Bhagavad-gītā 1.8–10

Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat]

bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṅaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiṁ-jayaḥ aśvatthāmā vikarṅaś ca saumadattis tathaiva ca [Bg 1.8]

[There are personalities like yourself, Bhīṣma, Karṅa, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāmā, Vikarṅa and the son of Somadatta called Bhuriśravā, who are always victorious in battle.]

[break]

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ nānā-śastra-praharaṅāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ [Bg 1.9]

[There are many other heroes who are prepared to lay down their lives for my sake. All of them are well equipped with different kinds of weapons, and all are experienced in military science.]

[break]

aparyāptaṁ tad asmākaṁ balaṁ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam paryāptaṁ tv idam eteṣāṁ balaṁ bhīmābhirakṣitam [Bg 1.10]

[Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṅḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited.]

[break] [leads chanting of synonyms to Bg 1.10]

aparyāptam—immeasurable; tat—that; asmākam—of ours; balam—strength; bhīṣma—by Grandfather Bhīṣma; abhirakṣitam—perfectly protected; paryāptam—limited; tu—but; idam—all these; eteṣām—of the Pāṅḍavas; balam—strength; bhīma—by Bhīma; abhirakṣitam—carefully protected.

[02:51]

Translation: "Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṅḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited."

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

But in the previous verse he says, anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā mad-arthe tyakta-jīvitāḥ. Tyakta-jīvitāḥ means "They have come to lay down their life for me." This is a foretelling, because actually, whoever joined the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, none of them returned. Tyakta-jīvitāḥ. So it is already concluded that although Duryodhana is very much proud of his military strength, protected by Bhīṣma, still, tyakta-jīvitāḥ, they would surely die.

This is the conclusion. Nānā-śastra-praharaṅāḥ sarve yuddha-viśāradāḥ. No..., not a single person inexperienced was there. Yuddha-viśāradāḥ. Viśārada means very expert fighting. Still, they would have to lay down their life, because it is Kṛṣṅa's plan that all these fighting men, they were not ruling properly according to the tenets of Vedic injunctions. Therefore they were demons. Military strength for self-aggrandizement is demonic. Military strength is required to rule over the kingdom, but not to misuse them for aggression to others' country or others' kingdom. That was not allowed.

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

Although they were kṣatriyas, still... Kṣatriyas are meant for representing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

So He is the proprietor. Sarva-loka. Sarva-loka means all the planets, all the universes. Because they are created by Kṛṣṅa, by Kṛṣṅa's bodily effulgence, brahma-jyoti. So they are created by Kṛṣṅa's... Just like from the sunshine these planets are created, similarly from brahma-jyoti, innumerable universes are created.

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṅḍa-koṭi- koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.40]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.]

So it is all creation of Kṛṣṅa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate [Bg 10.8].

[I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.]

Everything has come out from Kṛṣṅa's body, external, therefore He is the proprietor. If I have created something, then I am the proprietor. It is very easy to understand. In the Vedas also it is said, eko nārāyaṅa āsīt: "Before the creation only there was Nārāyaṅa." In the catuḥ-śloki Bhāgavata also it is said, aham evāsam evāgre [SB 2.9.33/34/35/36].

So before creation there was Kṛṣṅa. When we speak of Kṛṣṅa, it does not mean Kṛṣṅa was alone. Kṛṣṅa means with His form, with His pastime, with His paraphernalia, with His entourage, everything. When we speak of king, it does not mean king is alone. As soon as we speak of king, we must understand the king, king's kingdom, king's secretaries, king's ministers, king's queen, king's palace, so many things.

Similarly, when the Vedas says that eko nārāyaṅa āsīt, "Before creation there was only Nārāyaṅa," so Nārāyaṅa with His paraphernalia, with His expansion. Nārāyaṅa has expansion in the spiritual world, vaikuṅṭha jagat, innumerable Vaikuṅṭha planets. You have seen the picture. Innumerable. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable.

So actually, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, all planets, Vaikuṅṭha planets or kuṅṭha planets... Here in this material world, kuṅṭha planets. Kuṅṭha means anxiety. Here, in any planet you go, the anxiety will be there. This is material. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

Why anxiety? Because we have accepted something asat, which will not stay. But we are eternal. We want to stay. Our natural position is eternity, so we don't want this temporary body. Therefore we try to save the body as much as possible. But it will not be saved, because we have accepted something nonsense, which is not compatible with our existence.

The modern civilization, they do not know it. They think it that death is natural sequence; it cannot be avoided. No. It can be avoided. It can be avoided. But these rascals, they do not know how to avoid it, although it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā how you can avoid death. Birth, death, old age and disease, these are the problems. But they do not know how to solve these problems. They are simply engaged in some temporary business.

And they are fighting, they are making plans, they are making diplomacy. But in the real problem they do not touch, neither they know how to solve it. But this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement can solve it. These rascal may understand this fact, that this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is not a sentiment, so-called religious movement. It is a scientific movement to solve all the problems of life. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

Punar janma naiti. If you can avoid next birth... Next birth means to accept another material body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

After giving up this body, we have to accept another body. These rascals, they do not understand it. So many defects in the modern civilization, full of ignorance, and still, they are passing as great scientist, great philosopher, great politicians. Real knowledge they haven't got. So try to give them real knowledge. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. This is the crucial point, dehāntara-prāptiḥ. One has to accept another body.

So if you can find out a means so that you do not accept another body, then you are safe. Because as soon as you accept another body, janma, birth, then where there is janma, there is mṛtyu, death, also. And between janma and mṛtyu, birth and death, there is disease and old age. So Kṛṣṅa says that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9]: "One can avoid accepting another material body." How? Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Simply try to understand Kṛṣṅa, what is Kṛṣṅa, why Kṛṣṅa appears, why Kṛṣṅa takes part in politics, why Kṛṣṅa..., so many, Kṛṣṅa's activities.

So this is... Our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means: try to understand Kṛṣṅa. Simply if you try to understand... You cannot understand Kṛṣṅa fully. That is not possible. Kṛṣṅa is unlimited. But to our limited knowledge, whatever is possible, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. As far as we can understand about Kṛṣṅa, if we simply understand Kṛṣṅa, His transcendental nature, His transcendental activities, divyam... Janma karma me divyam [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

Divyam means transcendental. It is not ordinary. Tattvataḥ, in truth, in fact. Then you become free from this janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg 13.9]. Very easy thing.

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

Therefore try to understand Kṛṣṅa. How you will understand Kṛṣṅa? Kṛṣṅa is so great. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

You cannot understand Kṛṣṅa by these blunt material senses. That is not possible. You have to purify it. You have to purify it. Tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

Simply by Kṛṣṅa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṅa, all your senses will be purified. This is the process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. And you can begin service with your tongue.

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

So you can introduce this process all over the world. Give them chance to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. But it is difficult also. There was a cartoon? That one...?

Haṁsadūta: Hayagrīva?

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

Just like the other day we held the festival, Ratha-yātrā. Chant and take prasādam. That's all. Organize this all over the world. They will be saved. They will understand Kṛṣṅa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam... [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234].

[No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṅa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.]

Kṛṣṅa will appear. Kṛṣṅa... You cannot see Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. You cannot order Kṛṣṅa, "Please come, I will see You." No. When He is pleased with your service, He will come: "Yes, I am here. See Me." That is the history. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was meditating, and within six months he saw Kṛṣṅa face to face. So everyone can see.

Everyone will be able, provided we utilize the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvādau. Jihvādau means "beginning with the tongue." We have got senses, all senses—eyes, ears, touch—so many senses. But begin with the sense, tongue. Try to control the tongue and engage in Kṛṣṅa's service.

Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl [Prasāda-sevāya 1]: "This body is material body, and the senses are our greatest enemies," joḍendriya tāhe kāl. "So out of all the senses," tā'ra madhye jihwā ati lobhamoy sudurmati, "of all the senses, the tongue is formidable." It is sudurmati, it has no limit to taste. I have seen in Japan, twenty miles away they are coming to taste some fried birds in the hotel. You see. They have got bus. The hotel has got their own bus, and they bring customers from the city and they are coming after office hours just to taste some jungle birds, fried. There is a hotel.

Devotee: Wild duck.

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

Just see. Simply for tongue, so many slaughterhouses are being maintained. I have seen. Those who are meat-eaters... I have seen in the airplane, a small piece of meat they are eating; not very much. But for these small pieces, so many population, huge quantity of slaughterhouse is being maintained. They cannot give up that small piece of meat. What is the difficulty? They can make... The same thing can be made by milk, milk product, chānā. What do you call curd?

Devotee: Cheese.

Prabhupāda: Cheese. You prepare cheese and fry it. You'll get the same taste. But let the animal live, take its milk, and prepare so many milk preparation. But these rascals will not do. You kill simply for this tongue. It is so strong, this tongue. They cannot give up this, I mean to say, formidable tongue. He is demanding, "You must give me meat." So they are obliged. And for this obligation, they are committing so much sinful activities, abominable activities, and becoming bound up by the laws of nature to accept a body within the 8,400,000 species of life, and becoming the worm in the stool.

They do not know how the material law is working. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

Prakṛti, nature, is so strong. It is acting very nicely. So we have to become very careful. That carefulness you cannot do any other way, especially in this age. Simply if you surrender to Kṛṣṅa, if you become Kṛṣṅa conscious, Kṛṣṅa will take care of you, and you will be saved.

Thank you very much. [end]