Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): Translation: "Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness."

Prabhupada:

aho bata mahat-papaṁ
kartuṁ vyavasita vayam
yad rajya-sukha-lobhena
hantuṁ svajanam udyataḥ;
[Bg. 1.44]

So sometimes Arjuna is accused, Bhagavad-gita is also accused, that "There is violence. There is violence. Bhagavad-gita is full of violence." Yes, it is full of violence. The warfield. But here the Vaiṣṇava thinking, Arjuna is thinking that it was arranged for his rajya-sukha. Yad rajya-sukha-lobhena. Lobhena. It was arranged for the satisfaction of Arjuna so that he could enjoy the kingdom and the happiness thereof. Actually, it was not so. It was arranged by Krṣṇa for His satisfaction, not for Arjuna's satisfaction. So that is the difference between ordinary work and devotional service. Devotional service and ordinary work, they look almost equal. Just like we are living in this house. The neighbors, they may think that "Some people are living here, chanting, dancing. We also dance. We also sometimes sing. And eating, they are also eating. Then what is the difference?" They may think that "What is the difference between devotional service and ordinary work?" It looks almost equal. Therefore people misunderstand that Bhagavad-gita is ordinary warfare, violence. But it is not that. It is arranged by Krṣṇa because, to fulfill His mission. His mission is paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. That is His satisfaction, not Arjuna's satisfaction, not anyone's satisfaction. It is His plan. He comes, He descends on this planet, in this universe, just to establish the real purpose of religious life and to kill, to vanquish those who are opposing the real purpose of life, human life. That is His mission, simultaneously two things. Paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8].

So svajanam.

aho bata mahat-papaṁ
kartuṁ vyavasita vayam
yad rajya-sukha-lobhena
hantuṁ svajanam udyataḥ;
[Bg. 1.44]

Svajanam means kinsmen. So kinsmen does not mean, in higher sense, only my brother or my sister or my father or my uncle. No. Svajanam means all living entities. Because one who hasn't got Krṣṇa consciousness, with ordinary consciousness, material consciousness, he cannot think in terms of svajanam. "My kinsmen, all living entities," he cannot think. Actually, everyone is our svajanam, because if God is father, as Krṣṇa claims, ahaṁ bija-pradaḥ; pita, if He is the supreme father... Not only He claims, at least, any fine religious system claims, "God is the original father." That's a fact. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ; sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Everything has come from Him. He is the supreme father. So if Krṣṇa is the supreme father, He is father of everyone. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. In all species of life, in all forms of life, they are all our svajana, kinsmen. How it cannot be? Because Krṣṇa is the original father. This is Krṣṇa consciousness. Therefore a devotee of Krṣṇa does not want to commit a little harm to any living entity. That is Krṣṇa consciousness.

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmaṇe gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
paṇḍitaḥ; sama-darsinaḥ;
[Bg. 5.18]

Paṇḍita, one who is learned, he is sama-darsinaḥ;, equal vision. Not that... Just Krṣṇa has equal vision... That picture, Krṣṇa, He's embracing the calf. He is not only embracing the gopis, but He is embracing the calf also, cows also. Sama-darsinaḥ;. For Krṣṇa the gopis, the calf and the cows or anyone in Vrndavana who has come to serve Him, they are all equal to Him. Somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as calf, somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as cow, somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as gopi, somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as cowherd boy, somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as His father, somebody wants to serve Krṣṇa as His mother. These are the different mellows, different tastes. Every living entity has got his own taste, how to love Krṣṇa. But the central point is to love Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa also reciprocates. He has no discrimination that "Here is gopi, beautiful girl. Therefore I shall love her more than the calf." No. Krṣṇa is not so partial. Similarly, Krṣṇa's devotees also, because he has... Krṣṇa consciousness means he has got now in minute quantity Krṣṇa's quality. Therefore he is also equal to everyone. He thinks everyone svajana, the member of the same family. It does not matter if one has become ant or one has become elephant. The living spark, the soul, is the same dimension, either within the ant or in the elephant. This dimension of the soul we have several times discussed, 1/10,000th part of the top of the hair.

kesagra-sata-bhagasya
satadha kalpitasya ca
jivo bhagaḥ; sa vijñeyaḥ;
sa canantyaya kalpate
[Cc. Madhya 19.140]

That is the dimension. In sastra we get the dimension of the soul—very, very minute: 1/10,000th part of the top of the hair. Just imagine. So that portion is within the ant and within Brahma and within elephant. Therefore, one who is paṇḍita, one who knows what are these souls, spiritual sparks, part and parcel of Krṣṇa, if he has got full knowledge, then his vision is

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi-hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
paṇḍitah sama-darsinaḥ;
[Bg. 5.18]

Sama-darsinaḥ; means equal vision. A learned brahmaṇa, he is most intelligent man in the human society, and a dog... Superficially, externally, there is much difference. Here is a dog, a street dog, and here is a learned brahmaṇa. But one who is paṇḍita, one who is Krṣṇa conscious, he sees that the paṇḍita and the dog, they are the same, because they are also the same spiritual spark. By his karma, he has become a learned paṇḍita, and by his karma, he has become a dog. But within the different body, dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaraṁ [Bg. 2.13]. Asmin dehe, in this body there is the soul. That is his vision. Of course, externally, it is not that I shall behave equally with the brahmaṇa and the dog. That is external behavior. But internally, we should know that both the brahmaṇa and the dog, they're a spiritual spark. This is called brahma-jñana. Brahma-jñana means the knowledge of spiritual self. That is called brahma-jñana. So when one attains this brahma-jñana, then brahma-bhutaḥ; prasannatma na socati na kaṅkṣati, samaḥ; sarveṣu bhuteṣu [Bg. 18.54]. Samata, equal. That is brahma-jñana.

So in this verse Krṣṇa says, er, Arjuna says that yad rajya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ svajanam udyataḥ; [Bg. 1.44]. So when are killing animals for the satisfaction of our tongue, this is mahat papam. Krṣṇa, Arjuna says, aho bata mahat papam. Mahat papam, great sinful act, great sinful act. If we want to kill anyone, any living entity, for my satisfaction, either my tongue satisfaction or any sense satisfaction, it is maha-papam, great sinful act. Because they are all svajana. You cannot kill, either you take this sense or that sense. But Arjuna is speaking in a limited sense; he is thinking of his own family members. But if one is actually in knowledge, brahma-jñana, he thinks in the same way that "The lower animals, they are also our family members. And if I kill him for my satisfaction, my sense satisfaction, it is great sinful act." Unfortunately, everyone is killing for his sense gratification in the name of religion. In the name of religion, although it is prohibited, still they are killing. Just imagine how much sinful activities they are doing. And how they can be happy? Happiness, of course, a hog also thinks that he is very happy that he is eating stool, living in filthy place, and because he has got the facility of sex life without any discrimination he may think happy life, but that is not happiness. Happiness is different thing. Sukham atyantikaṁ yat tad atindriya-grahyam [Bg. 6.21]. If you want to feel happiness by your these blunt material senses, that is not happiness. Happiness is beyond your material senses. Atyantikam. That is real happiness. Real happiness means it will never end, and you will never feel satiation, that "I no more want." That is real happiness. Material happiness, there is no such thing. That you will feel immediately satiation. After enjoying any material happiness a few minutes, you will feel "Again another, again another, again another." So therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sukham atyantikaṁ yat tat [Bg. 6.21]. So real, what is real happiness, that is not felt by these blunt material senses. So what is that sense? That is purified senses. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When our senses are purified, tat-paratvena, for the sake of Krṣṇa, when our senses are employed for the sake of Krṣṇa, that is purified senses. Hrṣikeṇa hrṣikesa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. That is wanted.

So here, in the beginning, Arjuna, he's thinking in terms of his blunt senses. But the same thing he will do. Atyantikam, atindriya, purified senses. Just try to understand. This is Krṣṇa consciousness. Arjuna is now thinking, yad rajya-sukha-lobhena [Bg. 1.44], "For the matter of getting kingdom and sense gratification, I am going to kill my kinsmen. So it is great sin." That's a fact. If the warfare in the Kurukṣetra battlefield was for Arjuna's sense satisfaction, then it was a great sin. But actually, it is not being done for Arjuna's satisfaction. It is to be done for Krṣṇa's satisfaction. So therefore the conclusion should be that whatever we do, if we do it for our own sense satisfaction, that is maha-papam, sinful activities. But if we do the same thing for Krṣṇa's satisfaction, that is spiritual advancement. This is the difference. So outsiders, they think that... A karmi is working for his own satisfaction and a devotee is working for Krṣṇa's satisfaction. Although two things are similar, externally it appears the same thing, but there is great difference. Whatever you do for your own satisfaction, for the satisfaction of your whims, that is maha-papa, great sin. The same thing, when you do for Krṣṇa, that is opening your path to liberation, back to home, back to Godhead. This is difference. You have to change the consciousness. What you are doing? For whom you are doing? For yourself or for Krṣṇa? This is Krṣṇa consciousness. And that is the perfection of life. In whatever position you are, whatever you are doing, it doesn't matter. That is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

ataḥ; pumbhir dvija-sreṣṭha
varṇasrama-vibhagasaḥ;
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam
[SB 1.2.13]

Hari-toṣaṇam means to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Hari. That is perfection. It doesn't matter what you are doing. Varṇasrama-vibhagasaḥ;. First of all, "whatever doing," it does not mean whatever nonsense you are doing, that will be accepted. No. Varṇasrama-vibhagasaḥ;. According to Vedic civilization, there is division of varṇa: brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya, sudra. So activities must be done according to the varṇasrama prescription. A brahmaṇa is ordered to do like this. Satyaḥ; samo damas titikṣa arjavam. You should practice this. A kṣatriya should practice this. And a vaisya should practice this. So therefore it is called varṇasrama—the prescribed duties are already there. Therefore perfect human society means... First of all there must be this division, brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaisya. And when they act the duties of that particular position, brahmaṇa, kṣatriya, for the satisfaction of Krṣṇa, that is perfection of life. It doesn't matter whether you are a sudra or you are a brahmaṇa, but if you act for the satisfaction of Krṣṇa according to the prescription of your position, then your life is perfect. That is wanted. The whole human civilization should be based on this principle. There must be division. The division is already there. They should be coordinated, systematized. Not that everyone is brahmaṇa. Brahmaṇa means the intelligent man. So we should pick up the intelligent men. They should be trained as brahmaṇa. Those who are martial, having fighting spirit, they should be selected as kṣatriya. Those who are for increasing money, mercantile mentality, they should be also collected. Similarly, sudras. And they should be trained, everyone, to satisfy Krṣṇa. Varṇasrama-vibhagasaḥ;. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam [SB 1.2.13].

So here Arjuna is a fighter, he is engaged in fighting. Now he is thinking that is proper. He is Vaiṣṇava. He is devotee. He is properly thinking that "For my sense gratification I am going to kill my kinsmen? Oh, what a great sinful activity I am going to do." But actually, Krṣṇa is not engaging His devotee to act sinfully. No. That is not Krṣṇa's business. Although superficially it appears that Krṣṇa is engaging Arjuna to fight in the sinful activities, no, that is not sinful. Whatever Krṣṇa does, it is not sinful; it is transcendental, the most pure activity. The rascals who do not understand Krṣṇa, they say that Krṣṇa is immoral. They do not know what is Krṣṇa and what is Krṣṇa's action. They do not know. They think, "Now, Krṣṇa is engaging Arjuna to fight. Oh, it is immoral. Why Krṣṇa should engage Arjuna in the fighting business?" So therefore... Or "Why Krṣṇa is engaged in dancing with the gopis? They are wives and sister of other men. It is sinful." If we enjoy with others' wife or others' daughter or others' sister, who is not bona fide my wife, if I want to enjoy life, that illicit sex... Krṣṇa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Krṣṇa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Krṣṇa. Krṣṇa can do anything. Tejiyasaṁ na doṣaya. Tejiyasaṁ na doṣaya [SB 10.33.29]. Just like the sun is very powerful. As you see in this material world, a sun, a material thing, and it is very powerful, but the sun is soaking water, taking water from the sea as well as from filthy place. So he is also evaporating water from urine also. In filthy place, sewer ditches, he is evaporating water, as well as from the sea. But does it mean by evaporating water from the sewer ditch and urine, the sun is becoming polluted? No. Rather, he is turning that place, what is called, prophylactic, antiseptic, by his sunshine. Similarly, even though somebody comes to Krṣṇa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified. And Krṣṇa does not become immoral. This science has to be known by the rascals before calling Krṣṇa immoral. Therefore Krṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gita,

manuṣyaṇaṁ sahasreṣu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanaṁ
kascid vetti maṁ tattvataḥ;
[Bg. 7.3]

These rascals, they do not know what is Krṣṇa. They think Krṣṇa is ordinary man. "Why He is engaging Arjuna in the fighting? Why He is dancing with others' daughter and girls? These are immoral things." Therefore this rasa dance should not be discussed among the fools and rascals. They'll misunderstand. Although the professional reciters, they take part, whenever they speak of Bhagavata, they immediately jump over the rasa dance. That is not to be done. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never indulged in such thing. For mass of people He engaged Himself in saṅkirtana. And when Krṣṇa's dealing with the gopis were discussed, He was discussing amongst three selected devotees: Ramananda Raya, Svarupa Damodara and Sikhi Mahati. He had thousands and thousands of devotees, but He never discussed Krṣṇa's rasa-lila in the mass of people, never did it. Therefore it is restricted. Because they will misunderstand. These rascals, they do not know what is Krṣṇa, and they will misunderstand. They will be polluted. Of course, not polluted. Because after all, they will hear about Krṣṇa. But they may misunderstand. That is against their making progress to the spiritual life.

So Krṣṇa is not immoral. Krṣṇa is not engaging Arjuna to commit such sinful activities, svajanaṁ hatva. No. Krṣṇa is engaging him in His service. So one has to understand that. So when Arjuna will understand that "This war, this fighting is not for my sense gratification, it is for Krṣṇa's sense gratification..." Then he agreed, because he is a devotee. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: [Bg. 18.73] "Yes I shall now act." This is the proposition. So atmendriya-trpti-vañcha dhare tara nama kama. Kama means lust. What is lust? Lust means whenever you try to satisfy your senses, that is called lust. And the same, whenever you try to satisfy Krṣṇa's senses, that is love. Practically the same business, but personal and Krṣṇa. So Krṣṇa consciousness movement means we have to act everything for Krṣṇa under proper direction. We cannot manufacture that "I am doing for Krṣṇa." Then that is another misleading. Therefore we require the guidance of the spiritual master. Krṣṇa. Guru-krṣṇa-krpaya [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, that you have to seek the mercy both of Krṣṇa and guru, not that you have become so advanced that you are directly in connection with Krṣṇa and whatever you are doing, it is mercy. No. Don't think like that. It must be guided, it must be confirmed by guru. Guru-krṣṇa-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Bhakti line is there. So our business is, Krṣṇa consciousness movement is that we have to satisfy Krṣṇa. That reference by that Professor Zaehner, that one rogue, he did by his whims, and he alleged that "After reading Bhagavad-gita violence, he committed this violence." So did he take permission from Krṣṇa or Krṣṇa's representative? But he does not know the technique. He has unnecessarily accused, committed a great offense to the lotus feet of Krṣṇa. So therefore inexperienced persons, they should not try to teach Bhagavad-gita to others because he has no knowledge. This knowledge has to be received by parampara system. Evam parampara-praptam imaṁ rajarṣayo viduḥ; [Bg. 4.2]. So simply by academic career, by knowledge of ABCD, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg. 4.3], without becoming bhakta... Therefore Sanatana Gosvami has forbidden that "Don't hear anything about Krṣṇa from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava." Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgirṇa-puta-hari-kathamrtaṁ sravanaṁ na karta... This is prohibited. You cannot hear. But this audience or the students, they also do not know that "Here is a rascal, he is not a devotee, he is not a Vaiṣṇava. Why shall we hear from him Bhagavad-gita?" The first condition is bhakto 'si. And the prohibition is also by acaryas. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgirṇa-puta-hari-kathamrtaṁ sravanaṁ na kartavyam. Puta-hari-kathamrtam. Hari-katha, talks of Krṣṇa, they are by themselves pure. But still, it is prohibited that if it is spoken by an avaiṣṇava, nondevotee, one should not hear, should not hear. Must immediately reject. First of all, we have to see who is going to speak about Krṣṇa. Is it a devotee of Krṣṇa? Is he a Vaiṣṇava or not? If he is not, then immediately reject: "Oh, we are not going to hear from you." But people do not know. Any rascal speaking about Bhagavad-gita we hear. That is not the process. Then you will misunderstand. Avaiṣṇava-mukhod..., sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yatha. Just like milk is very good food, everyone knows. But when it is touched by the tongue of the serpent, it is poison immediately. So we cannot drink poison. Don't hear Bhagavad-gita or any talk about Krṣṇa from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava, who is not a devotee of Krṣṇa. We'll misunderstand. Just like they will say, they will say, "Oh, Krṣṇa is engaging Arjuna for fighting, for committing so many sinful activities." No, that is not the fact. Krṣṇa is engaging Arjuna fighting, to fighting, just to serve His purpose. Paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. And Arjuna is executing the mission of Krṣṇa not for his personal benefit. These are the things.

That's all right. Thank you very much. (end)

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