labhalabhau jayajayau
tato yuddhaya yujyasva
naivam papam avapsyasi
[Bhagavad-gita 2.37]
Here, in this material world, when you work, there are two things,
either loss or gain. Either happiness or distress, sukha-duhkha. Loss
or gain, victory or Defeat. Because it is the world of duality. There
must be something dual, black-white, darkness-light, sukha,
happiness-distress, father-son. There must be. This is called relative
world. One thing, if you understand one thing, you must know the other
thing, opposite. Otherwise, it has no meaning. In the absolute world,
there is no such thing, opposite elements.
So here, Krsna is suggesting about the absolute duty, labhalabhau.
When there is loss or gain, you are the same. Generally, when there is
gain, we are very jubilant. And when there is loss, we become morose.
But here, Krsna is teaching that "You remain in one position, either
it is loss or gain. Either it is victory or defeat. Either it is
happiness or distress." This is brahma-bhuta. Brahma-bhutah
prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. A devotee is always
prasannatma, because his happiness is to serve Krsna. His only
business is to see Krsna happy, that's all. This is devotion.
There may be loss or gain, there may be victory or defeat, there may
be distress or happiness, it doesn't matter. He's not affected with
this duality. That is being taught now. Real Bhagavad-gita begins
here. Krsna is teaching. This will go on in different languages up to
the end of the Bhagavad-gita. Mam ekam saranam vraja. That's all.
Bhagavata also confirms this. You do not look after whether it is loss
or gain, but you have to see whether Krsna is satisfied. That's all.
That is your only business. That is your only business. That is
explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]
Hari-tosanam - The real perfection of life is whether by your actions,
Krsna is satisfied. That is perfection. You don't consider of your
personal victory, defeat, loss or gain, or distress or happiness.
Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung that: "When I work very
difficult task for Krsna, that difficult task becomes very happiness
for me. That difficult task becomes very happiness for me." That is
the standard of happiness. In the material world, there is duality. In
the absolute world, there is simply happiness. There is nothing else.
Srila Prabhupad [BG Lecture 2.36-37, London, 1973]
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