Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Srimad Bhagavad Geeta by Thirukullam Narasimha Raghavachariar Chapter 2 Part 3

From the Bhakti List Archives

Krishna Susarla • May 27, 1998 


Hare Krishna.

From: Bharadwaj, Jaganath 

>Sri Bhagavaan: "Arjuna!  Never was there a time when Myself, the
>controller of everything did not exist.  Never was there a time when you
>did not exist.  Never was there a time when any of these kings did not
>exist.  Just as you are convinced about the eternal existence of Myself,
>who is the Supreme among all sentient beings, be convinced that
>similarly, all of you are going to exist forever.  Therefore what is the
>point in grieving over something that cannot be destroyed?"


This verse, occuring 12th in the second chapter, is also remarkable because
it quite clearly and succinctly refutes the major tenet of advaitist
philosophy, namely, the idea that plurality of living entities is due to
maya alone, and that only a single, nondifferentiated Brahman is the actual
reality. Here, Lord Krishna clearly states that all of the living entities
have always existed and will always continue to exist. The plurality
referred to here is clearly eternal.

Still, the advaitin might argue that the living entities are eternal, but
they only exist as individuals temporarily in the bodily concept of life.
But in the previous verse, Lord Krishna already condemned the bodily concept
of life. Thus, it is not sensible to presume that He would immediately speak
again of such a concept, which is what we must believe in order to accept
the advaitin's interpretation. In other words, if individuality was an
illusion, and Lord Krishna had just condemned the bodily concept of life
which is based on such illusion, we would not expect Him to again speak in
terms of the conditioned, individual existence.

>Sri Bhagavaan: "Paartha!  Just as a man discards worn out clothing and
>replaces them with new and more attractive clothing, soldiers discarding
>their bodies in a just war are assured of newer and more attractive
>bodies.  Therefore, even though you need not rejoice, there is no need
>to grieve either."


It is a little known fact that this statement by Lord Krishna proved more
true than anyone might have expected. Normally, a soldier who gives his life
on the battlefield can be expected to attain the higher planetary systems.
However, the soldiers of the Kurukshetra war got an even better benediction.
Shriimad Bhaagavata Puraana states:

vijayarathakuTumbha aattatotre dhR^itahayarashmini tachchhriyekShaNiiye |
bhagavati ratirastu me mumuurShoryamiha niriikShya hataa gataaH svaruupam ||
1.9.39 ||

(translation by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami)
vijaya - Arjuna; ratha - chariot; kuTumbe - the object of protection at all
risk; aatta-totre - with a whip in the right hand; dhR^ita-haya -
controlling the horses; rashmini - ropes; tat-shriyaa - beautifully
standing; iikShaNiiye - to look at; bhagavati - unto the Personality of
Godhead; ratiH astu - let my attraction be; mumuurShoH - one who is about to
die; yam - upon whom; iha - in this world; niriikShya - by looking; hataaH -
those who died; gataaH - attained; sva-ruupam - original form.

At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Shrii Krishna, the
Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of
Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His
left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna's chariot by all
means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra attained their
original forms after death (bhaagavata puraaNa 1.9.39).

The svaruupa referred to here is the original spiritual form of the living
entity. Lord Krishna is so merciful that even the enemies on the battlefield
who saw Him were liberated.

Hare Krishna!

-- HKS