Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.13–14

Prabhupāda: [Hums]

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse and synonyms responsively]

yadā mṛdhe kaurava-sṛñjayānāṁ vīreṣv atho vīra-gatiṁ gateṣu vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa- bhagnoru-daṅḍe dhṛtarāṣṭra-putre

bhartuḥ priyaṁ drauṅir iti sma paśyan kṛṣṅā-sutānāṁ svapatāṁ śirāṁsi upāharad vipriyam eva tasya jugupsitaṁ karma vigarhayanti [SB 1.7.13–14]

[05:30]

Translation: "When the respective warriors of both camps, namely the Kauravas and the Pāṅḍavas, were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and the dead warriors obtained their deserved destinations, and when the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra fell down lamenting, his spine broken, being beaten by the club of Bhīmasena, the son of Droṅācārya [Aśvatthāmā] beheaded the five sleeping sons of Draupadī and delivered them as a prize to his master, foolishly thinking that he would be pleased. Duryodhana, however, disapproved of the heinous act, and he was not pleased in the least."

Prabhupāda:

yadā mṛdhe kaurava-sṛñjayānāṁ vīreṣv atho vīra-gatiṁ gateṣu vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa- bhagnoru-daṅḍe dhṛtarāṣṭra-putre

bhartuḥ priyaṁ drauṅir iti sma paśyan kṛṣṅā-sutānāṁ svapatāṁ śirāṁsi upāharad vipriyam eva tasya jugupsitaṁ karma vigarhayanti

So Drauṅi, Droṅācārya's son, a brāhmaṅa, but he took the profession of a kṣatriya. That is degradation. When a brāhmaṅa takes the occupation of a kṣatriya, it is degradation. So this Drauṅi, although he belonged to the brāhmaṅa family and he accepted the profession of a kṣatriya, he degraded so much that he cut off the heads of five sons of Draupadī while they were sleeping. So much degradation. A kṣatriya never slains anybody who is sleeping. Kṣatriya's business is to challenge, and if the other party has no weapon, he supplies weapon. Then there is fight, then it is decided. One must die. That decision is there. When there is fight between two kṣatriyas, the decision is that one must die. Unless one dies, the business, the fighting, will never stop. That is called vīra-gatim. Vīra-gatim. If a kṣatriya dies in fight, he gets the promotion of vīra-gatim, means he goes to the heavenly planet. This was advised by Kṛṣṅa to Arjuna, that "You fight. If you are victorious, then you will enjoy this kingdom, and if you are killed, then you'll go to the heavenly planets. Then where is your loss? Both ways you shall gain. Why shall you not fight?" This advice was given by Kṛṣṅa.

So here it is said, yadā mṛdhe kaurava-sṛñjayānām. In the fight, all the parties who died, they all obtained vīra-gatim. And most of them, they achieved svarūpa. That is described in a different place. Svarūpa means his original, spiritual form. All the soldiers or the kings who died, and at the time of death who were seeing Kṛṣṅa—Kṛṣṅa was there in the battlefield—all of them achieved their original, spiritual form, svarūpam. And those who did not see Kṛṣṅa, they got promoted vīra-gatim, in the heavenly planet. So fight is not always bad. If it is dharma-yuddha, according to the prescribed rules, not whimsical fight, dharma-yuddha, then there is gain. This science is lost. There is no such thing. Now fighting means hooliganism, vandalism, guṅḍā-ism. That is not fight. Here is fight: vīra-gatim gate. They are all promoted.

Then at last the fighting was between Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīma. This vṛkodara... Vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa. Both of them, Duryodhana and Bhīma, they were very expert in fighting with gadā. So when they were fighting, Balarāma... Balarāma... Kṛṣṅa was neutral, but He was taking the side of Arjuna. He was driving the chariot. That means He was on the side of the Pāṅḍavas. But actually He was not fighting. So Balarāma also did not fight, and in order to avoid any parties, He went to holy places at that time. He was traveling all over India from different holy places, one place to another. So when He returned, He had some sympathy with Duryodhana. Because Duryodhana was His disciple to learn how to fight with this gadā, club, naturally He was sympathetic, Balarāma was sympathetic. So when He came, they were..., fighting was going on. So just to show Him respect, they stopped fighting and everyone was silent. Because the Pāṅḍavas knew that Balarāma was sympathetic with Duryodhana, and if He takes the side of Duryodhana, then everything will be spoiled, because He is the Supreme Person. But He did not do so. He advised them, "My dear Duryodhana, I know you are a great fighter. You have got strength. You have learned..., you know the art of fighting. But you are not so strong as Bhīma." And He advised Bhīma, "My dear Bhīma, you have got the strength of ten thousand elephants. Naturally you are superiorally stronger. So he knows the art better than you, and you are bodily stronger than him. So there will be no decision. The fighting will go on. Can you not stop? Because there will not be decision. The fighting will go on. Unless one is dead, the fighting will go on. So what is the use? Nobody will be victorious. The fighting will go on. Better stop."

But they remained silent. Silent means they did not like the idea. Because Bhīma had many old grudges against Duryodhana, because when Draupadī was being insulted, they had to sit down silent, no protest. There were so many incidences—rivalry, insult and counterinsult. So they took the opportunity of feeding the old grudge by fighting. Everyone was determined, "I must kill." Duryodhana was determined to kill Bhīma, and Bhīma was determined to kill. So when they did not listen to the instruction of Baladeva, then Baladeva left the place. He went to Dvārakā, back. Of course, Kṛṣṅa was there, because Kṛṣṅa was to give hint to Bhīma how to kill Duryodhana. So Duryodhana, by the blessings of his mother, his whole body became iron-like, solid. So by beating by the Bhīma, it was not easy.

So the story is that Gāndhārī, the mother of Duryodhana, she was great chaste woman. Because her husband was blind, she used to remain as blind woman, covering the eyes. But she had some power. Chaste woman, anyone who sticks to the regulative principles, [s]he gets a power, spiritual or material. He gets power. A brahmacārī gets power if he follows brahmacarya. Everyone, if we follow the prescribed rules and regulations, automatically you become powerful. So Gāndhārī had some power. So his [her] eldest son, Duryodhana, was advised to see the mother naked. She advised, "My dear son, tomorrow morning when you come to offer your obeisances to me, you come naked. I shall see you, and you will be solidified just like iron." So she [he] was going naked, and Kṛṣṅa saw. So He asked him, "Where you are going?" And this is the... "I am going to see my mother." "How is that? You are going naked? At least you have some laṅgoṭā. This is not good." So he took the instruction of Kṛṣṅa and covered the private part with a laṅgoṭā. And when Gāndhārī saw, she saw that she [he] was not fully naked, so she regretted, "O my dear son, I asked you to come before me naked. Why you have got this...?" "No, Kṛṣṅa advised." Then she began to smile, that "My attempt is failure." So Kṛṣṅa knew it, that part which was covered, that was not turned iron. The other parts turned into iron on account of seeing by Gāndhārī. So in this fight Kṛṣṅa hinted Bhīma that "You strike here. That part is not ironized." Although it is against the regulative principle to strike the opponent party below this waist, Kṛṣṅa advised that "Unless you transgress this law, you cannot kill him." So he was stroken below the waist, and he was not killed, but his waist was broken. Therefore it is said, vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa. Then he died. This is mentioned here. So bhagnoru-daṅḍe. Bhagna uru. Uru-daṅḍa was broken.

Bhagnoru-daṅḍe dhṛtarāṣṭra-putre. Dhṛtarāṣṭra-putra, Duryodhana was dhṛtarāṣṭra-putra. At that time, Drauṅi, his master was Duryodhana. A brāhmaṅa became a servant of kṣatriya, that is degradation. A brāhmaṅa cannot become servant. Nobody can become servant. Only the śūdras can become servant. Brāhmaṅa never becomes servant. They are instructed, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.42].

[Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṅas work.]

This is brāhmaṅa's qualification. They will train the brahmacārīs and the gṛhasthas how to become perfect, discipline. First discipline is truthfulness. A brāhmaṅa will never speak lies. That is the first qualification. So who is going to take training in that way? Nobody is interested. This is Kali-yuga. We are trying to train people, "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." Still, there are some failures. And if we teach in our institution, "Please do not speak lies," people will laugh: "What is this nonsense? Nowadays is it possible to remain in this society without speaking lies?" This is the position. This is called Kali-yuga. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a brāhmaṅa. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a kṣatriya, neither as a vaiśya. They are all śūdras. Therefore it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. There is no training. It is very, very difficult to train them to become purified by training. These status of life were different status of training, so that ultimately one can become brāhmaṅa, and when he's fully trained up as a brāhmaṅa then he transcends the brāhmaṅa's position, and he becomes a Vaiṣṅava.

So to become Vaiṣṅava is not so easy thing. One has to become brāhmaṅa, then when he surpasses the stages of becoming brāhmaṅa, then he becomes Vaiṣṅava. Śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. Then Kṛṣṅa is born. When one comes to the Vaiṣṅava stage, then he can understand what is Kṛṣṅa. Just like Kṛṣṅa was born of Vasudeva. Similarly, when one comes to the stage of Vasudeva... Vasudeva means perfect Vaiṣṅava. Do you think Kṛṣṅa accepts somebody as father, an ordinary man? No. He is perfect Vaiṣṅava. Kṛṣṅa accepts somebody as mother... Who is His mother, father? Nobody can be. He is the ādi-puruṣam. He's original person. Who can become His father, mother? But He accepts, when He descends to exhibit His līlā... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānam sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. So He is everyone's father. How Vasudeva can be...? Ajo'pi sann avyayātmā [Bg 4.6].

[Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.]

[break] Very exalted devotee, He accepts him as father or mother. And therefore one has to learn everything scientifically. Janma karma ca 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.]

Don't take ordinarily: "Oh, Kṛṣṅa is born of a father, Vasudeva, and of a mother, Devakī. That's all. We know He was born." No. One has to learn who is His father, who is His mother, how He accepts His devotee as father. That is called yo jānāti tattvataḥ. This is tattvataḥ.

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

To understand Kṛṣṅa tattvataḥ, in truth, that is not so easy. It is possible for a man out of many millions of men: manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati.

So that tattvataḥ one can understand simply by pure devotional service. If you become a pure devotee, without any contamination—unalloyed devotee—then Kṛṣṅa reveals: "This is I am. I am like this." You cannot speculate upon Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na bahunā śrutena na medhayā [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23].

[The Supreme Lord is not attained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, nor even by much hearing. He is attained only by one who He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests His own form.]

You cannot understand Kṛṣṅa simply because you are a learned Sanskrit scholar. You are a rascal. Kṛṣṅa is not so easy to be understood by scholarship or Sanskrit language. Don't commit this mistake. Kṛṣṅa is understood by a person to whom Kṛṣṅa reveals. That is understanding. Nāyam ātmā. This is completely said: nāyam ātmā, nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā. Because you have got a fertile brain, therefore you'll be able to understand Kṛṣṅa? No. Na bahunā śrutena. Oh, because you are very good scholar, you have studied so much... No. If Kṛṣṅa reveals to you, then you'll be able. That revelation is possible when you are a devotee. Otherwise, it is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ.

So we have to wait for that opportunity when Kṛṣṅa reveals. How that revelation is possible? 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.]

By sense perception or sense speculation you cannot. Nāmādi. Even the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra you cannot understand. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi. Nāma, rūpa, līlā, parikara, vaiśiṣṭya..., everything. You cannot understand with these blunt senses. Then how? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136]. When you engage your senses, purified senses. Sevonmukhe. Purified senses means when the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord—everything—then you can understand Kṛṣṅa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Kṛṣṅa is not your servant: "Kṛṣṅa, I want to see You." No. That you cannot see. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When He's pleased, when He sees that "Here is a pure devotee," then He reveals.

So the Pāṅḍavas were pure devotees; therefore Kṛṣṅa took his side and they became victorious in the fight. And Kṛṣṅa is always ready to give protection to His devotees. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

His sudarśana-cakra always protects His devotees. That is the position of devotee.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]