SB 01.15.37 yudhisthiras tat parisarpanam budhah... cited

Expressions researched:
"adharma-cakram gamanaya paryadhat" |"pure ca rastre ca grhe tathatmani" |"vibhavya lobhanrta-jihma-himsanady-" |"yudhisthiras tat parisarpanam budhah"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.15.37, Translation and Purport:

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was intelligent enough to understand the influence of the age of Kali, characterized by increasing avarice, falsehood, cheating and violence throughout the capital, state, home and among individuals. So he wisely prepared himself to leave home, and he dressed accordingly.

The present age is influenced by the specific qualities of Kali. Since the days of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, about five thousand years ago, the influence of the age of Kali began manifesting, and from authentic scriptures it is learned that the age of Kali is still to run on for 427,000 years. The symptoms of the Kali-yuga, as mentioned above, namely avarice, falsehood, diplomacy, cheating, nepotism, violence and all such things, are already in vogue, and no one can imagine what is going to happen gradually with further increase of the influence of Kali till the day of annihilation. We have already come to know that the influence of the age of Kali is meant for godless so-called civilized man; those who are under the protection of the Lord have nothing to fear from this horrible age. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was a great devotee of the Lord, and there was no necessity of his being afraid of the age of Kali, but he preferred to retire from active household life and prepare himself to go back home, back to Godhead. The Pāṇḍavas are eternal companions of the Lord, and therefore they are more interested in the company of the Lord than anything else. Besides that, being an ideal king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira wanted to retire just to set an example for others. As soon as there is some young fellow to look after the household affairs, one should at once retire from family life to uplift oneself to spiritual realization. One should not rot in the dark well of household life till one is dragged out by the will of Yamarāja. Modern politicians should take lessons from Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about voluntary retirement from active life and should make room for the younger generation. Also retired old gentlemen should take lessons from him and leave home for spiritual realization before forcefully dragged away to meet death.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was intelligent enough to understand the influence of the age of Kali, characterized by increasing avarice, falsehood, cheating and violence throughout the capital, state, home and among individuals. So he wisely prepared himself to leave home, and he dressed himself accordingly." (SB 1.15.37)

Prabhupāda: So Yudhiṣṭhira, anyone, any experienced man can see how things are going on. One has to possess such perfect eyes. When these things are in progressive way... What is this? Lobha, greediness; anṛta, falsehood; jihma, means diplomacy; and hiṁsa, violence or jealousy. When these things will increase, one should know that the influence of Kali-yuga is increasing. Anyone can understand. This world... This material world is so made that these things are very prominent: greediness, kāma-lobhādayaś ca, lusty desires and greediness, kāma and lobha. Generally, people are attached to these things. Then diplomacy, "How to satisfy my lusty desires, my greediness?"

But the king was so responsible that now he wanted to retire. There is no other way. As far as possible, he controlled. That is king's business. The government's business is to control these things, and citizen must be happy in every way. Even Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time, there was no excessive heat or cold; neither there was prominence of disease or pestilence, famine. These things were absent. Because Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja himself was very pious, and he conducted his government in such a way that people were also pious. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). If the leaders are perfect, then the citizens will be perfect. If the leaders are rascals... Just like in your country, now your president is caught up. Just see. Such an exalted post is occupied by a person who is subjected to so many criticisms. Why? "The Caesar's wife must be above suspicion." There is a... The king or the president, why he should be under suspicion? And if he is under suspicion, then immediately he should resign, "Oh, people are now suspecting." But this these rascals will not resign. You see? Just see how much our leaders are polluted. He has been charged with so many things. Why he? Everyone is. He is weak; therefore he has been caught up. That's all. He is not so perfect diplomat. Otherwise he would have not been caught up.

So the leaders must be perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, at least three persons in the society... The first: the priest or the spiritual master, who are engaged in teaching people about religiosity, he must be perfect, above suspicion. Similarly, public leader, he must be also above suspicion. A brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means priest also. He must be above suspicion. And the king must be above suspicion. Then things will go on. But there is no such restriction. Nowadays it is the days of vote. Any rascal, if he gets vote somehow or other, then he acquires the exalted post. That is also written in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no consideration who is fit to occupy the exalted post of presidentship or royal throne. Simply somehow or other, by hook and crook, he'll occupy the seat. Therefore people are suffering. It is not... Nowadays, in democratic days, the government by the people, government for the people. So if the government is by the people, yes, you select your representative. If you are a fool, then you will select another fool. So Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Anyone who is not a devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee of God, then he may be in a exalted post, but he is praised by some people who are exactly like śva. Śva means dog, and viḍ-varāha means pigs who eat stool. Śva-viḍ-varāha. Viḍ-varāha. And uṣṭra, uṣṭra means camel. And uṣṭra-kharaiḥ. Khara means ass. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ (SB 2.3.19). If a person who is not a devotee, he is praised or he is exalted, then the praisers, the persons who is praising him, he must be among these animals: dog, camel, pig and ass.

So the whole population is like that, like dog, like camel, like ass and like viḍ-varāha, pig, the stool-eater, the whole population, at the present moment. So he must elect another big animal who is also in this category. Because he has no knowledge. If you takes votes from the camels, to whom he will vote? Another big camel, that's all. If you take votes from the dog, then whom he will elect? Another big dog. Therefore, anyone who is not a devotee of God, Kṛṣṇa, he is either of these animals. And if he is praised, it is to be understood that he is being praised by the similar type of animals. So if we remain śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara, then we must elect another big śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. So how there can be good situation of the state? It is not possible. Therefore the public must be educated so that they may not elect another big dog or big camel or big ass to the exalted post. It is the public's fault. Nowadays it is democratic days. So why should you complain against such-and-such person or president? You have elected him, and now you find fault with him. So it was your fault that you selected such a rascal, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra. It is very right conclusion.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Happiness beyond sense gratification. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam. Atīndriya means the senses, when they are purified, with that senses, when you try to enjoy, then that is real happiness. That is real happiness. Just like if your tongue is diseased, or if you are diseased, then you cannot taste what is actually rasagullā taste. Because the tongue is distasteful, you cannot enjoy it. Similarly, so long your senses are diseased in condition, you cannot enjoy senses. You shall... It has to be purified. That purification method is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You purify your senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means purified. So how these things can be purified? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. You have to be free from all designation. Designation. So at the present moment I am thinking, "This is my hand. I am American. Therefore this is my American hand." "I am Indian; therefore it is my Indian hand." So you have to forget this, or you have to purify: "This hand is neither American nor African nor Indian. This hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa." This is purification.

So, so long you will engage this hand under illusion for American service or Indian service, you will never get happiness. You purify this hand, that "This hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it should be engaged in cleansing the temple with my hand," then you will be satisfied. Then you will be satisfied. Similarly, your tongue. Similarly, your legs. Similarly, everything, all senses. When you are purified of all these designations, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), when with that purified senses you will engage the senses, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam, in the service of the master of the senses, then you will be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Otherwise you'll never be happy.

So the representative of God, the king, he is very responsible for his... The king or president. So as soon as they take the post for his own sense gratification, he will be charged with so many fault things. So when he is also purified... Therefore Kṛṣṇa wanted that such purified soul is Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; he should be posted. He should be enthroned. That is the Battle of Kurukṣetra, to make the people happy. Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, jagad-

dhitāya: He comes for everyone's benefit.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

Jagad-dhitāya. He comes for the welfare of the whole world. So sometimes it is necessary to take part in the politics. But unless one is perfectly free from all designation, he will be implicated in politics. If I become an American politician or Indian politician, then I will be implicated. But if I become a politician on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, then I will not be implicated. If my aim is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa's mission is that He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if we teach people this philosophy, that "You surrender to God, either by politics or by philosophy or by culture or by anything," that is perfection. If you teach people that "You feel like American," "You feel like Indian," "You feel like Hindu," "You feel like Christian, " this will never give you happiness, because it is polluted. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... (CC Madhya 19.170). Therefore Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was exalted.

So now he concludes that things have deteriorated. It is not for Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's fault, but the time. Just like when there is winter season, however clever you may be, you cannot check the process of nature's work. So Kali-yuga is also another phase of this material world. So he saw that things have deteriorated... Pure ca rāṣṭre ca gṛhe tathātmani. "Things have deteriorated. They are now full of these sinful activities." What is that? Lobha anṛta jihma and hiṁsa. "People are becoming too much," I mean to say, "jealous, too much diplomatic, too much untruthfulness, and so things are deteriorated, not only state-wise, family-wise, personal-wise. Everything is deteriorating." So after all, one has to retire. One has to re... So he concluded that now he should retire.