Hare Krishna!
According to this interview with Srila Prabhupada, parts of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam should be read literally, other parts should be understood as allegories. Does this also apply to Bhagavad-Gītā? Did Lord Kṛṣṇa tell Arjuna to literally fight in a war?
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Hare Krsna
Which parts of Bhagavad-Gītā should be read literally?
The whole of Bhagavad Gita is to be understood as it is.
Wherever there are examples given, the Bhagavad Gita itself clearly mentions it as a specific comparison or an example. When it is NOT mentioned as an example then it is to be understood as it is.
Example 1 -
yāvān artha uda-pāne
sarvataḥ samplutodake
tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu
brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ
All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them. (BG 2.46)
In the above shloka Sri Krsna mentions - small well and a great reseviour of water. These are comparitive examples to illustrate a specific point. It is very clear even to ordinary reader that it is an example.
Example 2 -
vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro ’parāṇi
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. ( BG 2.22)
Here Sri Krsna mentions about changing of garments as an example to illustrate how soul changes bodies. Again these are easy to understand as examples.
There is no provision for any ordinary person to interpret more than or less than what is given in Bhagavad Gita. The secret to understand BG is given in BG itself by Sri Krsna.
There are thousands of versions of BG available in which people have speculated hundreds of interpretations, most of which are meaningless.
Other parts should be understood as allegories
I disagree with the above statement. I have read the content of the interview link, Srila Prabhupada DOES NOT say parts of Srimad Bhagavatam should be understood as allegories. Srila Prabhupada strongly advocates to understand it As it is given.
Did Lord Kṛṣṇa tell Arjuna to literally fight in a war?
Yes. It was a war between good and evil. Sri Krsna advised Arjuna to destroy ( kill) the demoniac persons who committed numerous demoniac acts. They were so demoniac that they did not deny committing such acts nor they did they feel any remorse for their acts. If they were not destroyed, they would have continued to commit their sinful acts of cime against persons. They had to be destroyed. It is one of the important purposes why Sri Krsna descends to this world
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. ( BG 4.8)
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna Bharat,
Did I incorrectly paraphrase Srila Prabhupada who said the Bhagavatam there are some figurative stories, similar to Aesop’s Fables?
Could the war that Krsna advised Arjuna to fight in be a figurative war? For example, could it mean the conquest of our own minds?
Hare Krsna
Could the war that Krsna advised Arjuna to fight in be a figurative war?
No. There is no provision or opportunity for anyone to speculate or imagine such a thing based on BG.
As per BG Sri Krsna advises Arjuna that conquering mind is favourable. Sri Krsna advises Arjuna to fight war.
Anyone who says beyond what is said in BG or who goes against what is said in BG and professes to "understand" in a certain way is a cheat. Firstly cheating themselves, but more likley attempting cheat others.
Nobody has any problem if they say they don't believe is BG or war or Sri Krsna. The great danger is when they speculate and impose their own imperfections to be based on BG.
Did I incorrectly paraphrase Srila Prabhupada who said the Bhagavatam there are some figurative stories, similar to Aesop’s Fables?
Possibly Yes.
That is implied meaning when it is said - According to this interview with Srila Prabhupada, parts of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam should be read literally, other parts should be understood as allegories.
The above statement construes a meaning that some parts of SB are literal and others are not, giving a window of opportunity for speculators to select which part of SB is literal and which is not. Worse this can also construe a meaning that any part of SB can be allegory. The possibility of such a selection corrupts the entire purpose of Srimad Bhagavatam.
This is the exact statement of Srila Prabhupada - in the Bhagavatam there are some figurative stories, similar to Aesop’s Fables. These are for instruction.
Srila Prabhupada's statement is true. But Srimad Bhagavatam itself clearly mentions those stories as figurative. Srimad Bhagavatam also gives what those instructions are.
There is no provision for any unscrupulous speculator to pick and choose which is literal and which is not. Srimad Bhagvatam itself does that. So only those stories which are mentioned as allegories in SB are to be understood as allegories.
Example - In Canto 5, Chapter 13. the material world is explained like a great forest. The very next chapter 14, gives the direct meaning of the forest of material existence.
In Canto 4, chapters 25, 26, 27, 28 narrate story of King Puranjana. In the next chapter 27, Narada Muni explains the direct meaning of the whole story.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna, once again, thanks for your very concise answers. To summarise - followers of Krsna consciousness believe Bhagavad-gītā and related scriptures should be read literally unless the text specially states that it is meant figuratively. Even then, there is still room for confusion. For example, what it mean by lower birth in Bg. 9.32 O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] – can attain the supreme destination. Do followers believe women, merchants and workers are inferior?
Hare Krsna
Do followers believe women, merchants and workers are inferior?
In Shloka 9.32 Sri Krsna is not saying who is inferior and who is superior. Sri Krsna is saying that irrespective of birth, those who take shelter of Sri Krsna can attain the supreme destination.
Lord Sri Krsna right in the beginning of BG in 2nd chapter very clearly differentiates between material body and spiritual soul. Material body, material birth, material positions are not permanent. Only spirit soul is eternal and permanent. The goal of BG is to elevate humans from bodily consciousness to spiritual consciousness.
If someone is still confused about who is inferior and superior then it is advisable for them to read first few chapters diligently.
followers of Krsna consciousness believe Bhagavad-gītā and related scriptures should be read literally
It is not just a matter of belief of followers. It is how author has given it. It is Sri Krsna who Himself says it in BG. All the authors of SB say it. Every author knows what they are saying, why they are saying. The receiver of knowledge show how the knowledge is to be received. Arjuna accepted the teachings of Sri Krsna. Parikshit Maharaj and Shaunaka rishi accepted teachings of Shukadeva Goswami and Suta goswami. The receiver of knowledge is free to ask questions. Arjuna and Parikshit Maharaja asks several questions, Arjuna sometimes asks similar questions again to get better clarity.
For example - Sri Krsna says in BG that the knowledge of BG was earlier given to Sun god long back by Him(Sri Krsna) . Arjuna asks how is it possible that Sri Krsna gave knowledge to Sun god when Sun god has thousands of years seniority by birth over Sri Krsna. Here Arjuna had a doubt - How is it literally possible for Krsna (who was just about 100 years old at that time) to give knowledge to Sun god who was many thousands of years older to Sri Krsna.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna, In Shloka 9.32, you don't interpret lower birth to mean inferior and you interpret Arjuna's war to be physical (killing) rather than a spiritual war. Is this correct?
Hare Krsna
Is this correct?
No. It is wrong. Because there is no scope for interpretation. There is no scope for hidden meaning. There is no scope for speculation. There is no scope for imagination. Because all these are part of the conditionings of material consciousness that is temporary, illusory, filled with egoistic & cheating propensities. This is one of the main shackle which has bound living beings to this material world since time immemorial and subjecting the living beings to all types of pain.
BG is transcendental knowledge that is directly coming from the topmost realms of transcendence directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is beyond all imperfections of materialistic concepts. This knowledge of BG if accepted rightly can enable the living being to the transcendental realm of perfection very quickly
Materialistic people tend to make it a scholarly literature and perform mental gymnastics with it. Trying to extract their imaginary speculative interests through interpretations. But such exercises at best dilute the transcendental potency and at worst is highly dangerous.
The focus of BG in its entirety is to upgrade consciousness of sincere souls from material to spiritual. Sri Krsna in BG 9.32 is saying that all the transcendental benefits Sri Krsna mentioned in Shloka 9.26 to 9.31 is not exclusive to someone who is materially and spiritually well qualified as Arjuna but it is also applicable and available to other human beings who may not be as privileged as Arjuna. Are there human beings who are materially less privileged as compared to Arjuna in this world ? Certainly Yes. Because Arjuna was greatly more advanced spiritually and materially than majority of humans on earth when BG was directly spoken to him and certainly more advanced than most humans now.
Are the benefits of transcendental wisdom that was awarded to Arjuna applicable to those less qualified than Arjuna ? Sri Krsna answers this in Shloka 9.32 as a definite Yes. Anyone who takes shelter of Sri Krsna irrespective of their material status can attain the supreme destination.
Is Sri Krsna more available to those who are materially more privileged ?
Sri Krsna answers this in BG 9.29 as No
Are some people materially more privileged and others materially less privileged in this world ?
My answer - No need to read BG to know this. Anyone who has grown past childhood is capable of understanding it.
Krsna's answer - For those who are looking to go beyond the material existence and take shelter of Sri Krsna, material status doesn't matter.
Note : Anybody is free to understand, speculate any way about anything. That is God given freedom. However these forums are restricted to knowledge as given in vaishnava scriptures & coming in vaishnava sampradaya.
Hare Krsna