys, so they fixed up their mind in Hare Krsna chanting. Krsna and chanting Hare Krsna -- the same thing. Therefore we... Our process is to chant, kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31], chant Hare Krsna always. Then the mind becomes... Chant and hear. Yena tena prakarena. Then everything will be complete. It is so... As we are fallen at the present moment in this age, the remedy is also very effective. Kirtanad eva krsnasya param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Kirtanad eva krsnasya nitya-muktah param vrajet. This is the special advantage of this Kali-yuga, because people are so fallen that it is very difficult to raise them to the standard of spiritual understanding by the prescribed method. Prescribed method means tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena niyamena tyagena [SB 6.1.13]. It is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us His blessings, kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31].

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
 [Cc. Adi 17.21]

That's a fact. So if we want to come to the light... Because our qualification is, not only in this age, any living being who has accepted this material body, he is ajnah; he is a rascal. He is a rascal, in ignorance, and he cannot control the senses. This is his qualification. Dehy ajno ajita-sad-vargo. And on account of this ignorance and being unable to control the senses, then he unwillingly, he is being forced by nature to act sinful activities, unwillingly. Necchan. Necchan means unwilling. He doesn't like it. Just like even a thief: he is practiced to steal, so he knows that "I will be arrested again." He has had experience. He knows that "I will be again arrested, and I will go again to the jail, and will suffer there." But he is still forced to commit stealing again. A man suffering from venereal disease, he goes to the doctor, injection, so much painful. Still, he acts the same way. Necchan. Practice. "Habit is the..." What is called? "Second nature." So practice.

So necchan karmani karyate. And as soon as you act, immediately the reaction is there. That you cannot avoid. If you have touched fire, it must burn. The action is touching fire, and the result is burning. So necchan. We do not know. We are ignorance. We are committing so many abominable things, and we are becoming entangled like that silkworm. He is making a bag without knowledge, and gradually he becomes entangled within this and dies. That is our position. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. We entangle ourself in a different activities and create another result, and according to the result... Because it is infection... Karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. We are getting different types of body. Why? The cause, karanam, guna-sango 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. In ignorance... Just like we are infecting different types of disease -- we have to suffer -- similarly, we, under ignorance we are infecting the modes of material nature and different types of bodies. Today I am Indian or American, and tomorrow I may be a cat, a dog. That these people, they do not know. Ajnah. These rascals, they do not know. At least one should know that "I am going to die." That's a fact, inevitable. You may be very intelligent, but Krsna says, "You don't like Me. All right, I shall come to you as death. Then you will understand. And at that time I shall take away whatever you have accumulated." Mrtyu aham. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that "I come as death and take away everything, whatever you have earned or collected in this life." Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. Sarva-hara: "I will take. I will take all: your bank balance, your skyscraper building, your nice family. Your everything will be finished. I will take it away." Mrtyuh sarva-haras ca aham. So after death I may be very proud of my intelligence and power and talking, completely under the laws of material nature. Then nature... Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1], by superior supervision, as you have acted, jantur deha upapatti, then you will have to accept one body.

So in this way, life after life, we are changing the body. In this planet, in other planet, in this variety, in that variety, we are wandering. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says,

ei rupe brahmanda brahmite kono bhagyavan jiva
guru krsna krpa paya bhakti-lata-bija

In this way we are wandering, life after life. But somehow or other, if he becomes fortunate, fortunate Unless one becomes fortunate, one cannot take to Krsna consciousness. It is not possible. So we are trying to make this fallen soul fortunate. Be fortunate and take to Krsna consciousness.

ei rupe brahmanda brahmite kono bhagyavan jiva
guru krsna krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
  [Cc. Madhya 19.151]

By Krsna's mercy, by guru's mercy, both... Don't try to take mercy of one. Guru krsna krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. By guru's mercy one gets Krsna. And krsna sei tomara, krsna dite paro. To approach a guru means just to beg from him Krsna. Krsna sei tomara. Because Krsna is devotee's Krsna. Krsna is the master, but who can control Krsna? His devotee. Krsna is the supreme controller, but He is controlled by devotee. That is, Krsna is bhakti-vatsala. Just like a big father, a high-court judge and There is a story that the Prime Minister Gladstone, somebody came to see him. And the Mr. Gladstone informed that "Wait. I am busy." So he was waiting for hours, then he became inquisitive: "What this gentleman is doing?" So he wanted to see within that He had become a horse, and taking his child on the backside. That business he was doing. You see? The prime minister, he is controlling the British Empire, but he is controlled by a child out of affection. This is called affection.

So similarly, Krsna is the supreme controller.

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

He's the supreme controller, but He is controlled by His devotee, Srimati Radharani. He is controlled. So it is not to be easily understood what is the pastimes between... But Krsna is willingly agreed to be controlled by His devotee. That is Krsna's nature. Just like mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda is controlling Krsna, binding Him: "You are very naughty? I will bind you." Mother Yasoda has a stick, and Krsna is crying. Krsna is crying. These things you study. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Kunti's prayer, how she is appreciating that "My dear Krsna, You are the Supreme. But when under the stick of mother Yasoda you are crying, that scene I want to see." So Krsna is so bhakta-vatsala that He is the supreme controller. But a devotee like mother Yasoda, a devotee like Radharani, devotees like gopis, devotees like the cowherds boy, they can control Krsna. That is Vrndavana life.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to take you there. The foolish persons, they are being deviated. They do not know what is the value of this Krsna consciousness movement. They are trying to give the human society the topmost benefit, position. They don't want to become one with God, but they are giving the right to control God. This is Krsna consciousness movement. What is the use of becoming one with God? Nobody can become. But Krsna is willing to be controlled by the devotee. This is Krsna consciousness movement. So from this position, ajno ajita-sad-varga, forced to work by the spell of material energy, from this rotten condition of life, we are trying to raise him to the platform where he can control Krsna.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"Great Devotee-Great Discipline"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24
Vrndavana, August 5, 1974

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Nitai: "Although they were impartial by nature, those followers of the Vedanta blessed me with their causeless mercy. As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports even though I was a boy. In addition, I was not naughty and I did not speak more than required."

Prabhupada:

te mayy apetakhila-capale 'rbhake
dante 'dhrta-kridanake 'nuvartini
cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darsanah
susrusamane munayo 'lpa-bhasini

These are the qualifications how to receive favor of the devotee. He was, Narada Muni, in his previous birth, a boy servant. But boys are generally restless. But Narada Muni was not restless. Capale. What is given there? Proclivities. Generally, boys are attached to so many different types of playful things. This also becomes possible by association. Just like you are all young men, you have got so many desires, naturally, especially in the Western countries. But you have voluntarily given up not to go to the restaurant, not to go to the club or theater or cinema. These are good qualifications.

So he was a boy, but he gave up all these things. Arbhaka. Arbhaka means not experienced very well. Or almost foolish, ignorant, they are called arbhaka. So although he was a child, he was a boy, but by the association of exalted devotees he also became very sober. Sober. Susrusamane munayah alpa-bhasini. And he was not talking very much. Too much talking unnecessarily is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore, sometimes those who are very, very talkative, they are ordered by their spiritual master that "You keep silence." Mauni. Mauni-baba. Somebody, they practice to become always silent. You'll find some of the sadhus, the mendicants, they also keep silence. But they sometimes make this, that, this... And way (?) "onnnnh." That is not good. Silence means don't talk nonsense. Whenever you speak, you speak about Krsna. That is real silence. The... "Make a vow that ‘I shall not speak anything except topics of Krsna.' " That is real silence. Not that to become silent. To become silent... Mind will work. Better chant Hare Krsna and hear. There is no question of becoming silent.

There is a verse about Ambarisa Maharaja, sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Manah krsna-padaravindayoh. If you fix up your mind on Krsna, naturally these things will be controlled. First of all our mind must be fixed up on the lotus feet of Krsna. Always chant Hare Krsna, and... Chant and hear. Naturally, with the chanting of the holy name of Krsna, you will memorize the form of Krsna, the lotus feet of Krsna. In this way if we fix our mind always on the lotus feet of Krsna, naturally these good qualities will come. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. Bhakti. Unless you have got bhakti... Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Who can fix up his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna unless he's a bhakta? Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah.

So these are the primary qualification. And alpa-bhasini. Alpa-bhasini. Munayah alpa-bhasini susrusamane. At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridasa Thakura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridasa Thakura. But if we imitate Haridasa Thakura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Maharaja has condemned this. Mana tumi kisera vaisnava, pratisthara tare nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nama kevala kaitava. In Vrndavana you'll find there are so many, they imitate. In a secluded place they are chanting, but they cannot give up even smoking bidi. You see? So this kind of imitation has no value. Therefore susrusamane. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. You must give service to the spiritual master. Spiritual master does not accept any service for his personal benefit, but for Krsna's benefit. So this is required, susrusamane. Dante 'dhrta-kridanake anuvartini. Following the principles. Whatever the sages order, "Boy...," immediately. Susrusamane. Immediately he carried out. Anuvartini. These are the qualifications.

Cakruh krpam. Then... Cakruh means "did," krpam, "mercy." Naturally... If anyone follows without any hesitation whatever the spiritual master says, naturally he becomes kind. Anyone will become kind. Why the spiritual master? Spiritual master is pledged to become kind, but anyone, if you follow, if you obey, then he becomes merciful: "This boy is very nice. He obeys orders. He serves very nicely." That is required. Cakruh krpam yadyapi tulya-darsanah. Tulya-darsanah. Because saintly persons, they have no discrimination that "This man should be shown special favor." They have no such discrimination. They are merciful to everyone. Sama-darsinah. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. So... But still, although they are equal to everyone, still, one who is very much inclined to render service, especially inclined. Therefore it is said, yadyapi tulya-darsanah. It is not that saintly person is partial, showing somebody special favor and somebody no favor. No. They are open to everyone. Just like Krsna, He's open to everyone. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. It is not it is meant for only Arjuna. He's open to everyone. Just like sunlight. Sunlight is open to everyone. Everyone can enjoy sunlight. But if you keep your doors closed voluntarily, then what sun will do? Sun is tulya-darsanah.

There is a verse of Canakya Pandita, na hi harate jyotsnam candras candala-vesmani. Candala. Candala means the low caste, lower than the sudras. The meat-eaters. Meat-eaters, in India they are called candala. So especially pig, pig-eater. Still you'll find in villages, the sweeper class, they capture one pig. They maintain the pigs. They sell as well as they eat. So the living pig they burn into fire. Still, publicly. And it cries like anything, but they are allowed. Publicly they do that. So candala-vesmani. That is very polluted, sinful place, but that does not mean that the moonlight is refused there. Moonlight is not refused. Because it is the house of a candala, therefore moon does not consider that he should be refused, or sunlight is refused there. No. Sunlight is equally distributed. Na hi harate jyotsnam candras candala-vesmani. Candra means the moon. Similarly, all devotees, or Krsna, He's not reluctant. Either devotee, Krsna's devotee, or Krsna is reluctant to bestow the mercy to anyone. Tulya... That is called tulya-darsanah. The mercy is open for everyone.

But still, if one is inclined to give service, susrusamane, special... That is not, I mean to say, partiality. That is natural. Just like one man has got his own son and there are others' sons, others' children also, playing together. If there is danger the man goes first of all to save his own son. You cannot say, "Oh, you are so partial." No, that is not partial. That is natural. That is natural. Nobody will criticize, that "You did not save others' son; you simply took care of your own son." That is natural. Krsna also says, samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. That's a fact. How Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be enemy of somebody and friend of somebody? That is not possible. Na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. "Nobody is My especially favorite, and nobody is My enemy." But, ye tu bhajanti mam pritya: "But a person who has taken devotional service and with love and faith is engaged in devotional service, I am especially inclined to him."

Just like government. Government is not anyone's enemy or anyone's friend, but if anyone gives special service to the government, he is recognized. He is given the title "Sir" or C.I.E.,(?) or something like that. These things are natural. This is not partiality. It is not that if government offers anyone special recognition for his service, that is not partiality. Similarly, when Narada Muni in his previous birth was very sincerely, obediently engaged in the service of the saintly persons, they cakruh krpam, special favor. Unless there was special favor, how immediately after that birth he could become Narada Muni? Special favor. Everyone is engaged, but this is the special favor. There are many instances like that. But that we should not take, that this special favor is partiality. No. Therefore this word is used, tulya-darsanah.

So if we acquire these qualities... Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. The main basic principle is susrusamane, susrusa, service. So service is very important thing. So susrusamane munayo 'lpa-bhasini, very grave. One should be very grave and refrain from unnecessary engagement. These things are possible when we detach ourself from the so-called material engagements. That is illicit sex, meat-eating, and intoxication, and gambling. These are unnecessary things. There is no need of these things, but we are accustomed. We have become accustomed to, on account of bad association. So we should refrain from all these things. This is called dante. What is the meaning of dante? Given here?

Devotee: "Having controlled the senses."

Prabhupada: Having controlled the senses. This is dante. We have to control these things, then the special favor will be there. (reading purport) "In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says ‘All the Vedas are searching after Me.' Lord Sri Caitanya says that in the Vedas the subject matters are only three, namely to establish the relation of the living entities with the Personality of Godhead, perform the relative duties in devotional service, and thus achieve the ultimate goal, back to Godhead. As such, vedanta-vadis..." They have been described veda-vadin, veda-vadini, in the previous verse. "Vedanta-vadis, or the followers of the Vedanta, indicates the pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead." That is vedanta-vadi, veda-vadi. Veda-vadi means actually one who knows what is the objective of Vedas, they take to Krsna consciousness. And when Caitanya Mahaprabhu discussed Vedanta philosophy with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he said that in the Vedanta or Vedas there are three things only: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. He de... All sastras. In the Bhagavad-gita also the same three things are there: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana.

Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha. Just like first of all a boy or a girl is to be married. So... That is the Vedic system. The father, mother, selects. That is called sambandha. When they fixed up that "This boy will be married with that girl," that is called sambandha. So relationship. Then when the sambandha is established by marriage, when the boy or girl is married, then the sambandha is done. "Now... Now the boy and the girl may remain separately in their respective homes." No. That is abhidheya. Abhidheya. When they are united by the marriage there must be dealings between them. That is called abhidheya. Abhidheya. Abhidheya means not that "Our now marriage ceremony, relationship is established. Now you Mr. such and such, you go home, I go home." No. There must be actual activities. The wife should take care of serving the husband, and the husband should take care of the wife. Then the relationship... Why this relationship? Why these are activities? Now, there is prayojana.

What is that prayojana? To get son. Marriage means to get son. That is prayojana. Putrayate kriyate bharyah. Bharya means wife. One has to accept a bharya, a wife, why? Putrayate. For the matter of getting a son. Why? Why there is necessity of getting a son? Putra-pinda-prayojanam. This is Vedic civilization. Putra. Putra means Pun-namno narakad yasmat trayate iti putra. Pu-tra. Pu means pun-namno narakat. There is a hell which is called put. So from that hellish condition, one who delivers, trayate iti tra, therefore he is called putra. This is... Every Sanskrit word has got meaning, root meaning. Putra. Putra-pinda-prayojanam. Putra is required. Why? After death, if by chance the father does not get ordinary life or goes to the hellish condition of life, the son will deliver. Therefore sraddha ceremony. There is sraddha... What is that sraddha ceremony? Sraddha ceremony means to offer foodstuff to Visnu, and with the prasadam, to the forefathers or father it is offered so that by eating prasadam, if he is in ghost life or in hellish life, he'll be delivered. This is called sraddha.

So it is the duty of the son, sraddha ceremony. And Advaita, Advaitacarya, He was also performing the sraddha ceremony, and He offered the prasadam, the remnants of foodstuff, to Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura was in Santipura, and he was chanting Hare Krsna mantra day and night, and when he was to take some prasadam he used to come to Advaitacarya's place and take prasadam there. So one day Haridasa Thakura asked Advaitacarya that "Why You are giving me prasadam?" Means he presented himself that "I am coming from Muhammadan family, but why You take so much care upon me? You are giving me prasadam, You are taking so much care, You are making a cottage for me. Why? You are one of the leaders of the brahmanas in Santipura, all very exalted learned brahmanas, and if You are taking so much care upon me, then they may criticize You, blaspheme You. So I think You should not do this. I don't want that You may be criticized, or I may be criticized."

So Advaitacarya said, "No, no, no. I'm not doing anything against the sastras, so nobody can criticize. I'm doing nothing against the sastra." So in the sastras... Jiva Gosvami also has given quotation from the sastra that it doesn't matter from which family a person is coming, but if he's a pure devotee, he should be taken all care, and he should be offered charity, he should be offered prasadam. All care should be taken for him. There is sastra indication. So Advaitacarya said that "I am doing the right thing. And by feeding you I am feeding daily many millions of brahmanas by feeding you. By feeding you." These are statement in the Caitanya-caritamrta. So this offering prasadam, the putra, a right putra is meant for offering prasadam to Visnu so that his forefather and father may be delivered. That is the system of putra.

So (reading), "Such vedanta-vadis or the bhaktivedantas are impartial in distributing..." This Bhaktivedanta title was given on this vedanta-vadi because in our society there was no Vedanta. So some of the Vaisnavas selected me to get this title Bhaktivedanta. Vedanta means bhakti, understanding bhakti. Because vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. So who can understand Krsna unless he has bhakti? So this is the bhaktivedanta. So (reading) "Vedanta-vadi or the bhaktivedantas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge or devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend, no one is educated or uneducated, no one is specially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhaktivedantas see the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish the lost relationship with the prayojana, lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhaktivedantas the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization. So the vedanta-vadis initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from the childish sporting, etc. But before the initiation, he (the boy) became more and more advanced in discipline, which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of varnasrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual life, small boys, five years of age, are sent to become brahmacari at the guru's asrama just to learn discipline."

So unless one is disciplined... This is the only qualification, that Narada Muni was disciplined. So much disciplined that he's a small boy, still, he would not talk anything nonsense. He was so disciplined. So the more we become disciplined... As it is stated in the sastras, utsahad dhairyat niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. These are disciplines. The more we become advanced... And naturally we get the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna. Through the mercy of spiritual... Guru-krsna-krpa. There must be mercy both of them, guru and Krsna. Without guru's krpa, one cannot reach Krsna, and without Krsna's krpa, one cannot get a bona fide spiritual master. This is correlative terms. So we should follow the disciplinary methods sincerely under the guidance of spiritual master. Then it will be very, very easy to go back to home, back to Godhead. Narada Muni. Narada Muni, next life became... Narada means he went back to home, back to Godhead. He was promoted in the Vaikunthaloka. Then in the next creation, to distribute this bhakti-marga, he took birth as the son of Brahmaji, and his business was to convert only all others to devotional life. You'll find Narada Muni's name in connection with Valmiki, in connection with Prahlada Maharaja. Long, long ago. And still, we are also following Narada Muni's path, Narada-pancaratra. Our method is Narada-pancaratra.

So Narada Muni is the original spiritual master of Vyasadeva, and from Vyasadeva our disciplic succession is coming. Therefore guru is representative of Vyasadeva. On his birthday the ceremony is offered as Vyasa-puja. This is the disciplic succession. So we should try to follow Narada Muni. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. There are twelve mahajanas, great authorities, of whom, out of the twelve, Narada Muni is one of them. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh, yes. Is not that the verse? Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kapilah kumaro manuh. So Narada's name is there, the, one of the mahajanas. So Narada Muni is mahajana, and he became mahajana on account of his austerity and following the principles. So anyone who follows Narada, he also becomes mahajana. This is the disciplic succession.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975

"When To Reject Guru"

73/08/05 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.4-5



Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

arjuna uvaca
katham bhismam aham sankhye
dronam ca madhusudana
isubhih pratiyotsyami
pujarhav ari-sudana
[Bg. 2.4]

gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan
sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke
hatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaiva
bhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan
[Bg. 2.5]

Translation: "Arjuna said: O killer of Madhu (Krsna), how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhisma and Drona, who are worthy of my worship? It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though they are avaricious, they are nonetheless superiors. If they are killed, our spoils will be tainted with blood."

Prabhupada: So the first problem was for Arjuna how to kill the kinsmen, family men. Now, when he was chastised by Krsna as a friend that "Why you are so weak? Don't be weak. This is sentiment. This kind of compassion is sentiment. Uttistha. You better get up and fight." If I do not want to do something, I can offer so many pleas. You see. So next he is presenting gurun: "All right, Krsna, you are talking about my kinsmen. I accept that it is my weakness. But how do You advise me to kill my guru? Dronacarya is my guru. And Bhismadeva is also my guru. So do you want me to kill my guru? Gurun hi hatva. And not only ordinary guru. This is not that they are ordinary men. Mahanubhavan. Bhisma is a great devotee, and similarly, Dronacarya also, a great personality. Mahanubhavan. So katham bhismam aham sankhye dronam ca madhusudana. "They are two great personalities. They are not only my gurus, but they are great personalities." And Krsna is addressed "Madhusudana." Madhusudana means... Madhu was Krsna's enemy, a demon. So He killed. So "You are Madhusudana, You are killer of Your enemies. Can You give me any evidence that You have killed Your guru? So why You are asking me?" This is the purport. Isubhih pratiyotsyami pujarhav ari-sudana. Again Ari-sudana. Ari means enemy. Madhusudana, particularly "the killer of the Madhu demon." And next is Arisudana. Ari means enemy. So Krsna has killed so many demons, ari, who came to fight with Him as enemy. Therefore His name is Arisudana.

So Krsna has got enemies also, what to speak of ourself. This material world is so made, that you must have some enemies. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness, jealousy. This material world is like that. So there are jealous enemies of God also. They are called demons. Ordinary jealousy or enemy, that is natural. But even to God. Just like yesterday night, evening, somebody came to see me. He was arguing that "Why Krsna should be accepted as God?" That was his argument. So Krsna has enemies. Therefore Krsna... Not only He, but everyone who is in the material world is enemy of Krsna. Everyone. Because they want to be competitor of Krsna. Krsna says that bhoktaram: "I am the supreme enjoyer." Sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the Supreme proprietor." And the Vedas also confirm, isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. "Everything is the property of the Supreme Lord." Sarvam khalv idam brahma. These are Vedic injunctions. Yato va imani bhutani jayante: "From whom everything has come." Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. These are Vedic versions. But still, we, because we are enemies, "No, why Krsna shall be the proprietor? I am the proprietor. Why Krsna shall be God only. I have got another God. Here is another God."

So Krsna has enemies. Arisudana. And He has to kill them. Krsna has got two businesses: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Miscreants... They are miscreants. The demons who challenge Krsna, who want to compete with Krsna, who want to share with the property of Krsna, they are all enemies of Krsna, and they should be killed. So killing business is all right here for the enemies, not ordinarily. Then the next question is, "All right, enemies, you can kill, admitted But how you advise me to kill my gurus? Gurun ahatva. But if for Krsna's sake, if there is need, you have to kill your guru also. That is the philosophy. For Krsna's sake. If Krsna wants, then you cannot... If Krsna wants that you should kill your guru, then you have to do it. That is Krsna consciousness. Of course, Krsna will not ask you to kill guru, but... Because guru and Krsna are the same. Guru-krsna-krpaya. We get Krsna consciousness through the mercy of guru and Krsna. So real guru is never to be killed, but the so-called guru has to be killed. The so-called, pseudo guru, false guru, he should be killed. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. While Prahlada Maharaja... He was standing. Here is, Nrsimhadeva is killing his father. Father is guru. Sarva-devamayo guruh. Similarly, father is also guru, at least, official guru. Materially he is guru. So how Prahlada Maharaja allowed Nrsimhadeva to kill his guru? He's father. Everyone knows that Hiranyakasipu is father. Would you like to see that your father is being killed by some person and you'll stand? You will not protest? Is that your duty? No, that is not your duty. When your father is attacked, you must protest. At least, if you are unable, you must fight. You first of all lay down your life: "How is that, my father is being killed in my front?" That is our duty. But Prahlada Maharaja did not protest. He could have requested -- he is devotee -- "My dear sir, Prabhu, my Lord, You can excuse my father." He didn't. But he knew that "My father is not being killed. It is the body of the father." Later on he begged for his father in a different way. First of all, when Nrsimhadeva was angry, He was killing the body, he knew that "The body is not my father. The soul is my father. So let the Lord satisfy Himself by killing the body of my father; then I shall save him."

So Prahlada Maharaja... Nrsimhadeva offered Prahlada Maharaja, "Now you can take any kind of benediction you like." So Prahlada Maharaja replied, "My Lord, we are materialists. I am born of a father absolutely materialist. So I am also, because I am born of a materialist father, I am also materialist. And You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are offering to give me some benediction. I can take any kind of benediction from You. I know that. But what is the use of it? Why shall I ask You for any benediction? I have seen my father. Materially, he was so powerful that even the demigods, Indra, Candra, Varuna, they were threatened by his red eyes. And he gained over, control over the universe. He was so powerful. And riches, wealth, power, reputation, everything complete, but You have finished it in one second. So why You are offering me such benediction? What shall I do with them? If I take that benediction from You and I become puffed up and do everything wrong against You, then You can finish it within a second. So kindly do not offer me such benediction, such material opulence. Better give me benediction to be engaged in the service of Your servant. I want this benediction. Let me be benedicted by You that I may be engaged in the service of Your servant, not directly Your servant."

Then, after many prayers, after pacifying the Lord... He was very angry. Then when He was little pacified, he asked, "My dear Lord, I can ask You one, another benediction. that my father was very, very staunch enemy of You. That was the cause of his death. Now I ask You kindly excuse him and give him liberation." This is Vaisnava son. He did not ask anything for himself. And although he knew that his father was the greatest enemy, still, he is asking his benediction, "This poor fellow may be liberated." So Lord Nrsimhadeva guaranteed, said, "My dear Prahlada, not only your father, but your father's father, his father, up to fourteen generations, all are liberated. Because you are born in this family." So anyone who has become a Vaisnava, a devotee of the Lord, he is giving the greatest service to the family. Because in relationship with him, his father, mother, anyone, they will be liberated. Just like we have got experience, if a person dies in the fight immaturely, his family is taken care of by the government. Similarly, to become a devotee is the greatest qualification. He has got everything. Yatra yogesvaro harih yatra dhanur-dharah parthah. When there is Krsna and when there is devotee, all victory, all glories are there. That is guaranteed.

So gurun ahatva. A devotee of Krsna, if need be, if he's unqualified guru... Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected. That is Jiva Gosvami's... Karya-karyam ajanatah. A guru who does not know what to do and what not to do, but by mistake, by mistakenly I have accepted somebody as guru, he can be rejected. By rejecting him, you can accept an actual bona fide guru. So guru is not killed, but he can be rejected. That is the injunction of the sastra. So Bhismadeva or Dronacarya, certainly they were gurus, but Krsna indirectly giving indication to Arjuna, that "Although they are in the position of guru, you can reject them." Karya-karyam ajanatah. "They do not know factually." This Bhismadeva, he materially considered his position. He knew everything from the beginning, that the Pandavas, they were parentless, fatherless children, and he raised them from the very beginning. Not only that, he was so much affectionate to the Pandavas that he was thinking, when they were sent to forest, banished, at that time Bhismadeva was crying, that "These five boys, they are so pure, so honest, and not only pure and honest, so powerful warriors, Arjuna and Bhima. And this Draupadi is practically directly the goddess of fortune. And they have got their friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. And they are suffering?" He cried. He was such affectionate. Therefore Arjuna is considering, "How can I kill Bhisma?" But duty is so strong. Krsna is advising, "Yes, he must be killed because he has gone to the other side. He has forgotten his duty. He should have joined you. Therefore he is no more in the position of guru. You must kill him. He has wrongly joined the other party. Therefore there is no harm, killing him. Similarly Dronacarya. Similarly Dronacarya. I know they are great personalities, they have got great affection. But only on material consideration they have gone there." What is that material consideration? Bhisma thought that "I am maintained by the money of Duryodhana. Duryodhana is maintaining me. Now he is in danger. If I go to the other side, then I should be ungrateful. He has maintained me so long. And if I, in the time of danger, when there is fighting, if I go to the other side, that will be..." He thought like this. He did not think that "Duryodhana may be maintaining, but he has usurped the property of the Pandavas." But it is his greatness. He knew that Arjuna will never be killed because Krsna is there. "So from material point of view, I must be grateful to Duryodhana." The same position was for Dronacarya. They were maintained.

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that visayira anna khaile malina haya mana. Such great personalities became darkened because they took money from them, anna. If I am provided by somebody who is too much materialist, then that will affect me. I will become also materialist. I will also become materialist. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that "Those who are visayi, those who are not devotees, do not accept anything from them because it will make your mind unclean." So therefore a brahmana and a Vaisnava, they do not accept directly money. They accept bhiksa. Bhiksa. Just like here it is said bhaiksyam. Sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke. When you ask somebody... Still, bhiksa is also sometimes prohibited from a person who is too much materialist. But bhiksa is allowed for sannyasis, for brahmana. So therefore Arjuna is speaking that "Instead of killing such great gurus who are so great personalities, mahanubhavan..." So bhaiksyam. For a ksatriya... A brahmana, a sannyasi can beg, can beg alms, but not a ksatriya, not a vaisya. That is not allowed. So he was a ksatriya, Arjuna. So he says, "Better I shall take the profession of a brahmana and beg from door to door instead of enjoy the kingdom by killing my guru." That was his proposal. So on the whole, Arjuna is illusioned -- illusioned in the sense that he is forgetting his duty. He is a ksatriya, his duty is to fight; never mind the opposite party, even he is son, a ksatriya will not hesitate to kill his son even if he is inimical. Similarly, the son, if the father is inimical, he would not hesitate to kill his father. This is the stringent duty of the ksatriyas, no consideration. A ksatriya cannot consider like that. Therefore Krsna said, klaibyam: "You don't be coward. Why you are becoming coward?" These topics are going on. Later on, Krsna will give him real spiritual instruction. This is... Ordinary talks are going on between the friend and the friend.

That's all right. Thank you. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973