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Chapter Seven
The Son of Drona Punished
TEXT 1
TEXT
saunaka uvaca
nirgate narade suta
bhagavan badarayanah
srutavams tad-abhipretam
tatah kim akarod vibhuh
SYNONYMS
saunakah--Sri Saunaka; uvaca--said; nirgate--having gone; narade--Narada Muni; suta--O Suta; bhagavan--the transcendentally powerful; badarayanah--Vedavyasa; srutavan--who heard; tat--his; abhipretam--desire of the mind; tatah--thereafter; kim--what; akarot--did he do; vibhuh--the great.
TRANSLATION
Rsi Saunaka asked: O Suta, the great and transcendentally powerful Vyasadeva heard everything from Sri Narada Muni. So after Narada's departure, what did Vyasadeva do?
PURPORT
In this chapter the clue for describing Srimad-Bhagavatam is picked up as Maharaja Pariksit is miraculously saved in the womb of his mother. This was caused by Drauni (Asvatthama), Acarya Drona's son, who killed the five sons of Draupadi while they were asleep, for which he was punished by Arjuna. Before commencing the great epic Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Vyasadeva realized the whole truth by trance in devotion.
TEXT 2
TEXT
suta uvaca
brahma-nadyam sarasvatyam
asramah pascime tate
samyaprasa iti prokta
rsinam satra-vardhanah
SYNONYMS
sutah--Sri Suta; uvaca--said; brahma-nadyam--on the bank of the river intimately related with Vedas, brahmanas, saints, and the Lord; sarasvatyam--Sarasvati; asramah--cottage for meditation; pascime--on the west; tate--bank; samyaprasah--the place named Samyaprasa; iti--thus; proktah--said to be; rsinam--of the sages; satra-vardhanah--that which enlivens activities.
TRANSLATION
Sri Suta said: On the western bank of the River Sarasvati, which is intimately related with the Vedas, there is a cottage for meditation at Samyaprasa which enlivens the transcendental activities of the sages.
PURPORT
For spiritual advancement of knowledge a suitable place and atmosphere are definitely required. The place on the western bank of the Sarasvati is especially suitable for this purpose. And there is the asrama of Vyasadeva at Samyaprasa. Srila Vyasadeva was a householder, yet his residential place is called an asrama. An asrama is a place where spiritual culture is always foremost. It does not matter whether the place belongs to a householder or a mendicant. The whole varnasrama system is so designed that each and every status of life is called an asrama. This means that spiritual culture is the common factor for all. The brahmacaris, the grhasthas, the vanaprasthas and the sannyasis all belong to the same mission of life, namely, realization of the Supreme. Therefore none of them are less important as far as spiritual culture is concerned. The difference is a matter of formality on the strength of renunciation. The sannyasis are held in high estimation on the strength of practical renunciation.
TEXT 3
TEXT
tasmin sva asrame vyaso
badari-sanda-mandite
asino 'pa upasprsya
pranidadhyau manah svayam
SYNONYMS
tasmin--in that (asrama); sve--own; asrame--in the cottage; vyasah--Vyasadeva; badari--berry; sanda--trees; mandite--surrounded by; asinah--sitting; apah upasprsya--touching water; pranidadhyau--concentrated; manah--the mind; svayam--himself.
TRANSLATION
In that place, Srila Vyasadeva, in his own asrama, which was surrounded by berry trees, sat down to meditate after touching water for purification.
PURPORT
Under instructions of his spiritual master Srila Narada Muni, Vyasadeva concentrated his mind in that transcendental place of meditation.
TEXT 4
TEXT
bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak pranihite 'male
apasyat purusam purnam
mayam ca tad-apasrayam
SYNONYMS
bhakti--devotional service; yogena--by the process of linking up; manasi--upon the mind; samyak--perfectly; pranihite--engaged in and fixed upon; amale--without any matter; apasyat--saw; purusam--the Personality of Godhead; purnam--absolute; mayam--energy; ca--also; tat--His; apasrayam--under full control.
TRANSLATION
Thus he fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] without any tinge of materialism, and thus he saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead along with His external energy, which was under full control.
PURPORT
Perfect vision of the Absolute Truth is possible only by the linking process of devotional service. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. One can perfectly realize the Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead only by the process of devotional service, and one can enter into the kingdom of God by such perfect knowledge. Imperfect realization of the Absolute by the partial approach of the impersonal Brahman or localized Paramatma does not permit anyone to enter into the kingdom of God. Sri Narada advised Srila Vyasadeva to become absorbed in transcendental meditation on the Personality of Godhead and His activities. Srila Vyasadeva did not take notice of the effulgence of Brahman because that is not absolute vision. The absolute vision is the Personality of Godhead, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.19): vasudevah sarvam iti. In the Upanisads also it is confirmed that Vasudeva, the Personality of Godhead, is covered by the golden glowing hiranmayena patrena veil of impersonal Brahman, and when that curtain is removed by the mercy of the Lord the real face of the Absolute is seen. The Absolute is mentioned here as the purusa, or person. The Absolute Personality of Godhead is mentioned in so many Vedic literatures, and in the Bhagavad-gita, the purusa is confirmed as the eternal and original person. The Absolute Personality of Godhead is the perfect person. The Supreme Person has manifold energies, out of which the internal, external and marginal energies are specifically important. The energy mentioned here is the external energy, as will be clear from the statements of her activities. The internal energy is there along with the Absolute Person as the moonlight is there with the moon. The external energy is compared to darkness because it keeps the living entities in the darkness of ignorance. The word apasrayam suggests that this energy of the Lord is under full control. The internal potency or superior energy is also called maya, but it is spiritual maya, or energy exhibited in the absolute realm. When one is under the shelter of this internal potency, the darkness of material ignorance is at once dissipated. And even those who are atmarama, or fixed in trance, take shelter of this maya, or internal energy. Devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, is the function of the internal energy; thus there is no place for the inferior energy, or material energy, just as there is no place for darkness in the effulgence of spiritual light. Such internal energy is even superior to the spiritual bliss attainable in the conception of impersonal Brahman. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that the impersonal Brahman effulgence is also an emanation from the Absolute Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. The parama-purusa cannot be anyone except Sri Krsna Himself, as will be explained in the later slokas.
TEXT 5
TEXT
yaya sammohito jiva
atmanam tri-gunatmakam
paro 'pi manute 'nartham
tat-krtam cabhipadyate
SYNONYMS
yaya--by whom; sammohitah--illusioned; jivah--the living entities; atmanam--self; tri-guna-atmakam--conditioned by the three modes of nature, or a product of matter; parah--transcendental; api--in spite of; manute--takes it for granted; anartham--things not wanted; tat--by that; krtam ca--reaction; abhipadyate--undergoes thereof.
TRANSLATION
Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries.
PURPORT
The root cause of suffering by the materialistic living beings is pointed out with remedial measures which are to be undertaken and also the ultimate perfection to be gained. All this is mentioned in this particular verse. The living being is by constitution transcendental to material encagement, but he is now imprisoned by the external energy, and therefore he thinks himself one of the material products. And due to this unholy contact, the pure spiritual entity suffers material miseries under the modes of material nature. The living entity misunderstands himself to be a material product. This means that the present perverted way of thinking, feeling and willing, under material conditions, is not natural for him. But he has his normal way of thinking, feeling and willing. The living being in his original state is not without thinking, willing and feeling power. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that the actual knowledge of the conditioned soul is now covered by nescience. Thus the theory that a living being is absolute impersonal Brahman is refuted herein. This cannot be, because the living entity has his own way of thinking in his original unconditional state also. The present conditional state is due to the influence of the external energy, which means that the illusory energy takes the initiative while the Supreme Lord is aloof. The Lord does not desire that a living being be illusioned by external energy. The external energy is aware of this fact, but still she accepts a thankless task of keeping the forgotten soul under illusion by her bewildering influence. The Lord does not interfere with the task of the illusory energy because such performances of the illusory energy are also necessary for reformation of the conditioned soul. An affectionate father does not like his children to be chastised by another agent, yet he puts his disobedient children under the custody of a severe man just to bring them to order. But the all-affectionate Almighty Father at the same time desires relief for the conditioned soul, relief from the clutches of the illusory energy. The king puts the disobedient citizens within the walls of the jail, but sometimes the king, desiring the prisoners' relief, personally goes there and pleads for reformation, and on his doing so the prisoners are set free. Similarly, the Supreme Lord descends from His kingdom upon the kingdom of illusory energy and personally gives relief in the form of the Bhagavad-gita, wherein He personally suggests that although the ways of illusory energy are very stiff to overcome, one who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord is set free by the order of the Supreme. This surrendering process is the remedial measure for getting relief from the bewildering ways of the illusory energy. The surrendering process is completed by the influence of association. The Lord has suggested, therefore, that by the influence of the speeches of saintly persons who have actually realized the Supreme, men are engaged in His transcendental loving service. The conditioned soul gets a taste for hearing about the Lord, and by such hearing only he is gradually elevated to the platform of respect, devotion and attachment for the Lord. The whole thing is completed by the surrendering process. Herein also the same suggestion is made by the Lord in His incarnation of Vyasadeva. This means that the conditioned souls are being reclaimed by the Lord both ways, namely by the process of punishment by the external energy of the Lord, and by Himself as the spiritual master within and without. Within the heart of every living being the Lord Himself as the Supersoul (Paramatma) becomes the spiritual master, and from without He becomes the spiritual master in the shape of scriptures, saints and the initiator spiritual master. This is still more explicitly explained in the next sloka.
Personal superintendence of the illusory energy is confirmed in the Vedas (the Kena Upanisad) in relation to the demigods' controlling power. Herein also it is clearly stated that the living entity is controlled by the external energy in a personal capacity. The living being thus subject to the control of external energy is differently situated. It is clear, however, from the present statement of Bhagavatam that the same external energy is situated in the inferior position before the Personality of Godhead, or the perfect being. The perfect being, or the Lord, cannot be approached even by the illusory energy, who can only work on the living entities. Therefore it is sheer imagination that the Supreme Lord is illusioned by the illusory energy and thus becomes a living being. If the living being and the Lord were in the same category, then it would have been quite possible for Vyasadeva to see it, and there would have been no question of material distress on the part of the illusioned being, for the Supreme Being is fully cognizant. So there are so many unscrupulous imaginations on the part of the monists to endeavor to put both the Lord and the living being in the same category. Had the Lord and the living beings been the same, then Srila Sukadeva Gosvami would not have taken the trouble to describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, for they would all be manifestations of illusory energy.
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the summum bonum remedy for suffering humanity in the clutches of maya. Srila Vyasadeva therefore first of all diagnosed the actual disease of the conditioned souls, i.e., their being illusioned by the external energy. He also saw the perfect Supreme Being, from whom illusory energy is far removed, though He saw both the diseased conditioned souls and also the cause of the disease. And the remedial measures are suggested in the next verse. Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living beings are undoubtedly qualitatively one, but the Lord is the controller of the illusory energy, whereas the living entity is controlled by the illusory energy. Thus the Lord and the living beings are simultaneously one and different. Another point is distinct herein: that eternal relation between the Lord and the living being is transcendental, otherwise the Lord would not have taken the trouble to reclaim the conditioned souls from the clutches of maya. In the same way, the living entity is also required to revive his natural love and affection for the Lord, and that is the highest perfection of the living entity. Srimad-Bhagavatam treats the conditioned soul with an aim to that goal of life.
TEXT 6
TEXT
anarthopasamam saksad
bhakti-yogam adhoksaje
lokasyajanato vidvams
cakre satvata-samhitam
SYNONYMS
anartha--things which are superfluous; upasamam--mitigation; saksat--directly; bhakti-yogam--the linking process of devotional service; adhoksaje--unto the Transcendence; lokasya--of the general mass of men; ajanatah--those who are unaware of; vidvan--the supremely learned; cakre--compiled; satvata--in relation with the Supreme Truth; samhitam--Vedic literature.
TRANSLATION
The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyasadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth.
PURPORT
Srila Vyasadeva saw the all-perfect Personality of Godhead. This statement suggests that the complete unit of the Personality of Godhead includes His parts and parcels also. He saw, therefore, His different energies, namely the internal energy, the marginal energy and the external energy. He also saw His different plenary portions and parts of the plenary portions, namely His different incarnations also, and he specifically observed the unwanted miseries of the conditioned souls, who are bewildered by the external energy. And at last he saw the remedial measure for the conditioned souls, namely, the process of devotional service. It is a great transcendental science and begins with the process of hearing and chanting the name, fame, glory, etc., of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Revival of the dormant affection or love of Godhead does not depend on the mechanical system of hearing and chanting, but it solely and wholly depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord. When the Lord is fully satisfied with the sincere efforts of the devotee, He may endow him with His loving transcendental service. But even with the prescribed forms of hearing and chanting, there is at once mitigation of the superfluous and unwanted miseries of material existence. Such mitigation of material affection does not wait for development of transcendental knowledge. Rather, knowledge is dependent on devotional service for the ultimate realization of the Supreme Truth.
TEXT 7
TEXT
yasyam vai sruyamanayam
krsne parama-puruse
bhaktir utpadyate pumsah
soka-moha-bhayapaha
SYNONYMS
yasyam--this Vedic literature; vai--certainly; sruyamanayam--simply by giving aural reception; krsne--unto Lord Krsna; parama--supreme; puruse--unto the Personality of Godhead; bhaktih--feelings of devotional service; utpadyate--sprout up; pumsah--of the living being; soka--lamentation; moha--illusion; bhaya--fearfulness; apaha--that which extinguishes.
TRANSLATION
Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness.
PURPORT
There are various senses, of which the ear is the most effective. This sense works even when a man is deep asleep. One can protect himself from the hands of an enemy while awake, but while asleep one is protected by the ear only. The importance of hearing is mentioned here in connection with attaining the highest perfection of life, namely, getting free from three material pangs. Everyone is full of lamentation at every moment, he is after the mirage of illusory things, and he is always afraid of his supposed enemy. These are the primary symptoms of material disease. And it is definitely suggested herein that simply by hearing the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam one gets attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, and as soon as this is effected the symptoms of the material diseases disappear. Srila Vyasadeva saw the all-perfect Personality of Godhead, and in this statement the all-perfect Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna is clearly confirmed.
The ultimate result of devotional service is to develop genuine love for the Supreme Personality. Love is a word which is often used in relation with man and woman. And love is the only word that can be properly used to indicate the relation between Lord Krsna and the living entities. The living entities are mentioned as prakrti in the Bhagavad-gita, and in Sanskrit prakrti is a feminine object. The Lord is always described as the parama-purusa, or the supreme male personality. Thus the affection between the Lord and the living entities is something like that between the male and the female. Therefore the term love of Godhead is quite appropriate.
Loving devotional service to the Lord begins with hearing about the Lord. There is no difference between the Lord and the subject matter heard about Him. The Lord is absolute in all respects, and thus there is no difference between Him and the subject matter heard about Him. Therefore, hearing about Him means immediate contact with Him by the process of vibration of the transcendental sound. And the transcendental sound is so effective that it acts at once by removing all material affections mentioned above. As mentioned before, a living entity develops a sort of complexity by material association, and the illusory encagement of the material body is accepted as an actual fact. Under such false complexity, the living beings under different categories of life become illusioned in different ways. Even in the most developed stage of human life, the same illusion prevails in the form of many isms and divides the loving relation with the Lord and thereby divides the loving relation between man and man. By hearing the subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam this false complexity of materialism is removed, and real peace in society begins, which politicians aspire for so eagerly in so many political situations. The politicians want a peaceful situation between man and man, and nation and nation, but at the same time, because of too much attachment for material domination, there is illusion and fearfulness. Therefore the politicians' peace conferences cannot bring about peace in society. It can only be done by hearing the subject matter described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam about the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. The foolish politicians may go on holding peace and summit conferences for hundreds of years, but they will fail to achieve success. Until we reach the stage of reestablishing our lost relation with Krsna, the illusion of accepting the body as the self will prevail, and thus fearfulness will also prevail. As for the validity of Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are hundreds and thousands of evidences from revealed scriptures, and there are hundreds and thousands of evidences from personal experiences of devotees in various places like Vrndavana, Navadvipa and Puri. Even in the Kaumudi dictionary the synonyms of Krsna are given as the son of Yasoda and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Parabrahman. The conclusion is that simply by hearing the Vedic literature Srimad-Bhagavatam, one can have direct connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, and thereby one can attain the highest perfection of life by transcending worldly miseries, illusion and fearfulness. These are practical tests for one who has actually given a submissive hearing to the readings of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
TEXT 8
TEXT
sa samhitam bhagavatim
krtvanukramya catma-jam
sukam adhyapayam asa
nivrtti-niratam munih
SYNONYMS
sah--that; samhitam--Vedic literature; bhagavatim--in relation with the Personality of Godhead; krtva--having done; anukramya--by correction and repetition; ca--and; atma-jam--his own son; sukam--Sukadeva Gosvami; adhyapayam asa--taught; nivrtti--path of self realization; niratam--engaged; munih--the sage.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Vyasadeva, after compiling the Srimad-Bhagavatam and revising it, taught it to his own son, Sri Sukadeva Gosvami, who was already engaged in self-realization.
PURPORT
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentation on the Brahma-sutras compiled by the same author. This Brahma-sutra, or Vedanta-sutra, is meant for those who are already engaged in self-realization. Srimad-Bhagavatam is so made that one becomes at once engaged in the path of self-realization simply by hearing the topics. Although it is especially meant for the paramahamsas, or those who are totally engaged in self-realization, it works into the depths of the hearts of those who may be worldly men. Worldly men are all engaged in sense gratification. But even such men will find in this Vedic literature a remedial measure for their material diseases. Sukadeva Gosvami was a liberated soul from the very beginning of his birth, and his father taught him Srimad-Bhagavatam. Amongst mundane scholars, there is some diversity of opinion as to the date of compilation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is, however, certain from the text of the Bhagavatam that it was compiled before the disappearance of King Pariksit and after the departure of Lord Krsna. When Maharaja Pariksit was ruling the world as the King of Bharata-varsa, he chastised the personality of Kali. According to revealed scriptures and astrological calculation, the age of Kali is in its five thousandth year. Therefore, Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled not less than five thousand years ago. Mahabharata was compiled before Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the Puranas were compiled before Mahabharata. That is an estimation of the date of compilation of the different Vedic literatures. The synopsis of Srimad-Bhagavatam was given before the detailed description under instruction of Narada. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the science for following the path of nivrtti-marga. The path of pravrtti-marga was condemned by Narada. That path is the natural inclination for all conditioned souls. The theme of Srimad-Bhagavatam is the cure of the materialistic disease of the human being, or stopping completely the pangs of material existence.
TEXT 9
TEXT
saunaka uvaca
sa vai nivrtti-niratah
sarvatropeksako munih
kasya va brhatim etam
atmaramah samabhyasat
SYNONYMS
saunakah uvaca--Sri Saunaka asked; sah--he; vai--of course; nivrtti--on the path of self-realization; niratah--always engaged; sarvatra--in every respect; upeksakah--indifferent; munih--sage; kasya--for what reason; va--or; brhatim--vast; etam--this; atma-aramah--one who is pleased in himself; samabhyasat--undergo the studies.
TRANSLATION
Sri Saunaka asked Suta Gosvami: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami was already on the path of self-realization, and thus he was pleased with his own self. So why did he take the trouble to undergo the study of such a vast literature?
PURPORT
For the people in general the highest perfection of life is to cease from material activities and be fixed on the path of self-realization. Those who take pleasure in sense enjoyment, or those who are fixed in material bodily welfare work, are called karmis. Out of thousands and millions of such karmis, one may become an atmarama by self-realization. Atma means self, and arama means to take pleasure. Everyone is searching after the highest pleasure, but the standard of pleasure of one may be different from the standard of another. Therefore, the standard of pleasure enjoyed by the karmis is different from that of the atmaramas. The atmaramas are completely indifferent to material enjoyment in every respect. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami had already attained that stage, and still he was attracted to undergo the trouble of studying the great Bhagavatam literature. This means that Srimad-Bhagavatam is a postgraduate study even for the atmaramas, who have surpassed all the studies of Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 10
TEXT
suta uvaca
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
SYNONYMS
sutah uvaca--Suta Gosvami said; atmaramah--those who take pleasure in atma (generally, spirit self); ca--also; munayah--sages; nirgranthah--freed from all bondage; api--in spite of; urukrame--unto the great adventurer; kurvanti--do; ahaitukim--unalloyed; bhaktim--devotional service; ittham-bhuta--such wonderful; gunah--qualities; harih--of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
All different varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self], especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.
PURPORT
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained this atmarama sloka very vividly before His chief devotee Srila Sanatana Gosvami. He points out eleven factors in the sloka, namely (1) atmarama, (2) munayah, (3) nirgrantha, (4) api, (5) ca, (6) urukrama, (7) kurvanti, (8) ahaitukim, (9) bhaktim, (10) ittham-bhuta-gunah and (11) harih. According to the Visva-prakasa Sanskrit dictionary, there are seven synonyms for the word atmarama, which are as follows: (1) Brahman (the Absolute Truth), (2) body, (3) mind, (4) endeavor, (5) endurance, (6) intelligence and (7) personal habits.
The word munayah refers to (1) those who are thoughtful, (2) those who are grave and silent, (3) ascetics, (4) the persistent, (5) mendicants, (6) sages and (7) saints.
The word nirgrantha conveys these ideas: (1) one who is liberated from nescience, (2) one who has no connection with scriptural injunction, i.e., who is freed from the obligation of the rules and regulations mentioned in the revealed scriptures like ethics, Vedas, philosophy, psychology and metaphysics (in other words the fools, illiterate, urchins, etc., who have no connection with regulative principles), (3) a capitalist, and also (4) one who is penniless.
According to the Sabda-kosa dictionary, the affix ni is used in the sense of (1) certainty, (2) counting, (3) building, and (4) forbiddance, and the word grantha is used in the sense of wealth, thesis, vocabulary, etc.
The word urukrama means "the one whose activities are glorious." Krama means "step." This word urukrama specifically indicates the Lord's incarnation as Vamana, who covered the whole universe by immeasurable steps. Lord Visnu is powerful, and His activities are so glorious that He has created the spiritual world by His internal potency and the material world by His external potency. By His all-pervading features He is everywhere present as the Supreme Truth, and in His personal feature He is always present in His transcendental abode of Goloka Vrndavana, where He displays His transcendental pastimes in all variegatedness. His activities cannot be compared to anyone else's, and therefore the word urukrama is just applicable to Him only.
According to Sanskrit verbal arrangement, kurvanti refers to doing things for someone else. Therefore, it means that the atmaramas render devotional service unto the Lord not for personal interest but for the pleasure of the Lord, Urukrama.
Hetu means "causal." There are many causes for one's sense satisfaction, and they can be chiefly classified as material enjoyment, mystic powers and liberation, which are generally desired by progressive persons. As far as material enjoyments are concerned, they are innumerable, and the materialists are eager to increase them more and more because they are under the illusory energy. There is no end to the list of material enjoyments, nor can anyone in the material universe have all of them. As far as the mystic powers are concerned, they are eight in all (such as to become the minutest in form, to become weightless, to have anything one desires, to lord it over the material nature, to control other living beings, to throw earthly globes in outer space, etc.). These mystic powers are mentioned in the Bhagavatam. The forms of liberation are five in number.
Therefore, unalloyed devotion means service to the Lord without desire for the above-mentioned personal benefits. And the powerful Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna can be fully satisfied by such unalloyed devotees free from all sorts of desires for personal benefit.
Unalloyed devotional service of the Lord progresses in different stages. Practice of devotional service in the material field is of eighty-one different qualities, and above such activities is the transcendental practice of devotional service, which is one and is called sadhana-bhakti. When unalloyed practice of sadhana-bhakti is matured into transcendental love for the Lord, the transcendental loving service of the Lord begins gradually developing into nine progressive stages of loving service under the headings of attachment, love, affection, feelings, affinity, adherence, following, ecstasy, and intense feelings of separation.
The attachment of an inactive devotee develops up to the stage of transcendental love of God. Attachment of an active servitor develops up to the stage of adherence, and that for a friendly devotee develops up to the stage of following, and the same is also the case for the paternal devotees. Devotees in conjugal love develop ecstasy up to the stage of intense feelings of separation. These are some of the features of unalloyed devotional service of the Lord.
According to Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, the import of the word ittham-bhuta is "complete bliss." Transcendental bliss in the realization of impersonal Brahman becomes comparable to the scanty water contained in the pit made by a cow's hoof. It is nothing compared with the ocean of bliss of the vision of the Personality of Godhead. The personal form of Lord Sri Krsna is so attractive that it comprehends all attraction, all bliss and all tastes (rasas). These attractions are so strong that no one wants to exchange them for material enjoyment, mystic powers and liberation. There is no need of logical arguments in support of this statement, but out of one's own nature one becomes attracted by the qualities of Lord Sri Krsna. We must know for certain that the qualities of the Lord have nothing to do with mundane qualities. All of them are full of bliss, knowledge and eternity. There are innumerable qualities of the Lord, and one is attracted by one quality while another is attracted by another.
Great sages, such as the four bachelor-devotees Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda and Sanat-kumara, were attracted by the fragrance of flowers and tulasi leaves anointed with the pulp of sandalwood offered at the lotus feet of the Lord. Similarly, Sukadeva Gosvami was attracted by the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Sukadeva Gosvami was already situated in the liberated stage, yet he was attracted by the pastimes of the Lord. This proves that the quality of His pastimes has nothing to do with material affinity. Similarly, the young cowherd damsels were attracted by the bodily features of the Lord, and Rukmini was attracted by hearing about the glories of the Lord. Lord Krsna attracts even the mind of the goddess of fortune. He attracts, in special cases, the minds of all young girls. He attracts the minds of the elderly ladies by paternal affection. He attracts the mind of the male in the humors of servitude and friendship.
The word hari conveys various meanings, but the chief import of the word is that He (the Lord) vanquishes everything inauspicious and takes away the mind of the devotee by awarding pure transcendental love. By remembering the Lord in acute distress one can be free from all varieties of miseries and anxieties. Gradually the Lord vanquishes all obstacles on the path of devotional service of a pure devotee, and the result of nine devotional activities, such as hearing and chanting, becomes manifested.
By His personal features and transcendental attributes, the Lord attracts all psychological activities of a pure devotee. Such is the attractive power of Lord Krsna. The attraction is so powerful that a pure devotee never hankers for any one of the four principles of religion. These are the attractive features of the transcendental attributes of the Lord. And adding to this the words api and ca, one can increase the imports unlimitedly. According to Sanskrit grammar there are seven synonyms for the word api.
So by interpreting each and every word of this sloka, one can see unlimited numbers of transcendental qualities of Lord Krsna that attract the mind of a pure devotee.
TEXT 11
TEXT
harer gunaksipta-matir
bhagavan badarayanih
adhyagan mahad akhyanam
nityam visnu-jana-priyah
SYNONYMS
hareh--of Hari, the Personality of Godhead; guna--transcendental attribute; aksipta--being absorbed in; matih--mind; bhagavan--powerful; badarayanih--the son of Vyasadeva; adhyagat--underwent studies; mahat--great; akhyanam--narration; nityam--regularly; visnu-jana--devotees of the Lord; priyah--beloved.
TRANSLATION
Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, son of Srila Vyasadeva, was not only transcendentally powerful. He was also very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration [Srimad-Bhagavatam].
PURPORT
According to Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was a liberated soul even within the womb of his mother. Srila Vyasadeva knew that the child, after his birth, would not stay at home. Therefore he (Vyasadeva) impressed upon him the synopsis of the Bhagavatam so that the child could be made attached to the transcendental activities of the Lord. After his birth, the child was still more educated in the subject of the Bhagavatam by recitation of the actual poems.
The idea is that generally the liberated souls are attached to the feature of impersonal Brahman with a monistic view of becoming one with the supreme whole. But by the association of pure devotees like Vyasadeva, even the liberated soul becomes attracted to the transcendental qualities of the Lord. By the mercy of Sri Narada, Srila Vyasadeva was able to narrate the great epic of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and by the mercy of Vyasadeva, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was able to grasp the import. The transcendental qualities of the Lord are so attractive that Srila Sukadeva Gosvami became detached from being completely absorbed in impersonal Brahman and positively took up the personal activity of the Lord.
Practically he was thrown from the impersonal conception of the Absolute, thinking within himself that he had simply wasted so much time in devoting himself to the impersonal feature of the Supreme, or in other words, he realized more transcendental bliss with the personal feature than the impersonal. And from that time, not only did he himself become very dear to the visnu-janas, or the devotees of the Lord, but also the visnu-janas became very dear to him. The devotees of the Lord, who do not wish to kill the individuality of the living entities and who desire to become personal servitors of the Lord, do not very much like the impersonalists, and similarly the impersonalists, who desire to become one with the Supreme, are unable to evaluate the devotees of the Lord. Thus from time immemorial these two transcendental pilgrims have sometimes been competitors. In other words, each of them likes to keep separate from the other because of the ultimate personal and impersonal realizations. Therefore it appears that Srila Sukadeva Gosvami also had no liking for the devotees. But since he himself became a saturated devotee, he desired always the transcendental association of the visnu-janas, and the visnu-janas also liked his association, since he became a personal Bhagavata. Thus both the son and the father were completely cognizant of transcendental knowledge in Brahman, and afterwards both of them became absorbed in the personal features of the Supreme Lord. The question as to how Sukadeva Gosvami was attracted by the narration of the Bhagavatam is thus completely answered by this sloka.
TEXT 12
TEXT
pariksito 'tha rajarser
janma-karma-vilapanam
samstham ca pandu-putranam
vaksye krsna-kathodayam
SYNONYMS
pariksitah--of King Pariksit; atha--thus; rajarseh--of the King who was the rsi among the kings; janma--birth; karma--activities; vilapanam--deliverance; samstham--renunciation of the world; ca--and; pandu-putranam--of the sons of Pandu; vaksye--I shall speak; krsna-katha-udayam--that which gives rise to the transcendental narration of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami thus addressed the rsis headed by Saunaka: Now I shall begin the transcendental narration of the Lord Sri Krsna and topics of the birth, activities and deliverance of King Pariksit, the sage amongst kings, as well as topics of the renunciation of the worldly order by the sons of Pandu.
PURPORT
Lord Krsna is so kind to the fallen souls that He personally incarnates Himself amongst the different kinds of living entities and takes part with them in daily activities. Any historical fact old or new which has a connection with the activities of the Lord is to be understood as a transcendental narration of the Lord. Without Krsna, all the supplementary literatures like the Puranas and Mahabharata are simply stories or historical facts. But with Krsna they become transcendental, and when we hear of them we at once become transcendentally related with the Lord. Srimad-Bhagavatam is also a Purana, but the special significance of this Purana is that the activities of the Lord are central and not just supplementary historical facts. Srimad-Bhagavatam is thus recommended by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the spotless Purana. There is a class of less intelligent devotees of the Bhagavata Purana who desire to relish at once the activities of the Lord narrated in the Tenth Canto without first understanding the primary cantos. They are under the false impression that the other cantos are not concerned with Krsna, and thus more foolishly than intelligently they take to the reading of the Tenth Canto. These readers are specifically told herein that the other cantos of the Bhagavatam are as important as the Tenth Canto. No one should try to go into the matters of the Tenth Canto without having thoroughly understood the purport of the other nine cantos. Krsna and His pure devotees like the Pandavas are on the same plane. Krsna is not without His devotees of all the rasas, and the pure devotees like the Pandavas are not without Krsna. The devotees and the Lord are interlinked, and they cannot be separated. Therefore talks about them are all krsna-katha, or topics of the Lord.
TEXTS 13-14
TEXT
yada mrdhe kaurava-srnjayanam
viresv atho vira-gatim gatesu
vrkodaraviddha-gadabhimarsa-
bhagnoru-dande dhrtarastra-putre
bhartuh priyam draunir iti sma pasyan
krsna-sutanam svapatam siramsi
upaharad vipriyam eva tasya
jugupsitam karma vigarhayanti
SYNONYMS
yada--when; mrdhe--in the battlefield; kaurava--the party of Dhrtarastra; srnjayanam--of the party of the Pandavas; viresu--of the warriors; atho--thus; vira-gatim--the destination deserved by the warriors; gatesu--being obtained; vrkodara--Bhima (the second Pandava); aviddha--beaten; gada--by the club; abhimarsa--lamenting; bhagna--broken; uru-dande--spinal cord; dhrtarastra-putre--the son of King Dhrtarastra; bhartuh--of the master; priyam--pleasing; draunih--the son of Dronacarya; iti--thus; sma--shall be; pasyan--seeing; krsna--Draupadi; sutanam--of the sons; svapatam--while sleeping; siramsi--heads; upaharat--delivered as a prize; vipriyam--pleasing; eva--like; tasya--his; jugupsitam--most heinous; karma--act; vigarhayanti--disapproving.
TRANSLATION
When the respective warriors of both camps, namely the Kauravas and the Pandavas, were killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra and the dead warriors obtained their deserved destinations, and when the son of Dhrtarastra fell down lamenting, his spine broken, being beaten by the club of Bhimasena, the son of Dronacarya [Asvatthama] beheaded the five sleeping sons of Draupadi 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.
PURPORT
Transcendental topics of the activities of Lord Sri Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam begin from the end of the battle at Kuruksetra, where the Lord Himself spoke about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, both the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are transcendental topics of Lord Krsna. The Gita is krsna-katha, or topics of Krsna, because it is spoken by the Lord, and the Bhagavatam is also krsna-katha because it is spoken about the Lord. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted everyone to be informed of both krsna-kathas by His order. Lord Krsna Caitanya is Krsna Himself in the garb of a devotee of Krsna, and therefore the versions of both Lord Krsna and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu are identical. Lord Caitanya desired that all who are born in India seriously understand such krsna-kathas and then after full realization preach the transcendental message to everyone in all parts of the world. That will bring about the desired peace and prosperity of the stricken world.
TEXT 15
TEXT
mata sisunam nidhanam sutanam
nisamya ghoram paritapyamana
tadarudad vaspa-kalakulaksi
tam santvayann aha kiritamali
SYNONYMS
mata--the mother; sisunam--of the children; nidhanam--massacre; sutanam--of the sons; nisamya--after hearing; ghoram--ghastly; paritapyamana--lamenting; tada--at that time; arudat--began to cry; vaspa-kala-akula-aksi--with tears in the eyes; tam--her; santvayan--pacifying; aha--said; kiritamali--Arjuna.
TRANSLATION
Draupadi, the mother of the five children of the Pandavas, after hearing of the massacre of her sons, began to cry in distress with eyes full of tears. Trying to pacify her in her great loss, Arjuna spoke to her thus:
TEXT 16
TEXT
tada sucas te pramrjami bhadre
yad brahma-bandhoh sira atatayinah
gandiva-muktair visikhair upahare
tvakramya yat snasyasi dagdha-putra
SYNONYMS
tada--at that time only; sucah--tears in grief; te--your; pramrjami--shall wipe away; bhadre--O gentle lady; yat--when; brahma-bandhoh--of a degraded brahmana; sirah--head; atatayinah--of the aggressor; gandiva-muktaih--shot by the bow named Gandiva; visikhaih--by the arrows; upahare--shall present to you; tva--yourself; akramya--riding on it; yat--which; snasyasi--take your bath; dagdha-putra--after burning the sons.
TRANSLATION
O gentle lady, when I present you with the head of that brahmana, after beheading him with arrows from my Gandiva bow, I shall then wipe the tears from your eyes and pacify you. Then, after burning your sons' bodies, you can take your bath standing on his head.
PURPORT
An enemy who sets fire to the house, administers poison, attacks all of a sudden with deadly weapons, plunders wealth or usurps agricultural fields, or entices one's wife is called an aggressor. Such an aggressor, though he be a brahmana or a so-called son of a brahmana, has to be punished in all circumstances. When Arjuna promised to behead the aggressor named Asvatthama, he knew well that Asvatthama was the son of a brahmana, but because the so-called brahmana acted like a butcher, he was taken as such, and there was no question of sin in killing such a brahmana's son who proved to be a villain.
TEXT 17
TEXT
iti priyam valgu-vicitra-jalpaih
sa santvayitvacyuta-mitra-sutah
anvadravad damsita ugra-dhanva
kapi-dhvajo guru-putram rathena
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; priyam--unto the dear; valgu--sweet; vicitra--variegated; jalpaih--by statements; sah--he; santvayitva--satisfying; acyuta-mitra-sutah--Arjuna, who is guided by the infallible Lord as a friend and driver; anvadravat--followed; damsitah--being protected by kavaca; ugra-dhanva--equipped with furious weapons; kapi-dhvajah--Arjuna; guru-putram--the son of the martial teacher; rathena--getting on the chariot.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna, who is guided by the infallible Lord as friend and driver, thus satisfied the dear lady by such statements. Then he dressed in armor and armed himself with furious weapons, and getting into his chariot, he set out to follow Asvatthama, the son of his martial teacher.
TEXT 18
TEXT
tam apatantam sa vilaksya durat
kumara-hodvigna-mana rathena
paradravat prana-paripsur urvyam
yavad-gamam rudra-bhayad yatha kah
SYNONYMS
tam--him; apatantam--coming over furiously; sah--he; vilaksya--seeing; durat--from a distance; kumara-ha--the murderer of the princes; udvigna-manah--disturbed in mind; rathena--on the chariot; paradravat--fled; prana--life; paripsuh--for protecting; urvyam--with great speed; yavat-gamam--as he fled; rudra-bhayat--by fear of Siva; yatha--as; kah--Brahma (or arkah--Surya).
TRANSLATION
Asvatthama, the murderer of the princes, seeing from a great distance Arjuna coming at him with great speed, fled in his chariot, panic stricken, just to save his life, as Brahma fled in fear from Siva.
PURPORT
According to the reading matter, either kah or arkah, there are two references in the Puranas. Kah means Brahma, who once became allured by his daughter and began to follow her, which infuriated Siva, who attacked Brahma with his trident. Brahmaji fled in fear of his life. As far as arkah is concerned, there is a reference in the Vamana Purana. There was a demon by the name Vidyunmali who was gifted with a glowing golden airplane which traveled to the back of the sun, and night disappeared because of the glowing effulgence of this plane. Thus the sun-god became angry, and with his virulent rays he melted the plane. This enraged Lord Siva. Lord Siva then attacked the sun-god, who fled away and at last fell down at Kasi (Varanasi), and the place became famous as Lolarka.
TEXT 19
TEXT
yadasaranam atmanam
aiksata sranta-vajinam
astram brahma-siro mene
atma-tranam dvijatmajah
SYNONYMS
yada--when; asaranam--without being alternatively protected; atmanam--his own self; aiksata--saw; sranta-vajinam--the horses being tired; astram--weapon; brahma-sirah--the topmost or ultimate (nuclear); mene--applied; atma-tranam--just to save himself; dvija-atma-jah--the son of a brahmana.
TRANSLATION
When the son of the brahmana [Asvatthama] saw that his horses were tired, he considered that there was no alternative for protection outside of his using the ultimate weapon, the brahmastra [nuclear weapon].
PURPORT
In the ultimate issue only, when there is no alternative, the nuclear weapon called the brahmastra is applied. The word dvijatmajah is significant here because Asvatthama, although the son of Dronacarya, was not exactly a qualified brahmana. The most intelligent man is called a brahmana, and it is not a hereditary title. Asvatthama was also formerly called the brahma-bandhu, or the friend of a brahmana. Being a friend of a brahmana does not mean that one is a brahmana by qualification. A friend or son of a brahmana, when fully qualified, can be called a brahmana and not otherwise. Since Asvatthama's decision is immature, he is purposely called herein the son of a brahmana.
TEXT 20
TEXT
athopasprsya salilam
sandadhe tat samahitah
ajanann api samharam
prana-krcchra upasthite
SYNONYMS
atha--thus; upasprsya--touching in sanctity; salilam--water; sandadhe--chanted the hymns; tat--that; samahitah--being in concentration; ajanan--without knowing; api--although; samharam--withdrawal; prana-krcchre--life being put in danger; upasthite--being placed in such a position.
TRANSLATION
Since his life was in danger, he touched water in sanctity and concentrated upon the chanting of the hymns for throwing nuclear weapons, although he did not know how to withdraw such weapons.
PURPORT
The subtle forms of material activities are finer than grosser methods of material manipulation. Such subtle forms of material activities are effected through purification of sound. The same method is adopted here by chanting hymns to act as nuclear weapons.
TEXT 21
TEXT
tatah praduskrtam tejah
pracandam sarvato disam
pranapadam abhipreksya
visnum jisnur uvaca ha
SYNONYMS
tatah--thereafter; praduskrtam--disseminated; tejah--glare; pracandam--fierce; sarvatah--all around; disam--directions; prana-apadam--affecting life; abhipreksya--having observed it; visnum--unto the Lord; jisnuh--Arjuna; uvaca--said; ha--in the past.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon a glaring light spread in all directions. It was so fierce that Arjuna thought his own life in danger, and so he began to address Lord Sri Krsna.
TEXT 22
TEXT
arjuna uvaca
krsna krsna maha-baho
bhaktanam abhayankara
tvam eko dahyamananam
apavargo 'si samsrteh
SYNONYMS
arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; krsna--O Lord Krsna; krsna--O Lord Krsna; maha-baho--He who is the Almighty; bhaktanam--of the devotees; abhayankara--eradicating the fears of; tvam--You; ekah--alone; dahyamananam--those who are suffering from; apavargah--the path of liberation; asi--are; samsrteh--in the midst of material miseries.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: O my Lord Sri Krsna, You are the almighty Personality of Godhead. There is no limit to Your different energies. Therefore only You are competent to instill fearlessness in the hearts of Your devotees. Everyone in the flames of material miseries can find the path of liberation in You only.
PURPORT
Arjuna was aware of the transcendental qualities of Lord Sri Krsna, as he had already experienced them during the Kuruksetra War, in which both of them were present. Therefore, Arjuna's version of Lord Krsna is authoritative. Krsna is almighty and is especially the cause of fearlessness for the devotees. A devotee of the Lord is always fearless because of the protection given by the Lord. Material existence is something like a blazing fire in the forest, which can be extinguished by the mercy of the Lord Sri Krsna. The spiritual master is the mercy representative of the Lord. Therefore, a person burning in the flames of material existence may receive the rains of mercy of the Lord through the transparent medium of the self-realized spiritual master. The spiritual master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental, which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence.
TEXT 23
TEXT
tvam adyah purusah saksad
isvarah prakrteh parah
mayam vyudasya cic-chaktya
kaivalye sthita atmani
SYNONYMS
tvam adyah--You are the original; purusah--the enjoying personality; saksat--directly; isvarah--the controller; prakrteh--of material nature; parah--transcendental; mayam--the material energy; vyudasya--one who has thrown aside; cit-saktya--by dint of internal potency; kaivalye--in pure eternal knowledge and bliss; sthitah--placed; atmani--own self.
TRANSLATION
You are the original Personality of Godhead who expands Himself all over the creations and is transcendental to material energy. You have cast away the effects of the material energy by dint of Your spiritual potency. You are always situated in eternal bliss and transcendental knowledge.
PURPORT
The Lord states in the Bhagavad-gita that one who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord can get release from the clutches of nescience. Krsna is just like the sun, and maya or material existence is just like darkness. Wherever there is the light of the sun, darkness or ignorance at once vanishes. The best means to get out of the world of ignorance is suggested here. The Lord is addressed herein as the original Personality of Godhead. From Him all other Personalities of Godhead expand. The all-pervasive Lord Visnu is Lord Krsna's plenary portion or expansion. The Lord expands Himself in innumerable forms of Godhead and living beings, along with His different energies. But Sri Krsna is the original primeval Lord from whom everything emanates. The all-pervasive feature of the Lord experienced within the manifested world is also a partial representation of the Lord. Paramatma, therefore, is included within Him. He is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. He has nothing to do with the actions and reactions of the material manifestation because He is far above the material creation. Darkness is a perverse representation of the sun, and therefore the existence of darkness depends on the existence of the sun, but in the sun proper there is no trace of darkness. As the sun is full of light only, similarly the Absolute Personality of Godhead, beyond the material existence, is full of bliss. He is not only full of bliss, but also full of transcendental variegatedness. Transcendence is not at all static, but full of dynamic variegatedness. He is distinct from the material nature, which is complicated by the three modes of material nature. He is parama, or the chief. Therefore He is absolute. He has manifold energies, and through His diverse energies He creates, manifests, maintains and destroys the material world. In His own abode, however, everything is eternal and absolute. The world is not conducted by the energies or powerful agents by themselves, but by the potent all-powerful with all energies.
TEXT 24
TEXT
sa eva jiva-lokasya
maya-mohita-cetasah
vidhatse svena viryena
sreyo dharmadi-laksanam
SYNONYMS
sah--that Transcendence; eva--certainly; jiva-lokasya--of the conditioned living beings; maya-mohita--captivated by the illusory energy; cetasah--by the heart; vidhatse--execute; svena--by Your own; viryena--influence; sreyah--ultimate good; dharma-adi--four principles of liberation; laksanam--characterized by.
TRANSLATION
And yet, though You are beyond the purview of the material energy, You execute the four principles of liberation characterized by religion and so on for the ultimate good of the conditioned souls.
PURPORT
The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, out of His causeless mercy, descends on the manifested world without being influenced by the material modes of nature. He is eternally beyond the material manifestations. He descends out of His causeless mercy only to reclaim the fallen souls who are captivated by the illusory energy. They are attacked by the material energy, and they want to enjoy her under false pretexts, although in essence the living entity is unable to enjoy. One is eternally the servitor of the Lord, and when he forgets this position he thinks of enjoying the material world, but factually he is in illusion. The Lord descends to eradicate this false sense of enjoyment and thus reclaim conditioned souls back to Godhead. That is the all-merciful nature of the Lord for the fallen souls.
TEXT 25
TEXT
tathayam cavataras te
bhuvo bhara-jihirsaya
svanam cananya-bhavanam
anudhyanaya casakrt
SYNONYMS
tatha--thus; ayam--this; ca--and; avatarah--incarnation; te--Your; bhuvah--of the material world; bhara--burden; jihirsaya--for removing; svanam--of the friends; ca ananya-bhavanam--and of the exclusive devotees; anudhyanaya--for remembering repeatedly; ca--and; asakrt--fully satisfied.
TRANSLATION
Thus You descend as an incarnation to remove the burden of the world and to benefit Your friends, especially those who are Your exclusive devotees and are rapt in meditation upon You.
PURPORT
It appears that the Lord is partial to His devotees. Everyone is related with the Lord. He is equal to everyone, and yet He is more inclined to His own men and devotees. The Lord is everyone's father. No one can be His father, and yet no one can be His son. His devotees are His kinsmen, and His devotees are His relations. This is His transcendental pastime. It has nothing to do with mundane ideas of relations, fatherhood or anything like that. As mentioned above, the Lord is above the modes of material nature, and thus there is nothing mundane about His kinsmen and relations in devotional service.
TEXT 26
TEXT
kim idam svit kuto veti
deva-deva na vedmy aham
sarvato mukham ayati
tejah parama-darunam
SYNONYMS
kim--what is; idam--this; svit--does it come; kutah--wherefrom; va iti--be either; deva-deva--O Lord of lords; na--not; vedmi--do I know; aham--I; sarvatah--all around; mukham--directions; ayati--coming from; tejah--effulgence; parama--very much; darunam--dangerous.
TRANSLATION
O Lord of lords, how is it that this dangerous effulgence is spreading all around? Where does it come from? I do not understand it.
PURPORT
Anything that is presented before the Personality of Godhead should be so done after due presentation of respectful prayers. That is the standard procedure, and Sri Arjuna, although an intimate friend of the Lord, is observing this method for general information.
TEXT 27
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
vetthedam drona-putrasya
brahmam astram pradarsitam
naivasau veda samharam
prana-badha upasthite
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uvaca--said; vettha--just know from Me; idam--this; drona-putrasya--of the son of Drona; brahmam astram--hymns of the brahma (nuclear) weapon; pradarsitam--exhibited; na--not; eva--even; asau--he; veda--know it; samharam--retraction; prana-badhe--extinction of life; upasthite--being imminent.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Know from Me that this is the act of the son of Drona. He has thrown the hymns of nuclear energy [brahmastra], and he does not know how to retract the glare. He has helplessly done this, being afraid of imminent death.
PURPORT
The brahmastra is similar to the modern nuclear weapon manipulated by atomic energy. The atomic energy works wholly on total combustibility, and so the brahmastra also acts. It creates an intolerable heat similar to atomic radiation, but the difference is that the atomic bomb is a gross type of nuclear weapon, whereas the brahmastra is a subtle type of weapon produced by chanting hymns. It is a different science, and in the days gone by such science was cultivated in the land of Bharata-varsa. The subtle science of chanting hymns is also material, but it has yet to be known by the modern material scientists. Subtle material science is not spiritual, but it has a direct relationship with the spiritual method, which is still subtler. A chanter of hymns knew how to apply the weapon as well as how to retract it. That was perfect knowledge. But the son of Dronacarya, who made use of this subtle science, did not know how to retract. He applied it, being afraid of his imminent death, and thus the practice was not only improper but also irreligious. As the son of a brahmana, he should not have made so many mistakes, and for such gross negligence of duty he was to be punished by the Lord Himself.
TEXT 28
TEXT
na hy asyanyatamam kincid
astram pratyavakarsanam
jahy astra-teja unnaddham
astra-jno hy astra-tejasa
SYNONYMS
na--not; hi--certainly; asya--of it; anyatamam--other; kincit--anything; astram--weapon; prati--counter; avakarsanam--reactionary; jahi--subdue it; astra-tejah--the glare of this weapon; unnaddham--very powerful; astra-jnah--expert in military science; hi--as a matter of fact; astra-tejasa--by the influence of your weapon.
TRANSLATION
O Arjuna, only another brahmastra can counteract this weapon. Since you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon's glare with the power of your own weapon.
PURPORT
For the atomic bombs there is no counterweapon to neutralize the effects. But by subtle science the action of a brahmastra can be counteracted, and those who were expert in the military science in those days could counteract the brahmastra. The son of Dronacarya did not know the art of counteracting the weapon, and therefore Arjuna was asked to counteract it by the power of his own weapon.
TEXT 29
TEXT
suta uvaca
srutva bhagavata proktam
phalgunah para-vira-ha
sprstvapas tam parikramya
brahmam brahmastram sandadhe
SYNONYMS
sutah--Suta Gosvami; uvaca--said; srutva--after hearing; bhagavata--by the Personality of Godhead; proktam--what was said; phalgunah--another name of Sri Arjuna; para-vira-ha--the killer of the opposing warrior; sprstva--after touching; apah--water; tam--Him; parikramya--circumambulating; brahmam--the Supreme Lord; brahma-astram--the supreme weapon; sandadhe--acted on.
TRANSLATION
Sri Suta Gosvami said: Hearing this from the Personality of Godhead, Arjuna touched water for purification, and after circumambulating Lord Sri Krsna, he cast his brahmastra weapon to counteract the other one.
TEXT 30
TEXT
samhatyanyonyam ubhayos
tejasi sara-samvrte
avrtya rodasi kham ca
vavrdhate 'rka-vahnivat
SYNONYMS
samhatya--by combination of; anyonyam--one another; ubhayoh--of both; tejasi--the glares; sara--weapons; samvrte--covering; avrtya--covering; rodasi--the complete firmament; kham ca--outer space also; vavrdhate--increasing; arka--the sun globe; vahni-vat--like fire.
TRANSLATION
When the rays of the two brahmastras combined, a great circle of fire, like the disc of the sun, covered all outer space and the whole firmament of planets.
PURPORT
The heat created by the flash of a brahmastra resembles the fire exhibited in the sun globe at the time of cosmic annihilation. The radiation of atomic energy is very insignificant in comparison to the heat produced by a brahmastra. The atomic bomb explosion can at utmost blow up one globe, but the heat produced by the brahmastra can destroy the whole cosmic situation. The comparison is therefore made to the heat at the time of annihilation.
TEXT 31
TEXT
drstvastra-tejas tu tayos
tril lokan pradahan mahat
dahyamanah prajah sarvah
samvartakam amamsata
SYNONYMS
drstva--thus seeing; astra--weapon; tejah--heat; tu--but; tayoh--of both; trin--three; lokan--planets; pradahat--blazing; mahat--severely; dahyamanah--burning; prajah--population; sarvah--all over; samvartakam--the name of the fire which devastates during the annihilation of the universe; amamsata--began to think.
TRANSLATION
All the population of the three worlds was scorched by the combined heat of the weapons. Everyone was reminded of the samvartaka fire which takes place at the time of annihilation.
PURPORT
The three worlds are the upper, lower and intermediate planets of the universe. Although the brahmastra was released on this earth, the heat produced by the combination of both weapons covered all the universe, and all the populations on all the different planets began to feel the heat excessively and compared it to that of the samvartaka fire. No planet, therefore, is without living beings, as less intelligent materialistic men think.
TEXT 32
TEXT
prajopadravam alaksya
loka-vyatikaram ca tam
matam ca vasudevasya
sanjahararjuno dvayam
SYNONYMS
praja--the people in general; upadravam--disturbance; alaksya--having seen it; loka--the planets; vyatikaram--destruction; ca--also; tam--that; matam ca--and the opinion; vasudevasya--of Vasudeva, Sri Krsna; sanjahara--retracted; arjunah--Arjuna; dvayam--both the weapons.
TRANSLATION
Thus seeing the disturbance of the general populace and the imminent destruction of the planets, Arjuna at once retracted both brahmastra weapons, as Lord Sri Krsna desired.
PURPORT
The theory that the modern atomic bomb explosions can annihilate the world is childish imagination. First of all, the atomic energy is not powerful enough to destroy the world. And secondly, ultimately it all rests on the supreme will of the Supreme Lord because without His will or sanction nothing can be built up or destroyed. It is foolish also to think that natural laws are ultimately powerful. Material nature's law works under the direction of the Lord, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. The Lord says there that natural laws work under His supervision. The world can be destroyed only by the will of the Lord and not by the whims of tiny politicians. Lord Sri Krsna desired that the weapons released by both Drauni and Arjuna be withdrawn, and it was carried out by Arjuna at once. Similarly, there are many agents of the all-powerful Lord, and by His will only can one execute what He desires.
TEXT 33
TEXT
tata asadya tarasa
darunam gautami-sutam
babandhamarsa-tamraksah
pasum rasanaya yatha
SYNONYMS
tatah--thereupon; asadya--arrested; tarasa--dexterously; darunam--dangerous; gautami-sutam--the son of Gautami; babandha--bound up; amarsa--angry; tamra-aksah--with copper-red eyes; pasum--animal; rasanaya--by ropes; yatha--as it were.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna, his eyes blazing in anger like two red balls of copper, dexterously arrested the son of Gautami and bound him with ropes like an animal.
PURPORT
Asvatthama's mother, Krpi, was born in the family of Gautama. The significant point in this sloka is that Asvatthama was caught and bound up with ropes like an animal. According to Sridhara Svami, Arjuna was obliged to catch this son of a brahmana like an animal as a part of his duty (dharma). This suggestion by Sridhara Svami is also confirmed in the later statement of Sri Krsna. Asvatthama was a bona fide son of Dronacarya and Krpi, but because he had degraded himself to a lower status of life, it was proper to treat him as an animal and not as a brahmana.
TEXT 34
TEXT
sibiraya ninisantam
rajjva baddhva ripum balat
praharjunam prakupito
bhagavan ambujeksanah
SYNONYMS
sibiraya--on the way to the military camp; ninisantam--while bringing him; rajjva--by the ropes; baddhva--bound up; ripum--the enemy; balat--by force; praha--said; arjunam--unto Arjuna; prakupitah--in an angry mood; bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; ambuja-iksanah--who looks with His lotus eyes.
TRANSLATION
After binding Asvatthama, Arjuna wanted to take him to the military camp. The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, looking on with His lotus eyes, spoke to angry Arjuna.
PURPORT
Both Arjuna and Lord Sri Krsna are described here in an angry mood, but Arjuna's eyes were like balls of red copper whereas the eyes of the Lord were like lotuses. This means that the angry mood of Arjuna and that of the Lord are not on the same level. The Lord is Transcendence, and thus He is absolute in any stage. His anger is not like the anger of a conditioned living being within the modes of qualitative material nature. Because He is absolute, both His anger and pleasure are the same. His anger is not exhibited in the three modes of material nature. It is only a sign of His bent of mind towards the cause of His devotee because that is His transcendental nature. Therefore, even if He is angry, the object of anger is blessed. He is unchanged in all circumstances.
TEXT 35
TEXT
mainam partharhasi tratum
brahma-bandhum imam jahi
yo 'sav anagasah suptan
avadhin nisi balakan
SYNONYMS
ma enam--never unto him; partha--O Arjuna; arhasi--ought to; tratum--give release; brahma-bandhum--a relative of a brahmana; imam--him; jahi--kill; yah--he (who has); asau--those; anagasah--faultless; suptan--while sleeping; avadhit--killed; nisi--at night; balakan--the boys.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Krsna said: O Arjuna, you should not show mercy by releasing this relative of a brahmana [brahma-bandhu], for he has killed innocent boys in their sleep.
PURPORT
The word brahma-bandhu is significant. A person who happens to take birth in the family of a brahmana but is not qualified to be called a brahmana is addressed as the relative of a brahmana, and not as a brahmana. The son of a high court judge is not virtually a high court judge, but there is no harm in addressing a high court judge's son as a relative of the Honorable Justice. Therefore, as by birth only one does not become a high court judge, so also one does not become a brahmana simply by birthright but by acquiring the necessary qualifications of a brahmana. As the high court judgeship is a post for the qualified man, so also the post of a brahmana is attainable by qualification only. The sastra enjoins that even if good qualifications are seen in a person born in a family other than that of a brahmana, the qualified man has to be accepted as a brahmana, and similarly if a person born in the family of a brahmana is void of brahminical qualification, then he must be treated as a non-brahmana or, in better terms, a relative of a brahmana. Lord Sri Krsna, the supreme authority of all religious principles, the Vedas, has personally pointed out these differences, and He is about to explain the reason for this in the following slokas.
TEXT 36
TEXT
mattam pramattam unmattam
suptam balam striyam jadam
prapannam viratham bhitam
na ripum hanti dharma-vit
SYNONYMS
mattam--careless; pramattam--intoxicated; unmattam--insane; suptam--asleep; balam--boy; striyam--woman; jadam--foolish; prapannam--surrendered; viratham--one who has lost his chariot; bhitam--afraid; na--not; ripum--enemy; hanti--kill; dharma-vit--one who knows the principles of religion.
TRANSLATION
A person who knows the principles of religion does not kill an enemy who is careless, intoxicated, insane, asleep, afraid or devoid of his chariot. Nor does he kill a boy, a woman, a foolish creature or a surrendered soul.
PURPORT
An enemy who does not resist is never killed by a warrior who knows the principles of religion. Formerly battles were fought on the principles of religion and not for the sake of sense gratification. If the enemy happened to be intoxicated, asleep, etc., as above mentioned, he was never to be killed. These are some of the codes of religious war. Formerly war was never declared by the whims of selfish political leaders; it was carried out on religious principles free from all vices. Violence carried out on religious principles is far superior to so-called nonviolence.
TEXT 37
TEXT
sva-pranan yah para-pranaih
prapusnaty aghrnah khalah
tad-vadhas tasya hi sreyo
yad-dosad yaty adhah puman
SYNONYMS
sva-pranan--one's own life; yah--one who; para-pranaih--at the cost of others' lives; prapusnati--maintains properly; aghrnah--shameless; khalah--wretched; tat-vadhah--killing of him; tasya--his; hi--certainly; sreyah--well-being; yat--by which; dosat--by the fault; yati--goes; adhah--downwards; puman--a person.
TRANSLATION
A cruel and wretched person who maintains his existence at the cost of others' lives deserves to be killed for his own well-being, otherwise he will go down by his own actions.
PURPORT
A life for a life is just punishment for a person who cruelly and shamelessly lives at the cost of another's life. Political morality is to punish a person by a death sentence in order to save a cruel person from going to hell. That a murderer is condemned to a death sentence by the state is good for the culprit because in his next life he will not have to suffer for his act of murder. Such a death sentence for the murderer is the lowest possible punishment offered to him, and it is said in the smrti-sastras that men who are punished by the king on the principle of a life for a life are purified of all their sins, so much so that they may be eligible for being promoted to the planets of heaven. According to Manu, the great author of civic codes and religious principles, even the killer of an animal is to be considered a murderer because animal food is never meant for the civilized man, whose prime duty is to prepare himself for going back to Godhead. He says that in the act of killing an animal, there is a regular conspiracy by the party of sinners, and all of them are liable to be punished as murderers exactly like a party of conspirators who kill a human being combinedly. He who gives permission, he who kills the animal, he who sells the slaughtered animal, he who cooks the animal, he who administers distribution of the foodstuff, and at last he who eats such cooked animal food are all murderers, and all of them are liable to be punished by the laws of nature. No one can create a living being despite all advancement of material science, and therefore no one has the right to kill a living being by one's independent whims. For the animal-eaters, the scriptures have sanctioned restricted animal sacrifices only, and such sanctions are there just to restrict the opening of slaughterhouses and not to encourage animal-killing. The procedure under which animal sacrifice is allowed in the scriptures is good both for the animal sacrificed and the animal-eaters. It is good for the animal in the sense that the sacrificed animal is at once promoted to the human form of life after being sacrificed at the altar, and the animal-eater is saved from grosser types of sins (eating meats supplied by organized slaughterhouses which are ghastly places for breeding all kinds of material afflictions to society, country and the people in general). The material world is itself a place always full of anxieties, and by encouraging animal slaughter the whole atmosphere becomes polluted more and more by war, pestilence, famine and many other unwanted calamities.
TEXT 38
TEXT
pratisrutam ca bhavata
pancalyai srnvato mama
aharisye siras tasya
yas te manini putra-ha
SYNONYMS
pratisrutam--it is promised; ca--and; bhavata--by you; pancalyai--unto the daughter of the King of Pancala (Draupadi); srnvatah--which was heard; mama--by Me personally; aharisye--must I bring; sirah--the head; tasya--of him; yah--whom; te--your; manini--consider; putra-ha--the killer of your sons.
TRANSLATION
Furthermore, I have personally heard you promise Draupadi that you would bring forth the head of the killer of her sons.
TEXT 39
TEXT
tad asau vadhyatam papa
atatayy atma-bandhu-ha
bhartus ca vipriyam vira
krtavan kula-pamsanah
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; asau--this man; vadhyatam--will be killed; papah--the sinner; atatayi--assaulter; atma--own; bandhu-ha--killer of sons; bhartuh--of the master; ca--also; vipriyam--having not satisfied; vira--O warrior; krtavan--one who has done it; kula-pamsanah--the burnt remnants of the family.
TRANSLATION
This man is an assassin and murderer of your own family members. Not only that, but he has also dissatisfied his master. He is but the burnt remnants of his family. Kill him immediately.
PURPORT
The son of Dronacarya is condemned here as the burnt remnants of his family. The good name of Dronacarya was very much respected. Although he joined the enemy camp, the Pandavas held him always in respect, and Arjuna saluted him before beginning the fight. There was nothing wrong in that way. But the son of Dronacarya degraded himself by committing acts which are never done by the dvijas, or the twice-born higher castes. Asvatthama, the son of Dronacarya, committed murder by killing the five sleeping sons of Draupadi, by which he dissatisfied his master Duryodhana, who never approved of the heinous act of killing the five sleeping sons of the Pandavas. This means that Asvatthama became an assaulter of Arjuna's own family members, and thus he was liable to be punished by him. In the sastras, he who attacks without notice or kills from behind or sets fire to another's house or kidnaps one's wife is condemned to death. Krsna reminded Arjuna of these facts so that he might take notice of them and do the needful.
TEXT 40
TEXT
suta uvaca
evam pariksata dharmam
parthah krsnena coditah
naicchad dhantum guru-sutam
yadyapy atma-hanam mahan
SYNONYMS
sutah--Suta Gosvami; uvaca--said; evam--this; pariksata--being examined; dharmam--in the matter of duty; parthah--Sri Arjuna; krsnena--by Lord Krsna; coditah--being encouraged; na aicchat--did not like; hantum--to kill; guru-sutam--the son of his teacher; yadyapi--although; atma-hanam--murderer of sons; mahan--very great.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami said: Although Krsna, who was examining Arjuna in religion, encouraged Arjuna to kill the son of Dronacarya, Arjuna, a great soul, did not like the idea of killing him, although Asvatthama was a heinous murderer of Arjuna's family members.
PURPORT
Arjuna was a great soul undoubtedly, which is proved here also. He is encouraged herein personally by the Lord to kill the son of Drona, but Arjuna considers that the son of his great teacher should be spared, for he happens to be the son of Dronacarya, even though he is an unworthy son, having done all sorts of heinous acts whimsically for no one's benefit.
Lord Sri Krsna encouraged Arjuna outwardly just to test Arjuna's sense of duty. It is not that Arjuna was incomplete in the sense of his duty, nor was Lord Sri Krsna unaware of Arjuna's sense of duty. But Lord Sri Krsna put to test many of His pure devotees just to magnify the sense of duty. The gopis were put to such tests as well. Prahlada Maharaja also was put to such a test. All pure devotees come out successful in the respective tests by the Lord.
TEXT 41
TEXT
athopetya sva-sibiram
govinda-priya-sarathih
nyavedayat tam priyayai
socantya atma-jan hatan
SYNONYMS
atha--thereafter; upetya--having reached; sva--own; sibiram--camp; govinda--one who enlivens the senses (Lord Sri Krsna); priya--dear; sarathih--the charioteer; nyavedayat--entrusted to; tam--him; priyayai--unto the dear; socantyai--lamenting for; atma-jan--own sons; hatan--murdered.
TRANSLATION
After reaching his own camp, Arjuna, along with his dear friend and charioteer [Sri Krsna], entrusted the murderer unto his dear wife, who was lamenting for her murdered sons.
PURPORT
The transcendental relation of Arjuna with Krsna is of the dearmost friendship. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord Himself has claimed Arjuna as His dearmost friend. Every living being is thus related with the Supreme Lord by some sort of affectionate relation, either as servant or as friend or as parent or as an object of conjugal love. Everyone thus can enjoy the company of the Lord in the spiritual realm if he at all desires and sincerely tries for it by the process of bhakti-yoga.
TEXT 42
TEXT
tathahrtam pasuvat pasa-baddham
avan-mukham karma-jugupsitena
niriksya krsnapakrtam guroh sutam
vama-svabhava krpaya nanama ca
SYNONYMS
tatha--thus; ahrtam--brought in; pasu-vat--like an animal; pasa-baddham--tied with ropes; avak-mukham--without a word in his mouth; karma--activities; jugupsitena--being heinous; niriksya--by seeing; krsna--Draupadi; apakrtam--the doer of the degrading; guroh--the teacher; sutam--son; vama--beautiful; svabhava--nature; krpaya--out of compassion; nanama--offered obeisances; ca--and.
TRANSLATION
Sri Suta Gosvami said: Draupadi then saw Asvatthama, who was bound with ropes like an animal and silent for having enacted the most inglorious murder. Due to her female nature, and due to her being naturally good and well-behaved, she showed him due respects as a brahmana.
PURPORT
Asvatthama was condemned by the Lord Himself, and he was treated by Arjuna just like a culprit, not like the son of a brahmana or teacher. But when he was brought before Srimati Draupadi, she, although begrieved for the murder of her sons, and although the murderer was present before her, could not withdraw the due respect generally offered to a brahmana or to the son of a brahmana. This is due to her mild nature as a woman. Women as a class are no better than boys, and therefore they have no discriminatory power like that of a man. Asvatthama proved himself to be an unworthy son of Dronacarya or of a brahmana, and for this reason he was condemned by the greatest authority, Lord Sri Krsna, and yet a mild woman could not withdraw her natural courtesy for a brahmana.
Even to date, in a Hindu family a woman shows proper respect to the brahmana caste, however fallen and heinous a brahma-bandhu may be. But the men have begun to protest against brahma-bandhus who are born in families of good brahmanas but by action are less than sudras.
The specific words used in this sloka are vama-svabhava, "mild and gentle by nature." A good man or woman accepts anything very easily, but a man of average intelligence does not do so. But, anyway, we should not give up our reason and discriminatory power just to be gentle. One must have good discriminatory power to judge a thing on its merit. We should not follow the mild nature of a woman and thereby accept that which is not genuine. Asvatthama may be respected by a good-natured woman, but that does not mean that he is as good as a genuine brahmana.
TEXT 43
TEXT
uvaca casahanty asya
bandhananayanam sati
mucyatam mucyatam esa
brahmano nitaram guruh
SYNONYMS
uvaca--said; ca--and; asahanti--being unbearable for her; asya--his; bandhana--being bound; anayanam--bringing him; sati--the devoted; mucyatam mucyatam--just get him released; esah--this; brahmanah--a brahmana; nitaram--our; guruh--teacher.
TRANSLATION
She could not tolerate Asvatthama's being bound by ropes, and being a devoted lady, she said: Release him, for he is a brahmana, our spiritual master.
PURPORT
As soon as Asvatthama was brought before Draupadi, she thought it intolerable that a brahmana should be arrested like a culprit and brought before her in that condition, especially when the brahmana happened to be a teacher's son.
Arjuna arrested Asvatthama knowing perfectly well that he was the son of Dronacarya. Krsna also knew him to be so, but both of them condemned the murderer without consideration of his being the son of a brahmana. According to revealed scriptures, a teacher or spiritual master is liable to be rejected if he proves himself unworthy of the position of a guru or spiritual master. A guru is called also an acarya, or a person who has personally assimilated all the essence of sastras and has helped his disciples to adopt the ways. Asvatthama failed to discharge the duties of a brahmana or teacher, and therefore he was liable to be rejected from the exalted position of a brahmana. On this consideration, both Lord Sri Krsna and Arjuna were right in condemning Asvatthama. But to a good lady like Draupadi, the matter was considered not from the angle of sastric vision, but as a matter of custom. By custom, Asvatthama was offered the same respect as offered to his father. It was so because generally the people accept the son of a brahmana as a real brahmana, by sentiment only. Factually the matter is different. A brahmana is accepted on the merit of qualification and not on the merit of simply being the son of a brahmana.
But in spite of all this, Draupadi desired that Asvatthama be at once released, and it was all the same a good sentiment for her. This means that a devotee of the Lord can tolerate all sorts of tribulation personally, but still such devotees are never unkind to others, even to the enemy. These are the characteristics of one who is a pure devotee of the Lord.
TEXT 44
TEXT
sarahasyo dhanur-vedah
savisargopasamyamah
astra-gramas ca bhavata
siksito yad-anugrahat
SYNONYMS
sa-rahasyah--confidential; dhanuh-vedah--knowledge in the art of manipulating bows and arrows; sa-visarga--releasing; upasamyamah--controlling; astra--weapons; gramah--all kinds of; ca--and; bhavata--by yourself; siksitah--learned; yat--by whose; anugrahat--mercy of.
TRANSLATION
It was by Dronacarya's mercy that you learned the military art of throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons.
PURPORT
Dhanur-veda, or military science, was taught by Dronacarya with all its confidential secrets of throwing and controlling by Vedic hymns. Gross military science is dependent on material weapons, but finer than that is the art of throwing the arrows saturated with Vedic hymns, which act more effectively than gross material weapons like machine guns or atomic bombs. The control is by Vedic mantras, or the transcendental science of sound. It is said in the Ramayana that Maharaja Dasaratha, the father of Lord Sri Rama, used to control arrows by sound only. He could pierce his target with his arrow by only hearing the sound, without seeing the object. So this is a finer military science than that of the gross material military weapons used nowadays. Arjuna was taught all this, and therefore Draupadi wished that Arjuna feel obliged to Acarya Drona for all these benefits. And in the absence of Dronacarya, his son was his representative. That was the opinion of the good lady Draupadi. It may be argued why Dronacarya, a rigid brahmana, should be a teacher in military science. But the reply is that a brahmana should become a teacher, regardless of what his department of knowledge is. A learned brahmana should become a teacher, a priest and a recipient of charity. A bona fide brahmana is authorized to accept such professions.
TEXT 45
TEXT
sa esa bhagavan dronah
praja-rupena vartate
tasyatmano 'rdham patny aste
nanvagad virasuh krpi
SYNONYMS
sah--he; esah--certainly; bhagavan--lord; dronah--Dronacarya; praja-rupena--in the form of his son Asvatthama; vartate--is existing; tasya--his; atmanah--of the body; ardham--half; patni--wife; aste--living; na--not; anvagat--undertook; virasuh--having the son present; krpi--the sister of Krpacarya.
TRANSLATION
He [Dronacarya] is certainly still existing, being represented by his son. His wife Krpi did not undergo a sati with him because she had a son.
PURPORT
The wife of Dronacarya, Krpi, is the sister of Krpacarya. A devoted wife, who is according to revealed scripture the better half of her husband, is justified in embracing voluntary death along with her husband if she is without issue. But in the case of the wife of Dronacarya, she did not undergo such a trial because she had her son, the representative of her husband. A widow is a widow only in name if there is a son of her husband existing. So in either case Asvatthama was the representative of Dronacarya, and therefore killing Asvatthama would be like killing Dronacarya. That was the argument of Draupadi against the killing of Asvatthama.
TEXT 46
TEXT
tad dharmajna maha-bhaga
bhavadbhir gauravam kulam
vrjinam narhati praptum
pujyam vandyam abhiksnasah
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; dharma-jna--one who is aware of the principles of religion; maha-bhaga--the most fortunate; bhavadbhih--by your good self; gauravam--glorified; kulam--the family; vrjinam--that which is painful; na--not; arhati--does deserve; praptum--for obtaining; pujyam--the worshipable; vandyam--respectable; abhiksnasah--constantly.
TRANSLATION
O most fortunate one who knows the principles of religion, it is not good for you to cause grief to glorious family members who are always respectable and worshipful.
PURPORT
A slight insult for a respectable family is sufficient to invoke grief. Therefore, a cultured man should always be careful in dealing with worshipful family members.
TEXT 47
TEXT
ma rodid asya janani
gautami pati-devata
yathaham mrta-vatsarta
rodimy asru-mukhi muhuh
SYNONYMS
ma--do not; rodit--make cry; asya--his; janani--mother; gautami--the wife of Drona; pati-devata--chaste; yatha--as has; aham--myself; mrta-vatsa--one whose child is dead; arta--distressed; rodimi--crying; asru-mukhi--tears in the eyes; muhuh--constantly.
TRANSLATION
My lord, do not make the wife of Dronacarya cry like me. I am aggrieved for the death of my sons. She need not cry constantly like me.
PURPORT
Sympathetic good lady as she was, Srimati Draupadi did not want to put the wife of Dronacarya in the same position of childlessness, both from the point of motherly feelings and from the respectable position held by the wife of Dronacarya.
TEXT 48
TEXT
yaih kopitam brahma-kulam
rajanyair ajitatmabhih
tat kulam pradahaty asu
sanubandham sucarpitam
SYNONYMS
yaih--by those; kopitam--enraged; brahma-kulam--the order of the brahmanas; rajanyaih--by the administrative order; ajita--unrestricted; atmabhih--by oneself; tat--that; kulam--family; pradahati--is burnt up; asu--within no time; sa-anubandham--together with family members; suca-arpitam--being put into grief.
TRANSLATION
If the kingly administrative order, being unrestricted in sense control, offends the brahmana order and enrages them, then the fire of that rage burns up the whole body of the royal family and brings grief upon all.
PURPORT
The brahmana order of society, or the spiritually advanced caste or community, and the members of such highly elevated families, were always held in great esteem by the other, subordinate castes, namely the administrative kingly order, the mercantile order and the laborers.
TEXT 49
TEXT
suta uvaca
dharmyam nyayyam sakarunam
nirvyalikam samam mahat
raja dharma-suto rajnyah
pratyanandad vaco dvijah
SYNONYMS
sutah uvaca--Suta Gosvami said; dharmyam--in accordance with the principles of religion; nyayyam--justice; sa-karunam--full of mercy; nirvyalikam--without duplicity in dharma; samam--equity; mahat--glorious; raja--the King; dharma-sutah--son; rajnyah--by the Queen; pratyanandat--supported; vacah--statements; dvijah--O brahmanas.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami said: O brahmanas, King Yudhisthira fully supported the statements of the Queen, which were in accordance with the principles of religion and were justified, glorious, full of mercy and equity, and without duplicity.
PURPORT
Maharaja Yudhisthira, who was the son of Dharmaraja, or Yamaraja, fully supported the words of Queen Draupadi in asking Arjuna to release Asvatthama. One should not tolerate the humiliation of a member of a great family. Arjuna and his family were indebted to the family of Dronacarya because of Arjuna's learning the military science from him. If ingratitude were shown to such a benevolent family, it would not be at all justified from the moral standpoint. The wife of Dronacarya, who was the half body of the great soul, must be treated with compassion, and she should not be put into grief because of her son's death. That is compassion. Such statements by Draupadi are without duplicity because actions should be taken with full knowledge. The feeling of equality was there because Draupadi spoke out of her personal experience. A barren woman cannot understand the grief of a mother. Draupadi was herself a mother, and therefore her calculation of the depth of Krpi's grief was quite to the point. And it was glorious because she wanted to show proper respect to a great family.
TEXT 50
TEXT
nakulah sahadevas ca
yuyudhano dhananjayah
bhagavan devaki-putro
ye canye yas ca yositah
SYNONYMS
nakulah--Nakula; sahadevah--Sahadeva; ca--and; yuyudhanah--Satyaki; dhananjayah--Arjuna; bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; devaki-putrah--the son of Devaki, Lord Sri Krsna; ye--those; ca--and; anye--others; yah--those; ca--and; yositah--ladies.
TRANSLATION
Nakula and Sahadeva [the younger brothers of the King] and also Satyaki, Arjuna, the Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna, son of Devaki, and the ladies and others all unanimously agreed with the King.
TEXT 51
TEXT
tatrahamarsito bhimas
tasya sreyan vadhah smrtah
na bhartur natmanas carthe
yo 'han suptan sisun vrtha
SYNONYMS
tatra--thereupon; aha--said; amarsitah--in an angry mood; bhimah--Bhima; tasya--his; sreyan--ultimate good; vadhah--killing; smrtah--recorded; na--not; bhartuh--of the master; na--nor; atmanah--of his own self; ca--and; arthe--for the sake of; yah--one who; ahan--killed; suptan--sleeping; sisun--children; vrtha--without purpose.
TRANSLATION
Bhima, however, disagreed with them and recommended killing this culprit who, in an angry mood, had murdered sleeping children for no purpose and for neither his nor his master's interest.
TEXT 52
TEXT
nisamya bhima-gaditam
draupadyas ca catur-bhujah
alokya vadanam sakhyur
idam aha hasann iva
SYNONYMS
nisamya--just after hearing; bhima--Bhima; gaditam--spoken by; draupadyah--of Draupadi; ca--and; catuh-bhujah--the four-handed (Personality of Godhead); alokya--having seen; vadanam--the face; sakhyuh--of His friend; idam--this; aha--said; hasan--smiling; iva--as it.
TRANSLATION
Caturbhuja [the four-armed one], or the Personality of Godhead, after hearing the words of Bhima, Draupadi and others, saw the face of His dear friend Arjuna, and He began to speak as if smiling.
PURPORT
Lord Sri Krsna had two arms, and why He is designated as four-armed is explained by Sridhara Svami. Both Bhima and Draupadi held opposite views about killing Asvatthama. Bhima wanted him to be immediately killed, whereas Draupadi wanted to save him. We can imagine Bhima ready to kill while Draupadi is obstructing him. And in order to prevent both of them, the Lord discovered another two arms. Originally, the primeval Lord Sri Krsna displays only two arms, but in His Narayana feature He exhibits four. In His Narayana feature He resides with His devotees in the Vaikuntha planets, while in His original Sri Krsna feature He resides in the Krsnaloka planet far, far above the Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual sky. Therefore, if Sri Krsna is called caturbhujah, there is no contradiction. If need be He can display hundreds of arms, as He exhibited in His visva-rupa shown to Arjuna. Therefore, one who can display hundreds and thousands of arms can also manifest four whenever needed.
When Arjuna was perplexed about what to do with Asvatthama, Lord Sri Krsna, as the very dear friend of Arjuna, voluntarily took up the matter just to make a solution. And He was smiling also.
TEXTS 53-54
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
brahma-bandhur na hantavya
atatayi vadharhanah
mayaivobhayam amnatam
paripahy anusasanam
kuru pratisrutam satyam
yat tat santvayata priyam
priyam ca bhimasenasya
pancalya mahyam eva ca
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; uvaca--said; brahma-bandhuh--the relative of a brahmana; na--not; hantavyah--to be killed; atatayi--the aggressor; vadha-arhanah--is due to be killed; maya--by Me; eva--certainly; ubhayam--both; amnatam--described according to rulings of the authority; paripahi--carry out; anusasanam--rulings; kuru--abide by; pratisrutam--as promised by; satyam--truth; yat tat--that which; santvayata--while pacifying; priyam--dear wife; priyam--satisfaction; ca--also; bhimasenasya--of Sri Bhimasena; pancalyah--of Draupadi; mahyam--unto Me also; eva--certainly; ca--and.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna said: A friend of a brahmana is not to be killed, but if he is an aggressor he must be killed. All these rulings are in the scriptures, and you should act accordingly. You have to fulfill your promise to your wife, and you must also act to the satisfaction of Bhimasena and Me.
PURPORT
Arjuna was perplexed because Asvatthama was to be killed as well as spared according to different scriptures cited by different persons. As a brahma-bandhu, or a worthless son of a brahmana, Asvatthama was not to be killed, but he was at the same time an aggressor also. And according to the rulings of Manu, an aggressor, even though he be a brahmana (and what to speak of an unworthy son of a brahmana), is to be killed. Dronacarya was certainly a brahmana in the true sense of the term, but because he stood in the battlefield he was killed. But although Asvatthama was an aggressor, he stood without any fighting weapons. The ruling is that an aggressor, when he is without weapon or chariot, cannot be killed. All these were certainly perplexities. Besides that, Arjuna had to keep the promise he had made before Draupadi just to pacify her. And he also had to satisfy both Bhima and Krsna, who advised killing him. This dilemma was present before Arjuna, and the solution was awarded by Krsna.
TEXT 55
TEXT
suta uvaca
arjunah sahasajnaya
harer hardam athasina
manim jahara murdhanyam
dvijasya saha-murdhajam
SYNONYMS
sutah--Suta Gosvami; uvaca--said; arjunah--Arjuna; sahasa--just at that time; ajnaya--knowing it; hareh--of the Lord; hardam--motive; atha--thus; asina--by the sword; manim--the jewel; jahara--separated; murdhanyam--on the head; dvijasya--of the twice-born; saha--with; murdhajam--hairs.
TRANSLATION
Just then Arjuna could understand the motive of the Lord by His equivocal orders, and thus with his sword he severed both hair and jewel from the head of Asvatthama.
PURPORT
Contradictory orders of different persons are impossible to carry out. Therefore a compromise was selected by Arjuna by his sharp intelligence, and he separated the jewel from the head of Asvatthama. This was as good as cutting off his head, and yet his life was saved for all practical purposes. Here Asvatthama is indicated as twice-born. Certainly he was twice-born, but he fell down from his position, and therefore he was properly punished.
TEXT 56
TEXT
vimucya rasana-baddham
bala-hatya-hata-prabham
tejasa manina hinam
sibiran nirayapayat
SYNONYMS
vimucya--after releasing him; rasana-baddham--from the bondage of ropes; bala-hatya--infanticide; hata-prabham--loss of bodily luster; tejasa--of the strength of; manina--by the jewel; hinam--being deprived of; sibirat--from the camp; nirayapayat--drove him out.
TRANSLATION
He [Asvatthama] had already lost his bodily luster due to infanticide, and now, moreover, having lost the jewel from his head, he lost even more strength. Thus he was unbound and driven out of the camp.
PURPORT
Thus being insulted, the humiliated Asvatthama was simultaneously killed and not killed by the intelligence of Lord Krsna and Arjuna.
TEXT 57
TEXT
vapanam dravinadanam
sthanan niryapanam tatha
esa hi brahma-bandhunam
vadho nanyo 'sti daihikah
SYNONYMS
vapanam--cleaving the hairs from the head; dravina--wealth; adanam--forfeiting; sthanat--from the residence; niryapanam--driving away; tatha--also; esah--all these; hi--certainly; brahma-bandhunam--of the relatives of a brahmana; vadhah--killing; na--not; anyah--any other method; asti--there is; daihikah--in the matter of the body.
TRANSLATION
Cutting the hair from his head, depriving him of his wealth and driving him from his residence are the prescribed punishments for the relative of a brahmana. There is no injunction for killing the body.
TEXT 58
TEXT
putra-sokaturah sarve
pandavah saha krsnaya
svanam mrtanam yat krtyam
cakrur nirharanadikam
SYNONYMS
putra--son; soka--bereavement; aturah--overwhelmed with; sarve--all of them; pandavah--the sons of Pandu; saha--along with; krsnaya--with Draupadi; svanam--of the kinsmen; mrtanam--of the dead; yat--what; krtyam--ought to be done; cakruh--did perform; nirharana-adikam--undertakable.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, the sons of Pandu and Draupadi, overwhelmed with grief, performed the proper rituals for the dead bodies of their relatives.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the First Canto, Seventh Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Son of Drona Punished."