Pradyumna: "O Arjuna, only another brahmastra can counteract this weapon. Since you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon's glare with the power of your own weapon.

"Sri Suta Gosvami said: Hearing this from the Personality of Godhead, Arjuna touched water for purification, and after circumambulating Lord Sri Krṣṇa, he cast his brahmastra weapon to counteract the other one."

Prabhupada:

na hy asyanyatamaṁ kiñcid
astraṁ pratyavakarsanam
jahy astra-teja unnaddham
astra-jño hy astra-tejasa
[SB 1.7.28]

suta uvaca
srutva bhagavata proktaṁ
phalgunaḥ; para-vira-ha
sprṣṭvapas taṁ parikramya
brahmaṁ brahmastraṁ sandadhe
[SB 1.7.29]

So counteraction. This is military science. Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda. And military science also, one of the part of the Vedas, Dhanur Veda. It is called Dhanur Veda—how to utilize dhanuḥ;. Dhanuḥ; means bow and arrows. Similarly Ayur Veda. Ayur Veda means medical science, how to protect the ayuḥ;. Because the body is perishable, so in the Vedic knowledge, everything is there to guide the human society. It is stated in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Nigama means Veda, and that is kalpa-taru. Nigama kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam. It is compared with the tree. What kind of tree? Desire tree. Nigama-kalpa-taroḥ;. Kalpa-taru. The kalpa-taru can be found in the spiritual world, not in this material world. The spiritual world is described in the Brahma-saṁhita. What is that? Kalpa-taru, cintamaṇi kalpa-taru. Cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-taru. In the spiritual world, Goloka Vrndavana, it is described that the houses, palaces, in that land, spiritual land, Goloka Vrndavana, is made of cintamaṇi, cintamaṇi kalpa-taru.

cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrkṣa-
lakṣavrteṣu surabhir abhipalayantam
lakṣmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanaṁ
govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami
[Bs. 5.29]

So kalpa-taru means whatever you want you can get from that tree. Because everything is spiritual. For example, he can give you... Just like you are a spiritual being, I am also a spiritual being. If I say, "Bring me a glass of water." You'll bring. "Give me some fruit." You'll give me. "Bring this." You'll bring. Because you are spirit soul, you can supply me whatever I want. This is the spiritual idea. Not that I wanted a glass of water, you can supply me a glass of water only. If I want other things, you can supply me also. This is an example, crude example.

So when there is no material obstacles, then the spiritual world can be utilized for any purpose. Here, because we are covered with the material body... There are two energies, it is described in the Bhagavad-gita: material energy and spiritual energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ; khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4]. This is material energy. And Krṣṇa says apareyam; this is inferior. Apara. Itas tu viddhi me prakrtiṁ param. There is another, superior energy. What is that superior energy? Living. It is not dead. Jiva-bhutaṁ maha-baho yayedaṁ dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. Without spiritual energy, this whole universe is useless, anywhere you go. The modern scientists, they are going to—so-called—they are going to this planet, that planet. And they do not find any spiritual energy. They simply see the material energy-sand and rocks. That cannot be. Because... They can bluff because people are not aware of the whole science. They can bluff. In this material world there are two energies working: material and spiritual. There cannot be only material. There must be spiritual energy. So they say that there is no life, that means there is no spiritual energy. It cannot be accepted. It cannot be. It is out of question. Because here we find jiva-bhutaṁ maha-baho yayedaṁ dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. There must be living entity who is conducting this material energy. This body is very beautiful, very useful. Why? Because the spiritual energy, the soul, is there. Otherwise, it has no value. So when there is a planet, when there are other things, how it has developed? This is a reasoning. This is sense. Because the material energy cannot develop without spiritual energy. Jiva-bhutaṁ maha-baho yayedaṁ dharyate jagat. There cannot be anything material without spiritual energy. What is this body? How this body came into existence? Because the spiritual energy, the soul, is there. A dead child born, it will not grow because the spiritual energy is not there. So it has to be concluded that as soon as there is material, a manifestation of the material energy, there must be spiritual energy. It cannot...

In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that this whole cosmic manifestation is combination of material energy and spiritual energy. So therefore in the Vedas... Veda means knowledge, vetti veda vido jñane. In the Sanskrit verb vid, vid-dhatu. Vid-dhatu means knowledge, "to know." Vetti veda vido jñane vinte vid vicaraṇa(?). Labhe vindati vindate. So vid-dhatu. From vid-dhatu the Veda has come. Veda means knowledge. So from the Vedas you can have all different types of knowledge, namely material knowledge and spiritual knowledge, both, perfectly. Because we have now forgotten our spiritual energy, we do not cultivate spiritual energy; therefore the Veda is there. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, in simple Bengali language, it is said, anadi-bahirmukha jiva krṣṇa bhuli' gela, ataeva krṣṇa veda-puraṇa karila [Cc. Madhya 20.117]. Because these rascals, anadi-bahirmukha, do not know. (bird chirping in background) Just like this bird chirping, but he does not know what he is, wherefrom he is coming, where to go—nothing. That is low-grade life. So we are now forgetful of our spiritual energy, and because we do not know spiritual energy. Therefore we have no knowledge of God. This is our position, and it is coming since very, very, very, very, long time. Time immemorial. Therefore the Vedas are there. Anadi-bahirmukha jiva krṣṇa bhuli' gela, ataeva krṣṇa veda-puraṇa karila(?)

So we have to utilize the Veda-puraṇa. The Veda-puraṇa is here in India. It is not for India; it is meant for the whole universe. But still, it is available in India. That is India's special position. Indian civilization is not very much interested with the four-wheel civilization. India is interested in spiritual cultivation, Veda-puraṇa. So this science as it is mentioned here, unnaddham astra-jñaḥ;, so Arjuna was expert in military science, and still, he was a devotee. It is not that only a brahmaṇa with very clean cloth and clean habit, satya-saucabhyam... Brahmaṇa's first qualification is truthfulness and cleanliness, satya-saucabhyam. This is the first qualification. Samo damas titikṣa arjavam, jñanaṁ vijñanam astikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. Tyagena satya-saucabhyaṁ yamena niyamena va. So this is brahminical qualification. But there are others also. A kṣatriya, he is expert in the military science, how to kill. So the killing art is there. You cannot make it null and void by advocating nonviolence. No. That is required. Violence is also a part of the society. Just like here is some itching sensation. This is violence. That is required for the comfort. So similarly, Arjuna was kṣatriya. He knew the art of killing, and still, Krṣṇa is... Krṣṇa also, He appeared as a kṣatriya in the dynasty of kṣatriyas. Vasudeva, son of Vasudeva. He also knew the art of killing. That is also one of the part of His business. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7], paritraṇaya sadhunaṁ vinasaya ca duṣkrtam [Bg. 4.8]. So vinasa-requires violence.

So we cannot decry violence. That is also required. Krṣṇa was speaking Bhagavad-gita, the science of God, in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. We cannot condemn violence. That is not possible. But there is no violence in the spiritual world. That is a fact. Violence is only in the material world. Therefore when Krṣṇa desired to fight... Because all desires are coming from Him, janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. Anything that we have got experience, everything is there in God. Therefore He's God. Not that minus something. Nothing minus. Everything. Akhila-rasamrta-sindhu. Raso vai saḥ;. These are the Vedic injunctions. He is the reservoir of all rasa, humor or mellow. So this is also a mellow. Sometimes cruel men, they take pleasure by killing. I've seen it. One hotel man was cutting the throat of one chicken, half-cut, and it was throbbing, jumping. His child was crying because he could not see such horrible thing. And the man, the hotel man, he was laughing and pacifying the child, "Why you are crying? Just see how he's throbbing, how he's jumping." So one subject matter, the rasa is different. Humor is different. He's one, (?) enjoying one rasa, the father, and the child is crying. That is also another rasa. So the whole world is full of rasa. Adi-rasa. The sex life is called adi-rasa. There is bibhatsa-rasa, hasya-rasa, karuṇa-rasa, madhurya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, santa-rasa. There are so many rasas-twelve rasas. Anaya(?) vyatireka, adi-rasa. So janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura has described this adi from adi-rasa. Adi-rasa means the conjugal love. That is called adi-rasa. So janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. Wherefrom the adi-rasa comes? The attraction between man and woman, that is a fact. The attraction is there in everywhere, either human society or animal society or bird society, bee society, the attraction is there. Puṁsaḥ; striya mithuni-bhavam etam [SB 5.5.8]. This whole world is existing on mithuni-bhava, sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. These things are there. So wherefrom it comes, this adi-rasa? Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura has described in his comment on Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the beginning, that Krṣṇa is the origin of adi-rasa, janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]. From there, this adi-rasa is generated. That is Radha-Krṣṇa. So everything is there. Otherwise, imperfectness. So as there is adi-rasa, Krṣṇa is enjoying with the gopis and Radharaṇi. Similarly, He enjoys with bibhatsa-rasa, vira-rasa, killing. Killing is also vira-rasa. Because He is the reservoir of all rasas. So janmady asya yataḥ; [SB 1.1.1]. So do not think that this violence or fighting is bad. No. Nothing is bad when it is utilized for Krṣṇa. And nothing is good when it is utilized for your sense gratification. Everything is bad.

So here Krṣṇa ordered that this is brahmastra. He could not understand that intolerable temperature, heat, and Arjuna inquired, "Wherefrom the heat is coming?" So Krṣṇa informed him that "This is due to brahmastra released by Asvatthama. This rascal does not know how to counteract it." Naivasau veda saṁharam. "He does not know." Formerly, in the military science, you have released one kind of arrow. If I am expert, then I can release another arrow which will counteract your arrow. Naivasau veda saṁharam. It is called saṁharam. So Asvatthama released that brahmastra. Now Krṣṇa advised Arjuna that "You release this saṁharastra," how to counteract. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ;. Unnaddham: "You know better than him how to counteract." Hy astra-tejasa: "By another..." [break] ...different astras are released by different expert military men. So that science is not yet discovered. By mantra. Just like here it is said that he took water, apaḥ;. Sprṣṭvapas taṁ parikramya. Apaḥ;. Just like we take, oṁ apavitraḥ; pavitro va sarvasvasthaṁ gato 'pi va. Similarly, mantra and water can be utilized for very, very important purpose. Simply mantra and water. So this is the science. This is called subtle science, not gross. They have discovered this atomic weapon—they require so many chemicals. But when you come to the higher stage, subtle, then mantra and water will do. Nothing more. No more chemicals. Simply mantra and water. That is yet you have to learn.

But these things are there in the Vedas. If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty. Therefore Krṣṇa says astra-jñaḥ;. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ;. You can also become learned in the higher science of military art. You can also utilize. But that requires brain, good brain. That is not possible now, because the culture is lost. Now everyone is sudra. Nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is brahmaṇa. By the time... Kalau sudra sambhava. The sudras cannot learn all these veda. Because sudras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brahmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaisyas. Striyo vaisyas tatha sudraḥ;. They are rejected, woman and vaisya and sudra. Krṣṇa says. Striyo vaisyas tatha sudraḥ;. But Krṣṇa says te 'pi yanti paraṁ gatim: "Even woman, and sudra and vaisyas, low grade, they can also get paraṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world." How? Maṁ hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuḥ; papa-yonayaḥ; [Bg. 9.32]. If you take to Krṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya sudra vaisya, and down, caṇḍalas... Caṇḍalas means less than the caṇḍala. Kirata-huṇandhra-pulinda-pulkasaḥ;. They are caṇḍalas. Kirata means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirata. Huṇandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanaḥ; khasadayaḥ; [SB 2.4.18]. Yavanas, khasadaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirata-huṇandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanaḥ; khasadayaḥ; ye 'nye ca papaḥ;. "Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayaḥ;, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, sudhyanti, becomes purified." Becomes purified. How? Sudhyanti? Because prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ;. Lord Viṣṇu has got so exalted power that through His devotee He can purify anyone. Never mind, even one happens to be caṇḍala, and what to speak of others. Kiṁ punar brahmaṇaḥ; puṇya bhakta rajarṣayas tatha [Bg. 9.33]. If they can be delivered, then what to speak those who are brahmaṇas. Brahmaṇa means puṇya. Without having background of pious activities, nobody can take birth in rich family, in brahmaṇa family. Nobody can become highly learned person, nobody can become beautiful. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. They're the action, reaction of puṇya. And just the opposite is papa. So everyone—there is no question of papi or puṇya—if anyone takes shelter of Krṣṇa, maṁ hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuḥ; papa-yonayaḥ; [Bg. 9.32], it doesn't matter. Everyone can be elevated to the transcendental position of Krṣṇa consciousness.

So this movement is there. Take advantage of it and elevate your life and finish the material trouble. Duḥ;khalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is only simply full of miseries and temporary. This business must be stopped. And yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramaṁ mama: [Bg. 15.6] simply by going back to home, back to Godhead, your all problems of life will be solved.

Thank you very much. (end)

760926SB.VRN