All the members of the Yadu dynasty were naturally very beautiful, yet on this occasion, when they appeared duly decorated with gold necklaces and flower garlands, dressed in valuable clothing and properly armed with their respective weapons, their natural beauty and personalities were a hundred times enhanced. The members of the Yadu dynasty came to Kurukṣetra in their gorgeously decorated chariots, which resembled the airplanes of the demigods and which were pulled by big horses that moved like the waves of the ocean. Some Yadus rode on sturdy, stalwart elephants that moved like the clouds in the sky. Their wives were carried on beautiful palanquins by beautiful men whose features resembled those of the Vidyādharas. The entire assembly looked as beautiful as an assembly of the demigods of heaven.
Sturdy
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
King Pṛthu's body was tall and sturdy, and his complexion was fair. His arms were full and broad and his eyes as bright as the rising sun. His nose was straight, his face very beautiful and his personality grave. His teeth were set beautifully in his smiling face.
Amongst the four social orders (brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras), the kṣatriyas, both men and women, are generally very beautiful. As will be apparent from the following verses, it is to be concluded that not only were Mahārāja Pṛthu's bodily features attractive, as described here, but he had specific all-auspicious signs in his bodily construction.
As it is said, "The face is the index of the mind." One's mental constitution is exhibited by his facial features. The bodily features of a particular person are exhibited in accordance with his past deeds, for according to one's past deeds, his next bodily features—whether in human society, animal society or demigod society—are determined. This is proof of the transmigration of the soul through different types of bodies.
SB Canto 5
In these eight varṣas, or tracts of land, human beings live ten thousand years according to earthly calculations. All the inhabitants are almost like demigods. They have the bodily strength of ten thousand elephants. Indeed, their bodies are as sturdy as thunderbolts. The youthful duration of their lives is very pleasing, and both men and women enjoy sexual union with great pleasure for a long time. After years of sensual pleasure—when a balance of one year of life remains—the wife conceives a child. Thus the standard of pleasure for the residents of these heavenly regions is exactly like that of the human beings who lived during Tretā-yuga.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Kṛṣṇa, in His full, unlimited potency, here shows that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for although the two trees were so large and sturdy that even many elephants could not move them, Kṛṣṇa, as a child, exhibited such extraordinary strength that they fell down with a great sound. From the very beginning, by killing Pūtanā, Śakaṭāsura and Tṛṇāvartāsura, by causing the trees to fall, and by showing the entire universe within His mouth, Kṛṣṇa proved that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The lowest of men (mūḍhas), because of sinful activities, cannot understand this, but devotees can accept it without a doubt. Thus the position of a devotee is different from that of a nondevotee.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Kālayavana saw the Lord come out from Mathurā like the rising moon. The Lord was most beautiful to behold, with His dark-blue complexion and yellow silk garment. Upon His chest He bore the mark of Śrīvatsa, and the Kaustubha gem adorned His neck. His four arms were sturdy and long. He displayed His ever-joyful lotuslike face, with eyes pink like lotuses, beautifully effulgent cheeks, a pristine smile and glittering shark-shaped earrings. The barbarian thought, "This person must indeed be Vāsudeva, since He possesses the characteristics Nārada mentioned: He is marked with Śrīvatsa, He has four arms, His eyes are like lotuses, He wears a garland of forest flowers, and He is extremely handsome. He cannot be anyone else. Since He goes on foot and unarmed, I will fight Him without weapons." Resolving thus, he ran after the Lord, who turned His back and ran away. Kālayavana hoped to catch Lord Kṛṣṇa, though great mystic yogīs cannot attain Him.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Now, we are human beings. We are meant for taking vegetables and fruits. Now, our teeth is just like knife which can cut the vegetables and the fruits. So all these bodies, I mean to say... I am giving particular stress to the body. A king's body, a poor man's body. A poor man, he has to work very hard. His body is very sturdy. He can work very nicely. But a son of very aristocratic family or king, oh, his body is very delicate. He cannot work. He can apply his brain in something else. So so long we are... These bodies are made according to the different status of our work we have done in our past life. And next body is being prepared according to the work which we are doing now. But here Kṛṣṇa says that as soon as one can understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa's activities, he becomes free from the reaction of activities.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Germans. If you eat meat, you very quickly can get fat. Also too much ghee also. That is also. But ghee will increase your belly only. Just the Marwaris... (laughter) But by eating flesh you'll get sturdy, good lump of muscles. That is... In Āyur-Veda there is a chapter which is called Dravya-guṇa. There is a book, Dravya-guṇa. So they have analyzed so many different kinds of flesh-birds, beasts, animals. How they have analyzed? That "If you eat this kind flesh you will get this kind of result." Hundreds of fleshes. What do they know? They can eat only cow's flesh or dog's flesh or hog's flesh. Yes. But there are so many, even birds, beasts, animals, and so many, analysis. And Bernard Shaw, I think, he wrote one book, "You Are What You Eat."
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali Mardana: There is a philosophy called Stoicism. They believe they... This life is meant to suffer, so they should just become very sturdy to suffer a great deal.
Prabhupāda: So sturdy or not sturdy, you have to suffer. How you can check? We cannot change by simply... Becoming sturdy...
Bali Mardana: No, stoic.
Prabhupāda: Ah. What is that?
Bali Mardana: It's a philosophy, a school of philosophy, stoic.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. What is their conclusion?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. What is their conclusion?
Bali Mardana: That the world is very, is full of suffering...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali Mardana: ...so they become very sturdy to bear the suffering.
Yaśodānandana: Emotionless.
Prabhupāda: So one who can suffer without any protest, he's first-class man.
Bali Mardana: (laughs) Yeah.
Prabhupāda: That means they do not know how to stop suffering.
Bali Mardana: Yeah.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So such a big... simply by touching the electric wire that becomes...
Brahmānanda: Well, they were, I think, steel towers, two hundred feet high, so they were pretty sturdy, and it hit four of them.
Ambarīṣa: There was some bad weather.
Brahmānanda: And then it toppled over.
Prabhupāda: No, in bad weather, towers, but simply by touching, such a big machine became in fire. (laughs) Unsafe everywhere. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). Every step, there is danger.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: About the same as Mercedes. Ten thousand.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nandaki, is it as good mechanically as a Mercedes?
Devotee: No, I don't think so.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mercedes is very sturdy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The comfort's better.
Devotee: But after two years this all becomes finished, all this. Starts falling apart.
Prabhupāda: But Mercedes is strong. (indistinct)
Devotee: No, Mercedes is strong.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Very long lasting. (pause) But Mercedes they say it's supposed to last about two hundred thousand kilometers.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The engine.
Mahāṁśa: It's not very good soil but there is... Right around this rocky area there is this... Research people from the central government, they have brought out a grass called Dinanath, lord of the poor, and they say that you can put this grass in the monsoon time, put the seeds in, just plow it and put the seeds and it's a very sturdy grass. It will grow for the whole year. And the cows can graze there.
Prabhupāda: So do that.
Mahāṁśa: So this whole area could be with that grass and the cows can graze.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Many temples for kīrtana and around the temple let them live. Yes. All viṣṇumūrti, yes.
Mahāṁśa: How many families should live around...
Prabhupāda: As many possible.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: There cannot be exploitation if things are made in order. Just like kṣatriya should be trained up as kṣatriya. Then he is king. Not that a bhangi by vote becomes a king. This is education.
- śauryaṁ tejo dhṛtir dākṣyaṁ
- yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam
- dānam īśvara-bhāvaś ca
- kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam
- (BG 18.43)
He must be very powerful, very strong, strongly built. You have seen the picture, Rāmacandra? Sturdy body. You see. Lakṣmaṇa. Because kṣatriya. They should be trained up as kṣatriya. Therefore the varṇāśrama college is required to train people who is able to become a brāhmaṇa, who is able to become a kṣatriya, who is able to become... In this way division must be. And according to the quality and work there must be division for cooperation. There is a big scheme. They have lost. They do not know. All bhangis, camara, śūdras, they are simply given vote. That's all. Where is the training?
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
A great deal of work is required and Swamiji has requested at least four devotees to go there immediately. New Vrindaban lacks so-called necessities as hot running water and toilets, so that only stout and sturdy devotees are needed, especially those with carpentry experience and can do manual labor.
New Vrindaban will be especially attractive to householders who will want to raise their children in full K.C.
So, all devotees who are interested in living in New Vrindaban, either immediately or in the near future should please contact me. Those with carpentry experience should especially do so.
1970 Correspondence
Jambavan the name does not suggest a bear, because his daughter was one of the queens of Dvaraka married by Krsna. Just like sometimes our name is Krsna, that does not mean that I am real Krsna, but I am Krsna Das or servant of Krsna. From the description of Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that this Jambavan was very sturdy and strong fighter. Sometimes we get such picture of bodily construction of a black man in your country. So in this way you can guess what should be the features of his body. But certainly he was not a bear.
I am so glad to receive your letter dated 10th July, 1970. Before that I received one postcard from you in Amsterdam. I was expecting your letter since a long time, but I could understand that you were very busy with Rathayatra festival, and I am very glad to learn that this time you made Lord Jagannatha's car as strong as a warship. I can see from the picture it is very sturdy and tall also.
Your report for organizing village schools in England is very encouraging.* Similarly I have received report of Amsterdam also very nice. So it can be easily guessed that Europe is a very good field for spreading this movement. So in consultation with Tamala kindly take up the grammar school organization immediately. In childhood the impression taken continues life long, so try to train little English and Dutch boys to be accustomed to chant and dance.
| Page Title: | Sturdy |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 26 of Jan, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=4, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=1, Con=7, Let=3 |
| No. of Quotes: | 16 |