Planet ISKCON

The video discusses Srila Prabhupada’s first initiation ceremony in New York, marking a historic moment for ISKCON. It details how early disciples learned Vedic rituals, chanted for the first time, and handcrafted their own prayer beads. It also covers the first ISKCON marriage and Prabhupada’s meticulous cooking for the event. His teachings on purity, devotion,
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The TOVP Team is pleased to provide the schedule for the historic Grand Opening of the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Legacy Museum on February 18. All devotees are invited to attend this auspicious occasion glorifying ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada either personally or online on Mayapur TV or the TOVP YouTube Channel.

The museum will be developed in three phases: Phase 1 will be 1000 sq. ft., Phase 2 will expand to 6000 sq. ft., and in its fully developed Phase 3 the project will be a remarkable, state-of-the-art, world-class museum of 21,000 sq. ft., the largest of its kind for any spiritual leader in history.

Grand Opening Schedule

February 18, 2025

4:30pm – Procession bringing Srila Prabhupada to the museum
5:00pm – Srila Prabhupada welcome arati
5:20pm – Opening of the museum with lamp lighting
5:30pm – Speeches by senior ISKCON leaders and devotees
7:30pm – Prasadam / Devotees can begin viewing the museum

View, download and share the schedule:

Download the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Legacy Museum schedule.

View the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Legacy Museum schedule online.

 

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sri-sanatana-misro’yad pura satrajito napa 
visnupriya jagan-mata yat-kanya bhu-svarupini 

He who was King Satrajit in Krishna lila was Sanatan Mishra in Chaitanya lila.
The mother of the universe, the incarnation of the Lord’s bhu-sakti,
is his daughter Vishnupriya. (Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika 47)

Krishna married Satyabhama, the daughter of King Satrajit and a Yadu princess. In Gaura lila, this same Satrajit became Sanatan Mishra and she became Vishnupriya Devi. All manifestations of Vishnu tattva have three energies, known as Sri, Bhu and Nila (or Lila). 

Lakshmipriya Devi is the sri-sakti of Mahaprabhu in his majestic Gaura-Narayan attitude; Vishnupriya is his bhu-sakti and Nabadwip Dham is his lila-sakti. Srila Gadadhara Pandit Goswami is the sakti of Gaura-Krishna, or Mahaprabhu in the mood of Krishna. 

Knowledge is of two kinds, apara vidya or material knowledge, and para vidya, or transcendental knowledge. Vishnupriya Devi is the personification of transcendental knowledge. Devotees worship her on her appearance day on the sukla pa cami of the month of Magh. 

Vishnupriya Devi’s grandfather was Durga Das Mishra. Some people believe that Durga Das was Vishnupriya’s father. In the Prema-vilasa, the family of Durga Das Mishra’s descendants through Yadavacharya is known as Vishnupriya’s parivara.

From her early childhood, Vishnupriya Devi was always devoted to her parents and to Vishnu, taking her bath in the Ganges three times daily. She regularly saw mother Sachi there, paying obeisances and being blessed by her. In this way, Sachi already knew Vishnupriya’s good qualities, and so was happy to agree to accept her as a wife for her son. 

Buddhimanta Khan was a rich and wise friend of Nimai’s family who volunteered to bear the entire expense of his marriage. Once it had been decided that Vishnupriya and Vishvambhara would be married, an auspicious day and moment were fixed for the ceremony. With great pomp, the adhivasa rituals were carried out on the eve of the marriage. 

The Lord arrived at Sanatan Mishra’s house in a palanquin at dusk and Gaura and Vishnupriya’s wedding ceremony was performed according to both scriptural and popular traditions. On the following day, Vishnupriya joined her new husband on the palanquin and returned with him to his house. 

When Mahaprabhu left home to go to Katwa and take sannyas, he was only 24 years old. Lochan Das Thakur has described Vishnupriya’s terrible feelings of separation in the days that followed his departure in the Chaitanya Mangala.

Every day Srinivas would come to see her. He observed her daily activities, which are beyond description. She had completely renounced sleep, and if ever she closed her eyes, it would be while lying on the bare ground. Her bodily luster, which had formerly glowed more brilliantly than gold, had become dull and she was as thin as the waning moon on its fourteenth day. 

She set aside grains of rice to count the Holy Names she chanted, and would cook only this rice and offer it to her Lord. Of this amount, she would only eat a small portion. No one understood how she could remain alive.

Sri Vamsivadana Thakur and Ishan Thakur were blessed by the service of taking care of Vishnupriya Devi and Sachi Devi after Mahaprabhu took sannyas.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

The Glory of The Holy Names. Discovering Pure Devotion. Book Distribution Program at Michigan's Largest Mall. Krishna House Releases Inspiring New Video. Sri Advaita Acarya - Appearance. Vasant Panchami. Free Write Journal. In Touch With Eternity (Almost). Chanting with Feelings. How Studying Science Strengthened My Faith. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Meditating on the most benevolent smile of Lord Sri Hari. The pure mode of goodness. King Chitraketu's Journey Continue reading "Spreading Joy Through Devotion and Spiritual Awakening, February 2
→ Dandavats"

The video features a discourse at ISKCON Dallas, discussing King Chitraketu’s spiritual journey from material desires to enlightenment through suffering. The speaker reflects on devotion, the role of deities, and personal growth in Krishna consciousness. Topics include self-realization, the significance of distress in turning to God, and the balance between material support and true devotion
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Translation O Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are worshipable by universal prayers, Vedic hymns and sacrificial ingredients. We offer our obeisances unto You. You can be realized by the pure mind freed from all visible and invisible material contamination. We offer our respectful obeisances to You as the supreme spiritual master
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

Nandan Acharya Bhavan Kartik Yatra 2024. ISKCON Chowpatty. Devotional service in different modes. Welcome to Mahakumbh Mela! Draupadi's Inquiry: A Lesson in Devotion. Why Devotion Surpasses Knowledge. The Power of Surrender. Prayer for the Victims of the Washington, D. C. Airplane Crash. Devotion, Knowledge, and Liberation. Class on Bhagavad Gita. Stop Harming Yourself. "If your heart is always crying for God, that is perfect religion." Mayapur Mellows Continue reading "Transforming Lives Through Love and Spiritual Wisdom, February 1
→ Dandavats"

The video discusses the deep connection between devotees and Krishna, emphasizing separation and reciprocation. It explores how Krishna’s presence alleviates suffering and how the false ego and mind create barriers to devotion. The speaker shares personal insights on managing the mind, intuition, and maintaining a heartfelt relationship with Krishna through chanting, surrender, and self-awareness.
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HH Yadunandana Swami Maharaja discusses Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.47, emphasizing the superiority of devotional service over impersonal realization. He highlights the joy of bhakti, Krishna’s care for devotees, and the importance of surrender. Through examples from scripture, he explains detachment, transcendental pleasure, and overcoming material suffering through sincere devotion.
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HH Trivikrama Swami Maharaj discusses Bhagavad Gita 10.8, emphasizing Krishna as the Supreme source of everything. He highlights Srila Prabhupada’s humility, devotion, and impact in spreading Krishna consciousness worldwide. Through personal anecdotes, he illustrates Prabhupada’s deep faith, simplicity, and mission. He encourages devotion, humility, and consistent chanting of Krishna’s name.
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Vraj Bihari Dasa discusses Srimad Bhagavatam 10.83.5-7, where Draupadi asks Krishna’s wives how they married Him. He highlights the power of meaningful questions, curiosity, and deep spiritual inquiry. The session explores humility, devotion, and the role of sincere questioning in spiritual growth, drawing parallels with everyday experiences and philosophical insights.
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HH SB Keshav Swami discusses Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 4, highlighting devotional service in different modes—ignorance, passion, and goodness. He explains how King Pṛthu’s birth and markings signify his divine role. He critiques false incarnations, emphasizing scriptural validation. He also reflects on modern attempts to control and enjoy the world, urging surrender to Krishna.
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Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 4

By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 4: January 22–28, 2025)

Gainesville, Alachua, and Tampa
(Sent from Tallahassee, Florida, on February 1, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

I spent the first three days of the fourth week of 2025 in Gainesville, chanting Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch at the University of Florida because Florida State University was closed due to snow in Tallahassee. 

The next five days I was in Tampa, attending the Gasparilla harinama and Ratha-yatra the first day and promoting our Bhakti Yoga Society at USF for four days. The last day I attended the Bhakti Yoga Society meeting and led the kirtan and gave the talk. I describe that last day in Tampa in this journal although strictly speaking it was the first day of the fifth week because I want to finish up talking about my Tampa visit in this issue.

I share lots of quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, many I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I share a quote from a BTG by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I also share notes on classes in Alachua and Gainesville by Bhaktimarga Swami and others in Gainesville by Sruti Sagara and Rasika Siromani Prabhus.

Many, many thanks to Subala Gopala Prabhu and his family for the accommodation, transportation, nutrition, and donation in Tampa. Thanks to Bhakta Bill for his ride home after the USF program. Thanks to J.R. for driving us to Tampa for the Gasparilla harinama. Thanks to Madhvacarya Prabhu for driving me to Krishna House from Alachua so I could more easily chant daily at Krishna Lunch. Thanks to John for driving me to the Bhaktimarga Swami program in Alachua.

Itinerary

January 6–April: Tallahassee harinama and FSU college outreach 
– March 9–16: Krishna House Gainesville harinama and UF college outreach

Chanting Hare Krishna in Gainesville

Bhaktimarga Swami chants Hare Krishna in guru-puja kirtan in Alachua (https://youtube.com/shorts/vgH4cn1DRig?feature=share):

Gopal Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/lAsr2Nj6Oow):

Jackson chants Hare Krishna during mangala-arati at Krishna House (https://youtube.com/shorts/73CnsF-Spus):

Bhaktimarga Swami chants Hare Krishna at Krishna House guru puja (https://youtube.com/shorts/1l8oRQ_GCs0?feature=share):

Rati Manjari Devi Dasi of Amsterdam chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/XcgbSEZYkp8):

Gopal Krishna Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/XVy4ZEuYscA):

Karenna chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch (https://youtu.be/j_h3BTPYRQs):

I also chanted Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch after everyone else left (https://youtu.be/FHqVSSb9tyc): 

Gopi Jivana Prabhu chants Hare Krishna during mangala-arati at Krishna House (https://youtube.com/shorts/w7lYF6MkLLQ?feature=share):

Trivikrama Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Alachua devotees across the street from the University of Florida (https://youtu.be/WPLoq4PJ5ag):

Godruma Prabhu chants Hare Krishna there too (https://youtu.be/_B0B24QxeGs):

Nevean Shakti chants Hare Krishna at Krishna House Friday evening program (https://youtu.be/4d1cijtFfVI):

While she was singing, I began to dance. Then others decided it was OK to dance, and they began dancing too! I took a break from dancing to take this video (https://youtu.be/RmXmaxFXGcI):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tampa

This gentleman greeted me with a jovial “Hare Krishna” in a gas station on the way to Tampa. His parents had a shop in Gainesville, and Swami Krishnapada (Bhakti Tirtha Swami) once gave them a signed copy of one of his Spiritual Warrior books.

Himavati Devi Dasi chants Hare Krishna in Tampa before the Gasparilla Parade (https://youtu.be/54TXSmHkzdQ):

J.R. chants Hare Krishna in Tampa before the Gasparilla Parade, and many people dance (https://youtu.be/tzG7cLfXoGE):

While I was chanting Hare Krishna with three Alachua devotees before the Gasparilla parade in Tampa, at least three students recognized me from chanting behind the main library at FSU, although it is over 4 hours away by car! 

Other FSU students recognized me as I was walking from the harinama to the Ratha-yatra cart in the parade line up. Thus I was able to distribute four invitations to Krishna Lunch at FSU even in Tampa! One student said to a friend, “I love that guy!”

On my forty-minute walk between where I chanted with the Alachua devotees and where the Ratha-yatra was set up, I passed this building which was called “Covent of the Holy Names.”

As I passed the building again in the Ratha-yatra procession, I saw this sign over its entrance.

Devotees chant Hare Krishna, and Nate dances with a pirate in Gasparilla Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/ln2H4d0HNTg):

Onlookers enjoy dancing from a distance to the Hare Krishna chant at Gasparilla Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/_dfrGTS7cMk):

Cheerleaders and band volunteers of East Bay High School dance to the Hare Krishna chant at the Gasparilla Ratha-yatra (https://youtu.be/iu0JQhYYCzI):

Bhadra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Gasparilla Ratha-yatra, and onlookers go wild (https://youtu.be/RCjsoRobDWA):

Bhadra Prabhu chants Hare Krishna in Gasparilla Ratha-yatra and encourages onlookers to chant (https://youtu.be/C7TK_ErPTuE):

After Bhadra Prabhu finished leading, a devotee youth chanted Hare Krishna to the cheering Gasparilla crowd (https://youtu.be/lLmeoLeBPqs):

John and others encouraged onlookers to dance by waving their arms  (https://youtu.be/77gjHS7NF3c):

Here is more of the cheering crowd in portrait orientation (https://youtu.be/RogieinzQMM):

After the Gasparilla Ratha-yatra on Saturday, I spent Sunday through Wednesday chanting Hare Krishna at University of South Florida (USF). I encouraged 23 students to register for our Bhakti Yoga Society there and gave 17 of them books of Srila Prabhupada. Here are some experiences:

Kautilya of Delhi came up to me asking, “Were you singing a bhajan?” He was once of six students who expressed interest in our Bhakti Yoga Society at USF that day, and he took this video (https://youtube.com/shorts/Uxhgsf8hqcY):

I met a young woman named Dvani who was happy to encounter Hare Krishna on the campus. She was happy to hear of the student club and attended our meeting. Her family goes to Janmastami in Alachua every year. I encouraged her to attend Gaura-purnima there this year as that day, Thursday, March 13, is in the middle of the USF spring break.

I was happy that Vivasvan Prabhu spontaneously stopped by to visit for an hour or so. I had chanted by myself for eleven hours at USF, and it was great to hear the chanting of someone else, especially someone who has been chanting Hare Krishna for over 50 years and who has faith in Srila Prabhupada.

Vivasvan Prabhu said he was in Srila Prabhupada’s presence when he heard Praghosa Prabhu chanting this four-part tune and that Srila Prabhupada liked it (https://youtube.com/shorts/LCtdOQbuVaU):

Thanks to the Indian student who spontaneously made the above video and signed up for the Bhakti Yoga Society at USF.

The USF program went well. There must have been at least fifteen students there. There were people from last semester and new people. I talked to at least two new people. They both had a good time and planned to return. Rayn was there to enthusiastically play the drum, and we did a fifteen minute kirtan, which most everyone participated in. The yoga teacher stayed for the kirtan and the brief talk. Upendra Prabhu offered free Gitas to those who wanted them after.

An old time Bhakta Bill enrolled in USF, because it is free if you are over sixty, and he has an apartment four minutes by car from the student center which he shares with two Vietnamese students. He has known the devotees since the late 1970s when he and his high school friend Brhadsloka Prabhu skipped classes to wash pots for Vishnu Gada Prabhu, the head cook at the New York temple on 55th Street. He wants to do some preaching with the end of his life. He kindly drove me home to Subala Gopala Prabhu’s place after the program as Vaishnava seva.

While staying at Subala Gopala Prabhu’s home, I maintained my program of having an evening kirtan of the Gaura Arati song, ten minutes of Hare Krishna, and the Nrsimhadeva prayers. Many of the members of his family participated, and I hope they can continue that. I always try to encourage people to sing for their Gaura Nitai deities. The Lord is so easily pleased in this age simply by the congregational chanting of His holy names!

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 9.50, purport:

“The members of ISKCON must increase this movement more and more, according to the principles that we are presently trying to execute. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, thus being pleased, will smilingly glance upon them, bestowing His favor, and the movement will be successful.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.11.20, purport:

“Expert players in drama, dancers, singers, speakers, etc., are required for the spiritual enlightenment of the common man.”

From Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 6:

“Our mission is to bring these rascals to their senses. Now one must find out the means to do this. The rascals are suffering, but because they are sons of God they should not suffer. They do not know that there is God or that there is happiness. They know nothing of bliss or of eternal life. They are carrying on so much research and living for fifty, sixty, or seventy years. After that they do not know what is going to happen. They have no knowledge that life is eternal. Actually their position is like that of an animal. An animal does not know what is after death, nor does he actually contemplate death. He does not know why he is here, nor does he know the value of life. Under the influence of maya, the animal simply goes on eating, sleeping, defending, mating, and dying. That’s all. People are endeavoring so hard, but for what purpose? They say that they are struggling so hard to make provisions for the next generation, but what are the provisions for? They cannot reply to that. This Krishna consciousness movement is meant to give real purpose to life by establishing Krishna, God, as the center of everything. It is therefore to the scientist’s benefit to understand this important movement.”

From a conversation in Indore on December 5, 1970:

“Our mission is very grave and it should be [en]act[ed] sincerely and then we get power from Krishna. If we act sincerely as representative[s] of Krishna then we will feel His power.”

From a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.28 in Los Angeles on December 6, 1973:

“As soon as we revive our Krishna consciousness, our deep relationship with Krishna as servant, as friend, as paternal relationship or conjugal love, that is already there.”

From a remembrance of Yogesvara Prabhu on Prabhupada Memories, Volume 58:

“Unless you’re following the basics, where is the question of a deeper relationship with the spiritual master?”

From a conversation with Benedictine monk Pater Emmanuel in Germany on June 22, 1974:

“If you love me, you cannot disobey me. And if you disobey me, that love is not real love.”

From a letter to Polly C. Perlmutter on June 10, 1977:

“I am struggling against so many odds. But my mission is to save the human society. That is my only aim and there are no personal motives. If I can save one person, I shall think my mission successful.”

From a room conversation in Bombay on April 10, 1977:

“Everyone is astonished. Without any help, I started. [My] only asset was sincer[ity]. Everyone knows it. Otherwise how it is possible?”

From a letter to Rudra and Radhika on February 20, 1972:

“When one becomes fixed-up in devotional service he never allows anyone else or any condition at all to hamper his service to Krishna or discourage him in any way.”

From a letter to Tamal Krishna on December 28, 1974:

“This is our philosophy; anandambuddhi vardhanam. It means to expand or to increase.”

From a letter to the GBCs on May 19, 1976:

“Over the past ten years I have given the framework and now we have become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly.”

From a letter to Bhagavan on December 10, 1971:

“I have just received intimation from Rupanuga of a very large festival he is planning for Central Park. I want that many such festivals should be held in every city. I have one suggestion, that on Sundays you make a tent in that backyard garden to accommodate many guests and provide profuse prasada to all.”

From a letter to Nevatiaji on July 16, 1970:

“We are gradually increasing the size of major festivals and eventually there will be twenty-four or two each month. The public response is always very encouraging.”

From a letter to Jadurani on July 15, 1969:

“Regarding Festivals in Boston, you may hold as many as possible. If you can hold such festivals daily, that is also nice. Our movement is for ananda, simply bliss, and the method of pushing this movement is chanting, dancing, feasting and philosophizing. So in our almanac there are many festivals in every month. I am enclosing some festivals which were already held in Los Angeles, and if you perform them, I will give you a long list of others. But don't embarrass yourself at present with greater plans than you can handle. The more you get devotees the more you will be able to perform nice festivals.”

From a letter to Tamal Krishna on August 8, 1973:

“Observe many festivals, that will keep both public and devotees alive. Temple means festivals and Festivals means chanting and distribution of Prasadam.”

“You may organize your traveling party on the lines of a festival which moves from city to city, and if there is a good field, a camp may be set up and you may carry on with our Hare Krishna Festival as long as there is a good response. In this way, you may move from country to country as the weather permits. And you can equip yourselves to be completely self-sufficient – sleeping, cooking, everything.”

From a letter to Madhudvisa on February 14, 1970:

“Wherever Ratha-yatra is performed is not different from the spiritual sky.”

From a Ratha-yatra address and press conference in San Francisco on July 5, 1970:

“If you participate in these car festivals, as it is stated in the scriptures, rathe ca vamanam drstva punar janma na vidyate: if you kindly see these Jagannatha deities riding on these cars and in procession, and as Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the Hare Krishna mantra in front of this car, then according to our Vedic scripture, if you participate in this festival, in your next life you’ll go back to home, back to Godhead.”

From a letter to Nayanabhirama on December 22, 1971:

“I am especially pleased to hear that our Krishna conscious drama program is being developed by you nicely. We have got unlimited stock for such dramas, so go on in this way, improving more and more, and Krishna will give you direction so that one day, very soon, all your dreams will come true and you will be acting our Krishna conscious dramas on Broadway.”

Letter to Krishna Dasa on October 8, 1969:

“It is Krishna’s Grace that the walls for the advertisements may be properly utilized so the passengers in the trains can see it. You write if possible the following words: ‘We request you to chant HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE, and your life will be sublime.’ The mantra may be written in big letters, and the other words in smaller letters. Another slogan may be ‘Join the Krishna Consciousness Movement. It is peaceful, and it will bring peace and prosperity to everyone.’”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From “Secretary to a Pure Devotee” in Back to Godhead, #68, 1974:

“Hyderabad, India. April 19

“At the press conference in Hyderabad one reporter asked right away whether Śrīla Prabhupada was an advaita (monistic) or dvaita (dualist) philosopher. Śrīla Prabhupada scoffed at the question. ‘What is the point of discussing such things—whether one is dvaita or advaita. Krishna says, annad bhavanti bhutani: “All living beings subsist on food grains.” Annad means grains. The people have no grains. Grains are produced from rain, and the rain from yajña (sacrifice). So perform yajña. Become Krishna conscious. Dvaita or advaita you may be, but you still need grains.’”

Bhaktimarga Swami:

From a class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.6 at Krishna House:

Yudhisthira is one of the most celebrated people in Mahabharata. Everyone loves Yudhisthira because he was piety personified and dharma personified.

Krishna writes the script and arranges all the actors.

Although Krishna promised not to fight, he did strategize on behalf of the Pandavas.

Leaders were trained in Vedic times, which is different from today.

Even Krishna and Balarama went to school and accepted training although They did not need to learn anything, because They wanted to show an example to the people in general.

If you cannot be a leader, at least be a follower.

They have a saying in Canada, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”

We tend to focus on how we were neglected by our parents, but we have to change that. Instead think how they benefited us.

I learned from both my biological father and Srila Prabhupada to be positive and upbeat.

We have two choices, to be upbeat or to be beat up. It is our choice.

On New Year’s, people gather in hopes of having a good time, but the real joy comes when they dance with the Hare Krishnas.

Srila Prabhupada showed us how to party nicely.

How did Srila Prabhupada benefit the world? [Contributions by the audience.]
He popularized vegetarianism.
He changed the lives of the people.
He translated Srimad-Bhagavatam.
He taught we are not the body and rejected racism.
He built a house in which the whole can live peacefully.
He helped to balance being nonsectarian and yet having an actual standard of spiritual practice.
He taught devotional arts.
He taught a new way of life.
He taught the extent to which love of Godhead can be developed, the rasas, the spiritiual emotions, the personality of Krishna. [by me]
He gave us halava.
He gave everything to give us everything.
He taught by dedicating everything to executing the instruction of his teacher.
He kept the siddhanta while engaging according to time, place, and circumstance.
He taught to think big.
He gave the four ashrams, prasadam distribution, and equal opportunity of engagement for women.

Satyahit is such a hit!

The body will fail, but for now maintain it nicely and engage it in Krishna’s service.

We have a Bhakti Academy Toronto like this Krishna House there.

My favorite books are those about Srila Prabhupada. For me they are better than the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana all put together.

The philosophy that Srila Prabhupada produced no exemplary disciples is an insult to him, and it has to go.

Varnasrama helps people to feel they are part of something greater.

Comment by Rati Manjari Devi Dasi: I am in my sixties, and Prabhupada taught us we can still contribute a lot even in our old age.

From a home program in Alachua:

I believe keeping busy solves a lot of problems.

We raised money for the church building which became the Toronto temple by selling lollipops. We told Srila Prabhupada they were made of sugar and syrup, and he said we could offer them.

If you walk in the morning, your health will be better.

Srila Prabhupada welcomed everyone.

People are not always ready to hear about your guru so I would tell people I was walking for the community or for myself.

I was initiated by mail. Because I was named John, I thought I would get the name Janardana or something. I was wondering why he called me Bhaktimarga [the path of devotion]. Once when I had walked for miles sharing devotional service, it occurred to me: that is why. Srila Prabhupada knew me so well.

When I walked in America, I would stay in the Patel hotels. They would offer a room and even offer to cook for me.

Q: How to keep it simple?
A: Walk every day. Don’t be lazy. Do something for yourself, and you will be doing something for others too. I also recommend starting gardens. Play ball in the water. See how long you can keep the ball up without it falling in.

Start the days with reflections on Krishna and ask for His mercy.

Krishna is giving you so much energy. Think how you can best use it.

Comment by Premananda Gaura Prabhu: When I wake up, I shout, “I am alive!”

Q: What to do when you have a creative block?
A: It is good to have a mentor. Mentors may point you in the right direction.

Q: Where to get daily enthusiasm?
A: Early morning connecting with Krishna.

There is something in Srila Prabhupada’s contribution of Krishna consciousness for everyone.

Q: How to take Krishna to work?
A: Pack prasadam for lunch. Instead of having a cigarette break, take a japa break.

From the Krishna House Friday program:

Krishna consciousness is not so interesting to people because it does not make money, but it does give you happiness.

Material pleasure is cheap. Easy come. Easy go.

Too much futurism is like when you have your head in the clouds.

Friedrich Nietzsche said, “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”

You are successful when performing a drama if you can get the rasa, the feeling, out there to the audience.

The Krishna book and its revealing that you may be able to play with God was an early Krishna conscious attraction for me.

I started my marathon walks during 1996, the Prabhupada centenary year. I wanted to see the world for what it was, the real organic way, like a sannyasi or a sage is supposed to.

People would ask what I was doing, and I would say, “I am walking across the country for the spiritual healing of the nation. The world is sick.” Sometimes people would say, “You better believe it.”

That people are going into schools and killing innocent children is one of the most objectionable things going on these days, and we are not doing enough to stop it.

Everything starts with small talk, and then it goes deeper.

Sometimes people would want to talk because there is a lot of loneliness out there.

In this age of advanced communication, our communication skills are actually going down.

Srila Prabhupada just wanted to make sure we had some ananda, spiritual pleasure, in our lives.

Once someone asked why I walked and I replied, “I do this walk every day so I can be of service to My lord and His servants.”

I met an American native for the first time about half way across the USA, and I told him that. He replied, “Well, you are the first monk that I have ever met!”

For centuries art was used to express religious themes, then people reacted against that, and now mundane art has become the standard.

Dwelling on the negative is tamo-guna.

My body will die, but I will live on. That is progressive, and we have to highlight that.

Bhakti can be formal and rigid, but it does not have to be. That is not how Srila Prabhupada presented to us.

Friday night most everyone else is getting drunk, but we have found a positive alternative.

They say that knees and hips are the first things to go when the body ages.

Putting clay on your poison ivy and letting it dry will cure it overnight.

Q: What is the secret to your perpetual joy?
A: I do have grave thoughts during the day, but when I am with people I am happy.

Pop culture puts the worst people on a pedestal, people who should not be followed.

Utah was my favorite state. The people are more spiritual. They are further apart. You can see the stars there.

Pop music is mostly rajas and tamas, nothing elevated. It knocks you down.

Q: What would you like to see the younger generation do?
A: Use your innovation to promote higher consciousness. Be fair, respectful, and kind. Be a little sociable. Be out there. Give people a chance. Don’t be a zombie, taken by this pop culture. Stand out against those things not supportive of higher consciousness.

Q: How to see Krishna in others?
A: See whatever ability they have as Krishna. Anything that is significant or prominent is Krishna.

We are at an advantage if we take shelter of a person who not only understands the spiritual philosophy but can bring it into the field of action.

Diversity gives us more experience and adds to our character.

Diversity is the spice of life.

I encourage people to go for a forest walk for it clears the mind.

Even when we are treated in a negative way we can use that to become humble.

The guru guides and encourages in executing the important functions in life.

Animals have a father and a mother, but in addition, humans have God and a guru.

The guru brings God, and God brings the guru.

The guru reminds us that human life has a higher purpose.

Kids do not have a problem understanding God. They are accustomed to experience that protection and provisions come from a person greater than themselves.

We do not say that one person does it all for you. We have many gurus. Vyasadeva, who wrote the Vedic literature, is a guru. As I grew up, I learned so much from nature.

Sometimes when people ask me why I walk I say, “So I can see the world and learn from it.”

I heard from one man, “Never let school get in the way of your education.”

People learn more from your behavior than what you say.

You can serve the guru by serving the mission, and our mission is to share the knowledge of Krishna consciousness we have received. Srila Prabhupada has given seven purposes for ISKCON, and we can see from reading them that we are meant to teach.

Actually siksa-guru is more important than diksa-guru. Krishna was not the diksa-guru of Arjuna nor was Sukadeva Goswami the diksa-guru of Maharaja Pariksit. We should adjust our culture to have more respect for the siksa-guru.

It is good for parents to encourage children to have faith in the spiritual heroes of the Vedic literature, who will never disappoint them, and not those manufactured by human society.

When talking with people on my marathon walks, the most important thing on people’s minds was relationships.

If you do not take the time to cultivate a relationship with God, then you will not have that in your next life.

Ego brings us here, and bashing of the ego gets us out of here.

We have to learn to love love and to hate hate.

Life is hard, and if people are not being given the real coping mechanisms, people can fall apart.

Our society is more individualist and self-centered. This ego-based focus is killing us.

I keep my eyes open, and I see a lot of unhappy people out there. They are making so many plans for happiness, but they are not becoming happy. I see Srila Prabhupada has scooped me up and given me a better life, so I want to share that.

Enthusiasm comes from keeping busy in Krishna’s service.

I think I was too fanatical in the beginning, in terms of renunciation, which is natural, but now I do realize that we do have to maintain relationships with others, like family members.

Becoming resentful about how someone treated you in the past is the mode of ignorance. Forgiveness is the mode of goodness. We should go there.

Comments by me:

I have read the Krishna book for the last three Karttikas, and it was a wonderful experience.

The crime article is in Science of Self-Realization, page 174 of the soft edition.

Sometimes I describe the Hare Krishna mantra as protecting us from the materialism that surrounds us. I have got good responses to that.

The devotees of Lord Caitanya see the entire universe as full of happiness: visvam purna-sukhayate.

Sruti Sagara Prabhu:

Radhanath Swami says that Lord Caitanya is in anxiety that people are suffering and wants to distribute love of Godhead. If we take on that anxiety of Lord Caitanya, then He will free us from our tiny anxieties.

Radhanath Swami says that the Rupa and Sanatana Goswami gave up immense wealth, but they got the even greater wealth of Lord Caitanya’s instructions.

Rasika Siromani Prabhu:

As neophytes we are trying to come to a point when we continually experience the taste of bhakti-rasa.

We cannot be partly in Krishna consciousness and partly in maya. At each moment, we are either in Krishna consciousness or in maya.

Bhakti-yoga lifts you out of the law of karma.

-----

When we learn how many people were killed in the Battle of Kurukshetra, we may lament, but Bhismadeva explains there is no reason to because those who saw Krishna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra attained their original spiritual forms, which they never would have otherwise.

vijaya-ratha-kutumba atta-totre

dhrta-haya-rasmini tac-chriyeksaniye
bhagavati ratir astu me mumurshor

yam iha nirikshya hata gatah sva-rupam

“At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon Arjuna’s chariot driver, who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His left, and who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna's chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra attained their original forms after death” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.39).

Sony has once again made headlines with its groundbreaking innovation, the high-priced Afeela car, which was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025. This latest offering from the tech giant not only showcases Sony's commitment to cutting-edge technology but also signals a significant shift in the automotive industry. In this article, we delve into the features, technology, and future implications of the Afeela car, providing a comprehensive overview for both enthusiasts and industry professionals.

The post Sony Introduces High-Priced Afeela Car at CES 2025 appeared first on Tech Tomorrow.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

He Kissed His Reflection! Mayapur Clean and Green. How Free Are We? Reality, Poetry, Consciousness, Enlightenment, Metaphor and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Maya's Friend Norm. Taking shelter of the Lord and rendering service unto Him. Why bad things happen to good people? Devotees in Ukraine distribute prasadam amid bombings. Transcending Worldly Affairs Through Krishna's Mercy. What Iskcon is Doing in Mahakumbh? Srila Prabhupada: The Notebook of Krishna. Expecting Mother's opportunity. Celebrities in Mahakumbh. Continue reading "Devotion and Service Uplifting Communities Globally, January 31
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The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, one of the world's largest and most influential technology expos, welcomed a groundbreaking debut that has left the tech community buzzing: the innovative Phone Toaster. This hybrid device, which seamlessly combines the functionalities of a smartphone and a toaster, promises to revolutionize how we interact with technology and manage our daily routines. In this article, we delve into the features, potential impacts, and future prospects of this unique invention.

The post Innovative Phone Toasters Debut at CES 2025 appeared first on Tech Tomorrow.

HH Mukunda Goswami discusses Srimad Bhagavatam 3.21.17, emphasizing the liberation attained by devotees who give up worldly affairs and take shelter in Krishna’s lotus feet. He elaborates on material existence, devotional service, and the importance of discussing Krishna’s pastimes. He also highlights Srila Prabhupada’s vision for Back to Godhead magazine to engage with contemporary issues
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Translation Within Your mind there can be no such differentiation as “This one is mine, and that is another’s,” because You are the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Soul of all beings, always equipoised and enjoying transcendental happiness within Yourself. Just like the heavenly desire tree, You bless all who properly worship You, granting their desired
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Translation O Lord, Your tongue is a plate of sacrifice, Your nostril is another plate of sacrifice, in Your belly is the eating plate of sacrifice, and another plate of sacrifice is the holes of Your ears. In Your mouth is the Brahmā plate of sacrifice, Your throat is the plate of sacrifice known as
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In a move that has sent ripples through the tech community, Dell has announced the end of its XPS brand, a decision that marks a significant shift in the company's product line and overall strategy. The XPS series, known for its high-performance laptops and desktops, has been a cornerstone of Dell's consumer and professional offerings for over a decade. This article delves into the reasons behind this decision, the potential implications for both consumers and the tech industry, and what the future might hold for Dell.

The post Dell Ends XPS Brand Amidst Product Line Restructuring appeared first on Tech Tomorrow.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

India Offering Live To Give 2024. WSN December 2024 - World Sankirtan Newsletter. Change the World – Become a More Effective Sankirtan Warrior! Australia Offering Live To Give 2024 Canada Offering Live To Give 2024 Europe Offering Live To Give 2024 FIJI Offering Live To Give 2024 India Offering Live To Give 2024 Latin America Offering Live To Give 2024 London Offering Live To Give 2024 Madhya Purva Desh Offering Live To Give 2024 New Zealand Offering Live To Give 2024 United States Offering Live To Give 2024 Continue reading "Uniting the World Through Live To Give 2024, January 30
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Technology and artistry have often been seen as separate entities, but Samsung is now merging these two worlds with the launch of the The Frame Pro TV. This advanced television is not just a display for your favorite shows and movies; it's a piece of art that can transform your living space into a gallery. In this comprehensive article, we will dive deep into the features, design, and technological advancements that set The Frame Pro TV apart from its predecessors and competitors.

The post Samsung Announces The Frame Pro TV with Enhanced Features appeared first on Tech Tomorrow.

By Vijaya Das

For the year 2024, we're not surprised. Mayapur was No. 1 for the year, with Jayapataka Swami's steady team of book distributors going out and giving the mercy of Krsna. They did 1,819,832 book points! May Jayapataka Swami live a long life! He's such an inspiration to devotees worldwide. The Srila Prabhupada marathon in December was another incredible victory for Lord Caitanya's sankirtana movement. The Chowpatty temple in Mumbai was the No. 1 temple worldwide in December. "The simple temple," as it is known, is also a fired-up book distribution center. Continue reading "WSN December 2024 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
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Raghunatha Dasa was born around 1416 Shaka (1494 AD) in the town of Saptagram in Hooghly district of West Bengal. He was the only son of his father Govardhana Majumdar a wealthy landlord of the area. 

Govardhana Majumdar’s elder brother was Hiranya Majumdar who had no male progeny. Hence Raghunatha Dasa was the sole inheritor of the vast fortune the brothers had accumulated.

Both his father and uncle were devoted to Lord Chaitanya and revered Advaita Acharya. This was because of the influence of their family priest Balarama Acharya. When Raghunatha was still a young boy, Balarama Acharya hosted the great Acharya of the Holy Name, Haridasa Thakura at his village Candapura, which was within the jurisdiction of Saptagrama. 

Raghunatha used to visit Haridasa Thakura every day. Being naturally compassionate, Haridasa Thakura showered his mercy on the young Raghunatha. It was due to this mercy that Raghunatha later attained the shelter of Lord Chaitanya.

Raghunatha got his first opportunity to see Lord Chaitanya when the Lord, after accepting sannyasa, came to Shantipura and stayed at the residence of Advaita Acharya. Since Govardhana and Hiranaya Majumdar always served Advaita Acharya with great faith and devotion, he was naturally inclined to give His mercy to their boy Raghunatha. Thus, He gave the remnants of the Lord’s food to Raghunatha for as long as the Lord stayed at Shantipura. After staying in Shantipura for some time, the Lord departed for Jagannatha Puri.

Raghunatha Dasa stayed in Puri for 16 years till Lord Chaitanya and His chief confidante Svarupa Damodara disappeared from worldly vision. When this happened Raghunatha Dasa unable to bear their separation, left Puri to commit suicide in Vrindavan. There he met Srila Rupa and Sanatana Goswami who convinced him to serve Lord Chaitanya by relating His Puri pastimes to them.

Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami resided at Radha Kund and was responsible for getting Radha and Shyam Kund enlarged and finished with steps for devotees to take holy dips there.

In the Gaura Gannodesha Dipika, Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami is revealed to be a Manjari called Rasa Manjari. Other names for this Manjari are Rati Manjari and Bhanumati.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

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Translation Therefore, desiring to marry a girl of like disposition who may prove to be a veritable cow of plenty in my married life, to satisfy my lustful desire I too have sought the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are the source of everything, for You are like a desire tree. Purport In spite
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HH Indradyumna Swami: We recently visited Ultadanga, the sacred place where Srila Prabhupada first met his eternal spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. It was during this profound encounter that Abhay Charan, as he was known at the time, offered his obeisances and received the life-changing instruction to spread Krishna Consciousness in the English language.
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More photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/152kM0Yf09npj2PlpZi8whGEQj0cyXpkO This year, our community gathered with immense enthusiasm and devotion to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our 2024 Book Distribution Marathon. The festival, held at the Bhaktivedanta Manor on 25 January 2025, brought together devotees from UK and Ireland uniting us in the spirit of Sankirtan and the glorious mission of spreading
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

SB Class by HG Mahamaya Mataji and HG Jayagauri Mataji. The Svayambhuva devastation. Insights into Near- Death Experiences and Consciousness. Forbidden Archeology NewsFLASH. Sri Nandanandana Dasa Reflects on Padma Shri Recognition. The duty of the King. Like Fire in Gunpowder. IGF team donates Braille Bhagavad-gita. The Seven Perfections of Chanting. The Purpose of the Vedas. Celebrating the Spirit of Unity! Continue reading "Uniting Hearts: Celebrating Bhakti and Enlightenment Worldwide, January 28
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HG Kalakantha Prabhu discusses SB 1.10.7-12, exploring the Bhagavatam’s context and Krishna’s departure from Hastinapur. He highlights devotees’ deep attachment to Krishna, the transformative power of devotional service, and the process of awakening love for Krishna through chanting and hearing. The talk reflects on material life’s limitations and the joy of spiritual fulfillment.
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Translation Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira said: O Govinda, I desire to worship Your auspicious, opulent expansions by the Rājasūya sacrifice, the king of Vedic ceremonies. Please make our endeavor a success, my Lord. Purport Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the word vibhūtīḥ refers to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s expansions (aṁśān), and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura further explains that here
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In Episode 2 of *The Insight Stream: Science Meets Philosophy*, guest speaker Dr. Louis Ritz presents a captivating exploration of near-death experiences (NDEs), drawing on neuroscience, spirituality, and ancient wisdom. Host Bob Cohen guides the discussion, with Dr. Ken Cusi as the guest interviewer. Dr. Ritz delves into the phenomena of NDEs, emphasizing shifts in
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Translation Lord Boar very easily took the earth on His tusks and got it out of the water. Thus He appeared very splendid. Then, His anger glowing like the Sudarśana wheel, He immediately killed the demon [Hiraṇyākṣa], although he tried to fight with the Lord. Purport According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the Vedic literatures describe
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Is Bhumi external material energy or internal spiritual energy?

The question about Bhumi’s nature—whether she is part of material energy or a divine consort of the Lord—can be explored through various perspectives present in the Vedic tradition. Here’s an explanation that incorporates these viewpoints while maintaining their distinctions.

1. Different worldviews in the Vedic tradition
   The Bhagavad-Gita (7.4) describes Bhumi as one of the material elements (earth), essential for sustaining life. This view comes from the analytical perspective of Sankhya philosophy, which focuses on the composition and functioning of the material world.
   However, within the bhakti worldview, Bhumi is personified as Bhumi Devi, a goddess who is a divine consort of the Lord. These perspectives—material element versus divine personhood—stem from different approaches to understanding the world and complement rather than contradict each other.
2. Material and spiritual manifestations in this world
   When transcendental or spiritual entities manifest in the material world, there is always a material side to their manifestation. For example:

Rivers like the Yamuna are composed of water, a material element, yet they are also revered as goddesses in Vedic tradition. Yamuna Devi is considered a consort of the Lord and is worshipped for her divine qualities. At the same time, the physical river can be polluted and needs to be cared for, showing the dual aspects of its material and spiritual nature.

Similarly, the deities in temples are made of materials like stone, wood, or metal, yet they are revered as spiritual entities. While their material composition is functionally acknowledged (e.g., the deity can be damaged by water), it becomes subordinate to their spiritual significance. This is similar to how a currency note is technically just paper, but its true value lies in what it represents.

3. Reconciling divine personalities with their material manifestations
   Divine personalities like Bhumi Devi often have multiple roles that span both the material and spiritual domains. Bhumi Devi is a goddess and a consort of the Lord, but she is also Bhumi, the earth element, within the material creation. Attempting to reconcile these roles with finite human intelligence can be challenging.
   For example, rivers like Yamuna flow on Bhumi, the earth. While Yamuna Devi is a goddess, her physical manifestation as a river is part of the material creation flowing on another divine manifestation, Bhumi Devi. This interplay of divine identities within the material domain can seem complex, but it ultimately aims to direct human consciousness toward the divine.
4. Points to consider when approaching this question

Different worldviews in the Vedic tradition serve different purposes. Sankhya focuses on analyzing material nature, while bhakti emphasizes divine personhood and relationships.

Divine manifestations in the material world always have a material aspect, but this aspect is secondary to their spiritual identity. For example, the pollution of a river or damage to a deity is a material concern, but their divine essence remains unaffected.

Reconciling the spiritual and material roles of divine personalities may be limited by human understanding. The essential takeaway is to focus on how these manifestations guide us toward the divine.

Summary
Bhumi can be understood as both external material energy and internal spiritual energy, depending on the perspective. From the analytical perspective of Sankhya, she is a material element, essential for sustaining life. From the devotional perspective of bhakti, she is a goddess and consort of the Lord. While these perspectives may seem different, they ultimately harmonize in directing our consciousness toward the divine.

The post Is Bhumi external energy or internal energy? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

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Today, we will look at the 11th, 12th, and 13th days. If we have time, we will also cover the 14th day. Each day, I will focus on one particular theme. The theme we discussed previously was the tension between dharma and bhakti. Today, we will explore the theme of right and wrong actions.

When we talk about actions, how do we determine whether someone’s action is right or wrong? Is it a moral judgment or a matter of functionality? For instance, when someone makes a decision, we could evaluate whether it was morally right or wrong. But we can also look at it in terms of how effective or functional the action was.

Let’s take an example: Suppose someone decides to drive a car, and something goes wrong. One of the biggest challenges in relationships, especially in a team or organization, is when one person makes a wrong decision, and the consequences affect everyone. The result can be a loss of trust in the network. How we perceive that wrong decision becomes very important.

To evaluate whether a decision was wrong, we generally look at three factors: intent, content, and consequence. These three factors help us determine whether an action was right or wrong.

When it comes to morality, we may have different conceptions based on cultural or personal backgrounds. What one culture considers moral, another may not. However, when a group of people works together, there generally needs to be some common understanding of values. For example, in a spiritual community, we may share values that discourage certain behaviors, like harming others. In other cultures or religious groups, these same actions may be accepted or even encouraged. This relativity of morality is a topic in itself, but what’s important is that a group needs some shared values to function together. Otherwise, it’s hard to predict how others will behave or respond.

For example, in a workplace, we might have personal values, but when we are at work, we share a common goal: the success of the company. We work together with a shared value of wanting the company to succeed, because in doing so, we succeed as well.

Now, when decisions go wrong, sometimes the wrong decision is largely situational. This means that the situation itself caused the decision to turn out badly. For instance, if a doctor prescribes a treatment and the treatment has a side effect or is contraindicated, leading to the patient’s condition worsening, we can say that the decision was wrong, but it may have been due to the situation, not malicious intent.

Today, we will focus on the 11th, 12th, and 13th days. If time permits, we will also cover the 14th day. Each day, I will highlight one specific theme. Previously, we discussed the tension between dharma and bhakti. Today, our focus will shift to the theme of right and wrong actions.

When we talk about actions, how do we determine whether they are right or wrong? Is it a moral judgment, or is it about functionality? For example, when someone makes a decision, we might evaluate whether it was morally right or wrong. But we can also assess it based on how effective or functional the action was.

Let’s consider an example: Suppose someone decides to drive a car, and something goes wrong. In relationships, especially in teams or organizations, one of the greatest challenges arises when one person makes a wrong decision, and everyone else has to bear the consequences. This can lead to a loss of trust within the group. How we perceive that wrong decision becomes crucial.

To evaluate whether a decision was wrong, we generally look at three factors: intent, content, and consequence. These factors help us determine whether an action was right or wrong.

When it comes to morality, different cultures or backgrounds may have varying conceptions of what is right and wrong. What one culture considers moral, another might not. However, when a group of people works together, there must be a common understanding of values. For example, in a spiritual community, we may share values that discourage behaviors like harming others. In contrast, other cultures or religious groups might accept or even encourage such behaviors. This relativity of morality is a complex topic, but the key point is that groups need shared values to function together. Without them, it becomes difficult to predict how others will act or respond.

Take the workplace, for instance. While we may have personal values, when we work together, we share a common goal: the success of the company. We unite under the value of wanting the company to succeed, as it leads to success for all of us.

Now, sometimes when decisions go wrong, the error is largely situational. This means the situation itself led to the decision turning out badly. For example, if a doctor prescribes a treatment that has a side effect or is contraindicated, and as a result, the patient’s condition worsens, we might say the decision was wrong. However, the wrongness may be attributed to the situation rather than malicious intent.

So, what can help manage a relationship? It depends on how we perceive things. For instance, let’s consider the doctor who makes a judgment call. The doctor didn’t know about the side effects, and nobody else knew either. Let’s say the doctor should have known but didn’t pay attention. That’s when the mentality of “should have” comes into play.

Now, why are we discussing this? It’s because something similar happens in the story. After Vishnu falls and Vishma makes a failed appeal, the question arises: Who will be the next commander? Immediately, the suggestion goes to Karna, who is seen as the next logical choice.

Karna, however, appreciates the honor but recognizes that his becoming the commander would create rifts in the army. He says that most of the warriors fighting on their side are students of Drona, and they do not see him as an equal due to his birth. If he is made commander, it would be seen as disrespectful to Drona. Because Drona is their guru, the warriors would not fight wholeheartedly for him. Karna suggests that the honor should be offered to Drona instead. We will talk more about Karna’s character later.

At this point, everyone knows that Duryodhana and Karna are close allies, and Duryodhana is expecting Karna to become the commander. Part of Duryodhana resents the idea that he will have to obey Karna’s command. So, when Duryodhana approaches Drona and asks him to guide his army to victory, Drona is both relieved and pleased. He says, “I am honored by this, and you may ask for a boon in return.”

Drona, eager for this opportunity, responds, “I wish for you to bring Yudhishthir to me alive.” Duryodhana’s eyes widen, surprised by the request. He says, “Is such a task really necessary? You do not want me to kill him, but to bring him alive?”

Duryodhana then explains that after observing the progress of Arjuna and Bhima over the last ten days, he has concluded that it is unlikely they can be defeated in their current state. If Yudhishthir is killed, Arjuna and Bhima will go mad with grief and destroy the entire army. His plan is to send Yudhishthir into exile for another 13 years while they consolidate their forces.

Drona shakes his head, realizing the difficulty of the task. He replies that while Arjuna is his student, he has become his equal, having learned everything that Drona taught him. Additionally, Arjuna is younger, and through his austerities, he has gained celestial weapons. If Arjuna blocks him, Drona will not be able to carry out the request. Duryodhana reassures him, saying, “Don’t worry. I will handle it.”

Duryodhana then goes to Susharman, the leader of the Samskaras. This clan has had a long-standing rivalry with Arjuna and the Pandavas for various reasons. Duryodhana sees this as an opportunity and instructs Susharman to challenge Arjuna.

So, at the start of the day, Arjuna is subjected to this challenge. One of the causes of war is that during a general conflict, one general might challenge another. Sometimes these challenges happen due to strategy, while at other times, it’s simply a matter of one general being challenged directly.

Then, the fighting continues as generals engage with each other. When Arjuna is challenged by Susharman, he moves in that direction and attacks relentlessly. Both sides have spies, and soon the Pandavas learn about the plan. They then strategize to ensure that Yudhishthir is defended. Meanwhile, Drona fights furiously.

Though Drona has been fighting valiantly throughout, he has been operating under the shadow of Vishnu’s presence. When Vishnu was on the battlefield, his presence dominated, but now, Drona’s progress seems unstoppable. As the battle intensifies, on the 11th day, Drona comes close to breaking through the Pandavas’ defenses.

Arjuna, however, is aware of what’s happening and uses celestial weapons at the last moment. He halts Susharman’s forces, rushing to the rescue of Yudhishthir. He manages to prevent Yudhishthir’s capture, but not without difficulty. On the second day, Yudhishthir tries again and gets much closer.

This time, Arjuna destroys the chariot, kills the charioteer, and almost defeats Susharman. Within moments, he neutralizes Susharman’s forces, and he arrests him. But once again, Arjuna arrives just in time to prevent Yudhishthir from being captured.

In this particular incident, not only does Arjuna win, but it also becomes a disgrace for Drona. It’s a moment when victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat—similar to how sometimes teams lose just when they are on the verge of winning, a situation that feels even more humiliating. The second day’s loss is particularly mortifying for Drona, much like his earlier encounter with Bhishma.

Drona says, “You promised me victory, and now you’re failing to fulfill that promise. I can’t believe you’re unable to defeat them. Is it because of your personal affection for them? It seems you are not fighting wholeheartedly. Please don’t let your personal feelings lead to the destruction of my entire army. I have devoted my forces to your victory. Do not let it all go to waste.”

Once again, Drona is confronted with harsh, piercing words, this time from Duryodhana: “If your heart is not in this battle, please step aside and let Karna take command.”

This is reminiscent of what Bhishma said earlier. Both Drona and Bhishma are extraordinary warriors, but there’s a key difference between them. Bhishma is also a devotee of Krishna, while Drona, though a Brahmin and trained in martial arts, is not known for his devotion. Because of this, Drona succumbs more readily to the pressure and his strategy begins to falter. His decision leads his war effort on a downward trajectory.

The next day, Drona announces that they will form a “Chakra” formation to trap Arjuna. They decide to keep this information secret. When the war begins, the initial formation seems like a typical military strategy. But soon after, Arjuna is challenged again.

Arjuna, now positioned on the sidelines, fights fiercely and is engaged in a battle with Susharman’s forces. Susharman commands a large army, but despite his strength, he is no match for Arjuna. Arjuna hopes that one day he can wipe out Susharman’s forces, which would be a significant victory in itself.

However, once Arjuna is on the sidelines of the main battle, the enemy quickly reforms their military, revealing the Chakra formation. The Pandavas regroup, and it’s now time for Arjuna to demonstrate his heroism. He is urged to dig deep and face the new threat head-on.

He is conflicted about this plan because he is young, and there is always the risk of death and injury in war. However, some missions are far more critical than others. Normally, when two warriors are fighting, if one of them gets injured, they can retreat or someone else can come to their rescue. But in this case, the stakes are much higher. Despite the risks, Bhima says, “I will do whatever you say.”

At the same time, he adds, “I must inform you that I do not know how to get out of the Chakra. Once I go in, I will be trapped.” Bhima responds, “Yes, we’ve thought about this. Our plan is, once you make the Chakra visible, we will follow you inside. This formation is indestructible from the outside, but it is vulnerable from the inside. From within, we will destroy it.”

He then challenges Drona and attacks him ferociously. Drona attempts to counter, but Bhima dodges his attack and moves toward the vulnerable points of the formation. Bhima successfully breaks through the Chakra and marches in. But what does breaking the Chakra mean? It means that the soldiers in the formation are positioned in such a way that each set of soldiers must hold their ground, no matter what happens.

The formation consists of several layers of soldiers: one set in front, followed by others, each set reinforcing the previous one. Powerful generals support each set. The soldiers are told to hold their positions at all costs. However, there are weak points in the formation where the soldiers can be vulnerable to attacks. Bhima’s attack is so intense that the warriors, even the ordinary soldiers, cannot hold their ground. This leads to the formation beginning to break apart.

When the Chakra begins to break, the Pandavas’ plan seems to be working, and they are close to succeeding. But then, unexpectedly, Jayadratha enters the battlefield. Up until now, Jayadratha has been a relatively unknown warrior. In fact, at the beginning of the battle, when the warriors are introduced, there is no mention of Jayadratha at all. Even in the first chapter, he is not mentioned when the warriors’ ranks are described.

It’s interesting because Krishna had mentioned earlier that the deaths of all these warriors were preordained by him. But Jayadratha, although not a formidable threat, surprises everyone by standing his ground. He’s ready to face death.

Jayadratha has a history with the Pandavas. Though he is a relative—he is the brother of the wife of one of the Pandavas—he has a troubling past. Once, while traveling through the forest, he happened to pass by the area where the Pandavas were staying. There, he saw Draupadi, who was collecting flowers for a fire sacrifice.

Seeing her beauty, he became infatuated. He tried to abduct her, even though he knew she was married to the Pandavas, who were powerful and related to him. Draupadi screamed for help, and the Pandavas, upon learning of this, defeated him and arrested him. Bhima wanted to kill him immediately, but Arjuna intervened. Arjuna said, “Let’s take him to the king and see what he decides.”

This is a serious crime, especially in a society where abduction is seen as a grave offense. One of the worst types of aggressors is someone who abducts a woman. When Yudhishthira hears of this, he wants to kill Jayadratha, but he’s a relative of theirs, so he decides to warn him instead of killing him.

To make sure Jayadratha learns a lesson and remembers his wrongdoing, the Pandavas decide to shave off his hair. This act is not just humiliating; it symbolizes that Jayadratha has been defeated and acknowledges that he is now subordinate to the Pandavas. However, instead of accepting his mistake, Jayadratha feels wronged by this humiliation.

In anger, he performs severe austerities to please Lord Shiva, hoping for vengeance. When Lord Shiva appears, Jayadratha asks for the power to kill the Pandavas. Lord Shiva warns him that Arjuna is protected by Krishna, and the Pandavas are all under Krishna’s protection. Despite Jayadratha’s devotion and austerities, Shiva says, “I cannot grant you this boon. However, I can grant you one boon: you will be able to hold back and defeat all the Pandavas, except Arjuna.”

Jayadratha keeps this boon secret, and when the battle intensifies, he uses this power to hold off the Pandavas. As the battle rages on, the Kauravas cheer, and the Pandavas begin to panic. Bhima, in particular, fights with great fury, but he is much more skilled with a mace than with a bow and arrow. Despite his efforts, he is unable to break through Jayadratha’s defense.

As the Pandavas watch in increasing horror, Jayadratha’s attack becomes so fierce that the Pandava forces begin to retreat. Meanwhile, Abhimanyu, who is caught up in the heat of battle, charges into the enemy ranks. He doesn’t realize he’s separated from his allies and is soon trapped inside the Kaurava formation.

Despite being surrounded, Abhimanyu fights valiantly. He defeats many prominent warriors, including Drona, Karna, and Dushasana. However, Karna, feeling humiliated by his inability to defeat Arjuna, decides to go to Duryodhana for advice. Karna, a great archer, has never led a large army before, but he’s determined to find a way to defeat the Pandavas.

In some versions of the story, Shakuni is the one who suggests a dark plan, but in the main version, Karna and Duryodhana come up with the idea to attack Abhimanyu while he’s alone. They know the young warrior is trapped and is fighting valiantly, but they also see an opportunity to defeat him.

As Karna and Duryodhana prepare their attack, they’re able to hold back the Pandavas. Abhimanyu fights as fiercely as he can, but he’s eventually overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and tactics of the Kauravas. His death is a significant turning point in the war, one that further fuels the Pandavas’ determination.

The whole situation exemplifies the difference between virtuous and vicious actions. The Pandavas, despite their setbacks, remain committed to righteousness, while the Kauravas resort to deceit and treachery. The story also demonstrates the importance of boundaries in conflict. Winning is important, but crossing certain ethical lines—such as poisoning food or attacking someone who is already defeated—would be a violation of the boundaries that define honorable conduct.

“I’m not going for it. I want to succeed, but I won’t go any further than this.” In office politics, sometimes you network with certain people, or you may align with someone to rise up. But sometimes, you end up speaking negatively about others. Those things happen, but no matter what we do, we should never bring up someone’s family or spread rumors about them. There are boundaries.

A person’s character is often revealed by their boundaries. We can all be good when things are going well, but in bad moments, we may show some flaws. We might get angry or yell. But even in our worst moments, there are still boundaries we should not cross.

Unfortunately, when a person’s character is questionable, their boundaries become more flexible, more easily crossed. This is what happens with Duryodhana. He and his allies plan their attack on the Pandavas. For years, they fight against one warrior at a time and defeat them, but now, six warriors team up to attack Arjuna’s son, Abhimanyu.

One warrior destroys Abhimanyu’s chariot, another cuts off his bowstring, and yet another breaks his weapons. Abhimanyu, now helpless, jumps off his chariot, picks up a mace, and starts fighting with it. He even picks up a wheel and begins rolling it around to strike the enemy soldiers.

But his strength is running out. His mace breaks, and his wheel is destroyed by the enemy’s attacks. Finally, Dushasana’s son challenges him to a duel. The two fight fiercely, dodging blows and countering each other’s attacks. But eventually, both warriors land powerful blows that cause them to fall to the ground. While neither is severely injured, the impact of the fight leaves Abhimanyu exhausted.

He struggles to get up, but Dushasana’s son picks up his mace and delivers the final blow to Abhimanyu’s head, killing him. The Kauravas celebrate, but it is a hollow victory. Their actions are cowardly, and deep down, they know it. The victory is not one to be proud of.

As the Kauravas celebrate, Duryodhana has a growing sense of dread. He knew what would likely happen when the Chakravyuha closed around Abhimanyu. And when he hears the celebrations, his worst fear is confirmed. Not only does he feel distressed about the death of Abhimanyu, but he is also haunted by the thought of how he will face Arjuna and explain what happened to his son. His mind drifts back to the court, where everything began.

Arjuna had endured a long and hard day. He had thought that one more day in Shishupala’s army would soon be over, and he would be coming back. However, as he returns, a strange sensation washes over him—something feels off, something ominous.

Normally, when warriors return after a battle, there is celebratory music and cheers to lift their spirits. But on this day, as he approaches the camp, he is struck by an eerie silence. The camp is unusually quiet. No soldiers greet him, no one salutes him. The pit in his stomach grows deeper with every step.

In the heat of battle, if there had been a crisis—like the day before—he would have been informed. He would have been called to restrategize. But nothing had happened this day. As he walks in, his eyes immediately fall on the throne where he would sit. But that throne is empty.

The sight of the empty throne nearly causes Arjuna to collapse. He struggles to hold himself together, unwilling to believe what he is seeing. His head drops, and tears begin to stream down his face. No words need to be spoken—his expression says it all.

“I do not understand what happened,” Arjuna murmurs, and then, broken, he crumbles to the ground, crying out, “Abhimanyu! Abhimanyu! Abhimanyu!”

He feels the pain, not only because of the death of his son, but because he believes that his pursuit of individual glory led him to ignore his son’s need for him. He had gone off to destroy Shishupala’s army while his son was left to die. Abhimanyu would have called for him in his last moments, and Arjuna had not been there for him.

The wise and compassionate Dhrishtadyumna steps forward slowly and explains what happened. Arjuna listens, still crying, overwhelmed by grief and rage. In his anguish, he lashes out.

He looks at Dhrishtadyumna and says, “When bad things happen, the unwise act in ways that make things worse, while the wise act in ways that make things better.”

Dhrishtadyumna, heavy with sorrow, responds, “Arjuna, look at the faces of your brothers. They mourn Abhimanyu’s death just as you do. Please, do not speak words that will add to our pain. Philosophy and wisdom may support a person in times of sorrow, but right now, we must support each other with compassion.”

Arjuna continues to lament, deeply shaken, but Krishna’s wisdom soon resonates in his heart. Krishna teaches that while we are all souls at our core, we are also connected by the relationships we form in this lifetime. With relationships come responsibilities, and when those responsibilities are tied with emotions, they cannot be dismissed easily. It is natural for a person to grieve the loss of someone they love.

For some time, Arjuna weeps, reflecting on Krishna’s words and his own actions, as he tries to come to terms with the loss.

Yesterday, we discussed how sometimes when something bad happens, we try to understand both the cause and the cure. In general, when we act, the cause of something can have multiple levels. We need to identify those levels. For example, if I’m feeling cold right now, it could be because the fan is on. Or maybe I’m not wearing warm clothes, or maybe my body isn’t well-suited to the climate. It could also be that the place is actually very cold. There can be many causes for what’s happening, and intelligence means we need to identify the actionable cause so we can address it.

Now, like I said yesterday, sometimes a guest comes to our house, and we tell them, “This world is filled with suffering,” and they ask, “What happened here?” The causes of suffering often have multiple layers, so we need to identify them.

For instance, why am I feeling bored? It might be because of climate change or perhaps something else. There could be different levels of cause. If someone is suffering, one possible cause might be past karma, but that might not be the actionable cause in the present situation. When dealing with a situation, we focus on finding an actionable cause.

Of course, what is considered “actionable” can differ from person to person, but we must try to arrive at some consensus. As Arjuna listens to this, he starts processing everything and realizes that he feels guilty. This brings us to an earlier incident that reveals Yudhishthira’s character.

Yudhishthira’s reaction to Abhimanyu’s death doesn’t come at the very end of the day. It’s before the day ends, when he becomes so overwhelmed with grief that he feels it’s his duty, as a king, to protect his people. He says, “I will charge into the enemy ranks to avenge Abhimanyu’s death, or I will die trying.” He feels that he cannot face Arjuna after what has happened.

At this point, Krishna appears. He stops Yudhishthira and tells him that the situation, although tragic, is not his fault. He tells him to pause and reflect. Yudhishthira, consumed by guilt, says that he feels responsible for the death, and Krishna reminds him that calamity strikes everyone, even virtuous people. He advises Yudhishthira not to lose his sense of purpose and assures him that victory is near. In a few days, he will be enthroned as king, and things will improve.

The point I’m making is that Yudhishthira feels guilty, and this shows that he is a conscientious and responsible person. Whenever something goes wrong, some people try to blame others, while others take responsibility even when it’s not theirs to take. Arjuna is feeling guilty about Abhimanyu’s death, and this vulnerability in Yudhishthira makes Arjuna’s words hurt even more.

He was mean-spirited. He could have used his weapon at any time, but he chose to use it at this particular moment, and he became the cause of Abhimanyu’s death. Although the final blow was struck by someone else, he felt that Abhimanyu’s fate was sealed the moment Jayadratha blocked the Pandavas. Therefore, he decided that he would take revenge. He vowed to kill Jayadratha before sunset the next day. He even declared, “If I do not accomplish this, I will enter fire and end my life.”

The mood on the Pandava side was grim, but when Arjuna took this vow, the entire atmosphere shifted. It became almost celebratory. The Pandavas knew that if Arjuna took such a vow, he would succeed. Now, the Kauravas, led by Jayadratha, were thinking that it might be impossible for Arjuna to cross the Kaurava army with their forces in place, but they were also aware that Arjuna was not alone.

Arjuna’s resolve was certain, and although Jayadratha’s fate seemed sealed, he still took precautions. This brings us to the initial discussion. We talked about how this situation could have created a rift between Arjuna and Yudhishthira. It was Yudhishthira’s decision to activate the Chakravyuha, and Arjuna could have criticized him for it. While there was some passing criticism, it was circumstantial. Was it an ill-motivated decision? Certainly not. Was it a decision that indicated incompetence? Not really. It was a reasonable strategy in an emergency. If someone had known that this strategy would have sidelined someone else and still proceeded without considering the consequences, then it would have been a bad decision.

Now, sometimes what happens is that when someone makes a decision, if we have a negative view of that person, we ascribe the most negative cause to their actions. The more we think negatively, the more it erodes trust. So, in this case, while it was a bad decision in terms of the outcome, it wasn’t necessarily a bad decision in intention.

When we discuss this, we see that sometimes a right action leads to the right result. However, life is so complex that a right action can sometimes lead to the wrong result, and a wrong action might lead to the right result. This is where serendipity comes into play. If we rush to judgment, assuming that a particular action reflects someone’s character or capability, we may be mistaken.

In this case, Arjuna made the decision, and Yudhishthira supported it. Interestingly, Krishna was not entirely happy with this. Krishna told Arjuna that he understood the cause behind the vow and supported it publicly, but privately, he expressed concern. Krishna said, “I cannot understand your anxiety. You know my power, and I know your power.” When they reached the battlefield, Arjuna arrived on his chariot, and Krishna instructed him, “Keep my chariot ready with all my best weapons.”

He said, “If Arjuna is not able to reach Jayadratha, then I will jump from my chariot and destroy the entire army.”

The next day, when the battle began, the army seemed to stretch to the horizon, with various military formations set in place. One formation in particular was designed in such a way that the entire army extended for miles, and at the back of it, Jayadratha was out of sight.

Arjuna looked at the vast expanse and thought, “I don’t see how I can break through this, but I will reach Jayadratha.”

The day’s war began. Arjuna charged forward, and Drona stood at the front of the formation. Arjuna and Drona started fighting fiercely, and their battle went on for hours. At one point, Krishna told Arjuna, “Your fight with Drona could go on all day, but you don’t have time for this.”

Suddenly, Arjuna shot a flurry of arrows that temporarily stunned Drona. Krishna took Arjuna’s chariot, steered it around Drona’s stand, and charged ahead. By the time Drona recovered, he called out, “Arjuna, where are you going? Have you become a coward? Fight me!”

Krishna continued to drive the chariot forward, positioning himself close to Jayadratha. He knew that Arjuna would have to fight through countless soldiers before he could reach Jayadratha.

Meanwhile, there was a warrior named Shalyayush, who was given a magical mace by Varuna. Anyone struck by this mace would be killed instantly. Shalyayush, unable to match Arjuna in archery, decided to fight him with the mace. As he tried to strike Arjuna, his blows missed, and instead, he accidentally hit Krishna.

Now, Shalyayush had been warned about the mace—if he hit a non-combatant with it, the mace would turn on him. In the heat of battle, he forgot this warning and struck Krishna. The moment the mace hit Krishna, it slipped from his hand and turned around, hitting Shalyayush instead, causing him injury.

Meanwhile, the Kaurava forces, unable to stop Arjuna, began to flee. Arjuna was unstoppable—he had always been formidable, but the death of Abhimanyu had made him even more powerful. As he pushed forward, the Kaurava forces couldn’t hold him back, and they broke ranks in fear.

Watching from the sidelines, the Kaurava leaders realized that Arjuna’s momentum was unstoppable. They had kept a significant number of their forces engaged at different points, but Arjuna was breaking through their defenses. One leader, thinking he might be able to face Arjuna, said, “I am not afraid of even Indra, but I will not face his son in battle.” He then came up with a plan.

He had a mystical armor that could protect anyone who wore it from arrows. He decided to give this armor to one of his warriors, believing it would protect him against Arjuna’s arrows. The warrior was pleased and went forward with the armor, thinking it would shield him completely.

However, Arjuna, who knew the intricacies of battle, understood that no matter how powerful an arrangement was, there would always be some loophole. He knew the armor would protect the body, but it left the tip of the fingers vulnerable. Arjuna carefully aimed his arrows at the warrior’s fingers, knowing this would be the key to defeating him.

The warrior, thinking himself invincible due to the armor, continued forward, unaware of Arjuna’s strategy. Arjuna fired, striking the vulnerable tip of the warrior’s fingers and breaking through the armor’s protection.

At this point, Arjuna’s forces had broken through the Kaurava ranks, and Krishna observed that it was time to send someone to assist. He turned to Satyaki and said, “Satyaki, you please go and support Arjuna in this moment of need.”

And you assist your teacher. Satyaki is with him because before Arjuna left, he told him to stay by his side to protect him. He knew that while he was focused on trying to reach Jayadratha, the enemy might spring a surprise attack. Satyaki says, “I’ve been told to stay by your side.”

Arjuna responds, “Be my ally here. All other warriors are there to protect me. You are needed much more elsewhere. Try to clear some of the enemies, there are too many attacking me.”

Once Satyaki goes in, Arjuna becomes further concerned. He thinks, “Satyaki is quite young, and if he stays and helps me, he might get trapped.” So, he looks around and sees one warrior who is ready for action—Bhima. He asks, “Can you go and help them? I was waiting for you.”

Arjuna knows that this places a heavy burden on Bhima, but he continues to push forward. Bhima and Karna engage in multiple encounters. There are two occasions when Bhima gets the upper hand over Karna, and one occasion when Karna could have killed Bhima, but doesn’t.

In this case, Bhima matches Karna arrow for arrow, and Karna is completely caught up in the fight with Bhima, which allows Arjuna to move forward.

As Arjuna relentlessly moves forward, breaking through the ranks of the enemies, the Kaurava army watches in increasing disbelief and fear. What they thought would be a certain victory is turning into a devastating defeat. The words of Duryodhana, which must have echoed in his mind, come to the forefront: “How is it possible that one warrior can destroy my entire army?”

The nature of the world is such that if someone wants to believe in a higher power, they will find enough evidence in the organization and exquisiteness of the world to infer the existence of God. But if someone is determined to be an atheist, they can find reasons to come to that conclusion as well.

For example, when we talk about how rainfall occurs—how clouds are formed and how all living beings on the land benefit from rain—it may seem like a divine mechanism. But if we question why rain also falls on oceans, we may argue that the system is not perfectly tailored for our needs alone. Similarly, Duryodhana previously had six warriors stopping Arjuna, and now he orders for eight to hold him back. He also sends Drona and Kripa, shooting arrows in all directions, just to halt Arjuna’s overwhelming onslaught.

Despite their efforts, Arjuna continues to advance, knowing that he has the strength and purpose to succeed. Krishna sees Arjuna’s determination and decides to intervene. Krishna then calls out to him, “Arjuna, are you going to let them kill me? Should I like your funeral pyre?”

In dejection, Arjuna begins to lower his bow.

But Krishna speaks to him in a voice full of resolve and urgency. “It is not now. Place the bow down.” Krishna then pulls Arjuna’s focus toward a nearby place where he can see the image of his father, Rudra. Rudra had meditated and received a blessing that whoever causes his son’s head to fall to the ground would be destroyed.

Arjuna knows that if he releases this arrow, it will bring an end to Jayadratha’s reign. He pulls the bowstring and places the arrow on the bow, preparing to take the shot.

And at that very moment, Krishna speaks to Arjuna. The sun tries to reach its sword, but the arrow comes flying so fast that it hits Jayadratha right in front of the eyes of all the Kaurava warriors. His head is carried far into the sky. In this moment, Krishna protects Arjuna.

Not only from the danger of not reaching his goal, but also from dangers that we don’t even know exist. Krishna protects us from the dangers we are aware of and the ones we aren’t. As Jayadratha’s body falls, the Kaurava army laments, and Krishna and Arjuna embrace each other in victory. They know that this has turned out to be their greatest triumph.

From the Kaurava perspective, the victory is morally shattering. The optics of the situation show that the day before, they had to use unethical means to kill one warrior, and today, they couldn’t stop a single warrior from reaching another warrior and ending his life. How could they fight against the entire army after this?

After this victory, the morale of the Kaurava forces was shattered. This happened on the 14th evening, and there were four more days of war left. The key takeaway is that even after a painful loss, one must not let it divert them or discourage them from their purpose.

When faced with a big loss, we can take solace in knowing that Krishna is preparing us for a much bigger victory. Arjuna maintains his faith and determination, and we can pray that Krishna grants us similar faith and determination when we face losses. Krishna does not promise Arjuna that he will never face problems in life. And that is the faith we should carry forward from this traumatic and intense experience on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

To summarize, today we discussed three main points. First, we discussed right and wrong actions and how they can be evaluated based on morality and functionality. Sometimes, actions may seem functionally wrong but without a moral dimension—just a wrong decision that, in hindsight, we need to let go of. When results don’t turn out as expected, we shouldn’t hold them against the person involved. Sometimes, a wrong decision is based on a lack of competence, and in that case, adjustments should be made.

If the wrong decision is based on character, however, then that person might need to be let go. Sometimes, bad things happen, and we need to accept them.

We also discussed the incident of Abhimanyu’s heroism and his death. His death wasn’t the result of a wrong strategy, but rather an unexpected factor. Arjuna, instead of being discouraged, focused on a clear course of action—targeting Jayadratha. Through this, Krishna guided Arjuna all the way.

Krishna was more anxious than Arjuna, but he provided guidance that brought them all together. Krishna’s protection comes at multiple levels. Just when a goal seems unreachable, Krishna intervenes. When a danger is invisible, Krishna also protects us from it. His protection is not just in overcoming an unreachable goal but also in shielding us from unseen perils.

One failure can often be a step toward a bigger success. This past time illustrates many things, but one key lesson is that when we do all we can, Krishna steps in and does what we cannot. Arjuna had done all he could to reach Jayadratha, and when he couldn’t, Krishna intervened and made the impossible possible.

Let us pray that, through these dramatic pastimes, our faith in Krishna increases, and even when we face setbacks, we can remain determined and confident that Krishna will guide us to greater success through the challenges we encounter.

Yes, and now, Pravid is here, just a few feet away, conducting this session day after day. He is extending himself to share his wisdom. One of the things Pravid told me, which I want to share with all of you, is that he enjoys the attention of the audience. And we are all part of this experience.

The post Part 3: Those 18 Days @ Mahabharat – HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji @ Bhakti Center Gachibowli appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Welcome again to the second day of our book discussion, Chitra. I notice some people are missing today for various reasons, but we also have new participants joining us. This series was originally planned for the mornings, but we’ve extended it to include evenings as well. There was a suggestion that we should only focus on the war during the daytime, but we realized that many of us have questions, and the time we had originally planned wasn’t enough to address them all.

So, the format for today will be slightly adjusted. We’ll continue with our series, and tomorrow (Monday), Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, we’ll have morning sessions here in this same place. Today, Progyny will continue with the discussion, diving deeper into the topics of Arjuna, Abhimanyu, and Karuna, among others. Progyny has already given us a good preview of what to expect.

The good news is that next Sunday, Progyny will continue the same discussions. After that, we’ll likely wrap up by the following Monday, and by then, everyone will have left, I think.

Let me quickly recap what we’ve covered so far. We’re focusing on the 18-day war, specifically some key incidents, and analyzing the characters to see what lessons we can learn from them. We’re also addressing some controversial aspects of their actions. Right now, we’re looking at the actions of Bhishma.

The first eight days of the war were a seesaw affair. Initially, the Kauravas had the upper hand, then the Pandavas took control. Bhishma made a vow to kill the five Pandavas or their five arrows, but Arjuna, at Krishna’s request, turned the tide. Bhishma then declared that he would kill Arjuna unless Shikhandi was involved, and fought with great vigor, eager to see how Krishna would intervene to protect Arjuna.

However, Arjuna was hesitant, not wanting to kill his grandfather. Krishna then stepped in, urging Arjuna not to break his vow. At that point, Krishna turned toward Bhishma and held him responsible for not stopping the war. This was a pivotal moment, as it almost ended the war right there, with the sun nearly setting.

We paused the discussion at this point to explore Bhishma’s character. We examined his actions through a framework of four quadrants: virtue (dharma) on one side and devotion (bhakti) on the other. Bhishma was always devoted to Vishnu, but his sense of dharma was more complicated. For example, his silence during the dishonoring of Draupadi was a questionable act, and we discussed how, despite being dharmic, his actions didn’t always align with righteousness.

Now, as we contrast Bhishma with Karuna, we’ll see that Karuna, too, had a strong sense of dharma but was often caught between conflicting duties and emotions. This brings us to the more complex nature of dharma and its interpretations, which we will continue to explore.

He never had bhakti, but through his association with Duryodhana, he descended further. However, they knew that Arjuna’s determination alone wouldn’t be enough to defeat Bhishma, who was not easily killed. Before the war began, there had been multiple pauses. One was when Arjuna felt that he had made his decision, and at that time, Krishna spoke to him in the Bhagavad-gita. Another pause occurred when Yudhishthira stepped off his chariot, and everyone around him was pleased. They expected Yudhishthira to come for their blessings, as they knew him to be virtuous.

But along with asking for blessings, Yudhishthira also asked, “How can I defeat you?” Each of the warriors gave an enigmatic answer. Bhishma said, “The time for my defeat has not yet come. Come back later, and I will tell you.” Drona said, “I cannot be defeated when I hear disagreeable news from a trustworthy source. At that time, I will surrender, and then you will be able to defeat me.” Shalya said, “I came here to fight on your side, and I will support you in your cause, praying for your victory.”

So, on the evening of the ninth day of the war, Krishna reminded Arjuna of Bhishma’s words and encouraged him to go and ask Bhishma how he could be killed. Arjuna approached the task with a heavy heart, remembering his childhood with Bhishma. He recalled playing with Bhishma’s beard, sitting on his lap, and feeling the dust on his feet. “How can I defeat someone like that? How can I even ask him how I can kill him?” Arjuna said.

Krishna consoled him, saying, “The duty of a Kshatriya is a difficult one. You have made a vow, and despite the relationship of grandfather and grandchild, your duty is clear.” Krishna then reminded Arjuna of Bhishma’s vow as a warrior—to never attack a woman. He also vowed that if anyone came in front of him in battle, he would not shoot arrows at them.

This vow might seem strange to us. Why would Bhishma, a grandfather, tell others how to defeat him? Why would he reveal his weakness? The situation with Bhishma is unique. Though Krishna was celibate and followed the path of self-discipline, he still took on great responsibility for his family. Bhishma, although celibate, had to arrange marriages for his stepbrothers, including getting wives for them. This was not an easy task, especially when Chitrangada had been killed earlier and Chitraviryasa was weak. Bhishma was anxious about the success of the Kuru family line and arranged for the marriages of Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika to ensure their survival. He also had to fight for their honor in contests of arms.

She had given her heart to him and had planned to win the contest. Since Bhishma had taken a vow of celibacy, it was a secret arrangement, but when things didn’t go as she had hoped, she went to Bhishma and insisted that he marry her, blaming him for putting her in this predicament. Bhishma, however, explained that he had taken a vow of celibacy and could not marry. After trying everything she could, Amba eventually decided to perform austerities and entered the river, ending her life.

She vowed to return and seek revenge on Bhishma, as she blamed him for ruining her life. In this case, we can see that there are unfortunate situations and those caused intentionally. Some actions are atrocities, while others are simply adversities that happen to people.

Amba’s tragic situation can be seen as adversity. While she endured great suffering, Bhishma’s refusal to break his vow was not out of malice but rather out of duty, though he did unknowingly contribute to her suffering. Bhishma knew he had played a role in Amba’s misery, but he could not abandon his vows. His decision to not attack Shikhandi in the battle later on was his way of atoning for his past actions.

Now, regarding the ethics of the situation: Bhishma declared that if Shikhandi led the charge and Arjuna shot arrows from behind, he would not attack. This was not something Arjuna wanted, as he did not want to fight his grandfather and certainly didn’t want to win through such a tactic.

Is this ethical? It’s certainly not a fair fight, and Arjuna’s victory over Bhishma in this way could be seen as unethical. However, Arjuna was a skilled warrior capable of defeating Bhishma under normal circumstances, as shown in their earlier encounters.

The war began again the next day, and Arjuna, despite his hesitations, decided to take matters into his own hands. He allowed Shikhandi to lead the charge, and Arjuna, overcoming his inner conflict, finally attacked Bhishma. The battle between Arjuna and Bhishma was long and intense. Krishna, knowing the turmoil in Arjuna’s heart, understood what had to be done. There were many moments during the war when Arjuna became soft-hearted, but Krishna remained composed.

Krishna’s demeanor contrasts with Arjuna’s emotional turmoil. There’s a difference between being cool-headed and being cold-hearted. Being cool-headed means staying calm and rational, not being swayed by emotions. Krishna’s actions might seem cold, but they were necessary to guide Arjuna and ensure the right course of action in the war.

Krishna had to bring Arjuna back to reality. He told Arjuna that today was the day he had to act. Arjuna, hesitant, didn’t want to fight his grandfather, but Krishna reminded him that he had no choice. Bhishma, aware that he could not win against Arjuna, was already struggling.

Shikhandi, who had taken the lead in the charge, was a warrior, but no match for Arjuna. He shot arrows, but Bhishma didn’t dodge them, knowing his time had come. Krishna told Arjuna, “This is your opportunity.” Arjuna, still conflicted, realized that although this would be his victory, he wasn’t the one directly responsible for Bhishma’s downfall. Bhishma continued fighting other warriors on the battlefield, but the arrows kept coming, one after another, piercing his body.

Normally, a charioteer moves the chariot to avoid arrows, or warriors counter arrows to deflect them. But Bhishma didn’t do either. His chariot moved as best it could to dodge, but the arrows from Arjuna kept hitting him. Bhishma, who had never been defeated in his life, now endured countless arrows, yet he did not fall. Eventually, though, when Bhishma was on his chariot, he collapsed.

Duryodhana, seeing his grandfather fall, was overwhelmed with sorrow. He realized that his actions had led to this moment and that he was, in part, responsible for the fall of Bhishma. He ordered physicians to tend to Bhishma, but Bhishma, with his wisdom, rejected their help. Then, Arjuna, seeing his grandfather in pain, shot an arrow into the earth, which emerged and became the support for Bhishma’s head.

Bhishma, thirsty in his final moments, asked for water. Arjuna, always respectful despite the battle, prepared to fetch it for him. Even though Arjuna had caused Bhishma’s fall, his service attitude remained intact.

Duryodhana, devastated, approached Bhishma. With tears in his eyes, Bhishma said to him, “O prince, you have seen that I, who was never defeated, have now been defeated by the Pandavas. Let this be the proof of their victory. Let all hostilities end with my fall. Divide the kingdom equally, and live in peace.”

But Duryodhana, although moved, did not respond. He stayed silent, not willing to agree to Bhishma’s words. Bhishma gazed at him with hopeful eyes, but those hopes were never realized.

As the situation grew clear, it was evident that Bhishma would die soon. However, he chose not to die at that moment. He could have ended his life long ago, when Draupadi was dishonored, when the Pandavas were wronged, but he held on to life with the hope that virtue would ultimately prevail and that the Pandavas would be protected.

Bhishma had made a promise to his father to protect the kingdom, ensuring it would be in safe hands. He wanted to see Krishna’s plan unfold, believing that, in the end, righteousness would triumph. For both personal and spiritual reasons, he chose to stay alive to witness the fulfillment of that promise.

Krishna, witnessing Bhishma’s suffering and determination, blessed him. Despite all the arrows piercing his body, Krishna acknowledged Bhishma’s strength and resolve, and the warrior’s dedication to his vows.

Krishna blesses Bhishma, saying, “I bless you so that you will not feel any pain. You will rise above the consciousness of the body.” This blessing remains with him, day after day. Finally, after the war ends, Yudhishthira suffers even more as he processes the aftermath. Although all the Pandavas are Kshatriyas, Yudhishthira, burdened by guilt, feels it deeply.

There’s a saying in English, “The cost of war is so much that what you gain is far less than what you lose.” The Pandavas lose all their sons—Abhimanyu is the first to die, and soon after, all their other sons are killed. Just when it seems that victory is within reach, the cost of war becomes overwhelming.

Yudhishthira wonders, “What did I fight for?” Throughout the war, he had always believed that he was fighting for his brothers, yet now, after so much loss, he feels the weight of his actions. Kunti then reminds him, “You knew he was your brother. There were two occasions when Kunti could have killed you, but she didn’t.”

Yudhishthira feels utterly culpable, and his guilt consumes him. He tells Kunti, “I cannot be the king. A king must feel responsible for the lives of all his people, but I cannot carry that burden.”

When Yudhishthira finally goes to see Bhishma, Krishna’s instruction to him becomes clear. Bhishma, despite all the atrocities and adversities he endured, had always remained virtuous. Bhishma’s words reveal an important truth: Life in this world will often be unfair, but beyond that, the Lord has a plan that works out for the good of all.

In this way, suffering and its causes can sometimes be hard to understand. We often blame others, or worse, we blame ourselves. We feel like terrible people. But suffering has both a cause and a cure. Sometimes the cause is known, and sometimes the cure is clear. But at other times, both remain unknown. And the hardest thing for the human mind to accept is that we don’t always know the cause, or worse, we can’t fix it.

If we do know the cause and the cure, that is the ideal situation. We can identify the problem and its solution. But when we don’t know, we struggle to accept our ignorance. We want to find someone to blame, someone to hold responsible for the suffering.

The real cure, however, lies in Dharma. Dharma is the right course of action, doing our duty, and living in accordance with the higher principles. This is what leads us to the ultimate cure—Bhakti. In this particular pastime, Vishma’s insight into suffering shows that sometimes the cause of suffering is unknown, but this concept is echoed later in the discussion between Narada and Parikshit. Parikshit asks, “What is the cause of your suffering?” At first glance, this question seems absurd. Why? Because the answer lies in the deeper nature of oneself, which cannot always be easily explained.

You know, the question might seem absurd. Why? Because Parikshit saw the cow and bull being beaten, and yet the answer seems absurd at first. Why? Because different philosophers have different answers. Some say it’s karma. Others say it’s the ego. Some suggest that suffering arises because we are attached to the body—we are the soul, but we identify too strongly with the body.

Each of these ideas has some validity. Ultimately, when it comes to specific suffering, we can’t always point to a single, clear cause. Imagine if a guest comes to our house and says, “I feel very good here,” and we respond by saying, “No, that’s not what the world is about.” Some people might say the purpose of life is to remove the burden of the earth, while others may say we are here to destroy evil kings.

The final response, though, often comes from the speaker’s own perspective. Now, if you see the situation, you may ask: Is it really absurd? What is being said is this: “One who points out a wrongdoer receives the same punishment as the wrongdoer.”

How does that work? If someone wrongs a bank and you point out that the bank was robbed, does that mean both the robber and the person pointing out the crime are equally guilty? This seems absurd, but the deeper meaning is that when we fixate on a particular cause of our suffering—whether it’s blaming someone or something—we become trapped in the ignorance of the material world. In that sense, we are both caught in that same cycle of ignorance.

What Parikshit Maharaj is showing us here is that when we try to find the cause of suffering, if we focus on just one cause, we often get consumed by it. We might start hating the person or situation, and that only further entangles us in material attachments. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take action. We must take action when necessary. But fixating on a specific cause and thinking that fixing it will solve all our problems can be counterproductive. Sometimes, we can’t find the cause at all.

For example, when a child is crying, we might comfort them, and the child may stop crying. But sometimes, despite our efforts, the child continues to cry. We may take the child to the doctor, who might prescribe medicine, but the crying doesn’t stop. In these situations, we often feel the need to find the cause, but our eagerness to do so can make us fixate on the wrong thing. This can lead to unnecessary stress and resentment toward someone or something.

In the case of Yudhishthira, for instance, he’s fixating on himself. He believes he is the cause of all the suffering, which weighs heavily on him. He feels responsible for everything, and this burden only deepens his guilt.

In medicine, there’s a category of diseases called “idiopathic diseases.” “Idiopathic” doesn’t refer to stupidity but to conditions for which the cause is unknown. Sometimes, no clear reason can be found. For example, arthritis might develop without an obvious cause.

It means that some conditions, like certain cancers, are considered idiopathic—meaning their cause is unknown. Sometimes, we just can’t pinpoint the cause. However, we can identify what is going on and find a way to treat it. In many ways, the worldview in Bhakti philosophy is that suffering in this world is like an idiopathic disease: we can’t always know the cause.

Our focus, then, should not be so much on determining the cause as it should be on finding the cure. What can we do about it? We might ask, “How can we find the cure without knowing the cause?” Sometimes, that’s exactly what we have to do.

I was talking to someone recently, and they shared an analogy. When firefighters respond to a blaze, the first thing they often want to know is what caused the fire. If an electrical device is involved, they need to understand that to prevent further incidents. But many times, the cause is unknown, and there’s no one to explain it. In these cases, the focus shifts to what can be done to handle the situation.

Sometimes, things do make sense—we can trace events and figure out the cause. But even when things don’t make sense, we must still do the sensible thing. That’s a consistent theme in our philosophy. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to understand the cause so we can find a solution, but we shouldn’t fixate on it. Our focus should be on what actions we can take.

Vishma’s request to Yudhishthira is essentially this: don’t blame yourself for everything, because you can’t know what caused all of this. Even great sages have trouble understanding the full scope of events, but the key is to ask, “What can I do now?” The problem is here; it’s in front of you. You now have to take responsibility and fix it.

When bad things happen, it’s not part of Krishna’s plan, but Krishna can still ensure that His plan is fulfilled, even in the face of adversity. Everything happens within His divine plan. Vishma tells Yudhishthira that now it’s time for him to take responsibility for the kingdom.

He further explains that in Krishna’s plan, sometimes we may appear to be the villains. We may feel like villains, or the world may see us that way. But if we maintain a sincere desire to serve, Krishna will redeem us. Vishma reflects on his own life, saying that although he didn’t always do the right thing, his heart was always in the right place. He always tried to be devoted to the Lord, and the Lord understood his heart. Now, as he faces his final moments, he is reassured that the Lord’s plan is unfolding in his life.

He tells Yudhishthira that the same redemption is possible for him. Although you may feel like the villain now, remember that if you maintain a pure, dharma-conscious attitude—one focused on serving Krishna—the Lord will guide you. Our highest dharma is to serve Krishna, and that’s the ultimate consciousness we should aim for. This doesn’t mean we neglect our duties in the material world, but we should always strive to do the right thing in every situation, with the ultimate goal of serving the Lord.

If we maintain a service attitude, Krishna will lead us to a better place. So, when facing difficulties, when we feel overwhelmed and crushed by troubles, we have two choices: we can either blame someone else, saying, “This person is causing me all this trouble,” or we can blame ourselves, thinking, “I am causing all this trouble.”

In either case, we may end up beating ourselves up. But we shouldn’t focus on that. Throughout his life, Bhishma tried to serve Krishna. He faced challenges, and even when his ventures didn’t succeed, he continued to seek the path of service. Sometimes, life doesn’t make sense, and we can’t always understand the reasons behind our troubles.

The point is that we might never have full clarity on why things happen. Even when we try to figure it out, we may never know all the reasons. One aspect of humility is the acceptance of the unknowable—there are things that are not only unknown, but also unknowable to us. This is a teaching Krishna shares: there are things beyond our understanding. What we can know, however, is what we’re meant to do in any given situation.

When we focus on serving Krishna and ask, “What can I do to serve Krishna right now?” we align ourselves with a higher purpose. Even when circumstances appear challenging, we can demonstrate our devotion and duty. Krishna’s devotees are often tested, and at times, the world may not understand their actions. It may seem like they have chosen an unrighteous path, but from the perspective of devotion, they remain aligned with Krishna’s plan.

In Bhishma’s case, though his actions may have seemed questionable at times, his departure from the world was ultimately glorious. From both a material and spiritual perspective, his journey demonstrated the principles of dharma. His life and death were a testament to his love for Krishna, and also to Krishna’s love for him. This eternal relationship between the Lord and His devotee is what we all strive to enter into through our practice of devotion.

Ultimately, the lesson from Bhishma’s journey is about the vision of life—understanding that there will be moments when our actions seem unclear or even questionable. Krishna guided him, brought him to the understanding that there are times when atonement is necessary, but true atonement comes from humility and surrender to the divine will.

Bhishma accepted that he wouldn’t attack in certain circumstances, allowing his own death to come naturally. His actions showed the depth of his devotion and his understanding of dharma. He consoled Yudhishthira by explaining that the cause of suffering is often difficult to pinpoint. What matters is not the cause but how we respond to suffering and what we can do to alleviate it.

This understanding is crucial in our lives. Sometimes we cannot understand the cause of our suffering, but we can focus on what we can do about it. That is the essence of practicing devotion—focusing on what we can do to serve Krishna, even when the reasons behind our struggles remain unclear.

We often want to find the cause of our suffering, and in doing so, we may assume a false cause. Yudhishthira, for example, believes that his greed for the kingdom is the root of his suffering. He thinks the cure lies in renouncing the kingdom, thinking that if he were not so attached to power, his suffering would end. However, Krishna teaches that the cause is unknowable, but the cure is clear: it is to do your dharma. In this case, Yudhishthira’s dharma is to rule the kingdom, as it is the will of the Lord.

Krishna tells him that just as He himself has followed His dharma, Yudhishthira must fulfill his own. The key focus here is not on identifying the cause of suffering, which may be karma, but on the cure, which is to perform one’s dharma. Much of the suffering in the world, Krishna explains, may seem idiopathic—that is, we don’t always know the cause. Yet, instead of dwelling on the unknown cause, we should focus on how we can help and alleviate suffering.

This brings us to the ideal departure of Bhishma. The world is complex, and even when we pray for guidance, asking Krishna to help us make the right decisions, sometimes we still make mistakes. In such cases, the important thing is to keep our heart devoted to Krishna. As long as we remain sincere in our devotion, we can trust that Krishna will guide us to Him, regardless of the errors we may make along the way.

Sometimes we may know the cause of suffering but not the cure. In those moments, we simply have to tolerate the situation, accepting that we can’t do much to change it. If we do know the cause and the cure, we can take action accordingly. But when we don’t know the cause, we act with our best intelligence: focusing on what we can do in the present situation, regardless of whether we understand the cause.

For instance, if firefighters know the cause of a fire, they can address it more effectively. But if they don’t know the cause, they still need to act to put out the fire. Similarly, in life, even when we can’t identify the specific cause of our troubles, we still need to respond to the situation with our best efforts.

This approach is important because seeking a specific cause and cure can sometimes paralyze us. It is only when we fixate on a particular cause and cure that we may feel helpless, as if nothing can be done. But if we let go of the need for precise answers, we can move forward in a way that addresses the issue at hand.

At times, this requires a mindset of acceptance. For example, if we find ourselves in a difficult situation, we can choose to believe that there is a higher purpose behind it, even if we can’t see it. Krishna may have a plan for us, and we can trust that everything happens for a reason.

In summary, while we may seek causes and cures, the ultimate lesson is about how we act in the present moment. If we focus on doing what we can to serve Krishna and fulfill our dharma, we can navigate through suffering with grace.

This is demonstrated in the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, where even in the face of hardship, we see the importance of doing our duty and keeping faith in the divine plan.

By simply staying on guard and not trying to counterattack, Gurudev would eventually calm down. Unfortunately, Gurudev’s actions only escalated thereafter. The consciousness with which we accept situations is crucial. However, even in these moments, we must strive to understand and manage our emotions.

Now, when we look at the example of Yudhishthira, we can see that his strength was not just in his physical abilities but in his unwavering faith in Krishna. For instance, Draupadi’s unwavering faith in Krishna, even when she was subjected to the greatest dishonor, remains a perennial source of inspiration. Even after Krishna showed his universal form and thwarted Duryodhana’s plans, Duryodhana continued to maintain his false belief, thinking that Krishna’s divine form was merely a magic trick.

Similarly, when the Pandavas suffered great losses, especially on the first day of the war, it was Krishna’s words of wisdom that helped them regain balance. His words were crucial in restoring Yudhishthira’s sense of direction and hope.

When Yudhishthira learned of Abhimanyu’s death, his heart was overwhelmed with turmoil. He contemplated taking revenge on the Kauravas or dying in battle himself. But Krishna, through his wisdom, calmed him and assured him of the right course of action. Krishna told Yudhishthira to be patient, that the time would come when he could avenge Abhimanyu’s death, but for now, he should stay focused on his duties.

After the war, when Yudhishthira expressed his desire for renunciation, the others were bewildered. It seemed strange to them, especially after all they had gone through. Yudhishthira’s struggles were not just against external forces, but also against his inner dilemmas, between competing dharmas. This inner conflict led to moments of indecision. This is an important aspect of dharma: it’s not always clear-cut, and sometimes, as seen with Yudhishthira, one must face choices that pull them in different directions.

When Duryodhana was unable to succeed in his various schemes to bring suffering to the Pandavas, he became increasingly condescending. He dismissed the advice of the sages and insulted them, which ultimately led to his downfall. The suffering of the Pandavas was transient, and though it was heart-wrenching, it served as a reminder that even the greatest suffering can be a test of one’s devotion and resolve.

It is a lesson for all of us: life is filled with complex challenges, but ultimately, it is how we react and stay committed to our dharma that determines our spiritual progress.

The key takeaway here is that Krishna’s teachings are not just for any one person; they are universal. Krishna would guide anyone who came to him with a sincere heart. And while we may speculate on how Krishna would guide different characters, the ultimate lesson is always to follow dharma, regardless of the circumstances.

In the case of Arjuna, he made some tough decisions, including choosing to act in a way that was not his original dharma. But as time went on, he understood the importance of staying true to his own path, and through Krishna’s guidance, he was able to realize his true potential.

Life may bring us unfair situations, but Krishna teaches us to accept what is meant to be and move forward with faith. If we can truly accept that certain things are not meant to be, then we can focus on what is within our control and act with wisdom. We must always keep in mind that the taste of success or joy may feel like nectar at first but can turn to poison later. However, Krishna guides us to find the true path, even when circumstances seem overwhelming.

The greatest victory is not in avoiding the struggles of life but in handling them with the right consciousness, the right understanding, and devotion. Like Arjuna, who faced unimaginable challenges, we too must trust that Krishna’s guidance will lead us through even the most difficult times.

So, in this moment, you are the wife of a hero—Arjuna’s wife—and you are asked to be the wife of a hero like Arjuna. What Shakuni did during the war involved using cunning tricks, but Krishna actually outwitted Shakuni in every way. Shakuni carried out his schemes before and during the war, but ultimately, it was Krishna’s guidance that prevailed over Shakuni’s deceit.

There’s a beautiful statement by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, where he says, “I cannot be found in the Vedas, nor in any other texts. I am not here, nor there, but I am present where my devotees are gathered, discussing and chanting my name.” This highlights how Krishna is present wherever his devotees come together in devotion and conversation.

By the way, I didn’t plan to bring this up. I simply stood up and the thought occurred to me. It’s interesting how Krishna’s message often comes to us when we least expect it.

There’s also a book by Prabhuji that elaborates on the 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita, connecting each verse to others in the scripture. He explains how each verse relates to others and how the verses support each other. In some cases, the verses are explained using contextual stories from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which serve to both negate and include deeper meanings. This process of negation and inclusion helps us understand the broader context of the teachings.

In a session with 100 people, a question is asked, starting with the first person and continuing around the group. Each person contributes their perspective, and eventually, the first person is asked to respond again. This discussion is a way to unravel deeper meanings and answers that may not be immediately clear.

During the war in Mahabharata, there were many instances when warriors got injured and had to be carried out. One might say they were defeated, but they often returned to rejoin the battle. This continuous struggle symbolizes the ongoing effort and perseverance of warriors. Arjuna, after spending time in the forest performing austerities, gained various divine weapons. These preparations helped him when the war resumed, and he was able to face his challenges more effectively.

In the context of the war, weapons were used to gain an upper hand. For example, there were moments when warriors had specific strategies to defeat their opponents. When one side faced a new weapon or strategy, they had to adapt to it quickly. This constant adaptation and learning were key to survival in the battle.

As for Bheeshma, he knew what had to be done in certain situations. His sense of duty and his vow sometimes led him to make difficult decisions, even when the consequences were clear. His commitment to dharma was strong, but it did not always lead him to the ideal solution. In some ways, he was like someone caught in a situation where the right path was clear, but circumstances made it difficult to act as expected.

There’s a parallel between Bheeshma’s situation and the challenges faced by others who know what should be done but are constrained by duty, vows, or circumstances. In both cases, the ideal solution seems clear, but the path to it is fraught with challenges and sometimes tragic consequences.

This scenario of knowing what needs to be done but not being able to fully implement it speaks to the complexity of life and dharma. The struggle lies in reconciling what we know to be right with the actions we must take, and often, the process involves self-sacrifice and a deep commitment to duty.

Right? You know, it’s happening right now. We’re not able to do anything, and we question Bheeshma, asking why he didn’t do anything.

I think this is a metaphor that I’ve heard used many times in our moments as well. Something’s going on somewhere, and there’s a senior devotee there who doesn’t really take action. People wonder why they’re not doing anything, asking why they are like Vishnu while X, Y, and Z are acting. It’s possible that in this case, the metaphor doesn’t perfectly apply, but it’s not a straightforward comparison either because Bheeshma had a particular role.

For Bheeshma, it wasn’t weakness so much as a deep commitment to his fixed focus on dharma. His focus on one aspect of dharma led him to make decisions that might seem perplexing, but it was a matter of prioritizing his vows. Ultimately, these are great characters we’re talking about. When we analyze them, we should focus not so much on who was right but on what was right in their circumstances. We may not fully understand every judgment they made, but we can learn from how they responded to challenges.

After the pandemic, two significant things have happened. One is that there’s a growing recognition of the importance of images and narratives in shaping how we view history.

Another shift is that, as we adapt to these changes, it has become more important to see how historical wrongs were dealt with and how we’ve evolved in response. In the past, due to India’s violent partition and religious tensions, the government tried to sanitize history by avoiding incidents that could rekindle divisions. They tended to whitewash attacks or overlook contentious moments.

However, now, there are many writers and historians addressing these issues and bringing them into the open. Yes, we did lose battles and wars in the past, and some were devastating losses, but those losses have prepared us for the bigger battles ahead. In many ways, the formation of advocacy groups and increased awareness of historical bonds is a positive shift.

The question always arises: should we learn history to understand what happened, or should we learn it to prevent disruptions in the present? The problem with the second approach is that it can become biased, serving the interests of a particular group or agenda. Most of us have stayed away from politics, but the situation is changing now. These two shifts are significant, but overall, there’s a greater awakening to these issues, and that’s a positive development.

They’ll be held accountable, or at least the atrocities will stop. Sometimes when you enter a big system, you agree to turn a blind eye to certain things, or you simply ignore them.

Take Mahabharata, for example: that one incident shows the different shades of various characters. If that one event were removed from the Mahabharata, everyone would seem flawless, doing the right thing. It would be easy to glorify the characters, but that one evening, or morning—I’m not sure—completely changed the perception of almost every character, including the Pandavas, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Yudhishthira, Karna, Shakuni, Duryodhana, Dushasana, Vidura, and others. The question arises: is this becoming an excuse? Could we use it as an excuse tomorrow and say, “It could happen to me too”?

So, what lesson should we learn from the changing shades of these characters’ actions? Ultimately, our scriptures show that even vulnerable characters have made questionable decisions. But do we interpret these actions as lessons to follow? That’s the question.

Take Bheeshma, for example. Is Bheeshma’s silence the lesson we should learn from? Should we be silent, not just about external situations, but in our own lives as well? If we act like that, we might miss out on the deeper messages of the tradition.

My understanding is that sometimes, when wrong things are happening and some seniors stay silent, we might feel disappointed by their silence. But we must remember that they may have their reasons for acting the way they do. For us, as smaller individuals, it’s important to realize that we may not have the full picture.

That’s why we shouldn’t use their silence as an excuse to justify our own actions. Certainly, it’s not right to say, “Something bad is happening, but I can’t do anything about it,” as an excuse to remain passive. Sometimes, we may not have the power to change a situation, but that doesn’t mean we do nothing. We need to play the long game. Even when we see something wrong, we may not have the power to fix it right away. But by growing through service and sharing, we can eventually make a difference.

We grow in understanding and in position. Maybe later on, we’ll have the ability to fix some things. There are always bad things in the world, and it’s often difficult when these bad things are allowed by good people—or even done by good people. It’s a tough situation.

We could use this as a matter of meaning, I would say. When you’re reflecting on Arjuna, such a strong character, seeing his wife being dishonored, and witnessing his most respected grandfather right there, not acting, it’s hard to comprehend. Yet, despite everything, Arjuna still carried love and affection for his grandfather on the battlefield, as you mentioned earlier. The concept of honoring one’s word is something that’s difficult for many of us to truly grasp.

Does that mean that even Yudhishthira and the Pandavas should have stayed silent when Draupadi was being dishonored? Are they bound by their word? We could ask that question too. It seems that the actions of the characters in the Mahabharata, especially in this situation, are almost incomprehensible to us. In fact, it’s a bizarre situation where almost everyone’s actions seem hard to understand.

Sometimes, finding the cause of something can be a significant part of our service, and we try to do that. How far we go depends on two factors: our position and our disposition.

For example, if someone’s job is to do research, then they should continue that work in their position. In one sense, humanity’s search for knowledge doesn’t have to be abandoned. However, we need to maintain perspective: how much is this search costing us, and is the cost worth it? Like I mentioned earlier, can we learn from the past, or are we replaying it so much that we’re stuck in it, unable to move on? That’s a difficult thing to navigate.

I don’t think there’s a single answer to this. But for some people, if this search is their service, they should continue doing it. That’s their job, their service.

And for others, there’s this need to understand the forces that altered the course of world history. If Shakuni hadn’t been so influential, the Kauravas might have even gone on to rule the world. She’s the main reason everything the Kauravas wanted didn’t come to fruition.

Bhima took the blood off, and Draupadi had washed her hair. She never tied her hair again after that incident. The horrible event that happened might be true, but even then, the loss of her honor and the disappointment she must have felt were hard to bear. Of course, it was a difficult time, both for her as well as for those around her. Bhima took action, and in many ways, the whole expectation and outcome of that test seemed to alter their perspectives. This event changed their vision and the way they saw the world.

In a way, accepting that there is a bigger reality outside of this world is part of the process. This world is real, but there is a greater reality beyond it. The story of life does not end here, and sometimes justice does not manifest in this life. When bad things happen, it’s very difficult to understand and compare them to anything else.

As far as Draupadi goes, from what I’ve read and discussed with others, there were moments when she was angry. But it’s not that her relationship with the Pandavas was permanently broken. That didn’t happen. In fact, Yudhishthira, who took part in the gambling, tried to play by the rules set by those who compelled him to participate in the game. He stayed with his brothers during that time. Later, in the forest, he was under even greater pressure to refuse the offer, but he continued the gamble.

His mindset was that he thought his cause was right. Even when he lost, he believed the next bet would go his way. He had this sense of determination, thinking that his efforts were justified. Yet, at some point, the reality of the situation began to settle in. Despite his efforts, things weren’t turning out as planned, and he had to adapt.

He later sent a message to Sanjay, offering his best wishes and acknowledging that everything in life is temporary. Rationalizing what happened, he accepted the agreement that was made, and in doing so, he learned the hard way.

So, did justice happen for Draupadi? Not really. But was it unfair? Adversity comes to everyone, no matter who we are, how good we are, or how powerful we are. The important thing is that adversity is a part of life.

I’ll speak to this in one aspect: How many people have the opportunity to ask such questions and even get answers? Just think about it. I’ve spent 48 years of my life, and how many people have the audacity and confidence to ask these questions and seek answers?

And the answers come at different levels. The key is to increase our faith that Krishna is always there. That’s the whole point.

So Ravi is here for the next 9 days in Optus. I’m not sure about the exact schedule, but he’ll be here for more than just the next few days. Sometimes, Mahabharata is seen as a story, like a fictional tale, but that’s a different way of looking at it. Ravi will be explaining it in the coming days, starting Monday morning, then continuing on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and next Monday, as well as Sunday, February 2nd. He’s going to continue sharing these marvelous teachings.

Don’t think that your questions haven’t been answered yet because Ravi will discuss what Arjuna went through in the coming week. This week is specially designed for each of us who are here, gathered in this moment. Somehow, in this lifetime, we have all come together, virtually, to hear these answers.

And I would personally encourage you to ask your questions, question by question. Let’s strive to get the answers we need. Let’s be eager for those answers and focus only on the questions that really matter to our lives. Even the great saints sometimes cannot answer every question. I’ve learned this from ancient teachings — sometimes, a guru will just look at the questioner and move on, because the question isn’t something that will change their life.

So, why don’t we jot down our questions for the next 6 or 7 days? Let’s make sure they’re questions that will help us become more dedicated, more surrendered, and better aligned with the divine mission. Let’s focus on questions that will make a real difference in our lives. We should come back with that mindset tomorrow and in the days ahead. And let’s thank Prabhuji for his insightful answers and his enthusiasm to continue sharing these teachings with us.

Thank you all. Let’s express our gratitude. And here is an amazing, beautifully written book. Many of you may already have it, but if not, you can take one and even gift it to your friends. I’ve gifted it to my boss, and he really liked it. It’s a beautifully designed book, printed by HarperCollins, and it’s professionally done with a great font and layout. It’s a fantastic gift for anyone’s birthday.

Right? So why don’t you get it signed? When I gave it to my boss — actually, my customer — I showed him the book and also had his name written by Prabhuji. I told him, “Why don’t you come?” He was supposed to come here to Liberty.

Thank you, Madhuri and Drowsy. Also, there’s a request: today, there is a plan for Jelanath and Goranath. While the Aarti is being offered, you can make a quick line.

You can form a quick line, with 5 people at a time. Go one by one. It won’t take much time. Just take the Ashman there, and you can come up like this to do your part.

The rest of you can come up and take your book for signing afterward.

Adi Krishna, hello! Would you like to say a few words?

Thank you, Krishna. And thank you to everyone joining online. We’ll continue tomorrow. Please join us for the remaining sessions. We have 6 more sessions on Mahabharata and its characters.

The post Part 2: Those 18 Days @ Mahabharat – HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji @ Bhakti Center Gachibowli appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

So, just to confirm, will this also be showing? Is it possible? No, this is recording, right? No? Okay, I’ll be live streaming with this one.

Can any positional function be seen, or will that be difficult? It seems difficult, right? In between, I think he’ll manage it. He’ll take care of it. It might be challenging for you to keep adjusting it, but maybe you can just keep it over there on the stand. Oh, the sound isn’t connected?

Okay, fine. No problem. The sound is not connected, right? Alright, that’s okay.

So, Levan Prabhu is saying that I am unique. Yes, I do so little, and yet I have such a big ego—definitely unique! He was telling me yesterday about 2016 when we built a whole community here. I think in 2016… or was it 2024? I just kept doing the same things I did before.

It was good—traveling, giving classes, and unintentionally causing inconvenience to people wherever I went! Yesterday, most of those changes came to mind. I told him, “I’m very comfortable making others uncomfortable!” So, I’m grateful to be here.

In some ways, if we study human history, we see patterns of mass karma—both negative and positive. Mass negative karma often leads to natural disasters. But similarly, there are places and times where we see mass positive karma manifesting.

For example, if you look at history, there are times when many scientists appear in the same place at the same time—whether due to geography or historical circumstances. During the Enlightenment, many scientists emerged in Europe. Similarly, a lot of authors appeared during particular literary movements. Take India’s Bengal Renaissance, for instance—so many brilliant thinkers, writers, and patriots emerged during that time.

The same thing happens with spiritual movements when they grow. For example, when Srila Prabhupada went to America, he started on the lower east side—probably the least likely place for a spiritual revolution. Many of the people there were associated with drugs, not necessarily as addicts but using drugs as a means for spiritual exploration. And yet, a number of those individuals turned out to be deeply spiritually inclined.

Then they met Srila Prabhupada and became extremely dedicated. It’s undoubtedly Prabhupada’s glory, but it’s also the glory of those who wholeheartedly dedicated themselves to him. A number of people came together at particular times, creating moments of great momentum.

Am I audible clearly? Yes? Alright.

When I reflect on the history of our movement, it seems that between 1995 and around 2010—maybe even up to 2015—there were places where many young, educated individuals became inspired. These were areas where we actively taught, and a significant number of these individuals eventually chose the brahmachari ashram. Prior to this period, this wasn’t as common, and after that time, it seems to have tapered off. While it still happens, it’s not to the same extent as before.

What’s remarkable now, especially from around 2017 onward—2020, perhaps—is that we see a different trend. There are now places where many dedicated gṛhastha devotees are emerging. For example, I recently visited Gurgaon, and it feels like a thriving center of spiritual energy. Similarly, in Bangalore, particularly in Whitefield, there’s a growing, vibrant community.

Perhaps due to past karma, during earlier times, certain souls with spiritual inclinations became engineers and later chose the brahmachari ashram. Now, it seems that souls with spiritual karma are gravitating toward the gṛhastha ashram and offering significant contributions. Even in core temples with fewer devotees attending morning classes, it’s laudable to see communities like yours flourishing.

Not only are you attending morning classes consistently, but you’re also organizing so many yātrās in different localities. That, in itself, is extraordinary. I think this community has been flying under the radar for quite some time, but now the days of staying unnoticed are ending. This is a truly remarkable group.

When I arrived here, I noticed many of you were already present, even before the program began. That’s a sign of extraordinary dedication, discipline, or perhaps deep interest—whatever you’d like to call it. Often, there’s a mutual negative feedback loop: the audience assumes the speaker will come late, and the speaker assumes the audience will trickle in late. But seeing all of you here so early is inspiring.

I recall once teaching at East of Kailash. After the program, I stayed back and had a conversation with Maharaj. It lasted over an hour and a half! Later, I had another program to attend in a different locality, which was about an hour and a half away. I was anxious about being late, especially because we hadn’t even started the śloka recitation yet. However, the host remained remarkably calm, even as we got delayed. It was a lesson for me in patience and composure.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, we’ll dive into the 18-day Kurukshetra war, which will be our primary topic of discussion. The Mahabharata is one of the most dramatic epics in our tradition, and everything within it builds toward those climactic 18 days.

I remember conducting a youth retreat at IIT Kharagpur during the pandemic. It was a memorable experience, as it was the first time many of those young participants had engaged in anything like that. We spent nearly 11–12 hours continuously discussing these profound topics.

Are you saying 11–12 hours continuously? Oh, you’re from Kharagpur?

Oh, is that so? I’m also originally from Kharagpur.

Oh, understood. That’s interesting.

Recently, someone I met mentioned being from IIT Kharagpur and now working in Silicon Valley. He told me, “I long for those classes.” I asked him, “Why?” That led to a conversation about how we can explore the Mahabharata from multiple frameworks.

The Mahabharata is such a vast and rich text that it offers us many perspectives to study and learn from:

1. Life Lessons:
   We can examine the characters’ actions, the choices they made, and the consequences of those choices. By doing so, we extract valuable lessons for our own lives. This is one of the most common approaches to studying the Mahabharata.
2. Resolving Controversies:
   The Mahabharata contains numerous actions and events that might seem controversial or contradictory at first glance. For example, some decisions or behaviors appear morally ambiguous. We can analyze these controversies to understand their context and reasoning more deeply.
3. Bhakti Rasa (Divine Emotions):
   The Mahabharata is also a spiritual masterpiece, where we see how Krishna protects his devotees and how his devotees respond with devotion. From this perspective, the focus is on the rasa—the divine emotions evoked by Krishna’s pastimes and the actions of his devotees.

In our discussions, we’ll focus primarily on resolving controversies, but we’ll also touch on life lessons and bhakti rasa.

Understanding Controversies in the Mahabharata

When we talk about controversies, I’ve found that they usually arise from three main sources:

1. Cultural Differences:
   The culture of the Mahabharata’s era was vastly different from ours. When we look at those actions through the lens of modern culture, we sometimes fail to understand them. Even across geographical boundaries today, cultural practices can seem alien. For instance, after an aarti ceremony, an Australian lady once asked me, “Why do people kiss the floor when the conch is blown?” What she referred to as “kissing the floor” was actually devotees offering obeisances, something deeply rooted in our tradition.
2. Complexity of Situations:
   Many scenarios in the Mahabharata were inherently complex. Determining the right course of action was challenging even for the characters involved. Decisions often involved weighing multiple factors, and the true consequences became apparent only over time. This complexity makes it difficult to pass immediate judgments on whether a particular action was right or wrong.
3. Human Nature and Moral Dilemmas:
   Sometimes, the controversies arise not just from cultural or situational complexity but from human emotions and moral dilemmas. The characters were placed in situations where any decision would come with consequences.

As we study the Mahabharata, we’ll strive to understand the cultural context, unpack the complexity of situations, and explore the deeper moral and spiritual lessons.

Our focus will primarily be on understanding the controversies, but we’ll also delve into the life lessons and the devotional aspects of the text. By doing so, we hope to uncover the wisdom that the Mahabharata offers, which remains timeless and deeply relevant.

It wasn’t necessarily a wrong choice, but the finiteness of the human condition means that sometimes we make choices that later appear to be wrong. This is simply a reality of life.

The third aspect, of course, is concoction. Concoction refers to how, over time, these epics have been retold with varying degrees of alteration. These alterations often reflect the interests or agendas of the storytellers. Some of these shifts can be subtle, while others may drastically reframe the narrative to serve a specific purpose.

For example, take the Jaina Ramayana. It follows the same broad storyline as the traditional Ramayana but with one major difference: during his time in the forest, Lord Ram is depicted as meeting Jain monks, learning from them, and eventually becoming enlightened as a Jain. In this retelling, Sita’s entry into the earth is portrayed as the moment Ram attains enlightenment and becomes a Jain monk himself. Clearly, this version was crafted with a specific agenda to align the epic with Jain philosophy.

Such concoctions have occurred throughout history as storytellers have reimagined and adapted these epics to fit their own ideologies, cultural contexts, or philosophical goals.

On the other hand, complexity lies in the original situations depicted in these epics. Many events and actions are inherently complex, and understanding why certain issues became controversial requires a nuanced analysis of the characters and their circumstances.

As we focus on the 18 days of the war, we will also take occasional flashbacks to explore the earlier lives of key characters. By doing so, we can better understand how their choices and actions led them to the situations they faced on the battlefield.

Adjusting the Plan for the Discussion

Regarding our discussion of the Mahabharata, the way I’ve planned it is this: each day, we’ll focus on one prominent character and their role during the war. We’ll go over the events of the 18 days, but instead of providing a day-by-day account, I’ll highlight key characters and their actions, with special attention to the complexity of their decisions.

For instance, today, we’ll focus on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of the war, particularly exploring the character of Bhishma. We’ll discuss what he did, why he did it, and the deeper implications of his actions.

On a lighter note, if you ever have trouble hearing me or there’s any issue with sound, please let me know. I noticed some breathing sounds earlier, which might have caused a slight disturbance, but it seems to have settled now.

For those who can’t hear clearly—unless you prefer not to hear me at all—do speak up! (laughs)

Lastly, I’m reminded of a conversation I had with a friend who was planning outreach in the West. He presented an elaborate, strategic plan and sought blessings from a Maharaj. The Maharaj, in response, said something profound:

“I have no doubt that you will be successful.
And I have no doubt that your plan will be unsuccessful.”

This highlights the balance between human effort and divine will. We make plans to show Krishna that we are serious about our endeavors, but we must also remain flexible and accept that Krishna has his own plan for us.

With that spirit, let’s see how our exploration of the Mahabharata unfolds over the next few days!

On the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th days, we’ll focus on Abhimanyu and Arjuna. In this section, we’ll also discuss Krishna’s protection and other related themes.

On the 15th day, we’ll shift our focus to Drona. This will be the main topic of discussion on our third session, corresponding to the 15th day of the war. We’ll analyze multiple aspects of Drona’s actions, both during the war and at other critical moments in his life.

Then, on the 16th and 17th days, we’ll explore the character of Karna, one of the most controversial figures in the Mahabharata. There is much to learn from Karna’s choices, challenges, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding him, so we’ll dedicate significant time to understanding his role and legacy.

Finally, on the 18th day, we’ll discuss Duryodhana, and then cover the 18th night, focusing on Ashwatthama and the aftermath of the war.

So, over these six sessions, we’ll aim to cover the 18 days of the war by highlighting these key characters and their contributions to the Mahabharata.

Overview of Today’s Session

Before diving into Bhishma and his role in the war, I’ll provide some background about the events leading up to the war and how the battle unfolded. However, I’ll try to keep the background concise so we can focus on Bhishma’s character and contributions.

What’s the time now? 8:30? Alright. I’ll aim to wrap up by 9:30 sharp as per the schedule. Let’s see how it goes.

The Nature of War in the Mahabharata

At that time, war in many ways resembled sports. You might wonder—why compare war to sports? Well, consider the analogy of cricket, especially an India-Pakistan match, often described as “a war without bullets.” Similarly, the Mahabharata war had some structured elements that were almost “sport-like” in nature:

• Fixed venue: The war was fought in a designated location—Kurukshetra—rather than spilling over into civilian areas. This ensured that civilians were not punished or harmed during the war.
• Fixed time: The battles started in the morning and ended by evening, following a strict schedule.

These structured elements reflect a code of ethics that governed the war.

Additionally, war was viewed as a test—a test of strength, skills, and strategy. By skills, I don’t just mean physical prowess. Skills also encompassed intellectual and strategic abilities. For example, just like cricket requires a mix of physical skills (batting, bowling) and tactics (field placement, choosing the right bowlers at critical moments), warriors in the Mahabharata used both strength and strategy to outwit their opponents.

Tactics, or what we might call smarts or strategy, played a critical role. Think of a spin bowler in cricket—their effectiveness doesn’t lie just in brute strength but in their ability to outthink the batter. Similarly, the Mahabharata war involved a blend of strength, skills, and tactical brilliance.

The idea was similar to cricket strategies—if a batsman has a weakness against balls pitched on the outside off-stump, bowlers will strategically target that area. In war, similarly, it was a test of skills and strategy, where each side would try to outwit the other within the boundaries of fair play.

Now, the distinction between a clever tactic and outright cheating can sometimes get blurred, and we will delve into these nuances as we progress.

Prelude to the War

Before the war began, multiple rounds of negotiations were held to avoid conflict, but none of them succeeded. We’ll discuss these negotiations later, especially Krishna’s prominent role in them. Eventually, when all options for peace failed, the war became inevitable.

As the battle was about to commence, it was decided that Bhishma would be the commander of the Kaurava army. Bhishma was the senior-most and most respected warrior on their side. While others, such as Drona, were also highly skilled, Drona lacked Bhishma’s extensive battlefield experience. Drona was primarily a teacher who had trained the Kuru princes, and while he was an excellent warrior, he had not fought as many wars as Bhishma had. Bhishma, with his vast experience and unshakable reputation, was the natural choice to lead the Kaurava forces.

On the Pandava side, an interesting decision was made regarding their commander. Instead of appointing Arjuna, who was by far the greatest archer and the most skilled warrior, they chose Dhrishtadyumna to lead their forces. This decision had two main reasons:

1. Arjuna’s Focus: Yudhishthira and Krishna wanted Arjuna to be free from the burden of overarching war strategies so that he could focus entirely on fighting. This is similar to how, in cricket, a star batsman’s performance might decline if they are also burdened with the responsibilities of captaincy. By keeping Arjuna focused solely on combat, they ensured he could perform at his best.
2. Psychological Impact: Dhrishtadyumna had been born with a divine purpose—to kill Drona, the Kaurava general. Appointing him as commander sent a strong psychological message to the Kauravas: this war was serious, and the Pandavas were determined to fight.

While Bhima was a formidable warrior who could instill fear in the enemy, his temperament and impulsiveness made him unsuitable for the role of commander. Thus, Dhrishtadyumna, despite being relatively lesser-known compared to Arjuna or Bhima, was chosen to lead the Pandava forces.

The Kaurava Miscalculation

On the Kaurava side, there was significant overconfidence. Duryodhana believed that his superior army, combined with Bhishma and Drona’s skills, would guarantee victory. Moreover, he assumed that the Pandavas, out of their deep respect for Bhishma and Drona, might hesitate to fight. He thought they lacked the resolve to go to war against their elders.

However, by appointing Dhrishtadyumna as their commander, the Pandavas sent a clear message: this war was for real. Their decision demonstrated their determination to fight, regardless of who stood on the opposite side. This move shattered any remaining illusions Duryodhana may have had about the Pandavas backing down.

The Pandavas made a bold statement by appointing Dhrishtadyumna, the person born to kill Drona, as their commander. This decision had a symbolic significance and showed their determination to face even the mightiest warriors on the Kaurava side. However, even with their preparations, doubts lingered—especially for Arjuna, as evident from the Bhagavad-gita, which addressed his hesitation at the outset of the war.

The Ups and Downs of the War

The Kurukshetra War, like a test match in cricket, unfolded over an extended period, with many twists and turns. Test matches, unlike other sports, can last five days, and momentum can swing from one side to the other within a single session. Similarly, in war, fortunes shifted constantly.

On the first day, the Pandavas faced a devastating setback. Bhishma, the commander of the Kaurava forces, decimated the Pandava army. Despite Arjuna’s repeated vows to confront Bhishma, when the moment came, he found himself unable to engage in battle with him wholeheartedly.

This hesitation can be compared to cricket match-ups, where key players from opposing sides are pitted against each other—like a top spin bowler against a star batsman. In the Kurukshetra War, one of the central matchups was between Arjuna and Bhishma, which was expected to be the defining confrontation. However, Arjuna, despite Krishna’s counsel in the Bhagavad-gita and his own promises to fight, struggled to summon the resolve to face Bhishma on the battlefield.

Bhishma, on the other hand, fought with unparalleled vigor, causing immense destruction to the Pandava forces. This led to a day so disastrous that Arjuna began questioning the very decision to go to war. He even wondered whether fighting this war was a mistake. Krishna had to console him and remind him that the war was not a choice they had made lightly—it was forced upon them.

Faith and Uncertainty

This moment illustrates an important characteristic of faith. Often, we associate faith with certainty—the feeling that if we have faith, we’ll always be confident about the right course of action. While there’s truth to this, faith can also coexist with uncertainty.

Certainty means trusting that Krishna will protect us, but life’s complexities, especially when making difficult decisions, can lead to moments of doubt. Arjuna’s hesitation, even after Krishna’s guidance, shows the tension between faith and the emotional burden of confronting loved ones on the battlefield.

In such situations, noble and sensitive individuals, who care deeply for others’ emotions, often hesitate before engaging in conflict. On the other hand, those who are indifferent or insensitive may rush into confrontation without considering its consequences. But for people like Arjuna, who embody nobility and compassion, there are times when fighting becomes unavoidable despite their inner struggles.

The Inner Conflict of Faith and Duty

Even though the Pandavas were committed to fighting, their hearts were not entirely at peace. They knew that Duryodhana’s attempt to arrest Krishna during peace negotiations had made war inevitable. Yet, uncertainty lingered—not about their decision, but about the emotional toll it would take.

These were people they had loved and respected, and going to battle against them was deeply painful. This hesitation wasn’t a sign of weakness; rather, it reflected their humanity. Sometimes, life presents us with choices where none are truly good. Each option leads to pain—either for ourselves or for others. In such moments, the ability to move forward, despite uncertainty, requires extraordinary strength.

Early Days of the War

The second day of the war saw a shift in momentum. After witnessing Arjuna’s reluctance to fight, Bhima took charge and fought fiercely, rallying the Pandava forces. The third day was relatively balanced, with no significant victories on either side.

On the fourth day, Bhima unleashed his fury and decimated an entire elephant division of the Kauravas. This culminated in a personal confrontation between Bhima and Duryodhana, where Bhima battered him severely. Duryodhana was not only humiliated by Bhima but also by Bhima’s son, Ghatotkacha, who defeated him in battle. That night, Duryodhana was consumed by doubt and frustration.

In his despair, he approached Bhishma, accusing him of not fighting wholeheartedly. Duryodhana, a master politician, used harsh words to provoke Bhishma:

“If, out of affection for the Pandavas, you cannot fight with your full strength, then step down and let Karna take your place as commander. Karna has promised to destroy the Pandavas and their army.”

Bhishma, deeply insulted, responded:

“Prince, you are ever ungrateful to those who work tirelessly for your cause. My body is bloodied with wounds sustained while fighting for you. What more do you expect me to do that your beloved Karna could achieve?”

Despite his anger, Bhishma vowed:

“Tomorrow, I will kill the Pandavas with these five arrows.”

Using his celibacy and immense spiritual powers, Bhishma infused divine energy into five arrows, dedicating them to the destruction of the Pandavas.

Krishna’s Strategy

Duryodhana, delighted by Bhishma’s pledge, carefully kept this plan a secret. He even ensured their conversation and the location of the arrows remained hidden. However, Krishna, ever vigilant, had his own plan in motion.

That night, as Duryodhana prepared to rest, his attendant informed him of a visitor—Arjuna. Duryodhana, though surprised, greeted Arjuna warmly, saying:

“Oh, Arjuna! Welcome! What brings you here? If it’s the kingdom you desire, I can give it to you right now.”

He was being sarcastic, knowing Arjuna would never ask for the kingdom. But Arjuna replied calmly:

“I am not here for the kingdom. That time has passed. But there is something I seek. During the fight with the Gandharvas long ago, you promised to grant me a boon. I have come to claim it tonight.”

Duryodhana, bound by his word and confident that Arjuna wouldn’t ask for anything significant, agreed.

The Clever Boon

Arjuna asked for the five arrows Bhishma had prepared to kill the Pandavas. Shocked but unable to refuse, Duryodhana reluctantly handed over the arrows. Arjuna then left with them, securing the Pandavas’ safety for another day.

When Bhishma learned of this the next morning, he understood Krishna’s involvement. Rather than being angry, Bhishma smiled and said:

“Krishna’s protection is invincible. No army can succeed if Krishna is on the opposite side.”

Though Bhishma acknowledged Krishna’s divine intervention, he remained steadfast in his duty as a warrior, determined to continue the battle.

The Episode with Duryodhana and the Gandharvas

While the Pandavas were in the forest, Duryodhana was captured by the Gandharvas. He had gone to humiliate them, showcasing his wealth, but instead, he was humiliated and imprisoned. Eventually, the Gandharvas released him, and this incident left a mark on Duryodhana.

At this point, Yudhishthira understood how to handle the situation. He knew Bhima was too angry to make a rational decision, so he approached him strategically. Yudhishthira told Bhima that if he ever had the opportunity to capture Duryodhana, it would be a great chance to humiliate him in return. Bhima’s anger blinded him, but when Yudhishthira pointed out that this would bring Bhima joy, Bhima understood the significance of the opportunity.

Arjuna’s Request

Although Bhima and Arjuna had both fought valiantly to rescue Duryodhana, the latter could not bring himself to express gratitude. However, Arjuna, with the guidance of Krishna, eventually took the opportunity to ask for a boon.

Arjuna approached Duryodhana and, after some conversation, asked him for the five celestial arrows that Bhishma had vowed to use to defeat the Pandavas. Duryodhana was shocked by this request. Although he had a sense of honor, he could not refuse, as he had once promised Arjuna a boon during their earlier fight with the Gandharvas.

Krishna’s Plan

Krishna, always a master strategist, had secretly orchestrated this request. He knew that Bhishma’s confidence in his vow to kill the Pandavas stemmed from the belief that Krishna would not intervene directly.

Even though Bhishma was determined to kill the Pandavas, he was waiting to see what Krishna would do. Bhishma’s anticipation was driven by a devotional curiosity about how Krishna would handle the situation. For Bhishma, this was more than just a battle—it was a test of Krishna’s divine power.

The Battle: Arjuna vs. Bhishma

On the battlefield, Krishna had made it clear that he would not pick up any weapons himself. So, when Bhishma declared that he would kill Arjuna unless Krishna raised a weapon to stop him, the stage was set for a dramatic confrontation.

For Arjuna, fighting Bhishma, his grandfather, was not easy. There was a deep emotional conflict—this was a family member, someone whom he respected greatly. Even though Arjuna had defeated Bhishma earlier at the Virata battle, it had been more of a demonstration of power, not a life-or-death struggle. But now, the stakes were high—one side would not leave the battlefield alive.

The Devastation of Halfheartedness

Bhishma fought fiercely, and Arjuna, caught in his emotional turmoil, struggled to fight wholeheartedly. As a result, the battle turned devastating for the Pandavas. Celestial weapons, much like nuclear weapons in modern warfare, were used as a last resort in times of great conflict. When these weapons were released, they had the power to not only defeat the targeted warrior but also wreak havoc on the surrounding army.

With Bhishma using celestial weapons and Arjuna fighting only halfheartedly, the Pandava army suffered severe losses. Arjuna was wounded, and the fate of the army seemed uncertain.

Krishna’s Intervention

Krishna, understanding the gravity of the situation, realized that if Bhishma continued to fight with full intensity, not only would Arjuna be killed, but the entire Pandava army could be destroyed. At that moment, Krishna made a pivotal decision—he appeared before Arjuna.

In the blink of an eye, Krishna appeared in front of Arjuna, suddenly disappearing from the battlefield and standing before his devotee.

Krishna’s Intervention on the Battlefield

What happened next was astonishing. Krishna suddenly jumped off the chariot, looking around. Arjuna saw Krishna running towards the wheel of the chariot and picking it up. But why did Krishna pick up a wheel of all things? It wasn’t just any wheel—it likely reminded him of his Sudarshan Chakra. But in that moment, filled with so much emotion and urgency, Krishna didn’t call for his Sudarshan. His heart was filled with anxiety and frustration, caught between what was right and wrong in that dire moment.

Krishna then charged toward Bhishma, his anger palpable. He yelled, “You are the cause of this entire war. When a king is foolish, it is the responsibility of the minister to be wise and to correct the king’s path. You failed to stop him, and that’s why this war is happening. You are responsible for this war, and therefore, you deserve to die.”

Seeing Krishna charge toward him, Bhishma, the great warrior, laid down his bow. He accepted that if death came at Krishna’s hands, it would be the perfection of life. Bhishma had tried his best to persuade the Kauravas, but they had not listened. The entire battlefield, stunned by the scene unfolding, came to a halt. It was as if the entire war paused, and every warrior watched in awe, just like spectators in a boxing match when a spectacular fight takes place.

Arjuna’s Plea

Arjuna, realizing the gravity of the situation, cried out, “Oh Krishna, please don’t fight! I promise I will kill Bhishma tomorrow.” But Krishna, overwhelmed with concern for Arjuna and anger toward Bhishma, didn’t hear a word Arjuna said. Arjuna, desperate to stop Krishna, jumped off his chariot and ran after him.

Normally, archery fights happen at a distance, but this moment was different. Arjuna knew he couldn’t reach Krishna in time on foot, so he took a mighty leap and landed beside Krishna. He caught hold of Krishna’s thigh as Krishna continued to charge forward. Krishna, with his incredible force, didn’t even realize Arjuna was holding onto him.

Finally, Arjuna, unable to keep up with Krishna’s speed, planted his feet firmly on the ground, creating a hole. His legs got stuck, and he held on tightly to Krishna’s thigh. At that moment, Krishna stopped. Arjuna, still gripping Krishna’s thigh, begged, “Krishna, please don’t break your vow. I promise I will kill Bhishma tomorrow.”

Resolution and Reflection

At that, Krishna calmed down. Arjuna and Krishna turned back, walking together. By this time, the sun was nearly setting, and the entire battlefield had come to a standstill. Warriors were left reflecting on the intensity of what had just occurred. No one had the heart to continue fighting.

Bhishma, sensing the tension in the air, signaled the end of the day’s hostilities. It was a profound moment that illustrated the deep complexity of the Mahabharata.

The Four Levels of Understanding

On one level, this episode shows the literal nature of war. But on a deeper, ethical level, it speaks to the human emotions and relationships involved. At an allegorical level, the symbolism is rich—Krishna’s actions are not just about the battlefield; they carry deeper meanings related to divine intervention and the cosmic order.

However, at the devotional level, the core of the story is the loving reciprocation between Krishna, Arjuna, and Bhishma. The battle itself becomes a subordinate reality, with the affection between the divine and the devotees being the greater truth.

In the complex dynamic between Arjuna, Krishna, and Bhishma, the bonds of love and devotion outweighed the battlefield’s hostility. Despite the war raging around them, these relationships were the heart of the Mahabharata.

The Ethical and Devotional Dimensions of the Battle

When Bhishma was fighting against Arjuna, it wasn’t just a physical fight. Bhishma wasn’t merely attacking Arjuna; he was fighting out of devotion. He wanted to provoke Krishna to intervene, to do something. So, in one sense, the battle between Arjuna and Bhishma was not simply a clash of warriors, but also an expression of deeper spiritual intentions.

When Arjuna attacked Bhishma, his attack was weak, because he wasn’t fighting with full resolve. On the other hand, when Bhishma attacked Arjuna, his strikes were strong, driven by a sense of dharma (righteousness) and devotion. This brings us to the ethical level. Bhishma fought with the understanding that he had a duty to protect the Kauravas, while Arjuna’s inner conflict made him hesitant.

The ethical level of the fight is about doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. But the deeper layer, the devotional level, is where Bhishma was coming from. He fought with the belief that Krishna would protect Arjuna. Bhishma had full confidence that Arjuna would not be killed because Krishna would intervene, and he was eager to see how Krishna would protect him. So, while Bhishma was attacking with strength, it was because of his deep faith that he believed Krishna would safeguard Arjuna.

Krishna’s Role in Protection

Now, let’s consider Krishna’s role in this moment. Krishna, on one level, is protecting Arjuna—he is the divine charioteer, ensuring Arjuna’s safety. But interestingly, Krishna is also protecting Bhishma, because Bhishma had made a vow. Bhishma had vowed that he would either kill Arjuna or force Krishna to pick up a weapon. Krishna, in protecting Arjuna, was also honoring that vow, ensuring that Bhishma’s word would be fulfilled without breaking it.

So, Krishna’s actions were multifaceted. On one level, Krishna was protecting his devotee, Arjuna, but on another level, he was respecting the vow that Bhishma had taken. This is a good example of how Krishna’s love for Arjuna didn’t negate his respect for Bhishma’s devotion and commitment.

The Ethical Complexity

This leads us to the ethical complexity of the entire situation. When Krishna speaks to Bhishma, he doesn’t say, “You are killing my devotee Arjuna, and therefore I will stop you.” Instead, Krishna says, “You are the cause of this war.” This brings us to the ethical dilemma faced by Bhishma and others in the Mahabharata.

In the Mahabharata, we often find the tension between virtue (dharma) and devotion (bhakti). People might have a strong sense of dharma, but it may not always align with their devotional path or divine will. Let’s break this down:

• Virtue refers to performing one’s duty according to one’s role in society (dharma).
• Devotion refers to one’s relationship with the divine, surrendering to God’s will.

Now, we can look at four possible scenarios:

1. Virtue and devotion: This is where both dharma and bhakti align. Arjuna falls into this category—he has both virtue (following his Kshatriya dharma) and devotion (his unwavering faith in Krishna).
2. Virtue, but no devotion: Karna fits here. He is virtuous, upholding his dharma, but lacks devotion to the divine.
3. Neither virtue nor devotion: A person who does neither their dharma nor follows the path of devotion.
4. Devotion, but no virtue: Someone who is devoted but doesn’t necessarily follow dharma.

Bhishma’s Position

Now, Bhishma is an interesting case. He is highly virtuous and dedicated to his dharma, yet when we analyze his role in the war, we see that he is not entirely aligned with devotion. Bhishma is virtuous, but his devotion is a bit more complicated. His devotion is to his vow, his duty to the Kauravas, and his respect for the warrior code. However, he is not as surrendered to Krishna as Arjuna is.

At this moment in the battle, Bhishma’s virtue does not always align with the divine will. Bhishma, like Arjuna, faces a dilemma—he is torn between his kshatriya dharma (the duty of a warrior) and his kuladharma (family duty). Arjuna faces a similar tension, torn between his duty as a warrior (Kshatriya dharma) and his love and affection for his family (kuladharma).

The Role of Dharma and Bhakti

The deeper message here is that there are different paths of dharma and devotion that people walk, and these paths can often seem to contradict each other. But in the end, what Krishna reveals is that Bhakti (devotion) transcends dharma (virtue), and it is through devotion to God that true spiritual wisdom is attained.

The Tension Between Dharma and Vows

Krishna tells Arjuna that his Kshatriya dharma is to fight. As a warrior, he must fulfill his duty in battle. Arjuna’s dilemma arises because, on the one hand, he is torn by his familial ties, and on the other, he must fight for what is right. Krishna advises him that Kshatriya dharma takes precedence in this context—Arjuna must fight, even if those he fights against are his own people.

For Bhishma, the situation is similar but more complex. Like Arjuna, Bhishma faces a tension between his Kshatriya dharma and his kuladharma (family duty). Bhishma is caught between his role as a protector and his vow to support the ruling king of his family, the Kauravas. While it is his Kshatriya dharma to protect the weak (including Arjuna, who is part of his family), he has taken a vow to support the ruling king, regardless of the moral complications.

Bhishma’s Vows and His Dilemma

Bhishma had made three significant vows:

1. He would renounce any claim to kingship.
2. He would never marry or have children, ensuring that his father’s line could continue through other heirs.
3. He would always support and protect the ruling king of his family.

These vows were taken out of loyalty to his father, Shantanu, and his father’s wishes, particularly to ensure that Satyavati’s son would inherit the throne. Bhishma’s dedication to his father’s wishes was so strong that he chose to remain celibate and childless, to avoid any conflict with the line of succession.

However, Bhishma could not have foreseen the future complications of his vow. He could not predict that Duryodhana, a prince with questionable morality, would become the ruler of the Kauravas, supported by a weak king like Dhritarashtra. Bhishma felt bound by his vow to protect Duryodhana, even when he knew that Duryodhana’s actions were wrong.

The Wrong Dharma

Bhishma’s dharma became problematic because he chose the wrong path. He felt bound by his vow to support the Kauravas, but this led him to side with injustice. The true dharma would have been to stop Duryodhana and Krishna from taking actions that were morally wrong. Bhishma’s mistake was in not questioning his vow and the consequences of his decisions.

The wrong dharma for Bhishma was to remain loyal to Duryodhana and the Kauravas, even when they were committing wrongs. He should have recognized that his loyalty to Duryodhana was causing harm and should have taken a stand for what was right. Vidura, another wise character, had already left Duryodhana’s side, and Bhishma could have done the same. Instead, Bhishma stayed, feeling bound by his vow, which eventually led to tragic consequences.

The Importance of Decision-Making

Bhishma’s story illustrates the complexity of decision-making in life. When we face difficult choices, we often have multiple factors to consider. For Bhishma, his vow became the most important factor, overshadowing other considerations like moral integrity or justice. Similarly, we all face moments where we must make decisions based on various factors—duty, loyalty, love, or justice. Sometimes, our devotion to one aspect can cause us to overlook the larger ethical picture.

For example, you might be in a situation where you have to choose between attending a class or going to an important meeting at work. The decision depends on what you value most—your education, your career, or perhaps something else entirely. In the case of Bhishma, his devotion to his vow became his guiding force, even though it led him into a morally questionable position.

The Tension Between Dharma and Bhakti

When we make decisions in life, we often have to consider multiple factors. Sometimes it’s about prioritizing one thing over another—whether it’s a family matter, a job, or a country’s welfare. For some people, one factor might outweigh the others, becoming the most important thing for them. For Bhishma, his vow to his father became the most important thing, and because of this, he made decisions that, although well-intentioned, were ultimately wrong.

Bhishma’s decisions had far-reaching consequences, especially because of his influential position. His choices, though made with a sincere heart and devotion, led to catastrophic results. From a devotional perspective, Bhishma acted with devotion to Krishna. On the fourth day of the battle, he even spoke of Krishna’s glories, attempting to sway Duryodhana to reconsider his actions, but Duryodhana’s stubbornness prevented him from doing so.

The Balance Between Dharma and Bhakti

When we look at dharma and bhakti together, we find that there is a dynamic relationship. One extreme is neglecting dharma in favor of bhakti, or vice versa. For example, someone may justify doing something wrong because they are a devotee, saying, “It’s okay because I’m a devotee.” The other extreme is when people question someone’s devotion because they feel the person isn’t doing what they think is right. Krishna, however, strikes a balance between both.

With respect to Bhishma, publicly, Krishna did not neglect the consequences of Bhishma’s actions. Bhishma was wounded and attacked, and Krishna instructed Arjuna to fight against him. Bhishma’s defeat was necessary as part of the greater plan. However, privately, Krishna honored Bhishma. After the war, Krishna went to Bhishma and praised him, recognizing his devotion and commitment. So while actions in this world have consequences, Krishna understood that Bhishma acted out of devotion and rewarded him for that.

Dharma and Bhakti in the Material World

In this world, dharma enables us to function in society, while bhakti connects us with Krishna. Ideally, both should go together, and bhakti can actually help us perform dharma better. For instance, while driving, you should obey the traffic rules. A devotee once told me that when they were driving above the speed limit, they didn’t worry because they believed that Krishna was with them. But we must remember that while bhakti can guide us, dharma still governs our actions in the material world, and failure to follow it can lead to consequences.

This tension between dharma and bhakti is something Krishna addresses in the Mahabharata. On the one hand, Krishna chastises Bhishma publicly because of the choices he made, but he does not overlook Bhishma’s devotion. Krishna values Bhishma’s devotion, and after the war, he rewards Bhishma’s sincerity. Bhishma’s departure is regarded as the ideal departure because he left the world with love for Krishna, despite the tension between his dharma and his vows.

The Ethical Complexity of Bhishma’s Decision

In the end, Bhishma‘s decisions were based on the dharma he saw as most important—his vow to his father and his loyalty to the Kauravas. However, this commitment led him to choose the wrong side, even when he knew the Pandavas were in the right. His fixation on honoring his vow prevented him from seeing the larger moral picture.

From a devotional perspective, Krishna may have orchestrated the events to show that even a warrior like Bhishma, if fighting on the wrong side, will be defeated. But from an ethical perspective, Bhishma’s reasoning was that his dharma as a protector and a loyal servant to the ruling king (even one as misguided as Duryodhana) required his participation on the side of the Kauravas.

I think this is stored in the Mahabharata, and it was a miscalculation. Bhishma still held onto some hope. As I mentioned earlier, on the fourth day of the battle, he spoke strongly about Krishna’s glories. We’ll also see on the tenth day, when Bhishma falls, he requests to end the war. He asks, “Let the war end.” In one sense, Bhishma still had hope that Duryodhana would come to his senses. It wasn’t that Bhishma was blindly committed to his vow with no other consideration. He believed that by sticking to his vow and talking to Duryodhana, he could guide him toward the right path. However, this did not happen.

We’ll see how things turn out in the next session. Let me quickly summarize what we discussed today. We focused on three main points:

1. Our Approach to the Mahabharata: We are primarily concerned with the controversies in the Mahabharata, while also drawing life lessons and exploring the bhakti rasa.
2. Controversies: These can arise from three sources:
   • Cultural differences of the time
   • Interpretations made by different people throughout history
   • The inherent complexity of the situation

In today’s discussion, we primarily focused on how Bhishma’s actions were influenced by the complexity of the situation. His actions were not driven by anger toward Arjuna or Duryodhana. He fought them, but that wasn’t the core reason for his behavior. Instead, he was motivated by the anticipation of witnessing Krishna’s love in action and seeing how Krishna would protect His devotees. This gave him the strength to continue fighting.

3. The Tension Between Two Dharmas: Bhishma’s internal conflict was between two dharmas. He chose his vow, but that choice led him to prioritize loyalty over the protection of the weak and the righteous. This wasn’t simply a matter of religious duty, but a wrong choice of dharma.

We also discussed the four quadrants of dharma and bhakti:

• Dharma and Bhakti together is Arjuna.
• Dharma without Bhakti is Karna.
• Karna, though rooted in dharma, ultimately chose adharma due to his circumstances. We saw how he shifted from dharma to adharma and back again.

Finally, we’ll explore how Krishna handled the relationship between dharma and bhakti. Did Krishna neglect adharma for the sake of bhakti, or did he neglect bhakti for the sake of adharma? We’ll delve deeper into this in tomorrow’s session.

Thank you very much for your attention today. I wish there was time for questions, but I’ll leave it here for now.

The post Part 1: Those 18 Days @ Mahabharat – HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji @ Bhakti Center Gachibowli appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Hare, Krishna. So thank you for coming today for this last session in our series. And, today we will talk about the 4 remaining characteristics of bhakti. In the first session, we talked about how these characteristics if we consider like a flower stalk, these are like petals are they are conjoined petals. So they are on two sides.

The first are more related with first two are more related with us. That what Bhakti will do to us, kleshaagni and shubhada. So we discussed for this for one session and then after that we elaborated on this. So next are more characteristics of bhakti itself. It is what are the next two characteristics?

Moksha. Moksha laguta. So moksha is liberation. Moksha laghu. Laghu is small.

So laguta kruta. It makes moksha seem small and then there is sudurlabha. So these 2 are more related with bhakti itself, the nature of bhakti. And then then there is. So this is more in terms of both of these are more is the soul’s experience.

What are the soul’s experience? And last is Krishna. So Krishna Akarshani. It attracts even Krishna. So this is more in terms of you can say Krishna’s experience.

This is experience at the spiritual level. Whether it’s our experience or Krishna’s experience. So we discussed about how relationships themselves have some characteristics. So now, here, in one sense, there is a common denominator to all the various vedic traditions that were there in India. There are 6 systems of philosophy.

There are different schools of thought. So we could say the first two characteristics are almost common to any spiritual path. Every spiritual path will say that it will free you from distress. And it will give you happiness. That’s what everyone is looking for.

So even the path of impersonal liberation, that will also say that, okay. Claysh agni will happen. The claysh is because of material existence. And when you become free from material existence, you’ll become free from claysh. And within their understanding, okay, the auspiciousness is when we become one with the unending ocean of white light that is Brahman.

So these, you can say, are common to all spiritual paths. They’re common in the sense that the specifics of how bhakti provides them are different. But it is like, if you go back to the medicine metaphor, whether somebody takes Ayurveda or allopathy or naturopathy, the result that is promised is the same. That your disease will go away and your health will come back. So in that sense, there bhakti, these two characteristics are not unique.

These two characteristics or these two results are promised even by those who seek Guyana, the path of Guyana to achieve Moksha. So that’s why the next characteristic becomes important. That moksha also gives this, but no. What bhakti offers, it makes moksha seem insignificant. Now this itself is an extraordinary claim because moksha is what, the great sages who renounce the world pursue, And it is not, any ordinary attainment.

It’s very, very difficult to attain. So then why would somebody say that, okay. You know, this is it makes moksha seem insignificant. That is there there’s a reason. Now we can go into Shastric references how Rupakha Swami says that if there is the happiness moksha, there is Brahmananda.

That like a drop and if you multiply a drop thousands of times, it will become like an ocean. And the ocean of bhakti is like that. So Bhakti Ananda is so great. Like, if we get an ocean, then we’ll feel what is the point of a drop. It has no value.

So the same theme comes in the last verse of the 8th chapter, 8.32. So whatever will come by any other path, all that will come and more will come for the person who takes to Bhakti and comes to Krishna. So these are scriptural statements. So we can have this characteristic. We can understand it through a metaphor.

The metaphor is of a drop and ocean. We can also under understand it through scriptural reference. There are many references which are given. Let’s try to understand this primarily now through logic. So is it just because we are bhaktas, we claim that the happiness of Bhakti is greater?

And those who are pursuing Moksha, they will say that the happiness of Moksha is greater. No. There is a particular underlying theme over here. So the theme is that in the impersonal path and the personal path, In both, there is an acknowledgment of suffering. No.

See suffering is universal. If we tell people this whole many people may say you are being so pessimistic. But, okay. So yours was given to me, is it? Okay.

Thank you. So in one sense, suffering is universal. Like, we may say that if we say this only Dukkaleya, people may say you’re being so pessimistic. But I have traveled across the world spoken to different audiences. And sometimes I start by saying, no.

We all may have different upbringings. We may have different, religious world views. We may have different philosophical conceptions. But we all can agree on one thing. What is that one thing?

It can be summarized in 3 words. Life is tough. Isn’t it? Isn’t it? We may be very wealthy.

We may be very famous. We may be very popular. We may be very talented but life is not easy for anyone. Now the level of difficulty for different people may be different. There may be some subjectivity in what is considered difficult.

For somebody who doesn’t have any food to eat at all, that is a different kind of difficulty. And somebody who doesn’t come first in the class, you may say, what is the difficulty for them? Because they may experience emotional pain that can be very large. Somebody comes to the World Cup finals and loses in the World Cup finals. You see, your pain is nothing as compared to somebody who’s starving.

But still for them, it’s a very intense pain. So the point is life is tough. So actually, life is tough is just a restatement of when the Gita says the world is. But what happens is, when we say the world is, people feel it is pessimistic. Why?

Because it becomes a statement of the nature of the world. And people feel if you say this world is then there is no hope for me. But, whereas, when you say life is tough, it is a statement of empathy. It is a statement of shared human experience. So life is tough.

And everybody wants relief from the toughness of life. So now, why is life so difficult? What can we do to get relief from the toughness and the difficulties of life? So, this is where personalism and impersonalism have a different diagnosis. Like, sometimes we may have some fever and we may go to different doctors.

And one doctor may say this is, you know, this is just seasonal flu. Another doctor may say this is malaria. So spiritual doctor may say there’s malle in the area of your heart. Isn’t it? But whatever it is, there can be different diagnosis.

So, suppose there is a patient and they they have got some disease like arthritis. And when they got arthritis, even a small movement, they move their hand, ah, there’s pain. They move their leg, there’s pain. If the arthritis are all over the body. Even if they hear a joke and they laugh.

They laugh a little bit and they feel pain. So any movement of the body causes pain. So then what happens is, the impersonal, there’s pain and pain comes from movement. So the solution that is thought is, if there is no movement, then there will be no pain. So this is one way a patient may diagnose.

Okay. I want to be free from pain, therefore I should just be able to stop moving. I can just stop moving, then I’ll be free from pain. So like this, what the impersonal thing is? Desires.

They cause bondage. And what is it? It is qualities in this world that lead to desires. You know, something is attractive, hey, I want this. Something smells bad, I want to go away from this.

So qualities lead to desires and desires lead to entanglement. They lead to bondage. So the impersonalist solution is, if there are no qualities, then there’ll be no desires. And if there are no desires, then there’ll be the bondage. You can say bondage and suffering go together.

When we are bound to something like alcohol, like is bound to alcohol, they suffer. So then there is no bondage and no suffering. So this is the diagnosis of the impersonalists. And that’s why the Okay. That’s why the impersonalist diagnosis is that actually all qualities in this world are false.

Even the qualities we attribute to God, they are also false. They’re also Maya. Becoming attracted to the qualities of God, maybe, not maybe, is better than being attracted to the qualities of people in this world. But ultimately, even that is Maya. So, we need to go beyond it all.

And then what happens is, then there will be just the state of existence. Just just just pure consciousness. See, sometimes we say impersonalism means what? You say some people, there’s a famous impersonalist who went to America and he said, there are many gurus in the past who came and said that I am God. So he said, I’m not such a guru.

I’m not a guru who has come to tell you I am God. I’m the guru who has come to tell you, you are God. In one college in America, I saw a t shirt on one boy I was wearing. I was an atheist till I discovered I was God. So, now this is a common understanding of impersonalism.

That we will merge and you will become God. However, this is not the actual understanding of impersonalism. See, there is maya wad and there is what you can call as neo maya wad. Means So this is a distortion from what taught. So hold that we are all gods.

I’m going a little bit into impersonalism over here because it’s important to understand what means. So they say we are all gods. But actual holds that that even God is an illusion. So their idea is that there is only Brahman that exists. Brahman is the only reality.

When Brahman comes in contact with it becomes When Brahman comes in contact with rajas, it becomes When Brahman comes in contact with tamas, it becomes Prakriti. It becomes material nature. Now this is not the correct philosophy. Don’t note it down as the correct philosophy. This is their idea.

And they say, what happens first? The g y is attached to prakrti. The g y is attached to prakrti and this causes bondage. So first, we need to understand that prakrti is Maya. And many impersonalists will also practice bhakti.

Because they say, actually, for the jiva Is this color visible? Okay. For the jiva to become attached to is good because the jiva can become detached from prakrti. So, so this is, this is the lowest. This is the lowest level and this is an intermediate level.

But afterwards, when you truly advance, you will understand that actually the jiva is Maya and ishwar is also Maya. So the only thing that exists is Brahman. So, Brahma satya, Jagannmithya. So it’s not just Jagannmithya, jivamithya, and Ishwar alsomithya. So so the imperialist idea is that, there is only existence.

There’s no activity, there are no desires, there is no reciprocation. So it is very similar to what? Oh, all activity causes pain, therefore, give up all activity. All relationships, all desires cause pain, therefore give up all desires. And how can we give up all desires?

By believing that everything desirable itself is Maya. But this is not the Bhakti understanding. See, the the if you consider, go back over here, the same patient can understand that, okay, actually, I’m experiencing pain. And pain occurs whenever there is movement. However, the cause of the pain is a disease.

That, when there is a disease, because there is arthritis, at that time when I move my hand, there is pain. So, if there is no disease, then there can be movement and there will be no pain. In fact, there can be pleasure. Now, when we move, we can run, we can dance, we can see various places. And movement, action is the basis of joy.

So similarly, in the bhakti understanding, the problem is not that qualities lead to desires and desires lead to bondage and suffering. The problem is that these are temporary qualities. So it’s like temporary quality. When we are attracted to things with temporary qualities, then we have material desires. And material desires lead us to bondage and suffering.

Why? Because what the things that we are attached to, they go away. Or we go away from the things that we are attached. Now, we may earn a lot of wealth, but somehow the stock market crash and the wealth goes away. Or we may earn a lot of wealth, but then we grow old and we die and then we go away from the wealth.

So either way. So, however, if there are eternal qualities and eternal qualities are present in Krishna. So when there are eternal qualities, toward those eternal qualities, there are desires, there are spiritual desires. And these desires, they actually lead to liberty, freedom and even ecstasy. That these desires, the desire to serve Krishna, that brings joy.

What happens is the more our consciousness is filled with the desire to serve Krishna, the more we’ll become free from other desires. And the more we become free from other desires, the more we become absorbed in Krishna. The more we can remember Krishna. The more we can become happy. So suppose there is some small child and when the child is sick, the mother has to give medicine to the child and the child doesn’t like to take medicine.

So the mother has to hold the mouth of the child. Open the mouth. And the child is given the medicine. Now, one day, the mother wants to give the child delicious kheer. And the mother says, take this.

The child says, no. And the mother says, take it. No. And the mother holds that and gives it. And the child just doesn’t want to take it.

The child starts shaking the head violently. And the child shakes the head violently and what happens? All the curious falls in the mouth and spills away. But even through that, if the mother keeps pawing, then what happens? Slowly a few drops start going in.

And then as the drops start going in, the child is shaking the head. So similarly for us, right now, we have so many other desires that even when Krishna comes into our consciousness, the remembrance of Krishna is like drinking kheer. But we think, oh, watching TV is better. You know, political use is better. Credit sports is better.

Stock market prices is better. So even when the opportunity to focus on Krishna is there, we don’t focus on Krishna. That it’s extremely joyful. But we don’t feel it because we are distracted. Pogaishva prasakthana pagaishva prasakthana pagaishthaam.

Krishna says, when we are caught with desires of sense enjoyment and worldly profit and wealth, then those desires drag our consciousness. And thus, That steadiness to focus on Krishna and experience samadha. That doesn’t happen. But somehow, we, like the mother holds the child firmly like that. We, without buddhi, hold our mind firmly.

So our intelligence is like the mother and our mind is like the child. So if we just hold our mind steadily, then gradually we’ll start experiencing that this is something extraordinary. That, you know, okay, I like music. There are there there are there is movie songs and there are these other songs. I like all of them.

But then if we keep hearing Krishna Kirtan, we’ll find that initially this is also just another music. Sometimes nice, sometimes not nice. But as we keep hearing it, we will start realizing there is something extraordinary in this. It just transports me to another level of reality. So, just as a person who was sick and couldn’t move at all, if they stop moving, they do get relief from pain.

But if they get healed, and they can travel and they can trek and they can dance, then the joy of dancing is 100 and 1000 of times greater than the relief of feeling no pain because of being motionless, isn’t it? So similarly, just having no desire at all. It’s very difficult to be in that state but if somehow, just as it’s very difficult to just be completely motionless. But even if somebody came to that state of having no desire at all, that state will not last for long. And even if we could stay in that state, there is there is only relief.

There is not really joy over there. On the other hand, when we find something truly desirable and we pursue that and we get joy in that. And when we pursue Krishna, the soul is eternal. Krishna is eternal. The bond between the 2 of them is eternal.

That’s why it is It’s an ocean of happiness and that too vardhanam. It’s an ocean of happiness that keeps expanding. So this is how moksha laghuta krta. What bhakti does is, it makes the happiness of moksha seem like insignificant. So moksha is like relief from pain.

But Bhakti or Bhaktyananda is like the joy of dancing. Joy of trekking. The joy of moving about freely. So this is far, far greater. Now, this is moksha lagutta kruta.

Now, the other characteristic correspondingly is su durlabha. Su durlabha means extremely rare. Now, why is Bhakti so rare? It is not that Krishna does not want to give Bhakti. Rather, Krishna wants to know whether we want Bhakti.

He wants to see our desires. The Bhagavadam says, Krishna Krishna says, I’ll give mukti easily, but I will not give bhakti. I’ll not give Prema. Why? That is related with the last point.

What happens is when there is love, love actually conquers Krishna. So Ajithopya Sita Strelokyam, the Bhagavatam says. That Lord who is unconquerable becomes conquered by Lao, by Bhakti. So the example could be, if there is a King. The King can, if there is a prisoner, There’s a prisoner.

Now there’s one thing is to release the prisoner. That also is a big thing for the prisoner. That is a big thing. And from the prisoner’s perspective, being released can be a great source of relief. But on the 8th, the king adopts as a prince.

That’s a very big thing, isn’t it? So if the king is going to adopt as a prince, that means this person becomes a member of their family. So you could say every citizen also has a responsibility of the king. But that is very different from a member of the direct direct member of the family, the prince. So a king giving release is like Krishna giving Moksha.

But Krishna giving Bhakti is like Krishna adopting. Now Krishna doesn’t have to adopt us because we are already his children. But when we are to go back to Krishna’s abode, at that time, Bhagopal says in my lecture, that you know Krishna, Krishna is reciprocating pure love with His devotees, His pure devotees. And He doesn’t want those who are not pure devotees to disturb Him. It’s like, suppose we have not yet become purified.

And Krishna takes us to the spiritual world. And there everybody is talking about Krishna. Everybody is delighting in talking about Krishna. And we ask, okay, when is the when is the next cricket world cup? Who won the cricket match?

You know, we go to the spiritual world. Going there is not just simply a matter of physical relocation. There has to be the redirection of our heart toward Krishna. So we enter into Krishna’s intimate family. So when it is dulabha, at one level we can say it is so dulabha, there are 2 ways of understanding it.

One is, Krishna does not give easily. And it’s true. It’s like, King will not adopt a prisoner and a Prince very easily. But there’s but the other thing is, because we do not desire strongly. In the same Bhakti r Samrath Sindhu, later on it is said, what is the price of Krishna consciousness?

Intense greed, yes. Krishna bhava or that that the tatra laulayam api maulayamikalam. Just I have to have intense desire for it. So that level of desire is actually difficult to develop. It is the problem for us, sadhakas, is that say right now we are in what in our methodology called no man’s land.

See there is the world of Maya and there is the world of Krishna. And now we are somewhere in between. We are not fully in Maya, but we are not fully in Krishna also. So for us, how it is? And, yeah, Krishna is nice, but, you know, Maya is also not that bad, isn’t it?

So that’s why our desire is not very strong. And the problem is often, like, Krishna is invisible to us. And Maya is ultra visible to us. So, because Maya is ultra visible, the desire for Maya tends to become very strong. So this desire is generally developed through the eyes.

Whereas this desire is developed through the ears. We need to hear about Krishna. The more we hear about Krishna, the more we understand His glory. And the more we understand His glory, the more the desires develop. So it is rare.

The Bhakti is rare because the level of, that level of desire for Krishna is extremely rare. That even among many people who may become devotees, even those who become extraordinarily great devotees, for them to have the level of desire, I desire Krishna and nothing but Krishna. That is not easy. Because in this world, there are so many things which come up. And sometimes in Bhakti, there are good things also which we may need to give up for Krishna’s sake.

See, there is this remarkable thing about Srila Prabhupada. The previous point we said about how, you know, bhakti is about desiring Krishna. Isn’t it? Krishna we understand Krishna is eternal and we desire Krishna. So Prabhupada for most of his life was a grahastha.

And he tried very hard through his grahastha ashram to assist his guru’s mission by expanding his business and trying to offer financial support. Krishna had some other plans. But the point is that there were other disciples of Bhakti Salaam Suttaqur who were also great souls in their own way. But some of them were sannyasis throughout their life. Some of them were they didn’t have grasp the responsibility.

They could study shastra throughout their life. They could, learn Sanskrit very deeply. Prabhupada, he read most of the Shastra that he read while he was traveling. In his business, he would travel all over India. While in his travels, he read books.

So there could have been other godbrothers of Prabhupada who might have been more renounced than him or more scholarly than him. There may have been. What differentiated Prabhupada from them was the strength of his desire. That he had the strongest desire to fulfill his spiritual master’s mission. It was not that, Bhakti Sajan Thakur gave that instruction to preach in the west just to 1 or 2 disciples.

Like a standing instruction to all his disciples. But Prabhupada took it up. So Prabhupada had such a strong desire and because of that desire, he was at the age of 70. You know, love is seen generally by 2 things. What we give to our beloved and what we give up for our beloved.

Like, what we if parents love their children, the parents may want to offer the best education to their children. You know, you can get the best books, the best tuition classes, the best facilities. What we give to our beloved. But, say, you know, we want our child to be child in a hostel. We want the child to be in an AC room, so we have limited money.

We say, okay. I’ll remove the AC from my house and I’ll have AC for you. So what we give to our beloved and what we give up for our beloved. So love is seen by both these things. So at one level if we see, Srila Prabhupada, what did he give?

He gave his entire life. His entire life means even at the age of 70, he went all alone and he his last years were years of total dedication. He traveled tirelessly. No. You know, I am not even half as half as old as Prabhupada.

But when we travel, we often get jet lag. Prabhupada had no jet lag at all. It’s amazing how much energy Prabhupada had. So he was tireless. So Prabhupada has strong desire to serve Krishna.

But along with that, you know, so generally when we desire something very strongly so Prabhupada built 108 temples for Krishna. Prabhupada wrote 70 books. Now among all the temples that Prabhupada built, there was one temple for which Prabhupada endeavored the most. Which was that temple? Juhu temple.

Yes. And no. Srila Prabhupada departed in November 77. And the Juhu temple was inaugurated in January 78. Sankranti time, more or less.

They are just 2 months away. And Prabhupada could have said to Krishna, Krishna, I worked so hard for this temple. Just let me see the inauguration of this temple. Let me see that and then I will live peacefully. But when Prabhupada asked towards the last days, do you have any last desires?

And Prabhupada said, kuch ichanahi. Kuch ichanahi. So Prabhupada did not see that, oh, if I am not there, how will this temple be inaugurated? He saw himself as an instrument. He saw that Krishna has a role for me.

And it’s like on a play, in a drama, the director has a role for a player. And the director says, no. Come back from the stage. He says, no. I want to play more.

No. Come back. Prabhupada’s attachment to Krishna was more than even his attachment to build a temple for Krishna. And that’s how he was ready to give up his desire to see the Juhu temple. He did everything for Krishna.

He fought like a warrior to build a temple. But when Krishna’s call came, Prabhupada gracefully accepted that. So leave alone material attachment that can distract us from Krishna, Prabhupada demonstrated how even spiritual attachments did not distract him from Krishna. So that is the glory of Srila Prabhupada. So bhakti is rare not because Krishna withholds it, but it’s because that level of desire for Krishna is rare.

And it is by associating with devotees who have such desire that we get the desire. When we hear from devotees who are filled with love for Krishna, who are filled with the dreams of serving Krishna, then we also get surcharged by that desire. Bhakti sanjayate bhakti. That’s why association of devotees is so important. And it’s not that in association we just discuss Prajalva.

In association, we discuss about Krishna, then our heart becomes energized with desires for Krishna. So this is how Then we go to the last two characteristics. We have discussed both of them partly. But the first is Now the word this is a little complicated. Now in that there’s means bliss, ecstasy, joy.

Now Sandra means intense or concentrated. Means, this is a very special experience at the level of the soul. It is concentrated, intense, spiritual experience. What do we mean here by concentrated? See, it is there are many different kinds of pleasures.

Say, like, people watch movies. Now I was in America. I was invited at one time to my first in 2014, I started going to America. You know, the first year I was invited to many college programs. So I lost track of which all programs I was going to.

So when I was going to one program, I asked the devotees, which is this university? And they said, this is the American Institute of illusion. Now what does that mean? At that time, I wiped away the America itself was an institute of illusion. It’s spreading materialism all over the world.

But my point but it is actually the college where how movies are made. You know, how to do cinematography, how to do choreography, how to direction, how to do video editing, all that is taught. It’s one such college. So now there are 100 even thousands of movies that are made every year. But some movies become flops.

You know? What is the opposite of a flop? Hit. Okay. So some movies few movies are hits.

Many are flops. Now, why do many movies flop? Audience doesn’t like. Why does the audience not like? Because the illusion is not good enough.

Isn’t it? See, people want to forget the boredom and the minority of their life. And when they are watching a movie, you know, if the acting is not good, if the plot is unrealistic, whatever it is. If the illusion is not good enough, then the spell breaks and then you don’t enjoy it. So what happens is that in all material enjoyment, It is always interrupted or it is dissipated enjoyment.

What do you mean interrupted? Like in a movie, I might enjoy one dialogue. But after all other dialogues are so boring. You might enjoy one fight scene, you know, one dance sequence, but others are boring. So in real life, whatever enjoyment we get, you know, it is not like complete immersive enjoyment where everything is enjoyable and there is nothing to complain about.

There’s always something that is disappointing. Okay. You know, in this part of the world, okay, you know, the culture is good, but the work work is too much. Or, you know, this is not right. That is not right.

Like, many people from who come to here, may want to go to America. Now America, maybe the glamour is more. But then you don’t get get any maids or any staff for I’ll help you get work at home. So everything you have to do on your own. There are challenges.

So that every that every happy experience in this world is diluted and contaminated by something unsatisfactory. So now we may say, okay. You know, I had a I had a meal. This was a delightful meal. Everything was wonderful.

Okay. It may happen one time but it doesn’t happen each time. So that so it’s like when you say there is no happiness in this world which is fully satisfying. The one one thing is satisfying but the other thing is not so satisfactory. So nothing is fully satisfying.

We can all think of whatever dreams we may have had. Some of the dreams are fulfilled. But then, what happens? Okay. One part of this is wonderful, but another part is not.

They say love is blind, but marriage is an eye opener. Isn’t it? So when people say they’re in love, that is completely mad and thinking that the other person is is a fulfillment of all my dreams. Now even if the other person is wonderful, still everybody is human. So everybody has their limitations.

So what happens is that there is no undiluted, uncontaminated happiness in this world. Every happy experience is contaminated. But the experience of Krishna is satisfying at every level. In the Chaitanyaartha Amruta, the example is given that Krishna, enters into and enchants every one of our senses. The sight, the form of Krishna is extraordinary.

The fragrance of Krishna is extraordinary. The music of Krishna is extraordinary. The sound that comes through the ears. Everything about Krishna is enriching, is enchanting. And in that sense, the happiness that we get by immersion in Krishna, there is no interruption in that.

There’s no dilution in that. No contamination in that. So, why? Because Krishna is Krishna is not just Akarsha but Sarva Akarsha. He is all attractive.

Now, getting this experience takes time. Right now, for us, maybe one aspect of Krishna is attractive. Maybe we like kirtans. But, you know, we don’t like japa so much. We don’t like, maybe everybody likes prasad.

We all like feasting. Most of us don’t like fasting. So there’s some things about Krishna consciousness we like right now, some things we don’t like. But when we come to the level of pure universal service, everything about Krishna becomes joyful. In the spiritual world, there is separation from Krishna also.

But even in separation, there is actually a greater immersion in Krishna. There is a greater remembrance of Krishna. And that is why, actually, the devotee becomes even more joyful. Yes. The devotee wants union with Krishna, But it’s like, at the material level there is enjoyment and there is suffering.

At the spiritual level there is union and there is separation. Now, the basic experience of material level is an illusion. So it is like poison. Now material enjoyment is like sweet poison. Material suffering is like bitter poison.

But it’s still poison. At the spiritual level, remembrance of Krishna is like nectar. Union with Krishna is like sweet nectar. Separation from Krishna is like bitter nectar. It is bitter but it’s still nectar.

It is bitter but it’s still better than even the sweet sweet poison of metal existence. The Chetan Chetan would use the example that this is like hot sugarcane juice. It’s it’s sugarcane juice. It’s delicious. We can’t stop drinking it.

But it’s hot, we feel I can’t drink it. So but the point is everything about Krishna is joyful. And Bhakti helps us connect with Krishna, become absorbed with Krishna. And that’s why it’s intense concentrated bliss. And then the last aspect of this Bhakti is is Krishna Akarshini.

That bhakti attracts even Krishna. So the idea here is that Krishna is all attractive. And yet, Krish while Krishna at one level is complete, he doesn’t need anything. He’s called Atmarama. Ultimately, those who become devoted to Krishna also become Atmarama.

They become self satisfied. And yet, when a devotee’s heart is filled with love for Krishna, Krishna is amazed that what is it in me that attracts these devotees so much to me? Like, say, Krishna is here, and say, we are here. So, now, this is the bond of Bhakti. So what bhakti does is that bhakti, with bhakti we become attracted to Krishna.

So when we become attracted to Krishna, we experience joy. But the joy we experience is so great that Krishna start thinking, what is this joy that they are experiencing? So even Krishna becomes attracted. And Krishna also wants to experience it. So Krishna, He is so joyful.

He is so He is so charmed by the devotee’s heart. You know, Krishna becomes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to experience bhakti. See, Krishna can experience everything, but Krishna can’t experience bhakti because He is the object of bhakti. His object means He’s the receiver of devotion. He wants to be the he wants to be the offeror or the giver of devotion.

So Krishna comes over here and he becomes this bhakti is so sweet, so intoxicating, so enriching that it attracts even Krishna. So in every religious tradition it is said that God is supreme. There is true through that, but in the Bhakti tradition, there is and there is In yes, Krishna is supreme. But in lila, actually it is bhakti that is supreme. It is, in the spiritual world, it is not that God is supreme.

It is love that is supreme. And that is why Krishna hides his Godhood. Krishna in the spiritual world is not acting as if he is God. He is acting as a sweet lovable child. Why?

Because he he wants he is attracted to Bhakti. He wants that sweet reciprocation of love. And that’s why he conceals his godhood so that his devotees can love him uninhibited. The devotees all if Yashoda may always remember, Krishna is God. And she can’t chastise him.

She can’t discipline him. Her love would become interrupted. So what happens is that Krishna through yoga Maya conceals his godhood. So Krishna does not delight so much in exhibiting his godhood as in experiencing the reciprocation of love. So in the spiritual world, it is bhakti that reigns supreme.

In Barsana, there is a place called Maan Mandir where Radharani becomes upset with Krishna. And then Krishna goes there, and Krishna, while seeking forgiveness from Radharani, bows down and touches his head to Radharani’s foot. Now everybody touches their head to Krishna’s foot, but Krishna, he subordinates himself to Radharani. So that is how Bhakti attracts even Krishna. And there is this is the supreme glory of Bhakti.

Krishna attracts everyone, but Bhakti attracts even Krishna. The world is attracted by Madan. Madan is attracted by Madan Mohan. And Madan Mohan is attracted by Madan Mohan Mohini. And that Madan Mohan Mohini is actually the embodiment of bhakti.

So the glories of bhakti are ultimately the glories of shrimati Radharani. Because Radharani is the embodiment of bhakti. And it is that Radharani’s mercy that we seek when we try to practice bhakti. These are her glories and by understanding her glories, by appreciating her glories, by getting her blessings, we will ultimately be united with Krishna. So I’ll summarize what we discussed today.

We discussed 4 color characters of Bhakti, the last 4. The first was how becomes insignificant. This was where I spent a lot of time. I explained how suffering is universal, but the impersonal diagnosis of suffering is, it is incomplete. The incomplete diagnosis is that pain is caused by is movement and should stop movement.

So the incomplete diagnosis is that, actually bondage is suffering is what we want to avoid. So suffering comes because of desires. Desires come because of qualities. So they say that give up qualities and we’ll give you desires, we’ll give up suffering. But actually, what the personal understanding is that there are there are eternal qualities and Krishna has eternal qualities.

And when we dwell on Krishna, we get spiritual desires. And through the spiritual desires, we don’t get suffering, we get ecstasy. We get the supreme happiness. So it’s like the relief, no pain versus dancing. No pain through no motion.

The joy of dancing is far far greater. So the joy of Bhakti is far greater. And the second was we discussed two reasons for it. 1st is, like the king may release a prisoner, but the other is to adopt as a prince. So this itself is rare.

But more it is Krishna gives this rarely, but more that, the desire for Krishna to be greater than the desire for anything else. Anything material or spiritual. This is what is rare. And we discussed how had a great desire to offer the best of this world to Krishna, to spread Krishna portions all over the world. But then Prabhupada was ready to his desire to please Krishna was more than his desire to see the temple that he had made to please Krishna.

So we saw about how love is seen by what we give and what we give up. So Prabhupada was ready to even give up his own plan his plans for serving Krishna. And then we discussed about So here the idea is material pleasure is is always interrupted. It is diluted because it is not everything is enjoyable. But with Krishna, He’s all attractive.

So, therefore, the experiences of concentrated bliss with no interruption. Every aspect of Krishna is attracted. Krishna is the complete sense object for the purified soul. And the last is Krishna. So we discussed how Krishna attracts everything in this world.

But that Krishna so in the spiritual world, what is supreme at one level is Krishna. But another level it is? It is bhakti. It is love that is supreme. And in terms of, but in terms of lila, what actually happens in the spiritual world?

So because love reigns supreme, Krishna himself subordinates his godhood. So Krishna is attracted by love and so Krishna, he does not show his godhood. He actually subordinates his godhood for the purpose of love, for uninhibited love. That is how great love is and it is that love. So ultimately, this love, this bhakti that attracts Krishna is non different from Radharani.

So by understanding the glories of bhakti, we understand the glories of Radharani. And by getting her mercy, we also become attracted to Krishna and enriched with Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much. Hooray, Krishna. So I think we don’t have any time for questions today.

So I’m very grateful to the opportunity to be here with all of you and to see your enthusiasm and your capacity you know, there is intense bliss. So my classes are intense intellectual exercise. So thank you for being ready for 5 days of workout. My best wishes and prayers that in this month of Kartik, all of you become enriched with Radharani’s blessings and get profuse devotion so that in this Mathuradesh, more and more people can be attracted to Krishna, and all of you can also be attracted more and more to Krishna. Of course, Prabhu in one sense, Prabhu in one sense, is playing the role of a Shiksha guru for all of us because practically every preacher refers to Prabhuji’s talks, analysis, presentation, and this has, empowered our preaching in so many ways.

So, Prabhuji, you are nurturing us in more ways than that you are aware of, you know, and we are very, very fortunate that, we could host, Prabhuji during this visit. Prabhuji’s unique presentation of drawing on the on the screen. So I was also just thinking towards the conclusion that, of course, I don’t have a pen and a tablet. So there is lord Krishna. There are there are his instructions, and following his instructions leads to happiness.

And jiva is here, but the jiva is covered in confusion, you know. Then comes Chaitanya Charan Prabhu, removes the confusion, and we experience we’re able to understand Krishna’s instructions for happiness. We will draw this and send it to you, Prabhu. So, once again And it’s your humility, Prabhuji. So with Prabhu’s permission, we will chant 3 times that may, Krishna, Prabhuji more and more and more so that he is able to keep good health and travel all over the world, to present the philosophy of, Krishna consciousness in a manner that is timeless as well as timely, that it touches the hearts of so many, educated, intelligent people, and inspires all of us to practice and in our own limited way present a, philosophy of Krishna consciousness nicely.

So we’ll chant 3 times. So, Prajna, kindly keep us in your prayers and bless us that we are able to apply, the teachings that you presented to all of us, in our own lives and also be able to serve Srila Prabhupada’s movement as some insignificant instrument, taking inspiration, from you. Hare Krishna. So we wish Prabhuji a safe journey back. Prabhu travels 9 to 10 months every year.

So that’s also a nice example of desire, what Prabhu explained in his talk. Thank you very much, Prabhu ji, for for your inspirational visit and benefiting us in so many ways. Hare Krishna.

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