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Ksatriya (Lectures, BG chapters 1 - 2)

Expressions researched:
"administrative class" |"administrator class" |"ksatriya" |"ksatriya's" |"ksatriyas"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

When yoga system was advised to Arjuna, Arjuna declined, that "This system is not possible for me." Then the Lord said, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). Mad-gatenāntarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. So one who thinks of the Supreme Lord always, he's the greatest yogī, he is the supermost jñānī, and he is also the greatest devotee at the same time. The Lord advises that tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca (BG 8.7). "As a kṣatriya you cannot give up your fighting business. You have to fight. So at the same time if you practice remembering Me always, then it will be possible," anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran (BG 8.5), "then it will be possible to remember Me also at the time of death." Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ. Again He says that there is no doubt. If one is completely surrendered into the service of the Lord, into the transcendental loving service of the Lord, mayy arpita-mano-buddhir (BG 8.7).

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

This material world, to maintain this body, one has to work. The work is divided into four divisions of social order: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The intelligent class of the society, they are working in a different way, and the administrator class of society, they are also working in a different way.

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

So this point is described that just like this yogi Maharishi, he has also written one Bhagavad-gītā. And what right he has got? He has no right to say anything about Bhagavad-gītā because he is not a devotee. Bhagavad-gītā is taught to Arjuna. He was neither a yogi nor a scholar nor a Vedantist nor a brāhmaṇa even. He was kṣatriya. Nor a sannyāsī even. He was gṛhastha. He had three wives and so many children. And he was fighting for kingdom. What is the qualification that Bhagavad-gītā was taught to him? Because he was devotee. People have to see how Bhagavad-gītā is to be accepted. Specially Kṛṣṇa mentions in the Fourth Chapter that "I am speaking to you. The disciplic succession is now broken. Therefore I am speaking to you the old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, again, unto you." "Why unto me, Kṛṣṇa?" "Because you are My devotee." That was the answer. So only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is not possible. Just give this challenge to everyne: "So what do you understand about Bhagavad-gītā? You don't..., you are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. How you can understand Bhagavad-gītā? So you are speaking of Bhagavad-gītā and cheating people."

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

So Dhṛtarāṣṭra inquired from Sañjaya, kim akurvata: "After my sons and my brother's sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?" This was the inquiry. So to encourage him... Because Sañjaya could understand the feelings of his master that he wanted the fight, no compromise, kṣatriya spirit, "Let my sons and my brother's sons fight..." That is kṣatriya spirit. "My sons are one hundred in number and they are only five, so certainly my sons will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured." That was his plan. So Sañjaya, his secretary, could understand the feeling. Of course, at last he would inform differently. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. At last he described, "My dear sir, you do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because the other side is Kṛṣṇa, yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ, and the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond your expectation of victory." But in the beginning he says, "Don't be discouraged. There was no compromise. Immediately your son Duryodhana..." And he is addressing himself (his son) as "rāja." because Dhṛtarāṣṭra would be encouraged when at least he thinks of his son becoming the king. Therefore he said "rāja."

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

So, so far Pāṇḍavas are concerned, their son. Saubhadra... Saubhadra means Abhimanyu, Subhadrā's son. Because he was Subhadrā's son, his name was Saubhadra. Draupadī's sons, they are called Draupadeya. In Sanskrit, just like bhaginī, sister, bhaginī, her son is called bhāgineya, nephews. So there is link. As soon as we speak Saubhadra, that means Subhadrā's son. Subhadrā's son, he was only sixteen years old at that time. He was married with Uttarā, the daughter of Mahārāja Virāṭa. So they were all mahā-rathas, ordinary, not ordinary fighters. This Abhimanyu was killed by conspiracy by seven commander-in-chief. Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Droṇācārya, Aśvatthāmā, they all surrounded him, and they did not allow him to come out. They were very experienced commanders. So this is kṣatriya spirit. He was simply a boy, sixteen years old and he had to be killed by the combined efforts of very, very, big commander-in-chiefs. He was so great fighter, Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu-vāda (?). So Saubhadra, Draupadī... Similarly, Draupadī's sons also there. Sarva eva mahā-rathāḥ (BG 1.6). Mahā-ratha means one who could fight with one thousand chariots on the other side. They were called mahā-rathāḥ.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should be trained up both ways, they should be prepared. But generally, there is no question of becoming violent, unnecessarily. As the modern politicians, unnecessarily they declare war, a Vaiṣṇava does not do so. No, unnecessarily, there is no need of war. When it was completely impossible to settle up the things between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, then Kṛṣṇa said, "All right, then there must be fight." When Duryodhana declined to spare even a portion of land holding the sūcyagra, the point of a needle... he refused that "I cannot spare even so much land which can hold the point of a needle." Then the war was declared. There is no question of settlement. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa requested that "These five Pāṇḍavas, they are kṣatriyas. They cannot become merchant or brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa's profession is paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. Brāhmaṇa can take charity from others. A sannyāsī can take charity from others. Not a kṣatriya or a gṛhastha. No. That is not allowed. "So they are kṣatriyas; they cannot take the professions of a brāhmaṇa, neither they can take the profession of a mercantile man, business man. They must have some land so that rule over, take taxation. And that is their living means.

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

So when Kṛṣṇa appeared, there were many kings. Although they were under the ruling of the Pāṇḍavas, still, Hastināpura, still they were fighting. That is natural. If one has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his strength and opulence would be misused. And if one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he would use his strength and opulence very properly. So these kings were meant for giving protection to the citizens, to train them to the Vedic conception of life. But they were not doing that. Therefore they were demons.

Although they were kṣatriyas, still... Kṣatriyas are meant for representing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). So He is the proprietor. Sarva-loka. Sarva-loka means all the planets, all the universes. Because they are created by Kṛṣṇa, by Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence, brahma-jyotir. So they are created by Kṛṣṇa's. Just like from the sunshine these planets are created, similarly from brahma-jyotir, innumerable universes are created.

Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973:

And not that in modern days the fighting takes place—the poor soldiers, they come to fight, and the leaders, they remain in safety place. It is not like that. All of them came out, kṣatriya. Bhīṣmadeva came, Duryodhana came, Arjuna came. And face to face, they had to fight. Not that the poor soldiers would fight and they would remain in a secure place, no. So tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ. Kuru-vṛddha, the oldest man in the dynasty, Kuru dynasty, pitāmaha, he's the grandfather of Arjuna and Duryodhana. The Dhṛtarāṣṭra's elder uncle, his father's elder brother. He was very old man, brahmacārī, and in that old age also, he was taking the risk of fighting. This is kṣatriya spirit. Not that only... Dhṛtarāṣṭra was escaping. Not escaping, because he was physically incapable, blind, therefore he did not come in the battlefield. Otherwise even Bhīṣmadeva, in such old age he also came. This is kṣatriya spirit. When there is fight, there is no rest. And fight means "Either the other party should be killed or I shall be killed." Not that without any decision the fighting will be stopped. No, that cannot be. When there is two parties, must be belligerent, one party. So decision is that "Either you kill me or I kill you." Not that without killing... "Without being killed one of us, the fighting cannot be stopped."

Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973:

So amongst the kṣatriyas when there is fighting, unless one party is killed, the fighting cannot be stopped. This is the Battle of Kurukṣetra, to see the history of the former kings and kṣatriyas, how they were determined. This is one of the qualifications of kṣatriya: not to go away from the fighting. When there is challenge of fighting, immediately a kṣatriya would accept. That is kṣatriya spirit. Īśvara-bhāvaṁ ca, and ruling over others. And charitable. These are the symptoms of kṣatriya.

They are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, brāhmaṇa qualification, kṣatriya qualification, vaiśya qualification, śūdra qualification. So... Very nice arrangement, Vedic civilization. Everyone is guided by the superior. The brāhmaṇa guides the kṣatriyas, the kṣatriya guides the vaiśyas, and the vaiśya employs the śūdras. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). In this way, four divisions of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they manage the whole society so nicely. The kṣatriyas, as the kṣatriya's business was to give protection to the citizens, similarly, vaiśya's duty was to give protection to the animals. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44).

Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973:

Vaiśya, they should engage themselves in agricultural production and giving protection to the cows, especially mentioned, go-rakṣya. Go-rakṣya, cow protection, is one of the items of state affairs. And now there is no cow protection. Poor cows, they deliver milk, and later on they become slaughtered. How much sinful the modern society is, and they still want peace and prosperity. That is not possible. The society must be divided—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and they must execute their proper duty. And the vaiśyas, they should give protection to the cows. And the śūdras, they should work under the direction of the higher three divisions. In this way there will be nice management.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

This kidnapping was allowed among the kṣatriyas, and fight. That is kṣatriya marriage. Unless there is fight, that marriage is not complete. The red vermillion which we apply, that is kṣatriya principle. After killing the opposite party, the blood will be smeared over the hair of the bride. That is conquer, victory. So in every marriage, Kṛṣṇa had 16,108 wives, and each wife was married by fighting, beginning from Rukmiṇī. Rukmiṇī also, the first wife of Kṛṣṇa, the first queen, when Kṛṣṇa became king of Dvārakā, she was the first queen. So Subhadra was kidnapped by Arjuna. Rukmiṇī was settled up to be married with Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla also happened to be Kṛṣṇa's cousin-brother, and Rukmiṇī did not like that she would be handed over to Śiśupāla. She wanted to marry Kṛṣṇa. So she sent one letter to Kṛṣṇa that this is the position. "My brother Rukma, he has decided to hand over to me to Śiśupāla, but I don't like. So please arrange for kidnapping." A brāhmaṇa was sent to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

That is also another responsibility of kṣatriya. If a girl proposes, "I want to marry you," a kṣatriya cannot refuse, he cannot refuse. He must marry that girl, even at the risk of life. This is kṣatriya spirit. One rākṣasī, she wanted to marry Bhīma. So Bhīma refused, she was a rākṣasī. So she complained to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that I wanted to marry Bhīma but he has refused. And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja compelled Bhīma, "You must marry. Even though she is rākṣasī, you are kṣatriya you cannot refuse." This was the system, very nice system, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Don't work now, you should hear. You cannot divert your attention.

So all these kings on the side of the Pāṇḍavas, they were relatives, so they joined. So when they blew their different types of conchshell, then the other side were trembled, "Oh, they have gathered so much strength." Because Duryodhana thought that for, continually for thirteen years Pāṇḍavas were banished, so they could not gather any good amount of soldiers. But when they saw that so many kings from different parts of the world have joined them, so they became frightened.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

So therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdrā sambhavāḥ. Kalau, "In this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is śūdra." Because he cannot even live without having a master. He must have a master to provide him. But the Vedic culture is that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they will not accept any service. No. They will die of starvation. Especially brāhmaṇa. That is enjoined in the śāstras, that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in bad position some way or other, economically, he may accept the position of a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, but he should not accept the position of a śūdra. That is doggish. This is so injunction.

Therefore formerly a brāhmaṇa, when he accepts a service from anywhere, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. You know, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they belonged to a very high-class brāhmaṇa, Sarasvata Brāhmaṇa, very rich men. But both the brothers accepted service in Mohammedan government as ministers, and they were immediately rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. It is not very long ago, say, about five hundred years ago. The brāhmaṇa society was so strong. As soon as they will accept service. You know, the Tagore family of Calcutta, Rabindranatha Tagore, they are also brāhmaṇas. But we know, in our childhood, they were also excommunicated from the brāhmaṇa family because they also accepted service.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

So these are Vedic principles. If we follow... The brāhmaṇa will not accept anyone's service. That is against. Similarly, kṣatriya. Kṣatriya... Why this fight between Arjuna? They made them bereft of the kingdom. So they appealed to Duryodhana, that "My dear Duryodhana, you are my brother, you have taken all our properties. So we are kṣatriya. We are not going to become vaiśya or brāhmaṇa. We must live. Give us at least five villages, five brothers. We shall be satisfied. There is no question of war." "No, sir, not even the land which can hold the point of needle. I cannot spare." There is no way. Therefore there was fight. There was fight.

So these are the some of the glorious points of this fight. But he depended on Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna. Therefore he was successful, victorious. You do, act as kṣatriya. Not that as kṣatriya he should become a brāhmaṇa beggar, no. A kṣatriya cannot be beggar, neither a brāhmaṇa cannot be vaiśya. This is real caste system. But you work as a cobbler, and at the same time you claim to become a brāhmaṇa, this is not allowed. Formerly the king used to see whether a brāhmaṇa is acting like a brāhmaṇa. Otherwise he will be stopped. Then he will be designated as he is working. This was the duty of the king to see that everyone is employed according to his profession. It was the duty of the king to see. Everyone must be employed. A brāhmaṇa must be working like a brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya must be working like a kṣatriya. A vaiśya must be working as a... Otherwise he cannot say.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

That "When human society accepts this varṇāśrama institution, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vana... This is Vedic civilization. Without this division, there is no civilization. They are animals." So therefore he quoted this verse, varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān: "If anyone is following the principles of varṇāśrama, then he is worshiping Lord Viṣṇu." Because the whole life is meant for worshiping Viṣṇu. The present civilization, they do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know, rascals, that what is the aim of life. Aim of life is to become Vaiṣṇava, servant of Viṣṇu. Therefore the very word is used, hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa, He is the guide. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

Forty-eight? The next point is that Arjuna wanted to see with whom he had to fight. He had no desire to fight. That will be explained. He was fighting unwillingly. Unwillingly. Because he is a Vaiṣṇava, unnecessarily he does not want to kill, although he is kṣatriya. It is his duty. Whenever there is discrepancy, killing, as representative of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa has got two business. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He has got two businesses. One business is to give protection to the devotees, sādhu, sādhu. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhu does not mean simply by changing dress, saffron color, and smoking beedies. That is not sādhu. Sādhu means devotee.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

So dṛṣṭvā imaṁ svajanam. Arjuna is a great warrior, fighter, and for a kṣatriya to kill one is not very difficult task. The kṣatriyas are trained up. Hunting. Hunting is allowed for the kṣatriyas. Just like medical practitioners, they are trained up how to practice surgical operation on dead body. It is not possible to, of course, for a gentleman, to push knife in someone's body. It is naturally very difficult thing. Rogues and thieves, they can stab. So as the doctors, medical men, surgeons are trained up to operate their knife on the dead body to see where are the nerves, similarly, kṣatriyas are also allowed for being trained how to kill. Kṣatriya means... Kṣat. Kṣat means injury. And tra means trāyate, saves. A kṣatriya has to save the citizens from being injured by others. He is called kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇa means one who knows brahma, the supreme. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. These divisions are there according to quality. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). By guṇa. Guṇa means quality. And karma means actual operation of the guṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

So Arjuna was a kṣatriya, trained up by Droṇācārya how to kill. This is the... Nonviolence is not the business of the kṣatriya. That is cowardice. They are taught how to become violent. Otherwise, they cannot rule over. Formerly the judgement was given by the king, immediately finished. Not go to the court and wait for the judgement for ten years. In the meantime everything is finished. Not like that. Anything, there was regularly, the king used to sit in his assembly, and all the criminals, culprits, they were judged by the king himself. Sometimes the king had to kill personally with the sword. Even in European countries, the royal orders were trained up. Nowadays it is constitutional, democratic government. The king has no power. But this is not good for the people. The democracy is a farce. At least, I do not like it. Because so many rascals, simply by getting votes, go to the government, and what do they know how to rule over? Therefore, at the present moment, all over the world there is no good government. There is no good government. The America was considered to have very good government. Now we can see the behavior of Mr. Nixon. It is not possible. Formerly the kṣatriyas, they were trained up how to govern.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

All the royal princes were trained up how to kill. Not only killing, also, according to śāstra, how to rule over. The king's business is to see that everyone in the country, they are properly employed and engaged in his own business. That is king's business. There was no question of unemployment. This is government's first business. Because if a person is unemployed, then the devil's workshop. Devil's, work... If he hasn't got to do anything... That is being done now. Rich man's son, he hasn't got to do anything, so his brain is devil's workshop. They are manufacturing so many "isms." But everyone should be engaged. This is government's first business to see. A brāhmaṇa is engaged as a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya is engaged as kṣatriya.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then other things will be automatically satisfied. But they do not know. They are thinking that "I can bring Kṛṣṇa in the midst of my family provided Kṛṣṇa helps me to enjoy this material life." They are thinking like that. That is ārta. But that is also good. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, he was ārta. Ārta, means he wanted something material, benefit. His stepmother insulted him, that "You cannot sit down on the lap of your father because you were not born in my womb." He was kṣatriya; he took it insult. So his father had two wives. So he was born the eldest queen. The father was not very much attached to the eldest queen. The father was attached to the junior queen. And the junior queen was very proud that "The king is in my hand." So she insulted. The father was not happy. The... Although Dhruva Mahārāja was born of the eldest queen... And it is sometimes liking. So that does not mean he did not like his son. So he wanted to sit down on the lap of his father and the stepmother insulted. So he took it very seriously. And he wanted to have the kingdom. This is arthārthī. He wanted something. And his mother advised that "You take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He can fulfill your desire." So therefore ārtaḥ arthārthī. He was distressed; at the same time, he wanted a kingdom by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. That was his purpose. So because he went to worship Kṛṣṇa for some material benefit, he is to be taken as pious.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes down to teach us, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). "When people forget their regulative life, I come down." So He has come down. He has come down. He will teach Arjuna that "You are so family-wise attached." Then He will teach. From the Second Chapter He will begin the teaching. Prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). When Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa, that "I am now puzzled, what to do. So I know I am puzzled, I am kṣatriya. It is my duty to fight, but I am hesitating. So it is very embarrassing puzzle. Therefore I am surrendering unto You." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "I am becoming Your disciple, not friend. Now let us talk as master and disciple, not as friend and friend." So when he accepted Kṛṣṇa as the master. Kṛṣṇa is always master, but it is simply acceptance. So at that time Kṛṣṇa will speak, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11), that "You are..." gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. Paṇḍita. "You are posing yourself..." He will speak so many things.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So they defeated, they were defeated in the chess play, and the wife was taken by the other party. So Karṇa took the opportunity. Because during Draupadi's svayamvara, Karṇa was insulted by Draupadi. The piercing of the eyes of the fish, Karṇa was greater, what is called, arrowman. So when Karṇa came to touch the arrow for piercing the eyes of the fish, Draupadi objected, objected because she wanted Arjuna to become her husband. But she knew that "If Karṇa comes to this combat, he will be victorious. Then I will have to go to Karṇa." So she was also very intelligent daughter of kṣatriya king. So Karna, nobody knew that he is kṣatriya. He was supposed to be son of a carpenter. Karṇa was born before Kuntī's marriage. Therefore she... Karṇa remained hidden, whose son. But he was kṣatriya. So it was unknown. So Draupadi took this opportunity that "This competition is meant for the kṣatriyas, not for the non-kṣatriyas." Because he was supposed to be son of a carpenter, śūdra. So he was not given the opportunity to gain Draupadi. But if he was given the opportunity, he would have come out victorious. So now Karṇa took this opportunity. When Draupadi was lost in the game, so he immediately... Karṇa was Duryodhana's friend. He immediately advised, "Now she is our property. We can do whatever we like with. Arjuna has lost his wife."

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

The real purpose of life, especially human life, is meant for reviving our sanātana-dharma, sanātana occupation, eternal occupation. By observing the rules and regulations of varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas..., that is called kula-dharma. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Each one of them must strictly observe the rules and regulations of that particular āśrama. Why it should be observed so strictly? Because by observing the regulative principle of each stages of life, one will be able to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

varṇāśramacarvatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate (panthā)
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

If we observe strictly the rules and regulations of kula-dharma... Kula-dharma means if you are a brāhmaṇa, you must observe the regulative principles, the qualitative principles of a brāhmaṇa. If you are in, a kṣatriya, then you must also observe the kṣatriya principles.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

All these are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, by symptoms. By symptoms we have to accept whether one is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, not by birth. That is the injunction of the śāstras. So this has to be observed. If we want actually deliverance from this material entanglement, so these rules and regulations of kula-dharma, we must observe. If we do not observe, then immediately we become irreligious. Dharme naṣṭe kṛtaṁ kṛtsnam adharmam abhibhavati iti uta. Uta, Arjuna said, "It is said." He has learned from higher authorities. Uta, "it is said" means "said by authorities." So "If adharma, irreligious life, is propagated, on account of loss of kula-dharma, then everything is lost, my dear Kṛṣṇa. So why shall I kill?" Other things also will be described later on, that the, when the male members are killed, the female members become widow, and they, their character becomes polluted. So many things Kṛṣṇa will speak about this family life.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

So at the present moment, there is no such family life, no consideration of religion, no consideration of irreligious life. Everything, just like animals. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. If not animals, they are all śūdras, nobody brāhmaṇa, nobody kṣatriya, nobody vaiśya. So it is a chaotic condition of the human society. Therefore it cannot be revived to the original position of systematic institutional position. It is not possible. Everything is lost. Therefore by the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, one thing:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
(nāsty eva) gatir anyatha.
(CC Adi 17.21)

Everything is lost. Now, simply by chanting harer nāma, the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you become again situated in the original position. Everything is adjusted because it is transcendental. So there is no other way. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so merciful that from the śāstras he has selected this process of saṅkīrtana movement: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam (CC Antya 20.12). The human life is meant for extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. But we are not in regulative principles. We have lost everything, our sanātana-kula-dharma, everything.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

So therefore chastity is very, very important thing for producing good population, nice population. So unless the population is good... If the population becomes hippies, then how there can be any peace and prosperity? Therefore, to produce children, there is saṁskāra. First saṁskāra is Garbhādhāna saṁskāra. This is called kula-dharma. Garbhādhāna saṁskāra means when, especially the high caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya especially...Not śūdra. Śūdra has no saṁskāra. Only the higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Vaiśya also sometimes no saṁskāra. But brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya must have saṁskāra. Daśa-vidhā saṁskārāḥ. Ten kinds of saṁskāra. One of the saṁskāra... Saṁskāra means purificatory method. One of the saṁskāra is also marriage. One must get married. So, before the child is given birth, there is a saṁskāra, what is called? Garbhādhāna saṁskāra. It is not that the husband and wife mix without any restriction and have sex life at any time. No. You know that, that mother of Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kaśyapa Muni, I think, father. So she, the woman became very much sexually excited and the husband replied that: "This is not time.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

So Garbhādhāna saṁskāra... Just, what is the idea? The idea is the child born must be first class. He'll be able to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. He'll be able to understand the śāstras, the Vedas. He must have the good brain. These were the ideas. But if they are not born in that way, like cats and dog, that is called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara. You cannot specify whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya and vaiśya and śūdra. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. So varṇa-saṅkara population is not good. Varṇa-saṅkara. No caste. No designation, no definition to which class this man belongs.

So at the present moment, because these purificatory processes are not accepted, even in India... Accepted, they're unable. Everything has topsy-turvied. Therefore the śāstra says that: "Accept everyone as śūdra." Kalau śūdraḥ sambhava. There is no more brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya. All śūdras. We have to accept. Because no Vedic culture, no Garbhādhāna saṁskāra. They are born like cats and dogs. So where is this division? There cannot be. Therefore, accept them as śūdra. Varṇa-saṅkara is less than śūdra. So at least, śūdra they should be. So there is no Vaidic dīkṣā. For śūdra, there is no dīkṣā, there is no initiation. Initiation is meant for the persons who are born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, or vaiśya family. The śūdra has no initiation. So in India there are professional gurus.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

To make spiritual progress in three ways: by the Vedānta philosophy, or Vedic ways, or according to Smṛti. Smṛti means authorized books written in accordance to the Śruti. Śruti smṛti. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is not directly Vedas, but the all the stanzas of Bhagavad-gītā, they're strictly according to the Nyāya-prasthāna and Śruti-prasthāna. So any book which is strictly written according to the Vedas and Vedāntas, that is also accepted as Vedic literature. So Pāñcarātrikī vidhi means that it doesn't matter whether man is śūdra or caṇḍāla... Caṇḍāla means less than śūdra. Pañcama The fifth grade. First class, brāhmaṇa; second class, kṣatriya; third class, vaśya; fourth class, śūdra; and below this fourth class, they're all caṇḍālas. Caṇḍālas means pañcama. Untouchable. They are called untouchable. So even the untouchables... Because Kṛṣṇa has said: Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni, caṇḍāla means pāpa-yoni, born of low-grade family... The Bhāgavata says, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, that: Kirāta-hūnāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanā khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavana, mlecca yavana. They, they are called... They are also counted amongst the caṇḍālas. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ, even lower than that. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ śuddhyanti. They becomes purified. How? Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. When they are initiated to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

So if a, one may argue, "How it is possible to make a caṇḍāla a Vaiṣṇava?" No, that is possible. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu is so powerful, omnipotent. He can do that. So only by Viṣṇu mantra, by becoming a Vaiṣṇava, one can transcend all this restriction, sociology. They can be. That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇī bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate sa guṇān brahmātītyaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate (BG 14.26). Immediately he transcends. He's in the Brahman platform. One who has taken very seriously this devotional service, he's no more on this material platform. So long we are in the material platform, these distinction, brāhmaṇa, ksatriya, vaiśya, varṇa-saṅkara, they are considered. But when one is transcendentally situated, simply in pure, unalloyed service of the Lord, he's no more in the material platform. He's in the spiritual platform. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. He's already in the Brahman platform. Brahman platform means sa guṇān samatītya etān. This material platform means three modes of material nature. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Here, even one is brāhmaṇa... Sattva-guṇa means the brahminical qualification. He's also contaminated.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

Still in India there is a place Gayā. There is Viṣṇu temple, and it is a custom all Hindus... Nowadays, they do not go. They do not believe even. They have given up everything. Due to unwanted children, they don't care for it, what is family, what is piṇḍa-udaka. Simply eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy, that's all. But you see 5000 years, Arjuna... Arjuna was not a brāhmaṇa, neither a sannyāsī. A gṛhastha, householder, and a, in royal order. He's on the battlefield. He's not a Vedantist. But just see how his knowledge is perfect. This is Vedic culture. One may not be a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is very advanced. Satya śama dama titikṣa (BG 18.42). But even kṣatriyas, they are also so advanced, so advanced we can see that he is hearing Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa in the battlefield. How much time you can spare in the battlefield? The talk took place between the two soldiers when he was just going to throw his arrow. Śāstra sampate. Just we going to... He became very compassionate: "Kṛṣṇa, I have to kill my own kinsmen." And he's describing. He's describing, "What kind of sinful activities I am going to do."

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

People were so sharp memoried. Once heard from the spiritual master they'll never forget. With the advancement of Kali, so many things will reduce. One of them is the memory will be reduced. People will be weaker. There will be no more mercy. The brain will not be so powerful or sharp. These things are described. So we cannot even imagine what kind of brain Arjuna possessed. Another thing, this Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata. And the Mahābhārata was written for strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, strī, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means a person born in high family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, at least brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but he's not qualified brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. He's called dvija-bandhu, the friend of the twice-born. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are twice-born. One birth is father and mother; another birth is by the spiritual master, by Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is mother and the spiritual master is the father. So the second birth. Therefore, they are called dvija, twice born. So dvija-bandhūnām, those who are not actually twice born but born in the family of dvijas. Therefore they are called dvija-bandhu, "not dvija, friends of the dvijas."

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

So jāti-dharma. Jāti, nowadays it has been taken as "national." But here, jāti-dharma means...Just like one is born in brāhmaṇa jāti, kṣatriya jāti, vaiśya jāti, śūdra jāti. So each jāti, they have got different types of responsibilities. So when the unwanted children, irresponsible children, they do not follow any more the tradition, the family tradition, or jāti-dharma, so they create a class of population in the varṇa-saṅkara. So everything becomes topsy-turvy, hellish condition. And actually it has so happened. Now there is no more jāti-dharma. Everyone is engaged somehow or other to fill up the belly. Formerly, formerly there was stricture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, these three higher castes, there were certain restrictions. The brāhmaṇa would not do this or the brāhmaṇa must do this. So that is called jāti-dharma. A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity... By education, by culture, he's a śūdra, although falsely he's claiming that he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. So his jāti-dharma, family tradition, family rituals, everything is lost due to this unwanted children. Unwanted children make everything topsy-turvy. So Arjuna is visualizing all the future calamities. But there is one remedy. It is a fact that jāti-dharma we have lost. No more we can be called strictly following the jāti-dharma. No more can one present himself strictly as a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. Everything is lost now, by the influence of Kali-yuga. And varṇa-saṅkara. So there is only one remedy, only one remedy.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tyaktvā sva-dharmān caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). Sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means jāti-dharma. So I may be born in a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, so I have got sva-dharma. A kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa has got his own regulative principles. So Bhāgavata, Nārada says, Bhāgavata says and Nārada says that if one has given up his jāti-dharma..., because Kṛṣṇa is asking: sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharma means this sva-dharma, jāti-dharma, or so many other dharmas man created for the nice keep-up of the society. Just like we create even in the modern world so many rules and regulations. Take for example that one must keep to the left. Just to keep order in the society. There are so many things. So jāti-dharma, kula-dharma is also like that. Spiritually, it has no value. It, it can help one to be elevated on the spiritual platform. But spiritual advancement does not depend on this jāti-dharma or kula-dharma. It does not depend.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So viṣṇur ārādhaṇam means viṣṇur ār..., that should be the aim of human life. Viṣṇur āradhana means one must become a Vaiṣṇava, and Vaiṣṇava means regulated life, not destroyed everything, finished, to become hogs. That is not Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means regulated, end—to, how to satisfy Viṣṇu. So whole Vedic scheme is there, how to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore it is said that utsanna kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ (BG 1.43). In the human life, if they do not follow the regulative principles of family life, family tradition and systematic arrangement of four divisions of the society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... In this way we can satisfy the Supreme Lord. Our aim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and this can be done perfectly if we follow the regulative principles of jāti-dharma, kula-dharma. Jāti-dharma means if you are born in the family of a brāhmaṇa you have got particular duties. Simply if you think yourself that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family; my duty is all finished. Now I can do whatever nonsense..." They think like that. I have spoken.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So if we are actually human beings, manuṣyāṇāṁ... (break) Kula-dharma, this family tradition, is not meant for the cats and dogs. If you live like cats... (break) ...there is no question of family tradition. But if you live, want to live like human being, manuṣyāṇāṁ, then this system must be... (break) ...puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). Catur-vārṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Then society must be divided into four classes... As we have got four divisions in (break) ...brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra must be there. (break) And each one should serve according to his guṇa-karma, quality and capacity to work. Then the whole society is organized... (break) ...will be perfect, there will be peace... (break) ...no war, nothing of the sort, and gradually making progress back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise it will be chaos... (break) ...become at the present moment.

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

That is perfection. It doesn't matter what you are doing. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. First of all, "whatever doing," it does not mean whatever nonsense you are doing, that will be accepted. No. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. According to Vedic civilization, there is division of varṇa: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So activities must be done according to the varṇāśrama prescription. A brāhmaṇa is ordered to do like this. Satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣa ārjavam. You should practice this. A kṣatriya should practice this. And a vaiśya should practice this. So therefore it is called varṇāśrama—the prescribed duties are already there. Therefore perfect human society means... First of all there must be this division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. And when they act the duties of that particular position, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. It doesn't matter whether you are a śūdra or you are a brāhmaṇa, but if you act for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa 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 brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the intelligent man. So we should pick up the intelligent men. They should be trained as brāhmaṇa. 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, śūdras. And they should be trained, everyone, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

It is the custom between the kṣatriyas that in the fighting, if the other party hasn't got weapon to fight, this party will supply him weapon, not that the other party without weapon and this party will take opportunity to kill him. This is not the rules and regulation of fighting. There are many rules and regulation of the fighting. Not that "Because he is my enemy, I shall kill him any way." No. There are rules and regulations. If the enemy has broken his chariot, he is fallen down on the ground, the other party also will immediately get down from the chariot. Suppose he is feeling... If one is on the foot and another on the chariot, so he will be in superior position. So therefore the opposite party must also get down from the chariot and walk with him. That means the defeated enemy should be given all opportunities so he may not think that unnecessarily, in weak position, he has been killed. No. So Arjuna says... Arjuna, of course, did later on. When he killed Karṇa. Karṇa was without weapon, and he fell down from the chariot. Karṇa, after falling down from the chariot, and he was trying to raise the wheel of the chariot from the mud, so Kṛṣṇa asked Arjuna "That this is the opportunity to kill him. You kill him immediately." So at that time he had no weapons and he fell down from the chariot, and in that position he was killed by Arjuna by the order of Kṛṣṇa. This is violating the laws.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

So sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. "The wife and my children, they are my kith and kin." Sva-dhīḥ kalatra, sva-dhīḥ. "They are my own." Everyone is working... Even a great economist, Mr. Marshall, he says that economic development begins from family affection. Family affection. So unless one thinks that he has to maintain his wife, children, family, there is no question of economic development. Impetus. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu and bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). Bhauma, this earth, as worshipable. Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile: "And for pilgrimage, one who thinks that the water is tīrtha..." Tīrtha means where one can get transcendental knowledge. Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. "...but has no interest to associate with persons who is expert in transcendental knowledge. Such, these persons, they are called go-khara." Go-khara means cows and asses. So Arjuna played the part of a go-khara. In the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, he played the part of an ordinary person, go-khara, who is identifying this body as self. Therefore he required instruction. Not only... He became so much overwhelmed that he gave up his arrows and bows and sat down, tightly: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am not, I cannot fight." And he was crying. Not only he gave up his duty, he was kṣatriya, and he was crying: "Oh, I'll have to kill my kinsmen. No, no, no. I cannot do it."

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

You are very dear friend, and My great devotee." Now, fighting is not very good business, killing. But sometimes, by killing, one can become a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He was a warrior, fighter. His business was to fight, but he fought for Kṛṣṇa. Then he became a devotee. That is sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). He... Arjuna, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Similarly, our..., means sva-karma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Our, according to Vedic system, there are four divisions. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Not by birth, but by quality and actual activities. So there are brāhmaṇas. There are kṣatriyas. There are vaiśyas. There are śūdras. There are brahmacārīs. There are gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas, sannyāsa. So everyone should be engaged to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the whole philosophy. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). "You work as brāhmaṇa, you work as a kṣatriya, you work as a vaiśya or śūdra. It doesn't matter." Even Kṛṣṇa has advised that "If you, even if you think that I am working as a vaiśya, it is not very good, because sometimes I have to speak lie for business's sake. And brāhmaṇa's business is very nice. No." Kṛṣṇa has advised: sa-doṣam api na tyajet: (BG 18.48) "Even in your profession there are so many faults, you should not give it up. You should go on." But the result must be given to Kṛṣṇa. That is the secret. You may work as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a businessman, as an engineer, as a doctor, as a warrior, whatever you may be. It is, it is never condemned. No work is condemned. Every work is dignified provided it is meant for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Such persons are captivated by the external features of the material world, and therefore they do not know what liberation is. Persons who have no knowledge of liberation from material bondage are called non-Āryans. Arjuna was trying to deviate from his prescribed duties, declining to fight, although he was a kṣatriya or warrior. This act of cowardice is described as befitting the non-Āryans. Such deviation from duty does not help one in the progress of spiritual life, nor does it even give one the opportunity of becoming famous in this world. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not approve of the so-called compassion of Arjuna for his kinsmen."

Prabhupāda: So-called compassion. He was thinking that by showing that compassion he'll be, I mean to say, eulogized by Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa condemned it. Yes. Just the opposite. In other words, Kṛṣṇa is very strict also. That is the qualification of Kṛṣṇa and His associates. Vajrād api kaṭhora and kusumād api kamala. Softer than the flower and harder than the thunderbolt. Two sides. When Kṛṣṇa is strict He's harder than the thunderbolt, and when He's soft, He's softer than the flower. These two examples are given. Vajrād api kaṭhora, kusumād api kamala. So Kṛṣṇa is not lenient to His friend or to His devotee. Because that leniency will not help him, will not help him. Sometimes He appears to be very hard for the devotee, but He's not hard. Just like father sometimes becomes very strict. That is good. That will be proved, how Kṛṣṇa's hardness will prove his salvation. At the end Arjuna will admit, "By Your mercy, my illusion is now over." So this sort of stricture by..., from God on the devotee is sometimes misunderstood. Because we are always accustomed to accept what is immediately very pleasing, but sometimes we'll find that we are not getting which is immediately very pleasing, but we should not be disappointed. We shall stick to Kṛṣṇa. That is Arjuna's position.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Nor do we know which is better, conquering them or being conquered by them. The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, whom if we killed we should not care to live, are now standing before us on this battlefield (BG 2.6)." Purport. "Arjuna became perplexed in this connection, not knowing whether he should execute the fighting with the risk of committing unnecessarily violence, although it is the duty of the kṣatriyas, or whether he should not and prefer instead to live by begging, because if he did not conquer the enemy, begging would be the only means left for his living. There was no certainty of victory because either side might emerge victorious."

Prabhupāda: These are his causes of perplexities, how he was thinking, that has been tried to be explained. Yes, go on.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

"My dear Arjuna, you are My friend, personal friend, and you are proposing this, which is befitting to the anārya." Anārya-juṣṭam: "This is not for the Aryan. You are kṣatriya, you are meant for fighting for justice, and you are denying to fight? Oh, this is not good." Anārya-juṣṭam: "This kind of proposal, cowardice, can be proposed by the anārya." Ārya means the advanced. One who is advanced in knowledge, in civilization, they are called ārya, Aryan civilization. So in the Aryan civilization there are four divisions to maintain the society in the correct balance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided into four classes of men. The first-class means most intelligent class of men. They should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all śūdras as it is now in this age. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That training is not there, neither kṣatriya, neither pure vaiśya class. We are proud of our business, vaiśya, but vaiśya means kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44).

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

So here Kṛṣṇa is addressing Arjuna, anārya: "Non-Aryan. You are kṣatriya. Your service is now required to fight with persons who have created injustice. So what is this, that you are denying to fight?" Anārya juṣṭam. And asvargyam. Asvargyam means "By denying your duty you cannot be elevated in your next life or you cannot be elevated in the higher planetary system." For a kṣatriya, it is the duty of the kṣatriya to fight and lay down his life. Then he is promoted to the higher planetary system. That is the shastric injunction. If he becomes victorious, then he enjoys this material world, and if he dies, he is promoted to heaven. These things are there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, asvargyam: "If you deny to fight, then you will be refused to enter in the higher planetary system." Akīrti-karam. "And you are known as a great fighter, great soldier and My friend, and this will be going against your reputation. Don't do this.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

"My dear friend, parantapa..." Parantapa means one who gives trouble to the enemies. This is the material world. A kṣatriya cannot behave like a brāhmaṇa, to excuse. Brāhmaṇa business is to excuse. Kṣamā-rūpa-tapasvinaḥ. Those who are tapasvī, they can excuse, but those who are in the governmental post, to make justice, there is no question of excuse. Life for life. "You have killed one man; you must be killed." This is justice. A brāhmaṇa, he may excuse, "All right, you have killed my man. Never mind. I excuse you." That is a brāhmaṇa's business. But a kṣatriya, the government, the ruling power, he cannot do so. It is his mercy. It is the government's mercy when a murderer is hanged. That is the injunction in the Manu-saṁhitā. "So parantapa, you are kṣatriya. Your business is to punish the unjust." Kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyam: "For a kṣatriya this kind of poor-heartedness, that 'I shall not fight...' Give it up. Don't indulge in such thing."

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

Then Arjuna decided to accept Kṛṣṇa as his guru. He... Śiṣyas te 'ham: "I become your disciple." To become disciple means no more argument. When we talk friendly there is argument, counterargument. But when there is order from guru there is no more argument. Therefore Arjuna says that kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ: "Actually my behavior should be exactly like a kṣatriya, to fight for the just cause, but in this case I am denying. Therefore I am kṛpaṇa." Kṛpaṇa means one who does not properly use his position. One man is very rich, but he does not use his money, simply sees the money. He is called kṛpaṇa. Similarly, Arjuna is powerful, he can fight, he is a kṣatriya, but he is denying his ability. Therefore he is thinking that "I have become kṛpaṇa, miser. Although I have got strength, I am denying to fight." "Although I have got money, I do not spend." These are called kṛpaṇa. So kārpaṇya-doṣopahata: "Now I am infected with kārpaṇya-doṣa." Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

We have invented so many "isms," but they are all misuse because actually the machine does not belong to the American or the Indian or the African. The machine belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So this is misuse. So when we understand that we are misusing this machine improperly, that is called pure machine. That is called pure understanding, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). "I am not American. I am not Indian. I am not brāhmaṇa. I am not kṣatriya. I am not human being." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman." Not the Supreme Brahman, but part and parcel of Brahman. Supreme Brahman is Kṛṣṇa, Para-brahman. He is addressed as Para-brahman. So we are part and parcel of Brahman. Therefore we are Brahman. So we have to realize this position. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman." I am not this machine. I am put into this machine, but because the machine is gotten either from America or from India or from heaven or from hell, I am designating this machine as American machine or Indian machine. Actually this machine belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and it should be used for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the definition of bhakti means hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). This is bhakti.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

As we have already explained, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Any systematic religious process is to be understood: "It is given by God." Man cannot make any religious system. So this Āryan system, progressive system, is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa says, "It is introduced by Me for very good management of the social order." Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So Arjuna belonged to the kṣatriya family. Therefore his hesitation to fight in the battlefield is not befitting the Āryans. For the royal order to become nonviolent, this is not good. The kṣatriyas, when they are fighting in the battlefield, the killing is not a sin for them. Similarly, a brāhmaṇa, when he's offering sacrifice, sometimes animals are sacrificed; so that does not mean that he is committing sin. This animal sacrifice was made not for eating the animals. It was for testing the Vedic mantra. Whether the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice. Sometimes horses, sometimes cows were offered. But in this age, Kali-yuga, they are forbidden because there is no such yājñika-brāhmaṇa. All kinds of sacrifices are forbidden in this age.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So it was the duty of the kṣatriya to fight. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is condemning his behavior, that "This is not befitting a kṣatriya. By this action, you will be defamed." Akīrti-karam arjuna (BG 2.2). "You are such a nice fighter, soldier, and if you cease to fight, then the other party will defame you in so many ways. What you are thinking of? Especially you are My friend. I am standing here. Despite My becoming your chariot driver, if you decline to fight, certainly it will be a great havoc. Don't do this." Therefore He says, anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam. Asvargyam means "You cannot be promoted to the heavenly planet." It is said that a kṣatriya who dies in the fight is immediately promoted to the heavenly planet. But because he is dying for the good cause, therefore he is promoted. Asvargyam akīrti-karam. "It is defamation on your part."

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Parantapa means one who can give trouble to the enemies. It is the duty of the kṣatriya. Enemies, aggressor, they should be killed. There is no ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means one who is aggressor. One who kidnaps one's wife, one who take away by force one's wealth, one who sets fire in one's house, these are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed. Aggressor should be given trouble. So Kṛṣṇa does not teach unnecessarily nonviolence. If kṣatriya becomes nonviolent, then the whole state will be in chaos. They must learn how to kill any criminal. He should be immediately killed.

Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Arjuna's grandson, when he was touring in his empire... The whole world was at that time Indian empire. Not Indian exactly. Bhārata-varṣa. Now we have imitated some name, Bhārata, the "Indian," "Hindustan." But formerly the whole planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. So when he saw that one black man was trying to kill one cow, immediately he took his sword: "Immediately I shall kill you. Who are you, killing cows in my kingdom?" This is kṣatriya's business. So... But there is no kṣatriya now because so many cows are being killed. Nobody is protesting. It is the duty of the kṣatriya to protect every living entity born in the land, in his kingdom. It is not that, as it is going on now, that only the human beings should be protected and not the animals.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

"Give up this cowardice habit. You get up and prepare for your fight. This is kṣatriya's business. You should not go behind." Arjuna uvāca. "Arjuna replied."

kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
pūjārhāv arisūdana
(BG 2.4)

Now Kṛṣṇa was encouraging to fight; Arjuna was also very intelligently replying. He addressed Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana, Arisūdana. Madhusūdana means "the killer of Madhu demon" or "the killer or enemy." So his purpose is that "I have to kill Bhīṣmadeva, who is my so kind grandfather, and I have to kill Droṇācārya, who is my teacher, from whom I have learned this military art. So You have killed the demons and Your enemy, and why You are inducing me to kill my guru and my grandfather?" This is his argument. Kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana, iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi: (BG 2.4) "They, my grandfather, my teacher, may chastise me, but how I can pierce with arrows their body?"

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So this is the problem: duty. Arjuna was forgetting duty. And Kṛṣṇa was inducing him: "Never mind. According to kṣatriya rules and regulation, even the opposite party is your own son, you should not hesitate to kill him. This is kṣatriya's business." If the opposite party is your own son, but when there is fight, there must be decided: one party must be killed. This is kṣatriya's business. So he says, gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān (BG 2.5). "These guru, this Droṇācārya and Bhīṣma, they are not ordinary men." Mahānubhāvān. Bhīṣma, everyone knows. Bhīṣma is one of the authorities, authorities of religious principle. There are twelve authorities.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

There are four, twelve authorities. One of them is Bhīṣma. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam. So Bhīṣma is not ordinary person. Therefore he said, katham, gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke (BG 2.5). "I do not like to kill my guru, who is so great, and my grandfather. Better I shall become a beggar." A kṣatriya's business is not to beg. A brāhmaṇa can beg. A brāhmaṇa can accept charity, but kṣatriya cannot accept any charity from anyone else. Neither he can come down to do business like the vaiśyas. That is not. Everyone should stick to his own principle. If this is followed, then it is really secular government. A government must see whether—you are claiming as a brāhmaṇa—whether you are actually discharging your duties as a brāhmaṇa. That is secular government. You are claiming as a kṣatriya; whether you are discharging your duties as a kṣatriya? You are a vaiśya; whether you are discharging your duties as vaiśya? This is government's duty. That is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Now they are eager to wash off this social system. They want classless society.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Simply by understanding that "I am spirit soul, I am Brahman," will not help us. You must act like Brahman. Then it will be... Janma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be realization; that is guṇa. At the same time, there must be practical work. That is Vedic civilization. You should not claim falsely. If you are actually brāhmaṇa, you must act as a brāhmaṇa. If you are a kṣatriya, you must act as a kṣatriya. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Not that "I am a brāhmaṇa; now I have become something else." Just like in Calcutta we have seen there are small slaughterhouses, and they have posted one deity, Goddess Kālī, and have got sacred thread, and the signboard is: "This meat is slaughtered by a brāhmaṇa. Therefore it is pure. Therefore it is pure." And that is going on. Oh, the meat-eaters, they take all this meat, and they think, "It is the prasāda of Goddess Kālī, and it is slaughtered by a brāhmaṇa. There is no sin; it is all right." This is going on. No. Brāhmaṇa is not meant for becoming a slaughterer, a killer. No. Brāhmaṇa should be truthful, brāhmaṇa should be cleansed, no sinful life. Brāhmaṇa should be controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Brāhmaṇa must be well-educated, jñāna, and he must apply the knowledge in practical life and believe in the Vedic injunctions. These are the qualifications of brāhmaṇa. Similarly, there are qualification of kṣatriyas, vaiśyas. We should follow that. And it is the duty of the government to see that "This man is claiming as a brāhmaṇa, whether he is actually executing the duties of brāhmaṇa?" That is government's duty. Not that they should simply fight that "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." No. The government's duty is to see that actually whether he is as he claims to be.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So Arjuna says that "I do not like to kill my grandfather or my guru." Not only ordinary guru. Guru is never ordinary. Guru... That I have explained. Never we should consider guru as ordinary human being. Guru means as king is the representative for giving protection to the people, similarly, a guru or brāhmaṇa is also meant for giving protection to the people from spiritual side. The king, kṣatriya, is meant for giving protection to the people from material side. The vaiśya is to produce from the material side. Everything is systematically arranged. So brāhmaṇa means the intelligent class of men, kṣatriya means the administrative class of men, and vaiśya means the productive class of men, and the śūdra means ordinary worker. These divisions are everywhere. You cannot say that only the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas and vaiśyas are in India. No. When it is a creation of Kṛṣṇa, or God, it must be everywhere—in every planet, in every country, every city. Because anywhere you go, either in Europe or America, you will find some classes of men, very intelligent class. They are interested in philosophy, science. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested in politics. They are kṣatriyas you can say. Similarly, there are persons who are interested in making money, vaiśyas. And there are ordinary class of men, they neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... They cannot live independently. Śūdra means he must find out a master. A master. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdra's business is to find out a master. Just like a dog. A dog must find out a nice master. Otherwise it is a street dog. Its condition is not very good. Similarly, a śūdra means he must have a nice paying master. Otherwise his life is at risk. So if you consider in that way, the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this Kali-yuga, everyone is a śūdra. You hardly find a real brāhmaṇa or real kṣatriya or vaiśya. Because they are after service. In the śāstra it is said that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in difficulty, he may take the profession of a kṣatriya or up to a vaiśya, but never take the business of a śūdra like a dog. That is prohibited. And nowadays we are claiming to become brāhmaṇa and going here and there with application, "If there is any vacancy, sir?"

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So these things are topsy-turvied. Simply it has become a farce. Actually if we want to establish Vedic civilization, then we must follow strictly the principles of Vedas as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. And if it is practiced, then daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. That is required. Daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma. There must be the four divisions. Just like we have got four divisions in our body: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. The leg division is the śūdra, the belly division is the vaiśya, and the arm division is the kṣatriya, and the head division is the brāhmaṇa. So these divisions are now lost. Actually, there is no kṣatriya, no brāhmaṇa. Maybe there are some vaiśyas and śūdras. So suppose if your whole body there is only belly and leg, then what is the body? If you have no head and no arm, then how it is? What kind of body it is? So therefore, in the social order of the present day, there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya. Only there are some few vaiśyas and śūdras. So therefore there is chaos all over the world. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for creating some real brāhmaṇa. At least, there may be head. They are all mad after the influence of the material energy. So there is need of some brāhmaṇa who can give advice to the people how to live, how to become God conscious, how to become happy. There is great need of this movement. Simply so-called classless society will not help us. That is not Vedic civilization.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

So Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is encouraging, kśūdraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyam. "For a kṣatriya to speak like that, 'No no, I cannot kill my kinsmen. I am giving my weapons,' this is weakness, cowardice. Why you are all this nonsense doing?" Kśūdraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyam. "This kind of compassion, giving up your duty as a kṣatriya, it is simply weakness of the heart. It has no meaning." Klaibyaṁ ma sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayy upapadyate. "Especially for you. You are My friend. What people will say? So give up this weakness of the heart and uttiṣṭha, stand up, take courage." So just see how Kṛṣṇa is inducing Arjuna to fight. People are very much ignorant and they sometimes criticize that "Kṛṣṇa is exciting Arjuna. He is very gentleman, nonviolent, and Kṛṣṇa is exciting him to fight." This is called jaḍa-darśana. Jaḍa-darśana. Jaḍa-darśana means material vision. Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136).

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Parantapa is, this word, very word, is used that "You are a kṣatriya, you are king. Your business is to chastise the mischief mongers. That is your business. You cannot excuse the mischief monger." Formerly the kings were so... The king himself used to judge. A criminal was brought before the king, and if the king thought it wise, he would take his own sword, immediately cut his head. That was the duty of king. Even not many, about hundred years ago in Kashmir, the king, as soon as a thief was caught, he would be brought before the king, and if he is proved that he was a thief, he has stolen, immediately the king will cut off his hands personally, chopped off. Even hundred years ago. So all other thieves warned, "This is your punishment." So there was no thiefing. There was no stealing, no burglary in Kashmir. Even somebody lost something on the road, it will lie down. Nobody will touch it. The order was, king's order was, "If something is lying down on the street uncared for, you cannot touch it. The man who has left it, he would come; he will collect. You cannot take." Even hundred years ago. So this capital punishment is required. Nowadays the capital punishment is excused. Murderers are not hanged. This is all mistake, all rascaldom. A murderer must be killed. No mercy. Why a human killer? Even an animal killer should be immediately hanged? That is kingdom. The king should be so strict.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Varṇāśrama, these brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, everyone had to strictly follow the rules and regulation of the particular division. A brāhmaṇa must act as a brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya must as... Here is the... Just Kṛṣṇa says, "You are kṣatriya; why you are talking all this rascal? You must!" Naitat tvayy upapadyate (BG 2.3). "In two ways you should not do this. As a kṣatriya you should not do this, and as My friend, you should not do this. This is your weakness." So this is Vedic civilization. Fight for the kṣatriya. A brāhmaṇa is not going to fight. Brāhmaṇa is satyaḥ śamo damaḥ, he is practicing how to become peaceful, how to become clean, how to control the senses, how to control the mind, how to become simple, how to become full cognizant of the Vedic literature, how to apply practically in life, how to become firmly fixed up in conviction. These are brāhmaṇas'. Similarly, kṣatriya's—fighting. That is necessary. Vaiśya-kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇījyam (BG 18.44). So all these strictly to be followed. Just yesterday we were reading when Manu, Vaivasvatu Manu, came to Kardama Muni, he is receiving, "Sir, I know that your touring means you are just...," what is called, what is called, examining?

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Inspecting, yes. Inspecting. "Your touring means inspection whether the varṇāśrama, whether the brāhmaṇa is doing actually as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya is doing actually as kṣatriya." That is king's touring. King's touring not a pleasure touring at the expense of the state go somewhere and come back. No. He was... Sometimes in disguise the king used to see whether this varṇāśrama-dharma is being maintained, properly being observed, whether somebody is simply wasting time like hippies. No, that cannot be done. That cannot be done. Now in your government there is some inspection that nobody is employed, but unemployed. But so many things are not practically inspected. But it is the duty of the government to see everything. Varnāśramācaravatā, everything is practicing as brāhmaṇa. Simply by falsely becoming brāhmaṇa, falsely becoming kṣatriya—no. You must. So this was the king's duty, government's duty. Now everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is no more practical value.

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

So therefore Arjuna is speaking that "Instead of killing such great gurus who are so great personalities, mahānubhāvān..." So bhaikṣyam. For a kṣatriya... A brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī can beg, can beg alms, but not a kṣatriya, not a vaiśya. That is not allowed. So he was a kṣatriya, Arjuna. So he says, "Better I shall take the profession of a brāhmaṇa and beg from door to door instead of enjoy the kingdom by killing my guru." That was his proposal. So on the whole, Arjuna is illusioned—illusioned in the sense that he is forgetting his duty. He is a kṣatriya, his duty is to fight; never mind the opposite party, even he is son, a kṣatriya will not hesitate to kill his son even if he is inimical. Similarly, the son, if the father is inimical, he would not hesitate to kill his father. This is the stringent duty of the kṣatriyas, no consideration. A kṣatriya cannot consider like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, klaibyam: "You don't be coward. Why you are becoming coward?" These topics are going on. Later on, Kṛṣṇa will give him real spiritual instruction. This is... Ordinary talks are going on between the friend and the friend.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

So these two groups of cousin-brothers... Mahārāja Pāṇḍu had five sons and Dhṛtarāṣṭra had one hundred sons. So it is family, the same family, and it was understanding between them that when others beyond the family would come to attack them, they would join, 105 brothers, and fight. But when there was fight amongst themselves—one side, hundred brothers; one side, five brothers. Because a kṣatriya family, it is to be understood they must go on fighting. Even in their marriage there would be fighting. Without fighting, no marriage takes place in kṣatriya family. Kṛṣṇa had 16,108 wives, and almost in each time He had to fight, to gain the wife. It was a sporting. For kṣatriya to fight, it was a sporting. So he is perplexed whether this kind of fighting he should encourage or not.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

Similarly, Arjuna is now perplexed, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" That is also everywhere. When there is declaration of war between the modern politicians, they consider... Just like in the last Second World War, when Hitler was preparing for war... Everyone knew that Hitler was going to retaliate because in the first war they became defeated. So Hitler was again preparing. One, my God-brother, German, he came in 1933 in India. So at that time he informed that "There must be war. Hitler is preparing heavy preparations. War must be there." So at that time, I think, in your country the Prime Minister was Mr. Chamberlain. And he went to see Hitler to stop the war. But he would not. So similarly, in this fight, to the last point, Kṛṣṇa tried to avoid the war. He proposed to Duryodhana that "They are kṣatriyas, your cousin-brothers. You have usurped their kingdom. Never mind, you have taken some way or other. But they are kṣatriyas. They must have some means of livelihood. So give them, five brothers, five villages. Out of the whole world empire, you give them five villages." So he... "No, I am not going to part with even an inch of land without fight." Therefore, under such condition, the fight must be there.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

So here again, the same thing. Arjuna is thinking in terms, na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyo (BG 2.6). So he is perplexed, "Which one, which side will be glorious? I shall stop fighting or not fighting?" In the next verses it will be seen... When you are in such perplexity, "what to do and what not to do," so in order to get right direction, you must approach the spiritual master. That will be done in the next verse. Arjuna will say that "I do not know. I am now perplexed. Although I know it is my duty as kṣatriya to fight, still I am hesitating. I am hesitating in my duty. So therefore I am perplexed. So Kṛṣṇa, therefore I submit to You." Formerly he was talking just like friend. Now he will be prepared to take lesson from Kṛṣṇa.

So our the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is that: You should not act for yourself; you should simply act for Kṛṣṇa. So even fighting for Kṛṣṇa, or even doing something still abominable for Kṛṣṇa... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs were captivated by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was a young boy, very beautiful, and the gopīs were young girls. That is the superficial... Actually, the gopīs are eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So these are activities, foolish activities. But when one is in goodness, he's sober. He can understand what is the value of life, how one should live, what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life. That goal of life is to understand Brahman. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Therefore the good quality means the brāhmaṇa. Similarly, kṣatriya. So they are guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Guṇa. Guṇa has to be taken into account. Śrī Kṛṣṇa therefore said: catur vārṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). We have captured some kind of guṇa. It is very difficult. But we can immediately transcend all guṇas. Immediately. How? By bhakti yoga process. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). If you take the bhakti-yoga process, then you are no longer influenced by either of these three qualities, goodness, passion, and ignorance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ ca avyabhicāriṇī bhakti-yogena sevate. Anyone who is engaged in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, avyabhicāriṇī, without any deviation, staunch, devout attention, such person, māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇī yogena, māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa yogena bhajate māṁ sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26).

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So devotional service is not within these material qualities. They are transcendental. Bhakti is transcendental. Therefore, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa or God without bhakti. Bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti. Otherwise, it is not possible. Bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti yāvan yas cāsmi tattvataḥ. Reality, in reality, if you want to understand what is God, then you have to adopt this bhakti process, devotional service. Then you transcend. Therefore, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Nārada says that: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). If anyone, even by sentiment, gives such, gives up his occupational duty according to guṇa... That is called svadharma... Svadharma means one's duty according to the quality he has acquired. That is called svadharma. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are divided guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), by guṇa and karma.

So here Arjuna says that kārpaṇya-doṣopahataḥ-svabhāvaḥ (BG 2.7). "I am kṣatriya." He understands that: "I am doing wrong. I am refusing to fight. Therefore, it is kārpaṇya-doṣa, miserly." Miserly means I have got some means to spend, but if I don't spend this is called miser. Kṛpaṇatā. So kṛpaṇatā. There are two classes of men, brāhmaṇa and śūdra. Brāhmaṇa and śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means he's not miser. He has got the opportunity, great asset of this human form of body, many millions of dollars worth, this human... But he's not using it properly, simply seeing it: "How beautiful I am." That's all. Just spend your beauty or utilize your asset, the human... That is brāhmaṇa, to be liberal.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So actually āryan samāja means Kṛṣṇa conscious society, International Society for Kṛṣṇa... That is Ārya. Not bogus. So here, Arjuna is explaining, putting himself: "Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣo. Because I am forgetting my duty, therefore upahata-svabhāvaḥ, I am bewildered in my natural propensities." A kṣatriya should be always active. Whenever there is a war, there is fight, they must be very much enthusiastic. A kṣatriya, if another kṣatriya says: "I want to fight with you," he, oh, he cannot refuse. "Yes, come one. Fight. Take sword." Immediately: "Come one" That is kṣatriya. Now he's refusing to fight. He's forgetting his duty, kṣatriya duty. Therefore, he's admitting: Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ (BG 2.7). "My natural duty I am forgetting. Therefore I have become miser. Therefore my..." Now when you become miser, that is a diseased condition. Then what is your duty? Then go to a person who can... Just like when you become diseased, you go to a physician and ask him "What to do, sir? I am now suffering with this disease." This is your duty. Similarly, when we are perplexed in our duties, or we forget our duties, it is very nice to go to the superior person and ask him what to do. So who can be superior person than Kṛṣṇa? Therefore Arjuna says: pṛcchāmi tvām. "I am asking you. Because it is my duty. I'm now falling in my duty, faulty. So this is not good.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Yes. Don't turn your attention. Just hear me. Kṛṣṇa, although He is present there, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but still, He did not encourage him. From worldly point of view, when somebody says that "I'll... I give it up. I don't want it. I don't want to fight with my friends or my relatives. Better let them enjoy. I shall forego my claim," from worldly point of view, this is a very, I mean, gentlemanly behavior, that one is foregoing his claim for the matter of his relatives or friends. But Kṛṣṇa is not encouraging that proposal. We have to mark it. Kṛṣṇa is not encouraging. Kṛṣṇa is rather... Kṛṣṇa is, rather, inducing Arjuna that "It is not a very good proposal. It is not befitting your position. You belong to the Āryan family. You belong to the kṣatriya, royal family. And you are denying to fight? No, no, this is not good. And I am your friend. I have taken the responsibility of your chariot driver, and, if you do not fight, what people will say?" So He is not encouraging. Just see.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So from ordinary point of view, from the point of view of a family man, he argued with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. And after, at the end, he decided that "I cannot fight. I cannot fight." Then Kṛṣṇa tried to induce him, and he said that "Yes, whatever You are saying, that I am a kṣatriya and I am not doing my duty, this is all right, but My mind is perplexed." So he was at the same time conscious that Śrī Kṛṣṇa only can make a solution of this perplexity. So he said,

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
(BG 2.7)

Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣa means a miserly man, miserly man. He was conscious of the fact that he was a great hero, he was a great fighter, and, at the same time, the enemies were there. So his actual duty was to fight with the enemy. They were offering fight. For a kṣatriya there are some obligations. If somebody challenges that "I want to fight with you," a kṣatriya cannot deny. If somebody challenges, "Yes, I want to bet with you, gambling," a kṣatriya cannot deny. And for that reason, the Pāṇḍavas lost their kingdom. The other side, his cousins, offered them, that "All right, let us come to betting." So betting, the bid was they offered the kingdom. "Now, if you, if you," I mean to say, "defeated, if you are defeated, then you lose your kingdom." So they lost their kingdom. Then the next, next offer was that "If you are defeated, you lost your wife." So they lost their wife. And similarly, they were put: "Now, this time, if you are defeated, you have to go to the forest for twelve years."

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So here is a perplexity. So kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ, dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ: (BG 2.7) "Not only I am miserly, but I am deviating from my duty, dharma." Dharma. This dharma means, according to different position... Just like brāhmaṇa, the intellectual society; the kṣatriyas, the administrator society; the vaiśyas, the mercantile society; and the śūdras. Śūdras means the laborer class. So these four divisions are always. Now you can name in a different way. That doesn't matter. But in every society and for all time these divisions are there. So according to Vedic system, this system is observed by generation. So he was a kṣatriya. Now, kṣatriya's duty was to fight with the enemy, and he was not executing that, I mean to say, injunction. Therefore, he is conscious that dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ: (BG 2.7) "Oh, I am deviating from my religion also. It is the duty of kṣatriya. No. So I am now perplexed." So yac chreyaḥ syān niścitam: "Now You should kindly, definitely say." Now, here is a position: "I do not understand what is to be done. You kindly..." Yac chreyaḥ syān niścitam. Niścitam means definitely what is right. Brūhi tan me. Now Kṛṣṇa can say, "Well, I have already saying you that you should fight, but you are not carrying out the order." So he says that śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So he accepted that "All right, whatever arguments we have done so far, let us forget that. Now I accept You as my spiritual master, not my friend."

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So the, the... We should take the position of Arjuna, disciple. When a disciple is serious about making, about making a solution of the suffering, then he requires a spiritual master. And what sort of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect man, the most perfect man. So a spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present before us. But at least we must have a person as our spiritual master who represents Kṛṣṇa. And who can represent Kṛṣṇa? One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in the line, disciplic succession. You see? So see here. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. Now, question may be that "Why Arjuna...? There was many learned men, not only Kṛṣṇa, but there were Vyāsadeva and other great sages and brāhmaṇas. Why...?" Kṛṣṇa was also kṣatriya. Kṛṣṇa was not a brāhmaṇa. Of course, He took His, mean... He appeared in the family of a kṣatriya. And they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa was the son of the brother, and Arjuna was the son of the sister. Arjuna's mother and Kṛṣṇa's father, they were brother and sister. So they are in the family relation.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

The subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā is talking between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa was driver of the chariot. Both of them were in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He played just like an ordinary human being as friend of Arjuna. And when Arjuna was little disturbed... Because this battle was arranged between two parties of cousin-brothers... And when Arjuna saw the other party, all his relatives, family members, so he hesitated to fight, and there was some argument. Kṛṣṇa said that "You are a kṣatriya. You are king. It is your duty to fight."

According to Vedic system, there should be four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, social order; and spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is perfect system of human civilization. So I shall briefly describe. Brāhmaṇa is compared with the head. Just like you have got your body. In the body there are different departments: the head department, the arms department, the belly department, and the leg department. So to maintain your body fit, you must have all these four departments rightly working. Your brain must work very nicely, your arms must work very nicely, although also the digestive system, intestines, stomach, that must also work very nicely, as well as the legs also must work nicely. Then you are perfectly fit. Similarly, in the social system there must be the head department. (aside:) This child is disturbing.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

The next class is called the kṣatriya. Just like when somebody comes to attack you, first of all your brain gives you dictation, "Now this man is coming to attack you. You spread your hand." So immediately my hand spreads and I want to protect myself. So these are called kṣatriya class or the armies, from "arm." So next intelligent class is the government class, administrator class. Then next intelligent class is third-class. First-class, brāhmaṇas, second-class, the kṣatriyas, and the third-class, the vaiśyas, who maintain the society for economic condition, development of economic condition, because we require things to consume to maintain this body. So these are called mercantile class, and the ordinary man who is neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśya, he is called śūdra.

So this is natural, natural division of the society. Unless human being comes to the natural division... There is, but sometimes it happens that a śūdra is taking the place of the brāhmaṇa or the brāhmaṇa is obliged to act as a śūdra. Then there is anomaly. There is some chaos in the society. So at the present moment the education department does not distinguish who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya or a śūdra.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

And because the things have topsy-turvied, there is chaos all over the world, not only here or there, because the division of labor or the division of working has been overlapped. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for creating some brāhmaṇas, or the most intelligent class of men. There is no hindrance. Anyone can become brāhmaṇa. Just like in education anyone can become engineer, anyone can become medical practitioner or anyone can become lawyer if he takes such education from the very beginning, similarly, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, there are natural division of the society. But at the present moment there is scarcity of brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means who has got very nice intellectual brain, who can understand the Absolute Truth. He is called brāhmaṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create some good brains so that he can understand, one can understand what is the Absolute Truth. This is the movement.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Woman (1): But you can't... Your body might be an illusion, but to you it's real. And if you abused your life, then that's...

Prabhupāda: Fighting is a kṣatriya's duty, you see. Just like I can give you one example. Just like one man is ordered by the state that "This man should be hanged." Does it mean that the state is enemy of this man?

Woman (1): I disagree with hanging completely.

Madhudviṣa: She also disagrees with hanging.

Prabhupāda: You may disagree, but what is the principle? Do you mean to say the state is wrong, the government is wrong?

Woman (1): (Yes)

Prabhupāda: Well, that is an individual opinion. But according to śāstra, we have to understand that... Suppose your dress, something unclean dress, you have got. So if somebody says that "You take out this unclean dress. Get a...," so is that very (sic:) enimating. Because after all, the soul is within the body. So if the body has become unclean, or some other reason, the body has to be changed, so that is not lack of love.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Woman (1): No, I quite agree that I'm spirit soul. I quite agree with that.

Prabhupāda: Then that's all right. So similarly, when there is duty, when..., because I have already explained that the kṣatriyas are meant for maintaining the social order. The brāhmaṇa is meant for giving good intelligence. The vaiśyas are meant for maintaining the economic condition. So as the government maintains the force, military police, their business is to chastise. This is required for maintenance of the whole thing. So you cannot avoid this war, fighting, when it is for good cause. We should not be so foolish that war can be, I mean to say, completely abolished. That is not possible. If you want to keep the social order, you must have to maintain the military strength, the police strength, and the court or the university. Everything is required. You cannot neglect one of them. Similarly... But if you are afraid of being killed—that is the medicine we are preaching—then you get out of this entanglement. You be situated in your spiritual body. There is no more question of killing. But so long you are in the material world, you have to abide by the rules and regulation of material nature. That you cannot avoid.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Just like we have got experience in India, say, 20 years or 25 years ago, there was no Pakistan. But some way or other, there is another division of Pakistan. So actually, long, long years ago there was no division of this planet. The planet is one, and the king was also one, and the culture was also one. The culture was Vedic culture, and the king was one. As I told you that the Kuru dynasty kings, they ruled over the world. It was monarchy. So there was a fight between two cousin brothers of the same family, and that is the theme of this Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in the battlefield. In the battlefield, we have got very little time. This Bhagavad-gītā was spoken when the two parties met on the battlefield. And Arjuna, after seeing the other party, that the other party, all of them belonged to his family, all family members, because it was fight between cousin brothers, so he became compassionate. Compassionately, he said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I don't wish to fight. Let my cousin brothers enjoy the kingdom. I cannot kill them in this fight." This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā. But Kṛṣṇa induced him that "You are a kṣatriya. It is your duty to fight. Why you are deviating from your duty?"

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

According to Vedic system, there are four classes of men in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Human society must be divided into four classes of men. Just like in our body, there are four different departments: the brain department, the hand department, the belly department, and the leg department. You require all these. If the body is to be maintained, then you must maintain properly your head, your arms, your belly, and leg. The cooperation. You have heard many times the caste system of India: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is not artificial. It is natural. In any society you go, not only in India, in any other country, these four classes of men are there. Intelligent class of men, administrator class of men, productive class of men, and laborer class of men. You call it by different names, but there must be such division. As I told you, there are divisions in my own body—the brain department, the arms department, the belly department, and the leg department. So all the kings, they belong to the arms department for protection of the people. So formerly, the kṣatriyas..., kṣatriya means one who gives protection to the citizens from being harmed by other enemies. That is called kṣatriya.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says this body, either in living force or without living force... Without living force it is called dead. With living force it is called living. In both the condition, a learned man..., learned man means one who knows brahma-bhūtaḥ. One who knows Brahman, one who has realized Brahman. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). As soon as one is on the stage of brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, he can understand that "I am not this body. I am separate from this body." This knowledge was very common knowledge. At least we can see five thousand years ago. The kṣatriyas were fighting severely one another, but still they are not in bodily concept of life. So Arjuna being kṣatriya, is so much embarrassed with the bodily concept of life; therefore Kṛṣṇa chastised him, that "You are not a very learned man. You are talking just like a learned man, but you are not learned man." So this conclusion is to be taken by us. That anyone within this world, if he has got bodily concept of life, he's not a learned man. He's a fool. So this world at the present moment at least, it is a fool's paradise. Nobody is learned. Because everyone is working under the bodily concept of life. This is chastise. This is the first chastisement. Just like before giving lesson, if the student is writing or reading wrongly, then the teacher immediately says, "You fool, it is not like this. It should be like this."

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

So there was fight. So when fight was arranged, then Arjuna... He was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. (aside to someone talking:) Please stop. He declined fight. He said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa was his friend—"I don't like this fight because they are my cousin-brothers. Although they have usurped my kingdom, let them enjoy it. I don't wish to fight with them." But Kṛṣṇa declined. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, you have to fight. Your duty is to fight." Then Arjuna placed before Him so many ideas that "If I kill my brother, then my brothers' wives will be widow and they may be polluted, then unwanted children, varṇa-saṅkara, will come out, and when the varṇa-saṅkara population is filling, then the whole world becomes a hell." So many arguments. So Kṛṣṇa, when He saw that Arjuna is very much afflicted with the material ideas, so He wanted to teach him this Bhagavad-gītā. So first punishment... Not punishment, chastisement. Because Arjuna accepted that "The perplexities which I am facing is not possible to be solved except Yourself." He knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So he surrendered himself to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam, kārpaṇya-doṣopahata svabhāvaḥ: (BG 2.7) "I am a kṣatriya. It is my duty to fight in right cases, and I am declining. This is my weakness. So kindly instruct me how I can give up this weakness. I am accepting You as my guru." Śiṣyas te 'ham. Śiṣya means who voluntarily accepts to be ruled by a person who is guru. He is called śiṣya.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

Yuddha, fighting, Arjuna was kṣatriya. It is his duty. Because here, in this material world, violence is also required. Violence. Because everyone is competitor, everyone is trying to become the Supreme, so there will be violence. Just like in your state, at the present moment, there is violence because one party is trying to become Supreme than the other. That is going on everywhere, all over the world, the struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become supreme than the other. So there must be violence. So expecting that there will be violence, the kṣatriya class required. Just like in the state, expecting that there will be violence, therefore the police department is maintained, the military department is maintained. So you cannot avoid violence from this material world. It is useless proposal. Our Mahatma Gandhi tried to stop violence. He started the nonviolence movement, but factually he had to die by violence. So kṣatriya, they are trained up violent to become violent to stop violence. That is required. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises that "Don't try to become nonviolent because..." Tasmād yudhyasva bhārata. "Don't think that by killing the body, your grandfather, or your nephews and your brother on the other side, they will be finished. No. They'll live.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

The body may be destroyed." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). But actual soul, he'll transmigrate. According to Vedic philosophy, if a kṣatriya dies in proper fighting, then he is immediately transferred to the heavenly planet, the heavenly planet. Because he sacrifices his body for right cause. Formerly, the fight was not a very trifle thing. After much consideration, then fighting or war was declared. Just like the fighting between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas; first of all, there was great endeavor to stop the fight. Kṛṣṇa Himself became the messenger and was going from this party to another. Because Kṛṣṇa... Both the parties were Kṛṣṇa's family relatives. So He wanted to stop and mitigate the misunderstanding by mutual settlement. But it was not possible. The Duryodhana's party said that "We are not prepared to spare even a small piece of land which can hold the tip of the needle." Sūcāgra-bhūmi. Then it was decided there must be fight. That fighting was meant for the kṣatriyas. Formerly, there was no democracy. The so-called democracy. Democracy means that there was one king only; now there are hundreds of kings.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

So if one thinks that "I have killed him, he's finished," he's also foolish. And one who thinks that "If I have died in the fight, then I will be finished." No. Ubhau tau na vijānītaḥ. Both of them are ignorant. Ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate. The living soul is never killed, neither he can kill others. For duty's sake... Of course, when there is fight... That is called dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha, by the order of the Supreme. Just like Arjuna was fighting by the order of the Supreme. That is dharma-yuddha. If there is no sanction by the dharma, there is śāstra injunction, "In this case fighting should be there, in case, in this case, there should be no fighting..." So one who follows the principles of regulation in the Vedas, that is called dharma-yuddha. Even there is fight, there is religion, there is piety. Even by killing and being killed. Two kṣatriyas are fighting. Either he kills or he is being killed, in both ways they are profited. That will be explained. Just like Arjuna was advised that "My dear Arjuna, why you are hesitating to fight? Both ways you'll be benefited. If you can kill your enemies, then you get the kingdom, you enjoy. And if you are killed, then you are promoted to the heavenly planets. So where is your loss? Where is your loss?" This is the instruction given. A kṣatriya who is fighting for the real cause, as sanctioned by the dharma-śāstras, when both ways he's profited. If he becomes victorious, he's profited, but if he's killed in the battle, he's also profited. Both ways.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says that na tu eva ahaṁ na tvaṁ na ime janādhipāḥ: "Either I or you or all these people who have assembled here in this battlefield, janādhipāḥ, kings..." In the battlefield, janādhipāḥ, they are not ordinary men. Now in the battlefield the poor mercenaries, they go to give their life, whereas the janādhipāḥ, the leaders of the people, they sit down very comfortably. They do not go to the battlefield. They simply give order in writing, and the poor mercenaries, paid soldiers, they are paid for giving their life. Money is so sweet that one is prepared to give his life for money. Such men are sent to the war field. And the janādhipāḥ, they are after also money, but they carefully avoid the battlefield. Minister of Defense, perhaps he has never seen a battlefield, Minister of Defense. Formerly it was not like that. When there was fight, because they are kṣatriyas... Kṣatriyas, they will never go back from fighting. Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. That is the symptom of kṣatriya. When there is fight, they will come forward first. Śauryaṁ tejo... Vīryaṁ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca dānaṁ ca. Kṣatriyas means they are very powerful, strong, and when there is fight, a kṣatriya, if he is challenged by somebody that "I want to fight with you," he cannot deny. "Yes. What kind of fight you want, bows, arrows, or club, or sword?" Any way they will fight. And fight means until one is dead, the fight will go on. That is fight.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and Bhīma went to Jarāsandha. He was very charitable to the brāhmaṇas, and these three persons went there, dressing themselves as poor brāhmaṇas. So in the assembly they begged from Jarāsandha, "Sir, we have come to beg from you for fight." Kṛṣṇa, to save the other soldiers, He advised that "Let us fight with Jarāsandha alone. Why he should unnecessarily bring so many soldiers and we have to also? Why these poor soldiers will give life? Better go, let us individually fight." So Jarāsandha could understand that "They are kṣatriyas. They have come in the dress of a brāhmaṇa to beg," because kṣatriya cannot beg. So he accepted, "Yes." Then he selected Bhīma to fight with him. He rejected Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa also, that "You are not fit for fighting with me." So there was fighting for twenty-eight days. Fighting was going on from morning to evening. And at night they were friends. Bhīma, Arjuna, and Kṛṣṇa was the guest, and he received them as guests. They were eating together, talking together. In the morning again fighting. This is kṣatriya. It is sport, sporting, but that sporting was meant for... Until one dies, the fighting will go on.

So yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. This is the qualification of kṣatriya. So here it is said, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is chariot driver of Arjuna. So He says, janādhipāḥ. There were many kings. Different parts of the world, they joined. Janādhipāḥ, the leaders, when there is fight the leaders must come forward. And as soon as the leaders are killed, then it is victory, not by killing the soldiers or common men by atomic bomb.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So Arjuna, and, says like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, "No. You must be dutiful. Never mind who is that, your grandfather or your teacher. No. When there is fight... You are a kṣatriya. A kṣatriya should not be..., has no other consideration in the fight. He must fight."

So here is the thing, you see, that Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You become a nonviolent." No. Never says that. When there is question of fighting for right cause, you must fight. There is no question of becoming nonviolent. You see? Now, now, he is saying that "Don't be aggrieved. Even your grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva, even your Droṇācārya..., it will be good for them because they are now old enough, and as soon as they are dead, they get a new body. So you should not be discouraged." Then one is that "Do you mean to say that therefore a man should be killed?" No. We cannot kill without reason. No. That will be a great sin. But this is a fight. This is a fight for a cause. They are not killers. It is said that a kṣatriya who lays down his life in the battlefield, he at once rises up to the higher planets. You see? Because for right cause, if one lays down his life... Just like so many people, they lay, lay down their life for the cause of the country. Do you mean to say they are sinful or they are going to hell? No, no, no. Those who are laying down for the good cause their life, their next life is very brilliant. But if you commit suicide without any reason and written or without any cause, then you'll be sinful. You'll be sinful.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

We should not lament. Because Arjuna was thinking in terms of the body, in the battlefield, he was bewildered whether..., because the other side were all relatives. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is giving the knowledge that "Don't think that your father or your grandfather or your brother, they will be finished. No. They will be simply..., if you kill, they will simply be transferred to another body. Better you consider that your grandfather is possessing now an old body; if you kill your grandfather in the battlefield..." Because formerly the war was declared not whimsically. The war was also religious war. So in the religious war, a kṣatriya... The kṣatriyas were fighting, not the śūdras, not the brāhmaṇas, not the vaiśyas. There was a caste for fighters. Not like this, where a śūdra is elected as president, he is not fighting, he is in a safe place, and he is simply directing, "You go and fight. Let me see how you are fighting." No. The king, the kṣatriya, he will come forth in the front of fight. That was fight. If the king is killed by the opposite party, then it is declared that they are victorious—no more fight, no more unnecessarily killing other persons. The aim was to kill the king. The king was on the front. The other party, he was also in front. The king is fighting with king, and the soldiers are fighting with soldier.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Just like Arabia, Iraq or... During summertime, the temperature is 135. You cannot imagine 135. In India we have experienced temperature, I have experienced up to 118 degrees. Not always, unusually. But 110 degree is usual during summertime, 110 degree. Usual temperature. So does it mean... The scorching heat, you cannot get out on the street. But still, one has to go to office, one has to go to work. There are some cases of heat stroke. Still, nobody can stop his duty. "Similarly, even if you think that by discharging your duty as a warrior, as a kṣatriya, your grandfather will be killed or... Of course, there is no cause of lamentation. He'll get another new body. But even if you think, if your bodily concept is so strong, if you are sorry, so you have to, I mean to say, tolerate. Just one has to tolerate extreme heat and extreme cold." There is no cause of crying, "Oh, there is extreme heat, extreme heat." What you'll do? That is nature's law. Extreme heat—everyone is cooking. Nobody says, "Oh, today is extreme heat. I cannot cook." No. Everybody is cooking, although there is suffering. Similarly, there is extreme cold, but everyone is taking bath in the Ganges. Nobody says, "Oh, I'll not take bath. So duty has to be done. There may be some suffering, temporary. Even though... Kṛṣṇa never says, "Oh, my dear Arjuna, you are My friend. All right, you are feeling so much sorry. All right, I shall do it for you. You sit down, silent." No. Kṛṣṇa never says that. "You have to do it." Although He says that "This battle is arranged by Me. They're already killed. Nobody is going back. Still, you have to do it."

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince Arjuna that "Why you are hesitating to fight? Do your duty. Your so-called grandfather or so-called guru, as you say, your teacher, they are not this body. So in this fight, if your grandfather or teacher is killed, why you are lamenting? They are eternal." That is also explained, that "They were existing in the past, they are existing at present, and they will continue to exist. Simply the body will change. So why you are lamenting? Rather, it is a great facility that your grandfather has got now old body, he is not very comfortable, but he will get next life a very new body. So it is good for him if you kill him." Of course, that is not the point. (laughter) You cannot kill without any reason. That is not point. But here, "It is fight. It is duty. They have come to kill you." And the kṣatriyas, their determination is, when they go to fight, either to own victory or die, not returning back, sir, no. If a kṣatriya is hurt on the back side, he is degraded. He must be hurt on the chest, front side. That is kṣatriya. That means he has fought nicely. There is injury on the chest, not in the back side. Back side injury means he was fleeing. So kṣatriya's determination is, either you own the battle or die in the battle. That will be explained. "If you own the battle, then enjoy. You have got the kingdom. But if you die in the battle, you go to the heaven. Because you have fought for the right cause, you will go to the heaven."

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So the whole scheme is Vedic scheme, not otherwise: how to become immortal. You find in Bhagavad-gītā, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). In many places, the śāstra only aims at. In another place, in Bhāratī-kāvya (Bhakti-kāvya) (?), when Viśvāmitra Muni came to see Mahārāja Daśaratha to ask his son, Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa, to take them, they were boys at that time, and there was a demon disturbing in the forest. So Viśvāmitra... (aside:) Not back side ... Viśvāmitra Muni came to Mahārāja Daśaratha for help. Viśvāmitra Muni could kill that demon immediately, but that is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. Killing business is for the kṣatriya. Just see how... He was quite powerful. He could kill that demon simply by saying that "You die." He was so powerful, Viśvāmitra Muni. But still, he came to the king for help.

Lecture on BG 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973:

So, immeasurable. You cannot measure what is the soul, but the soul is there, and the body is perishable. "If you, even if you do not fight, you save the bodies of your grandfather and teacher and others as you are so much overwhelmed, so they are perishable. Antavanta means today or tomorrow. Suppose your grandfather is already old. So you do not kill him just now or, say, after one year or six months, he may die because he's already old. These are the arguments put forward. The main point is Kṛṣṇa wants Arjuna that he must fight. He must, he must not deviate from his duty as a kṣatriya. He should not be overwhelmed by the bodily destruction. Therefore He is giving instruction: "The body is different from the soul. So don't think that the soul will be killed. You stand up and fight." This is the instruction.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

So in God's creation everything is unlimited. It is not limited with our perspective of knowledge. So there are so many, innumerable universes, innumerable planets, and there are innumerable living entities. And all of them are rotating according to their karma. And birth and death means changing, one body to another. I make one plan in this life and... Because everyone is in the bodily concept of live. So so long we are in the bodily concept of life... "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am vaiśya," "I am śūdra," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am so and so." These are all bodily concept of life designations. So so long I am in bodily concept of life, I think, "I have got this duty to do. As brāhmaṇa, I have got to do such and such things." "As American, I have got to do so many things." So long this consciousness will continue, we'll have to accept another body. This is the nature's process.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

So we have to purify the vāsanā, desire. That is required. If we don't purify, then we have to take birth, birth and death, repetition of birth and death. So that desire, how it can be purified? That desire can be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). We have to give up this designation, "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am kṣatriya," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this and..." So many designations. Because I am spirit soul, but this is, this covering is my designation. so if I identify with this designation, then I'll have to repeat the birth and death. That you can purify. How it can be purified? That can be purified by devotional service. When you understand that you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, when I understand that "I am eternally related with Kṛṣṇa. He's Supreme, I am servant," and when I engage myself in His service, that is the purification of desires. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone is acting on different material consciousness. "I am American. Therefore I must work in this way. I must fight with the Russians." Russian thinking that "I am Russian. I must fight the Americans." Or the China... So many designations. This is called māyā, illusion.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Desire means material desires. If you think that you are Indian and your desire is how to make your country improve... Or so many desires. Or if you are a family man. So these are all material desires. So long you are enwrapped by material desires, then you are under the condition of material nature. As soon as you think that you are, your, you are not Indian or American, you are not a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, that is called purified desire. Desire is there, but you have to purify the desire. That I have explained just now. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). These are upādhis. Suppose you are in a black coat. So does it mean you are black coat? If you say... If I ask you, "Who are you?" If you say, "I am black coat," is that the proper answer? No. Similarly, we are in a dress, American dress or Indian dress. So if somebody asks you "Who are you?" "I am Indian." That is wrong identification. If you say, "Ahaṁ brahmāsmi," that is your real identification. That realization required.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

When you become Vaiṣṇava, the brahminism is already included. General process is, unless one does not come to the sattva-guṇa platform, he cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the general rule. But this Kṛṣṇa, devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is so nice that simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you come to immediately to the brahminical platform. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Abhadra. Abhadra means these three qualities of material nature. Even brahminical qualities. The śūdra quality, the vaiśya quality, or the kṣatriya quality, or even brāhmaṇa quality. They are all abhadras. Because in brāhmaṇa quality, again the same identification comes. "Oh, I am brāhmaṇa. Nobody can become brāhmaṇa without birth. I am great. I am brāhmaṇa." This false prestige comes. So he becomes bound up. Even in brahminical qualities. But when he comes to the spiritual platform, actually, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not sannyāsī, I am not gṛhastha, I am not brahmacārī," Not, not, not...These eight principles, varṇāśrama, He denies. Then what You are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is self realization.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Prabhupāda: (break)...understand. They... (break) ...God. Now we are giving "Here is God, here is the name and address of God." What is the difference?

Indian: In India, about God it is...

Prabhupāda: India! Why you are thinking in India? God is not for India or American. God is for everyone.

Indian: Then why varṇāśrama-dharma, there also, they are prevalent, that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They prevailed. They also went from India. That is the history. There were... All the kṣatriyas, they went to Europe and America. That is in the Mahābhārata history. They were also on the Vedic culture. Now they have lost. Just like recently. We have got experience, within twenty years. Some of the Hindus who became Mohammedan. And they become Pakistani. But twenty years before, they were not Pakistan. So gradually this misconception is increasing. Otherwise, there was one. One God, one civilization, everything, there was one.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So this verse we discussed last morning. That this body is just like dress. This is not our real identification. I am thinking "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," "I am Russian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am Andhra-pradesh," "I am Bengali." These are all nonsense. But on this nonsense idea the whole world is going on. So how there can be real knowledge? The basic principle of knowledge is ignorance. Andha. The man who is leading, he is blind. How he can lead? This is the position. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to make advancement of civilization, but the basic principle is wrong. They are accepting... This is called illusion, accepting something as something else. The... Just like this... If I identify myself with this coat and shirt, the basic principle of my identification is lost.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

Devotee: "However, since he was not risking rebirth of the soul, Arjuna had no reason to be afraid of being affected with sinful activities due to his killing grandfather and teacher. But at the same time, Kṛṣṇa sarcastically addressed Arjuna as mahā-bāhu, mighty-armed, because He, at least, did not accept the theory of the vaibhāṣikas which leaves aside the Vedic wisdom. As a kṣatriya, Arjuna belonged to the Vedic culture, and it behooved him that he continue to follow its principles." Twenty-seven.

Prabhupāda: He is, as a friend, He's criticizing that "You are professing to be followers of Vedic culture, and you are accepting some nonsense culture. That is not good for you."

All right, stop there. So you read carefully Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Every word, every line is so, I mean to say, instructive. It is simply... That is the basic principle of spiritual knowledge. Now we have presented. Every one of you should very carefully read. Every one of you must have one book and read it carefully and appear in the examination next Janmāṣṭamī. You'll get designation, (laughs) Bhakti-śāstrī. Yes. So any question? Now invite people to come here. We have got now a nice place.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

So he has got his different planet, as the sun has got different planet. So his son Ikṣvāku was given this earthly planet to rule over and from that generation, Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, Lord Rāmacandra appeared. In this way the kṣatriyas, they spread all over the world. I have several times said that most of the Europeans, they belong to the original kṣatriyas.

So the human history has spread. Not only in this planet, in many other planets. So Manu is the father of mankind. From the word man... This is Latin? Latin word? Man? Sanskrit word is manuṣya, from Manu, that is "man." So Manu is accepted as the father of the mankind in Sanskrit literature. And in Bible it is said the man is made after God. So actually Brahmā is the son of Viṣṇu, and Manu is the son of Brahmā, and we are also son of Manu in different aspect. So gradually, if you go up, God comes to be our original father. And we say also, God is the original father. And the history, Vedic history, also says like that. So God... Because we have got form, therefore God has form, must be. Just like my father had form; so I have got this form.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

The warfare of the kṣatriyas and the warfare at the present moment of the whimsical politicians, it is, they are different. Formerly it was not democracy. Only the kṣatriyas would fight. Especially the king, the royal order, they should come forward. Not that the politicians are sitting very comfortably at home, and poor people, they are given to fight in front of the enemy. No. That was not the system. The king must come forward. The other side, the king also come. And the opposite side, they also, he also should come forward and fight. It was duty. And as soon as the king is killed by the other party, then the other party becomes victorious. There was no more fighting. It is not the so-called king and president is sitting very comfortably and the poor soldiers, they are fighting unlimitedly, and the war is going on for many years. Just like last war we saw at least eight years it continued. Eight years, six years, no. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, it was finished within eighteen days. There is no use of prolonging the war unnecessarily. If the chief man is killed, then war is finished. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that "Suppose your grandfather on the other side dies, so where is the cause of lamentation? He's old man. He will get another, new body. So you should be rather happy that your old grandfather is going to have a new body." Jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyuḥ. "And everyone will die. You die today or tomorrow, or, say, fifty years after. You have to die. It is as sure as death. So why should you deviate from your duty? You are a kṣatriya. Your duty is to fight. Why you are afraid of being dead, or killing others? This is your duty."

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

So the body was not existing before. And it will not exist after death. So in the via media, if the manifestation of body is there, so why it should be the object of lamentation? In this way, Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince Arjuna that he should act as kṣatriya and perform his duty. A kṣatriya is profited, either dead or alive. That will be explained. Because in a, in a fighting, I mean to say, real religious fighting, on principle, it is, a kṣatriya is not responsible for killing. Just like in sacrificial ceremony, if the animal is killed, the brāhmaṇa is not responsible for killing an animal. So because it is duty, it is ordained by the śāstras, therefore they are not ordinary killing. Avyakta-nidhanāny eva tatra kā pari... "It was nonmanifested before, and it will become nonmanifested again. So why should you lament for the via media?"

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Just like if you purchase one pharmacology book from the bookseller's shop, and if you read, at home, do you mean that you become a medical practitioner, pharmacist? No. You must go to the university, you must go to the college. You must hear the experienced professor and learn it and practically experiment it. Then you can learn. Not that by purchasing a book you become a medical practitioner or lawyer. That is not possible. Therefore the direction is that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "Must." Here also we see, Kṛṣṇa in the beginning was talking with Arjuna just like friends. But when Arjuna understood it that "We are talking like friends. So we cannot come into conclusion." The friend, they talk, they argue, they put logic. In that way, we cannot understand. Na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Then? Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. So therefore Arjuna surrendered himself: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ. "I, I can understand that I am a kṣatriya. It is my duty to fight. But in front of my grandfather and relatives, I am declining to fight. Therefore I am affected with kārpaṇya-doṣa. I am deviating from my duty. So why I am deviating from this duty? Therefore I am surrendering myself unto You."

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu selected him, nāmācārya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself came to broadcast the glory of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. So instead of becoming Himself the ācārya, He designated Haridāsa Ṭhākura as ācārya. And similarly, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, they also became Mohammedans. They were born in Hindu, Sārasvata brāhmaṇa family, but due to their association as minister of the then Muslim government, they were rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. Formerly, the brāhmaṇa society was very strict. Anyone becoming serving, serving, servant, he is immediately excluded: "Oh, you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. You are serving." In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, by the, spoken by Nārada, he says a brāhmaṇa, if he's in difficulty, he should not accept the business of a dog, service. He should not accept service. He may go to the profession of a kṣatriya, or even up to vaiśya. Not of a śūdra. These are the injunctions. So they were strictly being followed. These Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very learned scholars, in Sanskrit, in Arabic language, Persian language, but because they accepted the ministership of Nawab Hussain Shah, immediately they were rejected. And they changed their name. Almost they became Muslim. Sakara Mallika, Dabhir Kasa. Their name was that. These are Mohammedan names.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: "According to logicians, one has to take birth according to one's activities of life. After finishing one term of activities, one has to die to take birth for the next. In this way the cycle of birth and death is revolving, one after the other, without liberation. This cycle of birth and death does not, however, support unnecessary murder, slaughter and war unnecessarily. But at the same time, violence and war are inevitable factors in human society for keeping law and order. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, being the will of the Supreme, was an inevitable event, and to fight for the right cause is the duty of a kṣatriya. Why should he be afraid of or aggrieved at the death of his relatives since he was discharging his proper duty? He did not deserve to break the law, thereby becoming subjected to the reactions of sinful acts, of which he was so afraid. By ceasing from the discharge of his proper duty, he would not be able to stop the death of his relatives, and he would be degraded on account of his selection of the wrong path of action." 28: "All created beings are unmanifest in their beginnings, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation (BG 2.28)?" 29.

Prabhupāda: This another theory, that voidism, that before our, this manifested life, there was void, and after this manifestation is over, still there will be void. Because according to voidism, everything is manifested originally void. So Kṛṣṇa puts forward this argument that before this manifested form of life there was void, and after this manifested life, there will be void, according to the void philosophy. Then where is the cause of lamentation? There is no cause of lamentation. It was void and it is going to be void. So where is the cause of lamentation? But actually that is... Originally, it was not void. That is a Bhagavad-gītā and Vaiṣṇava theory. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that there was "No such time when we did not exist." That means not there was... There was no void. There was life.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: 31: "Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles, and so there is no need for hesitation (BG 2.31)."

Prabhupāda: So here fighting is a matter of duty. That is the kṣatriya spirit. Fighting is not killing. Because people have no idea what is the soul, therefore they think that stopping war will help us in peaceful condition of the society. There are so many troubles so long this body is there. War is one of the items. Even war is stopped, there is no question that people will live forever. No. That is not the law of nature. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This life, the problem is how to stop our contact with this material body That is the problem. Not that these general people, they are thinking, "If war, there is no war, then we shall be very happy." How you'll stop your war with māyā? Māyā has declared war with you, or you have declared war with māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The māyā, the material nature is enforcing, "Why you are closing this door?" "Oh, because it is very cold outside."

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: 32: "O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets (BG 2.32)." 33.

Prabhupāda: Now why the kṣatriyas... It is said in the śāstra if a kṣatriya dies in the fight, then he is promoted to the heavenly kingdom to take birth because he is fighting for the right cause so he is promoted. As in this world also, if you fight for some right cause, you are rewarded. Even after your death, your memory is commemorated. Just like in your country so many brave soldiers, leaders, they have died, but you have honored them by keeping their statues because they fought and died for right cause, whatever we think, right or wrong. So the kṣatriyas, this is the Vedic injunction, who dies for the right cause, he is promoted to the heavenly planet. Now Kṛṣṇa says "Now it is a great opportunity for you. Suppose either you or your grandfather, the opposite party, die in this fight, so your promotion to heavenly planet is sure. And if you gain, then you get the kingdom. Both ways it is profitable for you."

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: 35: "The great generals who have highly esteemed your name and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear only, and thus they will consider you a coward (BG 2.35)." 36: "Your enemies will..."

Prabhupāda: A kṣatriya... It is the custom of the kṣatriya that if they are wounded on the back side, he is considered a coward, but if he is wounded on the chest, he is accepted as real kṣatriya. That means he has fought face to face. That is the injunction of military art in Vedic injunction.

Devotee: "Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you (BG 2.36)?" 37: "O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore get up and fight with determination (BG 2.37)." 38: "Do thou fight for the sake of fighting without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain (BG 2.38)."

Prabhupāda: This is duty. One has to execute duty without any consideration of loss and gain. That is duty, observing duty. Just see. "You are kṣatriya. There is necessity of this fighting. So you should not consider whether you are gaining or losing. It is your duty to fight."

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Nara-nārāyaṇa: I am yet not so clear to understand why it is so important to Arjuna that Kṛṣṇa should say to Arjuna that it is so important, the reputation. Because in Arjuna's own heart he knows that he is being kind, or that he is in confusion because of his kindness. Does this make a difference, the opinion that one's fellow kṣatriya would have of him?

Prabhupāda: Arjuna was reputed as a great warrior. So he should remain a great warrior. A warrior's business is not to stop fighting on the plea of becoming kind. If you have gone to the warfield and if you practice nonviolence there, this is useless. Why should you go? There is a Bengali proverb that naste bose guṇṭhanam(?), that... In India, the girls, they cover their head. That is the system of married girl's shyness. So it is said that one girl is on the stage for dancing. Now while she is to dance, she's covering the head. What is the use of covering the head? You have come to dance, you dance. Similarly, in the warfield, you have gone there to fight. Where is the question of becoming nonviolent? So things should be done according to the time and atmosphere. In the warfield, there is no question of nonviolence. The war is arranged for committing violence. Where is the question of preaching there nonviolence?

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: I don't know how to exactly word this. It seems like... I didn't quite understand the explanation, but it seems that although the battlefield is arranged for this war, there was almost a test for his principles and for him to renounce his place in the kṣatriya class. This is where I get confused in the Gītā. It seems like this is a very noble thing for him to renounce his place in the caste. I'm not clear here.

Prabhupāda: Renounce what?

Devotee: To renounce his place as a warrior and to go off into the woods and be a mendicant or whatever he wanted to do.

Prabhupāda: Who said?

Devotee: Arjuna.

Prabhupāda: So that is his cowardice. That is being condemned by Kṛṣṇa, that "It is not your business to give up fighting and go away from the warfield and go to the forest for meditation. It is not your business."

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

For a kṣatriya who are engaged in fighting, in religious fight... Fight must be religious fight. The cause must be right. Then the fighting is all right. So kṣatriya killing in the religious fight, he's not responsible, he's not sinful. That is stated. Just like brāhmaṇa. He sacri... He puts in sacrifice some animal. That does not mean he's killing. Similarly, kṣatriya, when he's engaged in killing, he's not sinful. This will be explained in the next verse. "So it your duty. Don't be worried that you are killing your kinsmen or your grandfather. Take it from Me, assurance, that the dehī, avadhya, you cannot kill, he's eternal." Now, dehe sarvasya bhārata, this important point you should note it that every living entity, the body has grown on the platform of the spirit soul. The body may be very gigantic or very small, it doesn't matter. But... Therefore matter is produced or grows on the platform of spirit. Not that a spirit comes into existence, or living force come into existence by the combination of matter. This is scientific point. Matter is dependent on spirit. Therefore, it is called inferior. Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. Dhāryate, it bears. The spirit is there; therefore, the gigantic universe is resting on the spirit. Either the supreme spirit Kṛṣṇa, or the small spirit. There are two kinds of spirit. Ātmā and paramātmā. Īśvara and parameśvara.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation."

Prabhupāda:

sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya
na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat
kṣatriyasya na vidyate
(BG 2.31)

Sva-dharmam. Sva means "own." And dharmam means "occupation." Dharma means occupation and... (to Pradyumna:) You finished?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Sva means "own." Sva-dharmam: "one's own occupation." So according to Vedic civilization, everyone has his own sva-dharma. This has been misinterpreted by the rascals. Sva-dharma means anyone can discover his own religious principle. Yato mata tato patha. Whatever you think is religious principle, that's all right. This is going on. But that is not the meaning. Sva-dharma means "own occupation." Actually dharma means which you cannot give up. Dhṛ-dhātu. You have to capture it; to keep your existence you must capture it.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

Every government is encouraging people how to become śūdra. But actually, the human society must be divided into four parts. Four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Just like in our body there is division. The head department, the arms department, the belly department and the leg department. You cannot say, "Let there be only leg department. There is no use of head and arms and belly." Will that go on nicely? If your body, you cut off all other parts and simply keep the legs, will that be very nice proposal? Leg is required. But if you keep the body only by the legs, then this kind of body is dead body. Any part of the body. Especially the head. If you cut off the head then the body is altogether dead. You can cut off the arms, you can cut off the legs, but it is very difficult to cut off the belly also. Then it will be dead.

So, sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means the division, kṣatriya division of the society. The brāhmaṇa division, the kṣatriya division, the vaiśya division and the śūdra division. Everything is required. It is not that śūdra is not required. Śūdra is required, but if you make propaganda simply to make people śūdras, then who will give direction? If there is no head, who will give the direction? So a kṣatriya, kṣatriya has got a very difficult task to see. Kṣatriya means government, the governing division. So the governing division has got a very important duty to see that everyone is following his duty. The brāhmaṇa is following his duty, a kṣatriya is following his duty, vaiśya is following the duty, and śūdra... That is, government's duty is... Just like in India nowadays it has become a secular government. Secular government means impartial to any religious system.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

If you are calling himself Muslim, then it is government's duty to see that whether actually you are following the Muslim principles of religion. If you are a Christian, it is the government's duty is to see that you are following the Christian principle of religion. Not that callous, "You can do whatever you like." No. Kṣatriya's duty is to see. The king, government's duty is to see. Similarly, if one is claiming that he is a brāhmaṇa, it is the government's duty to see whether he's strictly following the brāhmaṇa principles: śamo damas titikṣā, ārjavam, whether he is strictly following how to become self-controlled, how to remain always pure, clean, śuci. Brāhmaṇas' another name is śuci, always cleansed. Similarly ārjavam, simplicity. Brāhmaṇa's life should be very simple. They should not imitate the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas and the śūdras. So this principle, whether one is actually following the brahminical principle...

So here Kṛṣṇa is pointing out that "As a kṣatriya you must follow your principle, kṣatriya principle." What is kṣatriya principle? Kṣatriya principle is that dharmyāddhi yuddhāt, dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate. Kṣatriya must be always prepared, and if required, to fight also, whether people are keeping their own principle of religion. That is kṣatriya's duty. He, if (a) brāhmaṇa is bluffing people, that "I am brāhmaṇa," but he is acting as a śūdra, immediately kṣatriya should point out and offer him fight, "Why you are cheating people? Why you are cheating people?" Similarly, a kṣatriya is declaring himself that "I am kṣatriya," but he's acting as a śūdra, it is the kṣatriya's or the government's duty, that, "Why you are cheating people?" So a kṣatriya's business is always prepared to fight. Fight means that to see that everyone is acting nicely. Because if you are not acting nicely, and if I say that "You are not acting nicely," you'll be angry.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

So if somebody says that "You are declaring yourself as brāhmaṇa but you are not following the brāhmaṇa principle," he will be angry. But a kṣatriya's duty is that if he is angry, he should be punished immediately. He should be punished immediately. Kṣatriya's yuddhāc, dharmyāddhi yuddhāt. He should challenge. Challenging means yuddha, fight.

So kṣatriya cannot be nonviolent. It is not possible. Violence is also required to keep the social system strictly in order. Just like the government has violence department, the police department, the military department. That is required to keep up the society in order. So here Kṛṣṇa says that "You are kṣatriya; your duty is to fight." Dharmyāddhi yuddhāt. "This fight arranged by Me in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, because it is sanctioned by Me, it is dharma-yuddha, it is religious fighting." It is not the political diplomats declaring war to keep the people in ignorance. No. It is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

So God, Kṛṣṇa personally has sanctioned this Battle of Kurukṣetra. So therefore it is dharma, dharma-yuddha religious fight. It is not ordinary fighting of the diplomats and the politicians. It is dharma-yuddha. Therefore He says, dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate: "You are kṣatriya. You are fighting for the sake of religious system. That is the, your first-class duty." Śreyaḥ.

So a kṣatriya... These four principles must be there in the society, brāhmaṇa, kṣat... The brāhmaṇa will not be required to fight. A brāhmaṇa will not be required to work like śūdra. A brāhmaṇa will not be required to work like vaiśya. Therefore brāhmaṇa can beg. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. This is brāhmaṇa's business. He must be good scholar in Vedic literature and he must teach others. Not that "I have learned everything; I'll not teach anything." No. Brāhmaṇa must be well-versed in the Vedic literature and he must preach also, make others also brāhmaṇa, paṭhana pāṭhana. Not that "I have become brāhmaṇa. So there is no need of others becoming brāhmaṇa. There will be competition."

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

So it is the duty of the kṣatriya... Unfortunately, the so-called government men, they are also śūdras. The so-called priests, they are also śūdras. The so-called vaiśyas, they are śūdras. The whole world is now full of śūdras. So you cannot expect anything very nice in this situation because everything is being conducted by śūdras. So Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that "This fight is not ordinary fight. It is dharma-yuddha, and you should accept it, you should not hesitate. After all, the soul is never killed. It is the duty, it is the duty of different dharma." Sva-dharma, sva-dharma means so long one is in the bodily concept of life, this sva-dharma means this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is sva-dharma. And Arjuna belonged to the kṣatriya; therefore his sva-dharma, his occupational duty, is to fight. So, and real sva-dharma is spiritual sva-dharma. In the spiritual. So when you go deep into the matter, when you understand that "I am not this body; I am soul," then that is real sva-dharma. And what is the occupation of that sva-dharma? That is to be engaged in the service of the Lord. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Actually that is sva-dharma. Every soul is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual sva-dharma. And material sva-dharma means this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

One who is engaged in devotional service. A devotee's position is transcendental. He has no, no more sva-dharma in the bodily concept of life. Because he's neither brāhmaṇa, neither kṣatriya, nor vaiśya nor śūdra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a sannyāsī." In this way He negativated all the eight items because sva-dharma means varṇāśrama dharma. Varṇa and āśrama. Four castes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied, that "I am not this, I am not this, I am not that, I am not that." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Gopī-bhartuḥ means this maintainer of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhartuḥ. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayoḥ. "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant who is engaged in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80)."

So this is... Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who have decided to serve Kṛṣṇa only, they are no longer in the categories of sva-dharma, the bodily sva-dharma, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or brahmacārī, vānaprastha. He is transcendental. That is confirmed in every śāstra. So so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so long our bodily concept of life is not completely eradicated, we must follow the sva-dharma of the body. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, ity ādi. But when actually advanced, that is mahā-bhāgavata. We should not imitate that, but our process is the more we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become transcendental to this bodily concept of life, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

So anyone who engages himself without any reservation to the service of the Lord, he is not within the category of these eight varṇāśrama-dharma. He's transcendental. Sa brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So as a Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, he can act like anything by the order of Kṛṣṇa. He can act as a brāhmaṇa, he can act as a śūdra, because his main business is to carry out Kṛṣṇa's order. He's no longer within the category of this sva-dharma. So Kṛṣṇa asking Arjuna, that "If you are thinking in the bodily concept of life, then also..." Means "First of all, when I have ordered, I have sanctioned, you can work it beyond the bodily concept of life. But if you are thinking still that you are in the bodily concept of life, then, as a kṣatriya, it is your duty to fight." Kṛṣṇa is trying to put Arjuna in the dilemma, "This way or that way, you must have to fight. If you think that you are not in bodily concept of life, then it is My order, 'You must fight.' If you think that you are in bodily concept of life, then you are a kṣatriya, you must fight. Both ways you have to fight." This is Kṛṣṇa's conclusion.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

Pradyumna: "O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets."

Prabhupāda:

yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ
svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam
sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha
labhante yuddham īdṛśam
(BG 2.32)

So, it is the duty of the kṣatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samāna. One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma. A brāhmaṇa, it is the duty of the brāhmaṇa to see that his son is being properly trained up as a brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Everything is there. The brāhmaṇas should be taught how to become truthful, first of all. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lie, at any cost. It is stated that even if his enemy inquires something confidential from him, he'll say, "Yes, this is my position." This is truthfulness. He'll not even, I mean to say, guile, against his enemy. He should be truthful. Even kṣatriyas, they are also truthful men. Truthfulness is so valuable. That makes one powerful brāhmaṇa. Satyam.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So similarly, kṣatriya. Kṣatriya's duty is, it is, kṣātraṁ dvijatāṁ ca parasparārtham.(?) The brāhmaṇas will examine whether the kṣatriyas are doing their duty nicely. Just like Paraśurāma, when he saw that all the kṣatriyas have become rascals, he wanted to kill them all. You know that. Twenty-one times he killed. Some of the kṣatriyas, they fled from India, and they came to this side in European countries. Therefore, origin of the Europeans, they are kṣatriyas. Turkey, Greece, and other countries also. Kṣatriya. So it is the duty of the brāhmaṇa to see that kṣatriyas are doing nicely their duty. So similarly, kṣatriyas' duty is also to see whether brāhmaṇas are doing their duty. So kṣatriyas were not needed to see the brāhmaṇas, they were so advanced brāhmaṇas that they were beyond examination of the kṣatriyas. But another duty of the kṣatriya is that people are being educated spiritually. That is kṣatriya's duty. Or the king of a kingdom is looking over the citizens, that they are properly being trained up. This is... If one king is not properly... Just like in some states at the present moment... What is called? Secular. Secular means they have meant like that, that "You do all nonsense; we don't care. You pay me tax, that's all. Income tax. And you go to hell. It doesn't matter." This is not secular state. Secular state means the state must be very vigilant whether everyone is doing his duty, everyone is employed in his duty; and if everyone is not employed, it is the duty of the government to see. He must be employed. A brāhmaṇa is employed, a kṣatriya is employed, a vaiśya is employed. Otherwise, if they are unemployed, idle brain, then idle brain will be devil's workshop. That is happening. Because everyone is not employed, they have discovered machine, and the machine is working hundred men's work. So actually, a hundred men are unemployed. So the machine has not improved the situation. It has improved the pocket of the capitalist. But it has not improved the condition of the mass of people. No. They are unemployed.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So, the whole thing has topsy-turvied. Why? Because there is no good king. This is the cause. So the whole Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was arranged by Kṛṣṇa so that these irresponsible rogues, dressed as kings, should be all killed. That was the plan of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Duryodhana. Duryodhana, in the dress of a king, he was a rogue. He cheated the Pāṇḍavas by gambling. "You bet your wife, you bet your kingdom." In this way, they were devotees, simple, cheated them. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to see that these cheaters and rogues must be killed. That was His plan. Therefore He said, yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam: "Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but it is a great opportunity for you. Because as a kṣatriya, if you kill these cheaters and rogues, that will be a great achievement for you. And even though you cannot kill them, if you die yourself, then the heavenly door is open for you." Because a kṣatriya who dies in the battlefield for the right cause, he goes to the heaven. If he conquers over the enemy, he enjoys the kingdom. And if he dies... But the cause must be right.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Fourth Chapter, you'll find that Kṛṣṇa was teaching, first-off, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). He taught this philosophy to the sun-god. There are two kṣatriya families—sūrya-vaṁśa and candra-vaṁśa. One family's coming from the sun-god, another family's coming from the moon-god. So Kṛṣṇa said, because sun was the principal man in the kṣatriya family of sūrya-vaṁśa. So he was taught first.

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)

So Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the first king of the dynasty in which Lord Rāmacandra took birth, very pious family. So Ikṣvāku Mahārāja... The worship of Lord Rāmacandra began from Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. Mahārāja Ikṣvāku used to worship the Deity of Rāmacandra, Rāma-Sītā. Therefore in their family Lord Rāmacandra appeared. That Deity is still existing in some part of South India. The Deity was being worshiped in the family since Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, and during when Lord Rāmacandra was personally present, this Deity was kept in His bedroom. So one brāhmaṇa, he used to come and see Lord Rāmacandra. Then he would take, break his fasting, breakfast. That was his principle, regulative principle.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So śāstra-vidhim is required. So here is one śāstra-vidhim from Parāśara-smṛti. Parāśara was the father of Vyāsadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They're also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parāśara-smṛti it is said: kṣatriyo hi prajā rakṣan śastra, śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Śastra-pāṇi means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. "Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?" Immediately cut his hand, bas. This one example will stop millions of thieves not to commit stealing. Simply by cutting. Even a hundred years ago this system was prevalent in Kashmir. If a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, immediately king will cut off his two hands. Bas, finished. No court witness. And it will go for ten years to find out whether he has stolen. This is government. Therefore, the injunction is kṣatriya hi prajā rakṣan śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Always must be very strict. Nirjitya para-sainyādi dharmeṇa pālayet. This is dharma. In the Manu-smṛti it is said that if a man, a murderer, one man has killed another man... Why man? Even animal. He's a murderer. Now murdering is no offense. They are killing daily so many babies within the womb, murderers. That has become a custom. They're killing hundreds and thousands of animals daily in the slaughterhouse. It has become a custom. So now even human being, murder, he's not condemned to death. Is it not?

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So in the Manu-smṛti, as I am quoting from Parāśara-smṛti, there are smṛti-śāstras. The Manu-smṛti, it is said that if a man commits murder, then he should be killed. Otherwise, he'll suffer in the next life. So many sufferings. So the king's order to condemn a murderer to death is a mercy, is a mercy for him. Because he's saved from future, so many troubles. So the king should be so strict. Not that by compassion. "No. He's murderer. That's all right. He has killed one man. Why he should be killed?" No. He must be killed. This is the law. Here it is also, Parāśara-smṛti, it is said that kṣatriya should be always śastra-pāṇi, and must strictly, as soon as there is any discrepancy, he must take...

Formerly, the judgement was given by the king. Every day, king would sit. Just like we are sitting. So if there is... Formerly, there was no criminal, practically. If there was any criminal, if... It was very difficult to find out a criminal. Because these four things were forbidden. What is that? No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. So if one follows these four principles, naturally he is sinless automatically. And if the whole population is sinless, then where is the possibility of judging or bringing the criminal? When Kali was awarded four places. He was first of all ordered by Parīkṣit Mahārāja.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

So imaṁ dharmyam, religious fight. Just like even nowadays also, if the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is sinful. So Kṛṣṇa says, atha cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi. This fight is not ordinary fight. It is not the politician's fight. "For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a kṣatriya. Not only kṣatriya, you are a very well known fighter. You have been recognized by so many demigods." Arjuna got the pāśupata-astra. To test Arjuna's fighting capacity, sometimes Lord Śiva, when Arjuna was hunting in the forest, so Lord Śiva also, as a hunter, he appeared before him, and when a boar was killed by hunting, Lord Śiva claimed that "I have done this killing." Arjuna said, "No, I have done this." So there was controversy, who will claim that hunt, I mean to say, killed animal. So Arjuna was claiming, and Lord Śiva as a hunter, he was also claiming. Then there was fight between Lord Śiva and Arjuna. So Lord Śiva was defeated. So he then disclosed his identity that "I am very much pleased that you (are) such a nice fighter." So he presented him one arrow which is called pāśupata-astra. Similarly, he sometimes fought with Indra. He gave him some astra, weapon. This was the system, that a kṣatriya is presented with a kind of weapon, a brāhmaṇa is presented with Vedas, and so far vaiśyas and śūdras are concerned, they are not very important.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca: "You will, by neglecting your sva-dharma, your professional or occupational duty, and minimizing the importance of your recognition, kīrti..." Kīrtir yasya sa jīvati: "Anyone who is reputed for his good activities, he lives forever." Kīrtir yasya sa jīvati. Bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. Tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also says kīrtiḥ sa... Who lives forever? One who has got reputation for his, one who is famous for his good activities. "So don't try to lose your reputation. You are a great fighter, recognized by so many authorities, and if you don't fight, then people will say, 'Now Arjuna is finished. He cannot anymore fight.' So don't lose this reputation. Don't be deviated from your occupational duty as a kṣatriya. If you do all these things, then pāpam avāpsyasi. You don't think that it will be pious. You will, on the other hand you will become impious." Pāpam avāpsyasi. Next verse.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

This spirit of kṣatriya was prevalent even, say, three hundred years ago in India. There was a king, Yasomanta Sena. He was the commander-in-chief of Emperor Aurangzeb. So in one fight, he was defeated and came back to his home. So his wife heard that "My husband has been defeated. He's coming back home." So she asked the caretaker to close the door of the palace. So when Yasomanta Sena came there, he saw that his palace door is closed. Then he sent message to the queen that "Why you have closed the door? I have come home." So messenger came and informed that "The king has come. So he is asking to open the door." The queen replied, "Who is king? Yasomanta Sena. No, no. Yasomanta Sena cannot come being defeated. Yasomanta Sena either he conquers the battle or he lays down his body there dead. So the man who has come, he must be somebody pretender. He is not King Yasomanta Sena." So she refused to open the door. This is the spirit of kṣatriya spirit.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

The sva-dharma, the principle is a kṣatriya's duty to fight, is to kill in fight. If you are in fight, you become sympathetic, then the same example: the dancing girl, when on the stage, if she is shy, it is like that. Why she should be shy? She must dance freely. That will be credit. So in the warfield, you cannot be compassionate. That is not required. In so many ways. Ahiṁsā ārjava, these are good qualities. In the thirteen chapter, Kṛṣṇa has described ahiṁsā, nonviolence. Nonviolence is generally accepted. And actually Arjuna was nonviolent. He was not a coward, not that because he was coward, therefore he was refusing to fight. No. As a Vaiṣṇava, naturally he is nonviolent. He does not like to kill anyone, and especially his own family men. He was taking a little compassion. Not that he was a coward.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging, inducing Arjuna to observe the duty. You cannot deviate from duty. That was the point. When there is fight, you must fight regularly, and kill the enemies. That is your credit. When you are fighting with the enemies, if you become compassionate, "How shall I kill?" that is cowardice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa concludes here: hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm. There are two alternatives. For a fighter, for a kṣatriya, to fight in the battle, either gain victory or die. No via media. Fight to the last point if you are able, then become victorious. Or die. No stoppage. All this fighting were meant like that. According to the Vedic culture, the kṣatriyas... Not the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas are not encouraged to fight or kill. No. They should remain always nonviolent. Even there is required violence, a brāhmaṇa will not kill personally. He will bring the matter to the kṣatriya, royal order. Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was being disturbed by some demons in the forest. They used to live in the forest. So Viśvāmitra was able to kill such demon, many demons, by his will. But he did not do so. He went to Mahārāja Daśaratha, father of Lord Rāmacandra, to request him that "Give your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. I will take them with me. They will kill that demon." The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

The young men are trained up like śūdras, how they can fight? Therefore they are afraid. They try to avoid fighting. Because there is no division. Everyone, in this age, everyone is śūdra. How you can expect a śūdra will be encouraged to fight? That is not possible. Therefore real social structure should be four divisions, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa, fully engaged for enlightenment of the people, knowledge, spiritual knowledge. They are meant for that. They will cultivate that knowledge personally, paṭhana pāṭhana, and make students. Brahminical class. Similarly kṣatriya. They should be trained up in politics, in fighting, not to flee away from fighting. These are the training of the kṣatriyas. Similarly, vaiśyas, they should be trained up how to cultivate, grow foodgrains, how to give protection to the cows. And śūdras are meant for simply serving these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is the program.

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging Arjuna because he is a kṣatriya. Sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. It is his duty. The rascals should not take example that: "Kṛṣṇa encouraged killing. Therefore everyone should kill. There is no sin." Without understanding. This is the difficulty. The rascals they do not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. They interpret for their favorable condition. That's all.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging Arjuna because he is a kṣatriya. Sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. It is his duty. The rascals should not take example that: "Kṛṣṇa encouraged killing. Therefore everyone should kill. There is no sin." Without understanding. This is the difficulty. The rascals they do not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. They interpret for their favorable condition. That's all. Here is Bhagavad-gītā. They do not read the whole thing from ācārya—misunderstand. Bhagavad-gītā is not encouraging violence. That is not the Bhagavad-gītā's purpose. But a kṣatriya, when there is fight, dharma-yuddha, yuddha dharma... What is that, before we...? Sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha labhante yuddham īdṛśam. A kṣatriya becomes very satisfied to get such fighting opportunity, yuddham īdṛśam, yadṛcchayā copapannaṁ svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam, labhante yuddham īdṛśam. And another place,

sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya
na vikampitum arhasi
dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat
kṣatriyasya na vidyate

Dharmyāddhi-yuddha. There are two kinds of of fighting. Dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha means right, righteous fighting, and adharma-yuddha means political.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

So it is the kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means who gives protection the citizens from being hurt by the irreligious person. That is called kṣatriya. Kṣat. Kṣat means injury, and tra means deliver. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. When he saw that a black man Kali was going to kill a cow, so he was going to inflict injury to the cow, and immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, that to give protection to the cow from the injury of black man. So that violence required. Tit for tat. One who is going to commit violence unnecessarily, the king, government, should immediately take the sword and kill that person. That is government's duty. Had it been Vedic culture prevailing now, all these persons who are unnecessarily killing the cows in the slaughterhouse, they would have been killed by the king. "You have done so sinful." So that kind of killing is pious. To give protection innocent citizen or animals from being injured by the rascals, the government or the king should take his sword and kill immediately. This kind of killing is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Not that general killing. You can capriciously kill anyone and give the evidence, "Oh, it is Bhagavad-gītā. It is there." How... See how rascals, they are interpreting. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without interpreting in a rascal's way.

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa has described in sāṅkhya-yoga that "This is your duty. You are kṣatriya. You have... Why you are rejecting fighting?" In this way, in so many ways... "The soul is immortal, the body is perishable, so your grandfather or your kinsmen, they'll not die." So this is analytical study from the material point of view. And as soon as one comes to the point of serving Kṛṣṇa with love, without any understanding... Just like fire. Fire, you accept it. Without studying fire, analytical, if you touch fire, it will act. It will act. It doesn't require to study fire, how, what is the composition of fire. This is knowledge, of course. But if you... Just like gopīs in Vṛndāvana. They did not study what is Kṛṣṇa. They did not care even to study. But they wanted to love Kṛṣṇa. That is their only qualification. They were ordinary village girls. Similarly, the cowherds boy. They were tending cows. They had no Vedānta knowledge or any higher education, not very nicely cultured gentlemen, village cowherds boy, cowherds girl, but they did not know any other business than to love Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Jñāna-śūnya, without any knowledge. They did not know. They... They saw Nārāyaṇa: "Oh, here is Nārāyaṇa. All right. I offer you..." But there is no love. Love is for Kṛṣṇa. Even Nārāyaṇa, four-handed Nārāyaṇa, there is no love for. They have got respect. You can offer respect to anyone, even you have no love. But love is different thing. That was... That is the typical examples in Vṛndāvana. That is the ultimate goal of buddhi-yoga.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

This dharma means according to social and spiritual position. Somebody is brahmacārī, somebody is householder, somebody is vānaprastha, somebody is sannyāsī, somebody is brāhmaṇa, somebody kṣatriya, somebody's vaiśya, somebody's śūdra. This is Vedic division of social and spiritual life. So each position has got different types of occupational duties. These are mentioned in the Bhāgavata. Brāhmaṇa has got to do: śamaḥ damaḥ śaucaṁ titikṣā. Kṣatriya-śauryaṁ vīryaṁ yuddhe cāpalāyanam. In this way, there are some prescribed duties. But these are all material considerations. People cannot even follow systematically the material system so that you can live peacefully so long you are in this material world. The modern civilization is so condemned. They do not know even how to live peacefully. If these divisions are there, four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, it will be very systematic. People will be automatically enlightened. That is real human civilization. If the society, human society, does not at all adopt this system of social life, there cannot be any peace. Still, in India, although it is fallen so much, in the interior village you'll find the social divisions are maintained and they live very peacefully. Very peacefully.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Still, in India, although it is fallen so much, in the interior village you'll find the social divisions are maintained and they live very peacefully. Very peacefully. Those who have gone into the interior village, they have seen. And everyone can elevate himself to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). It is not that because one is śūdra or one is gṛhastha, vānaprastha, he cannot. No. For Kṛṣṇa worship, for everyone the door is open. That is explained here. Even if you think that "If I take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, join this international movement, I will be deviating from my real duty." So that also you can do. What is your real duty? This is temporary duty. Suppose you are a very nice brāhmaṇa or nice kṣatriya, nice businessman, nice politician. Your career will be lost if you think, by joining this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, your career will be lost. Don't think like that. It is still profitable. Even if you give up whole career and simply join Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then your life is success. That is being stressed. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

So therefore this is division. Not that everyone is of the same type. You cannot find. There is not... Because the world is being conducted by the three modes of nature, you cannot find all men of the same category. There must be intelligent class of men, there must be martial spirit, administrative class of men, there must be business minded men. There must be śūdras, they do not know anything, they want to serve only, master. So therefore, scientifically it is divided. Mukha bahu rupadebhyo(?). Just like in your body you find scientifically it is designed by God or Lord Brahmā: "This is brain department, this is arms department, this is belly department, this is leg department." All of them required. You cannot avoid any one of them. This is called sva-dharma. One must be fixed up to his own position. That is the real perfect social system.

Now here it is said, tyaktvā sva-dharmam. This is material division. The spiritual is different. So far... I am combination of matter and spirit; so far my body is concerned, there is division. But when I come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not like that. That is simply for everyone. Either he's externally a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, American, Indian, black, white, it doesn't matter. That is bodily. When you come to the spiritual platform, that is one. Because spirit is one.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Suppose one is very nicely executing his occupational duty, he's a businessman, very routine work, doing business, making profit and everyone appreciates his routine work. Even if he does so, or he is a very nice brāhmaṇa, nice kṣatriya, so he has done his duty very nicely, but he has not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śāstra says, what he has gained? What he has gained? In many places it is confirmed, in Bhāgavata, that,

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness means the way how you can please the Supreme Lord. But if by executing your so-called occupational duty of the body, if you do not take care of taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness or pleasing the Supreme Lord, then you have no gain. You are simply working for nothing, wasting your time. You are thinking that "I'm doing my duty very nicely. I'm a brāhmaṇa, I'm doing my duty." "I am businessman doing my duty," "I'm scientist." "I am..." Actually, you are not doing your duty. Your real duty is to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you have forgotten. Therefore Nārada Muni says ko vā artha āptaḥ abhajatām. One who is not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not engaged in devotional—abhajatām. So what does he gain? In another place, the Bhāgavata says, śrama eva hi kevalam.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

One man is doing his duty, his occupational duty as a brāhmaṇa, or a kṣatriya or a businessman or a student or anyone. He's doing very nicely. But doing all these activities, if he could not awaken his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. Viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ means just like you have come here to hear about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, why you have come here? You have come here hearing me or anyone discussing śāstra. So this is required. You may do anything as your occupational duty, but the real life is that you have to awaken your dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, become eager to understand about Kṛṣṇa. That is main business. So therefore, it is said that after doing your duties very nicely, but you have no taste for understanding Kṛṣṇa, viṣvaksena... Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Viṣvaksa. Kathāsu, kathāsu means "message." Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu, notpādayed yadi ratim: (SB 1.2.8) if you do not awaken your attachment for hearing about Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-kathā... That is our main business.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

That quality of goodness is current all over the universe. So anyone situated in that quality, he is brāhmaṇa. And those who are situated in the quality of passion, they are called kṣatriyas. And those who are situated in the quality of, mixed quality of ignorance and passion, they are called vaiśyas, or the mercantile community. And those who are situated in the quality of ignorance, they are called śūdras, or the laborer class. So in this way there are different classes and different castes all over the world. You may call it caste or division of labor or division of the society. These four divisions are there all over the universe: the intelligent class, the administrative class, the productive class and the laborer class.

So the intelligent class, they have got separate department of duty. The administrative class, they have also got separate department of duty. Similarly, the mercantile class, they have got separate activity. And the laborer class, they have only one activity, to serve others. That's all. Because they cannot do anything independently, therefore they have to offer the service to the higher class, to the administrative class or to the mercantile class or the intelligent class and take some payment for his livelihood.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

You must be a religionist or so many intelligent class of work. So you must engage in that way if you are actually intelligent, if you belong to the intelligent class. Now, if you are administrative class, then you must take to the politics or election, be elected the mayor, be elected the president or something like that, and work in that way. And if you belong to the mercantile community, then you must do business and produce agricultural grains and distribute them. That is your business. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that the mercantile class... Who are mercantile class? Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśya means the mercantile community. They are meant for giving protection to the animals, and produce grain, and distribute and make trade on them. That's all. Because formerly there was no industry—people generally depended on agricultural work—therefore the mercantile community, they used to produce food grains and distribute them, and protection of cow was their duty. As the king was entrusted to protect the life of the citizens, similarly, the vaiśya class, or the mercantile class, they were entrusted to protect the life of cow. Why particularly cow is protected? Because milk is very essential food for the human society, therefore cow protection is the duty of the human society. That is the conception of Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

So in this way, that work should not be stopped... Work... According to our position, according to our quality, work must be executed. But the fruit of the result, we should not accept. If we accept the fruit, then I must be responsible for the reaction, reaction of the work. Now, this question has come to be discussed by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna because Arjuna was a military man, he belonged to the administrative class, and this Bhagavad-gītā was described in the battlefield. So he was hesitating from his duty: "I shall not fight. I shall not fight because by killing my kinsmen, by killing my spiritual master, by killing my teacher, killing my grandfather, I will be sinful." That was his conclusion. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "If you think in that way, that you shall be, I mean to say, enjoying, enjoying the reaction. Then, of course, you'll not be working in the spiritual field. You don't take in that way because this war is a duty and because I want that you should fight." It is the order from the authority. Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. "Therefore you should fight." So fighting for the cause of the Supreme, that will not affect you. That will not affect you.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

So Bhāgavata says, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam. There are symptoms. You'll find all these in Bhagavad-gītā, who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, who is vaiśya, who is śūdra. By symptoms, by characteristics, you'll know. Similarly, if you find a man knows Kṛṣṇa, you must accept him: "He is a brāhmaṇa." He's a brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. So the miser, the opposite word is liberal or brāhmaṇa. Miser knows his self-interest, "How much nice foodstuff I have got to eat daily." That's all. And liberal, "How much Kṛṣṇa prasāda I am distributing to the world." Liberal. A miser is thinking, "How much nice dishes I have eaten today. How much I have satisfied my tongue. Never mind I go to hell. Let me eat this, that, so many nice things. Let me satisfy my tongue." "Oh, for your tongue so many animals are being sacrificed, killed?" "Never mind. I want to satisfy my tongue." Miser. But Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he does not satisfy tongue. He wants to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and whatever remnants, foodstuff, is there, he eats. That's all. He's liberal. These are the distinction between miser and liberal. Go on.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Now, for a householder, according to our Vedic system... I have already described to you the four divisions of social system and four division of spiritual orders. Now, all the social system and orders, they are so designed that everyone is working for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. In a higher section of the social order, just like the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, the system is that in every household they establish the Deity, I mean to..., the form of the Supreme Lord. Either in picture or in idol, they establish that. Now, what is the function in your household affairs? You have got wife, you have got children, and you require some money. And the activities in householder affair is that you have to get some store from the market, and they are brought in your house, and they are stocked, and in due time they are cooked, and you take your foodstuff and then go to your work. This is generally the whole system of household work.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Sometimes the birds are also called dvija. Dvija means twice-born. Twice-born. Just like the birds... The sea bird lays the egg first, and then it is fomented. And from the, I mean to, the egg, the cub comes out, the offspring comes out—the second birth. Therefore birds are also sometimes called dvija. Similarly human and higher status of life, they must have twice-born. Therefore the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, this thread, this thread is the sign that "My second birth has been done." This is the emblem. This upavīta, upanayanam, this is the sign. In India higher caste you will find this sacred thread. Sacred thread means when he is accepted, when he is given the second birth, this thread ceremony, there is a thread ceremony. So second birth means saṁskāra, saṁskāra, reformation, reformation. It doesn't matter where and how he is born. It doesn't matter.

Page Title:Ksatriya (Lectures, BG chapters 1 - 2)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:04 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=144, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:144