Bhagavad Gita 1.11 and 12

[Paramananda das]

Text 11 ayanesu ca sarveshu yatha-bhagam avasthitah bhismam evabhirakshantu bhavantah sarva eva hi Translation All of you must now give full support to Grandfather Bhishma, as you stand at your respective strategic points of entrance into the phalanx of the army.  Commentary by Srila Prabhupada  Duryodhana, after praising the prowess of Bhishma, further considered that others might think that they had been considered less important, so in his usual diplomatic way, he tried to adjust the situation in the above words. He emphasized that Bhishmadeva was undoubtedly the greatest hero, but he was an old man, so everyone must especially think of his protection from all sides. He might become engaged in the fight, and the enemy might take advantage of his full engagement on one side. Therefore, it was important that other heroes not leave their strategic positions and allow the enemy to break the phalanx. Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhishmadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhishmadeva and Dronacarya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna’s wife Draupadi, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to appear naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly. Although he knew that the two generals had some sort of affection for the Pandavas, he hoped that these generals would now completely give it up, as they had done during the gambling performances. Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur Therefore you should be very careful. Though you are divided into different groups (yatha bhagam) for the purpose of entering into the enemy lines (ayanesu), you should not give up your designated positions on the battlefield. Being fixed in your respective positions, protect Bhisma on all sides, so that he is not attacked from behind while engaged in fighting with others. The implication here is "Only by the strength of Bhisma will we survive."     Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Visnuswami   Sridhara Swami's Commentary   Duryodhana is factually telling Dronacarya that although Bhishmadeva is partial to the Pandavas, the Kaurava victory is dependent on the vigilant protection of Bhishmadeva. So he must be protected from all sides in such a way that he cannot be slain form any direction. The Kaurava army depends solely on the might of Bhishmadeva.   Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Madhvacarya   Madhvacarya's Commentary   Madhvacarya has no commentary so we present Baladeva Vidyabhusana's. If Drona becomes indifferent understanding the implications of negligence hidden in these words my purposes will be hampered. Thinking this Duryodhana assured him of his confidence in his ability by the use of the word ayanesuindicating prowess. You all being divisioned at strategic points in your various military formations should not leave your positions for you all must carefully protect Bhishma from both sides and behind as he will be so engaged in the overall battle he may not be aware of his immeadiate surroundings. If he is protected properly then our victory is assured. Duryodhana's intimation was that Bhishma is my grandfather and Drona is my preceptor thus both must be my well-wisher and this was already proven in the royal assembly during the game of dice with the Pandava's when neither Bhishma or Drona responded to the overt indiscretions against Draupadi; even though they both could see the injustice and transgression that she was subjected to by Duryodhana.   Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Ramanuja There is no commentary for this verse.   Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Nimbaditya   Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary   So Duryodhana faced with the feeling of inadequacy reflects what is to be done? In this verse he replies that all of his army situated in their respective strategic points in their various positions must support and protect Bhishma very carefully, who is the commander of the army. It is understood that where the commander is protected the army is protected.           Text 12 tasya sanjanayan harsam kuru-vrddhah pitamahah simha-nadam vinadyoccaih sankham dadhmau pratapavan Translation Then Bhishma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like the roar of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy.  Commentary by Srila Prabhupada  The grandsire of the Kuru dynasty could understand the inner meaning of the heart of his grandson Duryodhana, and out of his natural compassion for him he tried to cheer him by blowing his conchshell very loudly, befitting his position as a lion. Indirectly, by the symbolism of the conchshell, he informed his depressed grandson Duryodhana that he had no chance of victory in the battle, because the Supreme Lord Krishna was on the other side. But still, it was his duty to conduct the fight, and no pains would be spared in that connection. Commentary by Sri Vishwanatha Chakravarthi Thakur Bhisma, the elder of the Kurus, joyful on hearing respect given to him, and to produce joy in Duryodhana by driving away his fears, roaring like lion, blew his conch shell. The phrase simha-nadam vinadya uses the same root nod twice. The literal meaning is roaring the roar of a lion. The intended meaning is "roaring like a lion," according to the sutra upamane karmani. (Panini 3.4.45)     Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Visnuswami   Sridhara Swami's Commentary   Bhishmadeva hearing such words of high esteem, roared like a lion and to gladden the heart of Duryodhana blew a thunderous blast from his conch shell.   Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Madhvacarya   Madhvacarya's Commentary   Madhvacarya has no commentary so we present Baladeva Vidyabhusana's. Bhishma become elated hearing the praises given him by Duryodhana. Thus to eliminate the fear he knew Duryodhana was concealing in his heart he roared like a lion, simha-nadam means roaring like a lion and then blew a thunderous blast on his conchshell. By only sounding a blast on his conch shell without speaking Bhishma signified that true to ksatriya or warrior code of warfare he would fight until death.   Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Ramanuja There is no commentary for this verse.   Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:   Nimbaditya   Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary   So Duryodhana full of internal anxiety deceptively addressed the preceptor Dronacarya attempting to conceal his fear at the might of the Pandava army. Drona understanding the offensive innuendo by the words inner significance ignored Duryodhana being dissatisfied by the subtle sarcasm concealed within the words. At this time the valiant grandsire Bhishma perceiving Duryodhana's inner despondency, roared like a lion and blew a thunderous blast on his conch shell just to increase Duryodhana's joy.       "Wanting to be Cheated"   73/07/13 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.12 listen    Take a test     Pradyumna: Translation: "Then Bhisma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy." [Bg. 1.12] Prabhupada: So Duryodhana was doubting that "My grandfather, Bhisma, is more affectionately inclined to the other party. So he may not be lenient in fighting." So in order to encourage Duryodhana, tasya sanjanayan harsam. "Don't think that I am lenient. I am strong." Immediately, to encourage him, he blew his conchshell. Nowadays they use bugle. Formerly the conchshells were used by the kings. And not that in modern days the fighting takes place -- the poor soldiers, they come to fight, and the leaders, they remain in safety place. It is not like that. All of them came out, ksatriya. Bhismadeva came, Duryodhana came, Arjuna came. And face to face, they had to fight. Not that the poor soldiers would fight and they would remain in a secure place, no. So tasya sanjanayan harsam kuru-vrddhah. Kuru-vrddha, the oldest man in the dynasty, Kuru dynasty, pitamaha, he's the grandfather of Arjuna and Duryodhana. The Dhrtarastra's elder uncle, his father's elder brother. He was very old man, brahmacari, and in that old age also, he was taking the risk of fighting. This is ksatriya spirit. Not that only... Dhrtarastra was escaping. Not escaping, because he was physically incapable, blind, therefore he did not come in the battlefield. Otherwise even Bhismadeva, in such old age he also came. This is ksatriya spirit. When there is fight, there is no rest. And fight means "Either the other party should be killed or I shall be killed." Not that without any decision the fighting will be stopped. No, that cannot be. When there is two parties, must be belligerent, one party. So decision is that "Either you kill me or I kill you." Not that without killing... "Without being killed one of us, the fighting cannot be stopped." Just like Jarasandha was fighting with Bhima. During daytime the fighting was going on, and at night Bhima was a guest of Jarasandha. As guest is honored, respected, all the parties... But during daytime the fighting was going on. And this fighting went on for twenty-eight days. Still, there was no decision. Then Krsna gave hint, Bhimasena, that "Jarasandha has got a defect. He is joined, two bodies joined. So if you bifurcate him, then he will be killed." So later on Bhimasena took that policy, and Jarasandha was killed. So amongst the ksatriyas when there is fighting, unless one party is killed, the fighting cannot be stopped. This is the Battle of Kuruksetra, to see the history of the former kings and ksatriyas, how they were determined. This is one of the qualifications of ksatriya: not to go away from the fighting. When there is challenge of fighting, immediately a ksatriya would accept. That is ksatriya spirit. Isvara-bhavam ca, and ruling over others. And charitable. These are the symptoms of ksatriya. They are described in the Bhagavad-gita, brahmana qualification, ksatriya qualification, vaisya qualification, sudra qualification. So... Very nice arrangement, Vedic civilization. Everyone is guided by the superior. The brahmana guides the ksatriyas, the ksatriya guides the vaisyas, and the vaisya employs the sudras. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. In this way, four divisions of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, they manage the whole society so nicely. The ksatriyas, as the ksatriya's business was to give protection to the citizens, similarly, vaisya's duty was to give protection to the animals. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. Vaisya, they should engage themselves in agricultural production and giving protection to the cows, especially mentioned, go-raksya. Go-raksya, cow protection, is one of the items of state affairs. And now there is no cow protection. Poor cows, they deliver milk, and later on they become slaughtered. How much sinful the modern society is, and they still want peace and prosperity. That is not possible. The society must be divided -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra -- and they must execute their proper duty. And the vaisyas, they should give protection to the cows. And the sudras, they should work under the direction of the higher three divisions. In this way there will be nice management. Then, as it is stated during the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, kamam vavarsa parjanyah [SB 1.10.4]. Then nature also will help. If you keep things all right, according to the direction, then nature also will help you. Nature will give you sufficient foodstuff. Vavarsa parjanyah, kamam. Whatever the necessities of life, it will be supplied by nature simply by proper pouring of water, vrsti. Actually, now the whole world is suffering for drought. There is scarcity of rain. And if the rain is stopped for one or two years more, there will be havoc. It is already there, havoc. In India there is famine, because they are more, mostly agriculturists. So there is famine. In other countries they have got industries. But India is not so industrially advanced. So without water, nothing can be produced. Therefore during Maharaja Yudhisthira's time, kamam vavarsa parjanyah [SB 1.10.4]. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14]. If you want sufficient water, then you must perform yajna. These are the indications, direction of the Vedic wisdom. So at the present moment no other yajna is possible. The only yajna, sankirtana-yajna, is possible. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah [SB 11.5.32]. So if this Krsna consciousness movement is taken seriously all over the world and they perform sankirtana-yajna, everything will be adjusted immediately. Everything. But these rascals will not take it. They will suffer. Otherwise all directions are there. People have to take the advantage of direction, perfect direction, without any mistake, and they will be happy. So we are trying to introduce this Krsna consciousness movement so that people may come to their senses, take advantage of it and be happy. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973   HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

comment: Srila Prabhupada clearly points out the real behavior of ksatriyas, they do not hide behind lines and not fight themselves.

War is a terrible thing and all wars in present day are fought to secure financial control over another country, or sometimes to protect a country against such invaders.

Basically modern wars are all demoniac.When I was a child and teen I was once thinking maybe I should become a fighter pilot in the roayal danish airforce.But my grandmother

a very pious christian lady ,preached to me that war is a terrible thing, she had witnessed 1 and second world war so she said please never ever join any army navy and airforce and if you

have children one day kindly teach them the same.She was of course right.Sadly however sometimes wars have to be fought.My wife is born in a small nation of Eritrea, people are very pious

and honest there, mostly vegetarians and they keep the country neat and clean and very little crime, and hardly no drugs and prostituion etc.They where merged with Ethiopia after being colonized 

for hundreds of years by various European nations like Italy.She was a freedom fighter at age 15 and was one of the million young people that helped free her own country.

We are also trying to do some preaching in this country slowly ,the code name I give it is "Dattareya desh" as the goverment like middle eastern goverments as well are not favorabel to any religion or KC, so codenames are given.

Now this little country is in constant fear of being attacked again by Ethiopia and I pray to Krsna that somehow KC will also come to these countries and other nations in Africa

and the only army needed will be the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya:

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam  sangopangastra-parsadam  yajhaih sarikirtana-prayair  yajanti hi sumedhasah

 

"In the age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of sankirtana yaina." (Bhag. 11.5.32)

 

your servant

Payonidhi das