Soldiers (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"soldier" |"soldier's" |"soldiers"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Devotee: "Arjuna was neither a great scholar nor a Vedantist, but a great soldier. A soldier is not supposed to be scholarly, and so Arjuna was selected to understand the Bhagavad-gītā because of one qualification only: he was a devotee of the Lord. This indicates that the Bhagavad-gītā is especially meant for the devotee of the Lord."

Prabhupāda: So this point is described that just like this yogi Maharishi, he has also written one Bhagavad-gītā. And what right he has got? He has no right to say anything about Bhagavad-gītā because he is not a devotee. Bhagavad-gītā is taught to Arjuna. He was neither a yogi nor a scholar nor a Vedantist nor a brāhmaṇa even. He was kṣatriya. Nor a sannyāsī even. He was gṛhastha. He had three wives and so many children. And he was fighting for kingdom. What is the qualification that Bhagavad-gītā was taught to him? Because he was devotee. People have to see how Bhagavad-gītā is to be accepted. Specially Kṛṣṇa mentions in the Fourth Chapter that "I am speaking to you. The disciplic succession is now broken. Therefore I am speaking to you the old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, again, unto you." "Why unto me, Kṛṣṇa?" "Because you are My devotee." That was the answer. So only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

So dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkam (BG 1.2). Duryodhana did not expect that the Pāṇḍavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kṛṣṇa on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pāṇḍavas are well-equipped with good number of soldiers, pāṇḍavānīkam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief Dronācārya....

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

Paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām ācārya: (BG 1.3) "My dear teacher, just see how many military soldiers are standing there on behalf of the Pāṇḍavas, and they have been arranged by your disciple, who is meant for killing you. So just remember." That means "You become more strong that this boy and the other party may not kill you." But Duryodhana does not know that the death does not depend on military strength or bodily strength. When death will come, nobody can check. Death is God. When Kṛṣṇa desires that "This man should be killed now," or "He must die now," nobody can check. Rākhe kṛṣṇa mare ke mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. If Kṛṣṇa desires to kill somebody, nobody can give him protection, no power. And if He wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him. This is Kṛṣṇa's protection.

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

Therefore this big, big commander-in-chief Dronācārya and Bhīṣmadeva, Karṇa, they were very, very, big, powerful commanders. Arjuna was nothing before them. Arjuna was just like... Parīkṣit Mahārāja compared that "My grandfather was just like an ordinary fish, and these soldiers, these commanders, (were) just like timiṅgila." Timiṅgila, there is a fish—we get information from Vedic literature—very big fish. They swallow up the whales. Timi. Timi means whale fish. And timiṅgila means... Just like small fish are swallowed up like this.

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

So similarly, in this battlefield, Kṛṣṇa is there, and all the living entities... Some of them are soldiers, some of them are commander-in-chiefs, some of them this, that. Or the chariot or the ground—everything Kṛṣṇa's energy. So if we remember that everything is manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy, there is no question of materialism. It is all spiritual energy. So nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. So we have to use them for Kṛṣṇa. Here all of of them have gathered.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Translation: There are the mighty Yudhāmanyu, the very powerful Uttamaujā, the son of Subhadrā and the sons of Draupadī. All these warriors are great chariot fighters."

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye

tān nibodha dvijottama

nāyakā mama sainyasya

saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te

(BG 1.7)

"Translation: O best of the brāhmaṇas, for your information, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force."

Prabhupāda: So formerly, five thousand years ago, the same system, military—ordinary soldiers, then the captain, then the commander, the commander-in-chief—as there are gradations in the modern age, the same thing was there. But mahā-ratha, they had good qualification. Mahā-ratha means alone he could fight with many other charioteers. They are called ati-ratha, mahā-ratha. There are different grades of fighters.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

So after calculating their strength, then Duryodhana is speaking about his own strength, asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye. Viśiṣṭā, not to speak of the ordinary soldiers. They're viśiṣṭā. Viśiṣṭā means who are specifically to be mentioned, high officers. Asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama (BG 1.7). He was in commander-in-chief. For eighteen days there was fight, and one after another, a commander-in-chief was killed. And sixty-four crores of men were killed in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. And the battle was finished within eighteen days, not lingering for some years. No. Fight to the best capacity and finish the business.

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Translation: Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṇḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited." (BG 1.10)

Prabhupāda: So Duryodhana is very proud of his strength, military strength, because he was empowered, he could gather. And over and above that, Bhīṣma is the commander-in-chief. He is giving protection. And on the other side, the Pāṇḍavas, they are not empowered. Somehow or other, they gathered some soldiers from relatives. Therefore their strength was limited in consideration of the other party. And that is, being protected by Bhīma. Duryodhana always considered Bhīma as a fool. Therefore he is very much confident that "Our side is being protected by Bhīṣma, and the other side, although Bhīma is very strong, but he has no brain very much." So he was very hopeful of victory.

Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So Duryodhana was doubting that "My grandfather, Bhīṣma, is more affectionately inclined to the other party. So he may not be lenient in fighting." So in order to encourage Duryodhana, tasya sañjanayan harṣam. "Don't think that I am lenient. I am strong." Immediately, to encourage him, he blew his conchshell. Nowadays they use bugle. Formerly the conchshells were used by the kings.

And not that in modern days the fighting takes place—the poor soldiers, they come to fight, and the leaders, they remain in safety place. It is not like that. All of them came out, kṣatriya. Bhīṣmadeva came, Duryodhana came, Arjuna came. And face to face, they had to fight. Not that the poor soldiers would fight and they would remain in a secure place, no. So tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ kuru-vṛddhaḥ. Kuru-vṛddha, the oldest man in the dynasty, Kuru dynasty, pitāmaha, he's the grandfather of Arjuna and Duryodhana. The Dhṛtarāṣṭra's elder uncle, his father's elder brother.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

So there are mention of various types of musical instruments. Those instruments are no longer in use. But different types of bugles, drums, kettledrums, as they use in modern days. So the same principle. By musical instruments, the soldiers are kept alive so they can fight nicely. Sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat: "When simultaneously all the instruments were sounded, it become tumultuous." Next verse. Tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau. Read it.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

So all these kings on the side of the Pāṇḍavas, they were relatives, so they joined. So when they blew their different types of conchshell, then the other side were trembled, "Oh, they have gathered so much strength." Because Duryodhana thought that for, continually for thirteen years Pāṇḍavas were banished, so they could not gather any good amount of soldiers. But when they saw that so many kings from different parts of the world have joined them, so they became frightened. That is described in the next verse, sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat. They are just like heart-broken: "What is this? They have gathered so much great, great fighters." Nabhaś ca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulo 'bhyanunādayan. You read this verse.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

. Now Arjuna is facing the problem. What is this problem? Suppose you bring all my friends, my relatives, my sons, grandsons, my father-in-law, brother-in-law, friends, my animals... Because there were soldiers, senayor ubhayor api, there were animals also. Horses, elephants. They are also within the membership. According to Vedic conception, the animals, they are also members of your family. Because they are giving service.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

So this problem is... Arjuna is facing now this problem. That is general problem. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. Dehāpatya. Deha means this body. Apatya means children. Kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). We are thinking that "We shall be protected by my these soldiers. I have got my sons, grandsons, my grandfather, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, my so many society, friendship and love." Everyone is thinking like that. "My nation, my community, my philosophy, my politics.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

So Arjuna is a great warrior. He could fight all the soldiers, all the fighting men, yuyutsu. The other party, they were also, they were assembled, yuyutsu, with fighting spirit. Other men, even they are not fighting spirit, we can kill very easily. But own men, although they are fighting spirit, still he hesitates. Because own men. So this "own-menship," in relationship with the body, is the barrier for spiritual understanding. So long this conception of life will exist, that "I am this body, and anyone who is related with this body, they are my own men, kinsmen, relatives..." This conception of life is the greatest barrier for advancing in spiritual consciousness.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, naturally the... Afterward, if the other party is defeated, the victorious party makes some, so many aggression, especially aggression of women. That is still current. Innocent women, they are very much harassed after the war by the victorious party. You know, the soldiers are given freedom to rape the women. And plunder the property. So many things they have. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, all the devatās, they did not make such aggression, but the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu—Kāyadhu, I think—she was arrested by Indra and was taken. She was crying, just usual, woman.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

One may not be a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is very advanced. Satya śama dama titikṣa (BG 18.42). But even kṣatriyas, they are also so advanced, so advanced we can see that he is hearing Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa in the battlefield. How much time you can spare in the battlefield? The talk took place between the two soldiers when he was just going to throw his arrow. Śāstra sampate. Just we going to... He became very compassionate: "Kṛṣṇa, I have to kill my own kinsmen." And he's describing. He's describing, "What kind of sinful activities I am going to do." So just try to understand how much people were advanced.

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

So you can violate the laws on the order of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot do. This is surrender. When Kṛṣṇa says that "You do this," although it is wrong, you have to do it. There is no consideration. Just like in fight, the commander says to the soldiers, "Do this." His duty is to do that. He should not think at that time what is right or wrong. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, he was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, you go to Droṇācārya and inform him that 'Your son is dead.' " It was a false information. Because Droṇācārya would not die if he is not affected with some lamentation.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

So in the morning we shall discuss on the Bhagavad-gītā, and the... My students, they have requested to speak in English because they cannot understand Hindi. So I think gentlemen gathered here, they'll also understand English. So kindly allow me to speak English. Now, in the first chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, the..., it is the set-up, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. According to the order of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa placed the chariot in between the two soldiers, two phalanxes of soldiers. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Arjuna was respectful to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has accepted to be charioteer, inferior position than Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is on the chariot, sitting on the throne, and, uh, Arjuna is sitting on the throne, and Kṛṣṇa has taken the inferior position, driving the chariot. So this is very nice position for devotional service.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

So this is the picture of the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa is ordered by Arjuna to place the chariot in between the two soldiers. Now, after seeing the soldiers and the kings and other party, Arjuna is aggrieved, so much so that he did not like to fight, and he was crying. Now, Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Sañjaya: "Then what happened next?" Dhṛtarāṣṭra was very much anxious. He said: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). "Now these two parties, yuyutsavaḥ, they, they, they were, both of them were desirous of fighting, yuyutsavaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

If he becomes victorious, then he enjoys this material world, and if he dies, he is promoted to heaven. These things are there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, asvargyam: "If you deny to fight, then you will be refused to enter in the higher planetary system." Akīrti-karam. "And you are known as a great fighter, great soldier and My friend, and this will be going against your reputation. Don't do this." Then He says,

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha

naitat tvayy upapadyate

kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ

tvaktvottiṣṭha parantapa

(BG 2.3)

"My dear friend, parantapa..." Parantapa means one who gives trouble to the enemies. This is the material world. A kṣatriya cannot behave like a brāhmaṇa, to excuse. Brāhmaṇa business is to excuse. Kṣamā-rūpa-tapasvinaḥ. Those who are tapasvī, they can excuse, but those who are in the governmental post, to make justice, there is no question of excuse. Life for life.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

So it was the duty of the kṣatriya to fight. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is condemning his behavior, that "This is not befitting a kṣatriya. By this action, you will be defamed." Akīrti-karam arjuna (BG 2.2). "You are such a nice fighter, soldier, and if you cease to fight, then the other party will defame you in so many ways. What you are thinking of? Especially you are My friend. I am standing here. Despite My becoming your chariot driver, if you decline to fight, certainly it will be a great havoc. Don't do this." Therefore He says, anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam. Asvargyam means "You cannot be promoted to the heavenly planet." It is said that a kṣatriya who dies in the fight is immediately promoted to the heavenly planet.

Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:

So originally we are all persons, no imperson. Kṛṣṇa also says... He'll say that: "These soldiers, these kings, you and Me, My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. Neither it is that in future we shall cease to exist." So this particular instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that: "I, You and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled here, they existed. As we are existing now, individual persons; similarly, they existed, individual persons. And in future also we shall exist as individual persons." So where is the question of imperson? These nonsense impersonalists, voidists.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Then when the impersonal conception comes at all? In the past, present, future, there are three times. Huh? In all the times we are individuals. Then when God becomes impersonal or I become impersonal or you become impersonal? Where is the chance? Kṛṣṇa clearly says, "There was never time when I, you, and all these individual kings or soldiers... It was not that we did not exist in the past." So in the past we existed as individual, and in the present there is no doubt. We are existing as individual. You are my disciple, I am your spiritual master, but you have got your individuality, I have got my individuality. If you don't agree with me, you can leave me.

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

So hṛṣīkeśaḥ, prahasann iva. Kṛṣṇa began to laugh, smiling, "What a nonsense this is, Arjuna." First of all he said, "Put me." Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). "Kṛṣṇa, just put my chariot between the two parties of soldiers." And now... (coughs, aside:) Bring me water. He was so enthusiastic in the beginning that "Put my chariot between the two armies." Now this rascal is saying no yotsya, "I will not fight." Just see the rascaldom. So even Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa's direct friend, māyā is so strong that he also becomes a rascal, what to speak of others. First of all very enthusiasm: "Yes, put my chariot between the two armies." And now in the..., na yotsya iti govindam (BG 2.9), "I am not going to fight." This is rascaldom. So he was smiling, that "He is My friend, direct friend, and such a big, and he is now saying that 'I will not fight.' "

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince Arjuna that death does not take place. He says clearly that "Myself—I am the Supreme God, Kṛṣṇa—yourself, you, and all the other kings and the soldiers, those who have assembled in this great battlefield, it is not that in the past, we were not existing. And in the present, we are now face to face. We are seeing that we are existing. And in the future, we shall also exist in the same way." "In the same way" means individually. Just like I am an individual person. You are an individual person. He is an individual person. So I, you, he, or they—first person, second person and the third person—so that individuality continues. Individuality of every living being is a fact. Therefore in the actual field also, we see that we have got difference of opinion.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

So Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He's in full knowledge, and therefore as He says that "Either Myself or yourself or all these persons, kings and soldiers, who are assembled here, they're all individuals. In the past they were individuals, in the present we are individuals, and in the future they will continue to be individuals." Now, one thing... Suppose another argument is that due to ignorance... Just like an animal. It thinks that there is water in the desert, on the reflec...

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is giving more enlightenment on the living entity, soul. "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "In the past I existed. So also you. And so also all these soldiers and the kings who have assembled in this fighting. They existed in the past. For the present, there is no question of asking... We are existing. And in the future also, it is not that we shall not exist." That means, "We shall exist." So what is "I," "you," and "others"? I am individual person. You are individual person, and all others, they're also, each and every one of them, individual persons. So in the past we were all individuals; at present we are all individuals; and in the future also, we shall remain individuals.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

At any time. So: "Sir, You are Supreme Personality of Godhead, You may not die. But we die, we are ordinary living entities." So Kṛṣṇa says, nāsam, na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvam: "Neither you nor I. We never die." "So it may be I am Your friend and You are Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the others will die." No. Neme janādhipāḥ: "Neither these, all these people, all these soldiers, (and) the kings who have assembled here, they'll also not die. There is no end. They'll never die." So, na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ, it is not that we did not exist in the past, and we are existing at present. That is everyone knows.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

Another thing is that the Māyāvādī philosophers say that we are one. There is no "you" and "me." Everything one. So, then Kṛṣṇa is defective. If Kṛṣṇa says, "You, Me, all others," so it is not one. It is not homogeneous. We are all individuals. "You are individual, I am individual, and all the kings and soldiers, they are all individuals." So the Māyāvādī theory that after liberation everyone becomes one, one lump sum... What is called? Homogeneous spirit. No. Then Kṛṣṇa is false. The Māyāvādī theory accepted, that we become one lump sum, then Kṛṣṇa's theory... Not theory, Kṛṣṇa's actual knowledge. Then it becomes false.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

Now in the battlefield the poor mercenaries, they go to give their life, whereas the janādhipāḥ, the leaders of the people, they sit down very comfortably. They do not go to the battlefield. They simply give order in writing, and the poor mercenaries, paid soldiers, they are paid for giving their life. Money is so sweet that one is prepared to give his life for money. Such men are sent to the war field. And the janādhipāḥ, they are after also money, but they carefully avoid the battlefield. Minister of Defense, perhaps he has never seen a battlefield, Minister of Defense.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and Bhīma went to Jarāsandha. He was very charitable to the brāhmaṇas, and these three persons went there, dressing themselves as poor brāhmaṇas. So in the assembly they begged from Jarāsandha, "Sir, we have come to beg from you for fight." Kṛṣṇa, to save the other soldiers, He advised that "Let us fight with Jarāsandha alone. Why he should unnecessarily bring so many soldiers and we have to also? Why these poor soldiers will give life? Better go, let us individually fight." So Jarāsandha could understand that "They are kṣatriyas. They have come in the dress of a brāhmaṇa to beg," because kṣatriya cannot beg. So he accepted, "Yes." Then he selected Bhīma to fight with him. He rejected Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa also, that "You are not fit for fighting with me."

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

So yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. This is the qualification of kṣatriya. So here it is said, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is chariot driver of Arjuna. So He says, janādhipāḥ. There were many kings. Different parts of the world, they joined. Janādhipāḥ, the leaders, when there is fight the leaders must come forward. And as soon as the leaders are killed, then it is victory, not by killing the soldiers or common men by atomic bomb. No. That was not fighting. So Kṛṣṇa says, na tu eva aham. Kṛṣṇa is individual person. God is person also. Vetti. The one who does not know what is God, they think impersonally, but God is person. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He appeared upon this earth as person, as the son of Vasudeva.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

We are living entities, very minute particle. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). So we are also individual, and God is also individual person. "And all the kings, all the soldiers assembled, they are also individual." So this individuality is never lost. Kṛṣṇa says that "At present we are individuals, and in the past we are individuals." Then one may say, "In the future we may become one, amalgamated," as the Māyāvādī philosopher says that as soon as we become liberated, we become one with the Absolute. No, that is not fact.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

Two negatives makes one positive. That means "In the future also we shall exist as individual." Na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve, "all of us." "All" means Kṛṣṇa says, "I, you, and all the other peoples, kings, and soldiers, we shall remain as individual." Then where is oneness? This Māyāvādī theory that after liberation we shall all become one with God, that is not mentioned here. This is bogus theory. Real, that we remain individual. So long we are not in a position to act means so long... Just like ghost. Ghost is also individual.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

That was fight. If the king is killed by the opposite party, then it is declared that they are victorious—no more fight, no more unnecessarily killing other persons. The aim was to kill the king. The king was on the front. The other party, he was also in front. The king is fighting with king, and the soldiers are fighting with soldier. So when the king is killed, then the other party becomes victorious. That was the process of war, not that releasing atomic bomb from the sky and kill so many innocent persons. No, that is not war.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

In the previous verse Kṛṣṇa said that "All of us—you, me, and all these soldiers and kings who are present here—we existed in the past, we are existing now, and we shall continue to exist in the future." This was the statement. But rascals would say that "How I was existing? I was born only in such and such year. Before that, I was not existing. At the present time I am existing. That's all right. But as soon as I will die, I will not exist.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

This simple truth, the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa has begun instructing Arjuna... After Arjuna has accepted his discipleship, the first instruction is this, that "You are lamenting on the body of your grandfather and teacher regarding fighting, but your grandfather, or the soul...," which is already explained that, "You are soul, I am the supreme soul, or all these kings and soldiers who has assembled, they are also souls. They existed in the past. Now they have changed their body. Again they will change their body, but they will exist." This is the instruction. The body is changing, and the vivid example? That in this life you are changing body.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

That is being explained here. Nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ. Asataḥ, or this material body, it has no endurance, it will not endure, it will not be permanently existing. Nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ: And the soul is permanent. He, it has no change; it will never be nonexistent. Kṛṣṇa is explaining. When Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these kings and soldiers assembled here, it is not that we did not exist in the past," so what is that? That means we are not this body. This body was not existing in the past in my past life, or duration of life. But as I am soul, I am existing now, I did exist in the past, and I will exist in the future. That is sat. Therefore, spirit has no such change.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

The king must come forward. The other side, the king also come. And the opposite side, they also, he also should come forward and fight. It was duty. And as soon as the king is killed by the other party, then the other party becomes victorious. There was no more fighting. It is not the so-called king and president is sitting very comfortably and the poor soldiers, they are fighting unlimitedly, and the war is going on for many years. Just like last war we saw at least eight years it continued. Eight years, six years, no. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, it was finished within eighteen days. There is no use of prolonging the war unnecessarily. If the chief man is killed, then war is finished.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Now why the kṣatriyas... It is said in the śāstra if a kṣatriya dies in the fight, then he is promoted to the heavenly kingdom to take birth because he is fighting for the right cause so he is promoted. As in this world also, if you fight for some right cause, you are rewarded. Even after your death, your memory is commemorated. Just like in your country so many brave soldiers, leaders, they have died, but you have honored them by keeping their statues because they fought and died for right cause, whatever we think, right or wrong. So the kṣatriyas, this is the Vedic injunction, who dies for the right cause, he is promoted to the heavenly planet. Now Kṛṣṇa says "Now it is a great opportunity for you. Suppose either you or your grandfather, the opposite party, die in this fight, so your promotion to heavenly planet is sure. And if you gain, then you get the kingdom. Both ways it is profitable for you." Go on.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: 33: "If however you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter (BG 2.33)."

Prabhupāda: And on the other hand, if you don't fight, then... You are known as a great warrior, a great soldier. If you go away, people will say against your reputation: "Oh, Arjuna has become a coward. He has fled away from the fight." So it is better to die than to have bad reputation. That is another argument. Yes.

Devotee: 34: "People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death (BG 2.34)."

Prabhupāda: "Now, you are so much honored as Arjuna the great fighter, Dhanañjaya, and if you leave, you go away from this fighting and leave and people will say, 'Oh, Arjuna has become coward. He did not fight,' then what is the use of your living in such a way? Better die. Fight and die. That is good for you." Yes.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

Prabhupāda:

atha cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ

saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi

tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca

hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

(BG 2.33)

So imaṁ dharmyam, religious fight. Just like even nowadays also, if the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is sinful. So Kṛṣṇa says, atha cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi. This fight is not ordinary fight. It is not the politician's fight. "For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a kṣatriya. Not only kṣatriya, you are a very well known fighter. You have been recognized by so many demigods." Arjuna got the pāśupata-astra.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

ou are so reputed a fighter, and if you stop fighting, people will not consider... Especially other commander-in-chiefs like Droṇācārya, Bhīṣma, Karṇa... They are mahā-rathas." Mahā-ratha means one fighter who can combat with thousands of men alone. He is called mahā-ratha. As nowadays the titles are "captain," "commander," "commander-in-chief," similarly, formerly "mahā-ratha," "ati-ratha" were the titles given to the soldiers, fighters. So mahā-ratha, the greatest commanders... So Kṛṣṇa said that "You are recognized, one of the mahā-rathas. So what the other mahā-rathas will think of you? They will not consider that out of compassion you did not fight.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

They will kill that demon." The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up. Just like in USA there is some trouble in recruiting soldiers, because... Why the difficulty is? The difficulty is the training is like śūdras. The young men are trained up like śūdras, how they can fight? Therefore they are afraid. They try to avoid fighting. Because there is no division. Everyone, in this age, everyone is śūdra. How you can expect a śūdra will be encouraged to fight? That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Just like a soldier, he is simply awaiting the order of the commander. Then his activities are approved, "Oh, he is doing nicely. Yes." By the approval of the commander, he is killing as many persons, and by this killing art, he is being rewarded, "Oh, you are a good soldier." But that killing, if he does for his personal interest, even he kills one man, he is hanged—by the same state. By the same state for which he is engaged in fighting, if he kills enemies, he is rewarded. He is awarded gold medal, recognition. And that very person, out of the war field, when he comes home, if he kills one man, then he is hanged. If he says that "The same killing I was doing in the war field, and same killing I have done.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

And if you are fully engaged in spiritual activity, then there is no chance of material activity. Because after all, you are actor, one, if you are engaged in something. Just like in our ordinary life, if we do something at a particular moment, we cannot do other things; similarly, we have to engage ourselves fully in the spiritual life. Then our material activities will be stopped altogether, and then there will be no reaction. In spite of our acting... Just like the soldier. In spite of his killing hundreds and thousands of people, he is not to be hanged; he is to be rewarded. This is the technique.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Arjuna is asking that "You say that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very good. Why You are engaging me in this fight?" That is his question. So Kṛṣṇa will answer this question. General people understand that retiring from ordinary duties, one becomes spiritually advanced. That is being taught here. It is not like that. Kṛṣṇa taught to the whole world that Arjuna was a soldier, he was a fighter, and in his fighting also he can be Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is not that he has to cease from fighting and then become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. There is no such question. There is no rejection of anything, but dovetailing everything. That is the process. Do everything, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are a fighter, fight, but for Kṛṣṇa. If you are a businessman, all right. Do business for Kṛṣṇa. If you are something else, do that, but for Kṛṣṇa. This is wanted. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: Verse number nine: "Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform prescribed duties for His satisfaction and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage (BG 3.9)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bondage means working for one's own account. The same example. Just like a soldier is fighting for the country under the command of the commander in chief. The more he's killing, he's getting promotion, he's getting medals. But the same man, when he comes back at home, if he kills one man, he's hanged. Why? Because that killing and this killing is not the same thing. So one who cannot engage himself cent percent in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, let him remain in his own position and try to sacrifice for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa as far as possible.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is popular in India very much. Every house, they observe Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. Unfortunately (applause) you are forgetting. You are forgetting this. That is the misfortune. (laughter)

Indian (10): Swamiji, to be of service to Godhead is it necessary to renounce the regular life?

Prabhupāda: No. Regular life... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā. So before understanding Bhagavad-gītā, he was a soldier. After hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he remained a soldier. He did not give up the battlefield—"Now, Kṛṣṇa, I have understood. I give up everything. I am now going to be sannyāsī." No. That is not required. You have to understand what Kṛṣṇa wants you to do. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you can do in any position. It doesn't require. Karma-phala-tyāga. That is advised by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). We have manufactured different types of religious system. And they can be grouped. Some of them are within the group of tyāga, and some of them are within the group of bhoga. Bhoga and tyāga. The karmīs, they are after bhoga, and jñānīs, they are after tyāga. Kṛṣṇa says that "You have to give up both of them, this bhoga and tyāga, both of them. You have simply to surrender unto Me." There is no question of bhoga and tyāga.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

In the Second Chapter, it is said by Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Arjuna, both you and Me and all these kings and soldiers who are assembled here, do not think that they did not exist in the past, or they will cease to exist in the future. They existed in the past as individuals, and they are existing at present as individuals, and they will exist in the future also as individuals." This is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter. The difference between God and living entity is this, that God knows past, present, future, and I or you do not know past, present and future. That is the difference.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

So Bhagavān is individual; we are also individual, part and parcel. Just like the father is individual, and the sons are also individuals. We are all sons of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke... (BG 15.7). So we are all individual. In the Second Chapter, Kṛṣṇa said that "We all, you, Me, and all the soldiers and the kings who have assembled here, they were existing before as individual, and we are existing now as individual, and in future also we shall exist as individuals." So that is being explained again.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

So therefore our only business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe karma. This is akarma. Here it is said, akarmaṇa, akarmaṇaḥ api boddhavyam, akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyam. Akarma means without reaction. Here, if we act for our sense gratification, the reaction is.... Just like a soldier is killing. He is getting gold medal. The same soldier, when comes home, if he kills one man, he is hanged. Why? He can say in the court, "Sir, when I was fighting in the battlefield, I killed so many. I got gold medal. And why you are hanging me just now?" "Because you are have done for your own sense gratification. And that you did for government sanction."

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

The example, as I gave you the other day, that a soldier is fighting and killing many enemies or killing many persons, but he is not responsible for killing. The same man, when he is not fighting for the country or for the government, if he kills one man, he is hanged. He is to be hanged. Try to understand. So because he is fighting or killing on the order of higher authority, the government, he is not responsible for all those killings. Rather sometimes he is recognized by giving some medal: "Oh, you have killed so many enemies. Very good." And similarly, if he kills outside the warfield, at home... That is also enemy. Nobody kills nobody unless the other is his enemy.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

And therefore Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna. Arjuna was not a Vedantist. He was a householder, kṣatriya, fighter, soldier. A soldier is not expected to be Vedantist, and neither very much well-versed in all the Vedic literature. That is not the business of kṣatriya. That is the business of a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is paṇḍita. But kṣatriya is not supposed to become a paṇḍita. But still, Kṛṣṇa selected him. Kṛṣṇa, "Arjuna I shall speak to you the same old story which I spoke to..." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "That is now lost. Therefore I shall revive it again, and I shall speak to you, because you are My bhakta, you are My friend."

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

So if my mind is not trained up, then the mind's business will be to drag me to nonpermanent things. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. But this mind, as I told you the other day, can be very easily trained up if we fix up in our minds, on the fort of the mind, a great soldier, Kṛṣṇa. Just like if the fort is defended by a great general, then there is no question of entering of the enemy, similarly, if we put Kṛṣṇa on the fort of the mind, then there is no chance of entering of the enemies. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). That day we have explained.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was not prepared to become a pseudoyogi, false, simply by practicing some gymnastic. He was not a pretender. He said that, "I am a family man, I am a soldier, so it is not possible for me." He frankly admits. He does not ... something which is impossible. That is simply a useless waste of time. Why should one do that? Go on.

Viṣṇujana: "Even though he was favorably endowed in many ways, He belonged to the royal family and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities: he was a great warrior, he had great longevity."

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Now, Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa does not say, "Oh, you are My friend. You are so favorably situated. How you deny it? No, no. You cannot deny it." Now, He gave so much stress on the fighting—"Oh, you are kṣatriya. You must fight"—but so far the yoga system, He gave him the idea—"This is the yoga system"—but He is not stressing. He says,

asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho

mano durnigrahaṁ calam

abhyāsena tu kaunteya

vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

"Yes, I admit. It is very difficult." He also said, "Yes, My dear Arjuna, it is very difficult." Asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho: "Oh, you are mighty-armed, mighty soldier. But still I think it is... What you are saying, it is nice. It is really fact." Asaṁśayaṁ mahā..., mano durnigrahaṁ calam: "Mind is very difficult to control. Yes, what you are saying... But it can be controlled." How? Abhyāsena tu kaunteya: "If you practice, the mind can be controlled."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Otherwise there was no need of speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. And why He selected Arjuna to understand Bhagavad-gītā? That is also explained. One may say that Arjuna was a gṛhastha, householder, and a politician and a soldier. Why Bhagavad-gītā was instructed to him? That is natural. He was not a vedāntī. He was not a brāhmaṇa. He was not a sannyāsī. Why he was selected to understand Bhagavad-gītā? This should be... There should be inquiry. Generally you understand that a vedāntī, a sannyāsī, a brāhmaṇa may know about spiritual knowledge, about God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Therefore, at the end of the Sixth Chapter Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā: "Of all the yogis..." The Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna was talking. Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to become a yogi, but Arjuna said that "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me. Because I am a politician, I am a soldier, I cannot sit down to practice yoga superficially. My mind will be disturbed in political affairs, in state affairs." So, cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "My mind is so restless, it is not possible."

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

He explained that "I, you, and all these persons, the kings and the soldiers who have assembled here, it is not that they were not existing previously. They were existing as individual souls. Or as I am also individual God, and you all people, individual souls, we were existing in the past; we are now existing. I am existing, you are existing. The soldiers and other kings, they are also... And in the future also, we shall exist. The body may change. Just like in the past we were existing. The body has changed now. Similarly, at present also, when this body will be changed, we will exist in another body. So what is the cause of lamentation?" This is the translation. "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you." That means "You existed, I existed, and all of them existed."

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:

He is now entrapped by māyā, and he is trying to enjoy this material world, but he cannot enjoy the material world without the permission of the Supersoul. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. So they are not one. They are different. And Kṛṣṇa has described in the Second Chapter that "All these soldiers or kings who are assembled there and you and Me, all of us..." Now see. He describes all of them differently: "You, me and they." First person, second person and the third person. So Kṛṣṇa said, "It is not that they did not exist in the past, and it is not that, that they will not exist in the future."

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So Lord Caitanya's movement is also fighting, but it is a fight in a different way. So the soldiers, Nityānanda Prabhu, soldier, was sent to deliver Jagāi-Mādhāi. This is also fighting. Therefore all the devotees, all the preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they are mahā-bāhu, strongly armed by the weapons of Kṛṣṇa. They cannot be defeated. They will push on the fight with māyā, this illusion. What is that illusion? The living entity under illusion is thinking that he will be happy by material comforts.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is a declaration of war with māyā. Declaration of war, but in a different way—by this chanting process: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. The transcendental vibration will clarify the whole atmosphere, and as soon as these Kṛṣṇa conscious soldiers comes out victorious, the whole world will be peaceful.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Just like here Kṛṣṇa advises, yudhya ca mām anusmara: (BG 8.7) "You go on fighting. Because you cannot stop your fighting because you are a soldier." But mām anusmara, "At the same time you think of Me." This is the secret, that nobody can stop his activities, but he can think of Kṛṣṇa at the same time. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I have given several times the example that a woman who is in love with other man in spite of her husband, she is very mindful to the household duties, but she is always thinking, "When at night I shall meet with my friend?" Yudhya ca mām anusmara (BG 8.7).

Lecture on BG 9.22-23 -- New York, December 8, 1966:

That is the law of nature. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend, but He never said that "You stop your working." Rather, He engaged him in his real work. He was a fighter. He was a soldier. He was declining to do the duty of a soldier. But Kṛṣṇa induced him, "No. You must become a soldier." So we may do whatever by God's grace or by nature's freaks we are situated. That doesn't matter. But if you take this formula, ananyāś cintayanto mām, always think of Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that you will never be unhappy. Just try. Make an experiment.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

I will give you one example how Kṛṣṇa sometimes breaks His promise. It is very nice story. Kṛṣṇa, when He joined Arjuna, He promised from His own side that "Because the fight is between your brothers, so it is not My duty... Because both of you are My relatives, so it is not My duty to join one party and not to join another. But because I have divided Myself—Myself, one side, and other side, My soldiers—but Duryodhana has decided to take My soldiers, not Me, so I shall join you. But I shall not fight. I shall not fight. I may take some work which may assist you." So Arjuna offered, "Whatever work You like, You can take." So He said, "All right. I shall drive your chariot." So Kṛṣṇa's promise was that He will not fight. But at a time when Arjuna was perplexed by fighting with Bhīṣma... Bhīṣma was the greatest fighter, although he was very old man.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

So a further advancement from neutrality, that I love Kṛṣṇa or God because He's great. No, that love is not sufficient. We must render some service to the Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa as a soldier. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the battle of Kurukṣetra should be executed and Arjuna did not like it because it was concerned to his family members, with his brothers, so he did not like it. But, when, after hearing this Bhagavad-gītā, he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he executed the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the fighting must continue. So he executed in spite of his own conclusion that he would not fight.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

When Kṛṣṇa comes, He comes with His associates. Just like if you invite King. That does not mean the king alone. The king comes along with secretaries, commander, ministers, soldiers, so many things. Similarly whenever Kṛṣṇa comes... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). At that time, Kṛṣṇa, all His associates also come. So Kṛṣṇa said that "The difference is that you have forgotten." That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa, God, and ordinary living entity. Kṛṣṇa says: vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows past, present, future.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

Just like if you kill a, some animal with your stick, the stick is not responsible. You are responsible. Similarly if I become a stick and instrument in the hands of Kṛṣṇa, then I am not responsible for any karma. Otherwise, I am responsible.

Just like a soldier, his business is killing by the order of the state. he's killing so many persons. And he's getting recognition, medal, gold medal. And as soon as he comes home, if he kills one person, he'll be hanged. He can say: "My dear sir, I killed so many persons in the battlefield. I was awarded gold medal. Now I have killed only one person. Why you are hanging me?" Because you have done for your own sense gratification. And so many soldiers, it mean, men, you kill in the battlefield, that was the order of the state.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Just like Kṛṣṇa has said in the second chapter of Bhagavad-gītā that "Arjuna, you and me and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled here, it is not that we did not exist in the past. We are existing now, and we shall continue to exist in the future." So this eternity of the soul we do not know. We are simply identifying ourself with this body, and we are simply interested for the bodily comforts of life. This is the civilization, going on.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

Therefore those who are not devotees, they cannot see God. It is not possible. Even God comes before him, just like when Kṛṣṇa was present before everyone. Five thousand years ago He was present. In the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, He was present. All the soldiers, all the kings, everyone was seeing Him, but only Arjuna and few of the Pāṇḍavas, they knew that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa." Not all of them. But all of them got salvation. Everyone who died in the presence of Kṛṣṇa—that is stated—they all got salvation. Because after all, they saw Kṛṣṇa. So that is the position. When Kṛṣṇa was personally present, even the few Pāṇḍavas and the few inhabitants in Vṛndāvana, nobody could understand Him that the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

So here Kṛṣṇa says that idaṁ te na atapaskāya na abhaktāya. Abhakta, rascal, will not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Nābhaktāya. In the beginning also, Kṛṣṇa, before speaking Bhagavad-gītā, He selected Arjuna because... He said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam: (BG 4.3) "The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā, it is very transcendental subject matter. Therefore I shall speak to you." "Why? Why You are selecting me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am ordinary gṛhastha. That also, I am a soldier, fighting man. Why You are selecting me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. It is not a rascaldom, that you speculate some interpretation, speculation. No, these things are not allowed, strictly. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. This is the significance. And people are appreciating. Macmillan Company, our publisher, they printed fifty thousand copies of this book in August, and it was finished by October. Not in this country, of course. In Europe and America. We have got very good demand for our books, all these books. We are selling twenty-five to thirty thousand rupees' worth books daily all over the world.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

I have not forgotten." That is the difference between ordinary human being and God. That is the difference. God does not forget past, present, future. God knows future. God knows past. And present, what to speak of? In the Second Chapter you'll find also. Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that you, Me and all these kings and soldiers were not existing in the past. And we are existing at present. And it is not that we shall not existed in the future." These are the things.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

Just like Jarāsandha. Jarāsandha and Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and Bhīma. There was many times fight with Jarāsandha and Kṛṣṇa. But he brought many, many unlimited number of soldiers, and they were killed. So this time Kṛṣṇa wanted to kill only Jarāsandha, not so many innocent soldiers. So therefore Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and Bhīma went to Jarāsandha, and they went in the dress of brāhmaṇa. So Jarāsandha was very charitable to the brāhmaṇas. So when they... As brāhmaṇas, they wanted something. "Yes, what do you want?" Then they said that "We want to fight with you." So Jarāsandha could understand, "They are in disguise.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

Anyone. You can accept." So Jarāsandha said that "Kṛṣṇa, He fled away." Kṛṣṇa is Ranchor. Sometimes He did that. The purpose was to save the innocent soldiers, and He would take another chance to kill Jarāsandha. But he thought that He fled away. Anyway, so he said that "Kṛṣṇa is afraid of me. I cannot fight with Him. I reject Him. And Arjuna is younger than me; so I cannot fight with who is younger, inferior, to me. But I can accept Bhīma, to fight with him."

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

How he becomes learned? Now, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Everything becomes revealed. Kṛṣṇa reveals. Nāśayāmy ātmā, ātma-bhāvastho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā. If one is pure devotee, then Kṛṣṇa, from within, He will give knowledge. The Kṛṣṇa... Just like Kṛṣṇa is giving knowledge to Arjuna. He's a gṛhastha. He's a soldier. He's not even a brāhmaṇa. But who can be greater man of knowledge than Arjuna? Because he's directly receiving from Kṛṣṇa. And who can be greater teacher than Kṛṣṇa? So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you are engaged twenty-four hours in devotional service," then, Kṛṣṇa says, "from within," He will give all knowledge. Therefore vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If you actually engage in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, then jñāna and vairāgya automatically becomes revealed unto you. There is no endeavor.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Everyone should see perfection of his particular duties. And that is recommended that hari-toṣaṇam. This the example is Arjuna Mahārāja. Arjuna is a kṣatriya. His duty is to fight, to give protection to the poor and to annihilate the disturbing element. That is kṣatriya's duty. So Arjuna was trained in that way—he was a soldier—but by his soldier's business, occupational duty, he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. He fought for Kṛṣṇa, not for his personal sense gratification. That is his test, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

So anyone who is working under his direction, they have no responsibility. They have got simply to discharge the duty, either pious or impious, never mind. In the military rank the order of the captain or the commander is there. The soldier has to execute it. Never mind whether it is pious or impious. It doesn't matter. He has to act simply. Then he becomes a, I mean to say, real soldier. If he acts in that way, he gets remuneration, he gets reward, he gets title, he gets honor. He doesn't care. The commander asks him, "Just go and kill the enemy." He goes and kills.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

That action, even apparently appears to be act, being acted on the platform of passion, it is transcendental because it is direction of the supreme consciousness. So whole thing is that we have to... Just like... Same example can be cited, that a soldier is killing his enemy, and the soldier's rewarded, "Oh, you have killed such a big enemy. You are rewarded." Do you mean to say by killing one is rewarded? But he is not acting on his platform. He's acting on higher consciousness platform, higher order. So if a commander's order can give him immunity from the reaction of being hanged, why not God's command? That is the thing. So we have, we haven't to discriminate whether I am in the modes of ignorance or passion or goodness. No. We have simply to see whether I'm acting under the direction of the supreme consciousness. That is the thing to be seen. Then we are free. Then our life becomes free. That thing, we have to learn. Yes?

Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:

So sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is always chanting Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, tviṣā akṛṣṇam, but His bodily complexion is not like that. And other feature: sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, and He is always associated with His devotees. They are His soldiers. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. In other incarnation, Kṛṣṇa comes with weapon. As Lord Rāmacandra He came with bows and arrows.

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

That means intelligence is strength, not this bodily. Buddhir yasya balaṁ tasya. Anyone who has got intelligence, he has got strength. Just like by intelligence, they have discovered the nuclear weapon. By dropping a nuclear weapon hundreds and thousands of soldiers can be killed. There is no more need of maintaining a huge army. So many men now released. Those who have got atomic bomb... At least, I know in Russia, they know, "We have got atomic bomb. What is the use of maintaining such a huge army? Let them work for other production."

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

You have no experience. I have got experience. Or some of the Indians who are present... In 1942, the government created artificial famine, artificial famine. The government began to purchase. The poli... That time, the war was going on. So Mr. Churchill's policy was that "Keep the people in scarcity, and they will, they'll voluntarily come and become soldiers." That was the policy. "You have no money. So..., and the another venue is opened. Yes, you become a soldier. You get so much money." People, out of poverty, would go there. That was the policy. So this policy was executed that government began to purchase rice and, I mean to say, commodities which are daily necessities. And... Any price, any price they can offer. Because the currency in their hand. They can print the so-called papers, hundred dollars, and pay you.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

So here it is said yadā mṛdhe kaurava-sṛñjayānām. In the fight all the parties who died, they all obtained vīra-gatim. And most of them they achieved svarūpa. That is described in a different place. Svarūpa means his original, spiritual form. All the soldiers or the kings who died, and at the time of death who were seeing Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa was there in the battlefield—all of them achieved their original, spiritual form. Svarūpam. And those who did not see Kṛṣṇa, they got promoted vīra-gatim, in the heavenly planet. So fight is not always bad. If it is dharma-yuddha, according to the prescribed rules, not whimsical fight, dharma-yuddha, then there is gain. This science is lost. There is no such thing. Now fighting means hooliganism, vandalism, guṇḍā-ism. That is not fight. Here is fight: vīra-gatim gate. They are all promoted.

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

He says that "It is not that in the past we did not exist, and it is not that in the future we shall not exist. We shall exist." Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So we are eternal. We existed in the past, we are existing now, and we shall continue to exist. And individual. Kṛṣṇa says, "You, Me, and all these soldiers and kings, they are all individual, and they existed as individual in the past, and we are existing now as individuals, and we shall continue to exist as individuals." So there are three phases of time: past, present, and future. So there is no question of being amalgamated at any time. They remain always individuals.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

The idea is that, as described in the śāstra, who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a śūdra, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya... It is all described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Karma, guṇa and karma. Here Aśvatthāmā, although he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, he did not possess the quality of a brāhmaṇa, neither the work of a brāhmaṇa. He degraded himself. First of all, he was engaged as a soldier to assist, to flatter Duryodhana. He wanted to please Duryodhana by killing the Pāṇḍavas. But he was such a fool, instead of killing the Pāṇḍavas, he killed the five sleeping sons of the Pāṇḍavas. How much abominable he is, just imagine. Here it is said, suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

One who sets fire in your house, one who kidnaps your wife or somebody in the family, and one who gives poison, and they are so many, a list of ascertaining an ātatāyī. So He described, Kṛṣṇa described the Aśvatthāmā as ātatāyī. He's not a brave soldier, so he should be killed. So many faults Kṛṣṇa found in his behavior. And bhartuś ca vipriyaṁ vīra. He could not satisfy his master also. Sometimes the servants do something abominable for pleasing the master. But he could not please even the master. He wanted to please Duryodhana, his master, promising him that he would kill all the five brothers, the Pāṇḍavas. But instead of killing the Pāṇḍavas, he killed their sons.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

So he could not satisfy his master. Bhartuś ca vipriyam. So whatever he had done, all abominable. Not to the rules and regulations-neither as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya. Nor even a brave soldier. "He has done things like a śūdra, or less than a śūdra, without any religious principle. So he should be killed. There is no excuse. And it is for his good."

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

He is describing, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. Kadācit, at any time. Not that in the past he was dying. Kṛṣṇa says again in the Second Chapter that "All these soldiers and kings who have assembled there, so also you and Me, we existed in the past, we are existing now, and we shall continue to exist in the future." Therefore kadācit. Kadācit means "at any time." "Any time" means past, present and future. Time has got three factors.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Deha and apatya. Deha means this body, and apatya means children. Dehāpatya-kalatra. Kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu (SB 2.1.4). Just like when a king fights, he has got some soldiers, similarly, our life in this material world is simply fighting. There is always some danger. Just like Kuntī says, vipadaḥ santu śaśvat tāḥ. It is simply full of dangers. So when there is danger, we have to fight. That is material life. That is called struggle for existence. So how we are fighting? Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣu (SB 2.1.4). This is our soldier. "I have got a good body, strong body, and I have got my children, my grown-up boys. I have got very good wife." Ādi. This is the ādi. This is the beginning of thinking, "I have got..." Kiñcana. This is kiñcana, "I have got something." Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. They are considered as ātma-sainya: "They are my soldiers. Whenever I am sick, they will help me. If I go out, then who will help me? If I leave my home, then if I fall sick, who will take care of me? No, no. I am not going out of home." Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣu. That is my soldier. We are fighting with the soldier, accompanied by soldier.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). Asat. They will not stay. I have got experience. Everyone has got... My... I was children; you were children. Now, I had father to take protection or other relatives, friends. But now they are gone. Asatsu. Everything is finished. So these soldiers, either as father or son, the father is finished; the son will be, also will be finished. Asatsu api. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam. These soldiers will be killed. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He knows; he has got experience. Still, he is blind, that "These soldiers will not be able to give me protection. When death will come, they'll not be able. But my real miserable condition is birth, death and old age and disease. So when I fall sick, they can help. They're eager to help. But real help they cannot give me." One should understand that. Ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api. They will be killed. Real protection is Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

So Arjuna knew that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Out of friendship, He has become my charioteer, order-carrier." So when he requested Him, rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta... "Just place my chariot between the two soldiers," senayor ubhayor madhye, so he was little hesitating that "I am ordering Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he reminded: "Acyuta." Acyuta means who never falls back. Therefore, he reminded that "Kṛṣṇa, although You are my master, but because You have voluntarily accepted to become my charioteer, therefore I am asking You. It is not disrespect.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

A little criticizing. So to, in order to please Duryodhana, Bhīṣma promised that "Tomorrow I shall kill all the five brothers. Is that all right?" 'Yes, sir. Do that." "So they cannot be saved unless Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise." Kṛṣṇa said that... Both the parties were informed that "It is family fight. I cannot take part in the family. But I can divide Myself into two: My soldiers one side, and I am one side. But even if I am in one side, I'll not fight." So this was His promise, that He would not fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. But Bhīṣma obliged Him to fight, to break His promise in order to save Arjuna. Therefore Bhīṣma conquered over Kṛṣṇa, because He had to break His promise.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

And when there is fight, he is in the chamber, safety chamber, and others are, the poor boys, they are called by the draft board, and go and fight. This is not kṣatriya, These are śūdras. Kṣatriya, when there is fight, the king must come forward first. The other party's king also. The king will fight with king, and the soldiers will fight soldiers according to position. And when the king is killed, then victory is owned. It doesn't require that all the soldiers were killed. No.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

So dakṣa-yajña, the Lord Śiva's devotees, they massacred all the yajña arena. You know dakṣa-yajña. Mahārāja Dakṣa was also cut off by his head, and he was put in a goat's head, in this way. So after the death of his wife, Lord Śiva was very much aggrieved. He went to the forest and engaged himself in meditation. So there was a need of one soldier commander, and the calculation was that such soldier must be there, by the demigods... Because there was always fighting between the demigods and the demons, so to kill the demons, there was need of a very great soldier who must be born by Lord Śiva, by the semina of Lord Śiva. So at that time Pārvatī, Dākṣāyaṇī, after death she has taken another body as daughter of King of Himalaya, Pārvatī.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

Then he can purchase Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti. Even... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even little of it can save you from the greatest danger. Bhakti is so nice. Svalpam api. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, he was the greatest sinful person. But at the time of death, he uttered "Nārāyaṇa," and he was protected by Kṛṣṇa. Immediately Nārāyaṇa's soldiers came and protected him from the Yamarāja's soldiers. Ajāmila uddhāra.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is very advanced devotee. He says that paśyata ajñānam: "Just see my ignorance. I have killed so many soldiers simply for this body." Paśyata ajñānaṁ me hṛdi rūḍhaṁ durātmanaḥ: "And this ignorance is deeply rooted in my heart." People are... Every step, they are being baffled; still, they will do the same thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). No sense is coming. No sense is coming. Durātmanaḥ. Not mahātmanaḥ. Mahātmanaḥ means he is no more interested in this kind of business. That is called mahātmanaḥ. Those who are repeatedly engaged in this kind of business, they are called durātmanaḥ. Only for the body's sake working very hard. So if you analyze, the whole world is doing that. Durātmanaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

Pārakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me akṣauhiṇīḥ. Now the akṣauhiṇī is mentioned here. One, what is the exact word, one group of soldiers?

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

Regiment or something like..., composing. Just like in your country you have got. The Seventh Fleet or something like that was sent to India. They have got a group, so many ships, so many soldiers, so many... But formerly there was no ship, no aeroplane. They used to fight with horses, soldiers, elephants. So the estimation is there. You read the estimation.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is repentant that pārakyasyaiva dehasya bahvyo me 'kṣauhiṇīr hatāḥ: "Many hundreds and thousands of soldiers, horses, elephants, men we have killed." Akṣauhiṇī, there is a calculation 64,000 elephants, 64,000 horses and 64,000, like that. Exactly I cannot, but some of the items are 64,000. Chariots. One... Nowadays it is called exactly? A group of soldiers? What is called?

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes (reading), "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 calvary is called an akṣauhiṇī." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many akṣauhiṇīs were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as the most pious king of the world, takes for himself the responsibility of killing such a huge number of living beings because the battle was fought to reinstate him on the throne.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

So the point is that Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, how much responsible king he was, that for ordinary woman, the soldiers... Take for... Soldiers or officers, commander-in-chief, they all died. Now he is thinking of their welfare activities, how to give protection to these woman. Just imagine how much responsible king. And he is thinking in this way, that "The sinful activity which I have done in this connection by killing their husbands or sons or father, even if I give some donation as welfare..." Just like in your country there is welfare department. All these helpless girls are given some donation.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

So one very important word is here: sadaśvaiḥ svarṇa-bhūṣitaiḥ. Formerly the horses were used in military division. Horses, chariot, elephants and then infantry. So not one or two, but one division of military phalanx required sixty thousand horses. Akṣauhiṇī. So many horses, so many elephants, so many chariot, and so many infantry soldiers—that will compose one division of soldiers. So "so many" means the, I exactly remember now, sixty thousand horses. So all the horses, when they are required for procession or for going to the fight, were well-decorated with golden ornaments, svarṇa-bhūṣitaiḥ. So just imagine the, all the saddles of the horse, if they are golden ornamented, how many ounces you will require to decorate the horse. And what is the price of gold now?

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

So here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, of all the followers of religious principle, he is the foremost, variṣṭhaḥ. So he was very sorry that "For my sake, for enthroning me, oh, so many people have given their lives." Not only his cousin-brothers, the soldiers... And, because at that time, five thousand years ago, these kings or the emperors of Hastināpura were ruling all over the world... This planet was called Bhārata-varṣa, the whole planet. Not this now, a small tract of land. The whole world was called Bhārata-varṣa. Formerly it was called Ilāvṛta-varṣa. Since the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. So the Pāṇḍavas or the Kurus, they were the rulers of the world. As such, when there was fight between the two section of cousin-brothers, from all parts of the world, somebody joined this side, somebody joined that side.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

You haven't got to create, it is already there. So our position is always dependent on God. We should understand this. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has a song,

mānaso deho geho, yo kichu mora,

arpilun tuyā pade nanda-kiśora

This mistake is going on, that I am independent, king, and my soldiers or my society, community, family or—so many we have manufactured—but

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ pramattaḥ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

Just like a man fights, just like Hitler declared war, or so many wars are declared. This man is declaring, everyone is thinking, "I am independent." So, and we are thinking that we have got so many soldiers, so many atomic bombs, and so many aeroplanes, we shall come out victorious. Similarly, each and everyone of us, we are thinking, "I am independent, and my wife, my children, my society, they are my soldiers. If I am in danger, they will help me." This is going on. This is called māyā. Pramattaḥ teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati, because we have become mad after this so-called independence, independence of God, we are thinking these things will help us, will protect us, but that is māyā.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You rascal, you are thinking that so many things will give you protection. That will not be possible. You will be finished, and your so-called protector, and friends, and soldiers, they will be finished. You don't depend on them. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66), you just surrender unto Me, I'll give you protection, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. This is real protection.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

For want of real knowledge, ātma-jñāna... First of all one has to learn actually what he is. Is he this body or something else? That is the beginning. But they do not know. He thinks that "I am body," deha. And because from this body, I have got relationship with my wife, "Oh, she is my great friend," and the children, "They are my soldiers. They will protect me." Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. He is very safe. "I have got good wife. I have got children. They will save me." Nobody will save you, sir. When death will come, you have to give your own account. If you are going to be next life a dog, not your wife, children, or nation or community or anyone will save you. No. Nobody can save you.

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

When the elder brother was king, they acted. They did not fight, that "We are five brothers. Why you shall become king? I shall become king." No, there was a fight. One of them, the elder brother, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, was enthroned, and the other brothers, they acted as commanders of the soldiers. One brother is going one side of the earth to fight, to subdue the rascals. There was fight to subdue the rascals, not for ambition. Because he was emperor, so anyone who is doing wrong irreligiously, go there and fight. That was fight. That is called dharma-yuddha. Just like you can maintain police force, military force. What for? Whenever there is outlaws, go and punish them.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat on a chariot drawn by black horses. His flag was marked with the sign of a lion. Being so decorated and surrounded by charioteers, cavalry, elephants and infantry soldiers, he left the capital to conquer in all directions." (SB 1.16.11)

Prabhupāda: So each king had different colored horses and differently marked flag on the top of the chariot. Just like Arjuna's chariot was drawn by white horses. Śveta. Śveta means white. And his grandson, his horses are of blackish. Not... Śyāma is not black. Blackish. Swarthy. No, blackish. Turaṅga, jeweled. They have four horses in chariot, and there is a charioteer and flag marked with lion. This lion is not to be considered an ordinary lion. This lion is Mṛgendra or Narahari, Nṛsiṁha-deva. Arjuna's chariot was with flag marked with Vajrāṅga, Hanumānjī, Hanumānjī. Kṛṣṇa's chariot flag is marked with Garuḍa. So these are the distinctive marks. One will understand immediately, "This is such and such king's chariot." That mark is there.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

So His devotees are also like that. They have to execute the mission of Kṛṣṇa. Just like here, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he is a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he is going out with soldier to fight. Similarly, Dhruva Mahārāja also, he fought. Prahlāda Mahārāja fought. Because they were kings, so their duty is to subdue, to conquer over the demons. Not that because one is Kṛṣṇa's devotee, he should not do any other thing. If required, a devotee can do anything, as ordered by Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa ordered Arjuna to fight. Arjuna personally was not inclined to fight. He is Vaiṣṇava. He, rather, wanted to forgive. "Let them enjoy, Kṛṣṇa. I do not wish to fight with my cousin-brothers.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

No, you can go to the forest. That is your interest. But if you try to distribute Kṛṣṇa's name, that is more, I mean, valuable work. Because if you go to the forest, you take interest of yourself. But Kṛṣṇa wants that you take interest for others also. That is greater service. Just like a soldier, he's also patriot, and another man is patriot. But the soldier who goes to fight forward for the state, his service is greater than this man. Because he has to face so many dangers for the country. Therefore during time of war, the government takes care of the soldiers first and the civilians, their eating, their supply is controlled. But the soldier's supply is never controlled because he is giving good, better service to the state. So you can go to the forest for your own interest. That is also good. But better work is to push forward Kṛṣṇa's name. That is better service.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

The British empire destroyed, the Roman empire destroyed, the Egyptian empire destroyed, the, I mean to say, the Indian empire... Formerly..., just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He was the emperor of the world. So these things, paśyann api na paśyati, they see that "They cannot give me protection. When I shall be called for death..." Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja is preparing. "At that time, all these, my soldiers, my bank balance, my good wife, my good children, my good countrymen—no. Nobody can give me any protection." Just like when you have to fly in the sky, you have to protect yourself. No other can... Take it for the birds or for the airplanes. If you are being crushed in the airplane, no other airplane can protect you.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

They will not give you protection. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was advised by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, his spiritual master, "This is your business at the point of death." So not only at the point of death. You cannot take to this business all of a sudden, even it is advised. You have to practice. Just like you cannot become a good soldier on the battlefield. You have to be trained yourself before going to the battle, military training. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is training before you ultimately meet death, fight with. So this is the advice given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and we shall read later on.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

They are attached because they are attached to this body, therefore attached to the children. Dehāpatya. Apatya means children. And kalatra. Kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. This very word sainya... Sainya means soldier. Here in the material world, every one of us is struggling very hard. That is a fact. Everyone knows. So when we struggle, when we fight, then we must have soldiers. Without soldiers, nobody fights. So they are our soldiers: this body... Everyone wants to keep this body fit. And maintaining the children and the wife... Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. We are thinking that "My, this body and wife and children and home and country and society will save me." I am struggling against... What is that struggling? I do not wish to die. I do not wish to be diseased. I do not wish to become old man. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). I don't wish to get birth again, or I want to stop birth. Janma-mṛtyu. I want to stop death. I want to stop disease. And I want to stop old age. These are the activities, material activities, struggling against. And I am thinking that "These soldiers, or this, my body, or my wife, my children, will protect me," dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4), although I am experiencing every day that they are asat, they will not exist. How do I know they will not exist? My father has died.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

These are very important subject matter. Try to understand. We know that nobody will exist. I want to exist. That is my intention. I do not wish to die. I want to exist, but I know also that all these, my soldiers, including my, this stout and strong body, it will also not exist. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu, teṣāṁ pramattaḥ.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

This world is struggle for existence. You should not think that because you have got nice wife, children, and nice nationality, or everything nice... Still, you are not safe. This is to be understood. Yes. Just like Napoleon in your country, he had many soldiers. He was fighting. He was conquering all over. And because he had very, very good military strength, he was thinking he was safe. But he was also defeated, and he had to die also, leaving all the opulences he created.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

This body's nothing but combination of these things. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu (SB 10.84.13). Here, just like dehāpatya-kalatrādi. Kalatra means wife, and thinking this body, "I am..., I am this body." And thinking also that "These, my soldiers, these, my wife, children, and friends and nationals, they will save me." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). And the land where he has taken birth... Just like everyone is thinking, "I am Frenchman," "I am Englishman," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." So, so "This is my land.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

Translation: "Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife, etc. Although sufficiently experienced, still, they do not see their inevitable destruction."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The same word is being continued, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), "Those who are blind about ātma-tattva, the spiritual science, the knowledge of spirit soul." So these persons, those who are blind, those who are accepting this body as the self like cats and dogs, their description is given here again that deha... They are bodily, beginning from bodily cons... "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." Deha and then apatya, children, and kalatra, wife. First of all, one deha, one body.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Similarly, the māyā-grasta jīva, those who are in this material-too much absorbed in the bodily concept of life, without any self-realization... Everyone is thinking like madman, that "These things will give me protection." Because he has become mad, pramatta. Pramatta. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam. You are fighting with soldiers. That's all right. But if you know, "All my soldiers will die," then what is the use of your fighting? Or you take some means that your fighting will be victorious. No. They do not know. Teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ pramattaḥ, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

So apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are not very intelligent to see about the truth of ātmā, they are entangled. How it is entangle...? Now, deha-apatya. This body and the offspring, children, born out of this body through the wife, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. Everyone is thinking that "I have got my good wife. I have got very nice children. I have got my nice society, nation," and so on, so many. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. And he's thinking that "They are my soldiers." Here is this fight, struggle for existence. Everyone is struggling to exist, and everyone is thinking, "They are my soldiers. These, my wife, children, society, friendship, nation, they'll give me protection." But nobody can give protection. Therefore he's explained here as pramattaḥ, pāgala. Nobody can give you protection. Not only will he not be able to give protection, but they will be also finished.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Therefore it is called durāśayā. He's thinking that "These things will give me protection." No, that is not possible. You cannot get rid of the four principles of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), by these soldiers. That is not possible. They will die, you will die. Your... Formerly, your father died. Your father's father died. Everyone will die. This is called martya-loka. Everyone will die. But we are actually hankering after existing. We do not wish to die. That is our natural propensity, because we are eternal. "Oh, why shall I wish to die?" So the solution is not depending on these so-called soldiers, but the solution is different.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

So there was strong criticism. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu was arranged to meet this Māyāvāda sannyāsī, and He talked on Vedānta and He defeated him. And the sannyāsī , along with his 60,000 disciples, became His followers. So you should not be simply chanting and dancing. Along with, you must know philosophy. There are so many Māyāvādīs; you have to defeat them. It is not that we are cowards. We are Kṛṣṇa's soldiers. So as soon as there is Māyāvādī attack, you must immediately defeat them. That is wanted. Therefore so many books are being written. Jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

A ship carrying thirteen thousand tons of goods, but the strong rope brings it on the pier. Then he cannot move. In spite of having good machine and in spite of so much strength, it is baddhāḥ, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Julius Caesar, he was a great soldier, and she(he) became captivated by one beautiful woman. What is that? Cleopatra? You see? She's an ordinary woman, but because she had some Every woman is beautiful, but it is through the eyes I see that "This woman is beautiful." Woman's nature is fair sex. By nature she is beautiful. But I see "This is beautiful." I am entrapped. Is it not? There is a Bengali proverb, dekha yāra lāge bhāla... If I like somebody, it doesn't matter what he is or she is.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Sudāmā: Japan also. After the war...In Japan during the war the Japanese government supported a certain religious sect, Shinto religion. And they would spend thousands of dollars for ceremony for soldiers and to have good omen for the war. When they lost the war, the entire government wrote in the Constitution, now it is in the Constitution, that the government of Japan will not support any religious organization. So the people then, after losing the war, they lost faith in anything religious and they became distraught.

Prabhupāda: That is the effect of the last... The general, people in general, they expect dharma for artha. dharma for artha. The Bhāgavata therefore explains that dharmasya... Dharmasya ca... What is that?

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

There is a poet has said that ātman dhana vilaye diye bhikṣa mage porer kache:(?) "We have lost our own culture. Now we are beggar. We are going to foreign countries to beg something." Of course, I have gone to foreign countries not to beg, but to give. Others go there to beg: "Give me grain. Give me money. Give me soldier." But we have not gone. We have gone to give them. Therefore these Europeans and Americans are attracted. Because I am giving them, not taking from them. That is the difference. They have seen many, big, big persons go to the foreign countries only to beg, but nobody goes there to give.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

Arjuna, he did not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when He placed Himself divided into two in the battlefield... Because it was a family fight, so Kṛṣṇa said that "I can divide Myself." Both of them approached. Duryodhana approached and Arjuna also approached, "Kṛṣṇa, You become my side." So Kṛṣṇa said that "I have got eighteen akṣauhiṇī, division of soldiers. That is one side. And I personally, one side." So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought that "What shall I do simply by taking Kṛṣṇa? And He says that 'I'll not fight. If I go to any side, I'll not fight.' " So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought it wise that "Let me take His soldiers, eighteen divisions, many thousands of elephants, horses, chariot." There is estimate, very big number of elephants, horses. I don't remember exactly. But... So Duryodhana decided to take the soldiers of Kṛṣṇa. (aside:) That child may be... But Arjuna thought that "If I get Kṛṣṇa in my side, that is sufficient. I don't want His soldiers."

Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:

In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa has explained that "All these soldiers and kings who have assembled here, you and Me, all of us we existed in the past, and we are now present, and in the future also, we shall exist." But Kṛṣṇa never said that "Arjuna, you and Me and all these soldiers or kings, we shall become one." He never said. He never said. "We shall keep our individuality." This is knowledge. And in another place Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa or God sanātana, eternally, not that at the present moment I have become separated from the spirit soul, and when I shall be uncovered by this gross and subtle body, we shall become one.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

I am connected with both the families. So I cannot take part in this war." But they insisted that "At least You take some part as You like." Then He said that "I divide Myself into two. So one side, all My soldiers, eighteen akṣauhiṇī soldiers, and one side, I am alone. Now you select. Which one you want?" So Duryodhana's thought that "What shall I do with Kṛṣṇa? He's one man. Let me take His soldiers." So he took all the soldiers. And Arjuna said, "No, Kṛṣṇa, I want You." Then Kṛṣṇa said, "No, I'll not fight." "No, You simply remain in my side." "All right, I shall become your chariot driver, that's all."

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa, just like if I say the president is coming, so one should know the president is not coming alone. He must be accompanied by his secretaries, by his military aide-de-camp, and so many other people, cabinet members. At least one dozen persons are coming with him, or with some soldiers, bodyguards. So similarly when you mean Kṛṣṇa or God, you should immediately know that He is not alone. He is not impersonal boy. He is full with opulence, full with associates. Therefore this description is of the spiritual world in the Brahma-saṁhitā, Vedic literature, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29).

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

So the saguṇa Brahman means the living entities. Saguṇa Brahman does not mean the God, Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, because even if you become servant of God... Just like there are so many nice example, that if an ordinary man beats another man, slap, he immediately becomes criminal. Law is there, "You cannot do that." But the policeman gives you a slap—it is not criminal. If you kill somebody, then you become criminal. But when a soldier kills hundreds of men, he is not criminal. The process is the same, but because one is acting on behalf of the supreme lawgiver, he is immune.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

Dehāpatya. Apatya means children, family, and deha means this body. Deha apatya. Kalatra, kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. He is struggling for existence and thinking that "My wife, my children, my relative, my friend, my countrymen—they are my soldiers. They will give me protection whenever I am in danger." Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu asatsu api. But he knows also that they will not stay. Asatsu api. But still, they are depending on them. So teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. This is our position.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

How you can become one? So this kind of attempt is also cheating. You cannot become one. Because eternally, sanātana, eternally, you are different. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Myself, My dear Arjuna, yourself, and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled in this battlefield, they were the same individual in the past, and they are individual now, and they will continue to remain individual." So where there is oneness? In the past, present, future the individuality is there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

And they must be prepared to fight to the enemies. Everything is described in the śāstra, in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tejo śauryaṁ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. The administrator should be so brave that whenever there is war they must first of all come forward to fight so that soldiers and others may follow him. So they are second-class men, and they should be instructed by the first-class men. Then their activities will be nice.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa divided Himself. Because it was a family warfare between two cousin brothers, and Kṛṣṇa was also related with both of them by family relationship, so He said, "How can I take part with one and not with the other? Then that will be partiality. So anyway, I divide Myself into two. I am alone, one side, and in which side I shall go, I shall not fight. I shall not touch even a weapon. And the other side, all My soldiers." Kṛṣṇa had many soldiers. So Duryodhana thought that "I shall take Kṛṣṇa's soldiers," and Arjuna thought, "I shall take Kṛṣṇa only, even He does not fight."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

If the sons have form, why the father will not have form? What is this logic? This is not logical conclusion. The real idea is... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled here, they were in the past like this," that means they have forms, "and they're existing like this. And they'll continue to exist." Where is formless? You see the (indistinct) Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

Combination is called sunshine. It is not that they are merged. Similarly, every individual soul is individual. Kṛṣṇa says, "Arjuna, you, Me, and all these soldiers and kings, they were existing before, they are now existing now, and they will continue to exist in the future." So where is mixture? You, me, and all of you, we are different individuals, and Kṛṣṇa says—not ordinary person—that "They were individuals in the past, they are individual now, and they will continue to become individual."

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

The soul simply changes another body. That's all." This is the first instruction. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). For that reason you cannot kill. It is not that Kṛṣṇa was encouraging killing. No. Duty. When there is fight, there is killing. You cannot avoid it. Just like the soldier. What is the duty of the soldier? Kill as many as possible the enemies. But the same soldier, if he comes back home and kills some of his men or countrymen and he is arrested and in the court, he is ordered to be hanged, and if he pleads that "I am a soldier. In the battlefield I have killed so many persons, and now I have killed one man. Why you are ordering me to be hanged?" What will be the answer of the court? The answer that "You cannot kill on principle.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

That means we are all individuals, because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the battlefield, He is person, and He was teaching Arjuna—he is also person. And the soldiers and other kings, they are also all persons. So Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that we are imperson in the past or we shall become imperson in the future." No. Just like, take another example, that before our birth, accepting this body, I was a person, you were a person. And according to our personal different activities, pious or impious, we have got this body. So I was person before the beginning of my this body, and after my death, I shall remain a person, and I shall accept another body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching how to become desirous to serve Kṛṣṇa. This teaching, perfection of instruction, we find in the Bhagavad-gītā when Arjuna says kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73): "I shall execute what You order me." Te vacanaṁ tava: "I shall execute any order which You order me." Arjuna was a warrior, soldier. When he was... Before his hearing Bhagavad-gītā he was a soldier, and after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he remained a soldier. But in the beginning of the fight he was not willing to fight with his brothers. Although Kṛṣṇa was speaking to him that "You fight," he was declining. This is the stage of abhakta, or nondevotee. Although mundane person will very much be pleased that "Arjuna was not willing to fight.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:

Those who are mad, they think that "My, this body, strong body," deha apatya, "my children, my grown up children," dehāpatya-kalatra, "my good wife," dehapātya-kalatrādiṣu, "and the by-products of this combination—wife, children, and bank balance." Just like one fights in the battlefield, you are simply fighting, struggle for existence within this material world, and our soldiers are these: my children, my wife, my relatives, my country, so on, so on. But Bhāgavata says pramatta, "he is mad"; teṣāṁ nidhanam, "he does not know that they will be all finished."

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Honolulu, May 27, 1976:

Deha means this body. Apatya means children. Dehāpatya. Kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya kalatrādiṣu ātm-asainyeṣu. Here is struggle for existence, and you're thinking that "This my strong body and my nice children and my wife, they are my soldiers. Therefore I am saved." Everyone is thinking like that. "Now I am in a good family. I've got my family members very nice. I've got this strong body. Oh, what do I care, God is dead?" That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Honolulu, May 27, 1976:

He knows that they will be finished, paśyann api na paśyati. He has practical experience, yet still he does not see. This is called māyā. Māyā means thing is one and he's thinking otherwise. His soldier, the so-called soldier, the protector, will be finished, but still he's depending on him. Suppose a bird is flying with his family in the sky. But if there is some danger, then no other bird can help him. You have to help yourself. Just like aeroplane. If dozens of aeroplane is flying, but if one aeroplane is in danger, no other plane can give him any help. It will fall down and crash. Finished.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

You think, "I am going to office to do my duty very hurriedly," but you are becoming implicated. But if you go out for receiving some help for worshiping Viṣṇu, then you are free. Then you are free. Exactly like that: soldier who is fighting in the battlefield and killing so many men and he is given gold medal, "Oh, you have killed so many. So many lives you have killed of the opposite party, enemy. You take this Victoria Cross." He becomes recognized by the government. The same man, when he comes home, if he kills somebody for his sense gratification, he will be hanged. The same man. The same soldier, when he is fighting for king's service, government service, government is supplying him food, everything—"So fight very chivalrously"—and offering him gold medal. And the same men, when he comes home, for his sense gratification if he kills a man, he will be hanged.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Just like when we read Kṛṣṇa book, Kṛṣṇa is killing so many demons, He is kidnapping somebody, He is... So many things. It appears just like ordinary, I mean to say, malpractices in the material world. It appears like that. "So what is this God? He is killing so many persons, He is kidnapping some woman. What is this God?" they may say. But they do not know that that is also transcendental. That is as pure as chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is as pure as. Otherwise, what interest we have got to read Bhagavad-gītā? It is in the battlefield. Senayor ubhayor madhye. Combination of two parties, soldiers, and they are fighting, they are killing.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

We don't say born and died, no. (laughter) Appear and disappear. This is the actual explanation. None of us, either Kṛṣṇa or we or all living entities, they appear and disappear. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the battlefield, "My dear Arjuna, either you or Me or all the kings and soldiers who have assembled in this battlefield, don't think that they did not exist in the past and they'll not exist in the future." That means they existed in the past and they're existing at present and they would exist also in the future. That means eternal. Eternal, we are all eternal.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

You have to die." So dehāpatya. "My sons are very well educated. They are holding big, big post, minister. They will." Deha-apatya. "No, sir. They'll not be able to." Dehāpatya kalatra. "My wife is so sincere, so faithful. She will give me protection." "No, sir." Dehāpatya kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). We are thinking ātma-sainya: "They are my soldiers. I am struggling for existence and these soldiers will give me protection." So the Bhāgavata says, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He's so mad that he knows that "These things will be finished. Nobody will be able to give me protection," still he... Pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means mad. So these attempts will not give me protection.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

Harikeśa: Translation: "Money is so dear that one conceives that money is sweeter than honey, and who can give up the desire of accumulating such money, especially in the household life? The thieves, the professional soldiers, or the mercantile community try to acquire money by risking the very life."

Prabhupāda:

ko nv artha-tṛṣṇāṁ visṛjet

prāṇebhyo 'pi ya īpsitaḥ

yaṁ krīṇāty asubhiḥ preṣṭhais

taskaraḥ sevako vaṇik

(SB 7.6.10)

So here is one condemnation, that taskaraḥ, sevakaḥ and vaṇik. Similarly, there is another verse in Bhagavad-gītā, striyaḥ vaiśya tathā śūdra. So stri śūdra quality, vaṇik quality, they are very backwards. So here it is said, sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. Professor Marshall, he has given reason for economic development: the family affection.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

Formally there were slaves, slave trade, but..., you get it still. You advance, the servant class, śūdra class—nowadays may not be five hundred—you advance five thousand, you can purchase. There will be agreement. That is law court, that "He has to work lifelong." And, specially the professional soldiers, nowadays the economic activities are so..., varieties. One of our disciples' son, he has accepted the service of a diver. He enters into the ocean. This is his service. Sometimes they accept the service of coming down from the aeroplane, paracy... What is called? Parachute. Fall down.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Money is so dear that one conceives of money as being sweeter than honey. Therefore, who can give up the desire to accumulate money, especially in household life? Thieves, professional servants (soldiers) and merchants try to acquire money even by risking their very dear lives."

Prabhupāda:

ko nv artha-tṛṣṇāṁ visṛjet

prāṇebhyo 'pi ya īpsitaḥ

yaṁ krīṇāty asubhiḥ preṣṭhais

taskaraḥ sevako vaṇik

(SB 7.6.10)

So, the beginning of instruction was kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This material world, beginning, those who are not trained up, their beginning is hankering after union for sex. And puṁsāṁ striya mithuni-bhāvam, this is the material world, attraction, and when they are united the attraction increases, we have already discussed.

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

This Durgā energy. Durgā energy means this material energy. Durgā. Durgā means fort. We are packed up within this fort. You see the round sky. It is just like a football. And within, we are packed up. Just like the soldiers, they are within the fort or there are other persons also, similarly, this is a durgā. Durgā. Duḥ means difficult, and ga means going. Dur-gā. So because the nature is feminine, therefore it is called Durgā. So just like in the fort, in the jail, if you are put, it is dur-gā, very difficult to come out, very, very difficult. Duḥ means it is not so easy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.28 -- Mayapur, March 6, 1976:

So these are the ways. You cannot understand by your erudite scholarship what is Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Then Kṛṣṇa would have instructed Bhagavad-gītā to..., finding out a very great Vedantist. No. Kṛṣṇa found Arjuna. What was Arjuna? Arjuna was a gṛhastha. Arjuna was a kṣatriya, and although a soldier... A soldier is not expected to become a Vedantist. We recruit soldiers not from the Vedantists' group. One who can fight, one who has got strength—we recruit soldier. So Arjuna was not very qualified in that way to understand Bhagavad-gītā or instruction, but Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I will speak, speak to you. This Bhagavad-gītā, the paramparā is lost, so I shall again speak the old thing to you." "Why to me?" Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My bhakta.

Lecture on SB 7.9.47 -- Vrndavana, April 2, 1976:

So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣa akṛṣṇam saṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. He is with His soldiers, saṅga, upāṅga, part of the part. Advaita Prabhupāda, Nityānanda Prabhu. Nityānanda is directly part, Advaita Prabhu is part of the part. And astra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also has His astra, weapon. The astra means to, I mean to say, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). So this astra, what is that? Saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtanaiḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair yajanti hi. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is also astra of Kṛṣṇa for killing the demons, but it is not like a... Like a sword it is not active.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

So the sages in those days were tri-kāla-jñā. Tri-kāla-jñā means they could understand, they could know what was in the past, what there shall be in the future, and what is at present. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, "My Dear Arjuna, you, Me, I, and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled in this battlefield, they were all individuals, and we are still individual. And in this past, in the future, we shall all remain individuals." That past, present, and future, he explained. Another place Kṛṣṇa says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Atītāni, atītāni means past. Vartamānāni ca, "and present." So that is yogic power. One can know past, present, and future.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So the idea is that our dealings in the ordinary... When there is fighting, in fighting, they take all means, all propaganda, all means, you know that. Fighting, one... The aim is how to own victory. Although there are so many international laws, they don't care for it. Just like bombing. Bombing. Sometimes the opposite party, they keep soldiers under Red Cross, because Red Cross is not bombed according to international... But they, they get information and they bomb also. These are common practice. Just like in India, in the Hindu-Muslim fight, the Muslims were keeping weapons within mosques. You know that. Everyone knows. So there (are) so many international law of the fighting, but when there is necessity, they neglect all international law and they take advantage.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

So they, one may be very good scholar, ABCD, but the ABCD knowledge is not sufficient to understand. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3). Simply by erudite scholarship you cannot understand. Then Kṛṣṇa would have selected somebody else who is scholarly advanced. But He was selecting Arjuna, although he was a soldier. He was not a Vedantist, he was not a brāhmaṇa, but he was ordinary soldier. Maybe royal family. Gṛhastha. But He selected him. Why? Bhakto 'si: because he was devotee. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood by devotee from the very beginning.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

So it is not good to take part partially in one party and neglect other. Of course, it was divided... Kṛṣṇa divided Himself, His soldiers, one side, and Kṛṣṇa, one side. He said, Duryodhana and Arjuna, that "I shall remain neutral, but I am dividing My strength in this way. One side, I am, and one side, My soldiers." So Duryodhana thought that "What shall I do with Kṛṣṇa? Better take His soldiers." So he took the soldiers in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. And Arjuna said that "I want You." Just like the same thing happened in general politics also.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Don't ask me to boycott the British court." But that was on the, one of the programs. So Gandhiji said, "No, I don't want your money. I want you." And actually that was very effective. So similarly Arjuna also decided that "I don't want Your soldiers. I want You." So these are different rasas.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "My dear Arjuna, do not think that I, you, or all these soldiers and kings who have assembled in this battlefield, they were not existing in the past. They were. And they are existing at present. And similarly they will exist in the future." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So where is the question of merging? And loss of individuality? The individuality remains. It remained in the past.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

So they are simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa activities. Although it looks similar to the ordinary activities. Therefore they misunderstand. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is fighting and another soldier is fighting the other side. But Arjuna's activities as soldier is devotional service. Because he's trying to please Kṛṣṇa. Other side, they're fighting for their own interest, how to become victorious and take up the kingdom. That was their idea. Here, Arjuna, he did not like to fight, but when he understood that "Kṛṣṇa desires this fighting," he engaged in it. Therefore his fighting was to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not to satisfy his senses.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

That is wanted. It is called bhakti. "In our conditional state our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti." This is bhakti. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna served Kṛṣṇa by his talent. He was a soldier; he knew how to fight. So by, for his personal consideration, he was thinking not to fight, not to kill the other side, because the other side happened to be his kinsmen, his grandfather, his brother, his nephews. So he was thinking in terms of his own sense gratification, because "The other side, if they are killed, I'll be unhappy." That was his consideration.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Arjuna was engaged in the platform of sakhyam. So they were also working very hard. The Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, it was not a place of sitting down very easily and silently. When he was fighting, he was fighting just like a soldier. He took all the duties of a soldier. But it was being fought for Kṛṣṇa. That is the attraction. That is pure devotional service. Kṛṣṇa also gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "My dear Arjuna, you are My dear friend and devotee." So by any action, if it is dovetailed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is devotional service, and one can attract Kṛṣṇa, attention of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

After all, we commit so many mistakes. That is human nature. To err is human. That is not fault. But try to rectify with cool head. That is required. So similarly, there are different classes of men in the society: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They should cooperate for the common cause. They do not know the common cause. The common cause is Kṛṣṇa. For Kṛṣṇa's service, we should submit to the immediate officer or commander. Just like soldiers. Soldiers, there is no question of discrimination. Whatever is ordered by the commander, immediately done

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: "That is the present position in the Kali-yuga, this age of quarrel. Nobody is doing his duty, and everyone is simply puffed up by calling himself a brāhmaṇa, intellectual, or a kṣatriya, soldier or statesman. But actually such people are without status."

Prabhupāda: This is the statement exactly. Everyone has to do his duty. Otherwise, simply by name, I have become a great devotee, but if I do not do what is enjoined in the śāstras or the spiritual master, then that is simply false, puffed-up position. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.10 -- Mayapur, April 3, 1975:

But they are to be maintained by the singular number. That is the distinction. God is person; you are also person; I am also person. We exist eternally, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that "You, Me, all these soldiers and kings who have assembled there, it is not that they did not exist in the past. They are existing in the present, and they will continue to exist in that way in the future." That is called nityānāṁ cetanānām.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows past, present, and future. He says, therefore, that "All these, My dear Arjuna—yourself, Myself and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled here—it is not that we were not existing before. We are existing at the present moment also, and in future also we shall continue to exist." And how we shall exist? Individually. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa would have said that in future, when we become liberated, then we shall become one.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

This is temporary form. The real form is spiritual form. Therefore nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Second Chapter that "Both you and Me and all these soldiers and kings who have assembled before us, they were existing in the past, they are existing now, at present, and they will continue to exist in the future." So they... From our present experience we can see that all the living entities are in form. Therefore, if they existed in the past, they existed in the past as forms, and they'll continue to exist in the future as forms, there is no question of formlessness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

So how He is imperson? Can the air talk with you? Air is imperson. Sky is imperson. Can he talk with you? What do you think? No, sometimes talks. (laughter) So we should have common sense, that where is the question of... And Kṛṣṇa says in the Second Chapter that "My dear Arjuna, both you, Me and all these soldiers and kings who are assembled here, we existed in the past, we are now existing, and we shall continue to exist in the future." So three things: first person, second person and third person. I am first person, you are second person and all others third person.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

There is a nice place, Soro. So there Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was chanting and dancing, He sometimes fainted. So in the course of His chanting and dancing, when He fainted, then His personal assistants, they were treating Him. So one batch of soldiers, Moghul, Pathan soldiers, were passing that way. So the chief of the soldiers, of the army, they were surprised that "How is that? One man is lying unconscious, and others are treating him. This must have been, this man must have been poisoned by these men." So they came down, because they were government men, they came down and challenged all these men that "You have given this man some drug so that he's fainted, and you wanted to plunder him.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

He faints like that while chanting. Now He'll be... Very soon He'll get up, because we are also chanting. Hearing, hearing, He will get up." So in this way, when He came to His consciousness, the Muslims, these Pathan soldiers, they were very happy to see Him. So there was a Mullah. So he talked with Him. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu... I am summarizing the story; this story is very big. He talked with that Mullah, and He proved from the Koran that there is kṛṣṇa-bhakti. He proved from the Koran that there is kṛṣṇa-bhakti, there is hint of kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1970:

One who is disinclined to understand what is this chanting, you should not bother yourself to convince him. That's all. Just like in hospital, especially in, in the warfield, there are many wounded soldiers are coming. But the doctors see that the soldier which has got the chance of living, take care more for them. And the soldier which is immediately going to die, they do not take care much. Because it is useless; he'll not live. Similarly the atheist, the atheist will have to suffer. They'll have to meet God in the form of death in so many ways. So by suffering, suffering, suffering, suffering, suffering, when a day will come that he'll understand God, at that time, preaching to him is better.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Ādi-puruṣam, the original Personality of Godhead. So, when we speak of Govinda, Govinda is not alone. Just like when we speak of king, it is to be understood that king is not alone. He has got many other followers, secretaries, ministers, soldiers—whole state. Similarly, when we speak of Govindam, behind Govinda, with Govinda, all living entities, all creation, everything... Govindam. So you can st... (break)

Gargamuni: (reading:) "It is also wrong to consider that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can save himself from transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life. One life is meant to feed another living being, and that is the law of nature. One should not be proud of being a strict vegetarian. The point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. The animals have no developed consciousness to recognize the Lord, but a human being..."

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

If the king, if he finds somebody is doing wrong, he can immediately chop off his head if he likes. The king was so powerful. And it is not that if there was some war, it is not that the president or the king shall sit down comfortably at home and ordinary soldiers will go and lay down their life. No. Formerly, the king or the head of the state, he should first of all go there in the fight. You see in the picture, the chief men of the fighting in the Kurukṣetra, both sides, they were arrayed, this side, that side, with their chariot. Not that the head man, the chief man, or the commander is taking shelter back side, protecting himself, and poor soldiers are (chuckles) thrown into the fighting. No. These were kṣatriya spirit. And it is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, kṣatriya, fighting men. In India, because this training was there since a very long time, so there is no difficulty in recruiting soldiers there. There is a class of men, they are very much forward in fighting still. They are called... Just like the Gurkhas, the Nepalese. You have heard the name of Nepal. Still a small state, independent state. They are not within India. Between China and India.

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

So they're always forward for fighting. And you'll be surprised that the British Empire was voluntarily liquidated because they lost India. The Britishers, they understood that because we are now losing India, there is no more possibility to keep our eastern empire. Therefore they liquidated. Why? Actually, the whole British Empire were being administered or managed by Indian soldiers, these Sikhs and Gurkhas. They extended their empire. After taking their position with India, they extended British Empire in the Middle East and Far East simply by these Sikhs and Gurkha soldiers. They got supremacy on the Burma and everywhere.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So it was the request of Rādhārāṇī to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the same Kṛṣṇa; I am the same Rādhārāṇī. We are meeting, but We are not meeting in the same place. Here You are, just like a royal king with chariots, with soldiers, with Your ministers, secretaries. And there in Vṛndāvana You were a cowherd boy, and We used to meet in the jungles, in the bushes. So I want to take You there. Then I will be happy."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

People are under impression that "They are beggars. They have got nothing to give. They simply come here to beg." Actually, our ministers go there and, for some begging purpose: "Give us rice, give us wheat, give us money, give us soldiers." That is their business. But this movement, for the first time, India is giving something to them. It is not a begging propaganda; it is giving propaganda. Because they are hankering after this substance, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have enjoyed enough of this material consciousness.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

So president means he is not only coming alone; he is coming with secretaries, his ministers, his military secretary and so many other people, some soldiers and bodyguards. He is not alone. So if a material president, insignificant, is always surrounded by his associates, so the Supreme Being, how He is associated with His surroundings, you can just imagine. He cannot be alone. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not zero, śūnyavādi, as they say that "Everything zero after this," or nirviśeṣa, "Everything like sky." No. He is individual, person. And He says in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter, "My dear Arjuna, you, you are a person. Me, I am also a person, and all these soldiers and kings who are assembled here, they are also person. So don't think that we were not person in the past, and we are not person at present, and in future also we shall not become person. We are all person, eternally person." And whenever there is person, there is associates, there is family, there is exchange of love. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Arrival Address -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1976:

So if you face... Just like fighting soldiers, they are facing danger for the country. They are recognized. Similarly, those who are preachers, on behalf of Kṛṣṇa preaching people to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are great soldiers.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977:

So you have very kindly joined this movement. You have not joined this movement for your poverty. You are not poverty-stricken. Sometimes people join this movement for poverty-stricken. But you are not belonging to that. You have voluntarily joined. So don't be disappointed. There is now opposition, but don't be disappointed. Kṛṣṇa will give you protection. Try to go on with this para-upakāra movement. Maybe because it is a fight against atheism, so some of our soldiers may fall down. But that should not discourage us. We must go on fighting with this atheistic civilization and try to push (this) Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

So if we are persons, then He is also person. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says that "Myself, yourself, My dear Arjuna, and all these kings and soldiers who have come here, assembled here, they are all persons. They were all persons in the past, they are persons at present, and they will continue as persons in the future." These things are there. So individual soul or God, every one of us is person. Each and every one of us—person. Imperson is another feature of the person. Just like the same example.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The law in the Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill." But the federal law of the United States says you must go into the Army and kill. So which to follow? There is a difference. They both say opposite things.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The thing is... It is very simple to understand that... Just like a soldier is killing and the state is awarding him medal. And the same soldier when comes home, if he kills somebody, he's hanged. Why? He can say, "When I was in the war field, I have killed hundreds of men and I was given gold medal. And now I have killed simply one man I am going to be hanged? Why?" So it is the cause. If the cause if great, then killing is no sin.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So the Vedic literatures also say that He is the supreme living entity above all other living entities, every individual living entity. The Bhagavad-gītā, most of you might have seen Bhagavad-gītā. It is clearly stated in the Second Chapter when Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was explaining Arjuna, He said that "Yourself, Myself, and all these people, or the soldiers or the kings who have assembled here, they were individuals in the past, they are individuals at present, and they'll continue individuals in the future." So individuality cannot be cancelled. That is not possible.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

So in Kurukṣetra—Kurukṣetra is always dharma-kṣetra, pilgrimage—there was some lunar, solar eclipse, and many persons from many parts of India, they came to take bath. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and Their sister Subhadra, They also came in royal fashion, with so many soldiers, and so many..., just like king. So these residents of Vṛndāvana, they met Kṛṣṇa, and especially the gopīs, they saw Kṛṣṇa, and they lamented that "Kṛṣṇa, You are here, we are also here, but the place is different. We are not in Vṛndāvana." So there is a long story how they lamented and how Kṛṣṇa pacified them.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

"Therefore, My dear Arjuna," Kṛṣṇa instructing Arjuna, that "you simply act for Kṛṣṇa, or God," tad-artham, "not for any other purpose." Don't create your action. Simply act according to the direction of the Lord. Mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara. Then you will be freed from the reaction of your act. There are many examples. Just like a soldier: when he is killing in the battlefield on the higher authorities of government and commander-in-chief, he is not liable for killing. He is, rather, rewarded. The same man, if he kills on his own account somebody, he is hanged. Immediately he becomes liable to the law.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

So dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). But they are so fool that dehāpatya. This body and these children and this wife, this home, dehāpatya-kala..., ātma-sainyeṣu. Just like one feels very confident when he has got a great number of soldiers. Suppose we are fighting somewhere. If I have got a nice arrangement for defensive measure, then I feel confident. Similarly, we are thinking that "This home, this wife, this children, this society, this friendship, this love, this nation, that will give me protection." Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

So Arjuna did not give up his profession as a fighter, but he submitted to Kṛṣṇa. He Krsnized the fighting principle. He fought for Kṛṣṇa, not that he gave up fighting. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā he was a fighter, soldier. And at the end of his understanding Bhagavad-gītā he remained a fighter and a soldier, but his consciousness was changed. That is the difference. Similarly, the activities of this material world which is going on, we do not say like the Māyāvāda philosophers, that brahma satya jagan mithyā.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

He is driving the chariot and Arjuna is ordering Him, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta: (BG 1.21) 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta, please put up my chariot between the two soldiers.' And He is carrying out the order. So when I see that Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He can become an order carrier of His devotee, that is giving me feeling, and I am therefore crying." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him and said, "My dear brāhmaṇa, you are actually reading Bhagavad-gītā." That is the fact.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

Our government men go there in America: "Please give us wheat. Please give us money. Please give us soldiers." Simply begging business. But here is a thing which (you) can give to them. Simply begging does not glorify your country. Try to give something to the others, to other countries. That is the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

So I have simply taken this book. I am seeing it." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, you are not seeing it, simply. You are crying also." "Yes, Sir, I am crying also." "Then if you are not reading, how you are crying?" "Sir, I am not reading, but I'm feeling." "What is that?" "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand, immediately I feel Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna sitting on the same chariot, and Arjuna is ordering Kṛṣṇa that 'You drive my chariot between the two soldiers,' and Kṛṣṇa is driving. So I am simply feeling how Kṛṣṇa is nice, that He can work as a servant of His devotee. When I feel like that, I cry, how Kṛṣṇa is so kind." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him, that "You are really studying Bhagavad-gītā." So unless we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning of reading. And if we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa just like this brāhmaṇa, even without reading any book, that is wanted.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So therefore... In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said that, when Kṛṣṇa was advising Arjuna in the Battlefield, He said, "My dear Arjuna, all these persons, you and Me, and all these persons, it is not that we did not exist in the past. Neither it is so that we shall not exist in the future." This is... So these three things are pointed out: "You, Me and all these soldiers and kings." So all of them are individual. All of them are individual persons. And Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, He's also individual person. But what is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourself? That Kṛṣṇa, as it is stated in the Vedas, eka, that one singular number person.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973:

Study Bhagavad-gītā as it is. You get all information how to realize Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So 'ham. Don't misinterpret. Don't... There is no... Just like Kṛṣṇa... This verse is very plain. This verse says, na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsam. Where is the difficulty? "My dear Arjuna, both I, you... It is not that I did not exist, you did not exist. Neither this soldier." Where is the difficulty to understand? Why should we misinterpret?

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says that "Both Arjuna, you, Me and all these persons, the soldiers and the kings who are assembled in this Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, don't think that they did not exist in the past nor they will not exist in the future." That means present, you can see. Just like we are sitting together. Present we can see that you are there, I am here. Similarly, in the past also we are existing, and in the future also we shall exist in the same way.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa was requested by both the parties to join either of them, but Kṛṣṇa decided not to take part in the fighting because both of them were equally related to Him. So after all, Kṛṣṇa divided His soldiers one side and Himself another side with the condition that if He joins, then He would not fight. So Arjuna preferred to take Kṛṣṇa on his side, and the other party, Duryodhana, he decided to take Kṛṣṇa's soldiers. So while just the fighting was to begin, Arjuna declined to fight because the other party were all his relatives, friends, brothers, brother's son, nephew, teacher and grandfather.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So after all, Kṛṣṇa divided His soldiers one side and Himself another side with the condition that if He joins, then He would not fight. So Arjuna preferred to take Kṛṣṇa on his side, and the other party, Duryodhana, he decided to take Kṛṣṇa's soldiers. So while just the fighting was to begin, Arjuna declined to fight because the other party were all his relatives, friends, brothers, brother's son, nephew, teacher and grandfather. So Arjuna took compassion, that "I don't want victory. Better not to fight." So that is the cause of describing the science of Bhagavad-gītā before Arjuna, just to induce him to act as a dutiful soldier. This is the background of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa was requested by both the parties to join either of them, but Kṛṣṇa decided not to take part in the fighting because both of them were equally related to Him. So after all, Kṛṣṇa divided His soldiers one side and Himself another side with the condition that if He joins, then He would not fight. So Arjuna preferred to take Kṛṣṇa on his side, and the other party, Duryodhana, he decided to take Kṛṣṇa's soldiers. So while just the fighting was to begin, Arjuna declined to fight because the other party were all his relatives, friends, brothers, brother's son, nephew, teacher and grandfather. So Arjuna took compassion, that "I don't want victory. Better not to fight." So that is the cause of describing the science of Bhagavad-gītā before Arjuna, just to induce him to act as a dutiful soldier. This is the background of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

And if, by any chance, would your system...? Supposing we could transform all the members of the Swiss community into peasants, having their piece of land and living in rural communities, I suppose from what I know that many would starve and would have not sufficiently to eat because conditions here, conditions of climate, etc., are not of the same category of the ones which may exist in Asia or in other countries. The basic problem is that in former centuries most of the male population of that country which population was mainly composed of peasants had to expatriate and become soldiers abroad because there was not enough food. So what do you say about these things?

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Believe or not believe, he is son. And if you are fortunate, you follow his path and you become perfect. You believe or not believe, God is there. Similarly, you believe or not believe, God's son is there, God's devotee is there, everyone is there. God is not alone. Just like if you say, "Now here the king is coming," "the king is coming" means he is coming with his ministers, his commander-in-chief, his secretaries and so many, hundreds of men, soldiers... Similarly, when we speak of God, God is not alone. He has got His sons, He has got His friends, He has got His father, He has got His mother, He has got His beloved, everything. That is God. Yes?

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. That another crude example: just like a soldier. When he is fighting by the order of the state, he is getting gold medal and killing. His business is killing. But the same man, when he comes home, if he kills one person, then he is hanged. Why? He could say that "My business is killing. I am soldier. I have killed this man." "No. This is for your account. On the battlefield you killed for the state's account; therefore you were eulogized. You were given reward." Similarly, we can kill only on the order of the Supreme.

Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

And it is further explained that these fragmental parts eternally, from the very beginning. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "My dear Arjuna, you, Me and all these soldiers and kings who have assembled there, they existed like this in the past, they're existing in the same way, and they'll continue to exist like that." There is no question of becoming one. Past, present, future, always we are distinct. So how they can be one sanātana? We are part and parcel sanātana, eternally. But in quality we are one.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Now, just like Arjuna. What is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā? Arjuna is a fighter. Why? He's a soldier. He knew how to fight. That's all. He's not a Vedantist; he is not a brāhmaṇa; he is not a sannyāsī. He is gṛhastha, householder. He appeared on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra for fighting on political reasons. So he knew all this business. But he utilized his talent in fighting art for Kṛṣṇa. He did not want to fight. As a Vaiṣṇava, he is very kind. He said that "My brothers, my cousins, certainly they have insulted my wife.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Then Kṛṣṇa was smiling, that "Arjuna is my friend, and he is so much overwhelmed with material consciousness of life." Therefore it is said, tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasann: He was smiling, that "You are My friend. You should not have done like this." Prahasann iva bhārata senayor ubhayor madhye: "Between the two parties of soldiers," viṣīdantam, "he was lamenting."

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa was engaged as the chariot driver of the chariot of Arjuna. And while the chariot was brought in the battlefield between the two groups of soldiers... Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta (BG 1.21). Arjuna requested, "My dear Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa was his friend and Kṛṣṇa was familywise related both with the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas. Kṛṣṇa's father and the Pāṇḍavas' mother, they were real brother and sister. In this way there were family relationship, and Kṛṣṇa therefore denied to take part in the actual fighting.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

Just like it actually happens when there is big war. Even nowadays, all the nations, they make a group. Some of them forming were forming one group; another some of them, they formed another group. Exactly the same thing was done. Now Kṛṣṇa was the charioteer, but when the chariot was brought in front of the two soldiers' party, Arjuna became little bit disturbed that "I have to fight. On the other side they are my brothers, they are my nephews, they are my gurus, Dronācārya, and they are my grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva. So what kind of fight this is that I have to fight with my friends and relatives and family members?" So he hesitated, that "Kṛṣṇa, what kind of fight this is? They are not my enemies; they are all family members.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Prabhupāda: When your actions are approved by the supreme authority, that is morality. If it is not approved by the supreme authority, that is immorality. Therefore so-called morality-immorality has no fixed position. When it is approved by Kṛṣṇa, it is morality. Even so-called immorality will be morality, and so-called morality will be immorality. That we practically see, the same example as I gave you, that a soldier killing so many human beings, he is awarded, and it is... (break) ...he does what he likes, then it becomes chaos.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: What he is saying by that is just like if you see a soldier killing, you can't say that the action is good or bad, of his killing; but the will behind it—if his will is to serve the state—then the will is good, so the killing is good. But if you see the man killing someone on the street for his money, then you can say that the will is bad, so the killing is bad. So the action itself of killing is neither good nor bad, but the will behind the killing is what determines if an action is good or bad.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But that will has to be trained. Otherwise he will manufacture that "I am doing this in good sense; therefore it is good." He will manufacture his idea. That is nonsense. Therefore you require guidance.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: God has nothing to struggle. He is so powerful that He has nothing to do. That is the Vedic injunction. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. The Vedic description of God is like this, He has nothing to do. That is right because just like a big man, a big leader, a king, personally he has nothing to do. He has got so many servants, secretaries, ministers, soldiers, so why he has got to do anything? So he has nothing to do. That is described in the Veda, na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. There is nothing to do actually. Therefore we see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture, the Supreme Lord He is playing on his flute and enjoying. That is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), that is Vedic description, that God is always enjoying, ānandamaya.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Arjuna was considering, "Killing is immorality." But when he understood by the instruction of Kṛṣṇa that this fight is necessary as it is designed by Kṛṣṇa, so this is morality. Ultimately, morality means to carry out the desire of Kṛṣṇa or God. He knows what is morality. This, another example can be given, that in the warfield the soldier is there and the commander is there. The commander is asking, kill the enemy, and if he considers that "Killing is bad, why shall I kill the enemy?" That is immorality. He should be immediately killed by martial law. He is disobeying the order of commander. So similarly, what you get, orders from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if you carry it that is morality. Any other things manufactured by you, that (is) immorality.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: So I, as a child, I, as a young man, as an old man, I am the same, all the bodies changing. This is the fact. Who can deny it? So where is the difficulty to understand it? And in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "Both you, Me, and all these soldiers, they existed in the past, and they are present existing, and in future they will continue to exist. This is immortality. He says when, I mean very openly, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin. This living soul, he is never born. That body is changed, that is called birth. But the soul is immortal.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that situation means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anything done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is good. Anything done not for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, it may be ethically, so-called ethically right—it has no use.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the greatest good...

Prabhupāda: That situation... (indistinct) That situation means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In practical life also we see that the soldier's killing, it is supported by the government. The same soldier killing for his personal satisfaction, he is condemned to death.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the greatest good is the elimination of the greatest evil or the fulfillment of man's greatest needs.

Prabhupāda: That's it. We follow that, that the highest objective, the ultimate objective is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. So becoming a Vaiṣṇava, the highest perfection of human life is achieved.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Śyāmasundara: Kṛṣṇa's order is what is good.

Prabhupāda: That is actually doing. Actually in our experience also, just like a soldier, he kills by the order, superior order of the state. He is given gold medal. And if the same man, when he comes home, if he kills, he is hanged. Why? Because you can kill under superior order, not whimsically. Generally the order is not to kill, but if he says now kill, you can... that is order, that you have to take. And if you say at that time, "Sir, you told me not to kill," that is (indistinct). General order and specific order. So Kṛṣṇa says, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). He is giving the process of knowledge, amānitvam adambhitvam, not to be proud, ahiṁsā, nonviolence. These are there, eighteen qualities for understanding spiritual values. So it is general. Now for particular purposes if Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you must kill," you must abide by that order. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: That is from Vedic same. As soon as there is instruction there is form. As Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction, He is always saying "I," "you," like that, it is personal. He says Arjuna, "You," and He says Himself, "I." So Arjuna is also form and Kṛṣṇa is also form, and Kṛṣṇa also says that "Both you, Me, and all these living entities, kings and soldiers who are assembled here, they existed in the past, they are existing now, and they will continue to exist." So you can understand that "In the present I am in form, so I existed in the past in form and I shall continue to exist in the future as form. So where is formless?" From my present position I can understand my past and future. So Kṛṣṇa says that we existed in the past. So we existing now, now I mean to say, continuing. He never said that "In the past we were formless; now we have got form." This is not stated there.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: No. Therefore that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajña-arthāt karma. Only for yajña or Kṛṣṇa you should work. Yajña-arthāt karma, anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. Otherwise you are entangled. This is freedom, to work for Kṛṣṇa; then you are not under entanglement. This is..., there are many practical examples. Just that a soldier, he is killing, his business is killing, and the more he kills he gets recognition. But as soon as he kills one man on his own account, he is murderer. Just like when... The soldier's business is to kill, and so long he is killing for the satisfaction of his state, of the government, he is getting recognition medals. The same soldier, as soon as he kills one man for his own sense satisfaction, he is a murderer, he is to be hanged. This is the karma-bandhanaḥ. The business the same—killing. But one killing is on the order of the state and one killing is for his sense gratification.