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Truce

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 8

SB 8.6 Summary:

This chapter describes how the Lord appeared before the demigods when they offered Him their prayers. Following the advice of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods executed a truce with the demons for the purpose of churning nectar from the sea.

Because of the prayers offered by the demigods in the previous chapter, Lord Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu was pleased with the demigods, and thus He appeared before them. The demigods were almost blinded by His transcendental bodily effulgence. At first, therefore, they could not even see any part of His body. After some time, however, when Brahmā could see the Lord, he, along with Lord Śiva, began to offer the Lord prayers.

SB 8.6 Summary:

When offered prayers by Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased. Thus He gave appropriate instructions to all the demigods. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Ajita, unconquerable, advised the demigods to make a peace proposal to the demons, so that after formulating a truce, the demigods and demons could churn the ocean of milk. The rope would be the biggest serpent, known as Vāsuki, and the churning rod would be Mandara Mountain.

SB 8.6.19, Translation:

As long as you are not flourishing, you should make a truce with the demons and asuras, who are now being favored by time.

SB 8.6.19, Translation and Purport:

As long as you are not flourishing, you should make a truce with the demons and asuras, who are now being favored by time.

One word in this verse has two readings—kālena and kāvyena. Kālena means "favored by time," and kāvyena means "favored by Śukrācārya," Śukrācārya being the spiritual master of the Daityas. The demons and Daityas were favored in both ways, and therefore the demigods were advised by the Supreme Lord to execute a truce for the time being, until time favored them.

SB 8.6.20, Translation and Purport:

O demigods, fulfilling one's own interests is so important that one may even have to make a truce with one's enemies. For the sake of one's self-interest, one has to act according to the logic of the snake and the mouse.

A snake and a mouse were once caught in a basket. Now, since the mouse is food for the snake, this was a good opportunity for the snake. However, since both of them were caught in the basket, even if the snake ate the mouse, the snake would not be able to get out. Therefore, the snake thought it wise to make a truce with the mouse and ask the mouse to make a hole in the basket so that both of them could get out.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They are now feeling the pressure of the opposite party. So fight is fight. When there is fight, my Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Some of our soldiers will die. It doesn't matter." You don't expect that not a single soldier of your party will not die. No, some of them will die. Still fight must go on. Fight cannot be stopped. So fight like brave soldiers, Kṛṣṇa will help you. Don't make any compromise. No truce with these demons. Fight must be. Our fighting weapon is Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. That's all. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Astra. That astra is yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana, this saṅkīrtana, this astra weapon. They're now afraid of this astra more than atomic weapon. Is it not?

Gargamuni: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) So...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Everybody knows. At least, everybody knows about Hare Kṛṣṇa, about this saṅkīrtana.

Page Title:Truce
Compiler:Visnu Murti, SunitaS, RupaManjari, Mayapur
Created:25 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=5, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:6