Hero (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"hero" |"hero's" |"heroes" |"heroic" |"heroically" |"heroine" |"heroines" |"heroism"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc):

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā

bhīmārjuna-samā yudhi

yuyudhāno virāṭaś ca

drupadaś ca mahā-rathaḥ

(BG 1.4)

Translation: "Here in this army there are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhīma and Arjuna; there are also great fighters like Yuyudhāna, Virāṭa and Drupada."

Prabhupāda: So all these heroes are mentioned not only in this verse, in several other verses also. So people may ask that "By mentioning these great fighter, what spiritual progress we make? Because we are meant for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, so by chanting the names of these great fighters, what do we gain?" The question may be raised there. But the thing is that nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe, whenever there is connection with Kṛṣṇa, that also becomes Kṛṣṇa. This is a subtle form of philosophical understanding.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

So I replied that "You will see the power of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in due course of time." He required... Because there were two battles in India: the battle between Rāvaṇa and Rāma, Rāma-Rāvaṇa, the battle of Rāmāyaṇa; and another battle was Battle of Kurukṣetra. And in these two battles the hero was Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu. In the Rāma-Rāvaṇa battle Lord Rāmacandra was there and His devotee Hanumān, Vajrāṅgajī. Similarly, in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Kṛṣṇa was there and His devotee Arjuna was there. So Vaiṣṇavas, they do not simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If there is need, they can fight under the guidance of Viṣṇu and become victorious.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

So Virāṭa, at that time this Mahārāja Virāṭa's daughter Uttarā, was trained by Arjuna for dancing. Arjuna was appointed as a dancing teacher for the daughter of Mahārāja Virāṭa, Uttarā. So when it was discovered that Arjuna was not a dancing teacher, he was the great hero, Mahārāja Virāṭa wanted to offer his daughter, that you marry my daughter, because he was disclosed. So Arjuna said, "How can I marry this girl. I am her teacher. Therefore a teacher is to be considered as father, so it is not possible. So if you like I can get this girl married with my son Saubhadra, Subhadrā's son."

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

"So I am put in such a position that I have to fight and I have to kill my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather." He was too much affected. Although it is weakness, but it is not actually weakness. It is compassion. Arjuna was not a coward, neither he was less heroic than the other side. But out of compassion, because he was devotee... Devotees, they are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. The, the symptom of a devotee is they are unhappy by seeing others unhappy. That is the symptom of devotee. Generally, a person, if he sees somebody happy, he becomes happy. Mātsaratā. That is the world situation.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣa means a miserly man, miserly man. He was conscious of the fact that he was a great hero, he was a great fighter, and, at the same time, the enemies were there. So his actual duty was to fight with the enemy. They were offering fight. For a kṣatriya there are some obligations. If somebody challenges that "I want to fight with you," a kṣatriya cannot deny. If somebody challenges, "Yes, I want to bet with you, gambling," a kṣatriya cannot deny. And for that reason, the Pāṇḍavas lost their kingdom. The other side, his cousins, offered them, that "All right, let us come to betting."

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Now, Kṛṣṇa is smiling. Kṛṣṇa is smiling because that "Just see. Arjuna is such a hero. He is My friend, and now he is so much perplexed." Now, when he sat down and he, Arjuna, accepted Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master, now Kṛṣṇa begins to speak. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Here the book does not say, kṛṣṇaḥ uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now, we should understand what is the meaning of bhagavān. Bhaga... Bhaga means opulence. Opulence. There are six kinds of opulence. And what are...? Yes.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

That is mentioned in the history of the epics, epics of India, Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata: the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa and the war between the two cousin-brothers, Kurus and Pāṇḍava. But you'll be surprised. In these two wars God is the hero, practically. In the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa... Rāma is also the Personality of Godhead, incarnation of... And Kṛṣṇa was also present... In two wars the God is present. You see? God is present. You see? And Hanumān. Hanumān, for the sake of pleasing the Lord, he set fire to the empire of Rāvaṇa, to the empire of the Rāvaṇa. And here also you find that Arjuna, he fought for the sake of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

This Bhagavad-gītā is also called yoga. Karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā different yogas. So the whole book is called yoga.

Now, here also it is stated, sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "My dear Arjuna, oh, you are the great hero. Now, that Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction which I imparted to the sun-god, was coming by disciplic succession. Now it is lost." Now, we have to note down this point. Why it is lost? Why it is lost? Do you think that there was no learned man during that time? During Kṛṣṇa's time? Oh, there were many learned sages. Not only one, two, there were dozens of learned sages.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

Now, the whole activities of that book is the Aurangzeb's activities. So one friend of the author, D.L. Raya, he inquired from D.L. Raya that "Mr. Raya, you have written this book and this book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb. Now, why you have made the hero Shahjahan? Shahjahan is on the background. The old man is arrested in the fort of Agra. He is sitting there. Why you have named the Shahjahan?" Now, just see the purpose of the author. The author replied, "Yes, I have purposely named this book Shahjahan because actually the hero is Shahjahan."

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

This was a political maneuver by Aurangzeb. But actually, the hero, the sufferer, was the Shahjahan, Emperor Shahjahan." Now, just see. The mind of the author was disclosed by the author. Nobody could interpret what was the intention.

Similarly, the intention of the Bhagavad-gītā is known by Kṛṣṇa, the author. So we have to understand the intention of the author. We cannot exact any meaning by our own scholarship which is different from the intention of the author. So anyone who is not in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand the intention of Kṛṣṇa, why this Bhagavad-gītā, why this yoga was imparted. You can... You are a good scholar.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Madhudviṣa: "Arjuna is addressed herein as a mighty hero who could subdue the enemy. At the same time, he is unable to recall what has happened in his various past births."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are addressed as Dr., Ph.D., D.A.C., but if you ask him, a Ph.D., D.A.C., "My dear sir, what you are? Wherefrom you have come? Where you are going next?" oh, he cannot answer. Similarly, Arjuna is addressed here as the most powerful, but he cannot remember. Go on.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

That is the... If we want to penetrate the outer space, we should be able to penetrate this outer space or this covering, then enter into that spiritual sky, and there it is called paramāṁ gatim. That sort of journey is called supreme. Not that you go up 25,000 away from this planet and again come back. This is not very heroism. Oh, you should have to penetrate the whole material space and then penetrate the cover and then reach the real sky. Yes. And that information is here also in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paramāṁ gatim. That is the superior journey. That you cannot do with your tiny sputniks. It is not possible. That you have to do by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). One who always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if by fortune at the time of death he thinks of Kṛṣṇa, he is at once transferred within a second. That is the process.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Similarly, yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyanjakam. Varṇa. This is brahminical quality.

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣaḥ arjavam. Sauryaṁ tejo yuddhe cāpy apālayanam. Kṣatriya. Kṣatriya must be very heroic. He'll never go away from fighting. If a kṣatriya is challenged, "I want to fight with you." "Yes, come on." That is kṣatriya. Similarly, brāhmaṇa. These are qualifications. So if such qualification is acquired by somebody else, even though he's not born in that family, Nārada Muni says, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). If a brāhmaṇa has not acquired the brahminical qualifications but a kṣatriya qualification or a vaiśya qualification or a śūdra qualification, then, according to the quality, guṇa, and work, he should be ascertained. Similarly, others also. Yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta. This is śāstric injunction.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

Today I shall speak before you about Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgvatam is King Parīkṣit as the hero of Mahābhārata, the great history of India, Mahābhārata. Now, this Bhārata I have several times explained. Bhārata means this planet, and Mahābhārata means the complete history of the whole world. Nowadays, at the present moment, history means a chronological record, but previously, history means only the important incidences at different times, they were recorded. Therefore, in Mahābhārata or any other Purāṇa also... Purāṇas are also history. We don't find any chronological incidences one after another.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

So for them it is very difficult to understand the Vedic principles. Therefore the same knowledge is described in stories just like Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and for understanding of all men, all women. So Mahābhārata is especially written for such class of men and women. And the hero of Mahābhārata is Arjuna. Similarly, the hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Arjuna's grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit.

Now the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is like this, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a great king, emperor of the world, very pious devotee, all qualified. So sometimes he went to the forest for hunting. The hunting is allowed to the kṣatriyas, kings, royal kings.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

That we have discussed. It is simply wasting time, valuable time in the human life, to divert our attention to such ordinary literature. They are called grāmya-kathā. In Sanskrit language it is called grāmya-kathā. Grāmya-kathā means any book, any poetry, or any novel, or any drama... There is some hero and heroine, a man or woman, about their loving affairs, tragedy, comic, like that. Actually, it is grāmya-kathā. The same thing as we are experiencing daily, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam, this eating, sleeping, mating, that's all. What is the value of such literature? What do you gain by that? No. Simply mental agitation.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So ordinary literature, they're full with all this, I mean to say, grāmya-kathā. The man and woman's behavior, that is good literature. There is a hero; there is a heroine. So those who are saintly persons, they do not take interest. So Nārada was advising Vyāsadeva that "You have written this Mahābhārata. That's all right. It is a great epic, history. But the, mostly... History means the ordinary dealings of the worldly men. So what benefit there is? That is nothing. No saintly person will take interest." Actually, this Mahābhārata was written by this, by Vyāsadeva for giving instruction, Vedic instruction to the less intelligent class of men. He has given introduction, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā: (SB 1.4.25)

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

He was killing his brothers, arresting father and so many. So one friend of Mr. Raya asked him that "Your book Shah Jahan, in the activities, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have named Shah Jahan?" So he replied that although Shah Jahan is silent, but the effect is going to him. When Aurangzeb killed his elder brother, Dara, then the effect was suffered by Shah Jahan. So all the activities, nefarious activities of Aurangzeb, was suffered by Shah Jahan. Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Aśvatthāmā—it is right, I should kill him—but the effect would go to his mother.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

His name is Dharmarāja, the king of religiosity. He is the eldest brother. And Bhīma and Arjuna, they are devotees and so great hero. They can kill thousands of men. They're so powerful. So Yudhiṣṭhira, Yudhiṣṭhira is there, and Bhīma is there. Arjuna is there, and Draupadī is directly the Goddess of Fortune. There was this injunction that wherever Draupadī will be there, there will be no scarcity of food. In this way, the combination was so nice and over and above them, Kṛṣṇa is always with them, and still they are suffering." So he began to cry that: "I do not know what is the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa that such pious men, such devotees, they are also suffering."

Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:

"What is the value of my sons, Pāṇḍava. They are saying, 'Oh, Pāṇḍavas are so big warriors and heroes.' " Similarly yadubhiḥ. Yadubhiḥ. Kṛṣṇa took birth in the Yadu dynasty. That is already explained. So Kṛṣṇa has made famous the Yadu dynasty because He took His birth in that family. Therefore two words are used here, yadubhiḥ saha pāṇḍavāḥ. The Pāṇḍavas are famous and the Yadu dynasty is also famous. Ke vayam. "What we are? What is our value?" Ke vayaṁ nāma-rūpābhyām: (SB 1.8.38) "Simply a so-called name and so-called form. Otherwise without You, it is all useless. It has no value." Ke vayam.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

We also require. Don't be proud, "Because I am man, I don't require protection." Here it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, er Arjuna said, puruṣottamena so 'haṁ rahitaḥ: "Now I have no protection." Arjuna was so great hero. Still, he required protection. Puruṣottamena. Puruṣa, puruṣa means enjoyer. The supreme enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. If He does not give protection, you cannot enjoy your life. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa is giving protection, but not as much as He wants to give you protection, because you deny to accept it. Because you deny to accept His protection, therefore He is giving protection to you as much as you want. And if you want full protection, then the condition is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66)

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

So seven big men required to kill him: Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, Duryodhana, like that, all combined together. So there is no mercy. This Abhimanyu was grandson, great-grandson of all the heroes who encircled him to kill. Very beloved grandson or great-grandson... Bhīṣma's great-grandson, Duryodhana's grandson. But it is fight, kṣatriya. When you have come to fight, you must kill the opposite party. It doesn't matter whether he is my beloved son or grandson or great-grandson. This is duty.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

Those of my students who have seen my horoscope in India, it is clearly written there. So that is horoscope.

So while the brāhmaṇas were writing horoscope, so Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's anxiety was... They were describing, "This child will be so, such a great hero, he will do this..." And it was mentioned that "He will die also, being cursed by a brāhmaṇa." That was... So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja did not take care of that, how he will die. He simply took care how he will live. He inquired from the learned brāhmaṇas, "Whether this child will be exactly prototype of our dynasty? Because this is a... Kuru dynasty is the paramparā system of emperors, all-perfect. So whether this child will be like that?" That was his inquiry, first. So all the brāhmaṇas replied, "Yes, sir, this is just quite fit, your family."

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

So here it is said, yathā hi sūtyām abhijāta-kovidāḥ samādiśan. As they foretold, that "This child will be hero like this, he will be like this, like this..." That are described in the Bhāgavatam. And it was also said at that time that "This child will die, being cursed by a brāhmaṇa." That was also foretold. It is still, such kind of astrology there in India. They will speak what you were in your last birth and what you are now, and what you will be in your next birth. That is astrology. So still there are Bhṛgu-saṁhitā. Anyone go, and you simply give them your exact time of birth, then they will make immediately horoscope, immediately.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

Butchers, butchers cannot be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is not butcher. Neither a kṣatriya. Kṣatriya fights, kills, but in regular religious fight. Not that by whimsically he'll fight and kill men. No. So, here it is said, nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ. A kṣatriya must be vīra, hero. Whenever there is injustice, he must immediately come forward. "Why injustice? These poor animals, they are also my subject. How you can kill them? He's also born in this land." "National" means one is born in that particular land. So they are also born in this land.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Parīkṣit Mahārāja went out of home not king, simply drinking and enjoying the dancing of the young girls just like the Muhammadan kings when they deteriorated. Still there are so many fools. No. King's duty is to subdue the miscreants who will create disturbance. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was such a nice, what is called, hero, that he got out of his home. Sva-senayā digvijayāya nirgataḥ. Nirgataḥ means went out of home, not simply enjoying comfortably at home. Similarly, for a preacher also, that is digvijaya. Go from country and country, from village to village, town to town, and make digvijaya: "Here is our philosophy. There is God. We can prove there is God. Who are you, you deny God? Come on." That is digvijaya.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

So these descendants of the Bhārata dynasty, especially... Not especially. All of them. When Parīkṣit Mahārāja was born, so... I have told you already. Learned scholars in astrology, they were calculating the horoscope of the newly born child. So he was being described that "This child, this baby now born, he will be hero like this. He will be devotee like this. He'll be..." This horoscope made, in future what he will be. So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was anxious and he informed the learned brāhmaṇas that "This is all right. I thank you for your calculation. First of all, I want to know whether he will follow his forefathers. I want to know." That was the question.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

So one has to become abhayam, no more fear. How? When you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then... Therefore Parīkṣit Mahā..., er, Śukadeva Gosvāmī: icchatā abhayam. Those who are actually willing to become fearless, hero, they must always... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Always chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, to become abhayam, no more fear. Why one should fear? Kṛṣṇa assures, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31).

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

Family means to get one's self married and take charge of the wife and children and... That is gṛhastha life. All gṛha... Even the gṛhamedhis, they used to do that. But at the present moment, because it is Kali-yuga, that if he can maintain a family, namely, wife and some children, he'll be considered as great hero. He's a big hero: "Oh, he's maintaining a family."

In America, when I was first there in New York, so one lady, she had a son. So according to our Indian method, I asked that her, that lady, elderly, that "Why don't you get your son married?" She said, "I have no objection. If he can maintain his family, let him marry."

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

One who desires good fortune should worship Durgādevī, the superintendent of the material world. One desiring to be very powerful should worship fire, and one who aspires only after money should worship the Vasus. One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Śiva if he wants to be a great hero. One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sādhya demigod. One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the Aśvinī-kumāras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the earth.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So that is going on. In the material world, everything is bahvārambhe laghu kriyā. That has been spoken by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Ajā yuddhe muni śrāddhe. Ajā yuddhe. Ajāḥ means goats. You have seen goat fighting? As if, though, two big, big heroes are fighting. But as soon as somebody comes: "Hut!" they'll go away. Have you seen, experienced? Goats and lambs, they'll fight: (makes sound:) "Onh, onnh." Like this. But, but as soon somebody comes: "Hut!" So this is one of the example of bahvārambhe laghu kriyā. Ārambha, as if something very serious going to happen. But actually it is nonsignificant. Ajā yuddhe muni śrāddhe. Muni, in the jungle, in the forest, there are munis. So they are arranging for some festivals to offer oblations to the forefathers, śrāddha. So what they have got?

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta: "Simply glorifying the," I mean to, "the victorious activities, pastimes of the Lord." Tvad-vīrya. Vīrya means very strenuous, very heroic. Vīrya means heroic. So Kṛṣṇa's activities are all heroic. You can read from Kṛṣṇa book. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana. Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's associates—everything is heroic. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "For me, I am certain, wherever I shall go, I can glorify Your heroic activities and I am, I mean to say, saved. There is no question of my falling down. But I wish... I am simply anxious for these persons who have created a type of civilization that they are always busy and working hard. So I am thinking of them."

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

Tomorrow I shall fight in such a way, either Arjuna has to die, or his friend who has promised not to fight, He has to fight. Otherwise there is no escape of Arjuna." 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."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

In India there were two great fights. One the fight between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, and the other great fight was between the two, Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas. In both the fighting the hero was Vaiṣṇava. The hero, Hanumānjī, Vajrāṅgajī, who fought on behalf of Lord Rāmacandra, he is a Vaiṣṇava. And Arjuna, who also fought on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is a kṣatriya. So they do not know what is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Vaiṣṇava philosophy means the Vaiṣṇava is ready to do anything for God's sake. That is Vaiṣṇava. It is approved by God, Kṛṣṇa, then they are ready to do anything. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not that by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement everything, our daily routine work will be stopped.

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

"What is the best thing you have learned, my dear boy, from your school?" so he immediately addressed his father as asura-varya. Why? Now, because this thing, free of anxiety, is not understandable by the asuras. They want anxiety. They'll create such situation. They'll put themselves in anxiety and try to come out of it. That is their heroic activities. This is the difference between the asura and the sura, devatā. The devatās, or the devotees... There are two different types of men. One is asura, and the other is devotee, just like Prahlāda Mahārāja and his father Hiranyakasipu. These two types of men are there in this world. And the difference we can see, that Prahlāda Mahārāja is simply satisfied with Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Kill him immediately." And Karṇa protested: "Arjuna, what you are doing? I am not in fighting now." So Kṛṣṇa said, "No, this is the time of... Otherwise, you cannot be able to kill him. This is the time. This is the opportunity. You kill him." Because Karṇa was greater hero than Arjuna. Dronācārya, Bhīṣma... That is explained by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that "In the battlefield of Kuru, just like a ocean, and there were big, big crocodiles, animals, like Dronācārya, Bhīṣma, Karṇa. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, my grandfather was able to kill them." Arjuna was not so strong that he could kill Bhīṣma or Dronācārya, Karṇa. They were greater heroes. So these things are there.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Otherwise Arjuna was a, an insignificant warrior in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya. This is admitted by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, that it is simply by the grace of Kṛṣṇa that his grandfather came out victorious in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya and similar great heroes. So if any heroic action has to be shown, the devotee does not endeavor separately for showing such heroic manifestation. Because he depends on Kṛṣṇa, if there is need, then Kṛṣṇa will show. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. Actually, the battlefield was conducted by Kṛṣṇa, and He owned the victory, but officially, historically, it is said that Arjuna owned the victory. So a devotee does not require to acquire all the talents, how to own victory. Kṛṣṇa will do that business.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

That will be right punishment for him. Then he will understand. That will be more than death. Yes. Politicians, if they are refused political seat, that is more than death. Just like Kṛṣṇa was advising Arjuna that "You are known as a great hero, and if you don't fight then they will blaspheme you like anything. So that will be more than death. Better die. When they will say nindanti, 'Oh, the Arjuna has become a coward. He could not fight. He will die.' So that blaspheme will be more than death."

Initiation Lectures

Detroit Initiations -- Detroit, July 18, 1971:

You arranged for offering this sacrifice? You arranged? What is name? Mahā? Mahāvīra. Eh? M, h, r. Mahāvīra. Mahāvīra is the name of Hanumān, the servant of Lord Rāmacandra. He was very strong. He could raise even the hills for service of the Lord. Mahāvīra. Mahā means great, and vīra means hero.

Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don't laugh. Then... Bahiṣmatī, one of the daughters of Manu. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know, what are the rules? Tell me. Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Initiations -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Virendra. Virendra means Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa. Come on. The supreme hero. Virendra. (japa)

Aravinda: Surendra.

Prabhupāda: Surendra is also Kṛṣṇa's another name. Sura means gods, demigods, and the chief, the chief is Kṛṣṇa. Come on.

Aravinda: Viṣṇugadā.

Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu?

Aravinda: Viṣṇugadā.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 13, 1968:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to be one with Kṛṣṇa or one with Lord, but our philosophy is to become more than Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) Why one with Kṛṣṇa? More than Kṛṣṇa. And actually He accepts. He makes His devotee more than Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa took the part of a driver, and he was the hero of the fight. Actually, Kṛṣṇa was the hero, but He gave position to His devotee: "You become the hero, I shall become your charioteer." That's all. Don't you see how Arjuna has become more than Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, "Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but you know that all these person who have assembled in this battlefield, they are not going back. They are already killed. That is My plan.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

And the people did not say, of course, Govinda dāsī, but they heard her husband, Gaurasundara. But she became very angry, that "These rascals," and so many things she spoke. (chuckles) So she did right, like a heroine. I very much liked it. So we should be very much angry. When? When there is anything against God and God's devotee. But generally, for my personal interest, I should not be angry. "All right, if you like to call me by ill names, I don't mind. You go on with your business." I do not become angry.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

And "No, you have not seen a bhakta. You are misguided," I replied. In our India, two histories are there: the history of Rāmāyaṇa and the history Mahābhārata. And there were two great battles: fight with Rāvaṇa and Kurukṣetra fighting. In these two fightings the heroes were Vaiṣṇavas: Hanumānjī and Arjuna. They are still worshiped as the great Vaiṣṇavas, Vajrāṅgajī and Arjuna. So it is a mistake. Here is the definition of bhakti: tat-paratvena nirmalam, "When your senses are purified by devotional service." Not that your senses are wiped out in mukti. No.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

In Calcutta there was a great dramatist. He was very well known, government officer. He wrote one book, Shah Jahan. That is very famous book for theatrical play. So in that Shah Jahan, means the king emperor Shah Jahan, the... Practically, the name which is given on the book, the hero title, he's the hero. So one of the friends of Mr. D. L. Raya, he inquired from Mr. Raya that "In your book Shah Jahan, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have given the title Shah Jahan?" He could not understand it. So I'm just trying to explain that the purpose of the book must be known to the author, not others. So the author replied, "My dear friend, the actual hero is Shah Jahan, not Aurangzeb." Although the Shah Jahan book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb, the fact is that Shah Jahan was the emperor.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that "Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan." Then he explained why. "Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb's activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero."

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 1, 1973:

Not only that, he belonged to the royal family. He was a great warrior, great hero, so many qualities. But he said that "I cannot practice this yoga system. It is not possible. I cannot control my mind and practice this haṭha-yoga system." Now just try to understand. He is such a personality, great personality, and five thousand years ago, when things were so nice. So at that time a person like Arjuna felt that he's unable to practice this yoga system. And nowadays a (indistinct) people with teeny knowledge, they are trying to practice yoga system as if they're..., he has become more than Arjuna.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: He does not know anything. For the fools he is hero, that's all.

Śyāmasundara: Just like if you are sick, the medicine the doctor may prescribe may be bitter, not desirable at all, but it will cure you. Still you don't want it. It's not desirable.

Prabhupāda: He says?

Śyāmasundara: No. I mean that seems like he..., there's a fallacy in his reasoning, because if the medicine were undesirable, still it will cure you.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like I was not desiring to take my medicine. When I was a child it was very difficult to give me medicine. Three men required. (laughter) Yes. One will capture me, another (laughing) will take my legs, and then my mother will by force, I will do like this.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: He makes a few comments about religion. He says that "The religious experience is unique, and it enables the individual to realize that the world he perceives is part of a spiritual universe which alone gives the sensory world value, and that man's proper goal is to unite himself with that higher universe. That prayer or inner communion with the universal spirit or God is the means whereby spiritual energy flows in and produces effects, psychological or material, occurring in the phenomenal world. And that religious faith imparts a new zest to life, taking the form either of lyrical enchantment or of appeal to earnestness and heroism, and that religion contributes some assurance of safety and peace and teaches love in human relationships."

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: Three: "That prayer or a communion with the spirit thereof, be that spirit God or law, is a process wherein work is really done and spiritual energy flows in and produces effects, psychological or material, within the phenomenal world, for religion produces a new zest which adds itself like a gift to life and takes the form either of lyrical enchantment or of appeal to earnestness and heroism." In other words, our relation with God in the world gives...

Prabhupāda: That we have al...

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is a fact. Sa vai puṁsām... Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). That is Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, the great saintly king. About him it is described, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. He engaged completely, twenty-four hours, his mind unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. And vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane, and he engaged his talking simply on Vaikuṇṭha, on the subject matter of Vaikuṇṭha, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prahlāda Mahārāja also speaks like that: tad vijñā, tad vijñā sa (indistinct). Glorifying, he is very (indistinct). So they have no conception of God, and whatever you believe, (indistinct). So God is imperson, He is not a person, so where is the (indistinct)? So they come to the (indistinct), scientist, another politician, another this, (indistinct) and they want to become a hero eventually, "I am a great philanthropist," "I am a great nationalist," "I am greatest philosopher."

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that because we have to choose for ourselves, everything is in our hands. That for instance we can become in a situation either a coward or a hero. This is in our hands, some situation that we must confront.

Prabhupāda: Then what you can do? If you say that you are being tossed by some superior power, how you can become a hero? If you become a hero, then you will be more kicked, because you are under superior power. Therefore a man who is culprit, he is under police custody, so if he becomes hero he will be simply beaten and punished, that's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: I remember one example he gave was that supposing there is wartime, and you are called upon to go to war. He said it wouldn't matter if you went or didn't go. If you went, then you must choose to be a hero; you must fight very bravely, and not a coward. But if you don't go, then you must choose to be a hero to resist the war. You must choose to be a hero resisting the war. One way or the other, you have to choose to be a hero and not a coward.

Prabhupāda: Coward... You are neither coward nor hero. You are simply an instrument. You are... Just like a child plays with a doll. A doll is placed sometimes on this side, that side, sometimes so, sometimes on his breast. So you are just like a doll. You can neither become hero nor become coward. You are completely under the control of somebody who is superior.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: Suppose someone is attacking you, ready to kill you. You have the power to choose whether to be a hero and defend or whether to run.

Prabhupāda: It is not hero to defend. It is a natural action. Even a dog can become hero when he is attacked by somebody. Even an ant can become hero. One ant is walking on the table, so if you check his way, he also becomes hero. So there is no use of becoming hero like that. That heroism and cowardice are the same. It is simply mental concoction. Because after, all you are under the control of somebody. He can do as he likes with you. So what is the use of your becoming hero or coward?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: Supposing someone else is in danger and you go and rescue them. Isn't that being a hero? Or you decide not to and you go away.

Prabhupāda: But you cannot rescue. You rescue... Just like one man is drowning, and you become hero and jump over the water and take out his shirt and coat, and you come on the shore that "I've saved him." (laughter) This is not saving him. Similarly, you have no eyes to see whom to save. You are simply seeing the dress. So saving the dress, that is not heroism, neither it is protection.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: So the real heroes are the devotees, who save actually.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that in any situation you have to be the hero. If you're a businessman you have to valiantly do your business and make a good business, and then you are a hero.

Prabhupāda: So a real hero, one can be, when he is fully empowered or he is fully protected. So that hero is a devotee, who is fully protected by Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: So a real hero, one can be, when he is fully empowered or he is fully protected. So that hero is a devotee, who is fully protected by Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: Sometimes when they portray heroes in different ways...

Prabhupāda: That kind of hero you find in the insect also, that very heroically following on the path: "Put, put, put, put." That is foolishness.

Śyāmasundara: It always appears that the hero is protected, that nothing can stop him. He is so heroic nothing can stop him.

Prabhupāda: That heroism is just like insect heroism. There is blazing fire, and all kinds of ants and insects are falling in. So what is the use of such heroism? He has no sound knowledge. He is talking speculation.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: One of his examples, I remember, is there is a war, so I have to choose whether to fight in the war for my country or resist the war as unethical. His idea is it doesn't matter. Whatever you choose, you must be a hero or do it very responsibly, either resist war or fight in war. But it doesn't matter ultimately which side you choose.

Prabhupāda: That means if you go to hell you must go like a hero.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. (laughs)

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: He says that this condition of bad faith must be replaced by solid choosing and faith in our choosing. For instance, if one chooses a certain path of action, that he must have faith that by carrying out this action valiantly, heroically, that he will be doing the right thing.

Prabhupāda: But if his decision is wrong, then what is the use of such heroism?

Śyāmasundara: He says there's no such scale of right and wrong. There is no absolute right and wrong, that everything depends upon how...

Prabhupāda: Then where is the question of responsibility if there is no right and wrong?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: There are many, many thieves, they know how to go into the bank treasury scientifically. Is that all right?

Śyāmasundara: Yes. He is an existential hero, the good thief or the good killer.

Prabhupāda: Then the same hero, just like the insect hero. The same hero. The insect hero very boldly goes to the fire. (laughter) The same. He is no better than an insect, without any knowledge or discrimination.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. If I decide to steal, it is better to avoid it. Not that because I have to decided to steal, I must do it just like a hero and then go to prison.

Śyāmasundara: For Sartre there is no absolute right and wrong. Some of his main heroes are great thieves and debauchers, like there's one... What is his name?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: So what is the definition of that ideal person?

Śyāmasundara: Well, in some of his books it would be the very heroic type person who sees things as they are.

Prabhupāda: A big robber is also heroic.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. Many of his heroes are robbers and...

Prabhupāda: So these robbers are ideal persons? Big, big thieves.

Śyāmasundara: In that they portray an integrity, self-integrity.

Prabhupāda: Then a tiger is also...

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: So why do you fight with the tiger? Why you are afraid of tiger?

Śyāmasundara: His idea of a hero would be someone who meets the tiger face-to-face and courageously deals with him instead of running away. Whenever the challenge in life is there, the hero is the one who takes it up.

Prabhupāda: That is natural. It may be hero or not hero, it doesn't matter. If somebody comes to attack me, I try to fight with him, trying to save me. So I may not be successful, but that is my natural instinct. So everyone is hero.

Śyāmasundara: No. If a person is free of this bad faith, this...

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: His only value is that he encourages you to do something, just like one of his heroes is.

Devotee: Why not take that trait that is so admirable, that courage, and put it into a right decision? That's our philosophy. Our philosophy is not that we should not be determined...

Śyāmasundara: Our philosophy is based first of all that there is a purpose in the universe. If to begin with, his thesis is that there's no purpose in the universe, then he can't say anything is right or wrong.

Devotee: Then what is the point of any philosophy? If there's no purpose, why should I read his philosophy? His philosophy also is meaningless.

Prabhupāda: Just to say there is no purpose?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: Something to do. I have to do something. He is cutting a book into pieces.

Śyāmasundara: Jean-Paul Genet was one of his heroes—a sadist, a homosexual, a criminal. He thought very highly of him, because he said at least he has chosen something he is doing very courageously. So he got him released from jail. Now he has chosen to become a Communist, Sartre. So... (break) He is very much trouble with the government. They want to arrest him, but he is too famous. His life is (indistinct).

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, what is the actual cause of shame?