Bhakti Shastri Course by HG Radha Krshna Prabhuji - Class 3 (06/28/2014)

Chapter 1: Observing the Armies
Summary:
1. Preparation of war
2. The signs of victory for the Pandavas
3. Whose side is Krsna on.

Verse 1-27: what is happening in the battlefield
Text 1: Dhrtarastra wasn't on the battlefield and hence asked Sanjaya what are everybody doing at Kurukshetra. Actually even Dhrtarastra had the vision from Vyasadev and was given the divine eyes but Dhrtarastra didn't want to see his sons to be killed and hence asked somebody to tell him the war. So Sanjaya was given the benediction from Vyasadeva to give live streaming of the Kurukshetra war.
Purport: To study the BG you need help of a devotee to help understand it very nicely. How should we study - very scrutinizly. Should be a daily schedule, read carefully - what Krsna, his devotees and SP wants us to do. We shouldn't be personally motivated - we shouldn't be finding a verse to satisfy our needs. We need to hear only by disciplic succession because only then we will know what Krsna wants us to understand in the right way - otherwise we will not understand it properly when we hear from person to person and not by the disciplic succession.  Whatever we want to know is in the vedas - just like how Arjuna understood it. It is considered the 7th veda. The essence of the vedas is in the BG. Dhrtarastra is concerned about two things - 1. he didn't say my nephews - he said sons of pandu - because otherwise he will have affection
2. Place of pilgrimage - Kuruksetra/Dharmashetra - its a sacred place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. He knows Pandavas are righteous or virtuous and anybody who goes to the place of pilgrimage it influences them - Kauravas might say we don't want to fight take the land or Pandavas say - we don't anything we don't want to fight.
SP says paddy field unnecessary weeds are taken out. In Kurukshetra - in front of Krsna - unwanted plants like Kauravas will be wiped out - that's the analogy SP gives in the last paragraph of the first verse.

Text 2: Theme now is what is Duryodhana is doing. We see how he is so diplomatic and he is fearful (till verse 11)
Purport: He is blind and is also bereft of spiritual vision and he knew his sons are also blind in religion. Even though he is addressed as King Duryodhana - so instead of going to the ministers he is diplomatic and he goes to his teacher Dronacharya and because he is a brahmana he committed the following mistake.

Text 3: Here he is being very diplomatic and is pointing out to his teacher the mistake he has made. Drupada made a fire sacrifice and prayed to have a son who will kill Dronacharya they came from the fire sacrifice and the other personality was Draupadi. Dhristadyumna still sent to Dronacharya to learn the art of war. Here Duryodhana is pointing out to his teacher see what your mistake has been made. Don't be lenient to the pandavas and your students because this is what you are meant to do and if you don't fight properly we will be defeated.

Text 4: He is trying to allay the fear that these two personalities Bhima and Arjuna are the two stumbling blocks and is very afraid of both of them but still he is trying to convince others that we have great fighters so everybody can feel not afraid. Again his diplomacy. 3 vows after Draupadi was disrobed  - 1. will kill all 101 sons of Dhirtarastra, 2. Duryodhana had pulled out his dhoti and had asked Draupadi to sit on his lap - hence he had vowed he will break his thigh 3. He said he will tear Dushasana chest and take out his heart and drink his blood and will also break his hand. Draupadi also said she will not tie her hair till she gets the blood of Dushasana on it.

Text 5: He is stating other fighters too.
Text 6:  other fighters - till now he has said about the other army

Text 7: Now about his army to both Drona and Bhisma
Text 8: Starts with Drona instead of Bhisma - because he again wanted to be diplomatic and he knew Bhisma won't mind if he mentioned a brahmana then he mentioned Bhisma to please him. He also mentioned Krpa and Ashwattama who were relatives of Dronachary. Then he mentioned Vikarna who was the only brother to defend the draupadi vastraharan and hence, he was trying to please everybody so nobody defects to the other side. Just before the war starts Vikarna actually goes to the Pandavas side.

Text 9: others who are ready to fight for Duryodhana - SP says they are already concluded that they will die.
Text 10: He knew Bhima is very powerful and he had envy towards him. He is comparing his greatest enemy to Bhisma and he is trying to compare Bhima with Bhisma so he is trying to say he is limited like a fig compared to Bhisma. But Bhisma's will to fight is so less compared to Bhima and hence Bhima might be superior. So Duryodhana in essence is very afraid and is trying to be diplomatic and is trying to please everyone.

Some key points - 1. Duryodhana still feels he is confident of victory 2. He knows nobody can defeat the son of Ganga Bhisma and he has the boon of not dying till he wants to die 3. Till he has Bhismadev he can win the war (He and Drona knew Krsna is the supreme Lord and yet were fighting on dharma as he had vowed to protect the kingdom - Once Kstariya gives his word still they keep up their word, Drona had given up knowledge for money and hence he was obligated to the Kauravas. These are all great personalities and they are just showing with their examples what we shouldn't do) 4. Duryodhana knew both Drona and Bhisma had lot of affection but he also knew both of them didn't do anything when Draupadi was disrobed and hence we see Duryodhana is very arrogant so far.

Text 11: Again diplomatic that even though Bhisma is very strong, yet he is an old man and hence everybody should give him protection

Text 12:  Bhisma knowing Duryodhana was afraid and his heart - feeling compassion he blew his conchshell very loudly to cheer him. Also the conchshell is a sign of Krsna and he tried to tell Duryodhana that his defeat is immenient.

Text 13: From now we will see subtle signs of how the Kauravas are going to die.
Very loud everybody started blowing and beating drums - At that period there were ethics also in war.

Text 14:  Both Krsna and Arjuna's conchshells are transcendental. Here we see so many signs of wins for the Pandavas. Signs of  victory 1. Krsna on their side 2. Whereever Krsna is Goddess of fortune is also there so Victory and fortune is always with the persons who are with Krsna 3. Arjuna's flag was Hanumanji - another symbol of victory 4. Conchshells - signs of visnu 5. Both Krsna and Arjuna's Conchshells are transcendental - hence there was different reaction when they blew theirs.
Special chariot - donated by agni deva - it can change its direction based on where Arjuna wants to shoot also Arjuna could fight from both right and left hands - he had that boon. Chariot could move in any direction and in any part of the universe.

Text 15:  All these were Transcendental conchshells - All of them have personalities themselves. They can all take form and can come down if they need to. As these are all transcendental hence they are all named. They are used to purify the ether with ghosts spirits and dirty elements and hence we blow the conchshell. Krsna's conchshell - Pancajanya; Arjuna's - Devadatta and Bhima's - Paundra. Yudhisthira - Anantavijaya; Nakula - Sughosa and Sahadeva- Manipuspaka
Lot of important points in the Purport - PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY 

HW: Find Different names of Krsna, arjuna and Bhima (3 or 4 names of Krsna and Arjuna also has 3/4 different names)
Hearing these Conchshells the hearts of the Kauravas were shattered.

Text 16: All such great personalities going to war but all started by King Dhrtarastra.
Text 19: SP says in purport - one who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord then we have nothing to fear in the midst of the greatest calamity - the verse is an example how the Pandavas felt no fear as Krsna was with them.  So in our day to day life too - everyday is a battle we should be fearful of the material world and should take shelter of the supreme Lord Krsna everyday every moment.

Text 20: Arjuna was prepared to fight but Krsna puts Arjuna in a situation so he can talk to the Lord and Krsna can then speak the BG.

Text 21: Krsna wanted Arjuna to see his own relatives so he can be bewildered and then he can speak the BG. Here Arjuna refers Krsna as Acyuta - why? The Lord never fails his devotee because of his affection to His devotees. Because Krsna takes pleasure to serve his devotees and whatever position he takes he becomes the best - best servant, best lover, best charioter, that should be our mood - be the best in whatever you do. The servant wants to serve the Lord and Krsna also wants to serve and reciprocate with the devotee and that is called rasa - Krsna is experiencing each rasa by taking the position with each of his devotees. This is a very unique quality of the supreme Lord. He puts Arjuna in yogamaya because he wants to teach all of us something  - he wanted to clean up the unwanted elements and hence he had the war but at the same time he wanted to give everybody some teaching and hence wants to speak the BG.

Text 23: He wanted to see others

Text 24: He is called Gudakesena - sleep or waking he never forgets Krsna. Hence Arjuna had conquered sleep as even in sleep he is thinking of Krsna and that is complete KC - and that is samadhi - that is the level we want to come to. But to get there we need to practise what SP has laid out and then we can always think of Krsna in sleep or waking always of Krsna. That is pure KC. Hence, we should always practice nicely the Lord will help us to go back to him and always give your senses all Krsna related things - ALL SENSES!

Text 25/26: Here is saw everybody connected one way or another - all this by Krsna to change his heart by Yogamaya.

Text 27: This is the quality of devotees - when he saw all these people - he was overwhelmed with compassion.

28-46: Arjuna is giving his reasons on not fighting
Reasons are 5:
4 reasons are given in 1st chapter and the other reason is in the 2nd chapter.

Text 28: Now he starts the reasons of not fighting.
1. Limbs are quivering and mouth is drying up - because he knows he is going to be killing all these people. Characteristics of a pure devotee. He was astonished that even though he's going to kill all of them yet they are all there to fight him. He was a soft hearted and compassionate devotee.  He was thinking is the kingdom worth it by killing so many devotees.

Text 29:  2. Body is trembling, hair standing on end and bow Gandiva is slipping - skin is burning. - By Krsna's yogamaya Arjuna started behaving like an ordinary man. He starts fearing so much - I will lose my job, I will lose my home, I will lose my family - but if you approach Krsna and take shelter under him - automatically we will become fearless and wont fear the material world - that should be our mood - just surrender to the will of Krsna and serve him in any situation and then Krsna seeing this mood will be very happy with your patience and determination.

Chapter 12.17 - end of chapter 12 by HG Shyamsundar Prabhu

Bg 12.17 — One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things – such a devotee is very dear to Me.

Bg 12.18-19 — One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn’t care for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in devotional service – such a person is very dear to Me.

Krsna is describing the qualities in his devotees who are very dear to him. SP explains that one must acquire all these qualifications and how do you acquire these qualifications - no need of any extra way to acquire them but just carefully follow dev service and automatically these qualities will manifest in a devotee. On one hand he is doing his sadhana and on the other hand he is cultivating these qualities - you need to make the effort. Ex - equiposed in honor and dishonor - when one is in dev service one will get honor at that time we should not association ourselves this that honor and also during undergoing dev service we might have dishonor and still we should be affected by this. One has to tolerate - that effort to tolerate has to come from the devotee. The engagement in KC will give the devotee that strength - one has to be strong in sadhana and at the same time try to inculcate these qualities - why are they so dear to Krsna?? Why? They are dear because these qualities enable the devotee to engage in dev service to Krsna in a very steady way - if we get away from these qualities even one, we get away from Krsna and get pulled away from him. Hence, we need to get these qualities so we can always be steady in our service to Krsna, knowing that we are only his part and parcel and eternal servant to Krsna - even in heat and cold. If we are only a fair weather devotee then we aren't a pure devotee - drida nischaya - even when you are sick, even when you have an operation yet you are sincere in your devotional service to Krsna with all your senses. Trinad api sunichena - always surrender and humility.

Success or failure starts with the tongue. The key way to control the tongue is by taking Krsna Prasad! Very very difficult to control the tongue and only way to do this is by starting to eat Prasad. SPeech is the second thing - he speaks very carefully - unless you don't have control over mind you have no control over your speech. Vacho vegam. only by controlling your tongue can you become a pure devotee - Always remain silent - only talk sense and no nonsense. Sense = KRsna katha. Always just satisfied with what KRsna is giving to you.  

Come above the dualities and situate yourself in the mode of goodness. Only by mode of goodness can you engage yourself in pure devotional service. Devotees feel very close to KRsna then.

Bg 12.20 — Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.

The purpose of this is to engage in uninterrupted unmotivated devotional service to Krsna. Only then you have made our life successful. Otherwise we are doing something but we are constantly distracted and our surroundings are just distracting us. WE know our goal, but we feel yes but right now I want to do something else. This is maya devi. MOment by moment she tries to take us away and time is gone. Hence we must be very alert and make KRsna our goal of life. WHen we have made Krsna as our goal then everything aligns itself. What we do at this moment determines how sincere we are to Krsna. 

Humility is to understand whatever KRsna gives us we accept. WHen we accept Krsna is the supreme and understand that we are insignificant that is humility. Whatever happens and dished out to us - still we keep determined to do our devotional service with humbleness and determination. Seed of bhakti can grow only when we are humble. Glorify KRSNA all the time.

The only way to get this urgency that we are wasting our time is by reading Srimad Bhagavatam. SP's books and purport wakes us up. He clearly states there is no moment to waste - please utilize every moment in Krsna's service. Start this routine from tomorrow itself.

BG 12.12 by HG Shyamsundar Prabhu

BG 12.12: If you cannot take to this practice, then engage yourself in the cultivation of knowledge. Better than knowledge, however, is meditation, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation one can attain peace of mind.

We are talking about dev service in this chapter and in this chapter in the starting Arjuna is asking which process is better and Krsna says Dev. Service is the best, just fix your mind upon me, your intelligence upon me and then you will be living in me without a doubt. That is the process but he is encouraging all kinds of people who are willing to get on the path of dharma. This teaches us a very imp lesson:

1. We should completely dedicate our lives to serve Krnsa. Just like ganga is flowing without any hindrance into the sea, same way let my mind cross over all obstacles and let if flow towards your lotus feet. When mind is completely fixed on Krsna then it becomes perfect.

We need to make Krsna our only goal.When we make something else as our goal then for that one thing we need to give up Krsna. "If we are expecting respect even from one person in this world then we are going to be left behind in this material world". If anything other than Krsna is of priority to us then we take on one thing after another and after this thing is over, I will become a serious devotee. It's always one little thing and that keeps us in the material world. Hence Krsna is urging us and SP also talks to us in the sense of urgency - this human life is so rare and by all means we should direct our energy to serve Krsna. Arjuna is directly on the platform of devotional service and that is the highest level - their challenges are should I pick Krsna or something else and in that war of maya the sadhaka needs to win by service to Vaisnava and just performing bhakti yoga.

How we view the world in the light of BG. Uttama adhikari is always seeing that everybody is engaged in nice seva. Krsna wants us to come to that level - that we give all respect to others and expect no respect for ourselves. When we feel all others around me are so advanced and I'm so lowly and just by Mahaprabhu's causeless mercy I'm here - without Krsna's mercy nothing is possible. Ultimately, goal is Krsna. How do we get to that stage by reading SB everyday. The words of SB bring the conditioned soul which is stuck in the cluthes of the material nature and by reading the SB we will like we have conquered material world.  We need to do in pure faith engage in this method and 

how

1. Reading SB everyday very sincrely.

2. Chanting the Hare Krsna mahamantra very sincerely. 

If we chant Hare Krsna sincerely and attentively, then we can actually remember Krsna at time of death.If you chant distinctly during your life then it is definitely possible that at time of death you can chant Hare Krsna maha mantra and make this life a success.  Actually this Kali-yuga you need to do vaishnava seva. Only then we get taste of the Holy name only when we do vaishnava seva - mood of trinand api sunecena. 

Become absorbed in chanting the holy name for 24 hours - kirtanaya sada hari - taking a humble position - Only when we are in the mood the holy name can penetrate our heart. This whole practise we are doing is only for one purpose to get the taste of the Holy name.

Ways to do vaishnava seva - most important ingredient is the mood. When we have the mood only then can we do our seva. In grahasta we should feel the family people are vaishnavas and if we can serve them very very sincerely then our life has become successful. Also those devotees who have dedicated their lives to preaching is wonderful, peer vaishnavas is also very important (even the fellow devotee) - just thinking you are the lowest of lowest and if you can serve everybody around you then you do vaishnava seva. example  - washing the plates of all the devotees ISKCON bombay. We should also engage ourselves in some very menial service every sunday to serve the Vaishnavas - clean the foor of the deity room, wash the pots - in one shot we can serve all the devotees. In this way when we have a balanced way of serving different vaishnavas in that way Krsna will be pleased with us. Prabhuji gave so many examples of devotees on our Thursday call how all the devotees are serving Krsna and the devotees. This made me feel so low that what kind of service am I doing compared to all of such great vaishnavas. Hopefully Krsna and Radharani can engage me in their loving service. Haribol!