Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

arjuna uvaca
senayor ubhayor madhye
rathaṁ sthapaya me 'cyuta
yavad etan nirikṣe 'haṁ
yoddhu-kaman avasthitan

kair maya saha yoddhavyam
asmin raa-samudyame
[Bg. 1.21-22]

Translation: "Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see who is present here, who is desirous of fighting, and with whom I must contend in this great battle attempt."

Prabhupada: Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. Before this, Krṣṇa was addressed as Hrṣikesa. Hrṣikesa we have explained. Now Krṣṇa is addressed here Acyuta. Cyuta means fallen, and acyuta means not fallen. Just like we are fallen. We are fallen conditioned souls. In this material world we have come with an enjoying spirit. Therefore we are fallen. If one keeps his position rightly, he does not fall. Otherwise he is degraded. That is fallen condition. So all the living entities within this material world, beginning from Brahma down to the small insignificant ant, they are all fallen, fallen conditioned souls. Why they are fallen?

krṣṇa bhuliya jiva bhoga vañcha kare
pasate maya tare japaṭiya dhare

Fallen means when the living entities are under the clutches of this material energy. That is called fallen. Just like a man, when he is under police custody, it is to be understood that he is a criminal, he is fallen. He has fallen down from good citizenship. Similarly, we are all parts and parcels of Krṣṇa. Mamaivaṁso jiva-bhuta [Bg. 15.7]. So as part and parcel, our position is to live with Krṣṇa. Just like this is my finger, part and parcel of my body. The finger must remain attached with this body. When this finger is cut off and fallen, although it is finger, it is no longer as important as it was formerly when it was attached with this body. So anyone who is not attached with the service of the Supreme Lord, he is fallen. This is the conclusion.

But Krṣṇa is not fallen. If Krṣṇa... Because He comes to reclaim us.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanaṁ srjamy aham
[Bg. 4.7]

Krṣṇa says that "I appear when there is discrepancies in the, I mean to say, occupational duties of the living entities." Dharmasya glanir bhavati. We don't translate dharma as "religion." Religion in the English dictionary, it is "a kind of faith." Faith can be changed. But dharma is a word which cannot be changed. If it is changed, it is to be understood artificial. Just like the water. Water is liquid, everyone knows. But sometimes water becomes hard, very hard, ice. So that is not the natural position of water. Artificially, on account of excessive cold or by artificial means the water becomes solid. But the real position of water is liquidity.

So when we are detached from the service of the Lord, this is also unnatural, unnatural. Natural position is that we must be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is our natural position. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava kavi says that krṣṇa bhuliya jiva bhoga vañcha kare. When a living entity forgets Krṣṇa, forgets Krṣṇa's position... Krṣṇa's position... Krṣṇa says, bhoktaraṁ yajña-tapasaṁ sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the proprietor, I am the enjoyer." This is the Krṣṇa's position. He never falls down that position. Krṣṇa is enjoyer. He keeps always that position. He never falls down. He never comes to the position of being enjoyed. That is not possible. If you want to bring Krṣṇa on the position of being enjoyed, then you are defeated. Being enjoyed means keeping Krṣṇa in front, I want to get some profit of sense gratification. That is our unnatural position. Krṣṇa will never agree. Krṣṇa will never agree. Krṣṇa cannot be enjoyed. He is always enjoyer. He is always the proprietor. So krṣṇa bhuliya jiva means when we forget this position of Krṣṇa, that He is the Supreme Enjoyer, He is the supreme proprietor... This is called forgetfulness. As soon as I think that "I am enjoyer, I am proprietor," this is my fallen stage. Krṣṇa bhuliya jiva bhoga vañcha kare. Then japaṭiya dhare, maya, immediately maya captures.

Therefore a conditioned soul, fallen conditioned soul, is struggling for existence. He is trying to be enjoyer, he is trying to be proprietor. That is his artificial way of life. Just like if a woman wants to become a man, that is her artificial position. She may dress herself as a man, just like in the western countries sometimes we see woman is artificially dressing like man, with hat, coat, man, riding on horse. That is artificial. So similarly, our position here in this material world is artificial. We are trying to imitate a man.

Actually the living entities are described in the Bhagavad-gita, prakrti. Prakrti means woman. And puruṣa means man. So the living entities are never described as puruṣa. Puruṣa is Krṣṇa. Puruṣa sasvata. When Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhama pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavan, puruṣaṁ sasvatam adyam... [Bg. 10.12]. Puruṣaṁ sasvatam. Krṣṇa is always puruṣa. God cannot be female. God is always male, puruṣa. And we are prakrti. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim para [Bg. 7.5].

After describing the material energy, bhumir apo analo vayuḥ; [Bg. 7.4], earth, water, air, fire, this material.... This is also female, prakrti. Female means.... In India we have got little experience. The female is always controlled. Female is never given the position of controller. Nowadays it is going on. Just like Indira Gandhi, she has given the position of controller. This is artificial. In the history of India, greater India, Mahabharata, you will never find that a woman has been given a position of controller. No. It is not possible.

We have to take things from the sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita also woman's position has been equated with sudra. Striyaḥ; sudras tatha vaisyas te 'pi yanti paraṁ gatim. So position must be ascertained. But this position is artificial. Here either woman or man, they are in artificial position. Because a woman may be in women's dress, but her mind is like man. She also wants to enjoy. And the others, the so-called man.... The so-called man is also not man; he is woman. Prakrti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtiṁ para [Bg. 7.5]. Prakrti. As the earth, water, air, fire, sky, they are also controlled, the supreme controller is Krṣṇa, similarly, the so-called man or woman in this material world, they are also controlled. Nobody can say that "I am not controlled." Who is here? You must be controlled.

Therefore we see two prakrtis: para prakrti and apara prakrti. But all of them are controlled; none of them are the controller. And that is the difference between puruṣa and prakrti. Puruṣa means controller. And prakrti means controlled. Puruṣa means predominator, and prakrti means predominated. This is the difference. So Krṣṇa does not fall from his position of predominator. Therefore He is addressed as Acyuta, Acyuta. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. Another meaning of Acyuta... Krṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Arjuna knows that "I am not controller; I am controlled." He is devotee, he knows his position. Therefore he is now trying to control Krṣṇa. He is ordering Krṣṇa. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthapaya: "My dear Krṣṇa," he is not addressing as Krṣṇa-Acyuta, "now you place my chariot between the two parties." This is ordering. That means Arjuna becoming controller. And Krṣṇa becoming controlled. Just the opposite. Therefore Arjuna knows his subordinate position and he is ordering to Krṣṇa. So indirectly he is begging to be excused: "My dear Krṣṇa, I cannot order You. Order must come from You. But because You promised to carry out my order, You wanted to become my chariot driver, therefore I am ordering. Therefore I am ordering. I am not in position of ordering to You and You promised to carry out my order, and I think You are fixed up in Your that promise. Therefore I am asking you, Acyuta. You don't fall from Your promise." This is the... senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. What is the number of verse?

Devotee: Page forty-eight.

Prabhupada: Forty-eight? The next point is that Arjuna wanted to see with whom he had to fight. He had no desire to fight. That will be explained. He was fighting unwillingly. Unwillingly. Because he is a Vaiṣṇava, unnecessarily he does not want to kill, although he is kṣatriya. It is his duty. Whenever there is discrepancy, killing, as representative of Krṣṇa... Krṣṇa has got two business. Paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. He has got two businesses. One business is to give protection to the devotees, sadhu, sadhu. Sadhu means devotee. Sadhu does not mean simply by changing dress, saffron color, and smoking beedies. That is not sadhu. Sadhu means devotee.

One who is devotee... That is explained in many sastras. Sadhavaḥ; sadhu-bhuṣaṇam. Sadhu-bhuṣaṇam.

titikṣavaḥ; karuṇikaḥ;
suhrdaḥ; sarva-bhutanam
ajata-satravaḥ; santaḥ;
sadhavaḥ; sadhu-bhuṣaṇaḥ;
[SB 3.25.21]

This is the qualification of sadhu. Sadhu is titikṣava, tolerates all kinds of miserable conditions. He is sadhu. Because this is a place of miserable condition. A sadhu learns how to tolerate. Sadhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito guruṇapi duḥ;khena na vicalyate [Bg. 6.20-23]. A sadhu, who has got the shelter of Krṣṇa, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison. He knew that "My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Krṣṇa likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?" And such a big powerful Hiraṇyakasipu. The mother cried, requested... He forced the mother, Prahlada's mother, "Give your son this poison." So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. "No, you must give." So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? "All right, let me drink." Guruṇapi duḥ;khena na vicalyate. He is not agitating. "All right, if Krṣṇa likes, I will live." This is the position of sadhu. He is not disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ;. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sadhu. Sadhu does not become disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ;. At the same time, karuṇikaḥ;. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others.

Just like Jesus Christ. He is being crucified, and still he is merciful: "God, these people do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them." This is sadhu. He is personally being disturbed by the demons, but still, he is merciful to the general people. They are suffering for want of Krṣṇa consciousness. So even up to the point of death, he is trying to preach Krṣṇa consciousness. "Let the people be benefited. Eh, what is this material body? Even if I am killed, I am not killed. This body is killed, that's all." This is sadhu. Titikṣavaḥ; karuṇikaḥ;. In one side he is tolerant, and other side, merciful.

In the material world, when one man is disturbed, he cannot do any beneficial work to any others. He is disturbed. "No, I am very much disturbed. Don't talk with me." No. But sadhu still goes on benefiting the people in general. Titikṣavaḥ; karuṇikaḥ; [SB 3.25.21]. And what kind of benefit? The so-called rascals humanitarian work? No. Suhrdaṁ sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. He is beneficial to all kinds of living entities.

Not this rascaldom, daridra-narayaṇa. Just like one rascal has manufactured this daridra-narayaṇa. The poor man has become Narayaṇa, and the goat Narayaṇa is killed for their feeding. Not this kind of sadhu. Suhrdaṁ sarva-bhutanam. A sadhu will not allow any kind of killing. See in the Christian religion, it is first injunction is "Thou shalt not kill." If you want to become religious... They are simply killing, and still, they are claiming "Christian." What kind of Christian? Simply their business is killing. So it is very difficult to find out a Christian, although they are claiming, I am "Christian." It is very difficult. Because their business is killing. And Lord Jesus Christ ordered, first order is, "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not covet." Who is following?

So sadhu is suhrdaṁ sarva-bhutanam. Why he should allow animal killing? They are also living entities, but for their benefit, the so-called sadhu says, "The animal has no soul." What is this nonsense? Animal has no soul? Why? What is the difference between animal and man? What are the symptoms of possessing the soul? They are all equal. The man also eats, the animal also eats. The man also sleeps, the animal also sleeps, the man also have sex life, the animals also have sex life. The man also defends, the animals also defends. So where is the deficiency that you say that the animal has no soul?

Imperfect knowledge. Or making adjustment for their own benefit. Now they are making correction: "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not murder." That means it will come to human being. But the actual commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." But these Christian people, they are making some amendment, "Thou shalt not murder." Because murder will apply to the killing of human beings. But Lord Jesus Christ never said like that. "Thou shalt not kill." It is applicable both for human being and for animal or even for trees. Unnecessarily you cannot kill. That is sadhu. Suhrdaṁ sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. "Don't kill my brother, but you can kill my neighbors." Not like that. He is not sadhu. Sadhu is kind to all living entities.

Krṣṇa consciousness means to become kind to everyone. Therefore we say, "No meat-eating." Meat-eating means killing the animals. Killing the animals. Why you shall kill animals? You have to take Krṣṇa prasadam. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham aṣnami [Bg. 9.26]. Krṣṇa says... Krṣṇa is God. He can eat everything, everything. Krṣṇa ate fire, you know. There was forest fire in Vrndavana. All the cowherds boys they became very much frightened, "Krṣṇa." "Yes, I'm ready." He ate up all the fire. So for Krṣṇa He could eat anything He likes. He is God. But still, He recommends, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Why? Because we have to take Krṣṇa's prasadam, so therefore He is recommending, "These things you can give Me." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. So that is our food. We are devotees of Krṣṇa. We are meant for eating the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krṣṇa.

That is our... Jihva, tara madhye... If you want to conquer the tongue, then you fix up your mind that you shall not take anything which is not offered to Krṣṇa. Then your tongue will be controlled. Tara madhye jihva ati lobhamaya sudurmati. Tongue is the bitterest enemy of the living being. The tongue is dragging. Jihva. "Kindly give me this immediately. Kindly give me this wine immediately. Kindly give me this tea immediately. Kindly give me this cigarette immediately. Kindly give me this meat." Why? Control. Krṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ [Bg. 9.26]. So we have to take prasadam, eat Krṣṇa prasadam. Then naturally the other things will be negativated. This is the position. Suhrdaṁ sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29].

So if all human beings become vegetarian, not vegetarian, but eater of the Krṣṇa's prasadam, all these liquor house and slaughterhouse and brothels will be closed. This is Krṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to close these nonsense places of sinful life: brothels, illegitimate sense gratification, sex relationship, prostitution. If we are embarrassed with this sinful life, there is no possibility of becoming again acyuta. We remain cyuta, fallen. We remain fallen.

It is not so easy thing that "I do everything, whatever I like." Some rascals preach that "Oh, religion has nothing to do with your eating. You can eat anything you like, and still you become a religious man." This is all nonsense. Nobody can become religious man if he is attracted by sinful activities. It is not possible. You must stop sinful activities. That is first condition. Otherwise you cannot understand what there... People... Perhaps, in this Krṣṇa conscious, except this Krṣṇa conscious movement, all rascals, they do not know what is God. They have no clear conception of God. Because they are sinful. We can give the name, address and everything of God, clear conception, not vague idea, "God may be like this, God may be like that." Why maybe? He is God.

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalayatakṣaṁ
barhavataṁsam asitambuda-sundaraṅgam
kandarpa-koṭi-kamaniya-viseṣa-sobhaṁ
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.30]

Clear conception. The sastra, Brahma-saṁhita, clear description of God, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. He is playing on flute. It is not that the Muralidhara, Syamasundara, Krṣṇa, has been imagined by some poet. No, it is described in the sastra, the form of the Lord. He is busy in playing flute, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. Aravinda dalayatakṣaṁ [Bs. 5.30], His eyes are just like petals of the lotus flower. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda, barhavataṁsa, there is a peacock feather on His head. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamaniya-viseṣa-sobhaṁ, and He is so beautiful that His beauty can cut down thousands of Cupids. Cupid is supposed to be the most beautiful in this material world. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-viseṣa-sobhaṁ govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami [Bs. 5.30]. Clear conception.

This is the description of God in the sastra. And when God came, Krṣṇa came on this planet, the same description. He is playing on flute, He has got the feather, peacock feather. So this painting of Krṣṇa is not an artist's imagination. It is exactly the form. So here is the form of the Lord. Here is the name of the Lord. Here is the activities of the Lord. This is clear conception. A sadhu knows what is God. Or sadhu cannot know. They are thinking, "God must be like this, God may be like this, He must be a very old man," because adi-puruṣa. He is the first living... In this way... So you cannot create God by imagination. That is not possible. God is God, always. You have to know simply what is God. He is never cyuta.

God never becomes fallen down from His original position. The original position is, God describes Himself, mattaḥ; parataraṁ nanyat: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." That is God. One, if he is controlled, how he can be God? The supreme controller is God, the supreme controller is Krṣṇa. Isvaraḥ; paramaḥ; krṣṇaḥ; [Bs. 5.1]. Isvaraḥ; means controller, and paramaḥ; means supreme. And who is that? Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa says also, mattaḥ; parataraṁ nanyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So He is acyuta. He keeps His position. He never falls down. We are all fallen souls. Because our position, our Acyuta position is to serve Krṣṇa. Because we are part and parcel of Krṣṇa.

The same example: Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. Its business is to serve the body. That is the business. There is no other business. A finger can pick up a rasagulla and keep it here. The finger cannot eat. Similarly, we cannot eat directly. That is our diseased condition. We have to offer Krṣṇa. When Krṣṇa eats, if we eat that, then we become energized. Just like you rasagulla put into the mouth. When it goes to the stomach, the finger immediately becomes reddish. The finger enjoys. Not only the finger, the eyes enjoy, the legs enjoy, because the energy is distributed. Directly we cannot be energized by eating. We must eat Krṣṇa's prasadam. This is principle. Jivera svarupa haya nitya krṣṇa dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109].

So if we serve Krṣṇa, that is our Acyuta position. If we deny to serve Krṣṇa, that is vicyuta, fallen condition. Acyuta and vicyuta. So to become Krṣṇa conscious means acyuta-gotra. Acyuta-gotra. Gotra, perhaps you do not know. Gotra is the family tradition. According to Vedic civilization, everybody has got gotra. Gotra means of the same family, of rṣis, gotra, from the rṣis. So we have to become acyuta-gotra, again belonging to the family of Krṣṇa. Now we are fallen. Therefore we have forgotten that we belong to the family of Krṣṇa. When we revive our consciousness, Krṣṇa consciousness, that "I belong to the Krṣṇa's family..." Krṣṇa is not alone, eko bahu syama. He wants to enjoy.

So we are family members of Krṣṇa, not void. That is another rascaldom. Why Krṣṇa should be alone? He is so powerful, He is so opulent, have you got any experience that a powerful person, opulent person is alone? Where is that example? Any rich man, any powerful man, any king, any lord, oh, he has got so many associates. So how Krṣṇa can be alone? Krṣṇa is never alone. Therefore you will find always Krṣṇa with the gopis, Krṣṇa with the cowherds boys, Krṣṇa with Arjuna. Krṣṇa is never alone. So these are the conditions of becoming acyuta. So Arjuna knows all these things because he is a devotee. Therefore particularly he is addressing Krṣṇa, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. That's all right. Thank you very much. (end)

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