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If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is ksatriya's business

Expressions researched:
"If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is kṣatriya's business"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So this is the problem, duty. Arjuna was forgetting duty. And Kṛṣṇa was inducing him: "Never mind. According to kṣatriya rules and regulation, even the opposite party is your own son, you should not hesitate to kill him. This is kṣatriya's business." If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is kṣatriya's business.

The secular government does not mean that the whole citizens should be religious . . . less religious, godless. Secular government should see that even there are many religious sects, just like Hindus or Muslim and Christians, so secular government does not mean that they should neglect. They should see that the Hindus are strictly following the principles of Hindu religion, the Muhammadans are strictly following the principles of Muhammadan religion or . . . that is government's duty. Nobody should remain unemployed. That is government's duty.

There are so many things. They are all described in connection with Mahārāja Pṛthu, one noble king. So in Bhāgavata you'll find everything. Politics, sociology, religion, culture, philosophy—everything you will find. Vidyā bhāgavata vadniḥ. All kinds of cultural and educational instruction are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So:

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ
tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa
(BG 2.3)

"Give up this cowardice habit. You get up and prepare for your fight. This is kṣatriya's business. You should not go behind." Arjuna uvāca. "Arjuna replied."

kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāv arisūdana
(BG 2.4)

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 of 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?"

So this is the problem, duty. Arjuna was forgetting duty. And Kṛṣṇa was inducing him: "Never mind. According to kṣatriya rules and regulation, even the opposite party is your own son, you should not hesitate to kill him. This is kṣatriya's business." If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is kṣatriya's business.

So he says, gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān (BG 2.5). "These guru, this Droṇācārya and Bhīṣma, they are not ordinary men." Mahānubhāvān. Bhīṣma, everyone knows. Bhīṣma is one of the authorities, authorities of religious principle. There are twelve authorities.

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
(SB 6.3.20)

There are four . . . twelve authorities. One of them is Bhīṣma. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam.

So Bhīṣma is not ordinary person. Therefore he said, katham, gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke (BG 2.5). "I do not like to kill my guru, who is so great, and my grandfather. Better I shall become a beggar." A kṣatriya's business is not to beg. A brāhmin can beg. A brāhmin can accept charity, but kṣatriya cannot accept any charity from anyone else, neither he can come down to do business like the vaiśyas. That is not. Everyone should stick to his own principle.

Page Title:If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is ksatriya's business
Compiler:Nabakumar
Created:2022-09-28, 03:34:23
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1