Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Srimad Bhagawatam, First Canto, Volume Three
person dreaming and the person awake because actually there is no tiger: but
the man forgetful of his awaken life is fearful where as the man who has not
forgotten his position is not at all fearful of the socalled tiger. As such the
members of Yadudynasty were fully awake in their service plan of the Lord
and therefore they were awaken living beings and there was no tiger for them
to be afraid of at any time. Even there was a real tiger the Lord was there to
protect them by dint of His arms stretcher.
Kacchit te anamayam tata bhrasta teja vibhasi me
Alabdhamano avajnatah kim va tata chirositah.
Kacchit—whether, Te—your, Anamayam—health is alright, Tata—my dear
brother, Bhrasta—bereft of, Teja—lusture, Vihbasi—appear, Me—to me,
Alabdhamano—without any respect, Avajnatah—neglected, Kim—whether,
Va—or, Tata—my dear brother, Chirosito—on account long residence.
My brother Arjuna please tell me if you are alright by your health? You
appear to me lost of bodily lusture. Whether it is due to your disrespect
or negligence by others due to your long stay at Dwarka?
From all angles of vision Maharaj enquired from Arjuna about the welfare of
Dwarka but he concluded at last that so long the Lord Sri Krishna Himself is
there, nothing inauspicious could happen there. But at the same time Arjuna
appeared to be bereft of his bodily lusture and thus he enquired about his
personal welfare and asked so many vital questions.
Kacchit abhihito abhavaih sabdadibhir amangatih
Na dattam uktam arthibhya asaya yat pratisrutam
Kacchit—whether, Abhihito—addresses by, Abhavaih—unfriendly,
Sabdadibhir—by sounds, Amangalaih—inauspiciousness, Na—did not,
Dattam—given in charity, Arthibhya—unto one who asked for, Asaya—with
hope, Yat—what, Pratisrutam—promised to be paid.
Whether somebody has addressed you with unfriendly sounds of
inauspiciousness or you could not give in charity to one who asked for it
or could not keep up your promise to an expectant receiver?
A kshatriya royal order or a rich man is sometimes visited by persons who are
in need of money. When they come for asking such donation it is the duty of
the possessor of wealth to give in charity in consideration of the person place
and time. If a Kshatriya or richman fails to comply with such obligation he
must be very sorry for this discrepancy. Similarly one should not fail to keep
up his promise of giving in charity. These discrepancies are sometimes causes
of despondecy and thus failing person becomes subjected to criticism with
unfriendly and inauspicious words which might be also the cause of Arjuna's
plight.
Kacchit twam brahmanam valam gam roginam striyam
Saranopasitam sattwam na atyakshih saranapradah.
Kacchit—whether, Twam—yourself, Brahmanam—the brahmins, Valam—
the Child, Gam—the cow, Roginam—the deseased, Striyam—the woman,
Saranopstitam—having approached for protection, Sattwam—any living
being, Na—whether, Atyakshi—not given shelter, Saranapradah—deserving
protection.
You are always the protector of deserving living beings such as the
brahmin, the child, the cow, the woman, the deseased or any other living
being deserving to be protected. Could you not give such living beings
protection even though approached for shelter?
The Brahmin who are always engaged in researching knowledge for the
society's welfare work both materially and spiritually deserve the protection of
the king in all respects. Similarlly the children of the state, the cow, the
deseased person, the woman and the old man specifically require the
protection of the state or Kshatriya King. If such deserving living beings do
not get protection by the Kshatriya or the royal order or by the state it is
certainly shameful for such degraded Kshartya or the state. Maharaj
Yudhisther was anxious to know about this discrepancy on the part of Arjuna
if such things had actually happened.
Kacchit twam na agamah agamyam gamyam va asatkritam striyam
Parajito va atha bhavan na uttamai na samayih pathi
Kacchit—whether, Twam—yourself, na—not agamah—did contact,
Agayam—impeachable, Gamyam—acceptable, Va—either, Asatkritam—
improperly treated, Striyam—a woman, Parajito—defeated by, Va—either,
Atha—after all, Bhavan—your goodself na—not, Uttamai—by superior
power, Na—neither, Samayi—by equals, Pathi—on the road.
"lf you have had contacted any woman of impeachable character or have
you not properly have treated a woman deserving contact? Or have you
not had been defeated on the way by some one who is either inferior than
you or equal with you?"
It appears from this verse that during the time of the Pandavas free contact of
man and woman was allowed on certain conditions only. The higher castes
men namely the Brahmins, Kshatriyas could accept a woman of the Vaishyas
and the Sudras community but a man from the lower castes could not contact
20
a woman of the higher caste. Even a Kshatriya could not contact a woman of
the Brahmin caste. The wife of a Brahmin is considered one of the seven
mothers namely own mother, wife of the spiritual master or teacher, the wife a
Brahmin, the wife of the king, the cow, the nurse and earth. Such contact of
man and woman was known Uttam and Adhama. Contact of the Brahmin with
a Kshatriya woman is Uttama but the contact of a Kshatriya with the woman
of a Brahmin is Adhama and therefore condemned. A woman approaching a
man for contact should never be refused but at the same time the discretion as
above mentioned may also be considered. Bhima was approached by one
woman Hirimbi from the community of lower than the Sudras and Yayati
refused to marry the Daughter of Sukracharya because of his becoming a
Brahmin. Vyasdeva a Brahmin was called to beget Pandu and Dhritaastra.
Sayavati belonged to the family of fisherman but Parasara a great Brahmin
begot in her Vyasadeva. So there are so many examples of such contacts of
woman but in all cases the contacts were not abominable neither the result of
such contacts were bad. Free love or contact of man and woman is natural but
that also must be carried out under regulated principles so that social
consecration may not be disturbed neither unwanted worthlese population
may be increased for unrest of the world.
It is abominable for a Kshatriya to be defeated by one who is inferior in
strength or equal in strength. If one is defeated at all he may be defeated by
some superior power. Arjuna was defeated by Bhismadeva and Lord Krishna
saved him from the danger. This was not insult for Arjuna because
Bhismadeva was far superior than Arjuna in all respects namely age, respect
and strength. But Karna was equal with Arjuna and therefore Arjuna was in
crisis in fighting with Karnna. It was felt by Arjuna and therefore Karna was
killed even by crooked means. Such are the engagements of the Kshatriyas
and Maharaj Yudhisthir enquired from his brother if anything undesirable
have had happened on the way back to home from Dwarka.
Api swit parya bhunkthas twam
Sambhojyan briddha valakan.
Jugupsitam karma kimchit
Kritavan na yad akshamam.
Apiswit—if it were so that, Parya—by leaving aside, Bhunkthas—have dined,
Twam—yourself, Sambhojyan—deserving to dine together, Briddha—the
oldmen, Valakan—boys, Jugupsitam—abominable, Karma—action,
Kimchit—Something, Kritavan—you must have had done, Na—not, Yad—
that which, Akshyamam—unpardonable.
Is it not so that you had had not taken care of old men and boys who
deserve to dine with you together but you had left them and taken your
meals alone ? If you had had not committed such unpardonable mistakes
which are considered to be abominable actions.
It is the duty of householder to feed first of all the children and old members
of the family, the Brahmins and the invalids. Besides that an ideal
householder is required to call for any unknown hungry man to come and dine
before he himself goes to take his meals. He is required to call for such
hungry man thrice on the road. Any mistake in such prescribed duty of
householder specially in the matter of the oldmen and children is unpardonble.
Kacchit presthatame natha hridayena atmabandhuna
Sunya asmi rahito nityam manyase te anyatha na ruk.
Kacchit—whether, Presthatame—unto the most dear one, Natha—my brother
Arjuna, Hridayena—most intimate, Atmabandhuna—own friend Lord
Krishna, Sunya—void, Asmi—I am, Rahito—having lost, Nityam—for all the
time, Manyase—you think, Te—your, Anyatha—otherwise, Na—never,
Ruk—distress of the mind.
Is it not so that you are feeling yourself void for all the time being devoid
of your most intimate freind Lord Krishna whom you might have lost oh
my brother Arjuna? I do not find any other reason for your becoming so
much dejected.
All the inquisitiveness of Maharaj Yudhisthira about the world situattion were
already conjectured by Maharaj Yudhisthira on the basis of Lord Krishna's
disapearance from the vision of the world and this was now disclosed by him
on account of acute dejection of Arjuna which could not have been possible
without such untoward situation. So even though he was doubtful about it, he
was obliged to enquire frankly about it form Arjuna on the basis of Sri
Narada's indication.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports of the First Canto Fourteenth Chapter in
the matter of Disappearance of Lord Krishna.