Todays Bhagavad-Gita Class By His Grace Srila Prabhupada--"Death Is God"

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BG-text-004

"Death Is God"

73/07/09 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.2-3

listen

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

 

sanjaya uvaca

drstva tu pandavanikam

vyudham duryodhanas tada

acaryam upasangamya

raja vacanam abravit

[bg. 1.2]

Translation: "Sanjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered

by the sons of Pandu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the

following words:"

 

Prabhupada: So Dhrtarastra inquired from Sanjaya, kim akurvata: "After my

sons and my brother's sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?"

This was the inquiry. So to encourage him... Because Sanjaya could understand

the feelings of his master that he wanted the fight, no compromise, ksatriya

spirit, "Let my sons and my brother's sons fight..." That is ksatriya spirit.

"My sons are one hundred in number and they are only five, so certainly my sons

will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured." That was his

plan. So Sanjaya, his secretary, could understand the feeling. Of course, at

last he would inform differently. Yatra yogesvarah harih. At last he described,

"My dear sir, you do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because the other

side is Krsna, yatra yogesvarah harih, and the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond

your expectation of victory." But in the beginning he says, "Don't be

discouraged. There was no compromise. Immediately your son Duryodhana..." And he

is addressing himself (his son) as "raja." because Dhrtarastra would be

encouraged when at least he thinks of his son becoming the king. Therefore he

said "raja."

 

So drstva tu pandavanikam [bg. 1.2]. Duryodhana did not expect that the

Pandavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they

were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was

usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish

Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Krsna on their side. That he

could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pandavas are well-equipped with

good number of soldiers, pandavanikam, he was little surprised, that "How they

could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the

commander-in-chief Dronacarya....

 

Dronacarya was everyone's teacher, acarya. Acarya means teacher. Acaryam

upasangamya [bg. 1.2]. The military teacher. So Duryodhana, he was military

teacher of the Pandavas also. When all of them were children, they were given

under the instruction of Dronacarya. Dronacarya was brahmana, but he knew the

military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys, the Kauravas.

So... but Acarya, Dronacarya joined with Duryodhana. Bhismadeva joined with

Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna. Because Arjuna or Maharaja

Yudhisthira was not king at that time, the financial control was not in their

hands, and these people, sons of Dhrtarastra, they were on the government

political power. The financial control was in their hands. So they were giving

enough money for maintenance to Dronacarya and Bhismadeva. So they felt obliged.

Of course, they knew everything. But externally, they felt obligation: "Arjuna,

I am getting money from Duryodhana. So in this point of danger, if I do not join

him, it does not look well. I am getting financial maintenance."

 

Of course, Arjuna did not ask him. Arjuna was satisfied with Krsna. That's

all. Krsna also divided Himself.

 

 

 

IF YOU WANT TO READ OR LISTEN TO THE REST OF THIS CLASS ,PLEASE GO TO

 

http://www.prabhupadavani.org/Gita/web/text/004.html

 

WHERE YOU CAN HEAR FROM SRILA PRABHUPADA HIMSELF-----------------

 

Your servant Jaya Kesava Dasa

 

 

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.