Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.34–35

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [chants verse]

śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt prāhārjunaṁ prakupito bhagavān ambujekṣaṅaḥ [SB 1.7.34]

mainaṁ pārthārhasi trātuṁ brahma-bandhum imaṁ jahi yo 'sāv anāgasaḥ suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān [SB 1.7.35]

[04:57]

Translation: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa said: O Arjuna, you should not show mercy by releasing this relative of a brāhmaṅa [brahma-bandhu], for he has killed innocent boys... [break]"

Prabhupāda:

śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt prāhārjunaṁ prakupito bhagavān ambujekṣaṅaḥ [SB 1.7.34]

mainaṁ pārthārhasi trātuṁ brahma-bandhum imaṁ jahi yo 'sāv anāgasaḥ suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān [SB 1.7.35]

So, bhagavān ambujekṣaṅaḥ. Ambuja means lotus flower. Bhagavān is described in many places as ambujekṣa, lotus-eyed, lotus feet, lotus navel—in so many ways—lotus palms. So ambujekṣaṅa, very beautiful eyes like the petals of a padma, lotus flower. But at the same time, prakupita, He's angry. He's angry, still, ambujekṣaṅa. Not that as the Māyāvādīs think, that "God is kind. Why He should be angry?" But here it is said, prakupita. Pra means "specifically." Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṅa kupitaḥ, "very angry." Prakupita. And He was, rather, glad that this Aśvatthāmā, who happens to be the son of a brāhmaṅa... Still, He was angry. He asked him not to excuse this rascal. Not to excuse. It is next verse, it is said, mainaṁ pārthārhasi trātuṁ brahma-bandhum imaṁ jahi. He's brahma-bandhu. He's not a brāhmaṅa. He's brahma-bandhu. Everyone can say, "I am the son of a brāhmaṅa." That is brahma-bandhu. Or a friend of a brāhmaṅa. That does not mean he is a brāhmaṅa. This is the idea. Brāhmaṅa is not the body. Brāhmaṅa is the quality. If the brāhmaṅa is body, then when a brāhmaṅa is dead the sons take the dead body to the cremating place and burn the body. Then if the body is brāhmaṅa, then the sons are committing sins by brahma-hatyā. No. That is not brahma-hatyā. Brāhmaṅa is the quality. That quality is gone. With the departure of the soul, that quality is gone. Now this body is simply a lump of matter, so there is no shame when the body is burnt into ashes.

The idea is that, as described in the śāstra, who is a brāhmaṅa, who is a śūdra, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya... It is all described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, 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.]

Karma. Guṅa and karma. Here Aśvatthāmā, although he's born of a brāhmaṅa father, he did not possess the quality of a brāhmaṅa, neither the work of a brāhmaṅa. He degraded himself. First of all, he was engaged as a soldier to assist, to flatter Duryodhana. He wanted to please Duryodhana by killing the Pāṅḍavas. But he was such a fool, instead of killing the Pāṅḍavas, he killed the five sleeping sons of the Pāṅḍavas. How much abominable he is, just imagine. Here it is said, suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān. First of all, they were minor aged, and they were sleeping, and they were killed at night. Just see what kind of brāhmaṅa he is. A brāhmaṅa's business is not to kill. Even brāhmaṅa can kill, he doesn't require even sword or any other weapon. Simply by cursing he can kill—brāhmaṅa was so powerful. But still, it is not the business of a brāhmaṅa. When killing is required, it is done by the kṣatriyas, not by the brāhmaṅas.

Just like Viśvāmitra Muni, he was disturbed by the Tāḍakā rākṣasī. He was quite powerful. Even by cursing he could kill this Tāḍakā rākṣasī in the forest, but he did not do so. For killing the rākṣasī he approached Mahārāja Daśaratha. Because he is kṣatriya, he is the king, his business is to give protection to the disturbed citizens. Just like we apply to the magistrate, similarly the king is responsible. So he did not kill. Viśvāmitra formerly was kṣatriya, but since he became brāhmaṅa... By his endeavor in lifetime, he became a brāhmaṅa, a great sage, ṛṣi. So since he became brāhmaṅa, he was not interested in killing anyone. That is not brāhmaṅa's business. Brāhmaṅa's business is śamo damas titikṣā. Even if he is disturbed by somebody, titikṣā, he tolerates. Kāma-rūpa-tapasvin. He does not become... And when it is intolerable, he approaches the kṣatriya.

So in considering all angles of vision, this Aśvatthāmā was not a brāhmaṅa. Therefore Kṛṣṅa personally advised him, mā enaṁ pārtha arhasi trātum: "Don't excuse him. Kill him, this brahma-bandhu. He has done wrong; now he deserves to be killed." It is clearly said. So does it mean that Kṛṣṅa is advising brahma-hatyā? No. Kṛṣṅa cannot do that. He is the teacher, world teacher. How He can advise somebody, especially His friend Arjuna? Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg 4.3].

[That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend; therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science.]

Can you advise anything adversely to your friend? To your son? No. I must give very good advice. So Kṛṣṅa is advising Arjuna, "Don't excuse this rascal brahma-bandhu. Don't excuse." This is Kṛṣṅa's advice. But it does not mean that we can do anything and everything under the pretext of Kṛṣṅa's advice. No. You must be first of all a confidential friend or servant of Kṛṣṅa. You must receive direct order from Kṛṣṅa. Then you can do it. Otherwise not. Otherwise not. Under the pretext that "Kṛṣṅa said," "My spiritual master has said," "Prabhupāda has said," we manufacture something. Don't do that. Unless you are directly ordered, you cannot do at least such things as to chastise a brahma-bandhu. This should not be done. Here is direct order.

So bhagavān ambujekṣaṅaḥ. Although He's angry, although He's the Supreme Lord, Bhagavān... He's not so-called nonviolent. How nonviolent? Nonviolent or violent. Violence is also one of the qualification of God. Especially in political matters, when the kṣatriyas are dealing, there is always violence. Without violence, kṣatriya has no meaning. Kṣat, kṣat means injury. Trāyate. Kṣatriya's duty is to save the citizen from being injured by others. That is kṣatriya. Even an animal. Animal..., just like this Kali was trying to kill cow. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on his tour. He saw that a black man was trying to kill a cow. So immediately he took his sword, "Who are you, rascal? You are trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" That is kṣatriya's duty. Kṣatriya's duty is to give protection from injury for the safety of the citizens. The citizen must feel safety, that "We have got such a nice king. There is no fear of anything." It is said in the Bhāgavatam there was no anxiety even. The citizens should feel so much safe that "We have such a nice king that we have no danger at all: not being injured, not our property being stolen or injustice given." That is the real government—when the citizens will feel completely safe. That requires kṣatriya. Not these cāmāra, bhaṅgīs and śūdras voted and become the president and minister. That will not be successful. That is not possible. There must be trained-up kṣatriyas, then there will be good government. Trained.

They should be trained means they should be advised by the brāhmaṅas. Therefore four divisions required. The brāhmaṅas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṅa is made king—it is not his business—he may do it for some time, temporarily, just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṅa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators. They should be all qualified brāhmaṅas, not paid man. Paid man has nothing to do... Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṅa minister, prime minister, Cāṅakya Paṅḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṅakya Paṅḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned, that "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system. Brāhmaṅa lived very humbly. He was not poor. Not that they are poor men. They were so rich that when Viśvāmitra approached Mahārāja Daśaratha, immediately he vacated his seat and welcomed, "Sir, sit down here." So respectful. This is Vedic culture. The brāhmaṅas would not accept any comfort, but the kṣatriyas would be very, very glad to give all comforts to the brāhmaṅas. In our śāstra, brāhmaṅa-bhojana: it is recommended that brāhmaṅas should be invited to take prasāda. Now they have manufactured daridra-bhojana or daridra-nārāyaṅa-bhojana. They have made daridra-nārāyaṅa. But that is not Vedic culture. Vedic culture is to find out qualified brāhmaṅa, sages, sannyāsīs. They would refuse, but still they'll fall down, "Please come, take some prasādam." This is Vedic culture. Brāhmaṅa's position is very, very exalted. Now, since after the battle of Kurukṣetra, they have become brahma-bandhus. The example is here, brahma-bandhu.

So we should not become brahma-bandhu. We should become actually brāhmaṅa. And brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṅaḥ. One who knows Brahman, he is brāhmaṅa. And one who knows Para-brahman, he is Vaiṣṅava. Brahman and Para-brahman. So Kṛṣṅa is Para-brahman. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ ādyam [Bg 10.12].

[Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.]

So to realize Brahman realization... That is also spiritual. That is not material. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is spiritual. But that is the first appreciation of the Absolute Truth. That is not complete appreciation or complete knowledge. Complete knowledge is when one understands the Para-brahman. That is complete understanding. Not simply Brahman: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The Absolute Truth, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

Tattvam means Absolute Truth. What is that Absolute? Advaya-jñānam. One. Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. They are not different. Advayam, the same Absolute. But it is due to my position, angle of vision, He's realized in three different features—Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. That one tattva-vastu, Absolute Truth.

So to understand even Brahman, one requires to become brāhmaṅa. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṅaḥ. Brahman, understands Brahman, that is the first step. Then you have to make further progress. The example we have given many times, that we are in the sunshine. Now there is sunshine, that is also Brahman, or heat and light. But the heat and light here, ninety-three millions miles away from the sun, and the heat and light in the sun—a difference. That temperature is different. So when you go to the sun-god, that position, and to enjoy heat and light from ninety-three millions miles away, that is also difference. Although heat and light is there in the sun globe and heat and light in the sunshine, but still, sunshine is not the sun globe. Sun globe is not the sun-god. Similarly... This is a crude example. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva:

[It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord.]

everything is God and everything is not God. Bheda-abheda. Bheda means not, different, and abheda means one. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya... For us, how we can adjust at the same time one and different? Therefore it is acintya. Not cintya, cintanīya. In our present sense it is difficult to adjust things how we are one and different with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

So in this way we have to understand. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12],

[To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.]

through paramparā system. Just as Arjuna is in the paramparā system, Arjuna was being taught directly by Kṛṣṅa, so you should learn from Kṛṣṅa, er, from Arjuna. That is paramparā system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2].

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

Then you will understand. If you take the words of Arjuna, how he appreciated Bhagavad-gītā and how he appreciated Kṛṣṅa, then your knowledge is perfect. If you manufacture meaning and manufacture idea by your concocted poor fund of knowledge, acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṅa yojayet [Skanda Purāṅa], which is beyond your sense perception... Adhokṣaja. Therefore Kṛṣṅa is called adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ indriya-jñānaṁ yatra. Adhah-kṛta, subdued. You cannot approach Kṛṣṅa by material sense perception. It is not possible. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Still you have to offer your service to the Supreme. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6].

[The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.]

Adhokṣaje. This is the idea, that unless we approach the adhokṣaja, Kṛṣṅa... And Kṛṣṅa... 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.]

Those who are trying to study Kṛṣṅa by these blunt senses, they'll never understand Kṛṣṅa. They'll never understand.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa is regretting, that "This rascal, they consider Me as human being." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam [Bg 9.11].

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

They have been described as rascals. One who, I mean to say, estimates Kṛṣṅa from material point of view, material vision, he is mūḍha. Therefore he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṅa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15].

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

Lowest of the mankind, narādhama. Why lowest? Sinful? Duṣkṛtina? These things are there. If we want to understand Kṛṣṅa, then we should take the prescription of Kṛṣṅa. What Kṛṣṅa said? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg 18.55]:

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

"One can understand Me by the process of bhakti." Never said, Kṛṣṅa, that "Yogī can understand Me" or "The jñānīs can understand Me" or "The karmīs can understand." Never. Nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi yogināṁ hṛdayeṣu. Although yogīs are trying to see Kṛṣṅa always within the heart... Yaṁ brahmā varuṅendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti, 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.]

Those who are perfect yogīs, they see always Kṛṣṅa within the core of the heart. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. That is perfect yogī. That is... Kṛṣṅa admits,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ [Bg 6.47]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

That is first-class yogī, one who is thinking of Kṛṣṅa always within the core of the heart. So yogīs, jñānīs, karmīs, bhaktas... So when you become bhakta, then you are perfect karmī, you are perfect yogī, you are perfect jñānī. Unless you are perfect jñānī, how you can surrender to Kṛṣṅa? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg 7.19].

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

After many, many births cultivating knowledge, when he's actually wise—jñānavān. Then what is the symptom? Māṁ prapadyate: he surrenders to Kṛṣṅa. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19]. He understands that Kṛṣṅa is everything. That is real knowledge. Otherwise, it is not knowledge; it is speculation.

So speculation will not help us. We must have perfect knowledge, and that knowledge is given by Kṛṣṅa. You take it and follow mahājana like Arjuna and other devotees, then you understand Kṛṣṅa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṅa, you are immediately liberated. Immediately.

janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... [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.]

That is liberation. So simple thing, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

Simply think of Kṛṣṅa, chant Kṛṣṅa's name, Hare Kṛṣṅa, and be honest, and liberation is guaranteed.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]