Pradyumna: Translation: "King Yudhiṣṭhira said: O my lot! I am the most sinful man! Just see my heart, which is full of ignorance! This body, which is ultimately meant for others, has killed many, many phalanxes of men."

Prabhupada:

aho me pasyatajñanaṁ
hrdi ruḍhaṁ duratmanaḥ;
parakyasyaiva dehasya
bahvyo me 'kṣauhiṇir hataḥ;
[SB 1.8.48]

So Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja says that this body is meant for others. It is others' body. Everyone should be interested for his own body. Who is interested for other's body? I eat for maintenance of my body, not that your body. It is the very good argument given by Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja that "First of all ascertain whether it is your body. If for the bodily sense gratification, satisfaction, you are committing so many sinful life, but first of all consider whether this body is yours."

Now, first of all, consideration is: this body is given by the father and mother. So actually the body belongs to the father and mother. Or just like the slaves—they sell their body to the master. So somebody, if maintains your body, then it becomes... The body belongs to him. Suppose you are working somewhere and he is giving you money for maintaining your body; then actually the body is maintained for the person who gives me payment. You see. So many people are going to the other side of the river, running very quickly to go there because the body is sold to that master who is paying for eating. Otherwise why he's taking the body there? So actually the body belongs to others. And spiritually the body belongs to Krṣṇa. But when we forget our relationship with Krṣṇa—the body belongs to somebody else; that's a fact—then we think that "The body belongs to my father and mother" or this and that... Sometimes we do not think that. So why, from material point of view, if the body does not belong to me, why shall I commit so many sinful activities for others?

So Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja is repentant that parakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me 'kṣauhiṇir hataḥ;: "Many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, horses, elephants, men we have killed." Akṣauhiṇi, there is a calculation 64,000 elephants, 64,000 horses and 64,000, like that. Exactly I cannot, but some of the items are 64,000. Chariots. One... Nowadays it is called exactly? A group of soldiers? What is called?

Devotee: Phalanx.

Prabhupada: Phalanx, and another name is there.

Brahmananda: Division.

Prabhupada: Division. One division. One division of army consisting of so many horses, so many elephants and chariot... There are different types of fighter. Somebody would fight from the back, riding on the back of the elephant, somebody on horses. That is also nowadays current, cavalry. And somebody on chariot, somebody standing, infantry... So, one akṣauhiṇi means 64,000 elephants, horses, chariots and so many thousand infantry. That makes one division. So Krṣṇa Himself gave so many divisions to Duryodhana. Altogether there were eighteen divisions or more than that. They were all killed.

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes (reading), "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 calvary is called an akṣauhiṇi." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many akṣauhiṇis were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility of killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne. This body is, after all, meant for others. While there is life in the body, it is meant for the service of the others, and (when) it is dead it is meant to be eaten up by the dogs and jackals." Even it is dead body, that is also meant for others. If you throw it on the street, then it will be eaten by the animals and the vultures. So body is meant for others. Or if you don't throw, if you burn it, then—it is right of the sons to burn it—then it belongs to them. So either living or dead, logically the body belongs to others. And another logic is: Who is interested to maintain a body which belongs to others? This is logic. And other point is that everyone is maintaining this body with so many sinful activities, although the body does not belong to him.

So real sanity is to understand that this body belongs to Krṣṇa. We are misunderstanding that this body belongs to my father, mother, or my master or to the cats and dogs or the vultures, in so many ways. That is material. Materially, we can understand that. But spiritually, this body belongs to Krṣṇa because the body is made of, I mean to say, prepared by the eight elements. We have got the five elements, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuḥ; [Bg. 7.4]. There is earth, water, air, fire, and the mind and the intelligence and the false ego. This is the eight combination of the matter. Then, the matter being agitated, there are ten senses and then sense objects. In this way this body is composition of twenty-four elements. But all these elements, Krṣṇa says, bhinna me prakrtir aṣṭadha: [Bg. 7.4] "That is My energy." This body is made by Krṣṇa's property. Earth, water, air, fire—this is all Krṣṇa's property. You cannot create earth, or you cannot create water. You cannot create sky, nothing of the material elements. It is created by Krṣṇa, and this body is..., this external body is made of these eight elements. Similarly, I am also Krṣṇa's. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtiṁ paraṁ jiva-bhutam. Me paraṁ prakrtiṁ jiva-bhutam. Jiva, the living entities, they are para-prakrti, superior energy, but that is also me: "Mine." So I, as ahaṁ brahmasmi, because Krṣṇa is absolute, in that sense, I, the energy of Krṣṇa, and Krṣṇa, we are one. Ahaṁ brahmasmi means that, or "I belong to Krṣṇa." The Mayavadi thinks that "I have become Krṣṇa." No. The Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that "I am Krṣṇa's property, not that I become Krṣṇa." Just like the part and parcel of my body, this finger. The finger can claim that "I am part and parcel of the body," but the finger cannot claim that "I am the whole body." That is not possible.

So actually our body belongs to Krṣṇa, and I also belong to Krṣṇa. Parakya. In both senses it belongs to other. Other means Krṣṇa. So, logically both the body, mind, intelligence, and myself—everything should be engaged for Krṣṇa's interest. That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. Krṣṇa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ capi maṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. He is also kṣetra-jña. I am kṣetra-jña because I possess this body, and the body is kṣetra, the field of activities. Just like here the cultivators, they have got... Each one of them have got some land, and they are producing food grains or any other products according to his ability and capacity, and he's enjoying this property. Therefore he's called kṣetra-jña or kṣetri. The field is called kṣetra and the owner is called kṣetri, or kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra-jña means that cultivator knows that "This earmarked land is mine." Kṣetra-jña. "It belongs to me." So actually this field does not belong to him; it belongs to the government, because he has to pay, collect, tax to the collector. So actually land does not belong to him; it belongs to the government. Similarly, where is the difficulty to understand that although I am cultivating this body, karma...? Taking this body as my field of activities, we are doing work. Everyone can understand it. But finally this body belongs to Krṣṇa, as this land belongs to the government.

Therefore Krṣṇa claims, kṣetra-jñaṁ capi maṁ viddhi. Just as there are in cities, two taxes: occupier tax and owner's tax... Rented house, actually the house belongs to the landlord, but the tenant also claims, "This is my house." But finally the house belongs to the landlord. So Krṣṇa claims, kṣetra-jñaṁ capi maṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bharata. The same example: As a piece of land, some bighas of land, belongs to a certain person—he can claim, "This is my land"—similarly, other man can claim, "It is my land," other can claim, "My land," but all these lands belongs to the government. Similarly, I claim this is my body, you claim it is your body, he claims it is his body, but ultimately all bodies, becomes (belongs) to Krṣṇa. This is clear understanding. Where is the difficulty to understand that everything belongs to Krṣṇa? Isavasyam idaṁ sarvam: [Iso mantra 1] "Everything belongs to Krṣṇa."

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. And when you come to the right knowledge, after many, many births... Even Maharaja Yudhiṣṭhira... Of course, he is playing the part of ordinary man, pious man. Pious man is also not perfect. Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja should have thought like this, that "Yes, this body does not belong to me, but it belongs to Krṣṇa, and Krṣṇa desired that with this body there must be fighting for His satisfaction." So Arjuna thought like that. Arjuna thought like that. Therefore Arjuna is higher grade devotee than Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja. Yudhiṣṭhira Maharaja has got personal consideration. When Krṣṇa advised him that "You go to Droṇacarya and speak this lie, that his son Asvatthama is dead, otherwise he'll not die. You go and speak," so he hesitated. He said, "How is that? I never spoke lie. How can I go and say him the lie?" So this personal consideration is there, that "If I speak lies, then I will be sinful, and I'll be punished and so on, so on." But a devotee does not think like that. "Maybe it is sinful, but it will satisfy Krṣṇa; I must do it." This is devotee's decision.

Just like Krṣṇa sometimes became sick. So, in Dvaraka... You have seen that play in Bombay. And so many physicians came; nobody could cure Him. Then Krṣṇa suggested His own medicine, that "If some of my devotees will give the dust of his feet on My head, then I'll be cured." So the first devotee, Narada and others, everywhere, it was approached that "Give your dust of feet. Krṣṇa is suffering." "No, no, no. How can I give my dust of feet? Krṣṇa is Supreme Personality of Godhead." But when the gopis were approached, when they heard that Krṣṇa is sick, and He's in urgently necessity of the dust of His devotees' feet, so immediately they began to give: "Take it, take it immediately. Immediately." They did not consider that "Giving the dust of my feet to Krṣṇa, I shall go to hell." "Never mind, I shall go to hell; it doesn't matter, but let Krṣṇa be cured." That is first consideration.

So this is the topmost devotee, prepared to do anything without any consideration. That is pure devotee. Anyabhilaṣita-sunyam anukulyena krṣṇanusilanam [Brs. 1.1.11]. There should be no personal desire. That should be zero. Anyabhilaṣita-sunyaṁ jñana-karmady-ana... Simply one should try to please Krṣṇa. There is no other consideration. Only to satisfy Krṣṇa. That is pure bhakti. That is explained by Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura,

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam
[Bg. 2.41]

This is perfect conclusion, that "I shall execute the desire of Krṣṇa." "But Krṣṇa is not physically present before me. Then how I shall know what Krṣṇa desires?" That is not very difficult. Krṣṇa's representative is there, the spiritual master. If you fulfill the desire of the spiritual master, then you fulfill the desire of Krṣṇa. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadaḥ; **. That is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura. If you please your spiritual master, then you know that "I have pleased Krṣṇa." Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatiḥ; kuto 'pi: ** "If you displease your spiritual master, then you are nowhere. Your position is lost."

Therefore, yesterday we were explaining the ten kinds of offenses. Out of ten kinds of offenses, the serious offense is guror avajña, disobedience of the order of guru. This is the verdict of the sastra. Krṣṇa is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of maya, and He advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekaṁ saraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gita left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Krṣṇa. So He is helping us from within—buddhi-yogaṁ dadami tam—from within. Tene brahma hrda. These statements are there in the sastras. "He expounded the Vedic knowledge," hrda, "from the heart,"—brahma means Vedic knowledge, sabda-brahman—"to Brahma." Because at that time there was nobody to instruct him. So how he got the instruction of Vedas? Because Krṣṇa instructed. Krṣṇa hoite catur-mukha, hoy krṣṇa-sevonmukha. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura has sung. Catur-mukha means Brahma. So being instructed by Krṣṇa, Brahma became inclined to serve Krṣṇa. Therefore he has written Brahma-saṁhita. Govindam adi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajami **. He understands, "Here is adi-puruṣa. I am the only creature now within the universe, so I am getting instruction from Krṣṇa, hrda, from my heart."

So Krṣṇa, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Krṣṇa is so kind. Guru-krṣṇa-krpa. Krṣṇa is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasayatmika buddhiḥ;, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Krṣṇa, I must execute. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration, in the name of Krṣṇa, guru, then it is spoiled. No. We should receive the instruction as it is, especially...

Krṣṇa says... Just like Krṣṇa says to Yudhiṣṭhira, "Go and speak the lie," and He speaks to Arjuna that yudhyasva mam anusmara: [Bg. 8.7] "You fight," so not the instruction the same to everyone. Krṣṇa knows who is capable to do something particular, and similarly, guru also knows. So it is not that the same instruction is given to all. There may be, because variety. It is not impersonalism, one kind of... No. Variety. Krṣṇa is anandamaya. Ananda means variety is the mother of enjoyment. Unless there are varieties, how there can be ananda? Krṣṇa is sac-cid-ananda. So Krṣṇa's business is variety. The Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They simply understand that we are one. No. Varieties. Cintamaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrkṣa-lakṣavrteṣu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. Krṣṇa is enjoying varieties. He is living in the cintamaṇi-dhama. There are surabhi. He's tending, tending the cows, and He's playing with the cowherd boys. He's making jokes with the gopis. He is enjoying the company... Varieties. He's becoming the son, dependent son of mother Yasoda. So Krṣṇa is variety. Without variety, there cannot be enjoyment. So therefore variety of instruction also.

So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Krṣṇa is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Krṣṇa, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Krṣṇa. The mind is meant for Krṣṇa. I am also Krṣṇa's part and parcel, so parakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Krṣṇa. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Krṣṇa and serve Him, then our life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

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