So everyone is working. Never mind in whatever occupation one is engaged. That doesn't matter. But one has to test whether he is becoming successful. Because everyone wants success. We are not animals that without any success we shall work hard labor. That is animals' business. Just like several times I have given the example, dophara gadha, the ass of the washerman. That kind of business and work is no use. Dophara gadha, ass of the washerman. Here, of course, you have no experience. In India there is a class who are called washermen. In India there are different castes. Washerman, a class; barber, a class. I mean to say... So many departmental. So each and every one, there is a class who take up that work. Sweeper, a class. All the necessities. The clerk, even clerk, there is a class; priest, there is a class; the fighter, there is a class. That is nice arrangement.
Fighter (Conversations and Letters)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Just like we just take example from your country. You are constructing so many highways, freeways. Still, there is problem. Still, even in the highways, sometimes blocked. Aiye. (Hindi) Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido (SB 1.5.18). (Hindi) We do not dissuade persons to stop work. No. That is not our... You do your work, but be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That's it. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter. Kṛṣṇa never stopped him from his occupation, but he was taught Kṛṣṇa conscious even in the battlefield. (Hindi—break) You want to see? Yes. Where is that book?
Haṁsadūta: Here, Bhagavad-gītā.
Prabhupāda: Kiñcid adhīta. (break) ...a thousand pages of this size. This is four hundred pages, but that Gītā will be thousand pages. But we shall use very thin paper. Yes. It is available after some time.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that duty should be performed. Nobody... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna did his duty. He was a fighter. But he fought for Kṛṣṇa. That is his excellence. Is it not? He was a fighter. His duty as a kṣatriya, his duty is to fight. But he fought for Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, everyone can perform his duty. That is also enjoined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa and āśrama. There are different kinds of duties. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭha varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone has got his particular type of duty, but how he is becoming perfect by performing his duty, that is to be seen whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).
Prabhupāda: Now, this picture... This is Viṣvarūpa. It was shown to Arjuna. Now, Arjuna, before understanding Bhagavad-gītā, was a fighter, warrior. And after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, he remained a fighter. So we don't want to change the position. Just like you are a respectable professor, teacher. We don't say that you change your position. We have come to convince you about our philosophy. That's all. So just like the same example: Arjuna, he was denying to fight, "Kṛṣṇa, I do not like to kill my relatives. I don't want this kingdom." But he was taught Bhagavad-gītā. And at the end, when Kṛṣṇa inquired, "What is your decision now?" he said, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73): "Yes, I shall act accordingly, as You say." That means his consciousness was changed. He remained a fighter. He was a fighter, he remained a fighter, but he changed his consciousness. We want that. We don't want to disturb the present condition of the society. No. But we try to make them understand that "There is a great necessity of you to understand this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is our goal.
Prabhupāda: Drug is killing the whole Western nation. You will be spoiled, you will be finished with this drug habit. You are already finished. America is finished. They cannot do anything anymore. Neither industrialists nor big scholars, neither big fighter. Anything. Simply spoiled. The only shelter is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pāpi tāpi yata chilo harināme uddharilo. They can be only saved by this process. They have no other... otherwise they are going to hell. All Americans, the so-called puffed up materialist. This is a fact. So if you want to do service to your country, introduce this Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the younger generation. They will be saved. You be saved and save your brothers. And otherwise this poison, this intoxication, heroin, cocaine, and LSD and this and marijuana, finished everything. But if you become steady in one life without deviating for māyā, then you make solution of all problems. That is the duty of human being . Instead of suffering this repeated birth and death, one life sacrifice. What is that sacrifice?
Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa. Either you may be brāhmaṇa or either you may be kṣatriya, either you may be vaiśya or śūdra, it doesn't matter. But you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is your perfection. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Vibhāgaśaḥ is accepted, varna āśrama. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone has got particular duty to perform. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). You remain kṣatriya, you remain brāhmaṇa, you remain śūdra, it doesn't matter. But try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by your activities. That is wanted. Just like Arjuna. He remained a kṣatriya. He was a fighter, he was declining to fight, and Kṛṣṇa said, "What is this nonsense, you decline to fight?" "No, I do not wish to kill my kinsmen." Then he was..., he accepted Kṛṣṇa's discipleship, śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7), "Now I am puzzled, I do not..., I am..." Yes. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, some of our members, they are standing for election in the government. Election. And we hope one day some of our men will become President. That is kṣatriya's business, to take part in administration.
Guest (2): No fighter? No fighting? They are not going to fight? They're not going to become warriors, not like the real kṣatriyas.
Prabhupāda: Well, when you take part in politics you have to fight. (laughter) Yes.
Guest (2): I don't mean that. I mean muṣṭi fighting.
Prabhupāda: Well, if required, muṣṭi fight will be there. Arjuna, Arjuna was fighting. He was Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Prabhupāda: So by his profession he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that there should be fight between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas for right cause. 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.
Prabhupāda: That I have explained. Just like Arjuna, who was a fighter, warrior, means he fought for Kṛṣṇa. For himself, he was hesitating. He put all these questions that "If I kill my brothers, then their wives will be widow, and they will be prostitutes and there will be varṇa-saṅkara, and then there will be no piṇḍa-dāna and then the whole nation will go to hell," in this way, as he could think. But he was not thinking in terms of Kṛṣṇa. He was thinking in terms of his own benefit, "whether I shall go to hell or heaven." That was his contemplation. Therefore he was taught Bhagavad-gītā. And after understanding Bhagavad-gītā he agreed to Kṛṣṇa's proposal. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā: (BG 18.73) "Now my illusion is gone. I have got my real consciousness, so I shall fight." So the fighting was Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. Arjuna was a soldier, he was a fighter. The battlefield was there, the war was there, everything was there. He did not... He took to Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean he gave up the field and went away. He remained there, but simply the consciousness was changed. He was not willing to fight on his own account. He changed his opinion, "Yes, now I shall fight. By Your grace, my all doubts are now gone." This is required, this is perfection. And there's the picture how Kṛṣṇa is guiding Arjuna. When the ranks are formed.
Devotees and David Wynne: Yes.
Prabhupāda: "Just here. Just here."
Prabhupāda: So yat karoṣi, that is the... Arjuna, he was a fighter. He was a fighter, military man. So his business was to fight. But he fought for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it's bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, whatever you...
Reporter: Yeah. Yes. What I'm now asking is that what you are telling us is very important, that we must act for Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Reporter: But Kṛṣṇa is telling to Arjuna where to act, and how to act, and what to act, that is "Fight." And at that moment He is telling to fight the Kauravas. Now, we are confused here, that what is our fight? What is our fight?
Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. So everything should be done—that is called karma-yoga—in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna is doing. He did not change his position as a fighter, as a warrior. But he acted according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is recognized: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee." This is the process. So we have to purify. We cannot stop. That is not possible. The progress which is going on, let it go. But let it go, we do not want that, but it has come so far, it is not possible to stop it. But here is the remedy. You can purify it.
Popworth: What means do you suggest for purifying it?
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. That's all right. No, that's all right. One must... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter. His dharma was to fight.
Dr. Patel: (Hindi) Fighter... I am wrongly placed in the medical profession. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: No. Dharma means one's sva-kar... Just like varṇāśrama-dharma.
Dr. Patel: That is the real dharma.
Prabhupāda: Yes. According to varṇa and āśrama. That is called varṇāśrama-dharma.
Dr. Patel: The greatest gift to the humanity is varṇāśrama-dharma by the ancient culture of India.
Prabhupāda: No, it is given by God.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes?
Santosa: They make so many interpretations of that word, aparyaptam.
Prabhupāda: How they can...? Aparya... It is... The other party says that "Bhīma is not so expert fighter." He was speaking to Bhīṣmadeva that "You are so nice, expert commander. Bhīma is not so expert commander. Therefore even they have got some soldiers, they'll not be properly guided." This is the real meaning. How you can interpret? What is their interpretation?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They are simply making excuses.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But in the end they'll have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (end)
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.
Rāmeṣvara: In modern warfare it's...
Prabhupāda: Why not? Yes. But they, they are so rascals, they throw bomb anywhere.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially atom bomb.
Prabhupāda: But one thing is that because civilians are also responsible for declaring war, because the parliament is the representation of the people...
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Karma.
Prabhupāda: Therefore, now the war is between people to people, nation to nation. They support with men and money. So therefore they are also killed by nature's law. (break)
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: That means they are commanding.
Brahmānanda: Recently one famous author came to America. He was a freedom fighter, freedom author.
Satsvarūpa: Prabhupāda knows about him.
Jagadīśa: Solzhenitsyn.
Brahmānanda: Solzhenitsyn. Did you see him when you went to Moscow? Śyāmasundara was saying.
Prabhupāda: No. There was proposal.
Brahmānanda: He talks so much, Śyāmasundara. He told a whole story, that you went outside Moscow to some colony, artist colony. He was living there.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā?
Brahmānanda: Because he was afraid. He was advised by Kissinger that "If you see him, then the Russian leaders, they will become angry upon you." So he refused to see him. So this received a great deal of criticism in America, that "We are for freedom and here he is coming, freedom fighter, and you refused to see him simply to pacify the Russian leaders." (break)
Prabhupāda: ...was a fault?
Satsvarūpa: His fault is that he spoke out against the whole Russian...
Brahmānanda: He speaks very strongly, condemns the Russian system.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Russian, it is terrorism.
Brahmānanda: Yes. And he says that America should not become, try to become friendly, but should try to defeat them.
Brahmānanda: They had the air force here. They have four jet planes.
Cyavana: Fighter jets.
Brahmānanda: Fighter jets, four of them only. And during the national celebration they fly in procession. So one of them fell down, killing the pilots.
Prahupada: Just see.
Brahmānanda: These are very old jets that were supplied by the British. (Prabhupāda laughs) They're so proud of their four airplanes. Now they only have three.
Prabhupāda: Could not replace the other one.
Brahmānanda: I don't know if they've replaced it or not.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
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). That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. That is the Mahābhārata history. So how you can differentiate this Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa? There is no possibility, it is imagination. The beginning is Mahābhārata and the Bhagavad-gītā.
Prabhupāda: Bhakto 'si me. He was not a Vedantist, he was a soldier. How the soldier can understand the highest topics of bhakti-yoga? Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). It is the yoga. How a soldier... Arjuna was not a Vedantist, he was a fighter. There was a doubt that "How a soldier can understand?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si, "You can understand because you are My bhakta." The first qualification, one must be a bhakta. Then he can understand. Otherwise it is not possible.
Mr. Deyani: How then can the God come in a human form, because human, when you talk of human body, it is a limited...
Prabhupāda: He does not come in human form. He is like human being, dvi-bhuja. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. He's... In the Bible it is said that man is made after God. The human being, two hands, two legs, this body they have got, that is the original form of God. But because He comes in that form, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), they think that He is a man. His original form is (like) that. But because we are habituated to see two hands, two legs of human being, we take Him as human being.
Prabhupāda: "I am Bhagavān, I am God." So that attitude will not help to understand. (Prabhupāda converses in Hindi with an Indian lady about how one does not have to renounce family life to understand Kṛṣṇa.) He says paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He understands perfectly. There is no question of gṛhastha or sannyāsī. It is a question of understanding. And Arjuna is gṛhastha, politician, fighter, and still he is selected to understand Bhagavad-gītā. So gṛhastha. (Hindi) ...in gṛhastha life or sannyāsī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says like that, kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya. (Hindi) I shall speak in English so that others.... Kibā vipra, whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kibā śūdra, or whether he is a śūdra, nyāsī kene naya, or whether he is a sannyāsī. That means whether he is a gṛhastha or brāhmaṇa, or.... There are eight varṇāśrama—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, whatever he may be, out of these eight categories.
Prabhupāda: That is, because it was fight amongst the family members. So He was also related with the Kuru family. His aunt, Kuntī..., Kuntī was married to the Pāṇḍavas. So the family members may not think that He's partial, so He divided Himself into two. His soldiers one side, and He Himself one side. And Arjuna and Duryodhana were present, requesting Him to take their side. So Kṛṣṇa said that "We are all family members, so I divide Myself into two-My soldiers and Myself. So if you want, you take Me or My soldiers, as you like, but if you take Me, I say I'll not fight." So Duryodhana thought that "Kṛṣṇa will not fight and He's prepared to give me soldiers," he took the soldiers, and Arjuna said, "No, I want You." So this was the division. So in the beginning He said that "Even if I go to one side, I'll not fight." So how He could fight? Not that He was not a fighter, but because He promised that "The side which will accept, I'll not fight." But He did not say that "I'll not give you instruction of fighting." That is Kṛṣṇa.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: What prakṛti? When there is...
Dr. Patel: Mithyaiṣa vyavasāyas te prakṛtis tvāṁ niyokṣyati. The prakṛti drags you down in that world.
Prabhupāda: Because he was trained up as a fighter.
Dr. Patel: Sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ.
Prabhupāda: Our, one of the mission is to reestablish the division of the society according to...
Dr. Patel: But, sir, even without redividing them, nature has divided it.
Prabhupāda: No, no, nature has divided, but we are taking the post or some position without qualification. That must be rectified.
Prabhupāda: Nagakanya.
Dr. Patel: Ilavan, Abhimanyu and Babhruvāhana. These were the outstanding sons of Arjuna.
Gurudāsa: He was a great fighter?
Prabhupāda: Yes, they were kṣatriyas.
Dr. Patel: He did in the war.
Prabhupāda: Babhruvāhana was adopted by his grandfather. That is called putrikā, putrikā-putra, "daughter's son adopted as son." So our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara belongs to this family, Babhruvāhana family. His title is Singh. That means kṣatriya. And they are Vaiṣṇavas for the last five thousand years or more than that.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Gargamuni: So in comparison to the Bengali, they were very small. So they were very fearful of these fighters. The whole Pakistani army was made of these Pathans.
Prabhupāda: Pathans.
Gargamuni: Very huge men, very tall.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Gargamuni: So there was great fear in the hearts of the people 'cause they're very small. And all of the equipment was imported from America, all the tanks, the jeeps, all the planes and—all American
Prabhupāda: Why American patronize Pakistan?
Prabhupāda: Spiritual service—to render service to Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Then you'll be happy.
Guest (3): No, but those who are freedom fighters, they are actually on the wrong path?
Prabhupāda: No, no. Everyone who is not serving Kṛṣṇa, he is in the wrong path.
Guest (3): But Kṛṣṇa means... Who is He? Is He a personal or impersonal?
Prabhupāda: Person. Service means person.
Guest (3): Person?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless you are person, I am person, how I can serve you or how you can accept service?
Prabhupāda: They must know what is the value of this mission, brainwashed.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a man who is very much eager to fight this case.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is wanted.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he's a first-class fighter.
Prabhupāda: And give him hint. This is wanted.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man is not simply a businessman because in his...
Prabhupāda: We want that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was taking up on his own so many civil rights cases. He's a fighter for individual freedom.
Prabhupāda: Not only that. He should be convinced that "Here is a good mission for the human society."
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
I have got a fancy for your country, and being inspired by that, I first went to your country, and still I feel that way. I am improving, although slowly; but I am eating and sleeping better than in N.Y. Regarding your speculation as to whether or not you should accept a position: Krishna wants that everyone should utilize his talent as far as possible. Arjuna was a great fighter, and Krishna encouraged him to fight. He never said that he should sit down and I shall do it for you, although He was able to. The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa. Formal acceptance of sannyasa, as required for all old men, means that one should retire from materialistic life, and devote his time and energy for the service of the Lord. As you are devoted already to the service of the Lord, without any personal consideration, you are always sannyasa at heart. Now if you can get some money for our cause of K.C. I think it will be a great service.
1969 Correspondence
If one is always careful about falling down and prays to Krishna that he may not fall down on account of greater strength of Maya, then Krishna will give him special protection. This was advised to Arjuna by Krishna Himself. Arjuna was a great fighter, statesman, and at the same time a great devotee. A statesman and military commander has very little time to perform the routine work of devotional service, but Krishna advised him especially to be engaged in his occupational duty, and at the same time always be thinking of Krishna. This is the secret of not being a victim of Maya. Rayarama's case is different. He definitely denied my instructions. I asked him to come to me and live with me, and he definitely denied. So this denial is cause of his temporary suspension of devotional life, but if he has executed devotional service in the past sincerely, I think he cannot go back.
1970 Correspondence
The physical activities in Vrindaban are not material activities. Just like Arjuna, in the beginning he declined to fight, and Krishna apparently induced him to fight. But does it mean that Arjuna after understanding Bhagavad-gita became a violent fighter? If that is the result of understanding Bhagavad-gita, then no gentleman would read it ever. Therefore the real thing is that in Bhakti cult the activities appear to be like those of the Karmis, but actually they are all devotional service. In New Vrindaban everyone is engaged in Krishna's service, they have no interest in material activities, but they are always ready to act anything for Krishna's sake.
Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna. Just like sometimes our name is Krsna, that does not mean that I am real Krsna, but I am Krsna Das or servant of Krsna. From the description of Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that this Jambavan was very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture of bodily construction of a black man in your country. So in this way you can guess what should be the features of his body. But certainly he was not a bear.
| Page Title: | Fighter (Conversations and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 18 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=32, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 36 |