War means

Expressions researched:
"War means"

Notes from the compiler: Query is "war means" not nuclear not next

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Our war means... According to Vedic civilization, that is dharma-yuddha, religious fight. When the actual need is there to fight, we must fight.

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

So Bhagavān is criticizing. Arjuna became a very good man: "Why shall I...? Oh, I cannot kill my kinsmen." From material point of view, people will very much appreciate, "Oh, here is Arjuna. He's so nice, nonviolent. He is foregoing his claim. He has given up his astra, bow and arrows. He's no, no longer fighting. He has decided not to fight with kinsmen, kill his own men." So from material point of view, Arjuna is supposed to be very, very good man. But the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, what does He say? Anārya-juṣṭam: "You rascal, you are speaking like anārya." He'll say rascal later on. He posed himself to be very good man, but when he comes to the test of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He refuses to accept him as a good man. He's saying that "You are anārya." There are two kinds of men: anārya and ārya. Āryan. Āryan means advanced in knowledge. He's called Āryan. And anārya means uncivilized. So immediately He rebukes him, anārya-juṣṭam. "You are talking just like non-Āryan, uncivilized person." People are very much, nowadays, eager how to stop war. But Kṛṣṇa says... (break) ... at any case is not required. There is necessity of war. Just like He's trying to convince Arjuna. Our war means... According to Vedic civilization, that is dharma-yuddha, religious fight. When the actual need is there to fight, we must fight. Not that when there is need of fight, one becomes nonviolent. Just like yesterday in the evening, when we were talking with Dr. Shoemaker, so they were supporting that "Why should you kill any animal who is coming to... If you are determined not to kill..." We were talking of not killing, that why should you kill one animal who is coming to attack? No. You must kill. That is necessity. You should not go to the forest to find out some living entities, living beings, to kill. That is not your business. That is hiṁsa. But if a tiger comes to attack you, you must kill. That is self-defense. And that is not hiṁsa. So a devotee knows, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows when to kill and when not to kill. But it is not that because we accept not killing, therefore in every case, killing should be stopped. No. If there is necessity, killing should be accepted. Therefore Arjuna decided not to kill, not to fight. And Kṛṣṇa says that "This is anārya-juṣṭam. this kind of decision is made by the uncivilized rascal." Anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam akīrti-karam (BG 2.2). So many things, He says. Asvargyam. Because the aim of human life should be to make progress. That is called ārya, progressive march.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

When the Kurukṣetra Battle was finished, so the treasury was also finished. The treasury of the Pāṇḍavas, that was also finished. Because war means expenditure. So many hundred thousands of pounds and dollars required daily to finance the running on of the war.

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

Prabhupāda: 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?

Dānavīr: One hundred and twenty-eight dollars an ounce.

Prabhupāda: Just see, at least fifty ounce will be required to decorate one horse. And one ounce is $120. So what is the price of fifty ounce?

Devotees: Five thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Such sixty-thousand horses, how much it comes? (laughter) Where is that gold? They are very much proud, advancement of material civilization, but instead of gold, we find plastic. (laughter) And the nonsense, they are very much proud of their wealth. Just see. Even they cannot decorate their wives. And woman, they require also ornament. It is psychology. Manu-saṁhitā, it has been recommended that "If you want to keep satisfied your wife, then you must give her good food, good sari and good ornament." This is the system. Therefore during marriage time, the girl is given by the father according to his means, as many saris, nice saris, beautiful costly saris, and as much as possible, golden ornaments. And those who are very rich, they, still in India, they give jewelries, means diamonds, pearls, sapphire, according to means. Those who are richer class, they don't touch gold. They must give jewelry. This is the system.

So this is the opulence. So much gold. When the Kurukṣetra Battle was finished, so the treasury was also finished. The treasury of the Pāṇḍavas, that was also finished. Because war means expenditure. So many hundred thousands of pounds and dollars required daily to finance the running on of the war. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja wanted to... (aside:) You have got that handkerchief?

Pradyumna: No.

Prabhupāda: Never mind. ...wanted to perform sacrifice. So sacrifice means he requires money, so much grains, so many ornaments, so much gold and ghee, everything required. To perform sacrifice is not ordinary thing. Millions and millions of dollars required. In the Kali-yuga, because people cannot collect such costly things... Suppose ghee. Tons of ghee was being offered to the fire. Where is that tons of ghee? Not available. Then all utensils made of gold. The altar made of gold. Where is that gold?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

War means... War is not bad. Just like disease. If somebody is diseased, then he becomes healthy. The whole polluted situation of the body becomes repaired.

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Simply they fight and loss of life and money, energy. War must be for the good. If there is some war, it must be for some good. But where is that goodness? The world remains the same; rather, it becomes more worst. Then why fight? But they will fight. Because both of them demons, they will fight. But not for any good result. War means... War is not bad. Just like disease. If somebody is diseased, then he becomes healthy. The whole polluted situation of the body becomes repaired. Just like when you get a boil or dysentery, all the poisons of the body, they become purged out. Then your health becomes nice. That is the law, nature's law. Similarly, war or famine or pestilence, they are meant for purging out all undesirable men. But the demonic principle is so strong that it is not becoming so. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Make this approach. The Americans have placed in their constitution, "In God we Trust." It should be done very scientifically and philosophically, what is God and what is that trust, not a vague idea. Vague ideas will not help. They will not be able to conquer over the atheistic world. Actually, if there is organized party who believe in God factually, then this demon class of men will always be vanquished. Yes. Just like there was war between the surāsura, demigods and the asuras. God, Viṣṇu, took side of the demigods and came out victorious. But if both of them are demons, why Viṣṇu will take side of anyone of them? "You fight and go to hell." That is going on.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

War means destruction of all cities. That is natural.

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

Rūpānuga: They're not ready.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are not very much interested in war.

Paramahaṁsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said that this war will destroy the demonic civilization.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Paramahaṁsa: Does that mean that it'll destroy all the cities and all the industries?

Prabhupāda: War means destruction of all cities. That is natural. You have got experience in Europe so many times.

Haṁsadūta: Cities and industries.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Haṁsadūta: Cities and industries.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the main target.

War means it is bringing all the animals together and kill them, finish. And that is happening every few years after years.

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Satsvarūpa: You said in your lecture the other day in Los Angeles that when that happens that many people are killed in one place, it means that it's arranged by the Supreme. Just like Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is stated by Kṛṣṇa, that "You are thinking very patriotically that you will not kill. But it is already settled. They must be killed here. I have brought them. You kill or not kill, they will be killed. That is My plan. If you want, you take credit that you have killed." This is same arrangement. It is prearranged. War means it is bringing all the animals together and kill them, finish. And that is happening every few years after years. The Napoleon is coming for killing, and Hitler is coming for killing. Sometimes Nelson is coming for killing. But here in India the God comes for killing. Lord Rāmacandra came for killing the Rāvaṇas and Kṛṣṇa came for killing the Kauravas.