Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.48

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

aho me paśyatājñānaṁ hṛdi rūḍhaṁ durātmanaḥ pārakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me 'kṣauhiṅīr hatāḥ [SB 1.8.48]

[Prabhupāda interrupts chanting of verse to correct pronunciation: "There is no ya. It is rūḍhaṁ. You explain[?], it is also rūḍhaṁ. No 'ya.' "—responsive chanting continues]

[break] [01:50]

"King Yudhiṣṭhira said: O my lot! I am the most sinful man! Just see my heart, which is full of ignorance! This body, which is ultimately meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men."

Prabhupāda:

aho me paśyatājñānaṁ hṛdi rūḍhaṁ durātmanaḥ pārakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me akṣauhiṅīr hatāḥ [SB 1.8.48]

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja says that this body is meant for others. It is others' body. Everyone should be interested for his own body. Who is interested for other's body? I eat for maintenance of my body, not that your body. It is the very good argument given by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, that "First of all ascertain whether it is your body. If for the bodily sense gratification, satisfaction, you are committing so many sinful life, but first of all consider whether this body is yours."

Now, first of all consideration is: this body is given by the father and mother. So actually the body belongs to the father and mother. Or just like the slaves—they sell their body to the master. So somebody, if maintains your body, then it becomes..., the body belongs to him. Suppose you are working somewhere and he is giving you money for maintaining your body; then actually the body is maintained for the person who gives me payment. You see so many people are going to the other side of the river, very..., running very quickly to go there, because the body is sold to that master who is paying for eating. Otherwise why he's taking the body there? So actually the body belongs to others. And spiritually, the body belongs to Kṛṣṅa. But when we forget our relationship with Kṛṣṅa—the body belongs to somebody else; that's a fact—then we think that "The body belongs to my father and mother" or this and that... Sometimes we do not think that. So why, from material point of view, if the body does not belong to me, why shall I commit so many sinful activities for others?

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is repentant, that pārakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me akṣauhiṅīr hatāḥ: "Many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, horses, elephants, men we have killed." Akṣauhiṅī, there is a calculation, 64,000 elephants, 64,000 horses and 64,000..., like that. Exactly I cannot, but some of the items are 64,000. Chariots. One... Nowadays it is called exactly? A group of soldiers? What is called?

Devotee: Phalanx.

Prabhupāda: Phalanx, and another name is there.

Devotee: [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: No.

Brahmānanda: Division.

Prabhupāda: What is that? Tradition?

Brahmānanda: Division.

Prabhupāda: Division. One division. One division of army consisting of so many horses, so many elephants and chariot... There are different types of fighter. Somebody would fight from the back..., riding on the back of the elephant, somebody on horses. That is also nowadays current, cavalry. And somebody on chariot, somebody standing, infantry. So, one akṣauhiṅī means 64,000 elephants, horses, chariot and so many thousand infantry. That makes one division. So Kṛṣṅa Himself gave so many divisions to Duryodhana. Altogether there were eighteen divisions, or more than that. They were all killed.

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes [reading], "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 cavalry is called an akṣauhiṅī." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many akṣauhiṅīs were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility of killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne. This body is, after all, meant for others. While there is life in the body, it is meant for the service of the others, and [when] it is dead it is meant to be eaten up by the dogs and jackals." Even it is dead body, that is also meant for others. If you throw it on the street, then it will be eaten by the animals and the vultures. So body is meant for others. Or if you don't throw, if you burn it, then it is right of the sons to burn it—then it belongs to them. So either living or dead, logically the body belongs to others. And another logic is: Who is interested to maintain a body which belongs to others? This is logic. And other point is that everyone is maintaining this body with so many sinful activities, although the body does not belong to him.

So real sanity is to understand that this body belongs to Kṛṣṅa. We are misunderstanding that this body belongs to my father, mother, or my master or to the cats and dogs or the vultures—in so many ways. That is material. Materially, we can understand that. But spiritually, this body belongs to Kṛṣṅa because the body is made of, I mean to say, prepared by the eight elements. We have got the five elements, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ [Bg 7.4].

[Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.]

There is earth, water, air, fire, and the mind and the intelligence and the false ego. This is the eight combination of the matter. Then, the matter being agitated, there are ten senses and then sense objects. In this way this body is composition of twenty-four elements. But all these elements, Kṛṣṅa says, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā [Bg 7.4]: "That is My energy."

This body is made by Kṛṣṅa's property. Earth, water, air, fire—this is all Kṛṣṅa's property. You cannot create earth, or you cannot create water. You cannot create sky—nothing of the material elements. It is created by Kṛṣṅa, and this body is..., this external body is made of these eight elements. Similarly, I am also Kṛṣṅa's. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parāṁ jīva-bhūtām. Me parā prakṛti jīva-bhūtā. Jīva, the living entities, they are parā-prakṛti, superior energy, but that is also me: "Mine." So I, as ahaṁ brahmāsmi, because Kṛṣṅa is absolute, in that sense I, the energy of Kṛṣṅa, and Kṛṣṅa, we are one. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means that. Or "I belong to Kṛṣṅa." The Māyāvādī thinks that "I have become Kṛṣṅa." No. The Vaiṣṅava philosophy is that "I am Kṛṣṅa's property," not that "I become Kṛṣṅa." Just like the part and parcel of my body, this finger: the finger can claim that "I am part and parcel of the body," but the finger cannot claim that "I am the whole body." That is not possible.

So actually our body belongs to Kṛṣṅa, and I also belong to Kṛṣṅa. Pārakya. In both senses it belongs to other. Other means Kṛṣṅa. So logically, both the body, mind, intelligence and myself, everything should be engaged for Kṛṣṅa's interest. That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Kṛṣṅa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata [Bg 13.3]. He is also kṣetra-jña. I am kṣetra-jña because I possess this body, and the body is kṣetra, the field of activities. Just like here the cultivators, they have got... Each one of them have got some land, and they are producing food grains or any other products according to his ability and capacity, and he's enjoying this property. Therefore he's called kṣetra-jña or kṣetrī. The field is called kṣetra and the owner is called kṣetrī, or kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra-jña means that cultivator knows that "This earmarked land is mine." Kṣetra-jña. "It belongs to me." So actually this field does not belong to him; it belongs to the government, because he has to pay, collect tax, to the collector. So actually land does not belong to him; it belongs to the government. Similarly, where is the difficulty to understand that although I am cultivating this body, karma... Taking this body as my field of activities, we are doing work. Everyone can understand it. But finally this body belongs to Kṛṣṅa, as this land belongs to the government.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa claims, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. Just as there are in cities two taxes: occupier tax and owner's tax. Rented house, actually the house belongs to the landlord, but the tenant also claims, "This is my house." But finally the house belongs to the landlord. So Kṛṣṅa claims, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. The same example: As a piece of land, some bīghās of land, belongs to a certain person—he can claim, "This is my land"—similarly, other man can claim, "It is my land," other can claim, "My land," but all these lands belongs to the government. Similarly, I claim this is my body, you claim it is your body, he claims it is his body, but ultimately the all bodies becomes to Kṛṣṅa. This is clear understanding. Where is the difficulty to understand that everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa? Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1]:

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

"Everything belongs to Kṛṣṅa."

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. And when you come to the right knowledge, after many, many births... Even Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira... Of course, he is playing the part of ordinary man, pious man. Pious man is also not perfect. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja should have thought like this, that "Yes, this body does not belong to me, but it belongs to Kṛṣṅa, and Kṛṣṅa desired that with this body there must be fighting for His satisfaction." So Arjuna thought like that. Arjuna thought like that. Therefore Arjuna is higher grade devotee than Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja has got personal consideration. When Kṛṣṅa advised him that "You go to Droṅācārya and speak this lie, that his son Aśvatthāmā is dead; otherwise he'll not die. You go and speak," so he hesitated. He said, "How is that? I never spoke lie. How can I go and say him the lie?" So this personal consideration is there, that "If I speak lies, then I will be sinful, and I'll be punished and so on, so on." But a devotee does not think like that. "Maybe it is sinful, but it will satisfy Kṛṣṅa; I must do it." This is devotee's decision.

Just like Kṛṣṅa sometimes became sick. So in Dvārakā—you have seen that play in Bombay—and so many physician came; nobody could cure Him. Then Kṛṣṅa suggested His own medicine, that "If some of My devotees will give the dust of his feet on My head, then I'll be cured." So the first devotee, Nārada and others, everywhere it was approached that "Give your dust of feet. Kṛṣṅa is suffering." "No, no, no. How can I give my dust of feet? Kṛṣṅa is Supreme Personality of Godhead." But when the gopīs were approached, when they heard that "Kṛṣṅa is sick, and He's in urgently necessity of the dust of His devotees' feet," so immediately they began to give: "Take it. Take it immediately. Immediately." They did not consider that "Giving the dust of my feet to Kṛṣṅa, I shall go to hell." "Never mind, I shall go to hell; it doesn't matter, but let Kṛṣṅa be cured." That is first consideration.

So this is the topmost devotee: prepared to do anything, without any consideration. That is pure devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

There should be no personal desire. That should be zero. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anā... Simply one should try to please Kṛṣṅa. There is no other consideration—only to satisfy Kṛṣṅa. That is pure bhakti. That is explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura,

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhi avyavasāyinām [Bg 2.41]

This is perfect conclusion, that "I shall execute the desire of Kṛṣṅa." But Kṛṣṅa is not physically present before me. Then how I shall know what Kṛṣṅa desires? That is not very difficult. Kṛṣṅa's representative is there, the spiritual master. If you fulfill the desire of the spiritual master, then you fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṅa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. That is stated by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. If you please your spiritual master, then you know that "I have pleased Kṛṣṅa." Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi: "If you displease your spiritual master, then you are nowhere. Your position is lost."

Therefore, yesterday we were explaining the ten kinds of offenses. Out of ten kinds of offenses, the serious offense is guror avajñā, disobedience of the order of guru. This is the verdict of the śāstra. Kṛṣṅa is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of māyā, and He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gītā left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Kṛṣṅa. So He is helping us from within—buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam—from within. Tene brahma hṛdā. These statements are there in the śāstras. "He expounded the Vedic knowledge," hṛdā, "from the heart"—brahma means Vedic knowledge, śabda-brahman—"to Brahmā." Because at that time there was nobody to instruct him. So how he got the instruction of Vedas? Because Kṛṣṅa instructed. Kṛṣṅa hoite catur-mukha, hoy kṛṣṅa-sevonmukha, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung. Catur-mukha means Brahmā. So being instructed by Kṛṣṅa, Brahmā became inclined to serve Kṛṣṅa. Therefore he has written Brahma-saṁhitā. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. He understands, "Here is ādi-puruṣa. I am the only creature now within the universe, so I am getting instruction from Kṛṣṅa, hṛdā, from my heart."

So Kṛṣṅa, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Kṛṣṅa is so kind. Guru-kṛṣṅa-kṛpāya. Kṛṣṅa is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Kṛṣṅa, I must execute it. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration in the name of Kṛṣṅa, guru, then it is spoiled. No. We should receive the instruction as it is, especially...

Kṛṣṅa says... Just like Kṛṣṅa says to Yudhiṣṭhira, "Go and speak the lie," and He speaks to Arjuna that yudhyasva mām anusmara [Bg 8.7]:

[Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Kṛṣṅa and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.]

"You fight," so not the instruction the same to everyone. Kṛṣṅa knows who is capable to do something particular, and similarly, guru also knows. So it is not that the same instruction is given to all. There may be, because variety. It is not impersonalism, one kind of. No. Variety. Kṛṣṅa is ānandamaya. Ānanda means variety is the mother of enjoyment. Unless there are varieties, how there can be ānanda? Kṛṣṅa is sac-cid-ānanda. So Kṛṣṅa's business is variety. The Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand. They simply understand that we are one. No. Varieties. Cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam [Bs 5.29]. Kṛṣṅa is enjoying varieties. He is living in the cintāmaṅi-dhāma. There are surabhī. He's tendering..., tending the cows, and He's playing with the cowherd boy. He's making jokes with the gopīs. He is enjoying the company... Varieties. He's becoming the son, dependent son of Mother Yaśodā. So Kṛṣṅa is variety. Without variety, there cannot be enjoyment. So therefore variety of instruction also.

So that is given by the spiritual master: "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Kṛṣṅa is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Kṛṣṅa we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Kṛṣṅa. The mind is meant for Kṛṣṅa. I am also Kṛṣṅa's part and parcel, so pārakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Kṛṣṅa. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa and serve Him, then our life is perfect.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]