Prabhupāda: I have already explained that there are three ways: karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Therefore Veda is called trayī, three kinds of activities. So devotees, they are not in the karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. He is not pure devotee. Bhakti means jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). There is no touch of this fruitive activities or speculative knowledge. The devotees do not accept this.
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
- (Brs. 1.1.11)
That is first-class bhakti, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu, just to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. He was not willing to fight or to kill the other party. That is very good. He is a Vaiṣṇava. Naturally he does not like to fight or pick up quarrel with others or do some harm to others. Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He knows very well that "If something harmful is done to me, I am unhappy, so why should I commit the same thing to others?" So. . . But in spite of his conviction that he should not fight, still, when Kṛṣṇa insisted up to the point that "Your this mercy upon them will not act because it is already My plan that they will have to die. So you have become very kind, but you cannot surpass My plan. That is not possible. I have come here. . ." Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). "That is My true mission: to save the devotees and to annihilate the nondevotees. So here I have brought them all together in this battlefield, and it will be finished."
Whenever there is some crash, either railway or the airplane, it should be noted that all those passengers are destined to die by the will of God, and they come together and be killed. Because without the sanction, will, of God, nothing can take place. (break) . . .some reason? Father is not unkind, but when father denies the same facility he is giving to the other child, that does not mean he is unkind. (break) . . .the devotee is suffering from some reverse condition, then he is feeling very much obliged to Kṛṣṇa, God: "Oh, my dear Lord, it is Your great mercy that I am suffering." This is devotee. He is suffering, and he is taking it as great mercy of God. Tat te anukampām. Anukampā. Anukampā means mercy. So "It is Your mercy." Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). He knows the same thing, that a man suffers on account of his past sinful activities or present sinful activities. The past or present doesn't matter. If one is sinful, then he must be punished.