Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.45–46

Pradyumna: [Leads chanting]

sa eṣa bhagavān droṅaḥ prajā-rūpeṅa vartate tasyātmano 'rdhaṁ patny āste nānvagād vīrasūḥ kṛpī [SB 1.7.45]

tad dharmajña mahā-bhāga bhavadbhir gauravaṁ kulam vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyam abhīkṣṅaśaḥ [SB 1.7.46]

[03:21]

Translation: "He [Droṅācārya] is certainly still existing, being represented by his son. His wife Kṛpī did not undergo a satī with him because she had a son."

[break] [Leads chanting]

[04:26]

Translation: "O most fortunate one who knows the principles of religion, it is not good for you to cause grief to glorious family members who are always respectable and worshipable."

[break]

Prabhupāda:

[break]

sa eṣa bhagavān droṅaḥ prajā-rūpeṅa vartate tasyātmano 'rdhaṁ patny āste nānvagād vīrasūḥ kṛpī [SB 1.7.45]

tad dharmajña mahā-bhāga bhavadbhir gauravaṁ kulam vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyam abhīkṣṅaśaḥ [SB 1.7.46]

So, in continuation of the Pāṅḍavas' position in relationship with Droṅācārya, the guru, so many things are being explained by Draupadī. So she is not ordinary woman. She knows everything of the religious principles, and therefore she is teaching the assembly of respectable, learned persons how the spiritual master should be respected. Droṅa is also, I mean to say, qualified as bhagavān. Bhagavān Droṅa. Anyone who is extraordinarily powerful, he is addressed sometimes as bhagavān. Nārada Muni is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. Lord Śiva is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. We have explained the different features of bhagavān many times. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ [Viṣṅu Purāṅa 6.5.47].

[Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation—these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

So the Supreme Bhagavān is Kṛṣṅa. Nānyat parataro... Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat [Bg 7.7].

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

There may be so many bhagavāns, but the absolute bhagavān is Kṛṣṅa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Not samagra, but the Supreme Personality, He is samagra. The others, they have got to certain extent the qualities of bhagavān. In that sense they can be addressed as bhagavān. But they are not samagra. Samagra is..., samagra means the complete. That is only attributed to Kṛṣṅa, nobody else.

Sa eṣa bhagavān droṅaḥ prajā-rūpeṅa vartate. Prajā means offspring, son, daughter also. Prajāyate: one who is born of the father. Without father, there is no possibility, son or daughter. Therefore prajāyate, one who gives birth. And the prajā... Prajā is the product of the body of the father. A son or daughter, they may be different persons, but they belong to the body of the father. Yathā yoni yathā bījam. Father is the bījam. Just like bījam, the seed. The seed is the tree later on. Similarly, the bījam, the seed, is put by the father in the womb of the mother, and as the seed implanted in the earth and taken care of with watering, sprinkling, it grows to a big tree, similarly, the seed is sown in the womb of the mother, and the mother takes care of the seed, and it comes to a big body later on and comes out. This is the process of birth. So in one sense, between the seed and the tree there is no difference. Similarly, the seed of the father and the father, there is no difference. Here it is prajā-rūpeṅa vartate.

So according to Vedic culture, if one woman has got son, she is not considered to be widow. Widow means one who hasn't got husband, or husband is dead. So if the husband's representative is there, so, strictly speaking, she is not widow. So prajā-rūpeṅa vartate. Again the wife is considered ardhāṅginī. I think in English also it is said, "better half." Wife is considered half the body. The left-hand side half... Perhaps you have seen the picture that Kṛṣṅa and Rādhārāṅī, one body. The left-hand side is Rādhārāṅī, right-hand side is Kṛṣṅa. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has explained this, rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api [Cc Ādi 1.5]. Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, They are one, but for pastimes They have become two. Ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau. Again Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa united, caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptam. So these things are there. So wife is considered better half, ardhāṅginī. So the ardhāṅginī is there, and the son is there. In so many ways they are convincing that "Do not think that Droṅācārya is dead and gone." He's [She's] convincing this point. "Droṅācārya is still existing. So killing the son of Droṅācārya means killing Droṅācārya. So do not do this." He's [She's] putting so many arguments.

Then, tad dharmajña mahā-bhāga bhavadbhir gauravaṁ kulam. One should act in such a way that it should be glorified in the family. The family consideration is very important in Vedic culture. A family does not mean that only a husband, wife or a few children. No. Family means the generation. That is Vedic conception. So if something is wrong done by any member of the family, that becomes a scar to the whole family. So she is, from family-wise, she is warning that "Do not do anything which will be a discredit to the whole Pāṅḍava family." Vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyam abhīkṣṅaśaḥ. So the guru and the guru's family, they do not require to be chastised or punished. It has been misused in so many ways. In Bengal, just like they say nityānanda-vaṁśa: coming from Nityānanda. So Nityānanda had one son, Vīrabhadra. But Vīrabhadra did not marry. So there is no dynasty by semina. By nityānanda-vaṁśa means by disciplic succession. So sometimes extra advantage was taken as nityānanda-vaṁśa. But people have got respect for such thing, dynasty. So not only it is now; from time immemorial, guru, guru's dynasty... Even in Muhammadan religion there is such sentiment, Muhammad and his dynasty, Hussain, they are taken very respectfully. So considering all points, the guru's respect must be maintained. This is the sum and substance of the instruction.

But there is other, opposite instruction also. If the guru is not in his proper way according to śāstra... Guru means he must be abiding by the rules and regulation of the śāstra. Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Sādhu means one who is obeying the rules and regulation of śāstra. Śāstra must be the medium. Without śāstra, nothing is acceptable. That is spoken by Kṛṣṅa. Tasmād śāstra-vidhānoktaḥ. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ [Bg 16.23].

[But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.]

So nobody can transgress the rules and regulation of śāstra, and what to speak of a guru. Guru is ācārya. Acinoti yaḥ śāstrāṅi. One who knows the rules and regulation of the śāstra, and he teaches his disciple according to the śāstra, he is called ācārya. So ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit [SB 11.17.27].

[One should know the ācārya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.]

Navamanyeta karhici. So ācārya should be respected, as Kṛṣṅa says, as good as Kṛṣṅa. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura also said, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Ācārya, guru, is as good as God. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Ācārya should be respected as Kṛṣṅa. Therefore ācārya upasanam nāvamanyeta karhicit. If somebody foolishly thinks that "They are worshiping a man. He's like me, and he has taken the seat, and he's taking worship, respect, from disciples..." Sometimes they question like that. But they do not know that how ācārya should be respected. Ācārya should be respected sākṣād-dharitvena, just like God. It is not exaggeration; it is according to the śāstra. And ācārya also accepts all these respectful obeisances to carry to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the process. As we receive knowledge from the ācārya, similarly, our activities, the result of activities, is carried by the ācārya to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ācārya does not accept anything on his own account. Ācārya accepts everything on Kṛṣṅa's account. That is the principle. And because he is representative of Kṛṣṅa, he is dealing on behalf of Kṛṣṅa.

We have got in practical experience. Formerly, in British government, there was viceroy. Vice means in place of and roy means royal king. Viceroy. So this viceroy was respected as the king, as the emperor. That is the process. When he's no longer a viceroy, then he's not respected. But so long he is acting as viceroy... And the rule was that whatever presentation was given to the viceroy, he did not accept it personally. It was kept in the state. So these are the process. So guru, ācārya, being representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he should be worshiped. Nāvamanyeta... Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta [SB 11.17.27]. Never think of envying. As soon as we become envious of the ācārya, there is falldown, immediately. Yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. This is the teaching of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He's also ācārya. Ācārya-paramparā.

So, nāvamanyeta karhicit martya-buddhyā. Ācārya should not be considered as ordinary human being. Vaiṣṅave jāti-buddhir guruṣu nara-matiḥ, arcye viṣṅau śilā-dhīr, guruṣu nara-matiḥ [Padma Purāṅa]. These are the injunction. Nārakī. Everyone knows that here is vigraha, Gaura-Nitāi vigraha, Kṛṣṅa-Balarāma vigraha, Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa vigraha. Everyone knows that it was..., these vigrahas were ordered from Jaipur, and it is now installed. But why people are coming in thousands to see the vigraha? They do not know that it is made of stone? Everyone knows. Maybe one or two may be coming, sentiment. In every temple... Just like Jagannātha Purī temple, everyone knows that Jagannātha is made of wood. Then why lakhs of people are going there to see? Similarly, Bālajī. Everyone knows He's made of stone. But thousands of people are going to see. So this is the system. This is not artificial. This is the system. One... As the vigraha... Vigraha means the form of the Lord. There are eight kinds of the forms of the Lord: they are made of stone, they are made of wood, they are made of jewels, and sometimes they are made of painting, and metal. So many. There are eight. All these vigrahas are to be worshiped. That is mentioned in the śāstras. Painting also. If there is painting, or even if you think of the form of the Lord within the mind, that is also vigraha. Just like dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1].

[Sūta Gosvāmī said: Unto that personality whom Brahmā, Varuṅa, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upaniṣads, to whom the chanters of the Sāma Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogīs see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and becoming fully absorbed in thoughts of Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon—unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances.]

The yogīs, they think of Viṣṅu form within the core of the heart. That is also vigraha. Don't think that is imagination. That is also vigraha. So there are eight kinds of vigrahas, and each and every one of them are as good as the other. Similarly, vigraha of guru is also... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. This is the injunction of the śāstra. And... "May be in the śāstra, but it is not carried." No, it is carried. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ, it is said, tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Those who are aware of the śāstras...

Just like we have installed the Deity according to śāstra. There is nothing imaginary. It is not idol worship. Idol worship is different. Just like in the Western countries they put an idol on the street, on the park, as the resting place of the crows and passing stool on the head. That is idol worship. The so-called statues are installed, and without any protection... No. Our worship is not idol worship. This is Deity worship. We construct temple and spend lakhs of rupees to install the Deity. It is not idol worship. Idol worship is different. Therefore it is warned, arcye viṣṅau śilā-dhīḥ. If somebody thinks that the vigraha is idol worship... There are so many rascals, they think like that. They are..., "Why you are worshiping in the temple?" Amongst the Indians also, the Arya-samajis, they protest against temple worship. But who cares for them? Here in Vṛndāvana there is Arya-samaji temple. Nobody goes there. But this is a new temple, recently started, and thousands of people are coming. Why? All of them are fools and rascals?

So this is exactly according to the śāstra. And the argument that "God is everywhere. Why you should go to the temple?" And what is this nonsense? If God is everywhere, why not in the temple? But this is their argument, nonsense argument. God is everywhere, but not in the temple. This is their argument. So we do not care. Nobody cares. So many agitators came and gone, but the Vedic process will go on. "Let the dogs bark; the caravan will pass." There is no difficulty. So on the whole, this is Vedic civilization, that the vigraha of the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted as He is present. We should take it that Kṛṣṅa... Actually, this is the fact. As you have read in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, there was the Sākṣi-gopāla history, and the two brāhmaṅas, they promised before the Deity, and later on there was misunderstanding, and the Deity from Vṛndāvana went to bear witness in Orissa, more than thousands of miles away. And that Sākṣi-gopāla, witness Gopāla—Sākṣī means witness—is still being worshiped in Jagannātha Purī, near. There is a station, Sākṣi-gopāla.

So as the Deity of the Lord, vigraha, should not be considered as made of stone, wood, similarly, guru also should not be accepted as ordinary human being. He should be given all respect as we give to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is being explained by even one woman. That is Vedic culture. Draupadī is explaining the importance, and she has said, sa eṣa bhagavān droṅaḥ. She's quite right when she's accepting Droṅa as bhagavān. Sa eṣa bhagavān droṅaḥ prajā-rūpeṅa vartate. And he is present by his prajā. These things should be taken very seriously instruction. Therefore śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṅam [SB 12.13.18]. This is pramāṅa. Pramāṅi-grantha. Pramāṅi-grantha means śabda-pramāṅa. Śabda-pramāṅa, anumāna pramāṅa and anumāna... Just like a sound is going on. One who knows, that's all right. But we can—hypothesis—we can think that some machine is running on. We may not know what is that machine. So this is anumāna. I'm not seeing the machine, what kind of machine is running on, but I can think of, imagine, that it may be some machine is running on. That is also another pramāṅa. Hypothesis, inductive, deductive. They are also... Analogy. There are so many processes. So here, Kṛṣṅa and guru, they should be accepted on the same level. Therefore Draupadī has addressed Droṅācārya as bhagavān. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. It is accepted. We should also accept.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]