Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc):

atra sura maheṣvasa
bhimarjuna-sama yudhi
yuyudhano viraṭas ca
drupadas ca maha-rathaḥ;
[Bg. 1.4]

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

Prabhupada: 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 Krṣṇa maha-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; krṣṇa-sambandhe, whenever there is connection with Krṣṇa, that also becomes Krṣṇa. This is a subtle form of philosophical understanding. Nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe. If there is relationship with Krṣṇa... Therefore the sahajiyas, they do not read Bhagavad-gita. They say, "We have nothing to do with Bhagavad-gita." They jump over to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, Krṣṇa's rasa-lila, as if Krṣṇa is connected with rasa-lila and not with this lila. They make distinction. Krṣṇa's this fighting lila, pastimes, and the rasa-lila pastime, they are all the same because Krṣṇa is the center. Krṣṇa being center, whatever in connection with Krṣṇa is there, that becomes also Krṣṇa. This is the idea.

anasaktasya viṣayan
yatharham upayuñjataḥ;
nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairagyam ucyate

This is the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.

So just like we, in propagating Krṣṇa consciousness, we have to deal with money or persons who are not Krṣṇa conscious, outsider. We have to deal with them. But when we go to outsider or when we deal with money, there is relationship with Krṣṇa, krṣṇa-sambandha. So Rupa Gosvami has distinguished the...

prapañcikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ;
mumukṣubhiḥ; parityago
vairagyaṁ phalgu kathyate

Prapañcika means material. So prapañcikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ;. Everything has got connection with Krṣṇa because ultimately everything is Krṣṇa's energy. The material world is also manifestation of Krṣṇa's energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ; [Bg. 7.4]. You'll find. Material world means these five elements, gross and subtle. Earth, water, air, fire, sky, these are gross. And mind, intelligence, and ego, these are subtle. These elements, material elements, Krṣṇa says, bhinna me prakrtir aṣṭadha: "These material elements, they are separated, but they are My energy. They are My energy." The same example. Just like cloud. Cloud is created by the sun. It is sun's energy which creates the cloud. You know. By temperature the sea water is evaporated, forms into gas. That is cloud. So cloud is created by the energy of the sun, but when there is cloud you cannot see the sun. Sun is covered. Similarly, material energy is Krṣṇa's energy. But when you become covered by this material energy, you do not see Krṣṇa. This is the position.

So we have to use our intelligence. That is described by Srila Rupa Gosvami: prapañcikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ;, mumukṣubhiḥ; parityagaḥ;. Mumukṣu, especially the Mayavadis, who are after liberation, to merge into the existence of the Supreme, mumukṣu, mokṣa, they, Mayavada, they say, "Everything is maya." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithya: "This world is false; only Brahman is reality." But we say that why the jagat, the world should be false if it is coming from the reality? We do not agree with them. We do not accept that this world is false. No. We can say, "It is temporary manifestation." But it is not false. Why it is false? We are living in this house. If somebody, some rascal, says, "It is false," why false? We are utilizing this house. We are utilizing this microphone. We are utilizing the dictaphone. Why it is false? There is sambandha. There is relationship with Krṣṇa. Anything material, made of earth, water, fire, air, they are Krṣṇa's energies. Therefore there is direct relationship with Krṣṇa. And if Krṣṇa is reality, why His energy should be false? No. We must know how to utilize it.

So similarly, in this battlefield, Krṣṇa is there, and all the living entities... Some of them are soldiers, some of them are commander-in-chiefs, some of them this, that. Or the chariot or the ground—everything Krṣṇa's energy. So if we remember that everything is manifestation of Krṣṇa's energy, there is no question of materialism. It is all spiritual energy. So nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe. So we have to use them for Krṣṇa. Here all of of them have gathered. This is another Krṣṇa's energy. Krṣṇa appears, paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. He wanted to kill all the demons. That is another side of his business. As one side, paritraṇaya sadhunam, to give protection to the devotees, the other side is to vanquish all the demons. Just like if you want to grow paddy on the field, so first of all you have to destroy all the unwanted weeds. Then you grow the seeds; it will come out nicely. So these two things are required. Destruction and construction. Both the things are Krṣṇa's activities or different energies. So you cannot accept one thing, giving up the other side. We have to understand that both sides, they are working as different manifestation of Krṣṇa's energy. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. In the Vedas it is said that the Absolute has got multi-energies. So one energy is working in one way, another energy is working in another way. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate, sva-bhaviki jñana-bala-kriya ca. Just like here also, when we do something, we require varieties of energies to make that thing perfect. So everything, Krṣṇa, Krṣṇa's, this material world or spiritual world, everything is working in order, under different energies.

So these, I mean to say, warriors' name mentioning, we should not neglect. Krṣṇa wanted to gather all the demoniac power in that Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and kill them. That was His plan. So there is a plan of Krṣṇa. Nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe. We should not be attached to things as there, but we should try to understand that there is relationship with Krṣṇa. And as soon as there is relationship with Krṣṇa, we shall properly utilize it. That is Krṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we understand that there is relationship with Krṣṇa, nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe... Everything can be utilized for Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa is not a stereotyped, stagnant block. Krṣṇa is a dynamic force. Therefore everything can be dovetailed in the service of Krṣṇa. Simply one should learn the art under proper guidance how to utilize. Then that will be perfect form of Krṣṇa consciousness. Read next verse.

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

dhrṣṭaketus cekitanaḥ;
kasirajas ca viryavan
purujit kuntibhojas ca
saibyas ca nara-puṅgavaḥ;
[Bg. 1.5]

Translation: "There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrṣṭaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya."

Prabhupada: Practically in the Battle of Kurukṣetra great personalities, warriors, from all parts of the world they came and joined. Some of them joined with this party and others joined with the other party. So far we have studied... just like Saibya, he belonged to Sibya. So all these personalities, we did not get their full description, it would enhance the pages. But these big personalities, we have got their information. There is a book, The Personalities of Mahabharata. Bhagavad-gita is part of Mahabharata. Mahabharata means greater India. Maha means greater, and bharata means India. So this whole planet was Bharata-varṣa. There was only one flag. The whole planet was being ruled by one king. That is the king of this Hastinapura. The fight is that, that who would be the king, Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira or Duryodhana. But a king... It is not a democratic; it is monarchy. So Krṣṇa is deciding, "No, Duryodhana is unfit. Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira is fit." This is Krṣṇa's desire. Therefore this fight is there. Kurukṣetra. Krṣṇa wanted to wipe out all unwanted demons from the face of the world and enthrone Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira because he is the exact representative of Krṣṇa.

So monarchy or dictatorship is welcome. Now the Communists, they want dictatorship. That is welcome, provided that particular dictator is trained like Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira. Not that simply by votes of some rascal population one becomes dictatorship, another rascal comes. Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family. So his business was killing. Not that kind of dictatorship wanted. Dictatorship wanted that by his direction the citizens will be so happy that even they will not have any anxiety. Adhayo vyadhayaḥ; (?).

We have read the other day in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. There are three kinds of miserable conditions of life, bhutatma-hetav aḥ;. The cause... They are caused by three principles: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Daiva-bhutatma-hetavaḥ;. These are all described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Daiva means controlled by the higher demigods. Just like famine or earthquake. This is not under your control. At any time the earthquake, there may be. There may be famine. There may be pestilence. There may be natural disturbance, flood. This is called daiva, controlled by higher demigods. Just like Indra wanted to overflood Vrndavana being angry upon the residents of the... Krṣṇa saved, Giridhari. He became Giridhari. So these disturbances are there. Adhyatmika, adhibhautika. But the king or the dictator should be so perfect and he will guide the citizens in such a way that they will not feel all these disturbances. That kind of dictatorship wanted. He will direct in such a way that even this natural adhyatmika, adhibhautika... Adhibhautika means "You are envious of me, I am envious of you." So there is always cold war, struggle. This should be stopped. There should not be unnatural heat or unnatural cold, excessive heat. People will feel in all respects happy.

If that condition can be brought in, like Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira or his forefathers, or even his grandson. After Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira, there was no kingdom of Maharaja Yud..., of the son of Yudhiṣṭhira or Arjuna. All died in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Only one grandson was in the womb of his mother, posthumous child. He was saved only. So up to that point, Maharaja Parikṣit, the whole planet was very nicely governed by dictatorship. So we can bring in such dictatorship, provided that dictator is perfectly Krṣṇa conscious. Under his guidance, everything... Because he knows how to conduct kingdom, how to make everyone happy. Nirbandhaḥ; krṣṇa-sambandhe. So here is another list of fighters. But the real purpose of this battlefield is to bring all the fighters, big fighters of the world, together. And under Krṣṇa's guidance they would be all killed. Nimitta-matraṁ bhava savyasacin. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Krṣṇa ultimately said, "My dear Arjuna, you fight or not fight, it doesn't matter. These people are not going back home. It is already settled up. You simply become, take the credit that you have fought and killed. It is al... They are already killed. Because that is My plan." Nimitta-matraṁ bhava savyasacin. They are already killed.

So this battlefield, because Krṣṇa wanted to kill them, and the result was—you will find in the Bhagavad-gita, they all attained svarupa. Anyone who was killed, who died in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, in the presence of Krṣṇa, they all attained their original, constitutional position, spiritual form. They all went back to home, back to Godhead, everyone. Therefore Krṣṇa is Absolute. Either His killing or His protecting, it is all the same. You don't think that Krṣṇa is killing. No. If anyone is killed by Krṣṇa, he immediately gets liberation: the liberation for which great great saintly persons, sages, they undergo severe austerities for life after life, simply by being killed, he gets that. So by becoming Krṣṇa's enemy, one gets this benefit. Just think over if you become Krṣṇa's friend, what is the benefit. That is Krṣṇa consciousness. The Mayavadis they are after liberation. So this liberation is granted even to the enemies of Krṣṇa. They are also enemies. The Mayavadis, they are also enemies. Krṣṇe aparadhi. They are offender to Krṣṇa because they do not accept the form of Krṣṇa. Therefore they are offender. So everything studied in relationship with Krṣṇa, that is perfect knowledge, and that is described in the Bhagavad-gita. So it is not that like sahajiyas that we are interested in Krṣṇa's rasa dance, not with this fighting in the Battlefields of Kurukṣetra. This is sahajiya-bhava. This is not wanted. Thank you very much. Hare Krṣṇa. (end)

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