"You Must Approach Krishna"

73/08/07 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.7


Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam
[Bg. 2.7]

"Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition, I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me."

Prabhupada: This is very important verse in Bhagavad-gita. It is a turning point of life. Karpanya-dosa. Miserly, dosa means fault When one does not act according to his position, that is fault. And that is called miserly. So everyone has got his natural propensities, svabhava. Yasya hi svabhavasya tasyaso duratikramah. Svabhava, natural propensities. It is a common example, it is given, that yasya hi yah svabhavasya tasyaso duratikramah. One, habit is the second nature. One who has, who is habituated or one whose nature, characteristic in some way, it is very difficult to change. The example is given: sva yadi kriyate raja sah kim na so uparhanam. If you make a dog a king, does it mean that he'll not lick up shoes? Yes, dog's nature is to lick up shoes. So even if you dress him like a king and let him sit down on a throne, still, as soon as he'll see one shoe, he'll jump over and lick it. This is called svabhava. Karpanya-dosa.

So in the animal life, it is not possible to change one's nature, which is given by the material energy, prakrti. Prakrteh kriyamanani. Karanam guna-sango 'sya, karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Why? All living entities are part and parcel of God. Therefore originally the characteristic of the living entity is as good as God. Simply it is a question of quantity. Quality is the same. Quality is the same. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. The same example. If you take a drop of sea water, the quality, the chemical composition is the same. But the quantity is different. It is a drop, and the sea is vast ocean. Similarly, we are exactly of the same quality as Krsna. We can study. Why people say God is impersonal? If I am of the same quality, so God is also person, how He can be imperson? If, qualitatively, we are one, then as I feel individually, so why God should be refused individuality? This is another nonsense. The impersonalist rascals, they cannot understand what is the nature of God. In the Bible also it is said: "Man is made after God." You can study God's quality by studying your quality, or anyone's quality. Simply the difference is quantity's different. I have got some quality, some productive capacity. We also produce, every individual soul is producing something. But his production cannot be compared with production of God. That is the difference. We are producing one flying machine. We are taking very much pride that: "Now we have discovered the sputnik. It is going to the moon planet." But that is not perfect. It is coming back. But God has produced so many flying planets, millions and trillions of planets, very, very heavy planets. Just like this planet is carrying so many big, big mountains, sea, but still it is flying. It is floating in the air just like a cotton swab. This is God's power. Gam avisya. In the Bhagavad-gita, you'll find: aham dharayamy ojasa. Who is sustaining all these big, big planets? We are explaining gravity. And in the sastra we find that it is being carried by Sankarsana.

So the quality is the same, but the quantity is different. So because the quality's same, so we have got all the propensities as God has, as Krsna has. Krsna has got loving propensities with His pleasure potency, Srimati Radharani. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Krsna, we have also got this loving propensity. So this is svabhava. But when we come in contact with this material nature... Krsna does not come into the contact of the material nature. Therefore, Krsna's name is Acyuta. He never falls down. But we are prone to fall down, to be under the... Prakrteh kriyamanani. We are now under the influence of prakrti. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. As soon as we fall down under the clutches of this prakrti, material nature, which means... Prakrti's composed of three qualities, goodness, passion and ignorance. So we capture one of the qualities. That is the cause, karanam guna-sanga. Guna-sanga. Means associating with different quality. Guna-sanga asya jivasya, of the living entity. That is the cause. One can ask: "If the living entity is as good as God, why one living entity has become dog, and one living entity has become god, demigod, Brahma?" Now the answer is karanam. The reason is guna-sanga asya. Asya jivasya guna-sanga. Because he's associating with a particular guna. Sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna.

So these things are described very vividly in Upanisad, how guna-sanga acts. Just like a fire. There are sparks. The sometimes the sparks fall down from the fire. Now there are three conditions of the fire spark falling down. If the spark falls down on dry grass, then it can immediately ignite the grass, the dry grass. If the spark falls down on ordinary grass, then it burns for some time, then again it becomes extinguished. But if the spark falls down on the water, immediately extinguished, the fiery quality. So those who are captured by the sattva-guna, sattva-guna, they are intelligent. They have got knowledge. Just like brahmana. And those who are captured by the rajo-guna, they are busy in material activities. And those who have captured tamo-guna, they are lazy and sleepy. That's all. These are the symptoms. Tamo-guna means they're very lazy and sleepy. Rajo-guna means very active, but active like monkey. Just like monkey's very active, but they're all dangerous. You'll never see inactive. Whenever it will sit down, it will make gat gat gat gat.

So these are activities, foolish activities. But when one is in goodness, he's sober. He can understand what is the value of life, how one should live, what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life. That goal of life is to understand Brahman. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. Therefore the good quality means the brahmana. Similarly, ksatriya. So they are guna-karma-vibhagasah. Guna. Guna has to be taken into account. Sri Krsna therefore said: catur varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. We have captured some kind of guna. It is very difficult. But we can immediately transcend all gunas. Immediately. How? By bhakti yoga process. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. If you take the bhakti-yoga process, then you are no longer influenced by either of these three qualities, goodness, passion, and ignorance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: mam ca avyabhicarini bhakti-yogena sevate. Anyone who is engaged in the devotional service of Krsna, avyabhicarini, without any deviation, staunch, devout attention, such person, mam cavyabhicarini yogena, mam ca avyabhicarena yogena bhajate mam sa gunan samatityaitan [Bg. 14.26]. Immediately, he becomes transcendental to all the qualities. So devotional service is not within these material qualities. They are transcendental. Bhakti is transcendental. Therefore, you cannot understand Krsna or God without bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Only bhaktya mam abhijanati. Otherwise, it is not possible. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah. Reality, in reality, if you want to understand what is God, then you have to adopt this bhakti process, devotional service. Then you transcend. Therefore, in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Narada says that: tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer [SB 1.5.17]. If anyone, even by sentiment, gives such, gives up his occupational duty according to guna... That is called svadharma... Svadharma means one's duty according to the quality he has acquired. That is called svadharma. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, they are divided guna-karma-vibhagasah, by guna and karma.

So here Arjuna says that karpanya-dosopahatah-svabhavah. "I am ksatriya." He understands that: "I am doing wrong. I am refusing to fight. Therefore, it is karpanya-dosa, miserly." Miserly means I have got some means to spend, but if I don't spend this is called miser. Krpanata. So krpanata. There are two classes of men, brahmana and sudra. Brahmana and sudra. Brahmana means he's not miser. He has got the opportunity, great asset of this human form of body, many millions of dollars worth, this human... But he's not using it properly, simply seeing it: "How beautiful I am." That's all. Just spend your beauty or utilize your asset, the human... That is brahmana, to be liberal. And the... Etad viditva prayati sa brahmanah, One who knows... Therefore Prahlada Maharaja says: durlabham manusyam janma adhruvam arthadam. He was preaching amongst his class friends. He was born in a demonic family, Hiranyakasipu. And his class friends, also, of the same category. So Prahlada Maharaja was advising them: "My dear brothers, let us cultivate Krsna consciousness." So other boys, what do they know about Krsna conscious...? Prahlada Maharaja is liberated from the very birth. So they said: "What is this Krsna consciousness?" They could not understand. So he was convincing them: durlabham manusyam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human body is durlabham. Labdhva sudurlabham idam bahu sambhavante. This human form of body is a great concession given by the material nature. People are so miscreant and foolish. They do not understand what is the value of this human form of life. They engage this body for sense gratification like cats and dogs. The sastra therefore says: "No, this human form of body is not meant for spoiling like the hogs and dogs." Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke. Everyone has got a body, material body. But nr-loke, in the human society, this body is not to be spoiled. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhati vid-bhujam ye. This human form of life, simply working uselessly hard, day and night, for sense gratification. This is the business of the hog and dog. They are doing also the same thing, whole day and night, working hard simply for sense gratification. So therefore in the human society there must be a system of division. That is called varnasrama-dharma. That is Vedic civilization. That is really called Arya-samaja. Arya-samaja does not mean to become rascal and fool and deny the existence of God. No. That is Anarya. Just like Krsna rebuked Arjuna: anarya-justa. "You are talking like anarya." One who is not Krsna conscious, he's anarya. Anarya. Arya means who is advancing in Krsna consciousness. So really Arya-samana means Krsna conscious person. Otherwise, bogus, bogus arya-samana. Because here from the Bhagavad-gita says, Krsna says Arjuna, rebuking, because he was refusing to fight, because he does not know what is his duty, again Arjuna is admitting here that karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "Yes, I am anarya. I have become anarya. Because I have forgotten my duty."

So actually aryan samaja means Krsna conscious society, International Society for Krsna... That is Arya. Not bogus. So here, Arjuna is explaining, putting himself: "Yes, karpanya-doso. Because I am forgetting my duty, therefore upahata-svabhavah, I am bewildered in my natural propensities." A ksatriya should be always active. Whenever there is a war, there is fight, they must be very much enthusiastic. A ksatriya, if another ksatriya says: "I want to fight with you," he, oh, he cannot refuse. "Yes, come one. Fight. Take sword." Immediately: "Come one" That is ksatriya. Now he's refusing to fight. He's forgetting his duty, ksatriya duty. Therefore, he's admitting: Yes, karpanya-dosa. Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah. "My natural duty I am forgetting. Therefore I have become miser. Therefore my..." Now when you become miser, that is a diseased condition. Then what is your duty? Then go to a person who can... Just like when you become diseased, you go to a physician and ask him "What to do, sir? I am now suffering with this disease." This is your duty. Similarly, when we are perplexed in our duties, or we forget our duties, it is very nice to go to the superior person and ask him what to do. So who can be superior person than Krsna? Therefore Arjuna says: prcchami tvam. "I am asking you. Because it is my duty. I'm now falling in my duty, faulty. So this is not good. So I must ask somebody who is superior to me." That is the duty. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is the Vedic duty. Everyone is perplexed. Everyone is suffering in this material world, being perplexed. But he'll not search out a bona fide guru. No. That is karpanya-dosa. That is karpanya-dosa. Here, Arjuna is coming out of the karpanya-dosa. How? Now he's asking Krsna. Prcchami tvam. "My dear Krsna, You are the most superior person. That I know. You are Krsna. So I am perplexed. Actually, I am forgetting my duty. Therefore, I am asking You."

So you have to approach the Supreme Person, means Krsna or His representative. All others are rascals and fools. If you approach a person, guru, who is not representative of Krsna, you are approaching a rascal. How you'll be enlightened? You must approach Krsna, or His representative. That is wanted. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. So who is guru? Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham. A guru is full Krsna conscious. Brahma-nistham. And srotriyam. Srotriyam means who has heard, who has received knowledge by the srotriyam patha. By hearing from superior authority. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayoh viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So here we have to learn from Arjuna that when we are perplexed, when we forget our real duty, and therefore we are puzzled, then our duty is to approach Krsna as Arjuna is doing. So if you say: "Where is Krsna?" Krsna is not there, but Krsna's representative is there. You should approach him. That is the Vedic injunction. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. One must approach guru. And guru means Krsna originally. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah. Janmadyasya yatah anvayat itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat. You have to approach. That is guru. So we consider, we take Brahma... Because he's the first creature within this universe, he's accepted as the guru. He imparted... Just like we belong to the Brahma-sampradaya. There are four sampradayas, Brahma-sampradaya, Sri-sampradaya, Rudra-sampradaya and Kumara-samapradaya. They're all mahajanas. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. We have to accept the line of action which is given by the mahajana.

So Brahma is mahajana. You'll find Brahma's picture with Veda in his hand. So he's the, he gave the first instruction of Veda. But wherefrom he got the Vedic knowledge? Therefore Vedic knowledge is apauruseya. It is not man-made. It is God-made. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. So how God, Krsna gave to Brahma? Tene brahma hrda. Brahma, brahma means the Vedic knowledge. Sabda-brahma. Tene. He injected Vedic knowledge from hrda. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. When Brahma was created, he was perplexed: "What is my duty? Everything is dark." So he meditated, and Krsna gave him knowledge that: "Your duty is this. You do like this." Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye. Brahma is adi-kavaye. So actual guru is Krsna. And here is... Krsna is advising the Bhagavad-gita. These rascals and fools will not accept Krsna as guru. They'll go to some rascal and fool and miscreants, sinful person, and accept guru. How he can be guru?

So guru is Krsna. Here is the example given by Arjuna. Prcchami tvam. Who is that tvam? Krsna. "Why you are asking Me?" Dharma-sammudha-cetah. "I am bewildered in my duties, dharma." Dharma means duty. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Sammudha-cetah. "So what I have to do?" Yac chreyah. "What is actually my duty?" Sreyah. Sreyah and preyah. Preyah... They are two things. Preya means which I like immediately, very nice. And sreya means ultimate goal. They are two things. Just like a child wants to play all day. That is childish nature. That is sreya. And preya means he must take education so that in future his life will be settled up. That is preya, sreya. So Arjuna is asking not preya. He's asking instruction from Krsna not for the purpose of confirming his sreya. Sreya means immediately he was thinking that: "I shall be happy by not fighting, not by killing my kinsmen." That, he was, like a child, he was thinking. Sreya. But when he came to his consciousness... Not actually consciousness, because he's intelligent. He's asking for preya, uh, sreya. Yac chreyah syat. "What is the, actually, my ultimate goal of life?" Yac chreyah syat. Yac chreyah syat niscitam. Niscitam means fixed-up, without any mistake. Niscitam. In Bhagavata, there is, called niscitam. Niscitam means you haven't got to make research. It is already settled up. "This is the decision:" Because we, with our teeny brain, we cannot find out what is the actual niscitam, fixed-up sreya. That we do not know. That you have to ask from Krsna. Or his representative. These are the things. Yac chreya syat niscitam bruhi tan me.

So... "Kindly speak to me that." "So why shall I speak to you?" Here says: sisyas te 'ham [Bg. 2.7]. "Now I am accepting You as my guru. I become Your sisya." Sisya means: "Whatever you'll say, I'll accept." That is sisya. The sisya word comes from sas-dhatu. Sas-dhatu. Sastra. Sastra. Sasana. Sisya. These are from the same root. Sas-dhatu. Sas-dhatu means rule, ruling. So we can rule in various ways. We can be ruled, becoming a sisya of a proper guru. That is sas-dhatu. Or we can be ruled by sastra, weapon. Just like king has got weapon. If you don't follow the king's instruction or government's instruction, then there is police force, military force. That is sastra. And there is sastra also. Sastra means book, scripture. Just like Bhagavad-gita. Everything is there. So we must be ruled, either by sastra, sastra or guru. Or becoming sisya. Therefore it is said: sisyas te 'ham. "I become voluntarily... I surrender unto You." "Now you become sisya. What is the proof that you have become My sisya?" Sadhi mam tvam prapannam. "Now I am fully surrender." Prapannam.

So this knowledge required, how to find out real guru and how to surrender unto Him. The guru does not mean that I keep a guru. So as order-supplier "My dear guru, I am suffering from this. Can you give me some medicine?" "Yes, yes. Take this medicine." "Yes." Not that guru. If you are suffering from some disease, you go to a physician. It is not guru's business to give you some medicine. A guru's business is to give you Krsna. Krsna sei tomara, krsna dite para. A Vaisnava is praying guru: "Sir, you are devotee of Krsna. You can give me Krsna if you like." This is the position of sisya. Guru's business is how to give you Krsna, not any material things. For material things, there are so many institutions. But if you want Krsna, then guru's required. Who is, who requires a guru?

tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasu sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam
[SB 11.3.21]

Who requires a guru? Guru's not a fashion. "Oh, I have got a guru. I shall make a guru." Guru means one who's serious. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta. One has to seek out a guru. Why? Jijnasu sreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive of the Supreme. Not guru make a fashion. Just like we keep a dog, fashion. Similarly, we keep a guru. That is not guru karma (?). "Guru will act according to my decision." Not like that. Guru means one who can give you Krsna. That is guru. Krsna sei tomara. Because Krsna is guru. That is stated in the Brahma-samhita. Vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs. 5.33]. Vedesu durlabham. If you want to search out... Although Vedas means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge is to understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. This is the instruction. So if you independently wants to study Vedas, just, there is, there are some rascals... They say: "We understand only Vedas." What do you understand Veda? How you'll understand Veda? So Vedas says, tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. You'll understand Vedas by taking one, purchasing one Vedas book, or taking it, you'll understand Vedas? Vedanta is not so cheap thing. Without becoming a brahmana, nobody can understand a Veda, what is Veda. Therefore, it is restricted. Without becoming brahmana, nobody is allowed to study Vedas. It's all nonsense. What you'll understand about the Vedas? Therefore Vyasadeva, after compiling the four Vedas, dividing the four Vedas, he made Mahabharata. Because the Vedas, subject matter of Vedas is so difficult. Stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti-gocarah. For women, for sudras, and for the dvija bandhu. They cannot understand what is Vedas. So all these rascal dvija-bandhus and sudras, they want to study Vedas. No, that is not possible. One has to become first of all situated in the brahminical qualification, satyam samo damas titiksva arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma karma sva-bhava... Then touch Veda. Otherwise, what you'll understand Vedas? Nonsense. Therefore, Vedas says: tad vijnanartham sa gurum [MU 1.2.12]. You must approach a guru to understand Veda. And what is that Veda? Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. The Vedas means, to study Vedas means to understand Krsna. And surrender unto Him. This is Vedic knowledge. Where Arjuna says that: prapannam. "Now I am surrender unto You. I am now no more going to talk with You on equal level just as if I know so many things." He was right, but he was thinking on the material platform. He was thinking that pradusyanti kula-striyah. If everyone... This is material point. But Vedic knowledge is spiritual, uttamam. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasu sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. Uttamam. This sreya. Uttamam. Yac chreya syat niscitam. Fixed-up. There is, there is no question of changing. That instruction is now, will be given by Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. And this takes place -- bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19].

So therefore in order to achieve the highest, goal of life, one should fully surrender to Krsna or His representative. Then his life is successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973

"How To Utilize Fighting Spirit"

73/08/06 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.6



Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyo
yad va jayema yadi va no jayeyuh
yan eva hatva na jijivisamas
te 'vasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah
[Bg. 2.6]

Translation: "Nor do we know which is better -- conquering them or being conquered by them. The sons of Dhrtarastra, whom if we killed we should not care to live, are now standing before us on this battlefield."

Prabhupada: So these two groups of cousin-brothers... Maharaja Pandu had five sons and Dhrtarastra had one hundred sons. So it is family, the same family, and it was understanding between them that when others beyond the family would come to attack them, they would join, 105 brothers, and fight. But when there was fight amongst themselves -- one side, hundred brothers; one side, five brothers. Because a ksatriya family, it is to be understood they must go on fighting. Even in their marriage there would be fighting. Without fighting, no marriage takes place in ksatriya family. Krsna had 16,108 wives, and almost in each time He had to fight, to gain the wife. It was a sporting. For ksatriya to fight, it was a sporting. So he is perplexed whether this kind of fighting he should encourage or not.

There is a proverb in Bengal, khabo ki khabo na yadi khao tu pause. "When you are perplexed, Whether I shall eat or not eat,' better not eat." Sometimes we come to this point, "I am not very hungry, whether I shall eat or not eat?" The best course is not eat, not that you eat. But if you eat, then you can eat in the month of December, Pausa. Why? It is... In Bengal... Bengal is tropical climate, but when it is winter season, it is advised that "If you eat it is not so harmful because it will be digested." The night is very long, or the cold season, the digestive power, is nice. So when we are confused, "to do or not to do," jabo ki jabo na yadi jao tu sauce: "When you think, ‘Whether I shall go or not?' better don't go. But when it is a question of answering the call of nature, you must go." Jabo ki jabo na yadi jau tu sauce, khabo ki khabo na yadi khao tu pause. These are very common sense. Similarly, Arjuna is now perplexed, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" That is also everywhere. When there is declaration of war between the modern politicians, they consider... Just like in the last Second World War, when Hitler was preparing for war... Everyone knew that Hitler was going to retaliate because in the first war they became defeated. So Hitler was again preparing. One, my God-brother, German, he came in 1933 in India. So at that time he informed that "There must be war. Hitler is preparing heavy preparations. War must be there." So at that time, I think, in your country the Prime Minister was Mr. Chamberlain. And he went to see Hitler to stop the war. But he would not. So similarly, in this fight, to the last point, Krsna tried to avoid the war. He proposed to Duryodhana that "They are ksatriyas, your cousin-brothers. You have usurped their kingdom. Never mind, you have taken some way or other. But they are ksatriyas. They must have some means of livelihood. So give them, five brothers, five villages. Out of the whole world empire, you give them five villages." So he... "No, I am not going to part with even an inch of land without fight." Therefore, under such condition, the fight must be there.

So there is no question of Arjuna's considering whether he would fight or not. It is sanctioned by Krsna; so fight must be there. Just like when we were walking, the question was raised that "Why war takes place?" That is not a very difficult subject to understand because everyone of us has got a fighting spirit. Even children fight, cats and dogs fight, birds fight, ants fight. We have seen it. So why not human beings? The fighting spirit is there. That is one of the symptoms of living condition. Fighting. So when that fighting should take place? Of course, at the present moment, by the ambitious politicians, they fight. But fighting, according to Vedic civilization, fighting means dharma-yuddha. On religious principles. Not by whims of political ideas, ism. Just like now fighting is going on on two political groups, the communist and the capitalist. They are trying to avoid only fight, but the fighting is going on. As soon as America is in some field, immediately Russia is also there. In the last fighting between India and Pakistan, as soon as President Nixon sent their Seventh Fleet on the India Ocean, Bay of Bengal, almost in front of India... This was illegal. But very puffed-up, America. So sent the Seventh Fleet, maybe to show sympathy to the Pakistan. But immediately our Russian friend also appeared there. And therefore, America had to come back. Otherwise, I think, America would have attacked on behalf of Pakistan.

So this is going on. Fighting you cannot stop. Many people, they are thinking how to stop war. That is impossible. It is nonsense proposal. It cannot be. Because the fighting spirit is there in everyone. That is a symptom of living entity. Even children, who has no politics, no enmity, they fight for five minutes; again they are friends. So the fighting spirit is there. Now, how it should be utilized? Our Krsna consciousness movement is there. We say, consciousness. We don't say, "Stop fight" or "Do this, do that, do that," no. Everything should be done in Krsna consciousness. That is our propaganda. Nirbandha-krsna-sambandhe. Whatever you do, it must have some relationship with the satisfaction of Krsna. If Krsna is satisfied, then you act. That is Krsna consciousness. Krsnendriya trpti vancha tara nama prema. This is love. Just like you love somebody; for the sake of your beloved, you can do anything, and we do sometimes. Similarly, the same thing should be transferred to Krsna. That's all. Try to educate yourself how to love Krsna and act for Krsna only. This is the perfection of life. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Bhakti means service, bhaja-sevayam. The bhaj-dhatu, it is used for the purpose of rendering service, bhaja. And bhaja, there is Sanskrit grammar, kti-pratyaya, to make it noun. This is verb. So there are pratyayas, kti pratyaya, ti pratyaya, many pratyayas. So bhaj-dhatu kti, equal to bhakti. So bhakti means to satisfy Krsna. Bhakti cannot be applied to anyone else. If somebody says that "I am a great devotee of Kali, goddess Kali," that is not bhakti; that is business. Because any demigod you worship, there is some purpose behind that. Generally, people take to become a devotee of goddess Kali for eating meat. That is their purpose. In the Vedic culture, those who are meat-eaters, they have been advised that "Don't eat meat purchased from the slaughterhouse or from the market." Actually, this system was never current anywhere, all over the world, that to maintain slaughterhouse. This is latest invention. We talk with sometimes with Christian gentlemen, and when we inquire that "Lord Christ says ‘Thou shalt not kill'; why you are killing?" they give evidence that "Christ also ate meat sometimes." Sometimes Christ ate meat, that's all right, but did Christ say that "You maintain big, big slaughterhouse and go on eating meat?" There is no common sense even. Christ might have eaten. Sometimes he... If there was no, nothing available for eating, what could you do? That is another question. In great necessity, when there is no other food except taking meat... That time is coming. In this age, Kali-yuga, gradually food grains will be reduced. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twelfth Canto. No rice, no wheat, no milk, no sugar will be available. One has to eat meat. This will be the condition. And maybe to eat the human flesh also. This sinful life is degrading so much so that they will become more and more sinful. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andhe-yonisu. Those who are demons, those who are sinful, nature's law is to place him in such condition that he will become more and more a demon so that he will never be able to understand what is God. This is nature's law. If you want to forget God, then God will put you in such a condition that you can never understand what is God. That is demonic life. That time is also coming. At the present moment, still a few men are interested, what is God. Arto artharti jijnasu jnani. But time is coming ahead when there will be no sense to understand God. That is the last stage of Kali-yuga, and at that time Kalki avatara, Kalki avatara will come. At that time there is no preaching of God consciousness, simply killing, simply killing. Kalki avatara with His sword will simply massacre. Then again Satya-yuga will come. Again golden age will come.

So this problem of fighting... We have to understand that fighting spirit is there in everyone. You cannot check it, you cannot stop it. We do not say stop. The Mayavadi philosopher says that "You stop this thing," but that is not possible. You cannot stop. Because you are living entity, you have got all these propensities. How you can stop it? But it should be utilized properly. That's all. You have got the fighting spirit. How to utilize it? Yes. Narottama dasa Thakura recommends, krodha bhakta-dvesi-jane: "Those who are envious of God or God's devotee, you can utilize your anger upon them." You can utilize. The anger you cannot give up. Our business is how to utilize it. That is Krsna consciousness. Everything has to be utilized. We do not say that "You stop this, stop that." No. Krsna says, yat karosi, yaj juhosi, yad asnasi, yat tapasyasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam. Yat karosi. Krsna does not say that "You do this, you do that." He says, "Whatever you do, but the result should come to Me." So here the position is that Arjuna is to fight not for himself, but he is only thinking in terms of himself. He says, te avasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah, yan eva hatva na jijivisamas: "They are my brothers, relatives. If they die... We do not wish to die. Now they are in my front. I have to kill them?" So still he is thinking in terms of his own satisfaction. He is preparing the background -- how materialistic persons, they think in the terms of personal satisfaction. So that has to be given up. Not personal satisfaction, Krsna's satisfaction. That is Krsna consciousness. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter. You have to test it, whether you are doing it for Krsna. That is your perfection. Not only perfection, that is the perfection of your mission of human life. This human life is meant for that purpose. Because less than human form, the animal life, they are trained, perfection of sense gratification, personal satisfaction. They have no such feeling that "Other animals also..." When there is some eatable, one dog, he will think "How I can get it?" He will never think how other dogs also will be able to take it. This is not animal nature. Animal nature means their own satisfaction. There is no question of "My friend, my family members." Even, they do not share even with their own children. You might have seen. If there is some foodstuff, the dog and the dog's children, everyone is trying to take in his own side. This is animal. So when this thing is changed for Krsna, that is human life. That is the distinction between animal life. So that is very difficult also. Therefore the whole education is there, Bhagavad-gita, how to teach people, "Act for Krsna, act for God, not for your personal interest. Then you'll be entangled." Yajnarthat karmanah anyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. Anything you do, it will produce some reaction, and you have to enjoy or suffer that reaction. Anything you do. But if you do for Krsna, there is no more reaction. That is your freedom. Yogah karmasu kausalam. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yoga, when you are in contact with Krsna, that is the secret of success in this material world, working. Otherwise whatever you are doing, whatever you are working, it will produce some reaction and you will have to enjoy or suffer.

So here again, the same thing. Arjuna is thinking in terms, na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyo. So he is perplexed, "Which one, which side will be glorious? I shall stop fighting or not fighting?" In the next verses it will be seen... When you are in such perplexity, "what to do and what not to do," so in order to get right direction, you must approach the spiritual master. That will be done in the next verse. Arjuna will say that "I do not know. I am now perplexed. Although I know it is my duty as ksatriya to fight, still I am hesitating. I am hesitating in my duty. So therefore I am perplexed. So Krsna, therefore I submit to You." Formerly he was talking just like friend. Now he will be prepared to take lesson from Krsna.

So our the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gita is that: You should not act for yourself; you should simply act for Krsna. So even fighting for Krsna, or even doing something still abominable for Krsna... Just like the gopis. The gopis were captivated by Krsna. Krsna was a young boy, very beautiful, and the gopis were young girls. That is the superficial... Actually, the gopis are eternal associates of Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. They are expansions of Krsna, Krsna's pleasure potency expansion. They are meant for Krsna's pleasure. They are not ordinary women. But superficially, just to teach us how to love Krsna at the risk of anything... Therefore gopis, when they were attracted by Krsna at midnight... Krsna was playing flute, and they became attracted and they left home. Some of them were locked up. They gave up their life even. They were so much attracted. Now this kind of behavior, if youngs girls... According to Vedic civilization, they cannot go out from the protection of father, husband or brother. No, they cannot go. Especially at midnight. So this was against Vedic principle. It is openly a kind of prostitution. But because it was done for Krsna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He recommends, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhubhih kalpita: "There is no more better type of worship than it was conceived by the vraja gopis. Vraja-vadhu. The most abominable. For a young girl to leave the care of husband, father, and go to another young boy, according to Vedic culture, it is the most abominable. So still, because, it was, the center was Krsna, it is accepted as the highest type of worship. That is Krsna consciousness. We have to learn how to act only for Krsna, how to love only Krsna. Then our life is successful. And the human life... Because we have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago. Anadi karama-phale. Anadi means before the creation. We living entities, we are eternal. Even the creation is annihilated after millions and trillions of years, the living entities, they are not annihilated. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. They remain. So when this whole cosmic manifestation will be annihilated, the living entities will remain in the body of Visnu. Then when again another creation will take place, they will come out again to fulfill their desires. The real desire is how to go to home, back to Godhead.

So this chance is given. So if this chance is misused, this life, human form of life, it is very, very risky. Again we will have to accept the cycle of birth and death. And not only that, if we do not fulfill the mission of life, then again there will be annihilation of the whole creation and we will have to stay within the body of Visnu for millions and trillions of years. Again we will have to come. So therefore it is called anadi karama-phale. Anadi means "before the creation." This is going on. And to teach the befooled living entities, Krsna personally comes. Krsna is very much anxious to take us back to home, back to Godhead. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna. Suppose if your son is loitering in the street, are you not anxious, "Oh, there may be some accident, and the poor boy will be killed." So you go, try to find out. Similarly, Krsna's position is like that. We are in this material world simply suffering life after life. Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. This place is miserable. But maya's illusion, we are taking this miserable condition of life as happiness. This is called maya. there is no happiness in this material world. Everything miserable. The sooner we understand that everything is miserable in this material world and the sooner we prepare ourself to leave this material world and go back to home, back to..., that is our sense. Otherwise, whatever we are doing, we are simply being defeated. Because we are missing the aim. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Durasaya. We are, by hope against hope -- it will never be fulfilled -- we are trying to adjust things here to become happy without God consciousness. It will never be accompli... Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. Durasaya means "the hope which will never be fulfilled."
So all these materialistic persons, they are so fools, rascals, miscreants, they are increasing these material activities. They are thinking by this increasing material activities they will be happy. No. That is not possible. Durasaya ye... And their leaders... Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. All of us are tied very tight, hands and legs, and we are thinking we are free, independent. By the laws of material nature... Still, we are thinking that we are independent. The scientist is trying to avoid God, independent by science. That is not possible. We are under the grip of the material nature. Material nature means the agent of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunair karmani sarvasah. So we are always in perplexity like Arjuna, what to do, what not to do. But if we take this principle, that "We must do for Krsna..." So take direction from Krsna and take direction from Krsna's representative and you do it; then there is no karma-bandhanah. Karmani nirdaheti kintu ca bhakti-bhajam. Otherwise, we are bound up by the reaction of every act. We cannot get out. So this perplexity, "Whether I shall fight or not fight," that will be explained that "Yes, you must fight for Krsna. Then it is all right." Kamah krsna-karmarpane. Just like Hanuman. He fought for Lord Ramacandra. He did not fight for himself. Similarly, Arjuna also, his flag is kapi-dhvaja, his flag is marked with Hanuman. He knew that. So Hanuman, a great fighter, fought with Ravana, not for his personal interest. The interest was how to get out Sitaji from the hands of Ravana, kill the whole family, and get out and let her sit down on the side of Ramacandra. This is the policy of Hanuman, devotees. And the Ravana policy is "Take away Sita from the clutches of Rama and enjoy it." This is Ravana policy. And the Hanuman policy is: "Take out Sita from the hands of Ravana and get her seated by the side of Rama." The same Sita. Sita means Laksmi. So Laksmi means Narayana's property, God's property.

So we should learn the policy that all these materialistic persons, Ravanas, they are trying to enjoy God's property. So some way or other... Of course we cannot fight with Ravana class man. We are not so strong. Therefore we have taken the policy of becoming a beggar: "Sir, you are so nice man. Please give us something. Give us something. Because you are spoiling your life by keeping God's property, you are going to hell. So some way or other, if you become a member, so you will be saved. You will be saved." That is our policy. We are not beggar. But it is a policy. Now we are not very strong to fight with the Ravanas; otherwise, we would have taken all the money by fighting. But that is not possible. We are not so strong. Therefore we have taken the policy of beggar.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973

"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

"Special Senses Are Required"

73/08/04 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.3


Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tyaktvottistha parantapa
[Bg. 2.3]

Translation: "O son of Prtha, do not yield to this degrading impotence. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser of the enemy."

Prabhupada: So Bhagavan, Krsna, is encouraging, ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam. "For a ksatriya to speak like that, ‘No no, I cannot kill my kinsmen. I am giving my weapons,' this is weakness, cowardice. Why you are all this nonsense doing?" Ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam. "This kind of compassion, giving up your duty as a ksatriya, it is simply weakness of the heart. It has no meaning." Klaibyam ma sma gamah partha naitat tvayy upapadyate. "Especially for you. You are My friend. What people will say? So give up this weakness of the heart and uttistha, stand up, take courage." So just see how Krsna is inducing Arjuna to fight. People are very much ignorant and they sometimes criticize that "Krsna is exciting Arjuna. He is very gentleman, nonviolent, and Krsna is exciting him to fight." This is called jada-darsana. Jada-darsana. Jada-darsana means material vision. Therefore sastra says, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Brs. 1.2.234]. Sri-krsna-namadi. We become in touch with Krsna by chanting His name, Hare Krsna. That is the beginning of our connection with Krsna. Namadi. So sastra says, atah sri-krsna-namadi. Adi means beginning.

So we have no connection with Krsna. But if we chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, immediately our first chance to contact Krsna begins. So it has to be practiced. Not that immediately I realize Krsna. That is not... Of course, if one is advanced, it is possible immediately. So sri-krsna-namadi. Nama means name. So Krsna is not only name. Adi, that is the beginning, but form, activities. Just like sravanam kirtanam. So sravanam kirtanam, glorifying or describing about Krsna... So He has got His form. So nama means name, and then, rupa means form. Nama, rupa... Lila means pastimes; guna means quality; entourage, his associates; all these... Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved [Brs. 1.2.234]. Na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. By ordinary senses we cannot understand... Either Sri Krsna's name... We are hearing our, through the aural reception, Krsna's name, but if we keep our ear without purification... Of course, by hearing, it will be purified. We have to help. Help means to avoid the offenses, ten kinds of offenses. So in this way we shall help the purificatory process. Just like if I want to ignite fire, so I must help the igniting process by drying the wood. It will very soon get fire. Similarly, simply chanting, that will help us also. It will take time. But if we avoid the offenses, then it will be very quickly purified. The action will be there.

So atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Brs. 1.2.234]. So this behavior of Krsna, how ordinary men can understand? Because they have got their ordinary senses, therefore they mistake. Why Krsna? Even Krsna's devotee, Vaisnava. That is also stated. Vaisnavera kriya mudra vijneha na bujhaya. Even a Vaisnava acarya, what he is doing, even the most expert intelligent man cannot understand why he is doing this. Therefore we should not try to imitate the higher authorities, but we have to follow the order, injunction, given by the higher authorities. It is not possible. Krsna is exciting Arjuna to fight. That does not mean we can also do that, excite, no. That will be immoral. For Krsna it is not immoral. Whatever He is doing... God is good, He is all-good. We should accept it. Whatever He is doing, that is all-good. This is one side. And whatever I am doing without authority's order, this is all bad. He does not require any order from anyone else. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. He is the supreme controller. He does not require anyone's instruction. Whatever He does, it is perfect. This is Krsna understanding. And not that I have to study Krsna in my own way. Krsna is not subjected to your examination or your test. He is above all. He is transcendent. Therefore those who have not the transcendental vision, they misunderstand Krsna. Here He is directly enticing,

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
taktvottistha parantapa

Parantapa is, this word, very word, is used that "You are a ksatriya, you are king. Your business is to chastise the mischief mongers. That is your business. You cannot excuse the mischief monger." Formerly the kings were so... The king himself used to judge. A criminal was brought before the king, and if the king thought it wise, he would take his own sword, immediately cut his head. That was the duty of king. Even not many, about hundred years ago in Kashmir, the king, as soon as a thief was caught, he would be brought before the king, and if he is proved that he was a thief, he has stolen, immediately the king will cut off his hands personally, chopped off. Even hundred years ago. So all other thieves warned, "This is your punishment." So there was no thiefing. There was no stealing, no burglary in Kashmir. Even somebody lost something on the road, it will lie down. Nobody will touch it. The order was, king's order was, "If something is lying down on the street uncared for, you cannot touch it. The man who has left it, he would come; he will collect. You cannot take." Even hundred years ago. So this capital punishment is required. Nowadays the capital punishment is excused. Murderers are not hanged. This is all mistake, all rascaldom. A murderer must be killed. No mercy. Why a human killer? Even an animal killer should be immediately hanged? That is kingdom. The king should be so strict.

So this sympathy is like Arjuna's sympathy. The sympathy... Now the state is sympathizing with the murderer not to be killed. This is Arjuna. That is hrdaya-daurbalyam. That is not duty. One has to discharge the duty ordered by the superior authority very strictly, without any consideration. So these are weakness of the heart, this kind of sympathy. But ordinary person will not understand. Therefore to understand Krsna, one requires special senses, special senses, not ordinary senses. Special senses means you have to pluck your eyes and you have to put another eyes? No. You have to purify. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Just like if you have got some disease in the eyes, you apply medicine, and when it is clear, you can see clearly everything; similarly, with these blunt senses, we cannot understand what is Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234]. As sri-krsnasya namadau, Krsna's name, form, quality, etc., is not understand by these blunt senses, so how it is to be done? Now, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Again jihvadau, beginning from the tongue, controlling the tongue. Just see it is something peculiar, that you have to understand Krsna by controlling the tongue? This is something wonderful. How is that? I have to control my tongue to understand Krsna? But it is, the sastra injunction is there: sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Jihva means tongue. So in order to see Krsna, in order to understand Krsna, the first business is to control your tongue. Therefore we say, don't take meat, don't take liquor. Because it is controlling the tongue. The tongue is the most strong enemy as sense, as perverted sense. And these rascals they say, "No, you can eat whatever you like. It has nothing to do with religion." But Vedic sastra says, "You rascal, first of all control your tongue. Then you can understand what is God."

So this is called Vedic injunction -- perfect. If you control your tongue, then you control your belly, then you control your genital. Rupa Gosvami gives instruction,

vaco-vegam manaso krodha-vegam
jihvavegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah
sarvam apimam sa prthivim sa sisyat.

This is instruction, that anyone who has become competent to control the tongue, to control the mind, to control the anger, to control the belly and control the genital..., if six kind of control is there, he is fit for becoming spiritual master; he can make disciples all over the world. And if you cannot control your tongue, if you cannot control your anger, control your mental concoction, then how you can become even a spiritual master? That is not possible. Prthivim sa sisyat. One who did... That is called gosvami, gosvami or svami, master of the senses. Master of controlling these six kinds.

So beginning is the jihva. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234]. Seva. The tongue can be engaged in the service of the Lord. How? You chant Hare Krsna, always glorify. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Vacamsi, means talking. Talking is the business of tongue, and tasting is the business of tongue. So you engage the tongue in the service of the Lord by glorifying. Whenever... You take a vow that "Whenever I shall speak, I shall simply speak, glorifying Krsna, nothing more." That is tongue control. If you don't allow your tongue to speak anything nonsense, gramya-katha... We sometimes sit together. We talk so many nonsense. That should be controlled. "Now I have engaged my tongue for the service of the Lord, so we shall not talk anything of sense gratification." This is controlling the tongue. "I cannot eat anything which is not offered to Krsna." This is controlling the tongue. So these are small techniques, but it has got great, great value so that Krsna will be pleased, the austerity, and He will reveal. You cannot understand. You cannot see Krsna. You cannot order Krsna, "Krsna, please come, dancing with flute. I shall see You." This is order. Krsna is not subjected to your order. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives us instruction, aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanam. Adarsanam. Everyone wants to see Krsna, a devotee, but a pure devotee says that "No, if you don't like to see me, that's all right. You can break my heart. I may always pray to see You. But You do not come and break my heart, that is also accepted. Still, I shall worship You." This is pure devotion. Not that "I have asked Krsna to come before me dancing. He did not come. So I give up this nonsense. The Krsna consciousness movement is no value." Not like that. This is Radharani's attitude. So Krsna left Vrndavana. All the gopis, they passed their days simply crying for Krsna, but never condemned Krsna. Whenever somebody came... Krsna also was thinking of them because gopis are the greatest devotees, topmost devotees. There is no comparison with the devotion of the gopis. Therefore Krsna was always obliged to them. Krsna said to the gopis that "You have to be satisfied with your own business. I cannot return you anything for your love." Krsna, the Supreme, the all-powerful, He was unable to repay the debts for the gopis. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ramya kacid upasana vraja-vadhu-vargena ya kalpita. There is no more better worship than what was conceived by the gopis. So gopis are the topmost devotees. And amongst the gopis, Srimati Radharani is the topmost. Therefore Srimati Radharani is greater than Krsna.

So this is Gaudiya-Vaisnava philosophy. It requires time. So the activities of Krsna, the rascals, if they simply see that "Krsna is enticing Arjuna to fight; therefore Krsna is immoral," that is, means wrong vision. You have to see Krsna with separate eyes. Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, janma karma me divyam ca. Divyam. These transcendental activities of Krsna, if anyone can understand, simply if anyone can understand, then he becomes liberated immediately. Liberated. Not liberated ordinary liberation, but for going back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. The greatest liberation. There are different types of liberation also. Sayujya sarupya sarsti salokya sayujya.... Five kinds of liberation. So sayujya means to merge into the existence, Brahman, brahma-laya (merging in the impersonal). That is also liberation. The Mayavadis or the jnani sampradaya, they want to merge into the existence, Brahman existence. That is also mukti. That is called sayujya-mukti. But for a devotee, this sayujya-mukti is just like hell. Kaivalyam narakayate. So for Vaisnava, kaivalyam, to, monism, to merge into the existence of the Supreme, is compared with hell. Kaivalyam narakayate tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate (Caitanya-candramrta 5). And the karmis... Jnanis are anxious to merge into the existence of the Brahman effulgence, and the karmis, their highest aim is how to be elevated in the higher planetary system, Svarga-loka, where Lord Indra is there, or Brahma is there. That is karmi's ambition, to go to the heaven. They all, except Vaisnava philosophy, in all other literature, all other scripture, means Christian and Mohammedan, their aim is how to be elevated to the heaven.

So heaven is described in the Vedic literature as tri-dasa-pur. Tri-dasa-pur. Tri-dasa-pur means there are 33,000,000's of demigods, and they have got their separate planets. This is called tri-dasa-pur. Tri means three, and dasa means ten. So thirty-three or thirty. Anyway, tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate. Akasa-puspa means something imaginary something imaginary. A flower in the sky. A flower should be in the garden, but if somebody imagines the flower in the sky, it is something imaginary. So for a devotee, this heavenly promotion to the heavenly planet is just like a flower in the sky. Tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate. Kaivalyam narakayate. Jnani and karmi. And durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstrayate. Then yogi. Yogis are trying. Yogi means yoga indriya-samyama, controlling the senses. That is yogic practice. Our senses are very strong. Just like we also, Vaisnavas, we first of all try to control the tongue. So yogis also, they try to control the senses, not only tongue, but all other, ten kinds of senses, by that yogis mystic process. So why they are trying to control? Because the senses are just like serpents. A serpent... Just like they touch anywhere, immediately something up to death. Injury there must be up to death. This is exemplified: just our sex impulse. As soon as there is illicit sex, there is so many difficulties. Of course, nowadays it has all become very easy. Formerly it was very difficulty, especially in India. Therefore a young girl was always protected, because if she mixes with the boys, somehow or other, as soon as there is sex, she becomes pregnant. And it will be no more possible to get her married. No. Touched by the serpent. This is... Vedic civilization is very strict. Because the whole aim was how to go back to home, back to Godhead, not sense gratification, eat, drink, be merry, enjoy. That is not the aim of human life. So everything was planned with that aim. Visnur aradhyate.

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

Varnasrama, these brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, everyone had to strictly follow the rules and regulation of the particular division. A brahmana must act as a brahmana. A ksatriya must as... Here is the... Just Krsna says, "You are ksatriya; why you are talking all this rascal? You must!" Naitat tvayy upapadyate. "In two ways you should not do this. As a ksatriya you should not do this, and as My friend, you should not do this. This is your weakness." So this is Vedic civilization. Fight for the ksatriya. A brahmana is not going to fight. Brahmana is satyah samo damah, he is practicing how to become peaceful, how to become clean, how to control the senses, how to control the mind, how to become simple, how to become full cognizant of the Vedic literature, how to apply practically in life, how to become firmly fixed up in conviction. These are brahmanas'. Similarly, ksatriya's -- fighting. That is necessary. Vaisya -- krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]. So all these strictly to be followed. Just yesterday we were reading when Manu, Vaivasvatu Manu, came to Kardama Muni, he is receiving, "Sir, I know that your touring means you are just...," what is called, what is called, examining?

Devotee: Inspecting.

Prabhupada: Inspecting, yes. Inspecting. "Your touring means inspection whether the varnasrama, whether the brahmana is doing actually as brahmana, ksatriya is doing actually as ksatriya." That is king's touring. King's touring not a pleasure touring at the expense of the state go somewhere and come back. No. He was... Sometimes in disguise the king used to see whether this varnasrama-dharma is being maintained, properly being observed, whether somebody is simply wasting time like hippies. No, that cannot be done. That cannot be done. Now in your government there is some inspection that nobody is employed, but unemployed. But so many things are not practically inspected. But it is the duty of the government to see everything. Varnasramacaravata, everything is practicing as brahmana. Simply by falsely becoming brahmana, falsely becoming ksatriya -- no. You must. So this was the king's duty, government's duty. Now everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is no more practical value. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, kalau...,

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

It is very difficult to take us back to the original process of civilization.

So for a Vaisnava, as I was explaining, the tri-dasa-pur akasa-puspayate durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali. So controlling the sense, that is durdanta. Durdanta means formidable. It is very, very difficult to control the senses. Therefore the yoga process, mystic yoga process -- just to practice how to control the senses. But for a devotee... They... Just like the tongue, if it is engaged only in the business of chanting Hare Krsna mantra and eating only Krsna prasadam, the whole thing is done, perfect yogi. Perfect yogi. So for a bhakta, there is no trouble with the senses because a bhakta knows how to engage each and every sense in the service of the Lord. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. That is bhakti. Hrsika means the senses. When the senses are engaged only for the service of Krsna, Hrsikesa, then there is no need of practicing yoga. Automatically they are locked up in the service of Krsna. They have no other engagement. That is the highest. Therefore Krsna says,

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantaratmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

"A first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me." Therefore this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, if we simply chant and hear, the first-class yogi. So these are the process. So Krsna wants to Arjuna that "Why you are indulging in this weakness of mind? You are under My protection. I am ordering you to fight. Why you are denying?" This is the purport.
Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973

"Classless Aryanism"

"Classless Aryanism"

72/12/11 Ahmedabad, Bhagavad-gita 2.2-6


Prabhupada:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
kutas tva kasmalam idam
visame samupasthitam
anarya-justam asvargyam
akirti-karam arjuna
[Bg. 2.2]

Anarya-justam, "not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life." Aryan. Aryan means who are progressive. So this dejection of Arjuna in the battlefield is described as befitting a non-Aryan. Aryan, according to Aryan civilization as described in the Bhagavad-gita, there are four divisions inaugurated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As we have already explained, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Any systematic religious process is to be understood: "It is given by God." Man cannot make any religious system. So this Aryan system, progressive system, is catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Krsna says, "It is introduced by Me for very good management of the social order." Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. So Arjuna belonged to the ksatriya family. Therefore his hesitation to fight in the battlefield is not befitting the Aryans. For the royal order to become nonviolent, this is not good. The ksatriyas, when they are fighting in the battlefield, the killing is not a sin for them. Similarly, a brahmana, when he's offering sacrifice, sometimes animals are sacrificed; so that does not mean that he is committing sin. This animal sacrifice was made not for eating the animals. It was for testing the Vedic mantra. Whether the brahmanas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice. Sometimes horses, sometimes cows were offered. But in this age, Kali-yuga, they are forbidden because there is no such yajnika-brahmana. All kinds of sacrifices are forbidden in this age.

asvamedham gavalambham
sannyasam pala-paitrkam
devarena sutotpattim
kalau panca vivarjayet
[Cc. Adi 17.164]

Asvamedha sacrifice, gomedha sacrifice, sannyasa, and to get child by devara, husband's younger brother, these things are forbidden in this age.

So it was the duty of the ksatriya to fight. Therefore Krsna is condemning his behavior, that "This is not befitting a ksatriya. By this action, you will be defamed." Akirti-karam arjuna. "You are such a nice fighter, soldier, and if you cease to fight, then the other party will defame you in so many ways. What you are thinking of? Especially you are My friend. I am standing here. Despite My becoming your chariot driver, if you decline to fight, certainly it will be a great havoc. Don't do this." Therefore He says, anarya-justam asvargyam. Asvargyam means "You cannot be promoted to the heavenly planet." It is said that a ksatriya who dies in the fight is immediately promoted to the heavenly planet. But because he is dying for the good cause, therefore he is promoted. Asvargyam akirti-karam. "It is defamation on your part." So

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tyaktvottistha parantapa
[Bg. 2.3]

Parantapa means one who can give trouble to the enemies. It is the duty of the ksatriya. Enemies, aggressor, they should be killed. There is no atatayi. Atatayi means one who is aggressor. One who kidnaps one's wife, one who take away by force one's wealth, one who sets fire in one's house, these are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed. Aggressor should be given trouble. So Krsna does not teach unnecessarily nonviolence. If ksatriya becomes nonviolent, then the whole state will be in chaos. They must learn how to kill any criminal. He should be immediately killed.

Just like Maharaja Pariksit, Arjuna's grandson, when he was touring in his empire... The whole world was at that time Indian empire. Not Indian exactly. Bharata-varsa. Now we have imitated some name, Bharata, the "Indian," "Hindustan." But formerly the whole planet was known as Bharata-varsa. So when he saw that one black man was trying to kill one cow, immediately he took his sword: "Immediately I shall kill you. Who are you, killing cows in my kingdom?" This is ksatriya's business. So... But there is no ksatriya now because so many cows are being killed. Nobody is protesting. It is the duty of the ksatriya to protect every living entity born in the land, in his kingdom. It is not that, as it is going on now, that only the human beings should be protected and not the animals. No animal could be killed except in sacrifice, as prescribed. Unnecessarily, there was no need of killing animals. That is great sin. Dyutam panam striyah suna yatradharmas catur-vidhah. Striya, illicit connection with woman, is sinful life. Unnecessarily killing animals, that is sinful life. Intoxication, that is sinful life. Gambling, that is also sinful life. When this Kali was excused, he surrendered himself to Maharaja Pariksit that "You have asked me to go out of your kingdom, but where is out of your kingdom? The whole world is your kingdom. So kindly give me some place where I can stay." So Maharaja Pariksit gave him these four places, that "You can stay where illicit sex life is going on." That mean prostitution. "And unnecessary animals are killed, slaughterhouse." Striya-suna-pana-dyuta. "Where intoxicants are indulged in or gambling. In these four places you can stay." So at that time, Kali could not find out such place, throughout the whole world. So he was disturbed. So there was conspiracy to kill Maharaja Pariksit because the Kali could understand that so long Maharaja Pariksit would live, it is impossible to find out a slaughterhouse or a brothel or a drinking house or gambling place. No.

So the kingdom was so nice. We have got description from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Maharaja Pariksit, Maharaja Yudhisthira, many. The monarchy was so nice that because they were trained up, rajarsi... They were not ordinary kings. They were as good as great sages and great saintly person. Imam rajarsayo viduh. Krsna said, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Krsna said to the sun-god Vivasvan. And so He said, "The sun-god transferred the teaching to his son Manu, and Manu transferred the teaching to Maharaja Iksvaku." Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. In this way, the point is that the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita was especially taught to the royal order because they would know. They should know. Because a king is supposed to be representative of God, nara-deva. King is addressed as nara-deva. Even in 500 years ago when Sanatana Gosvami was minister of Nawab Hussein Shah... Sanatana Gosvami wanted to resign. He wanted to join Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. So when the Nawab understood that Sanatana Gosvami... His name was Dabir Khas. He changed his name. So he said, "No, you cannot resign. Then my whole kingdom will be topsy-turvied. I completely depend, dependent on you." So Sanatana Gosvami said, "My, Your Majesty, I am no more able to serve you. Kindly excuse me." Then the Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I am Nawab. I am king." So Sanatana Gosvami said, "Yes, you can punish me because you are representative of God." He never protested "Oh, you are Mohammedan, I am this, Hindu or..." No. He accepted him, that "You can punish me." So the idea is that formerly the monarch, the king, was actually representative of God. They used to rule in such a nice way that nobody was unhappy. During Maharaja Yudhisthira's ruling, reign, you will find in the Bhagavatam that people were so happy that they had no anxiety. Not only they were free from all anxieties, but they had not to bear even scorching heat or shivering cold. No. So they were so happy.

That is the duty of the government. It may be monarchy or democracy. The first duty of the government is to see that all the citizens, they are feeling happy. That is the duty of the government. Not simply collecting taxes and: "All the citizens may go to hell. It doesn't matter." This is not good government. Good government is to see there are... It may be secular government. The secular government does not mean that the whole citizens should be less religious, godless. Secular government should see that even there are many religious sects, just like Hindus or Muslim and Christians, so secular government does not mean that they should neglect. They should see that the Hindus are strictly following the principles of Hindu religion, the Mohammedans are strictly following the principles of Mohammedan religion or... That is government's duty. Nobody should remain unemployed. That is government's duty. There are so many things. They are all described in connection with Maharaja Prthu, one noble king.

So in Bhagavata you'll find everything. Politics, sociology, religion, culture, philosophy -- everything you will find. Vidya bhagavata vadnih.(?) All kinds of cultural and educational instruction are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tyaktvottistha parantapa
[Bg. 2.3]

"Give up this cowardice habit. You get up and prepare for your fight. This is ksatriya's business. You should not go behind." Arjuna uvaca. "Arjuna replied."

katham bhismam aham sankhye
dronam ca madhusudana
isubhih pratiyotsyami
pujarhav arisudana
[Bg. 2.4]

Now Krsna was encouraging to fight; Arjuna was also very intelligently replying. He addressed Krsna as Madhusudana, Arisudana. Madhusudana means "the killer of Madhu demon" or "the killer or enemy." So his purpose is that "I have to kill Bhismadeva, who is my so kind grandfather, and I have to kill Dronacarya, who is my teacher, from whom I have learned this military art. So You have killed the demons and Your enemy, and why You are inducing me to kill my guru and my grandfather?" This is his argument. Katham bhismam aham sankhye dronam ca madhusudana, isubhih pratiyotsyami: "They, my grandfather, my teacher, may chastise me, but how I can pierce with arrows their body?"

So this is the problem: duty. Arjuna was forgetting duty. And Krsna was inducing him: "Never mind. According to ksatriya rules and regulation, even the opposite party is your own son, you should not hesitate to kill him. This is ksatriya's business." If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is ksatriya's business. So he says, gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan [Bg. 2.5]. "These guru, this Dronacarya and Bhisma, they are not ordinary men." Mahanubhavan. Bhisma, everyone knows. Bhisma is one of the authorities, authorities of religious principle. There are twelve authorities.

svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
[SB 6.3.20]

There are four, twelve authorities. One of them is Bhisma. Prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam. So Bhisma is not ordinary person. Therefore he said, katham, gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke [Bg. 2.5]. "I do not like to kill my guru, who is so great, and my grandfather. Better I shall become a beggar." A ksatriya's business is not to beg. A brahmana can beg. A brahmana can accept charity, but ksatriya cannot accept any charity from anyone else. Neither he can come down to do business like the vaisyas. That is not. Everyone should stick to his own principle. If this is followed, then it is really secular government. A government must see whether -- you are claiming as a brahmana -- whether you are actually discharging your duties as a brahmana. That is secular government. You are claiming as a ksatriya; whether you are discharging your duties as a ksatriya? You are a vaisya; whether you are discharging your duties as vaisya? This is government's duty. That is catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. Now they are eager to wash off this social system. They want classless society. But in the material world there cannot be any classless society. It is not possible. Classless society can be established in the spiritual world. Just like we are propagating this Krsna consciousness movement. This is classless society. Here you will find Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, but they have forgotten that they are Hindus, Muslims or Christians or Americans or Indians. They are all identifying, "We are all servant of Krsna." This is classless society. This is classless society. There is no distinction. Here a Hindu coming from very respectable brahmana family and another man is coming from the dog-eater's family. It doesn't matter. As soon as one becomes Vaisnava he is classless society. Therefore it is forbidden, vaisnave jati-buddhih. Arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih, naraki. Just like we should not consider this Deity before us as made of some metal or wood. No. Arcye sila-dhih. No. Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead standing. We should take it like that. Otherwise, does it mean that we are offering our obeisances to a metal doll? We have become so fool? No. We take it, "Here is Krsna personally standing." That is the, that, if one cannot feel like that... The sastra says you should feel like that. Arcye sila-dhir gurusu nara-matih. Guru, a spiritual master, should not be considered as ordinary human being. Gurusu nara-matih. The Ganges water, one should not think that it is ordinary water. Or caranamrta. These are forbidden. Similarly, vaisnave jati-buddhih. One should not think, "He is American Vaisnava, he is brahmana Vaisnava, he is African Vaisnava, he is black Vaisnava, he is white Vaisnava." No. Vaisnava is Vaisnava, servant of God. Just like in the Ganges water. There are so many... In Calcutta I have seen so many mill water coming, sewer ditches' water is coming. But when it falls down on the Ganges water, it is no more any other water. Every is Ganges water. Practically we accept it. In Calcutta there are many rigid Hindus, brahmanas. They are taking bath in the Ganges, but even stool is floating there, they set it aside and take bath. Ganges water. Actually, you see chemically, although so many unclean water is coming there, it is still pure. Similarly, Vaisnava, he may come from any family, it doesn't matter. He becomes immediately transcendental. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita:

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

Immediately. We are trying to become, to understand aham brahmasmi. So this realization immediately become effective if one is a pure devotee. Mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate, sa gunan samatityaitan [Bg. 14.26]. He is above all these three qualities.

So if actually you want to make classless society, then you have to accept this Krsna consciousness movement. There is no other way. If you make artificially classless society, it will never be effective. The Communists are trying to make classless society. That classless society can be formed on spiritual platform, not on the material platform. This will be artificial. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. When one is actually advanced in knowledge... Advanced with knowledge means one should understand that "I am eternal servant of Krsna, or God." That is advancement of knowledge. Aham brahmasmi: "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. And Krsna is the supreme soul. I am part and parcel of Krsna." Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. Simply by understanding that "I am spirit soul, I am Brahman," will not help us. You must act like Brahman. Then it will be... Janma, guna-karma-vibhagasah. There must be realization; that is guna. At the same time, there must be practical work. That is Vedic civilization. You should not claim falsely. If you are actually brahmana, you must act as a brahmana. If you are a ksatriya, you must act as a ksatriya. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. Not that "I am a brahmana; now I have become something else." Just like in Calcutta we have seen there are small slaughterhouses, and they have posted one deity, Goddess Kali, and have got sacred thread, and the signboard is: "This meat is slaughtered by a brahmana. Therefore it is pure. Therefore it is pure." And that is going on. Oh, the meat-eaters, they take all this meat, and they think, "It is the prasada of Goddess Kali, and it is slaughtered by a brahmana. There is no sin; it is all right." This is going on. No. Brahmana is not meant for becoming a slaughterer, a killer. No. Brahmana should be truthful, brahmana should be cleansed, no sinful life. Brahmana should be controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Brahmana must be well-educated, jnana, and he must apply the knowledge in practical life and believe in the Vedic injunctions. These are the qualifications of brahmana. Similarly, there are qualification of ksatriyas, vaisyas. We should follow that. And it is the duty of the government to see that "This man is claiming as a brahmana, whether he is actually executing the duties of brahmana?" That is government's duty. Not that they should simply fight that "I am brahmana," "I am ksatriya," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." No. The government's duty is to see that actually whether he is as he claims to be.

So Arjuna says that "I do not like to kill my grandfather or my guru." Not only ordinary guru. Guru is never ordinary. Guru... That I have explained. Never we should consider guru as ordinary human being. As king is the representative for giving protection to the people, similarly, a guru or brahmana is also meant for giving protection to the people from spiritual side. The king, ksatriya, is meant for giving protection to the people from material side. The vaisya is to produce from the material side. Everything is systematically arranged. So brahmana means the intelligent class of men, ksatriya means the administrative class of men, and vaisya means the productive class of men, and the sudra means ordinary worker. These divisions are everywhere. You cannot say that only the brahmanas and ksatriyas and vaisyas are in India. No. When it is a creation of Krsna, or God, it must be everywhere -- in every planet, in every country, every city. Because anywhere you go, either in Europe or America, you will find some classes of men, very intelligent class. They are interested in philosophy, science. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested in politics. They are ksatriyas you can say. Similarly, there are persons who are interested in making money, vaisyas. And there are ordinary class of men, they neither brahmana nor ksatriya nor... They cannot live independently. Sudra means he must find out a master. A master. Paricaryatmakam karma sudra-karma svabhava-jam. Sudra's business is to find out a master. Just like a dog. A dog must find out a nice master. Otherwise it is a street dog. Its condition is not very good. Similarly, a sudra means he must have a nice paying master. Otherwise his life is at risk. So if you consider in that way, the sastra says, kalau sudra-sambhavah. In this Kali-yuga, everyone is a sudra. You hardly find a real brahmana or real ksatriya or vaisya. Because they are after service. In the sastra it is said that a brahmana, if he is in difficulty, he may take the profession of a ksatriya or up to a vaisya, but never take the business of a sudra like a dog. That is prohibited. And nowadays we are claiming to become brahmana and going here and there with application, "If there is any vacancy, sir?"

So these things are topsy-turvied. Simply it has become a farce. Actually if we want to establish Vedic civilization, then we must follow strictly the principles of Vedas as it is described in the Bhagavad-gita. And if it is practiced, then daiva-varnasrama-dharma. That is required. Daiva-varnasrama-dharma. There must be the four divisions. Just like we have got four divisions in our body: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. The leg division is the sudra, the belly division is the vaisya, and the arm division is the ksatriya, and the head division is the brahmana. So these divisions are now lost. Actually, there is no ksatriya, no brahmana. Maybe there are some vaisyas and sudras. So suppose if your whole body there is only belly and leg, then what is the body? If you have no head and no arm, then how it is? What kind of body it is? So therefore, in the social order of the present day, there is no brahmana, no ksatriya. Only there are some few vaisyas and sudras. So therefore there is chaos all over the world. So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for creating some real brahmana. At least, there may be head. They are all mad after the influence of the material energy. So there is need of some brahmana who can give advice to the people how to live, how to become God conscious, how to become happy. There is great need of this movement. Simply so-called classless society will not help us. That is not Vedic civilization.

Hatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaiva bhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan. So Arjuna is giving his nice argument that "If I kill my such great-grandfather and such noble, my teacher, then after killing them, if I enjoy this world, it will be mixed with blood and fire. So I cannot fight. I can..." Arjuna clearly declined to fight. Then again he said,

na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyo
yad va jayema yadi va no jayeyuh
yan eva hatva na jijivisamas
te 'vasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah
[Bg. 2.6]

He said that "After killing my family men..." Dhrtarastra, dhartarastrah, pandavah... Dhrtarastra and Pandu, they were two brothers, and their sons, cousin-brothers. So generally, people want to increase his material opulence to show to his friends and relatives. When one person constructs a very new, very nice house, he invites his relatives and his friends to show them that "Now I have become so opulent." So Arjuna is thinking in that term, that "Suppose I conquer over and I get the kingdom. But if my relatives and brothers are dead, whom shall I show?" This is another kind of vairagya. How this material relationship makes one foolish, Arjuna is playing the part of a foolish man, and Krsna will chastise him. We shall see later on. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

Question (Indian man): I have got a doubt about this Hiranyaksa, Prahlada's father...

Prabhupada: Hiranyakasipu.

Indian: Hiranyakasipu. Because God has taken the shape of a Narasimha Swami and then He finishes him by tearing his stomach. And then He takes all the intestines and pushes out. That is the picture normally shown. What is the significance and how this is actually, what it is meaning? Why He is this sort of picture is being given and everywhere I see this picture in town and everywhere right from my childhood. I have been seeing this. What does this signify?

Prabhupada: It is no significant. Kesava dhrta-nara-hari-rupa.

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam
dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam
kesava dhrta-nara-hari-rupa, nrsimha-rupe
jaya jagadisa hare **

So Krsna assumed the nara-hari, nrsimha-rupa, half-man, half-lion. So these are description in the sastras.

ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam...
[Bs. 5.39]

So there is no significance. This Hiranyakasipu wanted to become immortal. Then, when he was refused by Lord Brahma that "You cannot become immortal, that is not possible," then, in a roundabout way, he took benediction from Lord Brahma that he would not die on land, on water, on the sky, no weapon can kill him, no demigod can kill him. In this way, roundabout way, he thought now he has become immortal. So to keep the words of Brahma as it is, the Lord assumed a form which is not within his description. And instead of killing him with a weapon He killed him by the nails. Nail is not considered as a weapon. So He killed him between day and night, because he also took benediction that "I shall not die during daytime or nighttime." So God, Krsna, is so intelligent that we may try to become immortal by so many scientific brain, but there will be some flaw and he wants, must be killed. This is God's intelligence

Indian lady: Swamiji, what would happen if a person (unintelligible)

Prabhupada: I cannot follow.

Indian lady: (unintelligible)

Pradyumna: In college if they start to study biology or zoology, it involves killing animals, dissection. Is that a sin?

Prabhupada: Yes, certainly. You cannot kill even an ant.

Indian lady: Then you could give up such study?

Prabhupada: That is your business. What can I say? (laughter) But any kind of animal killing is sin, sinful. [break] Krsna says, sarva-yonisu sambhavanti murtayo yah, tasam mahad yonir brahma aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. Krsna says that "I am the seed-giving father of all living entities in any form." Sarva-yonisu. Sarva means all, 8,400,000 species and forms. So Krsna is the father, and all living entities are part and parcel of the Lord. They have different dresses according to different karma, but actually, every living entity is part and parcel of God, sons. So suppose a father has got ten sons and one of them or two of them are useless. So if the elder brother wants to make some experiment by killing the younger brother, would the father be pleased? No. Father will be sorry even the intelligent boy is killed or the dull boy is killed. For father, there is no such distinction. Similarly, you cannot kill animals without being sanctioned. That sanction is in the sacrifice. I have already explained, for testing. According to Vedic system, if you kill anybody, then you must be responsible for the sinful life. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972