Bhagavad Gita 1.4

[Paramananda das]

Text 4

atra sura mahesv-asa
bhimarjuna-sama yudhi
yuyudhano viratas ca
drupadas ca maha-rathah

Translation

Here in this army are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna: great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada.

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

Even though Dhrishtadyumna was not a very important obstacle in the face of Dronacarya’s very great power in the military art, there were many others who were causes of fear. They are mentioned by Duryodhana as great stumbling blocks on the path of victory because each and every one of them was as formidable as Bhima and Arjuna. He knew the strength of Bhima and Arjuna, and thus he compared the others with them.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Please see text 6 for Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur's combined commentary to texts 4, 5 and 6.

http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-01-04.html

http://www.prabhupadavani.org/main/Bhagavad-gita/GT007.html

 

"Everything (Even Dictatorship)  Can Be Utilized for Krishna"   73/07/10 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.4-5 listen    Take a test     Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc): atra sura mahesvasa bhimarjuna-sama yudhi yuyudhano viratas ca drupadas ca maha-rathah  [Bg. 1.4] Translation: "Here in this army there are many heroic bowmen equal in fighting to Bhima and Arjuna; there are also great fighters like Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada." Prabhupada: So all these heroes are mentioned not only in this verse, in several other verses also. So people may ask that "By mentioning these great fighter, what spiritual progress we make? Because we are meant for chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra, so by chanting the names of these great fighters, what do we gain?" The question may be raised there. But the thing is that nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe, whenever there is connection with Krsna, that also becomes Krsna. This is a subtle form of philosophical understanding. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. If there is relationship with Krsna... Therefore the sahajiyas, they do not read Bhagavad-gita. They say, "We have nothing to do with Bhagavad-gita." They jump over to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, Krsna's rasa-lila, as if Krsna is connected with rasa-lila and not with this lila. They make distinction. Krsna's this fighting lila, pastimes, and the rasa-lila pastime, they are all the same because Krsna is the center. Krsna being center, whatever in connection with Krsna is there, that becomes also Krsna. This is the idea. anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate This is the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. So just like we, in propagating Krsna consciousness, we have to deal with money or persons who are not Krsna conscious, outsider. We have to deal with them. But when we go to outsider or when we deal with money, there is relationship with Krsna, krsna-sambandha. So Rupa Gosvami has distinguished the... prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate Prapancika means material. So prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. Everything has got connection with Krsna because ultimately everything is Krsna's energy. The material world is also manifestation of Krsna's energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh [Bg. 7.4]. You'll find. Material world means these five elements, gross and subtle. Earth, water, air, fire, sky, these are gross. And mind, intelligence, and ego, these are subtle. These elements, material elements, Krsna says, bhinna me prakrtir astadha: "These material elements, they are separated, but they are My energy. They are My energy." The same example. Just like cloud. Cloud is created by the sun. It is sun's energy which creates the cloud. You know. By temperature the sea water is evaporated, forms into gas. That is cloud. So cloud is created by the energy of the sun, but when there is cloud you cannot see the sun. Sun is covered. Similarly, material energy is Krsna's energy. But when you become covered by this material energy, you do not see Krsna. This is the position. So we have to use our intelligence. That is described by Srila Rupa Gosvami: prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah, mumuksubhih parityagah. Mumuksu, especially the Mayavadis, who are after liberation, to merge into the existence of the Supreme, mumuksu, moksa, they, Mayavada, they say, "Everything is maya." Brahma satyam jagan mithya: "This world is false; only Brahman is reality." But we say that why the jagat, the world should be false if it is coming from the reality? We do not agree with them. We do not accept that this world is false. No. We can say, "It is temporary manifestation." But it is not false. Why it is false? We are living in this house. If somebody, some rascal, says, "It is false," why false? We are utilizing this house. We are utilizing this microphone. We are utilizing the dictaphone. Why it is false? There is sambandha. There is relationship with Krsna. Anything material, made of earth, water, fire, air, they are Krsna's energies. Therefore there is direct relationship with Krsna. And if Krsna is reality, why His energy should be false? No. We must know how to utilize it. So similarly, in this battlefield, Krsna is there, and all the living entities... Some of them are soldiers, some of them are commander-in-chiefs, some of them this, that. Or the chariot or the ground -- everything Krsna's energy. So if we remember that everything is manifestation of Krsna's energy, there is no question of materialism. It is all spiritual energy. So nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. So we have to use them for Krsna. Here all of of them have gathered. This is another Krsna's energy. Krsna appears, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]. He wanted to kill all the demons. That is another side of his business. As one side, paritranaya sadhunam, to give protection to the devotees, the other side is to vanquish all the demons. Just like if you want to grow paddy on the field, so first of all you have to destroy all the unwanted weeds. Then you grow the seeds; it will come out nicely. So these two things are required. Destruction and construction. Both the things are Krsna's activities or different energies. So you cannot accept one thing, giving up the other side. We have to understand that both sides, they are working as different manifestation of Krsna's energy. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. In the Vedas it is said that the Absolute has got multi-energies. So one energy is working in one way, another energy is working in another way. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate, sva-bhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. Just like here also, when we do something, we require varieties of energies to make that thing perfect. So everything, Krsna, Krsna's, this material world or spiritual world, everything is working in order, under different energies. So these, I mean to say, warriors' name-mentioning, we should not neglect. Krsna wanted to gather all the demoniac power in that Battlefield of Kuruksetra and kill them. That was His plan. So there is a plan of Krsna. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. We should not be attached to things as there, but we should try to understand that there is relationship with Krsna. And as soon as there is relationship with Krsna, we shall properly utilize it. That is Krsna consciousness. As soon as we understand that there is relationship with Krsna, nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe... Everything can be utilized for Krsna. Krsna is not a stereotyped, stagnant block. Krsna is a dynamic force. Therefore everything can be dovetailed in the service of Krsna. Simply one should learn the art under proper guidance how to utilize. Then that will be perfect form of Krsna consciousness. Read next verse. Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): dhrstaketus cekitanah kasirajas ca viryavan purujit kuntibhojas ca saibyas ca nara-pungavah Translation: "There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Saibya." Prabhupada: Practically in the Battle of Kuruksetra great personalities, warriors, from all parts of the world they came and joined. Some of them joined with this party and others joined with the other party. So far we have studied... just like Saibya, he belonged to Sibya. So all these personalities, we did not get their full description, it would enhance the pages. But these big personalities, we have got their information. There is a book, The Personalities of Mahabharata. Bhagavad-gita is part of Mahabharata. Mahabharata means greater India. Maha means greater, and bharata means India. So this whole planet was Bharata-varsa. There was only one flag. The whole planet was being ruled by one king. That is the king of this Hastinapura. The fight is that, that who would be the king, Maharaja Yudhisthira or Duryodhana. But a king... It is not a democratic; it is monarchy. So Krsna is deciding, "No, Duryodhana is unfit. Maharaja Yudhisthira is fit." This is Krsna's desire. Therefore this fight is there. Kuruksetra. Krsna wanted to wipe out all unwanted demons from the face of the world and enthrone Maharaja Yudhisthira because he is the exact representative of Krsna. So monarchy or dictatorship is welcome. Now the Communists, they want dictatorship. That is welcome, provided that particular dictator is trained like Maharaja Yudhisthira. Not that simply by votes of some rascal population one becomes dictatorship, another rascal comes. Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family. So his business was killing. Not that kind of dictatorship wanted. Dictatorship wanted that by his direction the citizens will be so happy that even they will not have any anxiety. Adhayo vyadhayah (?). We have read the other day in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. There are three kinds of miserable conditions of life, bhutatma-hetav ah. The cause... They are caused by three principles: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Daiva-bhutatma-hetavah. These are all described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Daiva means controlled by the higher demigods. Just like famine or earthquake. This is not under your control. At any time the earthquake, there may be. There may be famine. There may be pestilence. There may be natural disturbance, flood. This is called daiva, controlled by higher demigods. Just like Indra wanted to overflood Vrndavana being angry upon the residents of the... Krsna saved, Giridhari. He became Giridhari. So these disturbances are there. Adhyatmika, adhibhautika. But the king or the dictator should be so perfect and he will guide the citizens in such a way that they will not feel all these disturbances. That kind of dictatorship wanted. He will direct in such a way that even this natural adhyatmika, adhibhautika... Adhibhautika means "You are envious of me, I am envious of you." So there is always cold war, struggle. This should be stopped. There should not be unnatural heat or unnatural cold, excessive heat. People will feel in all respects happy. If that condition can be brought in, like Maharaja Yudhisthira or his forefathers, or even his grandson. After Maharaja Yudhisthira, there was no kingdom of Maharaja Yud..., of the son of Yudhisthira or Arjuna. All died in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Only one grandson was in the womb of his mother, posthumous child. He was saved only. So up to that point, Maharaja Pariksit, the whole planet was very nicely governed by dictatorship. So we can bring in such dictatorship, provided that dictator is perfectly Krsna conscious. Under his guidance, everything... Because he knows how to conduct kingdom, how to make everyone happy. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. So here is another list of fighters. But the real purpose of this battlefield is to bring all the fighters, big fighters of the world, together. And under Krsna's guidance they would be all killed. Nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Krsna ultimately said, "My dear Arjuna, you fight or not fight, it doesn't matter. These people are not going back home. It is already settled up. You simply become, take the credit that you have fought and killed. It is al... They are already killed. Because that is My plan." Nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin. They are already killed. So this battlefield, because Krsna wanted to kill them, and the result was -- you will find in the Bhagavad-gita, they all attained svarupa. Anyone who was killed, who died in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, in the presence of Krsna, they all attained their original, constitutional position, spiritual form. They all went back to home, back to Godhead, everyone. Therefore Krsna is Absolute. Either His killing or His protecting, it is all the same. You don't think that Krsna is killing. No. If anyone is killed by Krsna, he immediately gets liberation: the liberation for which great great saintly persons, sages, they undergo severe austerities for life after life, simply by being killed, he gets that. So by becoming Krsna's enemy, one gets this benefit. Just think over if you become Krsna's friend, what is the benefit. That is Krsna consciousness. The Mayavadis they are after liberation. So this liberation is granted even to the enemies of Krsna. They are also enemies. The Mayavadis, they are also enemies. Krsne aparadhi. They are offender to Krsna because they do not accept the form of Krsna. Therefore they are offender. So everything studied in relationship with Krsna, that is perfect knowledge, and that is described in the Bhagavad-gita. So it is not that like sahajiyas that we are interested in Krsna's rasa dance, not with this fighting in the Battlefields of Kuruksetra. This is sahajiya-bhava. This is not wanted. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973   HOME

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

PAMHO

AGTSP

Recently one devotee stated that ISKCON is a dictatorship

His statement: Spiritual Dictatorship When the Dictator is a Pure Devotee But so many claims to be pure devotees take a lot of money become sannaysis and Gurus,mistreat others and leave ISKCON with a female disciple. Srila Prabhupada did not try to introduce dictatorship in ISKCON, he suggested devotees work in cooporation under the DOM. It was never implemented in ISKCON but this is a legal document, that in my humble opinion can benefit ISKCON if implemented as it stops corruption on all levels. your servant Payonidhi das

 

[Paramananda das]

SARARTHA-VARShINI
BY ShRILA VIShVANATHA CAKRAVARTI THAKURA

Here the word maheshvasah means that all these great warriors carry strong bows which cannot be broken by the enemy. The word yuyudhana refers to Satyaki. Saubhadrah refers to Abhimanyu, and Draupadeyah indicates the sons of the five Pandavas born from Draupadi, headed by Pratibindhya. The characteristics of a maharathi are now described here. Among a group of great warriors who are expert in astra-shastra, one who can fight against ten thousand warriors single-handedly is called a maharathi. One who can fight alone against unlimited warriors is known as an atirathi. One who can only fight with a single person is known as a yoddha, and one who requires assistance to defeat a single opponent is called an arddharathi. 

SARARTHA-VARShINI PRAKAShIKA-VRiTTI
BY ShRILA BHAKTIVEDANTA NARAYANA MAHARAJA

Yuyudhana: Yuyudhana is another name for the heroic Satyaki. He was a very dear servant of Shri Krishna, extremely valiant and an atirathi among the commanders-in-chief of the Yadava army. He learned the secrets of astra-shastra from Arjuna. In the Mahabharata conflict he fought on the side of the Pandavas. 

Virata: Virata was the pious king of the land of Matsya. The Pandavas spent one year incognito under his shelter. His daughter Uttara, later married Abhimanyu, the famous son of Arjuna. Virata was killed in the Mahabharata war along with his sons Uttara, Sveta and Shankha. 

Drupada: Drupada was the son of Prishata, the king of Pancala. Since Maharaja Prishata and Maharshi Bharadvaja, the father of Dronacarya were friends, Drupada and Dronacarya were also friends in their childhood. Later, when Drupada became king, Dronacarya approached him for financial help, but Drupada insulted him. Dronacarya did not forget this disrespect. When Arjuna completed his education in astra-shastra, Dronacarya asked Arjuna to capture Drupada and offer him at Drona.s feet as guru-dakshina. Arjuna followed his order. Dronacarya took half of Drupada.s kingdom and then released him. To avenge this insult, Drupada performed a yajna in which Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna appeared from the fire. 

[Paramananda das]

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

 

Madhvacarya

 

Madhvacarya's Commentary

 

 

Madhvacarya has no commentary so we present Baladeva Vidyabhusana's.

Duryodhana's use of the words atra surah in addressing Drona is an innuendo meaning: If you are thinking that because the Pandavas army commanded by Dristayumna are less than ours they can be easily defeated and there is nothing to worry about you are mistaken. These warriors are all mighty bowmen, the arrows from whose bows can never be thwarted by any enemy. Not only that but their expertise in the art of warfare is equal to that of Bhima and Arjuna. Yuyudhana who is also known as Satyaki, Virata and Drupada are distinguished as maha-ratha meaning the mightiest of chariot warriors.

[Paramananda das]

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

 

Nimbaditya

 

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

 

Anyway let it be so, Durydhana concedes and concludes that every one of the soldiers in his battalions can defeat the army of the Pandavas headed by Dhristadyumna and that Drona should have no doubts about this as they are not invincible. This he is stating in this verse and the next 2 verses describing the might and valour of the individual warriors among the Pandava ranks. In their army are many valiant heroes, hence it is not possible for their army to be defeated by anyone single-handed. The valiant warriors Yuyudhana known as Satyaki, King Virata, Drupada and others are all mighty bowman and moreover they are not less skilled in the science of warfare but equal to Bhima and Arjuna. The use of the description maharatha which confirms a warrior who is able to defeat in battle 10,000 opponents at a time applies to all three warriors as well as Arjuna and Bhima.