Bhagavad-gétä 1.

2-3
London, July 9, 1973
730709BG.LON

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

saïjaya uväca
dåñövä tu päëòavänékaà
vyüòhaà duryodhanas tadä
äcäryam upasaìgamya
räja vacanam abravét
[Bg. 1.2]

Translation: "Saïjaya said: O King, after looking over the army gathered by the
sons of Päëòu, King Duryodhana went to his teacher and began to speak the
following words:"

Prabhupäda: So Dhåtaräñöra inquired from Saïjaya, kim akurvata: "After my

sons and my brother's sons assembled together for fighting, what did they do?"
This was the inquiry. So to encourage him... Because Saïjaya could understand
the feelings of his master that he wanted the fight, no compromise, kñatriya
spirit, "Let my sons and my brother's sons fight..." That is kñatriya spirit. "My
sons are one hundred in number and they are only five, so certainly my sons
will come out victorious, and then the kingdom will be assured." That was his
plan. So Saïjaya, his secretary, could understand the feeling. Of course, at last
he would inform differently. Yatra yogeçvaraù hariù. At last he described, "My
dear sir, you do not expect victory. It is not possible. Because the other side is
Kåñëa, yatra yogeçvaraù hariù, and the fighter Arjuna, so it is beyond your
expectation of victory." But in the beginning he says, "Don't be discouraged.
There was no compromise. Immediately your son Duryodhana..." And he is
addressing himself (his son) as "räja." because Dhåtaräñöra would be
encouraged when at least he thinks of his son becoming the king. Therefore he
said "räja."

So dåñövä tu päëòavänékam [Bg. 1.2]. Duryodhana did not expect that the
Päëòavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they
were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was
usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish
Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kåñëa on their side. That
he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Päëòavas are well-equipped
with good number of soldiers, päëòavänékam, he was little surprised, that
"How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the
commander-in-chief Dronäcärya....
Dronäcärya was everyone's teacher, äcärya. Äcärya means teacher. Äcäryam
upasaìgamya [Bg. 1.2]. The military teacher. So Duryodhana, he was military
teacher of the Päëòavas also. When all of them were children, they were given
under the instruction of Dronäcärya. Dronäcärya was brähmaëa, but he knew
the military art. Therefore he was appointed teacher for all the boys, the
Kauravas. So... but Äcärya, Dronäcärya joined with Duryodhana. Bhéñmadeva
joined with Duryodhana. None of them joined with Arjuna. Because Arjuna or
Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira was not king at that time, the financial control was not in
their hands, and these people, sons of Dhåtaräñöra, they were on the
government political power. The financial control was in their hands. So they
were giving enough money for maintenance to Dronäcärya and Bhéñmadeva.
So they felt obliged. Of course, they knew everything. But externally, they felt
obligation: "Arjuna, I am getting money from Duryodhana. So in this point of
danger, if I do not join him, it does not look well. I am getting financial
maintenance."

Of course, Arjuna did not ask him. Arjuna was satisfied with Kåñëa. That's all.
Kåñëa also divided Himself. Because it is family quarrel. So He said, "I cannot
take part with anyone and even if I take part, side, of any of you, I shall not
fight. Directly I shall not fight. I may be on your side or that side, but I'll not
fight." Still, Arjuna was satisfied. So Kåñëa, in order to satisfy Arjuna, that "I
shall not fight, but I shall become your charioteer. I shall drive your chariot." So
in this way the battle was arranged, and when Dhåtaräñöra inquired, kim
akurvata saïjaya [Bg. 1.1], "What did they do?" He said, "Sir, don't be
disappointed. There was no compromise. Immediately your son, after seeing
the military arrangement of the Päëòavas, he was surprised, and immediately
he went to Dronäcärya." He is the commander-in-chief appointed first. "What to
do?" Räjä vacanam abravét [Bg. 1.2]. Then he began to speak, to inform
Dronäcärya. So next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

paçyaitäà päëòu-puträëäm
äcärya mahatià camüm
vyüòhäà drupada-putreëa
tava çiñyeëa dhématä
[Bg. 1.3]

Translation: "O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Päëòu, so
expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada."

Prabhupäda: So—intelligent. This Drupada, the son of Drupada, he was meant

for killing Dronäcärya. Drupada Mahäräja was not in good terms with
Dronäcärya. So he performed a yajïa to get a son who could kill Dronäcärya.
That son is this Draupada. So Dronäcärya knew that "Drupada Mahäräja has
got his son. In future he would kill me." Still, when he was offered to become
his disciple, to learn military art, he accepted, "Yes." That means the
brähmaëas were so liberal: "When he is coming as my disciple, never mind, he
would kill me in future. That doesn't matter. But I must give him teaching."
Therefore this word is used, dhématä, very intelligent: "He has killed the
military science from you just to kill you." Dhématä, tava çiñyeëa. "Your
disciple, he has arranged." This is the pointing out. So that he may be angry:
"This rascal has learned from me and he wants to kill me?"
But no. Duty is duty. After all, everyone will die; nobody will exist. So nobody
should be afraid of death. This is Vedic civilization. Death is inevitable. "As sure
as death." Who can avoid death? So being afraid of death, we should not
deviate from our duties, real duty. That is Vedic civilization. So Duryodhana
wanted to point out "That this boy, your disciple, he... It is fixed up that he's
meant for killing you, and he has arranged nicely military phalanx just to defeat
you. And he has learned this art from you."
Therefore he is using this word, dhématä. Dhé, dhé means intelligence.
Dhémat-çabda. Dhémat. Dhé means intelligence, and mat means "one who
possesses." Asty arthe matup-pratyaya. When one possesses something, in this
sense, this pratyaya... In Sanskrit there are pratyayas. So matup pratyaya. So
matup. From matup, it comes to mat. Sanskrit language means it is so
reformed that each and every word has significance. Not that like your English
language. "Beauty but peauty put.(?)" No, not like that. If you say "beauty but,"
you must say, "peauty put." But no, you change: beauty but peauty put. Why?
This kind of change cannot be allowed in Sanskrit language. If the "u" means
"aù," just like beauty but, then it must always mean like that, no change. So
dhématä. Dhé means intelligence. Dhé means intelligence. So one who has got
intelligence. Every word is used with full meaning. Sanskrit language is so nice.
Therefore it is called Sanskrit, Sanskrit, Saàskåta. Saàskåta means reform. And
the alphabets are called devanägaré. Devanägaré means these alphabets...
Just like in Europe the Roman letters are used, similarly, in the upper planetary
system these alphabets are used, devanägaré, used in the cities of the
demigods. And the language is called Saàskåta, "most reformed." And Sanskrit
is the mother of all languages.

Even in this planet, the Latin is also derived from Sanskrit. Just like the
"maternal," the matå-çabda, "paternal," pitå-çabda. So dhématä. So here the
writer is Vyäsadeva. So every word is selected, either in Bhagavad-gétä or in
Çrémad-Bhägavatam or the Puräëas, all writings of..., Mahäbhärata, each and
every word is used just like weighing in the balance. So many words should be
in the beginning, so many words should be in the end. And not whimsically.
That cannot be allowed. That is called saàskåta sähitya, literary... Just like
Caitanya Mahäprabhu when he was hearing Keçava Käçméré, as soon as there
was little discrepancy, bhaväné-bhartä, immediately he criticized and defeated
him. Sanskrit language is so nice.
Paçyaitäà päëòu-puträëäm äcärya: [Bg. 1.3] "My dear teacher, just see how
many military soldiers are standing there on behalf of the Päëòavas, and they
have been arranged by your disciple, who is meant for killing you. So just
remember." That means "You become more strong that this boy and the other
party may not kill you." But Duryodhana does not know that the death does not
depend on military strength or bodily strength. When death will come, nobody
can check. Death is God. When Kåñëa desires that "This man should be killed
now," or "He must die now," nobody can check. Räkhe kåñëa mare ke mare
kåñëa räkhe ke. If Kåñëa desires to kill somebody, nobody can give him
protection, no power. And if He wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him.
This is Kåñëa's protection.

Therefore this big, big commander-in-chief Dronäcärya and Bhéñmadeva,

Karëa, they were very, very, big, powerful commanders. Arjuna was nothing
before them. Arjuna was just like... Parékñit Mahäräja compared that "My
grandfather was just like an ordinary fish, and these soldiers, these
commanders, (were) just like timiìgila." Timiìgila, there is a fish—we get
information from Vedic literature—very big fish. They swallow up the whales.
Timi. Timi means whale fish. And timiìgila means... Just like small fish are
swallowed up like this. So just imagine how big such fish is. So these
commanders, Karëa, Dronäcärya, and Bhéñma, were compared with the
timiìgila. And Arjuna although very powerful, he was compared with timi. So
Parékñit Mahäräja admitted "That it was not possible for my grandfather to win
over the battle before these big, big commanders. It is only by the grace of
Kåñëa he was saved." So the conclusion is if Kåñëa saves, nobody can kill; and
if Kåñëa wants to kill, nobody can save. Therefore our conclusion should be that
we should always be under the protection of Kåñëa. Avaçya rakñibe kåñëa. This
is çaraëägati. Çaraëägati, surrender. Surrender means that "I am surrendering
to Kåñëa with full faith that He is quite competent and able to give me
protection." This is called surrender. Not that hesitation: "Oh, I will surrender to
Kåñëa, and in case of danger, He may not be able to give me protection." That
is not surrender. With full faith, "Yes, Kåñëa is so powerful, Kåñëa is so great,
that I am surrendering to Kåñëa from this day: 'From this day... Kåñëa, I was
wandering throughout the universe life after life without knowing my
relationship with you. Now, today, I surrender unto you. Kindly accept me and
engage me in your service.' " This is called surrender. Thank you very much.
(end)