Plight
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
The Pāṇḍavas, especially Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna, anticipated the aftereffects of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, and therefore Arjuna declined to execute the fighting. The fight was executed by the will of the Lord, but the effects of family aggrievement, as they had thought of it before, had come to be true. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was always conscious of the great plight of his uncle Dhṛtarāṣṭra and aunt Gāndhārī, and therefore he took all possible care of them in their old age and aggrieved conditions.
Has someone addressed you with unfriendly words or threatened you? Could you not give charity to one who asked, or could you not keep your promise to someone?
A kṣatriya or a rich man is sometimes visited by persons who are in need of money. When they are asked for a donation, it is the duty of the possessor of wealth to give in charity in consideration of the person, place and time. If a kṣatriya or a rich man fails to comply with this obligation, he must be very sorry for this discrepancy. Similarly, one should not fail to keep his promise to give in charity. These discrepancies are sometimes causes of despondency, and thus failing, a person becomes subjected to criticism, which might also be the cause of Arjuna's plight.
I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?
When a great devotee of the Lord passes away, there is nothing to be lamented because the devotee is destined to enter into the kingdom of God. But the sorry plight is that such great devotees leave our sight, and therefore there is every reason to be sorry. As the Lord is rarely to be seen by our present eyes, so also are the great devotees.
SB Canto 6
When Aṅgirā had first come to visit King Citraketu, he did not bring Nārada with him. However, after the death of Citraketu's son, Aṅgirā brought Nārada to instruct King Citraketu about bhakti-yoga. The difference was that in the beginning Citraketu was not in a temperament of renunciation, but after the death of his son, when he was overwhelmed by his great plight, he was awakened to the platform of renunciation by instructions regarding the falsity of this material world and material possessions. It is only at this stage that bhakti-yoga can be instructed. As long as one is attached to material enjoyment, bhakti-yoga cannot be understood. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 2.44).
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Advaita Ācārya chanted various mantras, but Gopāla did not come to consciousness. Thus all the Vaiṣṇavas present cried in sorrow at His plight.
CC Antya-lila
“It is not Gopīnātha who sent all those men so that You would release him from his plight. Rather, his friends and servants, seeing his distressed condition, informed You because they all knew that Gopīnātha is a soul surrendered unto You.
When Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka's servant went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and informed the Lord of his plight, the Lord was somewhat agitated and dissatisfied.
Lalitā wrote Kṛṣṇa the following letter on Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s behalf: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has fallen unconscious on the ground, Her mind greatly agitated by Her separation from You. O enemy of Kaṁsa, You have now become a first-class politician, and therefore You can supposedly give relief to everyone. Therefore please consider the plight of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, or very soon You will hear of Her death. Maybe at that time You will lament, although now You are jubilant."
| Page Title: | Plight |
| Compiler: | Sahadeva, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 04 of Jan, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=5, CC=4, OB=3, Lec=6, Con=5, Let=6 |
| No. of Quotes: | 29 |