Todays Bhagavad- Gita Class As it is Ch 1 Text 26 Spoken By His Divine grace Srila Prabhupada in London 7-21-73

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GT018

" Society Friendship and Love "

 

73/07/21 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.26

 

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

 

tatrapasyat sthitan parthah

pitrn atha pitamahan

acaryan matulan bhratrn

putran pautran sakhims tatha

svasuran suhrdas caiva

senayor ubhayor api

[bg. 1.26]

 

tan samiksya sa kaunteyah

sarvan bandhun avasthitan

krpaya parayavisto

visidann idam abravit

[bg. 1.27]

 

Translation: " There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of

both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers,

sons, grandsons, friends, and also his father-in-law and well-wishers -- all

present there. When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of

friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus. "

 

Prabhupada: This is the problem. Now Arjuna is facing the problem. What is

this problem? Suppose you bring all my friends, my relatives, my sons,

grandsons, my father-in-law, brother-in-law, friends, my animals... Because

there were soldiers, senayor ubhayor api, there were animals also. Horses,

elephants. They are also within the membership. According to Vedic conception,

the animals, they are also members of your family. Because they are giving

service. Not that one section of the members of my family I give protection, and

the other section, I take everything from them and then cut throat. This is not

civilization. You keep your sons, wife, daughters, cows, dogs, they are animals,

asses, domestic animals, horses, elephants. If you are rich, you can keep

elephants also. It does not mean... Either family-wise or state-wise, it does

not mean that you give protection to some members and cut throat of the others.

Oh, how horrible it is. So all of them were present now. And the problem is that

he has to kill them, Arjuna. It is fight, it is a family fight.

 

So some of the family members on the other side, and some of the family

members this side. So other side also, what are they? Tatrapasyat sthitan

parthah pitrn atha pitamahan. Pitrn, teachers, and pitrn also. Pitrn means those

who are on the status of father. And Bhismadeva was a grandfather, a real

grandfather, pitamaha. He is on the other side. Dronacarya, he is on the other

side, teacher. They had to be respected. Actually Arjuna did so. Before fighting

with Dronacarya, he first of all throw one arrow on his lotus feet, obeisances.

This is the etiquette. " My dear sir, you have taught me this fighting science,

now it is being used against you, duty. So I offer my obeisances. " And

Dronacarya also, threw another arrow, touching his head: " My dear boy, become

blessed. " This is duty. How blessed? " By killing me. I know you will kill me, so

I give you blessings that you kill me. " This is duty. The disciple is fighting,

touching the feet of Dronacarya: " My dear sir, it is duty. Now we are face to

face to fight. So give me your blessing. " This is one side. The other side,

blessing, " Yes, you have my all blessings. "

 

So this is the problem. This material world is problematic, especially

when we have got these family relationships. " Society, friendship, and love,

divinely bestowed upon man. " They say. (laughs) It is not divinely bestowed. It

is not. It is entanglement. It is entanglement. Dehapatya. There is verse in the

Second Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dehapatya. What is that verse?

Dehapatya-kalatradi. Deha, first affection is with our body. " I am this Mr. Such

and such. This is I am, this body. " I have got attraction for this body. Then

the offsprings, the by-products of this body. Apatya. Apatya means children. And

how this by-product is made? Kalatra, through wife. Stri. Stri means which

expands. Vistara, expands. I am alone. I accept wife, stri, and with her

cooperation I expand. So one who helps me to expand, that is called stri. Every

Sanskrit word has got meaning. Why woman is called stri? Because she helps,

expanding myself. How expanding? Dehapatya-kalatradisu [sB 2.1.4]. I get my

children. First of all I was affectionate to my body. Then, as soon as I get a

wife, I become affectionate to her. Then, as soon as I get children, I become

affectionate to children. In this way I expand my affection for this material

world. This material world, attachment. It is not required. It is a foreign

thing. This material body is foreign. I am spiritual. I am spiritual, aham

brahmasmi. But because I wanted to lord it over the material nature, Krsna has

given me this body. Daiva-netrena. He is giving you body. He is giving the body

of Brahma, He is giving you the body of ant. As you desire. As you desire. If

you want the body of a tiger, Krsna will give you. If you want the body of a

hog, He will give you. If you want the body of Brahma, He will give you. If you

want the body of a demigod, He will give you. If you want the body of American,

He will give you. Englishman, He will give you. Indian, He will give you. That

is Krsna. He is so kind. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

[bg. 4.11]. Krsna is very kind. Just like a son disobedient to the father, but

he wants to enjoy something. Still, father giving him, " All right, you take

money, and enjoy. " Father is so kind. " You become free. Whatever you like, you

can do. You take some money. " This is our concession.

 

This material life is a concession to us, given by God, for gratifying our

senses. This is material life. Krsna does not want that you become entangled in

this material world. That He doesn't want. Why He should want? Krsna... Just

like you produce your sons, children. Why? To remain in household life, enjoy in

the company of wife, children, friends. This is... One can understand. Why I

take so much responsibility of family? I was alone. Why I get married? Why I

beget children? Why I make friends? Because I want to enjoy. So Krsna is also a

person. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). He has

produced so many children, these living entities. Why? To enjoy along with them.

Just try to understand the psychology. Yato va imani bhutani jayante, janmady

asya yatah [sB 1.1.1]. Where this idea came from, that " I shall be happy within

society, friendship and love, children? " Wherefrom this idea came? Where is the

origin? The origin is there in Krsna. Janmady asya yatah [sB 1.1.1]. Janmady

asya yatah. The origin of love. Just like Krsna is loving Radharani. So the

loving idea came from Krsna. Anything that is within our experience, that is in

Krsna. So Krsna cannot be impersonal. That is nonsense. Krsna is exactly a

person like me, you. But the difference is that He's very, very, unlimitedly

powerful. I am limited. This is the difference. So Krsna also wants that to live

with His family. Our Krsna consciousness movement is just to train ourselves

again to enter into the family of Krsna. This is our movement. With these

families, the so-called families, we are suffering. We are suffering. But this

family idea is there this. That is perfect in Krsna, with Krsna. The family

idea, wherefrom family idea comes without it is being situated in Krsna? Because

nothing can be visible without being in Krsna. He is the origin. Janmady asya

yatah [sB 1.1.1]. Aham sarvasya prabhavah: [bg. 10.8] " I am the origin of

everything. "

 

So whatever we are seeing in this material world, the origin is in Krsna.

But here it is perverted. That is the only difference. Just like a tree. The

original tree is standing erect. But when you see the perverted reflection of

the tree, everything is topsy-turvied. The upside has gone downside. You have

seen the reflection of the tree. So the upside, downside. When the upside of the

tree becomes downside, that is called perverted reflection. So this material

world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. It is false in this sense

because it is reflection. Otherwise, exactly the same things are there in the

spiritual world. Urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham asvattham prahur avyayam [bg. 15.1].

There is. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find in the Fifteenth Chapter.

Urdhva-mulam. Here, this material world, the origin -- mulam means root -- is

upside, upside. Because it is reflection. This tree is erect, and this is

reflection. So the root has gone upside. So here is the problem. Because we are

attached to our this so-called family, society, friendship and love... When

Arjuna was faced, then he became krpaya parayavisto visidann idam abravit. " How

it is possible, Krsna, that I have to kill the other side, my fathers, my

father-in-law, my grandfather, my sons, my grandsons, my brother, my so many

friends? " So it is natural. Krpaya paraya avistah. He becomes overwhelmed with

compassion. Krpaya parayavisto visidan. Very morosely. " Oh, Krsna, I will have

to fight with them. I will have to kill them. " Why this consciousness came? The

other side also, Duryodhana, why he did not think in that way? Why Arjuna is

thinking? Because he is devotee. That is the difference. A devotee thinks like

that. A devotee does not like to kill anyone, even an ant. Why he should be

encouraged to kill his friends? A devotee is like that. Yasyasti bhaktir

bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. This is the result of

devotional life. Arjuna was insulted. Arjuna was taken away all his belongings.

Arjuna was banished for thirteen years. His wife was insulted. So many

atrocities was done to him. Still, when the question of killing came, he was not

very happy: " No. " This is Vaisnava. This is Vaisnava. He is ready to excuse even

the greatest enemy. But Krsna does not want. If you insult His devotee, the

devotee may excuse, but Krsna will not excuse. This is Krsna's position.

Therefore be careful to insult a devotee. A devotee may excuse you. But Krsna

will not excuse you. Krsna is so strict. He cannot tolerate any insult to His

devotee. Therefore this arrangement of fighting. Arjuna wanted, " No, let them be

excused. " Krsna wanted, " No, you must fight. You must kill them. " This is the

position. So he is within the dilemma. Krsna is insisting that " You must fight

and kill them, " but he is thinking, " How shall I kill my kinsmen? " This is the

problem. Therefore, tan samiksya sa kaunteyah sarvan bandhun avasthitan. All

friends are there. Krpaya parayavisto visidann idam abravit. So this is one

side, that if you want to please Krsna, then you have to be prepared for killing

your so-called relatives. If you want Krsna. If you want to please Krsna.

 

So this whole Vedic civilization is made just to train how you can be

detached from this so-called family affection. This is Vedic training. First of

all brahmacari. Brahmacari means to lead the life of austerity. A brahmacari is

supposed to live to serve the spiritual master at his home, and he has to work

just like a menial. He may be a king's son or a very great brahmana's son, but

as soon as he agrees to live with the spiritual master, he has to live just like

a menial servant. Whatever the spiritual master will order, he has to do it.

This is brahmacari. And they will gladly do, because they are children.

 

Brahmacari life begins from five years. So you ask any child do anything,

he will do. They are learned. They are given education, " Go from door to door,

house to house, and bring some alms. " So brahmacari means the neighborhood,

their sons. So when the brahmacari goes for begging, " Mother, give me something,

alms, " so immediately, some rice, some dahl, some atta, is given, or some

vegetables, sometimes some money. So they bring everything to the spiritual

master and it becomes the property of the spiritual master. Because he has

begged, it is not his property. Sarvasvam guru-veditam(?). Everything is guru's

property. So much so that after cooking everything, the spiritual master will

call, " My dear boys, come on. Take prasadam. " But if he forgets to call

somebody, he will not touch. He will not touch. This is brahmacari. " Oh,

spiritual master has not called me; so I will fast. " (laughter) He begged the

rice and vegetables and atta and dahl. It is cooked. But when it is cooked, that

is also spiritual master's property. If the spiritual master does not ask him to

take, he cannot take. He cannot touch. This is brahmacari life. So therefore the

first training is given, to become austere, tolerate, how to tolerate, how to

call other women as " mother. " He is learning from the beginning, a small child.

He is trained up to call any woman, even of his own age, not " sister, " --

" mother. " This is the training. Matrvat para-daresu. This is education. Matrvat

para-daresu. Canakya Pandita, the great politician, has given the definition of

a learned scholar. Who is learned scholar? He has given the definition. What is

this? Matrvat para-daresu. To see every woman except his wife as mother. This is

education. This is education, perfection of education, when you can see all

women except your wife as mother. This is education. Matrvat para-daresu

para-dravyesu lostravat. And others' property? Just like garbage in the street.

Nobody is interested in the garbage. You throw. That is education. And atmavat

sarva-bhutesu. And thinking all living entities as your own self. If you feel

pains and pleasure by something, you could not afflict the pains to others. If

your throat is cut, if your head is cut, you feel so much pain, how you can cut

the head of another animal? This is education. Samah sarvesu-bhutesu. This is

education, three things. This is the test of education.

 

matrvat para-daresu

para-dravyesu lostravat

atmavat sarva-bhutesu

yah pasyati sa panditah

 

Where is? Where is that pandita? There is no such thing now.

 

So this problem, attachment for this material world, gradually we have to

cut it. That is the Vedic civilization. If you want to go back to home, back to

Godhead, then at the same time, if you remain attached to this material world,

so-called society, friendship and love, then it is not possible. So long you

will have a pinch of attraction with this material world, there is no

possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. This is the position.

Therefore by training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached, this

society, friendship and love. We have to understand the falsity of this

so-called society, friendship and love. Because we are being carried away by the

waves of maya. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, mayar bose, jaccho bhese, Khaccho

habudubu bhai. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and

creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river,

going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of maya. Mayar bose, jaccho

bhese, khaccho habudubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes

on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on. So long we are in

this material world, we are being tossed by different currents, and sometimes I

am here as the master of some kingdom, and sometimes I am dog of somebody else.

This is my position. The same thing. Very good example, that we are being

carried away by the waves of maya. Sometimes we are gathering together. So many

straws and vegetables, they gather together. And sometimes the same vegetables

and straws are thrown asunder. One is there, one is here. So here also, we

assemble here as society, friendship and love exactly like that. In the waves of

maya. Then nobody is your father, nobody is your mother, nobody is your sister,

nobody. It is simply mayic, illusory combination. Illusory combination,

temporary combination. And we are so much attached to this combination that we

are refusing to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our position.

 

Therefore we have to meet them in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and if

required, we have to kill them and execute the order of Krsna. This is our

position. If we are thinking that " In this material existence I shall be safe,

assisted by my society, friendship, love, country, and politics and sociology, "

" No, no, sir, it is not possible. " It is not possible. You have to take care of

yourself. Your so-called society, friendship, love, country, nation, and this,

never will be able to help you. Because you are under the clutches of maya.

Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [bg. 7.14].

 

prakrteh kriyamanani

gunaih karmani sarvasah

ahankara-vimudhatma

kartaham iti manyate

[bg. 3.27]

 

You are under the clutches of maya. you have no independence. Neither

anyone has got any independence to save you. That is not possible. The same

example as I gave sometimes, that you learn how to drive aeroplane. So you go

high in the sky. But if you are in danger, no other aeroplane can help you. You

are finished. Therefore you must be a very careful pilot to take care of

yourself. Similarly, in this material world everyone individually has to take

care of himself. How he can be saved from the clutches of maya. That is Krsna

consciousness movement. A teacher can give you hints. The acarya can give you

hints that " You can be saved in this way. " But the execution of the duties, that

is in your hand. If you perform the spiritual duties rightly, then you are

saved. Otherwise, even acarya gives you instruction, if you don't follow, so how

he can save you? He can save you by instruction, by his mercy, as much as

possible. But you have to take it in your hands seriously.

 

So this problem is... Arjuna is facing now this problem. That is general

problem. Dehapatya-kalatradisu. Dehapatya. Deha means this body. Apatya means

children. Kalatra means wife. Dehapatya-kalatradisv atma-sainyesv asatsv api [sB

2.1.4]. We are thinking that " We shall be protected by my these soldiers. I have

got my sons, grandsons, my grandfather, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, my

so many society, friendship and love. " Everyone is thinking like that. " My

nation, my community, my philosophy, my politics. No. Nothing can save you.

Dehapatya-kalatradisu asatsu api. They are all temporary. They come and go.

Asatsu api. Pramatto tasya nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati. One who is too much

attached to this society, friendship and love, he is pramatta. Pramatta means

crazy, madman. Pasyann api na, tasya nidhanam. He does not see. Although he is

seeing that " My father has died. When I was a child, my father was giving me

protection. Now my father has gone away. Who is giving me protection? Is my

father alive to give me protection? Who is giving me protection? My mother was

giving me protection. Now who is giving me protection? I was in family, my sons,

my daughters, my wife, but I left them. Now who is giving me protection? " And

actually Krsna gives you protection always. Not your society, friendship and

love. They will be finished. As your father is finished, as your grandfather is

finished, similarly, your sons, grandsons, will be finished. None of them will

be able to give you protection. Only Krsna will be giving you protection.

Therefore you surrender to Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam

vraja, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksa... [bg. 18.66]. " I shall give you

protection. " Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: [bg. 9.31] " My

devotee is never vanquished. " So the best thing is to take to Krsna

consciousness, fully surrender unto Him, and you will be protected. Otherwise,

there is no other way of being protected. We'll be carried away by the waves of

maya. This is the position.

 

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

 

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