Battle of Kuruksetra (Conv. & Letters)

Expressions researched:
"battle of Kuruksetra" |"battlefield of Kuruksetra"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "battle* Kuruksetra"@10"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Prabhupada Comments on Prahlada Maharaja Slides - August 25, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: That is the nature of ordinary living entity. The nature is forgetfulness. But God does not forget. He knows past, present, and future. That is the difference between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. So the fighting spirit, it is to be understood. The fighting spirit is there in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it is exhibited at a certain period just to teach us that when fighting should be taken. Fighting is not very good thing, but if there is necessity... Just like in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. The Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was organized by two rival parties. One party was pious; another party was impious. So Kṛṣṇa took side of Arjuna, and he was victorious. That is the history of Kurukṣetra fight.

Questions and Answers -- Montreal, August 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Elephants, there are many in India. Elephants, camels, horses also. Still there are many.

Devotee: Could we film on location, on the battlefield?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. The battlefield is still existing, Kurukṣetra. Yes. It is about hundred..., about within two hundred miles from Delhi. It is not far off. That, my red tape recorder is not replaced. Is it very costly now?

Devotee: I think so. Yeah. About five hundred dollars.

Prabhupāda: Five hundred dollars, that may be Japanese. The original is English.

Devotee: Oh, English? I thought it was German. English?

Prabhupāda: Yes. German or English. That is eight hundred dollars. It was very nice. Yes. I therefore used to keep daily in my compartment. I didn't allow to leave it here. How you are feeling, Jadurāṇī? All right? So I think we shall chant little Hare Kṛṣṇa and close this meeting.

Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a very popular and old literature, Vedic literature, known all over the world. But so far the history of this Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, there are difference of opinions, but factually even if we take it as it is, it is at least five thousand years old. And in the Bhagavad-gītā we learn that five thousand years ago it was spoken on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. But before that, some millions of years ago, the same Bhagavad-gītā was spoken long, long ago. So actually the human effort cannot trace out the history of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but taking consideration of the present history, it is at least as old as five thousand years.

Interviewer: Govinda told me that it started five hundred years ago in Western Bengal. Could you elucidate on this please?

Prabhupāda: This Bhagavad-gītā is read by the human society not only in India, but outside India, since a very long, long time. But unfortunately, as everything is deteriorated by the contact of material contamination, so people began to interpret Bhagavad-gītā in different ways. Therefore about five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya appeared, and he started the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement under His personal guidance in Bengal. His birthplace is known as Navadvīpa. Now, He ordered every Indian to spread this message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, in every village, every town. That was His order.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion about New Vrindaban Gurukula -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Indian history, that... Bhāgavata is all right.

Hayagrīva: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Prabhupāda: That Kurukṣetra battle. That's all. And there are many other stories in the Bhāgavatam. They are all historical.

Hayagrīva: What about literatures? When they get older, of course. This would be for when they are older.

Prabhupāda: Literature, we have got so many. Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata.

Hayagrīva: Any English literature, American literature, English literature?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Any... Some of the English literature, recognized.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 6, 1971, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Then actually there will be dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Everything will be done. Just like when Kṛṣṇa was personally present, how many received Him? Only the Pāṇḍavas and the gopīs and the Vṛndāvana-līlā is there. Nobody knew Him as Kṛṣṇa. In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, how many knew Him that He was Kṛṣṇa? But everyone benefited. Everyone benefited. Everyone who died in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, they got salvation. That is stated in Bhīṣma's teachings. So they got the benefit, but not that everyone understood Kṛṣṇa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum... (BG 9.11). Many... Even nowadays there are so many scholars... They want swamis. They do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even nowadays, what to speak of then? Even at the present moment. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, and they are trying to kill Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Truth is historical fact is.

Śyāmasundara: Bhagavad-gītā-did it take place? There was a battlefield of Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is historical. Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the history of Greater India. Mahābhārata.

Dr. Weir: Mahābhārata.

Prabhupāda: This Mahābhārata means, mahā means greater. Formerly 5,000 years ago, the whole planet was called Bhārata, India. India it is now called. Actually the name is Bhārata. Bhārata is the name given after the reign of Mahārāja, one King Bhārata. He was the ruler, emperor, of the whole world. After his reign this planet is called Bhārata, this whole planet, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is Greater India or Greater Bhārata. The headquarter was in India but it was greater, according to Mahābhārata history and this Bhagavad-gītā is given there in the Mahābhārata. Therefore it is history. And actually it is historical because the battlefield is still existing.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: No, it's there, Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: Kurukṣetra, battlefield.

Dr. Weir: Oh, I'm sorry, that's the place (indistinct) I thought you meant the battle was still on.

Prabhupāda: No. Battlefield, where the battle was fought, took place, that is still there. There is a railway station, Kurukṣetra. And that Kurukṣetra is still dharmakṣetra, a religious place. People go on pilgrimage, and in the Vedas also it is stated that Kurukṣetra is (Sanskrit), you perform religious rituals in Kurukṣetra. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). It is fact, historical fact. It is not imagination. But many commentators have taken as imagination. Therefore they are misled. It is historical.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 15, 1972, Madras:

Prabhupāda: (reading:) "...Kṛṣṇa can be described, not (indistinct) Him, his mind becomes totally associated with Him. His Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda in his discourse at the (indistinct) Sunday, said there was no rigid rules and regulations for chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, nor does it require formal education. While uttering the name of Sri Kṛṣṇa one should focus the mind on the image and form of the Lord, His auspicious activities, His delightful sport, and His role as Gītā-ācārya. Lord Caitanya, during His visit to a temple in South India, found a man scanning the pages of the Bhagavad-gītā without seeming to read the verses, and inquiring, the same found that the person was illiterate and yet he was turning the pages of the Gītā at the request of his master because as he did so, he had a vision of Sri Kṛṣṇa expounding spiritual knowledge to Arjuna on the Kurukṣetra battlefield. Thereupon Caitanya embraced him in all admiration for his devotion, sincere faith, and guidance of the spiritual master as necessary for God realization." They give very nice article. You have seen it?

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: And Kṛṣṇa came-paritrāṇāya sādhunaṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He had two business: to give protection to the devotees and to kill the demons. So by Kṛṣṇa's will sometimes all the demons, they come together and fight with one another and they are killed. So battle of Kurukṣetra was such a plan to bring all the demons together and engage them in fighting and kill one another. Just like in our school days, unruly boys, one boy will be asked to catch the other boy by the ear and the same boy will be asked to catch this boy by the ear and they are pulling each other. Competition of pulling the ears. So Arjuna was fighter and he helped Kṛṣṇa in this fighting activities and thus he became a great devotee. Kṛṣṇa certified, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My dear, very dear friend and devotee." So it is not that one becomes a devotee simply by renouncing the world and coloring the dress.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: Jodhpur? Same place. We had been in Jaipur. Great function we had. (Hindi) In whatever profession you are, you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by your professional talent. Then your... Bhagavān is not stereotyped, that Bhagavān becomes... Just like Bhīṣma. He was great devotee, and in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra Bhīṣma was piercing the body of Kṛṣṇa by arrows and Kṛṣṇa was feeling very nice. So it is not that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply by throwing rose flower. Sometimes a devotee throws arrow and Kṛṣṇa becomes satisfied. So we can satisfy Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. Kṛṣṇa is varied. He is not stereotyped. But we must know the art how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful.

Guest (1): How can we realize Kṛṣṇa is satisfied?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you'll realize when you satisfy actually. You have to take direction. Just like you are engineer or business administrator. You learn the art from a teacher, and then you can know how you are satisfying your master. Just like if you eat, then you can understand that "how we are being satisfied." You haven't got to ask anybody, "Am I satisfied?" If you are eating, then you'll be satisfied. Similarly, if you serve Kṛṣṇa according to the superior direction, then you'll understand that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. First of all you have to learn how to satisfy, and then, reciprocally, you'll be aware that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied with you by the result.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, all the five brothers, they were almost fasting, as, what is called, atonement for so many people killed for their sake. Then, under the instruction of elderly persons, Bhīṣma and Kṛṣṇa, he accepted the ruling power, governmental, and during his time... You read that, kāmaṁ vavarṣa...

Pradyumna: It says,

kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ

sarva-kāma-dughā mahī

siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ

payasodhasvatīr mudā

(SB 1.10.4)

Prabhupāda: Translation.

Pradyumna: "Translation. During the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk."

Prabhupāda: This was the position of the kingdom, that the cows felt secure. At the present moment, the cows are very unhappy. I have seen. They are almost crying. Because they can understand that "After some time, we'll be killed."

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Pañcavān.(?) This is the position. So at the present moment, to reform that, you cannot take them to the original position. It is not possible, it is Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very slow, they don't accept the right path... Just like God is here, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). But they're creating their own God. Even big, big leaders they are saying, "Eh, Kṛṣṇa, why Kṛṣṇa should be accepted?" Even big, big leaders, they do not believe that Kṛṣṇa was there on this planet, there was Kurukṣetra battle. You know better than me.

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So, if big, big scholars say, when Kṛṣṇa says that man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī... (BG 18.65). The scholars say, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." You see? If now, I can frankly say, if leaders like Dr. Radhakrishnan, Gandhi and others, they mislead people, then how the people will be in normal condition? This is the position of India at the present moment. The leaders... Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The leaders are blind. They have no training. They are not in disciplic succession.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: As far as I have searched out from Mahābhārata... Yes.

Pradyumna: "The western Yavana joined with Duryodhana in the Battle of Kurukṣetra under the pressure of Karṇa. It is also foretold that these Yavanas, that these Yavanas also would conquer India, and it proved to be true. Khasa..." (break)

Professor: Now I understand exactly what the purpose of your movement is. I just wonder if you think the Western world is ready for this message?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not ready? So many young men are coming.

Professor: So many, O.K., yes, but consideration of so many other people outside this temple...

Prabhupāda: No, any sane man will accept. This cult will not be accepted by the insane. One who is in quite order of the brain, he'll accept it. Only mūḍhas. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is saṁsiddhi. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That will save him from coming down again to this place which is full of miserable conditions of life. That is saṁsiddhi. That one can attain very easily. That is also described, that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) "Anyone who understands Me in truth..." Generally, people understand Kṛṣṇa that "He appeared as a great personality, son of Vasudeva. At Mathurā, He was born. And He acted very gorgeously in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and so on, so on." This is also knowing. But this is not knowing factually that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands Kṛṣṇa, the original source of everything, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), which Kṛṣṇa explains, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no superior authority beyond Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of all." When one understands Kṛṣṇa like that.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No... nāpnuvanti. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. Saṁsiddhim. Siddhi, siddhi is ordinary. If you become transcendentalist, jñānī, yogi, that is also kind of siddhi. Yogis, they have got aṣṭa-siddhi, aṇimā-laghimādi. But that is not saṁsiddhi. Saṁsiddhi is different. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. The highest perfection, saṁsiddhi is to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. That is saṁsiddhi. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That will save him from coming down again to this place which is full of miserable conditions of life. That is saṁsiddhi. That one can attain very easily. That is also described, that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) "Anyone who understands Me in truth..." Generally, people understand Kṛṣṇa that "He appeared as a great personality, son of Vasudeva. At Mathurā, He was born. And He acted very gorgeously in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and so on, so on." This is also knowing. But this is not knowing factually that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands Kṛṣṇa, the original source of everything, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), which Kṛṣṇa explains, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no superior authority beyond Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of all." When one understands Kṛṣṇa like that... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that "I am also Kṛṣṇa, I am also Kṛṣṇa." But people who follow, they do not ask him that "If you are Kṛṣṇa, you show something as Kṛṣṇa showed. Kṛṣṇa lifted the Govardhana Hill when He was seven years old. And you are seventy years old. What you have done like that?" (laughs) So everyone wants to become Kṛṣṇa, but he cannot manifest Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Kṛṣṇa showed the virāṭ-rūpa to Arjuna. What you have got? So this is Māyāvāda.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: In this morning's class you were giving us the example of the takeover of the kingship, of the brāhmaṇas getting rid of a bad king. So many times in the literature you've given us, whether Kṛṣṇa killing His uncle King Kaṁsa, or the Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna in the Battle of Kurukṣetra killing the old political regime that are demoniac consciousness. Is this the recommended means in Vedic literature for getting rid of bad government, or are there other means that are described, that one can get rid of demoniac government and take over with godly rulers?

Prabhupāda: Well, in politics, unless there is violence, you cannot take. Simply by sweet words, not possible. That was the difference between our political leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose. So Subhash Chandra Bose was of opinion that—and that is a fact—that "You are agitating non-violence. These people will never care for your non-violence. Unless there is violence, so these Britishers will never go away." So Gandhi would say, "No, I am not going to accept this violence theory. I shall continue." So for thirty years... He started from 1917 and up to '47, the Britishers did not go. But when Subhash Chandra Bose, he saw... He took the political power. He became the president. But Gandhi was angry. So because he was old leader, out of respect, he resigned the presidentship. Then he though that "So long this man will live, there will be no independence." So he went out of India and joined with Hitler, and Tojo, Japanese.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So without revolution, (indistinct), you cannot change old order. "Old orders changes giving place to new." That old order changes... Everywhere it is by violence. The Mahābhārata also, the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa was there. He tried to settle up. But it was not settled without violence. Paritrāṇāya... What is that? Vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Kṛṣṇa also comes, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, to, for killing the demons. Kṛṣṇa also comes.

Nalinīkaṇṭha: (break) ...will be overthrown and replaced with God conscious beings.

Prabhupāda: No. I am not talking of any government. We are not in politics. We are talking of preaching. Why? Why this government should you try to change. Where is the better replacement? First of all find out the better replacement. Then you talk of changing. Where is the better replacement? To replace one rascal with another, that is not... Now democratic government, if the people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then naturally their leader will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. So automatically it will change. There is no question of violence. What is the use? Now, suppose by violence you become the president of the United States. Will you be able to do something?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 20, 1974, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: That is also Radhakrishnan who said that battlefield of Kurukṣetra is just a battle of soul and something...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yaśomatīnandana: The five Pāṇḍavas are the five senses, and the... Five Pāṇḍavas are the five senses actually. There is nothing like Mahābhārata war.

Bhava-bhūti: All allegory they want to dismiss it as.

Yaśomatīnandana: They think that this is all idols.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So then you should take your shoe and hit them in the face and say, "This is also allegory of how the material world slaps one." Actually...

Yaśomatīnandana: He says that Vyāsadeva is an imaginary character.

Prabhupāda: And in India the Māyāvāda poison has overflooded.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, Duryodhana also agreed. All of them got salvation. That is mentioned. Anyone who was in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, all of them got salvation. By their being killed in the battle, they all got liberation and salvation. That is stated by Bhīṣmadeva. Svarūpa. Svarūpa means they came to their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All of them. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... (break) (Hindi conversation continues for some time) Materially to get bācche (children) you require the help of husband, but spiritually you don't require anyone's help. In Kṛṣṇa only. That's all.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) So see. And these fools and rascals are going on as big men. You see? What kind of Bhagavad-gītā he has read, that he says that "There was no Kṛṣṇa, there was no Battlefield of Kurukṣetra"? And that is our challenge, "Why do you say like that?"

Mr. Sar: Why do they say like that?

Indian man (2): They are ignorant people.

Dr. Patel: They are śūṣka Vedāntists.

Prabhupāda: No. They are rascals, simply rascals, not śūṣka Vedāntists. Vedāntist is... His father is also not Vedāntist. They do not know what is Vedānta. Simply rascals. That is our propaganda, that why you accept these rascals as leader?

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: But they cannot understand. The vicious circle, they will not be able to understand. Because he is also vicious.

Devotee: Therefore just like Kṛṣṇa during the battle of Kurukṣetra, he told Arjuna to do so many things. He told Yudhiṣṭhira to lie. When he said, "Aśvatthāmā has been killed," he said Aśvatthāmā, the elephant, he said the elephant...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that was a tactics. So...

Devotee: And also when Karṇa... Arjuna killed Karṇa when he was off his chariot.

Prabhupāda: The difficulty is, "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." Better you keep yourself ideal character that people can see that "Here is an ideal group of men." Otherwise, in politics... They are feeling the necessity of an honest leader, but they are themself dishonest, they people. So when you point out that "This leader is dishonest," they do not very much appreciate. There is a story in this connection I will tell you, that one man was drunkard. So his friend said, "You are drinking.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the īśvara, controller of the whole creation. So if He gives you something to do for His satisfaction, you do that. It does not matter whether you are doing the same thing. The same example: Leg is doing something else than the hand, hand is doing something else than the brain, but the real purpose is to satisfy the whole. So Kṛṣṇa is not asking Vyāsadeva to come and fight in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Vyāsadeva is doing his own work. He is writing literature, Vedavyāsa. He is asking Arjuna to fight. But although the activities are different-Vyāsadeva is writing Vedānta-sūtra, and Arjuna is fighting—but both of them are equally important. Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna, bhakto 'si: "You are My very dear friend," and priyo 'si (BG 4.3), "Therefore I shall speak to you about this Bhagavad-gītā." Kṛṣṇa did not say, "Call Vyāsadeva. I have to speak Bhagavad-gītā. He is learned scholar." No. Arjuna was not a learned scholar; he was a warrior. And he was a gṛhastha, busy in politics.

Morning Walk -- (World War III) -- April 4, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The farm project... Even some hundreds of years, it was so nice. Even there was war, they would not attack the farmers. Rather, they would ask, "Where the other party has gone?" So they will say: "Oh, we have seen some soldiers going this way." That's all. They were not affected. That was the principle. Farmers were not attacked, just like at the present moment, the law is the civilians are not attacked. The military target is attacked. That is the law. But they do all nonsense. Even at the present moment civilians are not attacked. Just like Kurukṣetra Battle. It was taken far away from the civilian inhabitation.

Haṁsadūta: Some field.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is civilization. "Why these innocent civilians should be killed? Let us fight, military to military. That's all." That is honest fighting. We have to settle some things by fighting. So fighting may be, I mean to say, limited within the fighters, not with the civilians.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No, whoever may be. Not that I sit down in my armchair and I give direction. The poor soldiers are fighting. No. He should go. Courage. He should personally give direction, "Do like this." Who is doing that? The minister of defense is very comfortably sitting on his chair, and the poor soldiers are fighting. That is not required. He must go first of all: "Do like this." Just like in Battle of Kurukṣetra, Arjuna is in front; the other side, Duryodhana. The real fighters, they are face to face. Soldiers are assistant. Where is that? So they should be trained up. So unless he is by his nature very powerful, śauryam... What is that?

Amogha: Śauryam, heroism.

Prabhupāda: Heroism. Therefore the kṣatriyas are allowed to hunt in the forest to become hero because he has to fight. Just like in medical laboratory they first of all dissect some poor animal before touching human being.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Madhudviṣa: We brought back Wally one picture from India on the battle of Kurukṣetra of Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu's head was there, and Karṇa was on the ground with his chariot, and Arjuna was about to kill him, and Kṛṣṇa was directing him to kill. So I told Wally the story that when Abhimanyu was surrounded by the mahārathīs, there was no mercy then, so now Karṇa was objecting that...

Prabhupāda: Injustice.

Madhudviṣa: ...he cannot shoot a man if he gets off his chariot. And Kṛṣṇa said, "There was no mercy with Abhimanyu, so therefore there will be no mercy now."

Prabhupāda: Tit for tat.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No. That is war tactics. That is war tactics. Sometimes we have to use war tactics because we have to own victory. But they were generous because in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra they would fight like anything, like enemies, but at night they were friends. The one man is going. Just like sportsman. They fight during the play, but after that, they are friends, talking together, drinking together, like that.

Guest 2: Like barristers and prosecutors.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. They are paid for fighting. (laughter) But when the fighting is over, they are friends.

Press Conference at Airport -- July 28, 1975, Dallas:

Prabhupāda: That means democracy, ordinary men they select somebody and again they try to bring him down. Why? When he was selected, it means it was a mistake. So according to Vedic civilization, there was no such thing as democracy. It was monarchy, but the monarchy means the king was very highly spiritually advanced. The king was called rājarṣi, means king, at the same time, saintly person. We have got another example in our country-Gandhi. When he was political leader, he was practically dictator, but because he was a man of very high moral character, people took him, accepted him as the dictator. So dictatorship is good, provided the dictator is highly qualified spiritually. That is the Vedic verdict. The battle of Kurukṣetra was there because Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted rājarṣi, Yudhiṣṭhira, should be on the head. So the king is supposed to be the representative of God. So he must be a godly person. Then it will be successful. That's all right.

Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (break) Copies. (break) They could not conclude when the battle of Kurukṣetra was fought.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They are speculating, though. There is one school which says it wasn't fought in Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: As soon as there will be one school and other school, that means all of them are rascals. Just like the sun rises from this side. There cannot be two schools. If somebody says, "No, no. Sun rises from this side," if that is school, he's a fool. Sun rises from the eastern side. That's all. That is knowledge. If somebody says, "No, sometimes in the western side, sometimes in the northern side," is that any value? So as soon as there will be many schools, that means the conclusion is not like that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: He loves His devotee more than Himself.

Harikesa: Why didn't Kṛṣṇa kill everybody at the Battle of Kurukṣetra?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yasodanandana: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, by His simple desire He could kill. (laughter) He said therefore, bhaviṣyatvam, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) He is leaving the task for somebody else.

Indian man: (break) ...Caitanya-caritāmṛta, all these things, Swamijī has brought out very vividly. I have read only introduction and some portion only. But what Caitanya Mahāprabhu had ordered, ordained, is taking place. It is very vividly brought out. (break) ...behind using the machinery, cars, airplanes, other things also, I think very convincing, Swamiji, when you say that they are meant only for Kṛṣṇa's service, and if it is dedicated for that, it is used. Otherwise it is misused, abused.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. That is bhakti. Just like you are walking, some money falls down from your pocket. Then you forgot. And somebody, "Oh, here is some money"; he takes it. And somebody takes it but offers to you. Who is the better man?

Morning Walk -- February 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... (break) ...times it is speedy, sometimes slow. Therefore day and night, there's time difference. It is moving. It is not fixed.

Acyutānanda: Bhagavad-gītā's Battle of Kurukṣetra fought, in which month?

Prabhupāda: That I do not know. Why?

Acyutānanda: Because they have a Gītā day, I think, in November, where they claim that they have found the day... September?

Yaśodānandana: December, beginning of December.

Acyutānanda: So that and the eighteen days' war, and then the Uttarāyaṇa begins in the middle of January. So I was thinking that Bhīṣma was lying on the battlefield for almost a month or more.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Acyutānanda: That Bhīṣma was waiting, lying on the battlefield for about thirty or forty days. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...was to die when he liked. That was his special privilege.

Morning Walk -- April 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: Yes, joint families. And because of that, the attachment is very strong, it appears.

Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda? After the Battle of Kurukṣetra there were many men killed. How were all the young people and the women protected after so many millions of men were killed?

Prabhupāda: What do you mean by protection?

Devotee (2): Well, I mean like Arjuna was arguing that...

Prabhupāda: That was also.... That was condemned.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (3): People sometimes ask, "If Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa and it was recorded by Vyāsadeva in the Mahābhārata, was Vyāsadeva actually present there on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, or did he see it by revelation?"

Prabhupāda: No. Here, just like something's happening ten thousand miles away. You can record it by modern machine.

Devotee (3): (break) ...mercy he was able to...

Prabhupāda: Three millions miles, sun is, eh?

Hari-śauri: That's what they say.

Prabhupāda: So from so far distant place the heat is coming, and there is no brain behind it?

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Otherwise where is the difficulty? Just like the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre

samavetā yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva

kim akurvata sañjaya

(BG 1.1)

The beginning of Bhagavad-gītā is the battlefield, and the battlefield is called Kurukṣetra. So Kurukṣetra is still there in India, but these so-called learned scholars, politicians, they're squeezing out some meaning out of Kurukṣetra. What is the necessity? Kurukṣetra is a place where actually, historically the battle took place. (Reporter changes cassette of tape recorder) (break)

Rāmeśvara: ...culture

Prabhupāda: Yes. Attentive.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Leaders means as soon as you make the public in your favor, you are leader.

Rāmeśvara: But they'll actually manage the government?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. The Kurukṣetra battle was for this purpose. The Pāṇḍavas should be on the throne, not the Duryodhana. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. All round, not that we're simply chanting. We're fighting also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Arjuna monks.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had a nice experience...

Prabhupāda: All-round.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That..., in politics, that is going on. Our Bhagavad-gītā begins on the killing ground. Battle of Kurukṣetra. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Kurukṣetra was a battlefield, but it is still dharma-kṣetre. Why don't you see that? Now the first word is dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Yuyutsavaḥ means fighting. So why they have gone to the dharma-kṣetre for fighting? So killing, fighting, is not always irreligious. It is religious. Otherwise, why should go to dharma-kṣetre?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Someone may say, though, "How the fighting is religious? After all, it is a family feud."

Prabhupāda: That is your ignorance. But the beginning is dharma-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Yuyutsavaḥ means fighting. Two parties, they, actually, the two parties... Pāṇḍavas māmakaḥ caiva kim akurvata. Every word is significant. Fighting can be executed even in dharma-kṣetre. That they cannot understand. Gandhi misunderstood. If it is dharma-kṣetre, how there can be fighting? He wanted to prove nonviolence artificially. How it is possible? Kṛṣṇa is instigating him to fight, and how can you make it nonviolent? That is artificial. And if you want to explain something artificially, how long you'll do it, it will be failure. So Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence and reading of Bhagavad-gītā went with him. Nobody is interested in that kind of explanation. And we are explaining Bhagavad-gītā as it is, it is increasing. It is increasing. There is no artificial way.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: With the progress of the Kali-yuga... The Kali-yuga has begun after the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So five thousand years ago. The whole duration of life of Kali-yuga is thirty-two hundred thousands of years. Thirty-two hundred thousands of years, out of which we have passed only five thousand years. Still, the balance is twenty-seven hundred thousands of years. So with the progress of this age, these things will happen. What is that? Tataś cānu-dinam?

Pradyumna: Dharmaḥ satyam.

Prabhupāda: Dharmaḥ. People will gradually decrease in their sense of religiosity, dharmaḥ. Then?

Pradyumna: Satyam.

Prabhupāda: They will be untruthful. Partly because there is no training of brahminical culture how to become truthful. People think that "What is the wrong there, I shall speak something untruth?" So that means the value of truthfulness will decrease. And the importance of religion will decrease. This is the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Then?

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: No, you think you have already explained. But where is the basis of your thinking like that? Because everyone knows the Mahābhārata battle was there, Battle of Kurukṣetra, that is a chapter in the Mahābhārata. And Kṛṣṇa is the speaker in that Battle of Kurukṣetra and Arjuna is the fighter. How do you take away the Kṛṣṇa of Mahābhārata from the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra? What is your reason?

Guest (1): No, that is all right. Kṛṣṇa, we call... But do we take it, do you take it...

Prabhupāda: You have to take it, because there is no difference. As soon as you bring in Mahābhārata and Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa is the same. You cannot take it differently. Because Kṛṣṇa is speaking to one of the parties of the fighters, the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, and that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samaveta yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Yuyutsavaḥ means two parties desiring to fight. Who are those parties? Māmakaḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1).

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: He does not know, and still he wants to speak something. That is cheating. The cheating propensity is there for conditioned souls. He does not know one thing, still he wants to speak as an authority. That is cheating. How you can differentiate? If you are actually student of Mahābhārata, then how we can differentiate the speaker in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is accepted there as Bhagavān. Whenever Vyāsadeva writes Kṛṣṇa statements, he writes bhagavān uvāca. He's Bhagavān, as well as He's a historical person in the Mahābhārata. He never writes kṛṣṇa uvāca, he writes bhagavān uvāca. And Arjuna admits, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam ādyam (BG 10.12), "You are the Supreme Person." How can you differentiate Kṛṣṇa of Mahābhārata and Kṛṣṇa of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa...? These are miscalculations.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That is his foolishness. He's a fool. He does not know the facts, and he has posed himself as a learned scholar. That is the difficulty-fools and rascals presenting themselves as scholar and misrepresenting. People are being misguided. Because he is a learned scholar, you are citing his example. But he is a fool. He does not know what is Mahābhārata, what is Kṛṣṇa. And still, he wants to say something, that is his foolishness. He does not know, and still he wants to speak something. That is cheating. The cheating propensity is there for conditioned souls. He does not know one thing, still he wants to speak as an authority. That is cheating. How you can differentiate? If you are actually student of Mahābhārata, then how we can differentiate the speaker in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is accepted there as Bhagavān. Whenever Vyāsadeva writes Kṛṣṇa statements, he writes bhagavān uvāca. He's Bhagavān, as well as He's a historical person in the Mahābhārata.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Prabhupāda, what about in the case where you have this ideal civilization with the brāhmaṇas instructing, but the brāhmaṇas don't agree? Just like in Bhagavad-gītā, the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, there were many brāhmaṇas, but they didn't agree.

Prabhupāda: There were many brāhmaṇas? Who said?

Vipina: Well there's..., well, there was, they were great kings, right? But they didn't agree on how..., who should have the kingdom? Arjuna and his relatives were in disagreement, great kṣatriya leaders.

Prabhupāda: Kṣatriyas, they are not brāhmaṇas. So when there is disagreement, there is fight. The battle will decide. That is always, at the present moment also. When there is disagreement between nation and nation, there is war declaration. That is natural.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: This is not good life. You must be very serious, especially those who are Indians. They should take it very seriously. Because this Kṛṣṇa culture, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra in India, and we Indians, we do not take full advantage of this great transcendental knowledge, then you are committing suicide. So my request is, all the Indians who are here in this foreign country, keep your own original culture. Don't forget. Don't be bewildered. Be in your position. Try to under... It is very easy. Bhagavad-gītā is not at all difficult to understand, and we have tried to explain as easy as possible, not that we have deviated from the original verse, just like others do it. We do not do that; there is no need. That is another blunder. We keep Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and we still try to explain it. So I am very glad that you are all coming regularly, but take it.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: He was confused. He was to fight as a kṣatriya, but he saw that the persons with whom he has to fight, they are all family members. So what kind of fight is that? Who is fighting with family members? That was his confusion. Suppose we are Kṛṣṇa conscious society. Then if we declare fight amongst ourselves, is that very intelligent? So actually the Kurukṣetra battle was like that. Some intrigue of Dhṛtarāṣṭra that his son will occupy the throne, that was the cause of the fight. So Arjuna thought that "My uncle may be intriguing person, he has brought this disaster, fight amongst the family members, so why shall I do it? Better let them enjoy. They are also family members. Why this unnecessary fight?" He was responsible. He was not unreasonable, very good man, that "After all, they are also our family members, let them enjoy. Why there is unnecessary fight amongst family members?" He was not a coward, but he's good reasonable man, that "We are all brothers. They want to rule over. Let them rule over. Why fight?" Sometimes it is misunderstood, Kṛṣṇa is misunderstood, that Arjuna is such a nice man, he didn't want to fight, and Kṛṣṇa's inducing him "Yes, you must fight." It is puzzling. God is inducing a good man to fight, who does not want to fight. It is really puzzling. Is it not?

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is kṣatriya. Now, who is kṣatriya? A fourth-class man, he never seen battlefield and by vote he becomes president. And here kṣatriya means yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. If there is fight he must come forward first of all. He is in his palace, and he's engaging common men, "Go and fight." When there was Battle of Kurukṣetra Arjuna and Duryodhana, they came first. Because the battle was decided as soon as the leader is dead. No more fight. So they used to come first. This is kṣatriya. Where is that kṣatriya? And they are becoming politicians simply by votes, all third-class, fourth-class men. What he'll do? Everyone is trying to keep his position by hook and crook. How he'll think of the people? How they will be happy? He is thinking of his own happiness. And these are politicians. There is no kṣatriya. There is no brāhmaṇa. And there is no vaiśya. What is the vaiśya?

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Literally, yes. The thing is the interpretation is required when you cannot understand. If, if I say, "This is a stick," everyone knows it is a stick. So I say, "Here is a stick." So if you say, "No, I do not accept it is stick." So what is that interpretation? Everyone knows it is stick. Similarly, Kurukṣetra means that the place, still existing. And in the Vedic śāstra it is ordered, kurukṣetre dharma yajayet. You go... From time immemorial it is a place of pilgrimage. Even Kṛṣṇa, during solar eclipse, Kṛṣṇa with His family, He came there, Jagannātha. The ceremony is there, Ratha-yātrā. Because Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadra came in the same chariot. That is being performed. So Kurukṣetra, dharmakṣetra, at least five thousand years ago the system was that people used to come to Kurukṣetra as a place of pilgrimage, dharmakṣetra. And Kurukṣetra, the place is there. And the the two family members, the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, they fought. The Battle of Kurukṣetra took place. These things are evident. Then why there is need of interpreting? That is the first point.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: That is, political purpose, you may. But even politically, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). "Fight. But always remember Me." That is politics. Kṛṣṇa never says that you forget and fight. Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). This is Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa never says that "You give up politics." Actually, the Battle of Kurukṣetra is politics. But still Kṛṣṇa is there. How you can discard Kṛṣṇa?

Mr. Malhotra: Yes, battle of Kurukṣetra was fought...

Prabhupāda: Politics. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta. Senayor ubhayor madhye. (BG 1.21) "Between the two soldiers, keep my chariot, my dear Acyuta." He is addressing Acyuta. Acyuta, Kṛṣṇa, agreed to become his chariot driver. Therefore he is purposefully using this word acyuta. "Because I know You are the Supreme Lord, and I am ordering You, but because You promised that You will carry my order, Acyuta, You never fail in Your word." So God's another name is Acyuta. God never falls down. This Māyāvādī theory that "I am God, now I am fallen down," That is wrong theory. How God can fall down? If God falls down He is not God. Dog falls down, not the God.

Room Conversation with Fate -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is when the scene of your working in the Rādhā-Dāmodara room comes on. "Working often throughout the night, Śrīla Prabhupāda painstakingly carried out the request of his spiritual predecessor to bring the message of Bhagavad-gītā to the Western world." Now this is the part that... This will be a recording of you speaking, and it will appear to be you thinking in the display. "Out of many, many human beings, Bhagavad-gītā is directed to the one who seeks to understand his position. The Lord has great mercy for human beings, therefore He spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, a saintly prince, to enlighten him. Arjuna was actually above ignorance, but he was put into ignorance on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra just to ask about the meaning of life so that our mission of life can be perfected.' " So Bharadvāja wants to know if you could say this one into a microphone so he could use it in the display.

Room Conversation with Fate -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is when the scene of your working in the Rādhā-Dāmodara room comes on. "Working often throughout the night, Śrīla Prabhupāda painstakingly carried out the request of his spiritual predecessor to bring the message of Bhagavad-gītā to the Western world." Now this is the part that... This will be a recording of you speaking, and it will appear to be you thinking in the display. "Out of many, many human beings, Bhagavad-gītā is directed to the one who seeks to understand his position. The Lord has great mercy for human beings, therefore He spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, a saintly prince, to enlighten him. Arjuna was actually above ignorance, but he was put into ignorance on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra just to ask about the meaning of life so that our mission of life can be perfected.' " So Bharadvāja wants to know if you could say this one into a microphone so he could use it in the display.

Room Conversation -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So Mahābhārata is the history and there was Battle of Kurukṣetra. And that Kurukṣetra is mentioned there in the Bhagavad-gītā, and it is dharma-kṣetra since Vedic age. So the word used, dharma-kṣetre and kuru-kṣetre, it is completely understood. Why should you interpret unless you have got a motive. And why a sane man accepts that interpretation? If you have got a different philosophy you can write your own book. Why should you cheat others, taking Bhagavad-gītā and interpreting in your own way? This has spoiled the whole thing. And Kṛṣṇa says that as soon as you deviate from the disciplic succession system then it will be lost. So what is the use of reading something which is already lost? If I want to supply you something food, it must be fresh and palatable. Then you'll enjoy. But if it is rotten, decomposed, and if we supply you that foodstuff, what you will enjoy and what you will get benefit out of it?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Actually, one argument that they use... They have found an old Back to Godhead article that I think you wrote, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It was about Arjuna's position during the battle of Kurukṣetra, where he had to fight against his relatives. You were commenting that "So sometimes you may have to even kill your family members for Kṛṣṇa." So they take this magazine article, and they say that "Hare Kṛṣṇa leaders are teaching all the devotees to kill their parents." So this is an example of how they will distort everything.

Prabhupāda: That... You can distort anything. If there is expert distortion, it is...

Trivikrama: We can kill our parents even, like Prahlāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is actually required. Prahlāda did not protest. It is a great sin, if your father is being killed before you, if you do not protest even, "Why you are killing?" not to give protection. But even if you do not, then you are not worthy son. So in that way Prahlāda Mahārāja was accused that in his presence his father was being killed. He did not protest, neither he... Rather, he was ready with the garland: (laughter) "As soon as my father is killed, immediately garland the Lord." So that is not the fact. And he is... Later on, he requested that "My father was a great offender.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh. In clay, it cannot.

Rāmeśvara: They started manufacturing it, at a time. That's what they used. This is a doll of Kṛṣṇa speaking to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Nobody can think it is doll. How many men are engaged?

Rāmeśvara: I think thirty devotees. That includes all the carpenters and...

Prabhupāda: And they are becoming expert so that in future many other also.

Rāmeśvara: This is a doll of Lord Caitanya. That devotee is Ādideva. He was here, in India studying with Bharadrāja.

Prabhupāda: I simply see how the devotees are engaged in so nice occupation. This painting, this taking, thinking of Caitanya, thinking of Kṛṣṇa—this is Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is... Nobody can deny. When he's working in this way he cannot think of other way. That will elevate him, simply by thinking. Man-manā. He'll derive greatest benefit. He'll become devotee. He'll get liberation from this material world simply by doing that. It is so nice. So in all our centers have this doll exhibit.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, objectionable... The rākṣasas... Just like Kṛṣṇa was there within the womb of Devakī. Kaṁsa imprisoned. So the brilliance of the body of Devakī could not be seen by others, because imprisoned. So if Kṛṣṇa comes from the womb of Devakī, and He will come, similarly if by your endeavor Kṛṣṇa comes in this movement, then these Kaṁsas will be destroyed. He will kill. That day will come when we shall take all the political posts. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. That is battle of Kurukṣetra. "Take it from Duryodhana. Give it to Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuna." If you go on steadily, that will be... And all these demons, Kaṁsa, Bakāsura, Aghāsura, sakala incarnations, swamis, yogis... They are Aghāsura and Bakāsura. Just like Kṛṣṇa had to kill so many asuras, disturbing element. You become under some Aghāsura.

Conversation with Yadubara (after seeing film) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Anyways, these rascals, we have to deal with these rascals. Whatever little service they can give us. Even Gandhi was of opinion that "There was no Kṛṣṇa, there was no battle of Kurukṣetra. It is imagination."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Battlefield of the mind," he said.

Prabhupāda: Everyone takes Bhagavad-gītā as fictitious, and you can interpret it in any way you like. That is the... This Swami Cinmayananda is also that class. He is a sādhu.

Girirāja: The lawyer asked me had I read the books of Swami Cinmayananda.

Prabhupāda: What did you reply?

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: That depends on you. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't manufacture nonsense things. (Hindi) Rascaldom. "Simply surrender to Me." (Hindi) ...manufacture... (Hindi) ...ism, this ism, that ism, that ism. (Hindi) The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. (Hindi) ...nonviolence... (Hindi) Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). The first word is (Hindi). And you want to prove it, nonviolence. (Hindi) ...rascaldom... (Hindi) The first word is used, yuyutsavaḥ. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) Violence required to keep the society in order. (Hindi) Who will give protection? Sab scientific. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) "So don't trust woman and politician." This is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And she is both politician and woman. We have got Mahābhārata, there is not a single instance... We had very, very great, qualified women. But they were in charge of state...? Very, very qualified women. You know.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: For ten years I worked! Now see. All over the world I have got hundreds of buildings like this. I am the same man. At least one hundred temples we have only by working ten years. So there must be capacity, there must be endeavor, there must be good fortune. Then everything will be... It is not that you simply desire and it will drop from the sky. That is not possible. Hm? Arjuna fought the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa never advised him, "No, I am your friend. I shall do everything. You sit down and sleep." "You have to fight!" And Kṛṣṇa is merciful. He gives him... The two things required. Utsāhān dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravart... If you have no capacity, you cannot expect to become very rich or learned, or very... That is not possible. It is not your capacity. Just like within this land there is gold, but you have to dig it. That is mine. And if you smell, "Ah, there is gold here," will you get gold? You are fortunate. You have got a place. Here is gold. But you have to dig it. You have to work. "No, I shall smell, and gold will come." That is not... So don't be worried.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 14 September, 1951:

The Sun does not require to be helped by other light. So there is no need of interpreting Bhagavad-gita by any indirect meaning. Let us understand that Kuruksetra is Kuruksetra and it is still a sacred place of Hindu pilgrimage. The Pandavas are the sons of Pandu as it is stated in the history of Mahabharata. The Pandavas and the Kurus met at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

I wish that the American people may try to understand Bhagavad-gita in terms of its direct meaning. Let it not be unnecessarily misunderstood by the empiric speculative method for making a show of the vanity of so called learning without any living experience. Such academic erudition has nothing to do with living reality.

I wish to present an analytical study of Bhagavad-gita as it is.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

The Sun does not require to be helped by the light. So there is no need of understanding Bhagavad-gita by indirect interpretation. Kuruksetra is Kuruksetra. Dharmaksetra is Dharmaksetra. The Pandavas are Pandavas or the sons of Pandu and nobody else. The Pandavas & Kauravas not actually at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

I wish that your people may try to understand Bhagavad-gita in terms of its direct meaning. Let it not be unnecessarily misunderstood by the empiric speculative method. For making others of the vanity of so called learning without any living experience. Such academic erudity has nothing to do with the living reality.

I shall try to present an analytical study of Bhagavad-gita through the pages of your American Reporter in order to help the American people to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. If your people can grasp the direct meaning of Bhagavad-gita it will be possible for us all to know the basic principle of cosmic harmony.

Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958:

The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita can be preached only when it is taken up by real devotees of Krishna the Personality of Godhead.

One of the real devotees of Krishna was Arjuna during the appearance of Lord Krishna and as such the parampara of the Bhagavad-gita, which was broken prior to the occurrence of the battle of Kuruksetra, was reestablished at the battlefield and Arjuna was authorized to understand the purpose of the Bhagavad-gita. We should not miss this important point if we are serious about preaching the gospel of the transcendental literature.

As such it is understood in the beginning that one who does not follow the foot prints of Arjuna, cannot enter into the mystery of the Bhagavad-gita and therefore nobody can preach the gospel of Geeta without knowing its mystery.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 29 December, 1967:

Ordinarily, Bhismadeva was worshipper of Lord Visnu, but he knew also that Krishna is the same Lord Visnu. When Krishna came to see Bhismadeva on his death bed, Bhismadeva remembered Krishna in His fighting feature at the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva wanted to see Krishna angry, he knew that Krishna was very kind upon him, but to make a front he displayed a chivalrous mood, pretending to kill Arjuna, although he knew it very well that no power in the world could kill Arjuna while he was shielded by Krishna Himself as his charioteer. Yet he tried to agitate the mind of Krishna, but Arjuna he almost killed. Actually, Krishna thought it that Bhismadeva was to see Him in His angry mood and supposed to be broken in His promise, to fulfill the desire of Bhismadeva. He got down from the chariot and took a wheel of the chariot, going forward as if to kill Bhismadeva.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. David J. Exley -- Los Angeles 21 February, 1968:

With further reference to your letter dated Feb. 16, 1968, I may inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is not a recent movement, started a few months or a few years ago, but this movement has been existing for a very long time, dating back to the Vedic Age. Without tracing the history of this movement, we can safely say that at least 5000 years ago, this movement was started from the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Later on, it was organizedly recorded in the great voluminous literature, known world over as the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the very famous Bhagavad-gita, by the original author of Vedic literature, Sri Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa. Since that time, this movement is current in India, supported by great Acaryas like Ramanuja, Madhva, and Visnu Swami, and Nimbarka. Later on, about 500 years ago, it received great impetus from Lord Caitanya, and since that time, there are millions of supporters for Krishna Consciousness in India.

Letter to Aniruddha -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 5, 1968, and I thank you very much for it. I am very glad that you are taking responsibility for Krishna's sake, this is advancement of Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is full in Himself. He can exert His energy to do anything wonderful, but still He presents Himself as unable to do so. Just like the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, He said all these men are already dead by my arrangement, none of them are going back home to live, the plan is already settled. And Arjuna was supposed to take responsibility and the credit of being victorious. Krishna is so kind, He does everything, but He gives the credit to His sincere devotee. So the more you take responsibility, Krishna is pleased on you. I am very glad you are feeling such responsibility and Krishna will bless you.

Please work combinedly with respect to develop a very nice Temple, and Mukunda has the transcendental ambition to construct our own temple there, and try to cooperate with him. Stop the idea of casting for the present, unless we see one pair nicely made, we cannot order 17 pairs. If actually he has made such statues nicely, never mind in other forms, made of yellow brass, I shall be glad to see it.

Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968:

That is the philosophy of inconceivably one and different, expounded by Lord Caitanya. Try to understand in that way.

Your next question, ("In Srimad-Bhagavatam, chap. 9, text 1, 'Suta Goswami said, thus being afraid of the act of killing the subjects in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, Maharaja Yudhisthira went to that place of massacre where Bhismadeva was lying on a bed of arrows for passing away. Bhismadeva was endowed with the power of leaving his material body at his will and his lying down on a bed of arrows was his own choice.' Did Bhismadeva get wounded by arrows at the battle of Kuruksetra, or did he simply chose to leave his mortal body and thus lay down for passing on a bed of arrows") Bhismadeva was surely wounded by the arrows of Arjuna. But wounding is not always the cause of death. In our own practical experience we know that many soldiers become wounded in battlefield, sometimes very severely, but still one is not dead—he recovers in the hospital. So Bhismadeva was certainly such severely wounded, but that was not the cause of his death.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 20 November, 1968:

Just like Arjuna is constant companion of Krishna, as it is confirmed in the 4th chapter, Krishna says that both Arjuna and He appeared many times on this world, but he had forgotten his past appearance and Krishna did not. Krishna is like the sun, and maya is just like darkness. Where Krishna is present there cannot be any darkness of maya. So as Arjuna although always in the presence of Krishna as eternal companion in friendship, still he had some illusion in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and Krishna had to dissipate that darkness by the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. The purport is, sometimes even a liberated person like Arjuna plays the part of a conditioned soul in order to play some important part. Similarly, Bhaktivinode Thakura for sometimes was associating with the impersonalists. And then he exhibited himself in his true color as pure devotee, exactly in the same way as Arjuna exhibited in the beginning as a conditioned soul, and then as a liberated soul. So there is nothing to be misunderstood in this connection.

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Los Angeles 28 December, 1968:

Actually, one who is in Krishna Consciousness automatically develops all of the good qualities which are possessed by the demigods. So we should always try to develop in this way by becoming fully surrendered to Lord Krishna. For Krishna we can execute any activity, but this is not free license to act whimsically. Arjuna was able to fight on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra because this was Krishna's desire, not because it was simply his whims. So please try to remember this and Krishna will help you surely as you are sincere soul.

I am pleased to know that even in such circumstances as the Halawa Jail you are taking opportunity to remember Krishna and to preach His Divine message to your acquaintances there. Already you have sparked some interest in some of the women there, and my request to these ladies is that they chant Hare Krishna loudly or softly, as they are able, and if they like they may order our Bhagavad-gita As It Is which can be ordered from here in Los Angeles.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Vibhavati -- New Vrindaban 12 June, 1969:

Therefore people in general must understand the importance of Krishna Consciousness, and they must in this democratic day send their real representatives who can make right decisions whether there should be war or no war. We find from the history of Mahabharata that the battle of Kuruksetra was because of the belligerent attitude of Duryodhana. So such war as is was conducted under the advice of Lord Krishna is not bad, but war declared and executed by demonic politicians is certainly very bad. A Krishna conscious person like Arjuna is not inclined to the activities of warfare, but when there is a necessity for peace in the world to educate men to become Krishna Conscious, a Krishna Conscious person does not lag behind. Therefore the first necessity for peace in the world is to instruct men how to become Krishna Conscious, because as soon as one becomes Krishna Conscious all the good qualities in human society are manifested.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy. Every individual being must have his opinion; that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinions must coincide in Krishna. In the battlefield of Kuruksetra were Arjuna and Bhisma who were fighting with one another, and because Krishna was on the side of Arjuna, sometimes Bhisma pierced the body of Krishna also with arrows. But still they remained the greatest devotees of the Lord, and Krishna accepted the friendship of Arjuna just as He accepted the inimical arrows of Bhisma in the same loving spirit. So you do not be disturbed by such controversial points. Better you engage your mind very seriously in the matter of the service entrusted upon you. That will make you progressive in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Dinesh -- Tittenhurst 31 October, 1969:

Regarding your second question about Sanjaya, he was a student of Vyasadeva, and by the mercy of Vyasadeva he was able to receive the message of the conversation of Krishna-Arjuna. Thus Sanjaya was able to speak to Dhrtarastra about the conversation on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Regarding your final question, the marginal potency means internal potency. But because the marginal potency sometimes comes within the external position, therefore, in spite of its being internal potency it is turned to marginal potency. This is stated in Visnu Purana: Any potency of Krishna is spiritual energy, but due to varieties of actions a section is called marginal potency or external potency.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Ekayani -- Los Angeles 3 May, 1970:

If Krsna desired Lord Siva to do like that, so he had some plan which we need not understand. He is the Supreme Lord, and He is maintaining the huge universal affairs, so how does He do things and for what purpose He does them, it is very difficult to understand. Just like He planned the battle of Kuruksetra and He induced His friend, a great devotee, Arjuna, to kill. So why does He plan to make others atheist, it is known to him.

Our business is to glorify Him always, either He plans to dance with the Gopis, or He makes a plan to kill others on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, or He plans to do something which is not very good from materialistic point of view. Our only business is to remain steadfast devotee to Krsna in all conditions. That is the instruction given in Siksastaka, wherein it is said, "My Lord, whatever You like You can do, but unconditionally You are my only object of worship." That is pure devotion.

Letter to Brahmananda , Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1970:

It is the injunction of the Vedas that the Spiritual Master should not be treated as ordinary man even if sometimes the Spiritual Master behaves like ordinary man. It is the duty of the disciple to accept Him as Superhuman Man. In the beginning of your letter your comparison of the soldier and commander is very appropriate. We are on the battlefield of Kuruksetra—one side Maya, the other side Krsna. So the regulative principles of a battlefield, namely to abide by the order of the commander, must be followed. Otherwise it is impossible to direct the fighting capacity of the soldiers and thus defeat the opposing elements. Kindly therefore take courage. You are capable in so many ways. Let things be rightly done so that our mission may be correctly pushed forward to come out victorious.

Letter to Mr. DDD -- Surat 19 December, 1970:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter undated as well as the enclosed booklet, and I thank you very much for these.

I have read your version of the Bhagavad-gita, first chapter and it is very interesting to read how the armies were present on the battlefield of Kuruksetra and how Lord Krishna became the charioteer of His friend and devotee, Arjuna. Also I have read your excerpt from Teachings of Lord Caitanya and it was very relishable to read. So take instruction from Bhagavad-gita in this way. Your handwriting is so nice, so by printing such booklets and learning Bhagavad-gita you can then instruct others and Krishna will bless you.

Please take nice care of the cows there for me and make sure that everyone is chanting their 16 rounds. Hope this will meet you in good health.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Yajnesvara -- Bombay 2 January, 1972:

Of course, for doing business with businessmen you have to lie business. Just like Krishna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sometimes He also had to also fabricate something in emergency situations. Although He made promise not to interfere in the Battle of Kuruksetra, He was forced to break His promise just to save His pure devotee. So there is no prohibition one shall never tell lie, because for business of carrying our propaganda work sometimes it may be necessary. Krishna Consciousness means practical living, not something utopian or idealistic and vague. We simply do the needful, whatever pleases Krishna most, that's all. Gradually you will understand what it means to please Krishna and what it means to displease Krishna. That you will learn by studying our books and by yourself engaging in practical devotional service. In the material dealings there is always there is always something undesirable, but even so you cannot give up your occupation.

Letter to Amarendra -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972:

In this way by your sincere preaching and engaging of the tongue all of the right answers for your questions will come out.

It is a fact that Krishna desires to have His own men in the top posts. That is why after so much fighting in the Battle of Kuruksetra, only the five Pandavas remained, because they are devotees of Krishna and He likes it when His own men are serving in the top positions of leadership. So gradually we shall also try to influence the leaders of this country and other countries to base their political activities upon a God-conscious platform. It is the duty of the brahminical class to advise the leaders, not that they shall themselves serve as leaders. So more and more I am urging my students to recognize the grave responsibility which is theirs for saving this fallen human society from gliding down into hell.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Makhanlal -- Mayapur 22 June, 1973:

In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna ordered Arjuna to declare to the whole world that His devotees would never be vanquished. And in the last verse of the Gita, Sanjaya says wherever there is Krsna and Krsna's pure devotee Arjuna there will always be opulence, victory, extraordinary power and morality—tatra srir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama. But because we are engaged in warfare with the forces of Maya, there will be casualties. Even Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu a 16-year-old boy was killed at the battle of Kuruksetra. We should be prepared to protect the Deities and always expect Krsna's Mercy, because we are always dependent on Him and we cannot do anything on our own without Him.

You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Bahu Rupa -- Vrindaban 1 September, 1975:

There is Vedic literature that gives proof of Lord Parasurama driving out the ksatriyas. We do not take these mundane histories as authority. Regarding the dating of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Battle of Kuruksetra took place at the beginning of Kali yuga, and Kali yuga has passed more than 5,000 years. The Bhagavad-gita was also spoken at the beginning of the fight, so we take it as 5,000 years ago. From the Bhagavad-gita we learn it was spoken by the sun god millions of years ago. We take this as authority. If you don't accept my authority, then I don't accept your authority. That is the way of evidence, to accept the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Vedic literature. The calculation is that the Kali yuga is 432,000 years, out of which we have passed 5,000 years.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- New Delhi 2 December, 1975:

I am very happy that you are taking a chance for Krishna, do everything very carefully and sincerely, Krishna will help you. Lord Caitanya predicted that in the modern age this movement would be spread to every town and village of the world. So by the sincere help of you American and European boys and girls it is actually happening. It is not bogus, like communism, socialism and so many isms going on in the world today. But is purely spiritual authorized by the disciplic succession tracing all the way back to Krishna himself who spoke this science of life 5,000 years ago on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. The battlefield is still there and you will be happy to know that yesterday we have been at that very spot where Krishna spoke to Arjuna, and we will build a gorgeous Krishna Arjuna temple there. People will come from all over the world to see it and understand the authority and sublime message of Lord Krishna.

Letter to Sri Krishna C. Batra -- Vrindaban 8 December, 1975:

So we teach our students how to think of Krishna 24 hours and thus become devotees of Krishna. When one becomes a devotee he worships Krishna by the above nine varieties of bhakti processes and remain always an obedient servant of Krishna, and the vivid example is Arjuna, how he engaged himself on the battlefield of Kuruksetra although he was not willing to kill the enemies on the other side, although they happen to be very near and dear kinsmen of Arjuna.

The conclusion is, when one gives up his concocted ideas of perfection and takes to Krishna consciousness just to render service to the Lord by following his direct order this perfection is actually attained by a pure devotee, so much so that a pure devotee constantly engaged in the service of the Lord can get direct orders from the Lord, and then follow perfectly the instructions of the Lord.

Letter to Tulsi -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

He was trying to satisfy his country, and his country killed him. He manufactured so many things which were never found in Bhagavad-gita. Throughout the Bhagavad-gita Krishna is encouraging Arjuna to fight, and Gandhi manufactured non-violence from Bhagavad-gita. Everyone in India knows the Mahabharata, the great battle of Kuruksetra, 640,000,000 soldiers gave up their life in that battle, and Krishna was personally instructing Arjuna to fight, and Gandhi took Bhagavad-gita and preached non-violence. So what was his understanding. At the end of his life he frankly said, "I don't believe there was ever such a historical person as Krishna". So what did Gandhi know about Bhagavad-gita?

My only credit is that I have presented Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any speculation, or interpretation, therefore for the first time in the history of the world people are accepting it and living practically according to the principles of Bhagavad-gita.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Punjabi Premanand -- Bombay 16 April, 1976:

Hearing is the main point. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is written, dharmaksetre kuruksetre . . . when you hear from a realized soul, a person who knows things, he'll explain that Kuruksetra is a place where religious ritualistic ceremonies are performed from time immemorial, from the time before the Battle of Kuruksetra. But, if you read the books of some cunning politician, he'll mislead you and you'll learn that Kuruksetra means this body which is not actually the fact. That is the difference, hearing from devotees, the sound vibration coming from the realized person. Reading the book is the same thing . . . tattva-darsana—hearing from one who has seen the truth. Reading or hearing from the realized person there is no difference, but hearing the sound vibration from the realized soul is still more effective, better.

Letter to Bhargava -- Honolulu 29 May, 1976:

You have done a great mistake by changing the front picture and it will hamper the sale. In future you don't do any changes without asking me first.

Simply because there is no stock of books, we can do anything whimsically??? Is this logic? Gita is not spoken in Vrindaban, it is spoken on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, but this is Vrindaban picture. That chariot drive by 4 horses, that is the real Kuruksetra picture. It is not that because there is no stock we can do whimsically as we like and lose the idea, that is rasa-bhasa. Because there is no bread, you take stone to eat? There is no stock of bread so you will take stone??? The front picture is most important thing and you have changed it. It must remain standard, and not change. Also, the lettering is not nice on the cover. You could have taken a color picture of Krishna and Arjuna and used it black and white (one color) on the front cover.