Friends and enemies

Expressions researched:
"enemies and friend" |"enemies and friends" |"enemy and friend" |"enemy and friend" |"friend and enemy" |"friends and enemies"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 6.9, Translation:

A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.

Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind.

BG 6.34, Purport:

The mind is so strong and obstinate that it sometimes overcomes the intelligence, although the mind is supposed to be subservient to the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind.

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 12.18-19, Translation:

One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service—such a person is very dear to Me.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 14.22-25, Translation:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O son of Pāṇḍu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities—such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature.

SB Canto 4

Although apparently we are awake in material life, because we have no information of the soul and the Supersoul, we create many friends and enemies simply out of imagination.

SB 4.9.33, Purport:

Real knowledge is revealed to a devotee only when he comes to the right conclusion about life by the grace of the Lord. Our creation of friends and enemies within this material world is something like dreaming at night. In dreams we create so many things out of various impressions in the subconscious mind, but all such creations are simply temporary and unreal. In the same way, although apparently we are awake in material life, because we have no information of the soul and the Supersoul, we create many friends and enemies simply out of imagination. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that within this material world or material consciousness, good and bad are the same. The distinction between good and bad is simply a mental concoction. The actual fact is that all living entities are sons of God, or by-products of His marginal energy. Because of our being contaminated by the modes of material nature, we distinguish one spiritual spark from another. That is also another kind of dreaming.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.16.10, Translation:

For this living entity, no one is dear, nor is anyone unfavorable. He makes no distinction between that which is his own and that which belongs to anyone else. He is one without a second; in other words, he is not affected by friends and enemies, well-wishers or mischief-mongers. He is only an observer, a witness, of the different qualities of men.

The conditioned soul has friends and enemies. He is affected by the good qualities and the faults of his position.

SB 6.16.11, Purport:

The conditioned soul has friends and enemies. He is affected by the good qualities and the faults of his position. The Supreme Lord, however, is always transcendental. Because He is the īśvara, the supreme controller, He is not affected by duality. It may therefore be said that He sits in the core of everyone's heart as the neutral witness of the causes and effects of one's activities, good and bad. We should also understand that udāsīna, neutral, does not mean that He takes no action. Rather, it means that He is not personally affected. For example, a court judge is neutral when two opposing parties appear before him, but he still takes action as the case warrants. To become completely neutral, indifferent, to material activities, we should simply seek shelter at the lotus feet of the supreme neutral person.

SB 6.17.19, Translation:

In this material world, neither the living entity himself nor others (friends and enemies) are the cause of material happiness and distress. But because of gross ignorance, the living entity thinks that he and others are the cause.

SB Canto 7

Creation of friends and enemies is a result of one's bodily conception of life.

SB 7.1.24, Purport:

Only when a conditioned soul accepts the body as himself does he feel the effects of chastisement or praise. Then he determines one person to be his enemy and another his friend and wants to chastise the enemy and welcome the friend. This creation of friends and enemies is a result of one's bodily conception of life.

Prahlāda Mahārāja never liked the idea of discriminating between one's friends and enemies. Because he was spiritually inclined, he was equal toward everyone.

SB 7.5 Summary:

Hiraṇyakaśipu's spiritual master, Śukrācārya, had two sons named Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, to whom Prahlāda Mahārāja was entrusted for education. Although the teachers tried to educate the boy Prahlāda in politics, economics and other material activities, he did not care for their instructions. Instead, he continued to be a pure devotee. Prahlāda Mahārāja never liked the idea of discriminating between one's friends and enemies. Because he was spiritually inclined, he was equal toward everyone.

The public is concerned with friendly countries and friendly groups or enemy countries and enemy groups, but as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, a learned person does not make distinctions between enemies and friends.

SB 7.5.3, Purport:

Politics involves accepting one group of men as enemies and another group as friends. Everything in politics is based on this philosophy, and the entire world, especially at the present, is engrossed in it. The public is concerned with friendly countries and friendly groups or enemy countries and enemy groups, but as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, a learned person does not make distinctions between enemies and friends. Devotees, especially, do not create friends and enemies. A devotee sees that every living being is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa (mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). Therefore a devotee treats friends and enemies equally by trying to educate them both in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, atheistic men do not follow the instructions of pure devotees, but instead consider a devotee their enemy. A devotee, however, never creates a situation of friendship and enmity. Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was obliged to hear the instructions of Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, he did not like the philosophy of friends and enemies, which forms the basis of politics. He was not interested in this philosophy.

Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "We are all actually eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, but under the influence of the external energy we think that we are separately situated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as friends and enemies of one another."

SB 7.5.12, Purport:

When Prahlāda Mahārāja's teachers and demoniac father asked him how his intelligence had been polluted, Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "As far as I am concerned, my intelligence has not been polluted. Rather, by the grace of my spiritual master and by the grace of my Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have now learned that no one is my enemy and no one is my friend. We are all actually eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, but under the influence of the external energy we think that we are separately situated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as friends and enemies of one another. This mistaken idea has now been corrected, and therefore, unlike ordinary human beings, I no longer think that I am God and that others are my friends and enemies. Now I am rightly thinking that everyone is an eternal servant of God and that our duty is to serve the supreme master, for then we shall stand on the platform of oneness as servants."

A Vaiṣṇava treats other living entities neither as friends nor as enemies, but instead tries to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, teaching everyone that we are all one as servants of the Supreme Lord but are uselessly wasting our valuable lives by creating nations, communities and other groups of friends and enemies.

SB 7.5.12, Purport:

Demons think of everyone as a friend or enemy, but Vaiṣṇavas say that since everyone is a servant of the Lord, everyone is on the same platform. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava treats other living entities neither as friends nor as enemies, but instead tries to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, teaching everyone that we are all one as servants of the Supreme Lord but are uselessly wasting our valuable lives by creating nations, communities and other groups of friends and enemies. Everyone should come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thus feel oneness as a servant of the Lord. Although there are 8,400,000 species of life, a Vaiṣṇava feels this oneness. The Īśopaniṣad advises, ekatvam anupaśyataḥ (ISO 7). A devotee should see the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be situated in everyone's heart and should also see every living entity as an eternal servant of the Lord. This vision is called ekatvam, oneness. Although there is a relationship of master and servant, both master and servant are one because of their spiritual identity. This is also ekatvam. Thus the conception of ekatvam for the Vaiṣṇava is different from that of the Māyāvādī.

SB 7.5.13, Translation:

Persons who always think in terms of "enemy" and "friend" are unable to ascertain the Supersoul within themselves. Not to speak of them, even such exalted persons as Lord Brahmā, who are fully conversant with the Vedic literature, are sometimes bewildered in following the principles of devotional service. The same Supreme Personality of Godhead who has created this situation has certainly given me the intelligence to take the side of your so-called enemy.

As one performs this service for humanity, without discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes satisfied, and the mission of one's life is fulfilled.

SB 7.6.24, Purport:

If one sincerely tries his best to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness by preaching the glories of the Lord and His supremacy, even if he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the dearmost servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is bhakti. As one performs this service for humanity, without discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes satisfied, and the mission of one's life is fulfilled. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore advised everyone to become a guru-devotee and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness (yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128)). That is the easiest way to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By such preaching, the preacher becomes satisfied, and those to whom he preaches are also satisfied. This is the process of bringing peace and tranquillity to the entire world.

SB 7.8.9, Translation:

Prahlāda Mahārāja continued: My dear father, please give up your demoniac mentality. Do not discriminate in your heart between enemies and friends; make your mind equipoised toward everyone. Except for the uncontrolled and misguided mind, there is no enemy within this world. When one sees everyone on the platform of equality, one then comes to the position of worshiping the Lord perfectly.

We create enemies and friends according to the dictation of the mind, but actually there are no enemies and friends.

SB 7.8.9, Purport:

Unless one is able to fix the mind at the lotus feet of the Lord, the mind is impossible to control. As Arjuna says in Bhagavad-gītā (6.34):

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa

pramāthi balavad dṛḍham

tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye

vāyor iva suduṣkaram

"For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, it seems to me, is more difficult than controlling the wind." The only bona fide process for controlling the mind is to fix the mind by service to the Lord. We create enemies and friends according to the dictation of the mind, but actually there are no enemies and friends. paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). To understand this is the preliminary condition for entering into the kingdom of devotional service.

SB 7.9.27, Translation:

Unlike an ordinary living entity, my Lord, You do not discriminate between friends and enemies, the favorable and the unfavorable, because for You there is no conception of higher and lower. Nonetheless, You offer Your benedictions according to the level of one's service, exactly as a desire tree delivers fruits according to one's desires and makes no distinction between the lower and the higher.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.8.13, Translation:

Kapila Muni enunciated in this material world the Sāṅkhya philosophy, which is a strong boat with which to cross over the ocean of nescience. Indeed, a person eager to cross the ocean of the material world may take shelter of this philosophy. In such a greatly learned person, situated on the elevated platform of transcendence, how can there be any distinction between enemy and friend?

One who is promoted to the transcendental position is equal toward everyone, not distinguishing between friend and enemy.

SB 9.8.13, Purport:

One who is promoted to the transcendental position (brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20)) is always jubilant (prasannātmā). He is unaffected by the false distinctions between good and bad in the material world. Therefore, such an exalted person is samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu; that is to say, he is equal toward everyone, not distinguishing between friend and enemy. Because he is on the absolute platform, free from material contamination, he is called parātma-bhūta or brahma-bhūta. Kapila Muni, therefore, was not at all angry at the sons of Sagara Mahārāja; rather, they were burnt to ashes by the heat of their own bodies.

CC Madhya-lila

On the mahā-bhāgavata platform, the devotee makes no distinction between friends and enemies. On that platform he sees everyone as a servant of Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 17.31, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing the part of a very great, advanced devotee. On the mahā-bhāgavata platform, the devotee makes no distinction between friends and enemies. On that platform he sees everyone as a servant of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.18):

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater (outcaste)."

CC Madhya 23.111-112, Translation:

"'One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from attachment to material things and always grave and satisfied in all circumstances, who doesn"t care for any residence, and who is always fixed in devotional service—such a person is very dear to Me.'"

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, "One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14:

The perfectional stage of spiritual life which one can experience even while being in the material world is described in the Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā as follows: "One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me—he is very dear to Me. He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress, is very dear to Me. A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result, is very dear to Me. One who grasps neither pleasure or grief who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things, is very dear to Me. One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service, is very dear to Me. He who follows this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engages himself with faith, making Me the supreme goal, is very, very dear to Me." (Bg. 12.13-20)

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

The florist Sudāmā said to the Lord, "You are the Supersoul, and You do not discriminate between friend and enemy."

Krsna Book 41:

The florist very humbly and submissively offered his prayers to the Lord, saying, "My dear Lord, because You have come to my place, I think all my forefathers and all my worshipable superiors are pleased and delivered. My dear Lord, You are the supreme cause of all causes of this cosmic manifestation, but for the benefit of the residents of this earthly planet, You have appeared with Your plenary portion to give protection to Your devotees and annihilate the demons. You are equally disposed as the friend of all living entities; You are the Supersoul, and You do not discriminate between friend and enemy. Yet You are pleased to give Your devotees the special result of their devotional activities. My Lord, I am praying that You please tell me whatever You wish me to do, because I am Your eternal servant. If You would order me to do something, it would be a great favor to me."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so all enemies and friends, and learned and fools, rich and poor, man, woman, black, white, yellow, oh, everyone can take part.

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so all enemies and friends, and learned and fools, rich and poor, man, woman, black, white, yellow, oh, everyone can take part. There is no distinction. There is no distinction, and you derive the same profit. That is recommended. So here also, Kṛṣṇa says, ekaṁ sāṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati. So therefore we have to accept the favorable circumstances. In this age, in this difficult age, if we find the same result by being Kṛṣṇa conscious and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, then I, we should take advantage of it. Why should we stick to certain other principles? That is also good. That's all right, but this is favorable in the present circumstances. That is the point.

In this world, in this material world, with this dress, with this dress of material body, we are playing on the stage of material world that enemy and friend and father, mother, son.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

We are just playing on the platform under the dress of father, mother, wife children friend, enemy. Just like in a drama we set up some character to play, so... But out of the stage we are all friends. Nobody... In the stage I say, "Oh, you are enemy. I shall kill you." And so many things I do. But when out of the stage, we are all friends. Similarly, in this world, in this material world, with this dress, with this dress of material body, we are playing on the stage of material world that enemy and friend and father, mother, son. I cannot beget any son. It is not possible. I simply beget this body. You see. The living entity, that is not my power. Simply by my sex intercourse with my wife, I cannot produce unless that living entity is placed in that emulsification of two secretion. These are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So this is only stage play.

This is the sign of advancement. Because here in this material world, the calculation of friend and enemy, everything, is in relationship with this body, or sense gratification. But realization of God or the Absolute Truth, there is no such material consideration.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

Devotee: "A person is said to be further advanced when he regards all—the honest well-wisher, friends and enemies, the envious, the pious, the sinner and those who are indifferent and impartial—with an equal mind (BG 6.9)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the sign of advancement. Because here in this material world, the calculation of friend and enemy, everything, is in relationship with this body, or sense gratification. But realization of God or the Absolute Truth, there is no such material consideration. Another point is that here, all conditioned souls, they are under illusion. Suppose a doctor, a doctor goes to a patient. He is under convulsion, he's talking nonsense. That does not mean he will refuse to treat him. He's treats him as friend. Although the patient calls him by ill names, bad names, still he gives him medicine. Just like Lord Jesus Christ said that "You hate the sin, not the sinner." Not the sinner. This is very nice. Because sinner is illusioned. He's mad. If you hate him, then how you can deliver him? Therefore those who are devotees, those who are really servant of God, they have no hate for anyone.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We expect some benediction or some profit from the friend and enemy means we expect some harmful activities by the enemy. But Kṛṣṇa is so perfect that nobody can do any harm to Kṛṣṇa, neither anybody can give anything to Kṛṣṇa. So where is the necessity of friend and enemy?

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

These are explained in the Bhāgavatam, Uddhava explained to Vidura that Kṛṣṇa is so kind, God is so kind, even the person who wanted to kill Him with poison, she was accepted as mother. Such a kind God, Kṛṣṇa, that "Whom shall I worship others, except Kṛṣṇa?" This example is given. So actually Kṛṣṇa has no enemy. Here it is said: na yasya kaścid dayitaḥ. Dayitaḥ means favor. Nobody is favored. Na yasya kaścid dayito 'sti karhicid dveṣyaś ca. And nobody is His enemy. But who can be His enemy, who can be His friend?

Suppose we create friends. We expect some benediction or some profit from the friend and enemy means we expect some harmful activities by the enemy. But Kṛṣṇa is so perfect that nobody can do any harm to Kṛṣṇa, neither anybody can give anything to Kṛṣṇa. So where is the necessity of friend and enemy? There is no necessity. Therefore it is stated here: na yasya kaścid dayito 'sti. He doesn't require anyone's favor. He's complete.

General Lectures

Although we do not want unhappiness, still, by our dealings we create enemies and friends, and there is fight, there is war. This will continue. This is called saṁsāra-dāvānala.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So you may try your best to live very peacefully, but nature will not allow you. There must be war. It is not possible. In the history, especially in European history, there were so many wars—Carthagian War, Greece War, Roman War, Seven Years' War between France and England, and Hundred Years' War..., so..., so far we have read in the history. And the war feeling is going on, not only between nation and nation, between man to man, neighbor to neighbor—even between husband and wife, father and son, this war is going on. This is called dāvānala, forest fire. Forest fire means in the forest nobody goes to set fire, but automatically, by the clash, friction of the dried bamboo, there is electricity and it catches fire. Similarly, although we do not want unhappiness, still, by our dealings we create enemies and friends, and there is fight, there is war. This will continue. This is called saṁsāra-dāvānala. Try to understand.

Purports to Songs

"My dear mind..." Because mind is our friend and enemy. If you train the mind, then mind is your best friend. And if you cannot train your mind, then will be your bitterest enemy.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

So this song was sung by Govinda dasa. Govinda-dāsa-abhilāsa re. What is his desire? Abhilāsa means desire. Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana: "My dear mind..." Because mind is our friend and enemy. If you train the mind, then mind is your best friend. And if you cannot train your mind, then will be your bitterest enemy. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). Therefore mind has always to be engaged on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then mind automatically will be controlled and will become friend. So Govinda dasa is expressing his desire: "My dear mind, you just be engaged in devotional service of Nanda-nandana."

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Rationalism is required, not nationalism. No. This nationalism... The Americans and the Russians, they are enemies and friend only on this principle.

Morning Walk -- November 10, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What is this nationalism? We said, there is no such thing as nationalism in the Vedic literature, no such thing.

Yaśomatīnandana: Nationalism?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nowadays nationalism is very prominent, and we don't find this nationalism.

Dr. Patel: Now they are going to rationalism.

Prabhupāda: Rationalism is required, not nationalism. No. This nationalism... The Americans and the Russians, they are enemies and friend only on this principle. Prahlāda Mahārāja was astonished, "What is this enemy and friend?" because he is maha-bhāgavata. This is materialism. This is materialism. (aside:) Jaya. Why one should be treated as enemy and as friend? Everyone is servant of God.

1973 Correspondence

"One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service . . ." such person is described by Krishna as "very dear to Me."

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

What is that friendship? At the end of 12th Chapter of Gita Krishna describes that the person "who is very dear to Him, or His best friend, is one who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me . . . He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress . . . A devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and who does not strive for some result . . . One who neither grasps pleasure or grief, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things . . . One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contamination, always silent and satisfied with anything who doesn't care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and engaged in devotional service . . ." such person is described by Krishna as "very dear to Me."