Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.40

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

sūta uvāca evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmaṁ pārthaḥ kṛṣṅena coditaḥ naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutaṁ yadyapy ātma-hanaṁ mahān [SB 1.7.40]

[02:21]

Translation: "Sūta Gosvāmī said: Despite being instructed in his duty and encouraged to kill the son of Droṅācārya, Arjuna, a great soul, did not like the idea of killing him, although he was a heinous murderer of his family members."

[break]

Prabhupāda:

sūta uvāca evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmaṁ pārthaḥ kṛṣṅena coditaḥ naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutaṁ yadyapy ātma-hanaṁ mahān [SB 1.7.40]

So Kṛṣṅa, as impartial observer, He advised Arjuna to kill Aśvatthāmā on the ground of so many offenses. He was also trying to see how Arjuna decides. But Arjuna's decision was very right. Arjuna's decision was right because, naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He thought that "Although Aśvatthāmā is criminal, he should be killed, but I am going to kill him on account of my sons' or our sons' being killed by him. We are so much aggrieved. So if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then his mother is there. She would be very much unhappy." For the sake of spiritual master, teacher... Droṅācārya was dead in the fight, but his wife was living. So Arjuna and Draupadī, considering the grief of the wife of Droṅācārya... There were many instances like that. Not that "The person is criminal," but "What will be the effect of killing him?" That is to be considered.

I think I have told you one story about Shah Jahan, the emperor of India. A, one great drama writer, Mr. P. L. Raya, he wrote one book by the name, title, Shah Jahan. But the activities of the whole book was the nefarious actions of Aurangzeb. He was killing his brothers, arresting father and so many. So one friend of Mr. Raya asked him that "Your book, the Shah Jahan, is the activities..., the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have named Shah Jahan?" So he replied that although Shah Jahan is silent, but the effect is going to him. When Aurangzeb killed his elder brother, Dara, then the effect was suffered by Shah Jahan. So all the activities, nefarious activities, of Aurangzeb was suffered by Shah Jahan. Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Aśvatthāmā—it is right; I should kill him—but the effect would go to his mother. His mother, she is innocent, and in the absence of her husband, our guru, it is our duty to look after her comforts. Now, if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then she will suffer in old age." Therefore na aicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He did not... Although Kṛṣṅa advised him to kill him, he did not like it. Guru-sutam. This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see that what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ [SB 5.18.12].

[All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?]

Bhagavad-bhakta means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair guṅais tatra samāsate surāḥ.

We have got many instances, that Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was very rich zamindar's son, and there was a trouble between the minister of the state and his father and uncle. They were zamindars. They were raising revenues to the extent of twelve lakhs, and the tax was going to the Nawab only four lakhs. So this is the business. So the minister arrested the father and uncle of Raghunātha, and they fled away from home. So the minister arrested Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. At that time he was not Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; he was gṛhastha, young man, Raghunātha. So he handled the matter in such a nice way that the matter was settled between the minister and his father. The idea is although he was Vaiṣṅava, he was not a fool how to manage a state. It does not mean that Vaiṣṅava will be fool and rascal because he's Vaiṣṅava. No. Vaiṣṅava, twenty-six qualification. One of the qualification is dakṣa: he must be very expert in doing things very nicely. Not that because one is Vaiṣṅava he'll be callous in the worldly things. No. Therefore I repeatedly request the management that you must be very expert in managing these temple affairs. Everything should be right point. Not a single farthing should be wasted. A Vaiṣṅava must be dakṣa, expert in everything. This is no excuse that "I have become a devotee; therefore I am callous to all material things." What material things? Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṅa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255].

[When one is not attached to anything but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṅa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kṛṣṅa is not as complete in his renunciation.]

Anything in relationship with Kṛṣṅa, that is not material; that is spiritual. I have several times explained that this temple, don't think it is ordinary building. It is Vaikuṅṭha. Cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu. Kṛṣṅa has His house, prakara-sadmasu. Cintāmaṅi-prakara-sadmasu. Sadma. Sadma means house. So we should take very, very careful attention that this temple is kept very nicely, managed very nicely. Not that "I have become Vaiṣṅava. Let everything be stolen or spoiled or broken. I have become Vaiṣṅava. I cannot take care. That is not my consideration."

Because I have several times pressed on this point that everything in relationship with Kṛṣṅa is Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is the advaya-jñāna, Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṅa and His name, His house, His devotees—His everything, nāma rūpa guṅa līlā parikara vaisiṣṭya, everything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says... Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, it is said by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanaya tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. Vrajeśa-tanaya, Vrajendra-nandana Hari, Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is very much pleased when He is addressed as Vrajendra-nandana, Yaśodānandana, Pārtha-sārathi, added with the..., with His devotee's name—just to establish that He's not nirviśeṣa. He's always saviśeṣa. So this addition... Kṛṣṅa is everyone's father. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

Who can be His father? Nobody can become His father. Still, He accepts a father, and He likes that He should be called by His father's name. Who is that father? His devotee. Vrajendra-nandana Hari. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa... Bhagavān. He is addressed as Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Person, Supreme Being. Who can be His father? Still, it is said, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ. Vrajeśa-tanaya. He's son of Mahārāja Nanda, ārādhyo bhagavān, Yaśomatī-nandana.

So Kṛṣṅa and His father... Although he's not Kṛṣṅa, he's nitya-mukta. There are different types of living entities: nitya-mukta, nitya-baddha, sādhana-siddha, kṛpā-siddha. These things are very nicely discussed in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Nitya-siddha. This father, mother of Kṛṣṅa, they are nitya-siddhas. Although they are living entities... They are not Bhagavān, not viṣṅu-tattva. Jīva-tattva. But nitya-siddha. Those who are in the spiritual world, they are nitya-siddha. Nitya-mukta. Nitya-mukta means they never come in this material world. Just like Kṛṣṅa is nitya-mukta śuddha. Similarly, the associates of Kṛṣṅa who come with Him—just like the gopīs or the cowherd boys and so on, the cows, calves—they are all nitya-siddha, nitya-mukta. They come with Kṛṣṅa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. They are in the spiritual form, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, enjoying always spiritual bliss in the association of Kṛṣṅa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ [Bs 5.37].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.]

Nija kalā ty ābhir. That is also expansion of Kṛṣṅa. Just like Brahmā, when he stolen Kṛṣṅa's friends, cowherd boys, and the cows and calves, Brahmā saw that Kṛṣṅa is playing with the same cowherd boys, cows, calves, and he was astonished. He went..., came to test, that "It is being advertised that one boy is now born, is there in Vṛndāvana, and He's being accepted as Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality, my Lord." So he played some tricks. He stolen away. But the next moment he saw... Next moment means one hour..., one year. He saw that Kṛṣṅa has expanded Himself in so many living entities. And later on he saw that everyone is Viṣṅu. Everyone is Viṣṅu. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate [Bs 5.46]. Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa's aṁśa. He expands just like candle. One candle is lit up by another candle, another candle. In this way, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, in the hundreds of times. But each candle is as powerful as the first one. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu kṛṣṅaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ [Bs 5.39].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself personally as Kṛṣṅa and the different avatāras in the world in the forms of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, etc., as His subjective portions.]

He has got extensive, innumerable expansions. In the Bhāgavata it is said that Kṛṣṅa's expansion is so great, just like the waves of the ocean, you cannot count. It is not possible. If you sit down on the sea beach and go on counting how many waves, day and night, there is no limit. So Kṛṣṅa's expansion is unlimited. He's unlimited, His expansions are unlimited. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

So everything belonging to Kṛṣṅa is Kṛṣṅa. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Nothing should be neglected. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Everything should be...

Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau [Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam].

[The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.]

Every corner of this temple should be considered, "Here is Kṛṣṅa." Then Kṛṣṅa conscious will be here. Not that "Only in the temple Kṛṣṅa is there, not in the gate. Let it be open, and thief may come and steal." No. Very, very careful. The idea is that devotee must be expert in understanding things very clearly. Just like Arjuna. Kṛṣṅa is requesting him. Therefore it is said, evaṁ parīkṣatā. Kṛṣṅa is trying to see how Arjuna is Kṛṣṅa conscious. "I am requesting you, 'Kill him.' " And what does he decide? Kṛṣṅa knew everything. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg 15.15].

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

Kṛṣṅa is situated in everyone's heart. So what Arjuna was thinking of, Kṛṣṅa knew it that he was thinking rightly not to kill this man. Still, He was parīkṣatā, He was examining how Arjuna decides. So he passed the examination. [coughs]

So devotee is expected to pass all kinds of examinations. That is devotee. Not one-sided. Therefore śāstra says, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā [SB 5.18.12].

Akiñcana-bhakti. Kiñcana. Kiñcana means "something." So akiñcana means "no something." That is akiñcana. "I have nothing to do except Kṛṣṅa's service." That is called akiñcana. He has no other duty. Only duty is how to please Kṛṣṅa. That is śuddha-bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [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.]

So long you're on the platform of jñāna or karma... There are different stages. Karma is the lowest stage, and jñāna is higher. Koṭi-karma-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha [Cc Madhya 19.147].

[Among the followers of Vedic knowledge, most are following the process of fruitive activity and distinguishing between good and bad work. Out of many such sincere fruitive actors, there may be one who is actually wise.]

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, out of many millions of karmīs, one jñānī is good, śreṣṭha. And out of millions of jñānīs... Simply jñāna, theoretical knowledge, is not good. It must be practical. Jñāna, the result of jñāna is to become liberated, mukti. Simply I am very jñānī and I am doing all nonsense, this is not jñāna. He must be liberated from material attachment. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg 18.54].

[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.]

This is the stage of perfection of jñāna. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He has nothing to do with the material world. That is jñānī. Therefore the karmīs, they are very much attached to the material activities, and jñānī is not attached—not attached, neither interested. That is real jñānī. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, koṭi-karma-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. Out of millions of karmīs, one jñānī is śreṣṭha. We sometimes differ with the Māyāvādī philosophers. But they are jñānīs. They are better than the karmīs. There is no doubt. Koṭi-karma-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. But it does not mean because one has got some theoretical knowledge, therefore he is mukta. That is another stage. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, koṭi-jñānī-madhye haya eka mukta śreṣṭha. And so far bhakta, koṭi-mukta-madhye durlabha kṛṣṅa-bhakta. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That is another thing. Koṭi-mukta-madhye. Koṭisyapi mahā-mune[?].

So to become Kṛṣṅa conscious, fully devoted, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11],

it is very, very difficult, the highest position. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān [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.]

The jñāna... After jñāna, there is the stage of bhakti. Without jñāna, bhakti is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. With jñāna, he is uttama-adhikārī. These are described by Caitanya..., in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So the idea is that if one is advanced devotee, then all the good qualities will be visible in him. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā [SB 5.18.12].

Akiñcanā: he has no other desire. Akiñcana-bhakti. If he has got any other desire to fulfill, then it is mixed. It is not śuddha-bhakti; it is vaidhī-bhakti. Karma-miśra-bhakti, jñāna-miśra-bhakti, yoga-miśra-bhakti. Bhakti must be there. Otherwise, karma, jñāna, yoga, nothing is successful. Bhakti must be there. But when karma, jñāna, yoga, everything is without contamination, simply bhakti... Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167]. eThat stage is ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanam: simply to satisfy.

Now here Kṛṣṅa is advising. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanam. There is a... Parīkṣatā, as Kṛṣṅa is examining, similarly, Arjuna also very intelligently acting. He knew that although Kṛṣṅa was encouraging him to kill Aśvatthāmā, "He wanted to see me, how I deal with the matter." This is also... There is competition between bhaktas. Doṅhe kare huḍāhuḍi, it is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Between Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa is being enlivened by seeing Rādhārāṅī, and Rādhārāṅī is becoming more beautiful by seeing Kṛṣṅa. Dui lagye hura huri, the competition. This is described in the fourth chapter of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So it is transcendental sporting between the devotee and the Lord. It is not nirviśeṣa-vāda. The Lord wants to see, "How he is My pure devotee." And the devotee wants to see that "I'll not accept anything from Kṛṣṅa. I shall sacrifice everything for Kṛṣṅa." That is dui lagye hura huri. That is devotee, and that is Kṛṣṅa.

So here is Arjuna. He's being examined by Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa wants to examine His devotees, how staunch devotee he is. Just like the Pāṅḍavas. They were put into so many troubles. They lost their kingdom, they lost their wife—insulted. The wife was endeavored to become naked. Never..., the Pāṅḍavas never said that "Kṛṣṅa, You are our friend. Why we are suffering so many troubles?" Never. Never. This is pure devotee. Kṛṣṅa is always with him. Kṛṣṅa could do anything, but still they never requested, neither Kuntī nor Pāṅḍavas. This is pure devotion. A pure devotee will never try to take anything from Kṛṣṅa. He will try to give everything to Kṛṣṅa. So doṅhe kare huḍāhuḍi. So here is a trial between the devotee and Lord Kṛṣṅa, and Arjuna has passed the examination. Therefore it is said, evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmaṁ pārthaḥ kṛṣṅena coditaḥ. He's being examined by kṛṣṅena, not ordinary person. But he passed the examination. Why? Naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. In spite of Kṛṣṅa's, I mean to say, injection that "Do it," he did not like to do it. Naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutaṁ yadyapy ātma-hanaṁ mahān—although he is the greatest criminal.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]