CONTENTS:
- SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM 3.1.7-8 (PART - 1)
- SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
- GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
1. SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM 3.1.7-8 (PART - 1)
Om namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya (3)
SB 3.1.7
yada sabhayam kuru-deva-devyah
kesabhimarsam suta-karma garhyam
na varayam asa nrpah snusayah
svasrair harantyah kuca-kunkumani
TRANSLATION
The King did not forbid his son Duhsasana’s abominable action of grabbing the hair of Draupadi, the wife of the godly King Yudhisthira, even though her tears washed the red dust on her breast.
SB 3.1.8
dyute tv adharmena jitasya sadhoh
satyava lambasya vanam gatasya
na yacato ‘dat samayena dayam
tamo-jusano yad ajata-satroh
TRANSLATION
Yudhisthira, who was born without any enemy, was unfairly defeated in gambling. But because he had taken the vow of truthfulness, he went off to the forest. When he came back in due course and begged the return of his rightful share of the kingdom, he was refused by Dhrtarastra, who was overwhelmed by illusion.
PURPORT
Maharaja Yudhisthira was the rightful heir to his father’s kingdom. But just to favour his own sons, headed by Duryodhana, Dhrtarastra, Maharaja Yudhisthira’s uncle, adopted various unfair means to cheat his nephews of their rightful share of the kingdom. At last, the Pandavas demanded only five villages, one for each of the five brothers, but that was also refused by the usurpers. This incident led to the War of Kuruksetra. The Battle of Kuruksetra, therefore, was induced by the Kurus, and not the Pandavas. As Ksatriyas, the proper livelihood of the Pandavas was only to rule, and not to accept any other occupation. A brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya will not accept employment for his livelihood under any circumstances.
So King Parikshit is about to leave his body and he is asking questions to Sukadeva Goswami who very mercifully arrived there at that time to benefit the king. We hear the expression guru Krishna prasade pai bhakti lata bij, when one becomes qualified Krishna actually send the spiritual master. Parikshit Maharaja was about to leave his body so to prepare him for his death its Krishna who actually made this arrangement. Time and time again in Bhagavatam and other Vedic Puranas we see that happen. In some strange circumstances we see that the spiritual master arrives. Like Mrgari was a hunter and Narada muni appeared to him. He was not only a hunter he was a very cruel hunter; he used to derive pleasure by inflicting pain to the animals. He wouldn’t just kill the animals he would make the animals suffer. He would leave them half dead so they would ride in pain and agony but Narada muni just appeared to him.
He instructed Mrgari and Mrgari became a wonderful devotee of Krishna. A similar situation we also see with the dacoit Ratnakar, he was a dacoit and bandit and he used to loot and kill people and travelers but again Narada muni appeared to him and we see due to Narada muni’s association Ratnakar became a devotee, he became Valmiki. Another example is King Prachinapari his sons were performing great austerities and became great devotees of the Lord and received the mercy of Lord Shiva and became great devotees. Narada muni felt that these boys are so advanced spiritually but look at their father, he is still a miserable enjoyer of sense gratification. Narada muni went to him and advised him and he became a devotee. One after another we can think of so many wonderful examples. Another example is King Chitraketu, he was the ruler of the entire earth planet but he didn’t have a son and as a result of that although he had everything it all amounted to nothing so then by the grace of Angira Risi, he had a son but that son died untimely.
Then again Narada muni came and instructed him and Chitraketu became a great devotee. So, in this way we can see how by the mercy of Krishna one gets a guru and by the mercy of the guru one receives the seed of devotional service. So here, Sukadeva Goswami is the spiritual master of Parikshit Maharaja and Krishna sent him. Krishna who is the Supersoul residing in the hearts of everybody, He knows the right time and He sends the right person to guide the conditioned souls to the ultimate destination. Parikshit Maharaja is a qualified disciple. What is the qualification of a disciple? Qualification of a sincere seeker of spiritual life? He is a sincere seeker and has his heart set in becoming free from the material bondage and achieving his spiritual destination. So here Parikshit Maharaja is asking Sukadeva Goswami what happened after Vidura left home. Vidura left home just before the battle of Kuruksetra began. When Vidura saw that all the endeavors failed then Vidura just left home after being insulted by Duryodhana.
When he saw that all the endeavors to avert the war failed, he just tried to give the last advice to Dhrtarastra, the blind king but Duryodhana became very insulting so he just left. When he left, he was travelling to the places of pilgrimage and there he came across Sage Maitreya and a wonderful conversation took place between Vidura and Maitreya. That has been recorded here in Srimad Bhagavatam. These questions and discussions are just a prelude to the discourse between Vidura and. Maitreya. When he asked what Vidura did, Sukadeva Goswami was just relating to some incidences before that and the incident was that although Yudhisthira Maharaja was ajata-satroh. Here two qualities of Yudhisthira Maharaja were established ajata-satroh and satyava lambi, one who doesn’t have any enemy, whose enemy is not born or who was born without any enemy. It can be taken any way, one who is born without any enemy or one whose enemy is not born, he never considered anyone to be his enemy. Even though Yudhisthira Maharaja did not see anyone as his enemy but Duryodhana could not resist the temptation of becoming his enemy. Although Yudhisthira Maharaja was so pious, compassionate, merciful and forgiving, being endowed with all the good qualities but still Duryodhana became his enemy.
There are some people like that and we can see in this world there are two types of people: 1. one who doesn’t have any enemy and, 2. one who thinks that the most wonderful people in this world are his enemy. There are always people like Yudhisthira Maharaja and there are also people like Duryodhana. This is the material nature. There is an incident when Dronacharya sent Yudhisthira Maharaja to bring the most sinful and evil person and he sent Duryodhana to find the most pious and best person. At the end of the day both of them came back. Yudhisthira Maharaja couldn’t find any bad person and Duryodhana could not find any good person. So, we can see ultimately it is a matter of our perception, how we see things. Some people see that in this world everything is bad and some people see that everything is good.
This is the reality; it is not a fiction or some story. Mahabharata is not just some story, Mahabharata is history. It happened. Duryodhana is Duryodhana, Yudhisthira is Yudhisthira, Dhrtarastra is Dhrtarastra, and these are real personalities. The other quality that has been mentioned in this verse about Yudhisthira Maharaja, he is satyava lambi he has taken the vow of adhering to truthfulness. It is very significant actually that this happened. At the end of the Dwapar yuga when the Kali Yuga was about to begin, and at that time dharma was standing on two legs. dharma stands on four pillars, what are the four pillars? Austerity, mercy, cleanliness and truthfulness. So, in Satya yuga dharma is intact because all the four pillars are intact, the people of that time follow these four qualities, they are austere, merciful, clean and truthful. In Tretra yuga one pillar of dharma breaks the pillar of austerity, dharma is standing on three pillars, mercy, cleanliness and truthfulness.
In Dwapar yuga another pillar is broken and that is mercy and Dharma is standing on cleanliness and truthfulness. In Kali yuga dharma stands only on one leg truthfulness and all the other three legs are broken, austerity, mercy and cleanliness and the fourth leg of truthfulness is also dwindling. So, in this way dharma is lost in this age and adharma will be established. We can see Yudhisthira Maharaja knowing what was going to happen in the age of Kali he was adhering to this one principle of dharma the leg of truthfulness. Dharma is just standing on one leg because dharma in the age of Kali is standing on one leg and if that leg is also broken then everything will be lost. Dharma is actually the foundation of devotion to Krishna, if devotion to Krishna is performed then dharma is intact. That point has also very wonderfully been established through the Vedic instructions. Yudhisthira Maharaja was adhering to dharma by just sticking to truthfulness but at one point when Krishna instructed him to do something, in order not to break that principle of deviating from truthfulness Yudhisthira Maharaja did not abide by the instruction of Krishna.
That was the only mistake Yudhisthira Maharaja performed in his entire life. It becomes very clear through Srimad Bhagavatam or the teachings of pure devotees, it was described in Mahabharata that Yudhisthira Maharaja had to go to hell, he had to see hell and the understanding is that because Yudhisthira Maharaja told a lie that’s why he had to go to hell but an in-depth analysis proved that Yudhisthira Maharaja didn’t lie. Krishna told Yudhisthira Maharaja to say that Asvathama is dead and Yudhisthira Maharaja refused to say that because it was a lie then Krishna told Bhima that there is an elephant called Asvathama and Bhima should kill that elephant. He killed that elephant and probably your truthful brother will speak the truth. Bhima immediately went and killed the elephant, a ferocious and terrible elephant but Bhima was so powerful that in a moment he just killed that elephant and Krishna said now you can say that Asvathama is dead and Yudhisthira Maharaja declared, “Asvathama is dead, the elephant.” So, he didn’t lie, what was the lie? So that was not the mistake on Yudhisthira Maharaja’s part he didn’t lie the mistake was that Krishna told him something and he did not follow that.
The ultimate consideration is whatever Krishna says do it. To follow the instructions of Krishna is dharma. Dharma is to follow the instructions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is what real dharma is. Following these principles are the foundation of dharma but they are not dharma itself. Dharma is to follow the instructions of Krishna. The clear understanding is if one is following this principle but do not accept the instruction of Krishna they are not on the path of dharma, the real dharma is to follow the instructions of Krishna. That we find in Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna was being a very nice person and was trying to adhere to all the principles be nice to superiors, respectful to seniors, be compassionate and concerned about the welfare of mankind and so on and so forth but just in one word Krishna wiped out all the reasons that Arjuna came up with asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadama ca bhasase lamenting about something one should not lament about but you are speaking like a wise man so just in one word.
What is the real understanding? The real understanding is to become situated on the spiritual platform. What is the spiritual platform? Spiritual platform is to abide by the instructions of Krishna. Krishna is saying fight so fight. At the end of Bhagavad Gita, we find that’s what Arjuna is saying. Krishna left it up to Arjuna so Arjuna, you tell me what you want to do. Arjuna’s reply was very clear, “Now that you have instructed me my illusion has been dispelled, I have regained my memory, spiritual memory and by your mercy Krishna and now I am ready to abide by Your instructions, whatever You tell me I will do that, just tell me what I need to do and I will do that.” So that is the very clear instruction and bottom line of Bhagavad Gita.
2. SRILA PRABHUPADA'S APPRECIATION
“You asked everyone to get out of their bodily concept of life, come to this spiritual consciousness, and recognize their actual identity as spiritual being and you said that their spiritual responsibility is to chant the holy name. Then their hearts will be cleansed of all impurities and, by developing their loving relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will be able to recognize their spiritual identity.” Srila Prabhupada seemed pleased that I listened attentively to his lecture. Then he asked me to read from Sri Chaitanya – Charitamrita. While I was reading, he fell asleep. I remained on the floor by his bed, chanting on my beads. When Tamal Krishna Maharaja came back and saw me sitting there, he suggested that I go and take rest.
(Extract from “Ocean of Mercy” book written by HH Bhakti Charu Swami)
3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS
- Yudhisthira Maharaja couldn’t find any bad person and Duryodhana could not find any good person. So, we can see ultimately it is a matter of our perception, how we see things. Some people see that in this world everything is bad and some people see that everything is good;
- This is the reality; it is not a fiction or some story. Mahabharata is not just some story, Mahabharata is history. It happened.
- Dharma is to follow the instructions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is what real dharma is. Following these principles are the foundation of dharma but they are not dharma itself. Dharma is to follow the instructions of Krishna;
- What is the real understanding? The real understanding is to become situated on the spiritual platform. What is the spiritual platform? Spiritual platform is to abide by the instructions of Krishna; and
- Arjuna’s reply was very clear, “Now that you have instructed me my illusion has been dispelled, I have regained my memory, spiritual memory and by your mercy Krishna and now I am ready to abide by Your instructions, whatever You tell me I will do that, just tell me what I need to do and I will do that.” So that is the very clear instruction and bottom line of Bhagavad Gita.
(The content of this E-magazine is based on a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami in ISKCON Ujjain on 19 March 2008)
(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)