So some of the family members on the other side, and some of the family members this side. So other side also, what are they? Tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṟn atha pitāmahān (BG 1.26). Pitṟn, teachers, and pitṟn also. Pitṟn means those who are on the status of father. And Bhīṣmadeva was a grandfather, a real grandfather, pitāmahā. He is on the other side. Droṇācārya, he is on the other side, teacher. They had to be respected. Actually Arjuna did so. Before fighting with Droṇācārya, he first of all throw one arrow on his lotus feet, obeisances. This is the etiquette. "My dear sir, you have taught me this fighting science, now it is being used against you, duty. So I offer my obeisances." And Droṇācārya also, threw another arrow, touching his head: "My dear boy, become blessed." This is duty. How blessed? "By killing me. I know you will kill me, so I give you blessings that you kill me." This is duty. The disciple is fighting, touching the feet of Droṇācārya: "My dear sir, it is duty. Now we are face to face to fight. So give me your blessing." This is one side. The other side, blessing, "Yes, you have my all blessings."
Arrow (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The piercing of the eyes of the fish, Karṇa was greater, what is called, arrowman. So when Karṇa came to touch the arrow for piercing the eyes of the fish, Draupadi objected, objected because she wanted Arjuna to become her husband. But she knew that "If Karṇa comes to this combat, he will be victorious. Then I will have to go to Karṇa." So she was also very intelligent daughter of kṣatriya king. So Karna, nobody knew that he is kṣatriya. He was supposed to be son of a carpenter. Karṇa was born before Kuntī's marriage. Therefore she... Karṇa remained hidden, whose son. But he was kṣatriya. So it was unknown. So Draupadi took this opportunity that "This competition is meant for the kṣatriyas, not for the non-kṣatriyas." Because he was supposed to be son of a carpenter, śūdra. So he was not given the opportunity to gain Draupadi.
This is Vedic culture. One may not be a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is very advanced. Satya śama dama titikṣa (BG 18.42). But even kṣatriyas, they are also so advanced, so advanced we can see that he is hearing Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa in the battlefield. How much time you can spare in the battlefield? The talk took place between the two soldiers when he was just going to throw his arrow. Śāstra sampate. Just we going to... He became very compassionate: "Kṛṣṇa, I have to kill my own kinsmen." And he's describing. He's describing, "What kind of sinful activities I am going to do." So just try to understand how much people were advanced. These Bhagavad-gītā talks took place between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna in the battlefield just on the verge of his beginning the battle.
So Sañjaya, the secretary of Dhṛtarāṣṭra... They were sitting in a room. So evam uktvā, "thus saying," Arjuna, the person... Arjuna is nominative case. Arjuna, saṅkhye, "in the battlefield;" rathopastha, "on the chariot," upāviśat. You have seen the picture. When Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell and from the backside Arjuna is just trying to take his arrow and fight... But instead of fighting, he's visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpam. "No, no, no. I am not going to..., giving up. Finished. I am no more going to fight." Visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpam. Why it is? Śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ. His mind was overwhelmed with lamentation, that "How can I kill my kinsmen?" This is the position.
Go-khara means cows and asses. So Arjuna played the part of a go-khara. In the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, he played the part of an ordinary person, go-khara, who is identifying this body as self. Therefore he required instruction. Not only... He became so much overwhelmed that he gave up his arrows and bows and sat down, tightly: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am not, I cannot fight." And he was crying. Not only he gave up his duty, he was kṣatriya, and he was crying: "Oh, I'll have to kill my kinsmen. No, no, no. I cannot do it."
He is addressing Kṛṣṇa as arisūdana, the killer of the enemies. He says, "But in my case, I have to fight with Bhīṣma, Droṇācārya. They are my well-wisher, and how can I kill them? It is my duty to offer my respect, touching their feet, and You are enticing me to pierce their body with arrow? So, of course, You have killed so many enemies, but You have killed enemies. Why You are inducing me to kill my grandfather and my teacher?" Of course, Arjuna, also intelligent. He replied that "You cannot accuse me as anārya. This is the consideration. Therefore I am hesitating to fight."
So Bhagavān is criticizing. Arjuna became a very good man: "Why shall I...? Oh, I cannot kill my kinsmen." From material point of view, people will very much appreciate, "Oh, here is Arjuna. He's so nice, nonviolent. He is foregoing his claim. He has given up his astra, bow and arrows. He's no, no longer fighting. He has decided not to fight with kinsmen, kill his own men." So from material point of view, Arjuna is supposed to be very, very good man. But the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, what does He say? Anārya-juṣṭam: "You rascal, you are speaking like anārya." He'll say rascal later on. He posed himself to be very good man, but when he comes to the test of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He refuses to accept him as a good man. He's saying that "You are anārya." There are two kinds of men: anārya and ārya. Āryan. Āryan means advanced in knowledge. He's called Āryan. And anārya means uncivilized.
Now Kṛṣṇa was encouraging to fight; Arjuna was also very intelligently replying. He addressed Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana, Arisūdana. Madhusūdana means "the killer of Madhu demon" or "the killer or enemy." So his purpose is that "I have to kill Bhīṣmadeva, who is my so kind grandfather, and I have to kill Droṇācārya, who is my teacher, from whom I have learned this military art. So You have killed the demons and Your enemy, and why You are inducing me to kill my guru and my grandfather?" This is his argument. Kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana, iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi: (BG 2.4) "They, my grandfather, my teacher, may chastise me, but how I can pierce with arrows their body?"
The whole transaction of the Bhagavad-gītā is based on the talking of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna only. So when Arjuna decided that "I am not going to fight with my kinsmen, the other side, unless I am convinced that I have to do it." So at that time,
- evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ
- guḍākeśaḥ parantapaḥ
- na yotsya iti govindam
- uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha
- (BG 2.9)
Now he simply left his weapons, his arrows and bow. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight." He left everything and became silent. So at that time,
- tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ
- prahasann iva bhārata
- senayor ubhayor madhye
- viṣīdantam idaṁ vacaḥ
- (BG 2.10)
Then Kṛṣṇa was smiling, that "How is that? Arjuna is My friend, he is so advanced, and he has been overcome by this temporary illusion. His duty is to fight, and in the presence of other party he is ready to fight, and this man, My friend Arjuna, is declining to fight." So He was little astonished.
Formerly it was not like that. When there was fight, because they are kṣatriyas... Kṣatriyas, they will never go back from fighting. Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. That is the symptom of kṣatriya. When there is fight, they will come forward first. Śauryaṁ tejo... Vīryaṁ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca dānaṁ ca. Kṣatriyas means they are very powerful, strong, and when there is fight, a kṣatriya, if he is challenged by somebody that "I want to fight with you," he cannot deny. "Yes. What kind of fight you want, bows, arrows, or club, or sword?" Any way they will fight. And fight means until one is dead, the fight will go on. That is fight.
So here it is said, Arjuna might be thinking that "Kṛṣṇa says this body is different from the soul. The soul is within. So now suppose when I place my sword on the body of my grandfather or my kinsmen, the body will cut, and, in the meantime, the soul is within the body. It may be cut because the soul is there. By accidentally, he may be cut." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says very distinctly; nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi, that "Soul cannot be cut. Any weapon. It cannot be pierced by your arrows, it cannot be cut into pieces by your sword, or if you use firearms it will not burn." Nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. This is the position of soul. Immutable, indestructible. Another... This is the negative description of the soul. Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. Is there anything in this material world which cannot be cut into pieces? Have you got any experience? Take wood, stone, iron, or anything. It can be cut into pieces.
To test Arjuna's fighting capacity, sometimes Lord Śiva, when Arjuna was hunting in the forest, so Lord Śiva also, as a hunter, he appeared before him, and when a boar was killed by hunting, Lord Śiva claimed that "I have done this killing." Arjuna said, "No, I have done this." So there was controversy, who will claim that hunt, I mean to say, killed animal. So Arjuna was claiming, and Lord Śiva as a hunter, he was also claiming. Then there was fight between Lord Śiva and Arjuna. So Lord Śiva was defeated. So he then disclosed his identity that "I am very much pleased that you (are) such a nice fighter." So he presented him one arrow which is called pāśupata-astra. Similarly, he sometimes fought with Indra. He gave him some astra, weapon. This was the system, that a kṣatriya is presented with a kind of weapon, a brāhmaṇa is presented with Vedas, and so far vaiśyas and śūdras are concerned, they are not very important.
So Duryodhana criticized the commander in chief, Bhīma, Bhīṣmadeva. "My dear grandfather, you are affectionate to the other parties, my other cousin-brothers; therefore you are not fighting very nicely." "Oh, you think like that, that I'm not fighting very nicely?" "Yes." Just to enthuse him. Yes. So he said, "All right. Tomorrow I shall kill all these five brothers. Is that all right?" "Yes, that's nice." "So I'll keep these five arrows reserved for killing these five brothers." So Duryodhana did not believe, that "He may miss these five arrows," but he said, "My dear grandfather, better I keep these five arrows with me. I shall deliver you tomorrow morning." "All right, you keep it." Kṛṣṇa understood. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. He immediately said Arjuna, "Tomorrow you are going to be killed. Be assured." Why? "Now this is the position." "Then what to do?" "Now, you go to Duryodhana and take away all those arrows. Otherwise you'll be killed." So Arjuna remembered that Duryodhana once promised—Duryodhana was elderly, Arjuna is young, younger brother—that "My dear brother, I promise, whatever you want I can give you." So Duryodhana said, "All right. I shall ask you some days later. Not now." So Arjuna thought, "Now this is the opportunity. I shall go and ask Duryodhana to give me those arrows." So Arjuna went to the other camp, and immediately Duryodhana received him as his brother: "My dear brother, you have come? What do you want? You want the kingdom without fighting? Therefore you have come? I can give you. I can stop this fighting if you want without fighting." No. Arjuna said, "No, I have come for some other purpose." "All right. Whatever you want, you can..." "Yes, you sometimes promised that whatever I want you will give me." "Yes, I am keeping my promise. What do you want?" He said, "Give me those five arrows." (laughter) "Yes." Immediately. This is kṣatriya spirit. This is brahminical culture. "Yes, you take it.
The devotees are always anxious to see God, so God comes down to give relief to the devotee, being present before them. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Another: vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, to annihilate the demons. So there..., for annihilating, for killing, you require weapon. Kṛṣṇa has His weapon, sudarśana-cakra. Lord Rāmacandra has His weapon, bow and arrow. What is the weapon of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. His associates are His weapons. This is astra. Because in the Kali-yuga they are so fallen, even they are demons, they are third-class, fourth-class demons. (laughter) So they need not be killed. They are already killed. Their mode of life, their atmosphere, they are always dead. Just like we see so many demons. So what is there to kill them? They are already killed. They have no life. So this killing process in Kali-yuga is to kill their demonic propensities.
Just like formerly there was also fight. That fight was being conducted with arrows and bows. So if you want to kill your enemy, you'll kill your enemy, not others. Other innocent people will not be killed. But nowadays, for defending, we are using atom bomb. So many thousands of innocent men are being killed. So therefore to manufacture or to invent such weapons, lethal weapons, is requiring very good merit, but duṣkṛtina, for committing sinful activities. Even war, there is dharma. That can be also dharmāviruddha. Just like Arjuna fought. He fought dharmāviruddha, under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa. That is not ordinary fighting. That fighting is Kṛṣṇa, because he was fighting under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa. Personally he refused to fight, but when he understood that Kṛṣṇa wanted that fighting, under His guidance he fought. That fighting is Kṛṣṇa.
So Arjuna offered, "Whatever work You like, You can take." So He said, "All right. I shall drive your chariot." So Kṛṣṇa's promise was that He will not fight. But at a time when Arjuna was perplexed by fighting with Bhīṣma... Bhīṣma was the greatest fighter, although he was very old man. Duryodhana incited him that "Because the other side are your very pet grandsons, you are not fighting fully." That was the complaint of Duryodhana. So in order to encourage him, Bhīṣma said to Duryodhana, "All right, tomorrow I shall finish all these five brothers. Tomorrow I shall finish. And I have got now special arrows for killing these five chivalrous brothers."
So Duryodhana was very intelligent. He told, "All right, please keep these five arrows with me for the night. I shall deliver you tomorrow in the morning." "All right, you take it." And Kṛṣṇa understood. Kṛṣṇa is, everything knows, past, present and future. Kṛṣṇa knew it that "Bhīṣma has now promised. He will kill." So He asked Arjuna—this is also politics—that "You go to Duryodhana. Do you remember that Duryodhana"—Duryodhana is elderly than Arjuna—"that he would keep some promise which was offered to you?" Duryodhana told him, "Arjuna, whenever you want something, I shall give you." "Now this is the time. You can go." "And what is that?" "Now, he has got five arrows for killing you. You should take and come to Me." So after fight, they were friends. So Arjuna went to the camp of Duryodhana, and he was well received. "Well Arjuna, come on. What do you want? Come on. Sit down. Do you want anything from me? If you want, I can stop this fight. I can return you this..." Arjuna said, "No. I have not come to you for begging my kingdom. Fighting will go on. But I want... You promised something." "Yes. I know. I offer you. What do you want?" "Now, I want those five arrows." At once he delivered.
The chariot was torn into pieces, and Arjuna fell down. And then Kṛṣṇa took up one of the wheel of the chariot and came before: "Now, Bhīṣma, you stop this fighting; otherwise I will kill you." Bhīṣma at once gave up his arrow, and he offered, "All right. Kill me." So thing is that because Bhīṣma promised that "I shall kill Arjuna tomorrow," and Kṛṣṇa also promised not to fight, just to save these two devotees, Arjuna and Bhīṣma—Bhīṣma also was a great devotee—just to show him that "I am breaking My promise. Please stop..." He wanted that "Either I shall break My promise or you shall kill Arjuna. So better see that I have broken My promise." So in this way, sometimes, for devotee, He sometimes breaks His own promise.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
In other incarnation, Kṛṣṇa comes with weapon. As Lord Rāmacandra He came with bows and arrows. As Kṛṣṇa He came with disc and club. Here Kṛṣṇa has come compassionately to distribute mercy to the fallen souls. So He has not taken any astra, any weapon. His weapon is His associate devotee. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's associate, Nityānanda Prabhu, He is going to kill Jagāi and Mādhāi, not by weapon, but by His mercy. He went to preach Jagāi and Mādhāi, the drunkards, the woman-hunters, flesh-eaters, and they hurt Him. Still, He delivered them.
Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa's son. Means not fully brāhmaṇa, not grown-up. A child, a boy twelve years old, he cursed Parīkṣit Mahārāja that "Within seven days you'll be bitten by a serpent," and it came to be true. So brāhmaṇa does not require any sword or any arrow to kill a man. His very word is sufficient. Therefore when somebody was to be killed, the brāhmaṇa would bring him to the kṣatriya—not killing himself by weapon. Just like Viśvāmitra, he wanted to kill one rākṣasī, so he came to Mahārāja Daśaratha, kṣatriya, to do the business of killing. There are so many... That is shastric evidences.
So from this point it can be considered that he had some human consideration. So he's advertised very adversely, but if it is a true fact, then how he could have this human consideration that he did not throw the nuclear weapon? And this was taken by the Americans and it was thrown in Japan. That is the history so far we know. So anyway, as we have got experience, the nuclear weapon is very, very dangerous. Similarly the brahmāstra is also very, very dangerous. And another weapon, they knew this art, śabda-vedhī. Śabda-vedhī means if I throw some arrow, it will go to my enemy wherever he is. A little sound of the enemy will attract this weapon, and it is sure to kill my enemy. Śabda-vedhī. There are many instances in Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. Śabda-vedhī-vāk.
So counteraction. This is military science. Sāma Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda. And military science also, one of the part of the Vedas, Dhanur Veda. It is called Dhanur Veda—how to utilize dhanuḥ. Dhanuḥ means bow and arrows. Similarly Āyur Veda. Āyur Veda means medical science, how to protect the āyuḥ. Because the body is perishable, so in the Vedic knowledge, everything is there to guide the human society. It is stated in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). Nigama means Veda, and that is kalpa-taru. Nigama kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam. It is compared with the tree. What kind of tree? Desire tree. Nigama-kalpa-taroḥ. Kalpa-taru. The kalpa-taru can be found in the spiritual world, not in this material world. The spiritual world is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā.
So here Kṛṣṇa ordered that this is brahmāstra. He could not understand that intolerable temperature, heat, and Arjuna inquired, "Wherefrom the heat is coming?" So Kṛṣṇa informed him that "This is due to brahmāstra released by Aśvatthāmā. This rascal does not know how to counteract it." Naivāsau veda saṁhāram. "He does not know." Formerly, in the military science, you have released one kind of arrow. If I am expert, then I can release another arrow which will counteract your arrow. Naivāsau veda saṁhāram. It is called saṁhāram. So Aśvatthāmā released that brahmāstra. Now Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna that "You release this saṁhārāstra," how to counteract. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham: "You know better than him how to counteract." Hy astra-tejasā: "By another..." (break) ...different astras are released by different expert military men. So that science is not yet discovered. By mantra.
Woman should be trained up from the very beginning how to become good wife and good mother. That is the duty. Vāma-svabhāvā. So here is example, Kuntīdevī is one example. Draupadī one example. We have got many examples how to train woman. They are very soft-hearted. They can be molded in any way. And Bhīṣmadeva has advised... When Bhīṣmadeva was in the bed of arrows, śara-śayyā, so the Pāṇḍavas, the Kurus, they took many advices about politics, sociology. Many things—religion, king's duty, so many instruction was taken. In that instruction he also confirmed the Vedic injunction that woman should be always protected very carefully. There is one quality of shyness. If you break that shyness of woman, it will be very dangerous. It will be very dangerous. That is the one verb,(?) (word) to check.
When Nārada Muni made the hunter a disciple, so he dragged him to the riverside, Ganges, and gave him a tulasī plant, that: "You sit down here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. And the tulasī plant is here. You offer obeisances." Then he was very much anxious because he was hunter. He has been stopped, his main business, killing business. So he was thinking that "My Guru Mahārāja may not cheat me. He has stopped my business. He has broken my bows and arrows. And now he has dragged me here to sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Then he asked, "What about my food, sir? I'll sit down here or..." Nārada Muni assured him that "Don't bother. I'll send you your food. You sit down here. You chant, and I will send your food." So he was little doubtful. Anyway, this news, as soon as the news spread in the neighboring places that "A hunter has become a Vaiṣṇava," so out of curiosity, people used to come to see the hunter-Vaiṣṇava. The hunter... When one is Vaiṣṇava, he's no longer a hunter or belonging to the any caste. But people used to say "the hunter-Vaiṣṇava."
Bhīṣmadeva actually had some affection. So Duryodhana thought that "My grandfather is not fighting properly because the other side, his beloved grandsons. I am also grandson, but I am not so beloved. But the other side, Pāṇḍavas, because they are fatherless, he has more affection for them. So he is officially fighting. He is not fighting with his real vigor." He complained that. But actually, that wasn't a fact, that "My dear grandfather, you are not fighting with Arjuna with your full vigor. I can understand that." "Oh, I am not fighting? So what do you think?" "Now, I want that you decide to kill them all tomorrow. You can do that." "All right. I shall do that. If you are doubting about my fighting, then I shall..." So he made special five arrows to kill the five brothers next. So Duryodhana asked his grandfather that "Let me keep these five arrows with me. I shall deliver you tomorrow morning. Otherwise it may be missing."
Formerly the practice was, daytime there is fight, but in the after evening they are all friends. After evening they are friends. One can go this camp, that camp, and talk together, sit together, just like friends. There is no enemy. So Duryodhana sometimes promised Arjuna that "I want to give you some benediction. You can ask." So Arjuna said—Duryodhana was elder than Arjuna—that "I will ask you in proper time." So Kṛṣṇa reminded that "Today, tonight you go to Duryodhana and ask him to deliver those five arrows kept in secret. Otherwise tomorrow you will be finished."
Arjuna went to Duryodhana in the camp. Duryodhana received him well: "Come on, brother. What do you want?" He thought that "We are fighting. Arjuna has come to beg the kingdom without fighting." So they were so liberal. He said, "Yes, come in. If you want the kingdom without fighting, I am prepared." But a kṣatriya will never beg, "Give me, sir, without..." No. If they can own by fighting, then they will claim. This is kṣatriya spirit. So he said that "No, I have not come to beg the kingdom. We shall fight, go on fighting. But I want those five arrows you have kept." Oh, immediately he delivered. Although he was very cautious that these five arrows may not be missing, but promise is promise. Immediately he delivered. So Bhīṣma understood later on that the five arrows were taken by Arjuna by trick. So still, he promised that "Even without those five weapons, today I shall kill Arjuna. Unless Kṛṣṇa gives His special protection to Arjuna, there is no escape. Either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise, otherwise His friend will be killed."
So Kṛṣṇa wanted... Bhīṣma was lying on the bed of arrows, preparing for his death. So Kṛṣṇa wanted that these Pāṇḍavas should go to Bhīṣma and hear his instruction. Therefore, despite His advice to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that "There was no wrong on your part. You are thinking that you have killed, or for your sake so many men have been killed. That is not... You are not responsible for that. You are not sinful..." For a kṣatriya, killing is not sinful. For a brāhmaṇa, sacrificing an animal in the arena, that is not sinful. So it is all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, sa doṣam api na tyajet (BG 18.48). Killing is bad, but a kṣatriya's business is to kill. Without killing, one cannot become perfect kṣatriya. Because he has to give protection, and there are so many demons, rascals. So if the king becomes nonviolent, how other citizens will be given protection? No.
When we are confused in our ordinary life, we also go to a friend, senior friend, or experienced friend, and ask him, "My dear friend, I am in this condition. I am very much confused what to do." That is natural. Similarly, when Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was so much afraid that he had killed so many prajās, he knew that "Now, still, there is a superior person, my grandfather, who is lying on the bed of arrows. Let me go there." Tato vinaśanaṁ prāgāt. Then he decided, "Let me go to Bhīṣmadeva. He can give me instruction." What is that instruction? Sarva-dharma. Sarva-dharma. Instruction on all kinds of different varieties of religious system. Sarva-dharma. We will find. Dharma... Dharma means occupational duty.
We cannot decide what is actually piety, religion. But if we follow mahājana, great authorities, then certainly we are unmistaken. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, now all the Pāṇḍavas along with Kṛṣṇa, they have come to Bhīṣmadeva for taking his last instruction. He was lying on the bed of arrows for death. So his father's benediction was that Bhīṣmadeva would not die unless he desires to die. He was a very avowed brahmacārī, truthful. And Bhīṣmadeva recommended in the rājasūya-yajña that "Kṛṣṇa is greater brahmacārī than me. Although I am brahmacārī, but Kṛṣṇa is greater brahmacārī." Why? "I am brahmacārī. I have avoided association of woman, but Kṛṣṇa, He was young boy and He had so many young girlfriends, still, He was not sexually agitated. He is the greatest brahmacārī." That is the recommendation given by Bhīṣmadeva.
Kṛṣṇa asked Arjuna that "You declare to the world that My devotees will never be vanquished." Why Kṛṣṇa asking Arjuna to declare? He could declare. He could declare, but the meaning is that sometimes, for the sake of His devotee, He breaks His promise. For the sake of His devotee. Just like Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma promised, "Kṛṣṇa, tomorrow either Your friend Arjuna will die, I am determined now, or You have to break Your promise." Because Kṛṣṇa said, "I will not fight." But when Arjuna was practically devastated by the arrows of Bhīṣma, he fell down, his chariot broke, everything shattered. Now Kṛṣṇa saw, "Now Arjuna is going to die." So immediately Kṛṣṇa took the wheel of the chariot and went to the front of Bhīṣma: "Now you stop; otherwise I will kill you." So this is fighting. So Bhīṣma saw, "Now Kṛṣṇa has broken His promise. I stop." So to keep the promise of Bhīṣma, that Bhīṣma promised, "Either Arjuna will die, or Kṛṣṇa, You will have to break Your promise," two things, so Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I am breaking My promise. Don't kill Arjuna." Therefore, for the sake of devotee, He sometimes break His promise.
So this instruction by Arjuna... He said that so 'haṁ dhanus ta iṣavaḥ. He was defeated by the cowherdsmen. He could not protect the queens of Kṛṣṇa, and they were taken away by these cowherdsmen. So he is lamenting that "I have got this bow and arrow with which I fought in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and I became victorious because Kṛṣṇa was sitting on my chariot. That is the only reason. Now I have got these bows and arrows, the same bows and arrows with which I fought in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, but at the present moment there is no Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is useless." Īśa-rikta, asad abhūt. Asat means which does not act; it does not exist. "So my bows and arrows are the same, but it is now useless."
Here is practical example, Arjuna is giving, that "I have got the same arrow, I have got the same bow. I have got the same chariot, my same horses, but everything is... I am the same Arjuna who was being honored by so many kings, 'Oh, Arjuna is such a great warrior!' Now nobody cares for me." This is example. Here is said, so 'haṁ rathī nṛpatayo yata ānamanti: "I am the same Arjuna, great fighter. People were offering their obeisances to me, 'O Arjuna, you are great friend of Kṛṣṇa. You are great warrior.' Now nobody cares." How it has vanquished? The example is here, "Just like to pour butter in the ashes." This example is... Because in sacrifice the butter is poured into the fire.
The queens of Kṛṣṇa, they could not be touched. But it is a play only. Similarly, Yadu dynasty, the descendants of Kṛṣṇa, they also could not be killed. But... Just like Kṛṣṇa was killed by the arrow of a hunter. How Kṛṣṇa can be killed? But it is for the persons, for the demons, to demonstrate like that, who thinks Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. So for them it is a jugglery. They will still know that "Here your Kṛṣṇa is killed." Yes. They will say like that. So tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram asura-yoniṣu (BG 16.19).
The connection must be there. And if you lose the connection, then it is of no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you have to keep yourself always connected with the original powerhouse. Then wherever you'll go, there will be light. There'll be light. If you're disconnected, there will be no light. The bulb is there; the wiring is there; the switch is there. Everything is there. That's how Arjuna is feeling, that "I am the same Arjuna. I am the same Arjuna who fought in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. I was known as so great a warrior, and my bow is the same bow and my arrow is the same arrow. But now it is useless. I could not defend myself because disconnected with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is no longer." Therefore he began to remember the words of Kṛṣṇa which was taught to him in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
So his father, Śantanu Mahārāja, saw that Bhīṣma is so affectionate to his father that for the father's sense gratification he has sacrificed his own. So he gave him this benediction, "My dear son, you are so stern in keeping your promise. So I give you this benediction, that you will never die unless you desire." Therefore Bhīṣmadeva was lying on the bed of arrows, and he left this material world when he desired. So the yogis can do that. The yogis they control the soul. The soul is floating in different airs. So they can control. That is called ṣaṭ-cakraḥ. From the rectum to the abdomen, abdomen to the heart, heart to the collarbone, then collarbone to the palate, and then here. So one who can bring the soul here, they can get out from this hole, it is called brahma-randhra.
Nobody could know where the Pāṇḍavas were at, they attempted to gain Draupadī in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Draupadī's father made a bet, that "This is the condition of my daughter being given to a boy." The condition was that on a ceiling a fish was hanging, and the boy who will be victorious in piercing the eyes of the fish by arrow... Not directly looking, but there was a waterpot, the reflection. He has to fix up his point by seeing the reflection down, and then he has to pierce the eye. Then Draupadī will accept. All the noted princes in those times, they kept such bet. Even Kṛṣṇa had to marry Satyabhāmā... Satyabhāmā's father also made a bet the, he kept five very strong bulls. So condition was that "Any boy who will be able to control these bulls, then I will offer my daughter to him." So all the princes who came to control the bulls, they got their hands and legs fractured by the pushing of the bull. Nobody could... Then Kṛṣṇa came. And Kṛṣṇa controlled the five bulls, expanding Himself into five strong boy, and He was offered Satyabhāmā.
Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. As soon as he heard that Kali, these four principles of Kali has already entered, he immediately took his bows and arrows and... "Who is that rascal, he is drinking? Kill him." That was king. "Kill him, that rascal." So if one is killed because he was drinking, then others will be very careful. That was king's duty. "Anyone who has got illicit sex, kill him. Anyone who is drunkard, kill him. Anyone who is eating meat, kill him. No other consideration. Directly kill him." Then you see within a few years all these things will stop. Within a few years. But the government must be strong. But the government wants that "You go to hell by drinking, but we are making profit. One rupee cost, we are getting sixty rupees. Go on with this business." This is Kali-yuga. Everyone is doing his own personal interest.
So in the Kali-yuga, Kṛṣṇa does not come with weapon. In other yugas, the Lord comes with weapon. Just like Lord Rāmacandra. He came with bows and arrows to fight with Rāvaṇa. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa also appeared with His sudarśana-cakra. Because in those days, the demons were killed by weapons. Kṛṣṇa killed many demons, because Kṛṣṇa has got two kinds of activities, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: (BG 4.8) for sādhu, simply to deliver them, and for the demons, to kill them. But the result is the same. That is called Absolute. Whether Kṛṣṇa pats somebody and kills somebody, the result is the same. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Absolute. It is not ordinary fortune to be killed by God. It is a great fortune.
Brahman, Brahman does not mean no variety. Varieties. There is fighting. Just like Kṛṣṇa was taking pleasure when His devotee Bhisma was piercing Him with arrows, actually. He was taking pleasure. So Viśvanātha Cakravartī has given this example, that this can be realized by this example, that when a lover kisses the opposite lover, even sometimes, kissing, there is blood come out, still, it is pleasing. In that kissing process, even blood comes out, still, it is pleasure. The lover does not complain. It is very suitable example given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. So when Kṛṣṇa enjoys with His devotees, the fighting with piercing Kṛṣṇa's body, that is being enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa.
Not only that, when Kṛṣṇa was fighting with Rukmiṇī's brother, he lost his chariot. So, and Rukmiṇī took the sword. So Kṛṣṇa also throw His bow and arrows. He also took the sword. Not that "I shall possess better weapons to kill you." No. Equal. Equal terms. "If you have no sword, I will give you a sword." Yes. "Take this sword. I take another." That is kṣatriya spirit. Sporting. So for kṣatriya, this animal killing, this, which is abominable, but they require.
Rāvaṇa is insulted. But he was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. You know that. Why he's insulted? Because he was not a Vaiṣṇava. He was against Rāmacandra. Therefore he's asura. When he was in danger, when Rāmacandra was in his front to kill him, so he began to offer his prayer, Rāvaṇa, "Please come and protect me." He knew that "I cannot be saved from the arrow of Lord Rāmacandra." That he knew very well. Therefore he was praying to Lord Śiva, "Please come and save me." But Lord Śiva could not come and save. Pārvatī was requesting him, that "Your, such a great devotee, he's in danger, and he's praying to, for protection, and you are not going?" Lord Śiva said, "What shall I do? I cannot give him protection." Therefore the simple word is rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke and māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. If Kṛṣṇa wants to kill somebody, nobody can give protection. It is not possible. And if Kṛṣṇa wants to protect somebody, nobody can kill him.
In the material world everyone is suffering by the piercing arrow of Cupid, man or woman. The Madana, Cupid, is piercing the arrow to man and woman, and the woman is mad after man, and man is mad after woman. But when you see Kṛṣṇa actually, then you see Madana-mohana. Then there will be no more suffering of the piercing arrow of the Cupid. That is called akuto-bhayam, no more fear. No more fear. Now you become fearless. And when... If you want to become fearless, akuto-bhayam, then Kṛṣṇa says that, Kapiladeva says, praviśanty akuto-bhayam. He enters, bhakti-yogena, when one is actually in bhakti-yoga, full knowledge, and vairāgya, renunciation of the material world, then he is able to enter. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad, tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā.
He took only one broken wheel of the chariot, and taking it, He was going to kill Bhīṣma just to show him, "You promised that I would fight, so now I have taken this fighting weapon. Now you can stop. Otherwise you will be killed." So he stopped. He could understand. But while Kṛṣṇa was coming to kill him with that broken piece of wheel, that was very pleasing to him, Bhīṣma. At that time Bhīṣma was piercing with sharpened arrow the body of Kṛṣṇa. So He was pleasing, He was feeling very pleasure, being pierced by the arrow of Bhīṣma. So bhakti transaction, there are many kinds of bhakti transaction. And at the time of Bhīṣma's death he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa: in His fighting spirit He was coming to kill him. That is in Bhīṣma's prayer. There is in the Bhāgavata. He was not thinking of Kṛṣṇa with flute. He was thinking of Kṛṣṇa with the broken chariot wheel and was coming to kill him. That form was very pleasing to him.
You cannot stamp anybody and become a mahātmā. No. Mahātmā's sign is, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). He has no other business. Simply he has only one business: how to please Kṛṣṇa. That is mahātmā. Ānukūlyena, just like Arjuna did. Arjuna did not like to fight. He completely denied, he set aside his arrows and bows, became very morose, and then he asked Kṛṣṇa, "I am now puzzled, you can give me instruction, what is my duty, because kārpaṇya doṣa upahata svabhāvaḥ. Actually my, it is duty, my duty, that uh I am kṣatriya, and there is fight, battlefield, I should take advantage of it, but still, kārpaṇya doṣa upahata svabhāvaḥ. I am going against my nature, so I do not know what to do, please instruct." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7).
Kṛṣṇa is not stereotyped, that He has to be served in this way only. No, Kṛṣṇa can accept service in so many ways. There are dvādaśa-rasa, akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Just like Kṛṣṇa is enjoying when Bhīṣmadeva was piercing His body with the arrows. He was enjoying. This is also rasa. Bhīṣma, purposefully, he knows Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, still, he is devotee, he was giving Him pleasure by throwing arrows on His body. So Kṛṣṇa takes pleasure in that. Kṛṣṇa does not take pleasure only when you throw rose flowers. He can take pleasure when you can pierce. If you are actually able to do that. So that is Kṛṣṇa.
Bhīṣmadeva knew that "Arjuna cannot be killed. I will show Duryodhana that I am not partial. He is not to be killed." Yeṣāṁ paṣe janārdanaḥ. Jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇām yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ. "Nobody can kill them. But this rascal is criticizing me, so I shall show tomorrow." So he made five weapons to kill the five brothers, and he said that "I am keeping these five arrows to kill the five brothers tomorrow. Don't worry. Sleep nicely." So Kṛṣṇa could understand that "This arrangement has been done." So Kṛṣṇa reminded Arjuna that "Duryodhana wanted to give you some benediction, being pleased upon you. Now you go there and take the five weapons from him." So when My point is that how the fighting was in a sporting spirit. So Arjuna, when came to the camp of Duryodhana, Duryodhana well received him: "Yes, my dear brother, come. What do you want? Why you have come?" "Now, you promised something to give me. I have come to take that."
For instance, that, when in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, fighting was going on between Kṛṣṇa and Bhīṣma, both of them... Kṛṣṇa, of course, did not touch any weapon because He promised. But Grandfather Bhīṣma was very severely piercing Kṛṣṇa's body with arrows, and Kṛṣṇa was enjoying. That is the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Kṛṣṇa can be worshiped, Kṛṣṇa can be loved, by any capacity. The gopīs loved Kṛṣṇa out of seemingly lust, lusty desires, and Śiśupāla remembered Kṛṣṇa out of anger. Kāmāt krodhād bhayāt. And Kamsa remembered always Kṛṣṇa out of fear. And, of course, they were not devotees. Devotees means they should be always favorably disposed to Kṛṣṇa. Not inimical. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, even somebody is disposed to Him in an inimical attitude, he also gets salvation.
So one business is to give protection to the devotees and to annihilate the duṣkṛta, those who are sinful. So first annihilating, it requires weapon, śaṇkha, cakra, gadā, (indistinct). Lord Rāmacandra has got bows and arrows, and Kṛṣṇa has got Sudarśana-cakra. But here it is said, saṅga-upaṅga-astra. What is that astra, weapon? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has no astra. Seemingly there's a... But this is astra, this hari-saṅkīrtana. This is astra. In the Kali-yuga there is no profit by killing them. They're already killed. So therefore this is the astra. To kill the miscreants this is astra, this hari-saṅkīrtana. If they'll simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, this is astra that will kill all their sinful reaction of life, then become devotee. This is astra. Now it is not required the bows and arrows or... Because they're already dead, because they have no conception of God. Simply fighting how to avoid God, this is their business. It is very difficult to convince them about the existence of... They're seeing every moment there is existence of God, but they're so stubborn, so much bewildered by māyā, they'll not.
Everything like Viṣṇu. Sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ, dhanur-niṣaṅgāsi-gadā-śaṇkha-cakrāmbuja-śriyaḥ. And the weapons: dhanuḥ, bow; dhanur-niṣaṅga asi, the arrows and the sword; gadā, club; śaṇkha, conchshell; and cakra, disc. As Viṣṇu has Sudarśana... Śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma. There are fourteen different forms of Viṣṇu according to the position of the weapon in different hand, beginning with śaṇkha-cakra-gadā-padma, then cakra-gadā-śaṇkha-padma, in this way. These description are there in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. And according to the change of the weapon, the different names are there. One viṣṇu-mūrti is called Vāmana; one mūrti is called Govinda. In this way there are twenty-four forms of Viṣṇu, śaṇkha-cakra-gadā-padma, according to Their placing in different hands.
Just imagine if somebody is very good-looking, with helmet and nice earring, bedecked with jewels, and the helmet bedecked with jewels, and cloth yellow, with garland, four hands. Sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ. All young, not old like me; all young like you. Nūtna-vayasaḥ. Just (indistinct) very young. Sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ. And four-handed. Here we get two hands, in the Vaikuṇṭha planet we get four hands. Dhanur niṣa aṅgāsi-gadā-śaṇkha-cakra-ambuja śriyaḥ. And each hand is decorated with bow, arrow, sword, and conchshell, and disc. Like that. This is the description of Vaikuṇṭha features.
So Duryodhana became very satisfied. And Bhīṣma was a great hero. He was not ordinary hero. He fought in such a way that Arjuna's chariot became broken and he became fainted and so on, so on. Then Kṛṣṇa saw that "My friend is going to die." So He became very angry. And He was coming with the chariot wheel to kill Bhīṣmadeva, and Bhīṣmadeva was piercing His body with arrows like anything. So Kṛṣṇa was feeling very satisfaction, because Bhīṣma is also great devotee. So when Kṛṣṇa came before Bhīṣmadeva, that "Now I shall kill you, you are doing too much," so he immediately left, means "That was my promise, that either You have to fight or Your friend will be killed."
Just like Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma is stated here as one of the authority, mahājanas. But what did he do? He fought against Kṛṣṇa and pierced with his arrows. You know, in the... We have stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛṣṇa became so much disturbed that... Not disturbed. That is also another... He's pleased. He became pleased, rather. Being pierced by the arrows of Bhīṣma, He became pleased. That I have described in my translation. So being pleased, He came before him. He came before him as if angry, but not... He was so pleased, that "You wanted to break My promise. I have broken it! Please save Arjuna; that is My request to you.' " He promised that "Now tomorrow I shall fight in such a way that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise, either, or His most intimate friend, beloved friend, Arjuna, will be killed." So this person is determining to kill Kṛṣṇa's friend, most intimate friend, and he's a mahājana.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Śrī Yamunācārya says, "Since I have been engaged in serving the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, from that time I do not any more have any desire for sex life. Even if I do remember of sex life, I want to spite on it." So this is the result. Kṛṣṇa is Madana-Mohana. Madana-Mohana. Madana, Cupid, he agitates everyone for sex life. But if we actually be attached to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa then we shall never be enamored by the arrows of Cupid. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59).
When Kṛṣṇa was fighting with Bhīṣma... You know the story, that Bhīṣma was criticized by Duryodhana: "My dear Grandfather, you are not fighting in full strength with Arjuna because the, on the other side, they are your grandsons, and you have got, you have got very natural affection for them. So I think you are not fighting according to your strength. Otherwise, they would have been finished by this time." So Bhīṣma also could understand that, his criticism. Then he promised immediately that: "Tomorrow I shall finish all these five brothers. Will that be happy for you? So I am keeping five arrows to be used tomorrow for killing these five brothers." So Duryodhana became doubtful. So he request grandfather, "My dear grandfather, may I keep these five arrows with me so that you can take it from me tomorrow and use it?" "All right, you keep it."
So Kṛṣṇa could understand that "Now Bhīṣma has promised to kill the Pāṇḍavas tomorrow, and he has selected five arrows for them." So He has to protect His devotees. Now, He asked Arjuna that "Duryodhana sometimes promised to give you some benediction. Now it is the opportunity. You go there to Duryodhana. And he has kept five arrows very carefully; you take it, them." So Arjuna went to Duryodhana... Because after fighting, in the evening, they were friends. There was no enmity. One man can go to the other camp as friend, brothers. So when Arjuna arrived to Duryodhana, Duryodhana received him. That is Vedic etiquette. "Arjuna, why you have come? You ask something from me. I am ready to give you. If you want the kingdom without fighting, if you have come for this purpose, I'll give you." So Arjuna said: "No, my dear brother, I've not come for that purpose. But you remember that you wanted to give me some benediction. So I have come for that." "Yes, I am prepared." "So you give me those five arrows." He immediately delivered.
So next morning, when Bhīṣmadeva asked that "Where are those five arrows? Give me," So Duryodhana said, "Sir, this is the story. It has been taken away by Arjuna." So he could understand it is the trick of Kṛṣṇa. So immediately he, out of devotion, became angry. Yes. So devotion, devotional service can be executed in anger also. Not by simply flowers. If he, there is a devotee, he can serve Kṛṣṇa by becoming angry. So he promised immediately that "Today Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise." Because Kṛṣṇa promised that "Although I shall be in the battlefield, I shall simply drive your chariot, but I shall not fight." That was His promise. Now Bhīṣma said that "Kṛṣṇa has broken my promise. So I shall fight in this way today that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His own promise or His friend Arjuna will be killed." Two alternatives.
So when Bhīṣma was fighting very fiercely, severely, Arjuna's chariot became broken and he fell down; at that time Kṛṣṇa took one of the wheels of the chariot and immediately approached Bhīṣma, and when He was approaching Bhīṣma, Bhīṣma was also piercing His body with arrows. And Kṛṣṇa was accepting the arrows move lovable than the flowers. This is the dealing. Therefore that is a rasa, ghastly rasa. Apparently it appears to be very severe, that Kṛṣṇa is being pierced by the arrows. But Kṛṣṇa was feeling pleasure. So Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has explained this portion very nicely, that he has given the example of kissing. Sometimes there is hard pressure of the teeth, but still it is pleasurable. He has given this example, that although Kṛṣṇa was being pierced by the arrows Bhīṣmadeva, still Kṛṣṇa felt very pleasing. And Bhīṣmadeva also, when he was on his death bed, he wanted to see that form of Kṛṣṇa when He was very angry and approaching before him to kill him in the battlefield. He explained that feature.
So we can enjoy Kṛṣṇa's loving service in so many ways. Not only by the embrace of the gopīs, but in the fight of Bhīṣma with Kṛṣṇa and piercing His body with arrows. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akhila-rasāmṛta. Any one rasa... There are twelve rasas, either primary rasa or secondary rasa. Any rasa, Kṛṣṇa is ready to respond to any rasa you want to deal with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Kāmāt krodhād bhayāt dveṣāt. So what to speak of those who are loving.
So immediately he gave up his weapons. But when Bhīṣma was piercing the body of Kṛṣṇa with arrows, he was coming..., he did not spare even Kṛṣṇa, his charioteer. He pierced the body of Arjuna as well as Kṛṣṇa. And there was bleeding. So Bhīṣma, at the last stage of his life, in sarasvajya (?), he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how He was coming forward before Bhīṣma in bleeding condition. This is ghastly rasa. This is ghastly rasa. We want to see Kṛṣṇa dancing, or we want to offer Kṛṣṇa flower—this is also one rasa. But Bhīṣma was also seeing Kṛṣṇa in another rasa. You'll find the Bhīṣma's prayers to Kṛṣṇa in his sarasvajya state while he was lying on the bed of arrows; in Bhāgavata, you'll find. So this is also another rasa.
So Cupid, Cupid is one of the agents of this material, illusory energy, but if we are perfectly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this Cupid cannot pierce with our arrows, with his arrows. That is not possible. As Yamunācārya says, that tadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pa..., yadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindo... So to a devotee... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
So a devotee should try to engage all beautiful women in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is his duty. Not to enjoy them. That is sense gratification. This is the position of a devotee. He's not pierced by the arrows of Cupid, but he sees everything, nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. He sees everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. That is vairāgyam. He does not accept anything for his sense gratification, but he engages everyone in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then we can get out of the influence of the arrow of Cupid. This is the process.
Initiation Lectures
Prabhupāda: Puṣpavana?
Aravinda: P-u-s-p-a-v-a-n.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Puṣpavana. Puṣpavana is the name of Cupid. He throws the arrow of flower. And Kṛṣṇa is the supreme Cupid. You know the rules and regulation? Yes. Come on. (sings softly) Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava dayite, gokula taruṇī maṇḍala... Hm?
Philosophy Discussions
Devotee: The Freudian method would be to think back to those seeds and rectify them-think back and back and back and try to remember those seeds.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) he is already grown up. Where is the seed? That is nonsense. Seed means those already grown up, fructified. Where do you find the seed? That is nonsense. Just like as example you have got arrow and bow. So long as it is in your hand, it is all right, but when it is thrown, you cannot control it. It is out of your hand. Another example is this (indistinct). You have seen bamboo. When it is green, you can bend it, but when it is yellow, it will break.
| Page Title: | Arrow (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Serene |
| Created: | 05 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=67, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |