Fled (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"fled" |"flee" |"fleeing" |"flees"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

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." So killing, killing is very bad, but killing for the sake of right cause of fighting, or killing in the sacrifice, they are not sinful. Sometimes in the Vedas killing is recommended, just like in the fight or in the sacrifice, but that is not sinful. Sometimes a brāhmaṇa is sacrificing, offering, performing great sacrifice, and the animal is put into the fire just to give him renovated, new life, not for killing, just to test how Vedic mantras are being properly pronounced.