Bhagavad-gita 2.32 Devotee: yadrcchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavrtam sukhinah ksatriyah partha labhante yuddham idrsam “O Partha, happy are the ksatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.” Prabhupada: So, it is the duty of the ksatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api caveksya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmena hina pasubhih samana. One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma. A brahmana, it is the duty of the brahmana to see that his son is being properly trained up as a brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Everything is there. The brahmanas should be taught how to become truthful, first of all. A brahmana will never speak lie, at any cost. It is stated that even if his enemy inquires something confidential from him, he’ll say, “Yes, this is my position.” This is truthfulness. He’ll not even, I mean to say, guile, against his enemy. He should be truthful. Even ksatriyas, they are also truthful men. Truthfulness is so valuable. That makes one powerful brahmana. Satyam. There is an instance how a brahmana is recognized. Satyakam yavala(?). Upanisads. This satyakam went to Gautama Muni. “Sir, please make me your disciple.” So according to Vedic principle, without becoming a brahmana he cannot be accepted as disciple. Without becoming brahmana. In our Society also, we do not accept a disciple unless he’s brahminically qualified: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. These are brahminical. Unless one is free from the sinful activities, how he can become a brahmana? Brahmana means suci. And the others, they are called krpana, or muci. Suci means always cleansed. Internally… Bahyabhyantara-sucih. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Krsna mantra, see the mangala-aratrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally. God consciousness is not so cheap thing. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. One who is completely free from all contamination of material modes, anta-gatam papam, sinful activities, they can te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam [Bg. 7.28], they can stick to the principle of devotional service. Otherwise, if he’s not free from the contamination of sinful life, he may show, make a show of devotion, but that is not actual devotion. Bhaktyabhasa. That is called bhaktyabhasa. So these things should be observed. Brahmana, a brahmana’s duty is to present himself an ideal human being. Satyam samo damas titiksa. Titiksa means toleration. “Oh, it is very cold. No, I cannot take bath.” No. You must tolerate. You must tolerate. Titiksa. Arjavam, simplicity; jnanam, full knowledge; vijnanam, practical application. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam. Astikyam means completely convinced of God and his relationship with God. That is called astikyam. Or full faith in the statement of the Vedas. Whatever Veda says, that’s right. Yes. No argument. That is called astikyam. No argument. So similarly, ksatriya. Ksatriya’s duty is, it is, ksatram dvijatam ca parasparartham.(?) The brahmanas will examine whether the ksatriyas are doing their duty nicely. Just like Parasurama, when he saw that all the ksatriyas have become rascals, he wanted to kill them all. You know that. Twenty-one times he killed. Some of the ksatriyas, they fled from India, and they came to this side in European countries. Therefore, origin of the Europeans, they are ksatriyas. Turkey, Greece, and other countries also. Ksatriya. So it is the duty of the brahmana to see that ksatriyas are doing nicely their duty. So similarly, ksatriyas’ duty is also to see whether brahmanas are doing their duty. So ksatriyas were not needed to see the brahmanas, they were so advanced brahmanas that they were beyond examination of the ksatriyas. But another duty of the ksatriya is that people are being educated spiritually. That is ksatriya’s duty. Or the king of a kingdom is looking over the citizens, that they are properly being trained up. This is… If one king is not properly… Just like in some states at the present moment… What is called? Secular. Secular means they have meant like that, that “You do all nonsense; we don’t care. You pay me tax, that’s all. Income tax. And you go to hell. It doesn’t matter.” This is not secular state. Secular state means the state must be very vigilant whether everyone is doing his duty, everyone is employed in his duty; and if everyone is not employed, it is the duty of the government to see. He must be employed. A brahmana is employed, a ksatriya is employed, a vaisya is employed. Otherwise, if they are unemployed, idle brain, then idle brain will be devil’s workshop. That is happening. Because everyone is not employed, they have discovered machine, and the machine is working hundred men’s work. So actually, a hundred men are unemployed. So the machine has not improved the situation. It has improved the pocket of the capitalist. But it has not improved the condition of the mass of people. No. They are unemployed. Therefore, in the Western countries, because the machine and industry, therefore, now they are producing from the university hippies. Unemployed. Thousands and thousands of young boys and girls. Girls are not meant for working outside. Girls are meant for working inside. So, the whole thing has topsy-turvied. Why? Because there is no good king. This is the cause. So the whole Battlefield of Kuruksetra was arranged by Krsna so that these irresponsible rogues, dressed as kings, should be all killed. That was the plan of Krsna. Just like Duryodhana. Duryodhana, in the dress of a king, he was a rogue. He cheated the Pandavas by gambling. “You bet your wife, you bet your kingdom.” In this way, they were devotees, simple, cheated them. So Krsna wanted to see that these cheaters and rogues must be killed. That was His plan. Therefore He said, yadrcchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavrtam: “Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but it is a great opportunity for you. Because as a ksatriya, if you kill these cheaters and rogues, that will be a great achievement for you. And even though you cannot kill them, if you die yourself, then the heavenly door is open for you.” Because a ksatriya who dies in the battlefield for the right cause, he goes to the heaven. If he conquers over the enemy, he enjoys the kingdom. And if he dies… But the cause must be right. Svarga-dvaram. yadrcchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavrtam sukhinah ksatriyah partha labhante yuddham idrsam Yuddham means a political fight. Nowadays. Just like in our India, Pakistan and Hindustan, they are always planning fighting. That is political. That is political. When the Pakistan’s government cannot manage, nobody is managing nicely, neither Pakistan or Hindustan, but they divert their attention the religious slogan—”Hindus are our enemies.” Or “the Pakistan is our enemies.” The so-called national slogan. Here also, everywhere. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Here in Europe also the two wars was arranged by the German people, they were envious of the English people. So these wars are not right wars, righteous wars. No. They are play of the diplomats, politicians—they engage. When they cannot manage things very nicely, they engage people into war. That’s all. Divert the attention. But war is not meant for that. War is meant for that, when people are not properly being trained up by the king of the state, the other king can attack him. So ideal state means the king must be very responsible. There are many instances. Just like Yudhisthira Maharaja, he was a pious king. In Bengali there is a proverb—rajar dose raja nasto dose grhastha bhrasta.(?) If the king is not pious, then the whole kingdom is spoiled. Similarly if the housewife is not good, the whole family is spoiled. Everyone has got this experience. So, the king must be very honest, pious, religious. Therefore they are called rajarsi. Although they are king, but they are just like saintly person. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira. They were saintly. Rajarsi. Imam rajarsayo viduh. Sometimes we are accused that we go to preach amongst the richer section. The richer section, of course there is no king, but actually this Bhagavad-gita was meant for the richer section who used to control—the kings. Because if the king is educated nicely in spiritual affair, if he knows what is the purpose of kingdom, what is the purpose of ruling, then all the citizens automatically become religious, purposeful. And if the king is a rascal, the leader is a rascal, naturally all others will follow, and they will become rascals. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita, in the Fourth Chapter, you’ll find that Krsna was teaching, first-off, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. He taught this philosophy to the sun-god. There are two ksatriya families—surya-vamsa and candra-vamsa. One family’s coming from the sun-god, another family’s coming from the moon-god. So Krsna said, because sun was the principal man in the ksatriya family of surya-vamsa. So he was taught first. imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave ’bravit [Bg. 4.1] So Maharaja Iksvaku, the first king of the dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra took birth, very pious family. So Iksvaku Maharaja… The worship of Lord Ramacandra began from Maharaja Iksvaku. Maharaja Iksvaku used to worship the Deity of Ramacandra, Rama- Sita. Therefore in their family Lord Ramacandra appeared. That Deity is still existing in some part of South India. The Deity was being worshiped in the family since Maharaja Iksvaku, and during when Lord Ramacandra was personally present, this Deity was kept in His bedroom. So one brahmana, he used to come and see Lord Ramacandra. Then he would take, break his fasting, breakfast. That was his principle, regulative principle. So Lord Ramacandra was absent for a week or so from the kingdom, and the brahmana did not take even a little water because he could not see Lord Ramacandra. Such a devotee. So Laksmana informed King Ramacandra that “Here is a devotee, brahmana. You were absent from the kingdom for one week, so he did not take even a drop of water.” So Lord Ramacandra was very much pleased. Then He ordered Laksmana that “You give him that Deity which was being worshiped in our family, now it is stopped.” So He delivered that Deity Ramacandra to the brahmana, that “When Lord Ramacandra is absent from the kingdom, you can worship.” This is authority(?). If you cannot see Krsna physically… Although Krsna is present everywhere, but we have no eyes to see Him. Therefore this Deity worship… Deity is not hedonism or idol worship. No. Deity is as good as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. He’s absolute. His form and He is not different. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Abhinna, identical. We are chanting Hare Krsna, not that like gramophone.(?) No. We are associating with Krsna. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. By chanting Krsna’s name, Krsna is present on your tongue. Unless we realize in that way, then it is the period of nama-aparadha or namabhasa. Not namabhasa—nama-aparadha. This is nama-aparadha, to consider that the name is different from the person. As we have got experience in the material world that the name is different from the substance. If you want to drink water, simply if you chant “water, water, water,” your thirst will not be satisfied. But in spiritual world, the absolute world, the name and the person is the same. Otherwise, why we stress so much on chanting Hare Krsna name? Not we, it is in the sastra. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21] This is shastric. But there are many rascals. They give the example, that “Chanting, what is the benefit? I can chant ‘soda water, soda water,’ like that.” But they do not know, rascals, what is the sastra’s injunction. And actually, it is happening. But they are blind. How these European, American boys and girls, simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra they are becoming purified? How? Unless there is spiritual potency in chanting, how they are becoming so purified? Even in…, so-called Hindus they are surprised that “How these Europeans and Americans they have become so nice devotees.” The chanting of Hare Krsna mantra has got the power, has got the potency. ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam [Cc. Antya 20.12] Everything is there, formula. If we follow the regulative principles, the injunction of the acaryas or the sastra, then we get success. Otherwise we may simply labor unnecessarily, wasting time. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita. One who does not follow the regulative principle mentioned in the sastras, sastra-vidhim…, vidhim means regulative principle. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, and lives whimsically, as he, whatever he likes, and that is sanctioned by some rascal swami, that, “Oh, yes, you can do whatever you like…” Yato mata tato patha. “You can manufacture your way of religious principle.” These things are going on. But actually that will not help us. Sastra-vidhim, sastra-vidhim, that must be observed. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah na sa siddhim avapnoti. If one violates the regulative principle mentioned in the sastra, he’ll never get success. Na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham, neither happiness. Na sukham na param gatim: Then what to speak of going back to home, back to…? He’ll rot in this material world. So sastra-vidhim is required. So here is one sastra-vidhim from Parasara-smrti. Parasara was the father of Vyasadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They’re also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parasara-smrti it is said: ksatriyo hi praja raksan sastra, sastra-panih pradandayan. Sastra-pani means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. “Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?” Immediately cut his hand, bas. This one example will stop millions of thieves not to commit stealing. Simply by cutting. Even a hundred years ago this system was prevalent in Kashmir. If a thief is arrested and if he’s proved that he has stolen, immediately king will cut off his two hands. Bas, finished. No court witness. And it will go for ten years to find out whether he has stolen. This is government. Therefore, the injunction is ksatriya hi praja raksan sastra-panih pradandayan. Always must be very strict. Nirjitya para-sainyadi dharmena palayet. This is dharma. In the Manu-smrti it is said that if a man, a murderer, one man has killed another man… Why man? Even animal. He’s a murderer. Now murdering is no offense. They are killing daily so many babies within the womb, murderers. That has become a custom. They’re killing hundreds and thousands of animals daily in the slaughterhouse. It has become a custom. So now even human being, murder, he’s not condemned to death. Is it not? Hamsaduta: Yes. Prabhupada: This means everyone is sinful. Everyone is sinful. The government is sinful, the people are sinful. Then how you can become happy? It is a fool’s paradise, sinful paradise. How you can be happy? Therefore despite all sorts of education, scientific improvement, brainwash and so many things, people are unhappy. Diseased, unhappy, dissatisfaction, confusion, this is going on. Because everything is not properly done. The government is not strict. So in the Manu-smrti, as I am quoting from Parasara-smrti, there are smrti-sastras. The Manu-smrti, it is said that if a man commits murder, then he should be killed. Otherwise, he’ll suffer in the next life. So many sufferings. So the king’s order to condemn a murderer to death is a mercy, is a mercy for him. Because he’s saved from future, so many troubles. So the king should be so strict. Not that by compassion. “No. He’s murderer. That’s all right. He has killed one man. Why he should be killed?” No. He must be killed. This is the law. Here it is also, Parasara-smrti, it is said that ksatriya should be always sastra-pani, and must strictly, as soon as there is any discrepancy, he must take… Formerly, the judgement was given by the king. Every day, king would sit. Just like we are sitting. So if there is… Formerly, there was no criminal, practically. If there was any criminal, if… It was very difficult to find out a criminal. Because these four things were forbidden. What is that? No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. So if one follows these four principles, naturally he is sinless automatically. And if the whole population is sinless, then where is the possibility of judging or bringing the criminal? When Kali was awarded four places. He was first of all ordered by Pariksit Maharaja. As soon as he saw that this black man is going to kill one cow, “Oh, who are you in my kingdom? You are trying to kill a cow?” He took his sword, “I shall kill you,” immediately. So he fell down. “Sir, I am also your subject, and this is my business, killing. So what can I do? I must have some means of livelihood.” Just like this butcher. His means of livelihood is to kill animal. So if the animal slaughterhouse is closed, then there will be so much unemployment. The butcher must have chance of killing. So that is not law, “Oh, butcher must have also employment.” No. “Therefore slaughterhouse must be maintained.” Not that. So Pariksit Maharaja said that “You cannot live in my kingdom. I cannot provide you with any employment. You must go out.” So at that time, Pariksit Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world, whole planet. So he said, “Sir, where shall I go out? The whole planet is your kingdom. Where shall I go out of your kingdom? Where is that place?” So Pariksit Maharaja considered that. So, “All right, then you can remain in these four places.” Striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah. “Where illicit sex life, brothel, prostitute’s house, you can remain there. Striyah suna, slaughterhouse. Or unnecessarily where animals are killed, you can remain there.” Striyah suna panam. “And intoxication. Where liquor house, you can remain there. And where there is gambling, you can remain there.” So he could not find out a place where to remain. That means in those days these things were so much conspicuous by absence that is was difficult for the Kali to find out a place like that. But with the advancement of Kali, now Kali can find out his place anywhere, at any home, anyplace. These things are going on. This is the position. So this system of human civilization as conceived by the Vedic process is completely different from the rascal civilization at the present moment. Therefore, people cannot be happy. It is not possible. If we… At the same time, it is impossible to go back to that type of civilization, because people are so polluted. It is not possible. Therefore the only means is, as enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu from Brhad Naradiya Purana, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Adi 17.21] You take this process. Chant Hare Krsna mantra. At least, you will be purified, you’ll understand the situation. And if you follow the rules and regulation… It is very simple to avoid these four principle of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna. Then you are sure, back to home, back to Godhead, and be happy eternally. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
London, September 2, 1973