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Ksatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is Ksatriya's business

Expressions researched:
"Kṣatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is Kṣatriya's business"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is zero. It is a business of zero, add or subtract. So anyway, a very large number of people died, and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, because he is Vaiṣṇava, although he was Kṣatriya . . . Kṣatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is Kṣatriya's business. Kṣatriya, when there is question of fight . . . just like Bhīṣmadeva. Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather of Arjuna, very affectionate grandfather . . .

Prabhupāda: So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was very much aggrieved. He was thinking, Vaiṣṇava that, "I am a petty king, and for giving me the throne, so many people have been killed." That is the greatest war within the recollection of five thousand years, Kurukṣetra, Battle of Kurukṣetra. What is this figures? Six million, four hundred thousand people died in that battle. What is the statistics of the last war? How many people died? Is there any statistics?

Devotee: Two million.

Prabhupāda: Two million. And here it is six million.

Devotee: 640,000,000.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Last war?

Devotee: No, in Kurukṣetra, 640,000,000.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Six hundred forty?

Devotee: In the Bhagavad-gītā that you have published it was 640,000,000.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So which is greater? (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is zero. It is a business of zero, add or subtract. So anyway, a very large number of people died, and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, because he is Vaiṣṇava, although he was Kṣatriya . . . Kṣatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is Kṣatriya's business. Kṣatriya, when there is question of fight . . . just like Bhīṣmadeva. Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather of Arjuna, very affectionate grandfather . . .

Because the Pāṇḍavas—Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva—when their father died they were small children. Naturally, Bhīṣma is the grandfather of the family, and he had to take care to raise the children. In one side he is grandfather, and he actually raised the children. So very affectionate, especially fatherless . . . and the daughter-in-law, Kuntī, was so helpless, because this Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his family, they were trying always to kill these Pāṇḍavas. And Vidura and Bhīṣmadeva, they were giving protection some way or other.

So still, although so much affectionate, when the war was declared, Bhīṣmadeva took the side of Duryodhana. He did not take the side of Pāṇḍavas, although they were very affectionate, beloved. He replied that, "This side, Duryodhana, they are maintaining me. I am maintained by them. So I cannot go against them. That is not possible." Naturally, Bhīṣmadeva would have come to the side of Pāṇḍavas because very affectionate. But he said that "That is not possible, because I am maintained by them." This is the duty. If somebody maintains you, you must be very much grateful to him. These are the examples, Vedic culture. He is not maintained by anyone, but because he had no claim on the kingdom, he was thinking himself that, "I am dependent on this family."

Page Title:Ksatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is Ksatriya's business
Compiler:Nabakumar
Created:2022-09-28, 04:46:13
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1