SB 1.8.1 - 16Krishna again saves His devotees

Offering obeisancesnäräyaëaà namaskåtyanaraà caiva narottamamdevéà sarasvatéà vyäsaà

tato jayam udérayet

“Before reciting this Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Näräyaëa, unto Nara-näräyaëa Åñi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvaté, the goddess of learning, and unto Çréla Vyäsadeva, the author.” SB 1.2.4

nañöa-präyeñv abhadreñunityaà bhägavata-sevayäbhagavaty uttama-çlokebhaktir bhavati naiñöhiké

“By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” SB1.2.18

SB 1.8.1sūta uvāca

atha te samparetānāmsvānām udakam icchatāmdātum sakrsnā gańgāyāmpuraskrtya yayuh striyah

SYNONYMSsūtah uvāca — Sūta said; atha — thus; te — the Pāndavas; samparetānām — of the

dead; svānām — of the relatives; udakam — water; icchatām — willing to have; dātum — to deliver; sa-krsnāh — along with Draupadī; gańgāyām — on the

Ganges; puraskrtya — putting in the front; yayuh — went; striyah — the women.TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thereafter the Pāndavas, desiring to deliver water to the dead relatives who had desired it, went to the Ganges with Draupadī. The ladies walked in front.

SB 1.8.2te ninīyodakam sarve

vilapya ca bhrśam punahāplutā hari-pādābja-rajah-pūta-sarij-jale

SYNONYMSte — all of them; ninīya — having offered; udakam — water; sarve — every one of

them; vilapya — having lamented; ca — and; bhrśam — sufficiently; punah — again; āplutāh — took bath;hari-pādābja — the lotus feet of the Lord; rajah —

dust; pūta — purified; sarit — of the Ganges; jale — in the water.TRANSLATION

Having lamented over them and sufficiently offered Ganges water, they bathed in the Ganges, whose water is sanctified due to being mixed with the dust of the lotus

feet of the Lord.

SB 1.8.3tatrāsīnam kuru-patim

dhrtarāstram sahānujamgāndhārīm putra-śokārtām

prthām krsnām ca mādhavahSYNONYMS

tatra — there; āsīnam — sitting; kuru-patim — the King of the Kurus; dhrtarāstram — Dhrtarāstra; saha-anujam — with his younger

brothers; gāndhārīm — Gāndhārī; putra — son; śoka-artām — overtaken by bereavement; prthām — Kuntī; krsnām — Draupadī; ca — also; mādhavah —

Lord Śrī Krsna.TRANSLATION

There sat the King of the Kurus, Mahārāja Yudhisthira, along with his younger brothers and Dhrtarāstra, Gāndhārī, Kuntī and Draupadī, all overwhelmed with grief.

Lord Krsna was also there.

• Tragic Battle of Kurukshetra– Everyone related to one another– It was tragic for everyone involved– The Lord was equally sympathetic to all

• Culture of offering prayers to the departed• Lord’s sweet exchanges with His devotees

– Devotees reveal their minds to the Lord

• First lamentation, before the heart becomes open to hear

SB 1.8.4sāntvayām āsa munibhirhata-bandhūñ śucārpitān

bhūtesu kālasya gatimdarśayan na pratikriyām

SYNONYMSsāntvayām āsa — pacified; munibhih — along with the munis present there; hata-bandhūn —

those who lost their friends and relatives; śucārpitān — all shocked and affected; bhūtesu — unto the living beings; kālasya — of the supreme law of the Almighty; gatim —

reactions; darśayan — demonstrated; na — no; pratikriyām — remedial measures.TRANSLATION

Citing the stringent laws of the Almighty and their reactions upon living beings, Lord Śrī Krsna and the munis began to pacify those who were shocked and affected.

SB 1.8.4• Time Stringent laws of the Almighty• Our Eternal Subjugation

– Stringent Law of God Dharma• Religion – Laws given by God• Religious person – Who follows laws given by God

– Happiness only through following the laws• Both material and spiritual

– In the material world• Our duty

– In the spiritual world• Spontaneous loving transcendental service

• We cant see– In the material conditioned state– Neither ourselves nor the Lord for want of spiritual vision

• Material Affection– Stems from this lack of vision– Misconception of “Mine” stems from misconception of “I”

• Therefore Krishna starts Bhagavad Gita with explanation of our real identity as the eternal soul

• So real pacification for those in grief– Based on spiritual knowledge– Takes place by association of devotees

• Not everyone can take it– Sometimes just be there and help out in regular chores

SB 1.8.5sādhayitvājāta-śatroh

svam rājyam kitavair hrtamghātayitvāsato rājñah

kaca-sparśa-ksatāyusahSYNONYMS

sādhayitvā — having executed; ajāta-śatroh — of one who has no enemy; svam rājyam — own kingdom; kitavaih — by the clever (Duryodhana and party); hrtam — usurped; ghātayitvā —

having killed;asatah — the unscrupulous; rājñah — of the queen's; kaca — bunch of hair; sparśa — roughly handled; ksata — decreased; āyusah — by the duration of life.

TRANSLATIONThe clever Duryodhana and his party cunningly usurped the kingdom of Yudhisthira, who had no

enemy. By the grace of the Lord, the recovery was executed, and the unscrupulous kings who joined with Duryodhana were killed by Him. Others also died, their duration of life having

decreased for their rough handling of the hair of Queen Draupadī.

• 5 categories of beings to be protected. Each bring great value– Brahmanas

• maintain the institution of varna and āśrama, the most scientific culture for attainment of spiritual life

• Head of the spiritual body– Speak, Think, Lead, Eat on behalf of the Lord

• Purpose of ISKCON – To bring some brahmanas into the society

– Cows• maintains the most miraculous form of food, i.e., milk for maintaining the finer tissues of the

brain for understanding higher aims of life.– Women

• maintains the chastity of society, by which we can get a good generation for peace, tranquillity and progress of life

– Children• gives the human form of life its best chance to prepare the way of liberty from material

bondage• Begins with Garbha Daan Sanskar

– Elderly • gives them a chance to prepare themselves for better life after death.

• Complete outlook based upon factors – leading to successful humanity

• Ultimate goal – Going back to Godhead– As against the civilization of polished cats and dogs

• Ultimate goal – Nothing or Sense Gratification

• Even insulting prohibited, what about killing• One loses duration of life by insulting a chaste woman

SB 1.8.6yājayitvāśvamedhais tamtribhir uttama-kalpakaihtad-yaśah pāvanam diksu

śata-manyor ivātanotSYNONYMS

yājayitvā — by performing; aśvamedhaih — yajña in which a horse is sacrificed; tam — him (King Yudhisthira); tribhih — three; uttama — best; kalpakaih — supplied with proper

ingredients and performed by able priests; tat — that; yaśah — fame; pāvanam — virtuous; diksu — all directions; śata-manyoh — Indra, who performed one hundred such

sacrifices; iva — like; atanot — spread.TRANSLATION

Lord Śrī Krsna caused three well-performed Aśvamedha-yajñas [horse sacrifices] to be conducted by Mahārāja Yudhisthira and thus caused his virtuous fame to be glorified in all directions,

like that of Indra, who had performed one hundred such sacrifices.

• Devotee of Krishna is greater than any materialist doing the most charitable work.– Brings greater material and spiritual benefit– Association with the Lord or Lord’s devotee is the greatest opulence

• Is Krishna partial to His devotees?– Krishna is equal to everyone (Equal opportunity organization..) – Example of Sun

• Bu t the devotee is most receptive to His mercy• Devotee represents cent-percent full fledged mercy of the Lord• So he is most glorified

SB 1.8.7āmantrya pāndu-putrāmś ca

śaineyoddhava-samyutahdvaipāyanādibhir vipraih

pūjitaih pratipūjitahSYNONYMS

āmantrya — inviting; pāndu-putrān — all the sons of Pāndu; ca — also; śaineya — Sātyaki; uddhava — Uddhava; samyutah —

accompanied; dvaipāyana-ādibhih — by the rsis like Vedavyāsa; vipraih — by the brāhmanas; pūjitaih — being worshiped; pratipūjitah — the Lord

also reciprocated equally.TRANSLATION

Lord Śrī Krsna then prepared for His departure. He invited the sons of Pāndu, after having been worshiped by the brāhmanas, headed by Śrīla Vyāsadeva. The Lord also reciprocated greetings.

• Ksatriya worshipped by Brahmanas?• Brahmanas knew His position as the Supreme Lord• Lord reciprocated the greetings

– Catur Varnam Maya Sristam– Yad Yad Acharati Shresthas

SB 1.8.8gantum krtamatir brahmandvārakām ratham āsthitahupalebhe 'bhidhāvantīmuttarām bhaya-vihvalām

SYNONYMSgantum — just desiring to start; krtamatih — having

decided; brahman — O brāhmana; dvārakām — towards Dvārakā; ratham — on the chariot; āsthitah —

seated; upalebhe — saw; abhidhāvantīm — coming hurriedly; uttarām — Uttarā; bhaya-vihvalām — being afraid.

TRANSLATIONAs soon as He seated Himself on the chariot to start for Dvārakā, He

saw Uttarā hurrying toward Him in fear.

• All members of Pandu dynasty fully dependent on the Lord• Lord especially looks after His devotee

– Though He protects everyone– Father is more attentive to the little son who is exclusively dependent on the

father– Srila Prabhupada

• “Maya cannot touch me”• Praying to little deities “to protect me from Maya”• Not just instructed us to chant Hare Krishna, but always chanted Hare Krishna• “Whatever Krishna said is Good, everything else Bad. Bas, our confusion is finished”• “I will see Krishna in the bomb”

– HG Harivilas Prabhu’s example of a selfless servant

SB 1.8.9uttarovāca

pāhi pāhi mahā-yogindeva-deva jagat-pate

nānyam tvad abhayam paśyeyatra mrtyuh parasparam

SYNONYMSuttarā uvāca — Uttarā said; pāhi pāhi — protect, protect; mahā-yogin — the greatest

mystic; deva-deva — the worshipable of the worshiped; jagat-pate — O Lord of the universe; na — not; anyam — anyone else; tvat — than You; abhayam —

fearlessness; paśye — do I see; yatra — where there is; mrtyuh — death; parasparam — in the world of duality.

TRANSLATIONUttarā said: O Lord of lords, Lord of the universe! You are the greatest of mystics.

Please protect me, for there is no one else who can save me from the clutches of death in this world of duality.

• Other than the Lord, no one can be devoid of fear– Lord is the only shelter of fearlessness for the surrendered soul– Krishna is their only shelter, their master

• Fear – Of illusion, duality, of forgetting Krishna– Because duality covers our remembrance of Krishna

• Protection not just physical but from the “world of duality”– Features of Duality

• Dual existence of matter and spirit• Fear, Death, Enviousness, Everyone trying to be the master

– Protection from the sea of duality all around us• By being in mode of service• Through spiritual conception

– Death is inevitable• HG Stoka Krishna Prabhu

SB 1.8.10abhidravati mām īśa

śaras taptāyaso vibhokāmam dahatu mām nāthamā me garbho nipātyatām

SYNONYMSabhidravati — coming towards; mām — me; īśa — O Lord; śarah — the arrow; tapta —

fiery; ayasah — iron; vibho — O great one; kāmam — desire; dahatu — let it burn; mām — me; nātha — Oprotector; mā — not; me — my; garbhah —

embryo; nipātyatām — be aborted.TRANSLATION

O my Lord, You are all-powerful. A fiery iron arrow is coming towards me fast. My Lord, let it burn me personally, if You so desire, but please do not let it burn and

abort my embryo. Please do me this favor, my Lord.

• Devotee asks Krishna for favors, – but not for themselves– But for my service

• Mother was responsible for her child (one of the 5 beings to be protected)– Not ashamed to take Krishna’s shelter

• How could Asvatthama throw Brahmastras even after all he suffered?– He lost his power and effulgence, but not his knowledge or memory– Nor his hatred for the Pandavas– However, he was later given the benediction to become one of the seven great sages in

the next Manavantara– Everything was Krishna’s pastime

• They proceed according to His desire and simply for His pleasure• Participants in those pastimes are suitably empowered to play their respective roles

SB 1.8.11sūta uvāca

upadhārya vacas tasyābhagavān bhakta-vatsalahapāndavam idam kartum

drauner astram abudhyataSYNONYMS

sūtah uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; upadhārya — by hearing her patiently; vacah — words; tasyāh — her; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; bhakta-vatsalah — He who is

very much affectionate towards His devotees; apāndavam — without the existence of the Pāndavas' descendants; idam — this; kartum — to do it; drauneh — of the son of

Dronācārya; astram — weapon; abudhyata — understood.TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Having patiently heard her words, Lord Śrī Krsna, who is always very affectionate to His devotees, could at once understand that Aśvatthāmā, the son of Dronācārya, had thrown the brahmāstra to finish the last life in the Pāndava family.

• Bhakti Vatsalah– Most prominent feature of Krishna– Only devotees come to know it– Non-devotees don’t know it, because they are envious

• Lord wants to protect the devotees, because that is for everyone’s good– Lord wanted the Pandavas to rule the world, because they are ideal family of devotees

SB 1.8.12tarhy evātha muni-śresthapāndavāh pañca sāyakān

ātmano 'bhimukhān dīptānālaksyāstrāny upādaduh

SYNONYMStarhi — then; eva — also; atha — therefore; muni-śrestha — O chief amongst the

munis; pāndavāh — all the sons of Pāndu; pañca — five; sāyakān — weapons; ātmanah — own selves; abhimukhān — towards; dīptān —

glaring; ālaksya — seeing it; astrāni — weapons; upādaduh — took up.TRANSLATION

O foremost among the great thinkers [munis] [Śaunaka], seeing the glaring brahmāstra proceeding towards them, the Pāndavas took up their five

respective weapons.

• 2 Brahmastras were shot– One to kill all the five Pandavas– Another to kill Maharaj Parikshit

• Purpose - To kill all remaining members of Pandava dynasty

SB 1.8.13vyasanam vīksya tat tesām

ananya-visayātmanāmsudarśanena svāstrena

svānām raksām vyadhād vibhuhSYNONYMS

vyasanam — great danger; vīksya — having observed; tat — that; tesām — their; ananya — no other; visaya — means; ātmanām — thus

inclined; sudarśanena — by the wheel of Śrī Krsna; sva-astrena— by the weapon; svānām — of His own devotees; raksām — protection; vyadhāt —

did it; vibhuh — the Almighty.TRANSLATION

The almighty Personality of Godhead, Śrī Krsna, having observed that a great danger was befalling His unalloyed devotees, who were fully surrendered souls, at once

took up His Sudarśana disc to protect them.

• Brahmastra– More powerful than nuclear bombs – More radiation and heat– Product of a subtler science – Sound of a mantra– Accurate – Kills the target, spares the innocent

• Pandavas knew nothing but the Lord– That is their qualification

• Lord broke his vow to protect His devotees– Nothing else is more important for the Lord (Bhakta Vatsalah)

SB 1.8.14antahsthah sarva-bhūtānām

ātmā yogeśvaro harihsva-māyayāvrnod garbham

vairātyāh kuru-tantaveSYNONYMS

antahsthah — being within; sarva — all; bhūtānām — of the living beings; ātmā — soul; yoga-īśvarah — the Lord of all mysticism; harih — the Supreme Lord; sva-

māyayā — by the personal energy;āvrnot — covered; garbham — embryo; vairātyāh — of Uttarā; kuru-tantave — for the progeny of Mahārāja Kuru.

TRANSLATIONThe Lord of supreme mysticism, Śrī Krsna, resides within everyone's heart as

the Paramātmā. As such, just to protect the progeny of the Kuru dynasty, He covered the embryo of Uttarā by His personal energy.

• SB 1.12.7: O son of Bhrgu [Śaunaka], when the child Parīksit, the great fighter, was in the womb of his mother, Uttarā, and was suffering from the burning heat of the brahmāstra [thrown byAśvatthāmā], he could observe the Supreme Lord coming to him.

• SB 1.12.8: He [the Lord] was only thumb high, but He was all transcendental. He had a very beautiful, blackish, infallible body, and He wore a dress of lightning yellow and a helmet of blazing gold. Thus He was seen by the child.

• SB 1.12.9: The Lord was enriched with four hands, earrings of molten gold and eyes blood red with fury. As He loitered about, His club constantly encircled Him like a shooting star.

• SB 1.12.10: The Lord was thus engaged in vanquishing the radiation of the brahmāstra, just as the sun evaporates a drop of dew. He was observed by the child, who thought about who He was.

• Krishna– Supreme Mystic– Mystics known for doing things which defy the laws of nature

• Manipulating subtle laws of nature which seem to defy gross laws of nature

• Another mysticism– Simultaneously residing in the heart of every living entity– Within every atom

• Maharaj Parikshit’s embryonic body was burnt by the Brahmastra– A second body was given by the Lord

SB 1.8.15yadyapy astram brahma-śiras

tv amogham cāpratikriyamvaisnavam teja āsādya

samaśāmyad bhrgūdvahaSYNONYMS

yadyapi — although; astram — weapon; brahma-śirah — supreme; tu — but; amogham — without check; ca — and; apratikriyam — not to be

counteracted; vaisnavam — in relation with Visnu; tejah — strength; āsādya — being confronted with; samaśāmyat — was neutralized; bhrgu-udvaha — O glory

of the family of Bhrgu.TRANSLATION

O Śaunaka, although the supreme brahmāstra weapon released by Aśvatthāmā was irresistible and without check or counteraction, it was neutralized and foiled when

confronted by the strength ofVisnu [Lord Krsna].

• Brahmastra cant be checked or counteracted– But Krishna checks it

• Classic question – Can God create something so heavy He cant lift it?– Yes He can, and then He will lift it

• Devotee in shelter of His internal potency (which can counteract anything)– A position of fearlessness

• Only thing to fear– Forgetting Krishna– By chanting HKMM and constant remembrance, Krishna admits us into His spiritual

realm

SB 1.8.16mā mamsthā hy etad āścaryam

sarvāścaryamaye 'cyuteya idam māyayā devyāsrjaty avati hanty ajah

SYNONYMSmā — do not; mamsthāh — think; hi — certainly; etat — all these; āścaryam —

wonderful; sarva — all; āścarya-maye — in the all-mysterious; acyute — the infallible; yah — one who; idam — this (creation); māyayā — by His

energy; devyā — transcendental; srjati — creates; avati — maintains; hanti — annihilates; ajah — unborn.

TRANSLATIONO brāhmanas, do not think this to be especially wonderful in the activities of the

mysterious and infallible Personality of Godhead. By His own transcendental energy, He maintains and annihilates all material things, although He Himself is

unborn.

• He is unborn– But everything is created, maintained, destroyed by Him

• He is unstoppable– He can create, maintain, destroy anything as and when He wishes

• There is no Satan!– Equally powerful entity to God– “Other” religions are Satanic!

• Only evil is man’s usage of free will– To the degree that the free will is rewarded– Anything can be retracted at any time by God

Everything is just a spark of my splendor!

Summary• Krishna’s sweet exchanges with His devotees• Pacifying ones in grief

– Through vision of transcendental knowledge given by devotees– Or just be there. Help out.

• 5 categories of beings to be protected• Lord’s protection

– Lord is equal to all– Especially looks after one who is fully dependent upon Him– Lord’s most prominent feature – Bhakta Vatsalah– From the world of duality (Fear, death, envy)

• Devotee is greater than any materialist– Because he is the best recipient of His mercy

• My Daddy is the Best!– There is no Satan!

References:

• Srila Prabhupada’s purports on these verses• HG Bhurijana Prabhu’s book: “Unveiling His

Lotus Feet”• ISKCONDESIRETREE– HH Romapada Swami Maharaj’s lecture – 1.8.1-16– HG Bhurijana Prabhu’s lecture – 1.8.1-16– HH Bhakti Vikas Swami Maharaj’s lecture – 1.8.6