"Krishna Consciousness Movement Even In Politics"

73/07/12 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.10

Pradyumna: "Translation: Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited." [Bg. 1.10]

Prabhupada: So Duryodhana is very proud of his strength, military strength, because he was empowered, he could gather. And over and above that, Bhisma is the commander-in-chief. He is giving protection. And on the other side, the Pandavas, they are not empowered. Somehow or other, they gathered some soldiers from relatives. Therefore their strength was limited in consideration of the other party. And that is, being protected by Bhima. Duryodhana always considered Bhima as a fool. Therefore he is very much confident that "Our side is being protected by Bhisma, and the other side, although Bhima is very strong, but he has no brain very much." So he was very hopeful of victory.

But in the previous verse he said, anye ca bahavah sura mad-arthe tyakta-jivitah. Tyakta-jivitah means "They have come to lay down their life for me." This is a foretelling because actually, whoever joined the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, none of them returned. Tyakta-jivitah. So it is already concluded that although Duryodhana is very much proud of his military strength protected by Bhisma, still, tyakta-jivitah, they would surely die. This is the conclusion. Nana-sastra-praharanah sarve yuddha-visaradah. No, not a single person inexperienced was there. Yuddha-visaradah. Visarada means very expert, fighting. Still, they would have to lay down their life because it is Krsna's plan that all these fighting men, they were not ruling properly according to the tenets of Vedic injunctions. Therefore they were demons. Military strength for self-aggrandizement is demoniac. Military strength is required to rule over the kingdom but not to misuse them for aggression to others' country or others' kingdom. That was not allowed.

So when Krsna appeared, there were many kings. Although they were under the ruling of the Pandavas, still, Hastinapura, still they were fighting. That is natural. If one has no Krsna consciousness, then his strength and opulence would be misused. And if one is Krsna conscious, then he would use his strength and opulence very properly. So these kings were meant for giving protection to the citizens, to train them to the Vedic conception of life. But they were not doing that. Therefore they were demons.

Although they were ksatriyas, still... Ksatriyas are meant for representing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, Krsna is the proprietor. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam jnatva mam santim rcchati [Bg. 5.29]. So He is the proprietor. Sarva-loka. Sarva-loka means all the planets, all the universes. Because they are created by Krsna, by Krsna's bodily effulgence, brahmajyoti. So they are created by Krsna's. Just like from the sunshine these planets are created, similarly from brahmajyoti, innumerable universes are created.

yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-
kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.40]

So it is all creation of Krsna. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Everything has come out from Krsna's body, external, therefore He is the proprietor. If I have created something, then I am the proprietor. It is very easy to understand. In the Vedas also, it is said eko narayana asit: "Before the creation only there was Narayana." In the Catuh-sloki Bhagavata also it is said, aham evasam evagre [SB 2.9.33/34/35/36]. So before creation there was Krsna. When we speak of Krsna, it does not mean Krsna was alone. Krsna means with His form, with His pastimes, with His paraphernalia, with His entourage, everything. When we speak of king, it does not mean king is alone. As soon as we speak of king, we must understand the king, king's kingdom, king's secretaries, king's ministers, king's queen, king's palace, so many things. Similarly, when the Vedas says that eko narayana asit, "Before creation there was only Narayana." So Narayana with His paraphernalia, with His expansion... Narayana has expansion in the spiritual world, vaikuntha jagat, innumerable Vaikuntha planets. You have seen the picture. Innumerable. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable.

So actually, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, all planets, Vaikuntha planets or kuntha planets... Here in this material world, kuntha planets. Kuntha means anxiety. Here, in any planet you go, the anxiety will be there. This is material. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Why anxiety? Because we have accepted something asat, which will not stay. But we are eternal, we want to stay. Our natural position is eternity. So we don't want this temporary body. Therefore we try to save the body as much as possible. But it will not be saved. Because we have accepted something nonsense, which is not compatible with our existence. The modern civilization, they do not know it. They think it that death is natural sequence. It cannot be avoided. No. It can be avoided. It can be avoided. But these rascals, they do not know how to avoid it, although it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita how you can avoid death. Birth, death, old age and disease, these are the problems, but they do not know how to solve these problems. They are simply engaged in some temporary business. And they are fighting. They are making plans. They are making diplomacy. But in the real problem they do not touch, neither they know how to solve it. But this Krsna consciousness movement can solve it. These rascals may understand this fact, that this Krsna consciousness movement is not a sentiment, so-called religious movement. It is a scientific movement to solve all the problems of life. This is Krsna consciousness.

So in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. Punar janma naiti. If you can avoid next birth... Next birth means to accept another material body. Tatha dehantara-praptih, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. After giving up this body, we have to accept another body. These rascals, they do not understand it. So many defects in the modern civilization, full of ignorance, and still, they are passing as great scientists, great philosophers, great politicians. Real knowledge they haven't got. So try to give them real knowledge. Tatha dehantara-praptih. This is the crucial point, dehantara-praptih. One has to accept another body. So if you can find out a means so that you do not accept another body, then you are safe. Because as soon as you accept another body, janma, birth, then where there is janma, there is mrtyu, death also. And between janma and mrtyu, birth and death, there is disease and old age. So Krsna says that tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: [Bg. 4.9] "One can avoid accepting another material body." How? Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Simply try to understand Krsna, what is Krsna, why Krsna appears, why Krsna takes part in politics, why Krsna... so many, Krsna's activities.

So this is... Our Krsna consciousness movement means: try to understand Krsna. Simply if you try to understand... You cannot understand Krsna fully. That is not possible. Krsna is unlimited. But to our limited knowledge, whatever is possible, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. As far as we can understand about Krsna, if we simply understand Krsna, His transcendental nature, His transcendental activities, divyam... Janma karma me divyam. Divyam means transcendental. It is not ordinary. Tattvatah, in truth, in fact. Then you become free from this janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. Very easy thing.

Therefore try to understand Krsna. How you will understand Krsna? Krsna is so great. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Brs. 1.2.234]. You cannot understand Krsna by these blunt material senses. That is not possible. You have to purify it. You have to purify it. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Simply by Krsna consciousness, always thinking of Krsna, all your senses will be purified. This is the process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. And you can begin service with your tongue.

Now, this is also very surprising. By utilizing our tongue, we can become perfect. This is also unknown to the modern science. By utilizing the tongue, one can become perfect. Yes. This is the process. If by the tongue you chant Hare Krsna mantra, and by the tongue you taste prasadam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. Do not accept anything, do not allow the tongue to touch anything which is not offered to Krsna. This is one item. And another item -- engage the tongue, always chanting Hare Krsna. You become perfect. Is it very difficult task? Anyone can do. Hare Krsna maha-mantra, anyone can chant. And nice prasadam, anyone can take. And actually, it is happening so. How these European, American boys and girls, they are advancing, they are realizing? Simply by that process, tongue: chant Hare Krsna, take prasadam. So you can introduce this process all over the world. Give them chance to chant Hare Krsna mantra. But it is difficult also. There was a cartoon? That one...?

Hamsaduta: Hayagriva...?

Prabhupada: No, no, that one old lady is requesting her husband, "Chant chant chant," and the husband is replying, "Can't can't can't." (laughter). There was a cartoon. So we are requesting everyone, "Please chant," and they are replying, "Can't." Still, they will not chant. This is the difficulty. Otherwise, we can deliver all the people on this earth back to home, back to Godhead, simply by this process. Chant and take prasadam. This should be...

Just like the other day we held the festival, Ratha-yatra. Chant and take prasadam. That's all. Organize this all over the world. They will be saved. They will understand Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam... [Brs. 1.2.234]. Krsna will appear. Krsna... You cannot see Krsna. That is not possible. You cannot order Krsna, "Please come, I will see You." No. When He is pleased with your service, He will come. "Yes, I am here. See Me." That is the history. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. Dhruva Maharaja was meditating, and within six months, he saw Krsna, face to face. So everyone can see. Everyone will be able, provided we utilize the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Jihvadau. Jihvadau means "beginning with the tongue." We have got senses, all senses, eyes, ears, touch, so many senses. But begin with the sense, tongue. Try to control the tongue and engage in Krsna's service.

Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, sarira abidya-jal, jodendriya tahe kal: "This body is material body and the senses are our greatest enemies," jodendriya tahe kal. "So out of all the senses," ta'ra madhye jihwa ati lobhamoy sudurmati, "of all the senses, the tongue is formidable." It is sudurmati, it has no limit to taste. I have seen in Japan. Twenty miles away they are coming to taste some fried birds in the hotel. You see. They have got bus. The hotel has got their own bus, and they bring customers from the city and they are coming after office hours just to taste some jungle birds, fried. There is a hotel.
Devotee: Wild duck.

Prabhupada: Maybe, whatever it may be. You have tasted? (laughter) So the tongue is so formidable enemy. Simply for tasting, they will commit so many sinful activities. They will commit so many abominable actions simply for tongue. And that is a straight line. Tongue, then belly, then genital. So if you can control the tongue, the other things will be controlled. Therefore, ta'ra madhye jihwa ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Lobhamoy, it is very greedy. And sudurmati, it very difficult to control.

Just see. Simply for tongue, so many slaughterhouses are being maintained. I have seen. Those who are meat-eaters... I have seen in the airplane. A small piece of meat they are eating, not very much. But for these small pieces, so many population, huge quantity of slaughterhouse is being maintained. They cannot give up that small piece of meat. What is the difficulty? They can make... The same thing can be made by milk, milk product, channa. What do you call curd? Cheese. You prepare cheese and fry it. You'll get the same taste. But let the animal live, take its milk, and prepare so many milk preparations. But these rascals will not do. You kill simply for this tongue. It is so strong, this tongue. They cannot give up this, I mean to say, formidable tongue. He is demanding, "You must give me meat." So they are obliged. And for this obligation, they are committing so much sinful activities, abominable activities. And becoming bound up by the laws of nature to accept a body within the 8,400,000 species of life, and becoming the worm in the stool.

They do not know how the material law is working. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature, is so strong. It is acting very nicely. So we have to become very careful. That carefulness you cannot do any other way. Especially in this age. Simply if you surrender to Krsna, if you become Krsna conscious, Krsna will take care of you, and you will be saved. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973

"Vaisnavism is not Cowardism"

3/07/12 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.10



Pradyumna: "Translation: There are the mighty Yudhamanyu, the very powerful Uttamauja, the son of Subhadra and the sons of Draupadi. All these warriors are great chariot fighters."

asmakam tu visista ye
tan nibodha dvijottama
nayaka mama sainyasya
samjnartham tan bravimi te
[Bg. 1.7]

"Translation: O best of the brahmanas, for your information, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force."

Prabhupada: So formerly, five thousand years ago, the same system, military -- ordinary soldiers, then the captain, then the commander, the commander-in-chief -- as there are gradations in the modern age, the same thing was there. But maha-ratha, they had good qualification. Maha-ratha means alone he could fight with many other charioteers. They are called ati-ratha, maha-ratha. There are different grades of fighters.

So, so far Pandavas are concerned, their son. Saubhadra... Saubhadra means Abhimanyu, Subhadra's son. Because he was Subhadra's son, his name was Saubhadra. Draupadi's sons, they are called Draupadeya. In Sanskrit, just like bhagini, sister, bhagini, her son is called bhagineya, nephews. So there is link. As soon as we speak Saubhadra, that means Subhadra's son. Subhadra's son, he was only sixteen years old at that time. He was married with Uttara, the daughter of Maharaja Virata. So they were all maha-rathas, ordinary, not ordinary fighters. This Abhimanyu was killed by conspiracy by seven commander-in-chief. Bhisma, Karna, Dronacarya, Asvatthama, they all surrounded him, and they did not allow him to come out. They were very experienced commanders. So this is ksatriya spirit. He was simply a boy, sixteen years old and he had to be killed by the combined efforts of very, very, big commander-in-chiefs. He was so great fighter, Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu-vada (?). So Saubhadra, Draupadi... Similarly, Draupadi's sons also there. Sarva eva maha-rathah. Maha-ratha means one who could fight with one thousand chariots on the other side. They were called maha-rathah.

Then Duryodhana, first of all he pointed out the military strength of the opposite side. This is intelligence. One should take calculation of the opposing elements or the enemy's side. In fighting the first thing is to take estimation of the enemy's side, how much they are strong, how they have arranged. Then one should calculate how to counteract, how to fight with them, this is intelligence. Without taking any calculation of the other side, if you are not prepared, then how you can become victorious? This is sane proposal, that is, upayan cintayet prajno apayan ca cintayet.. A prajna, an intelligent man, not only think of the bright side on this business, or this fight, or this any..., so many things we have to deal with. Simply we should not calculate the brighter side. There is darker side also. We should always think, "If there is some thief, if there is some rogue, they cheat us, then what precaution I am going to take?" This is intelligence. If I simply calculate that "In this business I will make so much profit." In the meantime, somebody comes and cheats me and go away, then... Therefore upayan cintayet prajna apayan ca cintayet. Darker side also should be thought of. That is intelligence. Just like they are doing. After calculating the darker side -- enemy means darker side -- they can defeat me at any moment. That is darker side.

So after calculating their strength, then Duryodhana is speaking about his own strength, asmakam tu visista ye. Visista, not to speak of the ordinary soldiers. They're visista. Visista means who are specifically to be mentioned, high officers. Asmakam tu visista ye tan nibodha dvijottama. He was in commander-in-chief. For eighteen days there was fight, and one after another, a commander-in-chief was killed. And sixty-four crores of men were killed in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. And the battle was finished within eighteen days, not lingering for some years. No. Fight to the best capacity and finish the business.

So everyone, both the sides, Pandava's side and Kaurava's side, all were killed. This Saubhadra, Draupadeya, everyone was killed. And the other side also. Only the five brothers they remained, and the one grandchild who was in the womb of the mother, he remained. Otherwise everyone was finished within eighteen days. Such a great fight it was. And people from all parts of the world, they joined the Battle of Kuruksetra.

Somebody was criticizing me that "Swamiji, you are introducing this Hare Krsna movement. People are becoming coward. They simply chant Hare Krsna." So I replied that "You will see the power of Hare Krsna movement in due course of time." He required... Because there were two battles in India: the battle between Ravana and Rama, Rama-Ravana, the battle of Ramayana; and another battle was Battle of Kuruksetra. And in these two battles the hero was Vaisnava and Visnu. In the Rama-Ravana battle Lord Ramacandra was there and His devotee Hanuman, Vajrangaji. Similarly, in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, Krsna was there and His devotee Arjuna was there. So Vaisnavas, they do not simply chant Hare Krsna. If there is need, they can fight under the guidance of Visnu and become victorious. A Vaisnava's one qualification is... Out of the twenty-six qualifications, one qualification is daksa, expert. If there is need of fighting, they can fight like very expert. That is also needed. Krsna consciousness does not mean one-sided. Krsna as all-pervading, the Krsna consciousness movement also should be all-pervading. It should touch everything, even politics, sociology, everything, if required. That is the aim. Because Krsna's mission is: yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7], paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. There is two mission: not only to give protection to the devotees, but also to kill the demons. To kill the demons, that is one side. So the devotees of Krsna should be trained up both ways: not only to give protection to the devotees, to give them encouragement, but if need be, they should be prepared to kill the demons. That is Vaisnavism. It is not cowardism. It is not cowardism. When need be. Generally, a Vaisnava is non-violent. Just like Arjuna. In the beginning he was non-violent, Vaisnava. He said, "Krsna, what is the use of this fighting? Let them enjoy." So by nature he was non-violent, but he was induced by Krsna to become violent, that "Your non-violence will not help. You become violent. You kill them. I want." So if Krsna wants we shall be prepared to become violent also. And Krsna, that is open secret, that paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. Two business of Krsna, two side. So those who are devotees of Krsna, they should be trained up both ways, they should be prepared. But generally, there is no question of becoming violent, unnecessarily. As the modern politicians, unnecessarily they declare war, a Vaisnava does not do so. No, unnecessarily, there is no need of war. When it was completely impossible to settle up the things between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, then Krsna said, "All right, then there must be fight." When Duryodhana declined to spare even a portion of land holding the sucyagra, the point of a needle... he refused that "I cannot spare even so much land which can hold the point of a needle." Then the war was declared. There is no question of settlement. Otherwise, Krsna requested that "These five Pandavas, they are ksatriyas. They cannot become merchant or brahmana. Brahmana's profession is pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigrahah. Brahmana can take charity from others. A sannyasi can take charity from others. Not a ksatriya or a grhastha. No. That is not allowed. "So they are ksatriyas; they cannot take the professions of a brahmana, neither they can take the profession of a mercantile man, business man. They must have some land so that rule over, take taxation. And that is their living means.

So spare only five villages to these five brothers and settle up." But Duryodhana replied, "No, Sir. What to speak of five villages, we cannot spare even so much land which can hold the point of needle." Then the war was declared. So Vaisnava, they are non-violent. But if need be, they can become violent for Krsna's sake. This is the Battle of Kuruksetra. So any more? Or end here? All right, end here. Chant Hare Krsna. (End)


>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973