Today's verses narrated how Drauni, Asvattama, the son of a brahmana, became degraded by accepting the occupation of a ksatriya. Asvattama decapitated the five sleeping sons of Draupadi and presented their heads to Duryodhana. Even Duryodhana, who lay dying after having had his spine broken by Bhima's club, was disgusted at this heinous act.
In his class Prabhupada described the psychology of the true ksatriya: a warrior would never kill someone while they were sleeping. Rather, if the enemy had no weapon, a real ksatriya would give him one, and then they would fight. "One must die. That decision is there. Unless one dies, the fighting will never stop. That is called vira-gatim. If a ksatriya dies in a fight, he gets the promotion of vira-gatim; means he goes to the heavenly planets."
He said that those who died on the battlefield of Kuruksetra while seeing Krsna, attained their original spiritual forms. And those that didn't see Him still went to heaven. "So fighting is not always bad. If it is dharma-yuddha, according to the prescribed rules, not whimsical fight, then there is gain. This science is lost. Now fighting means hooliganism, vandalism, gunda-ism -- that is not fight."
Commenting on the defeat of Duryodhana, Prabhupada described the arrival of Lord Balarama, Duryodhana's guru. "Krsna was neutral, but He was taking the side of Arjuna. He was driving the chariot. That means He was on the side of the Pandavas. But actually He was not fighting. So Balarama also did not fight, and in order to avoid any parties, He was traveling all over India from different holy places, one place to another. So when He returned, He had some sympathy with Duryodhana. Because Duryodhana was His disciple to learn how to fight with this gada, club. So when He came, fighting was going on. So just to show Him respect, they stopped fighting and everyone was silent, because the Pandavas knew that Balarama was sympathetic with Duryodhana, and if He takes the side of Duryodhana, then everything will be spoiled because He is the Supreme Person. But He did not do so. He advised them, 'My dear Duryodhana, I know you are a great fighter, you have learned the art of fighting. But you are not so strong as Bhima.' And He advised Bhima, 'My dear Bhima, you have got the strength of ten thousand elephants, naturally you are superiorly stronger. So he knows the art better than you, and you are bodily stronger than him. So there will be no decision. Can you not stop? Unless one is dead, the fighting will go on, so what is the use? Nobody will be victorious, the fighting will go on. Better stop.'
"But they remained silent. Silent means they did not like the idea. Because Bhima had many old grudges against Duryodhana, because when Draupadi was being insulted, they had to sit down silent, no protest. There were so many incidences -- rivalry, insult and counter-insult. So they took the opportunity of feeding the old grudge by fighting. Everyone was determined, 'I must kill.' Duryodhana was determined to kill Bhima, and Bhima was determined to kill. So when they did not listen to the instruction of Baladeva, then Baladeva left the place. He went back to Dvaraka."
Prabhupada said that Krsna remained, in order to give Bhima the idea how to kill Duryodhana. He told us how Duryodhana's mother, Gandhari, was able to make her son's body as strong as iron simply by her glance, due to the power of her chastity. She ordered him to come before her completely naked. Duryodhana complied, but as he went to see her, Krsna suddenly met him and told him that he could not stand before his own mother naked and advised him to wear a loin cloth. Duryodhana did this, and thus when Gandhari removed her blindfold, she was upset because not all his body was exposed to her gaze. She asked him why he had disobeyed her instruction. When he explained how he had met Krsna on the way, she knew there was no hope.
Prabhupada told us, "Then she began to smile, that 'My attempt is failure.' So Krsna knew it, that part which was covered, that was not turned iron. The other parts turned into iron on account of seeing by Gandhari. So in this fight Krsna hinted Bhima that, 'You strike here. That part is not iron-ized.' Although it is against the regulative principle to strike the opponent party below this waist, Krsna advised that 'Unless you transgress this law, you cannot kill him.' So he was stroken below the waist, and he was not killed, but his waist was broken. Therefore it is said vrkodara-viddha-gadabhimarsa. Then he died. This is mentioned here."
Prabhupada went on to explain that only an unalloyed devotee can understand Krsna in truth. "You cannot understand Krsna simply because you are a learned Sanskrit scholar. You are a rascal. Krsna is not so easy to be understood by scholarship or Sanskrit language. Don't commit this mistake. Krsna is understood by a person to whom Krsna reveals. That is the understanding. This is completely said: nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya. Because you have got a fertile brain, you have studied so much, therefore you'll be able to understand Krsna? No. If Krsna reveals to you -- then you'll be able. That revelation is possible when you are a devotee; otherwise, it is not possible.
"So we have to wait for that opportunity when Krsna reveals. How that revelation is possible? Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. By sense perception or sense speculation you cannot. Namadi. Even the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra you cannot understand. Nama, rupa, lila, parikara, vaisistya -- everything. You cannot understand with these blunt senses. Then how? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. When you engage your senses, purified senses. Purified senses means when the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord -- everything -- then you can understand Krsna."
He concluded the class by explaining that because the Pandavas were pure devotees, Krsna took their side and they therefore became victorious.
After the class, as Srila Prabhupada sat for a few minutes in his room waiting for breakfast, I asked him about Duryodhana's relationship with Lord Balarama. I was puzzled how an apparent demon like Duryodhana could be favored by the Supreme Lord Baladeva, and even taught how to fight with a club by Him. "Was Duryodhana actually a devotee playing the part of a demon?" I asked.
"Yes," Prabhupada told me. "Otherwise Balarama could not have been favorable to him."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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