London, July 31, 1973

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."

Prabhupäda:

aho bata mahat-päpaà

kartuà vyavasitä vayam

yad räjya-sukha-lobhena

hantuà svajanam udyatäù

[Bg. 1.44]

So sometimes Arjuna is accused, Bhagavad-gétä is also accused, that "There is violence. There is violence. Bhagavad-gétä is full of violence." Yes, it is full of violence. The warfield. But here the Vaiñëava thinking, Arjuna is thinking that it was arranged for his räjya-sukha. Yad räjya-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 Kåñëa 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-gétä is ordinary warfare, violence. But it is not that. It is arranged by Kåñëa because, to fulfill His mission. His mission is pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtam [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. Pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtam [Bg. 4.8].So svajanam.

aho bata mahat-päpaà

kartuà vyavasitä vayam

yad räjya-sukha-lobhena

hantuà svajanam udyatäù

[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 Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa claims, ahaà béja-pradaù pitä, 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. Ahaà sarvasya prabhavo mattaù sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Everything has come from Him. He is the supreme father. So if Kåñëa is the supreme father, He is father of everyone. Sarva-yoniñu 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 Kåñëa is the original father. This is Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore a devotee of Kåñëa does not want to commit a little harm to any living entity. That is Kåñëa consciousness.

vidyä-vinaya-sampanne

brähmaëe gavi hastini

çuni caiva çva-päke ca

paëòitäù sama-darçinaù

[Bg. 5.18]

Paëòita, one who is learned, he is sama-darçinaù, equal vision. Not that... Just Kåñëa has equal vision... That picture, Kåñëa, He's embracing the calf. He is not only embracing the gopés, but He is embracing the calf also, cows also. Sama-darçinaù. For Kåñëa the gopés, the calf and the cows or anyone in Våndävana who has come to serve Him, they are all equal to Him. Somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as calf, somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as cow, somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as gopé, somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as cowherd boy, somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as His father, somebody wants to serve Kåñëa as His mother. These are the different mellows, different tastes. Every living entity has got his own taste, how to love Kåñëa. But the central point is to love Kåñëa. Kåñëa also reciprocates. He has no discrimination that "Here is gopé, beautiful girl. Therefore I shall love her more than the calf." No. Kåñëa is not so partial. Similarly, Kåñëa's devotees also, because he has... Kåñëa consciousness means he has got now in minute quantity Kåñëa'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.

keçägra-çata-bhägasya

çatadhä kalpitasya ca

jévo bhägaù sa vijïeyaù

sa cänantyäya kalpate

[Cc. Madhya 19.140]

That is the dimension. In çästra 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 paëòita, one who knows what are these souls, spiritual sparks, part and parcel of Kåñëa, if he has got full knowledge, then his vision is

vidyä-vinaya-sampanne

brähmane gavi-hastini

çuni caiva çva-päke ca

paëòitäh sama-darçinaù

[Bg. 5.18]

Sama-darçinaù means equal vision. A learned brähmaëa, 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 brähmaëa. But one who is paëòita, one who is Kåñëa conscious, he sees that the paëòita and the dog, they are the same, because they are also the same spiritual spark. By his karma, he has become a learned paëòita, and by his karma, he has become a dog. But within the different body, dehino 'smin yathä dehe kaumäraà [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 brähmaëa and the dog. That is external behavior. But internally, we should know that both the brähmaëa and the dog, they're a spiritual spark. This is called brahma-jïäna. Brahma-jïäna means the knowledge of spiritual self. That is called brahma-jïäna. So when one attains this brahma-jïäna, then brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä na çocati na käìkñati, samaù sarveñu bhüteñu [Bg. 18.54]. Samatä, equal. That is brahma-jïäna.

So in this verse Kåñëa says, er, Arjuna says that yad räjya-sukha-lobhena hantuà svajanam udyatäù [Bg. 1.44]. So when are killing animals for the satisfaction of our tongue, this is mahat päpam. Kåñëa, Arjuna says, aho bata mahat päpam. Mahat päpam, 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 mahä-päpam, 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-jïäna, 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 ätyantikaà yat tad aténdriya-grähyam [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. Ätyantikam. 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-gétä it is said, sukham ätyantikaà 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. Sarvopädhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When our senses are purified, tat-paratvena, for the sake of Kåñëa, when our senses are employed for the sake of Kåñëa, that is purified senses. Håñékeëa håñékeça-sevanaà 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. Ätyantikam, aténdriya, purified senses. Just try to understand. This is Kåñëa consciousness. Arjuna is now thinking, yad räjya-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 Kurukñetra 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 Kåñëa's satisfaction. So therefore the conclusion should be that whatever we do, if we do it for our own sense satisfaction, that is mahä-päpam, sinful activities. But if we do the same thing for Kåñëa's satisfaction, that is spiritual advancement. This is the difference. So outsiders, they think that... A karmé is working for his own satisfaction and a devotee is working for Kåñëa'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 mahä-päpa, great sin. The same thing, when you do for Kåñëa, 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 Kåñëa? This is Kåñëa 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 Çrémad-Bhägavatam,

ataù pumbhir dvija-çreñöha

varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù

svanuñöhitasya dharmasya

saàsiddhià hari-toñaëam

[SB 1.2.13]

Hari-toñaëam means to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Hari. That is perfection. It doesn't matter what you are doing. Varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù. First of all, "whatever doing," it does not mean whatever nonsense you are doing, that will be accepted. No. Varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù. According to Vedic civilization, there is division of varëa: brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra. So activities must be done according to the varëäçrama prescription. A brähmaëa is ordered to do like this. Satyaù çamo damas titikña ärjavam. You should practice this. A kñatriya should practice this. And a vaiçya should practice this. So therefore it is called varëäçrama—the prescribed duties are already there. Therefore perfect human society means... First of all there must be this division, brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya. And when they act the duties of that particular position, brähmaëa, kñatriya, for the satisfaction of Kåñëa, that is perfection of life. It doesn't matter whether you are a çüdra or you are a brähmaëa, but if you act for the satisfaction of Kåñëa 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 brähmaëa. Brähmaëa means the intelligent man. So we should pick up the intelligent men. They should be trained as brähmaëa. Those who are martial, having fighting spirit, they should be selected as kñatriya. Those who are for increasing money, mercantile mentality, they should be also collected. Similarly, çüdras. And they should be trained, everyone, to satisfy Kåñëa. Varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù. Svanuñöhitasya dharmasya saàsiddhià hari-toñaëam [SB 1.2.13].

So here Arjuna is a fighter, he is engaged in fighting. Now he is thinking that is proper. He is Vaiñëava. 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, Kåñëa is not engaging His devotee to act sinfully. No. That is not Kåñëa's business. Although superficially it appears that Kåñëa is engaging Arjuna to fight in the sinful activities, no, that is not sinful. Whatever Kåñëa does, it is not sinful; it is transcendental, the most pure activity. The rascals who do not understand Kåñëa, they say that Kåñëa is immoral. They do not know what is Kåñëa and what is Kåñëa's action. They do not know. They think, "Now, Kåñëa is engaging Arjuna to fight. Oh, it is immoral. Why Kåñëa should engage Arjuna in the fighting business?" So therefore... Or "Why Kåñëa is engaged in dancing with the gopés? 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... Kåñëa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Kåñëa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Kåñëa. Kåñëa can do anything. Tejéyasaà na doñäya. Tejéyasaà na doñäya [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 Kåñëa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified. And Kåñëa does not become immoral. This science has to be known by the rascals before calling Kåñëa immoral. Therefore Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä,

manuñyäëäà sahasreñu

kaçcid yatati siddhaye

yatatäm api siddhänäà

kaçcid vetti mäà tattvataù

[Bg. 7.3]

These rascals, they do not know what is Kåñëa. They think Kåñëa 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 Bhägavata, they immediately jump over the rasa dance. That is not to be done. Caitanya Mahäprabhu never indulged in such thing. For mass of people He engaged Himself in saìkértana. And when Kåñëa's dealing with the gopés were discussed, He was discussing amongst three selected devotees: Rämänanda Räya, Svarüpa Dämodara and Çikhi Mähati. He had thousands and thousands of devotees, but He never discussed Kåñëa's rasa-lélä in the mass of people, never did it. Therefore it is restricted. Because they will misunderstand. These rascals, they do not know what is Kåñëa, and they will misunderstand. They will be polluted. Of course, not polluted. Because after all, they will hear about Kåñëa. But they may misunderstand. That is against their making progress to the spiritual life.

So Kåñëa is not immoral. Kåñëa is not engaging Arjuna to commit such sinful activities, svajanaà hatvä. No. Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa's sense gratification..." Then he agreed, because he is a devotee. Kariñye vacanaà tava: [Bg. 18.73] "Yes I shall now act." This is the proposition. So ätmendriya-tåpti-väïchä dhare tära näma käma. Käma 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 Kåñëa's senses, that is love. Practically the same business, but personal and Kåñëa. So Kåñëa consciousness movement means we have to act everything for Kåñëa under proper direction. We cannot manufacture that "I am doing for Kåñëa." Then that is another misleading. Therefore we require the guidance of the spiritual master. Kåñëa. Guru-kåñëa-kåpäya [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. In the Caitanya-caritämåta, that you have to seek the mercy both of Kåñëa and guru, not that you have become so advanced that you are directly in connection with Kåñëa 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-kåñëa-kåpäya päya bhakti-latä-béja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Bhakti line is there. So our business is, Kåñëa consciousness movement is that we have to satisfy Kåñëa. That reference by that Professor Zaehner, that one rogue, he did by his whims, and he alleged that "After reading Bhagavad-gétä violence, he committed this violence." So did he take permission from Kåñëa or Kåñëa's representative? But he does not know the technique. He has unnecessarily accused, committed a great offense to the lotus feet of Kåñëa. So therefore inexperienced persons, they should not try to teach Bhagavad-gétä to others because he has no knowledge. This knowledge has to be received by paramparä system. Evam paramparä-präptam imaà räjarñayo viduù [Bg. 4.2]. So simply by academic career, by knowledge of ABCD, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gétä. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me [Bg. 4.3], without becoming bhakta... Therefore Sanätana Gosvämé has forbidden that "Don't hear anything about Kåñëa from a person who is not a Vaiñëava." Avaiñëava-mukhodgérëa-püta-hari-kathämåtaà çravanaà 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 Vaiñëava. Why shall we hear from him Bhagavad-gétä?" The first condition is bhakto 'si. And the prohibition is also by äcäryas. Avaiñëava-mukhodgérëa-püta-hari-kathämåtaà çravanaà na kartavyam. Püta-hari-kathämåtam. Hari-kathä, talks of Kåñëa, they are by themselves pure. But still, it is prohibited that if it is spoken by an avaiñëava, nondevotee, one should not hear, should not hear. Must immediately reject. First of all, we have to see who is going to speak about Kåñëa. Is it a devotee of Kåñëa? Is he a Vaiñëava 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-gétä we hear. That is not the process. Then you will misunderstand. Avaiñëava-mukhod..., sarpocchiñöaà payo yathä. 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-gétä or any talk about Kåñëa from a person who is not a Vaiñëava, who is not a devotee of Kåñëa. We'll misunderstand. Just like they will say, they will say, "Oh, Kåñëa is engaging Arjuna for fighting, for committing so many sinful activities." No, that is not the fact. Kåñëa is engaging Arjuna fighting, to fighting, just to serve His purpose. Pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtam [Bg. 4.8]. And Arjuna is executing the mission of Kåñëa not for his personal benefit. These are the things.

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

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