Srila Prabhupada speaks on: "Dishonor Is Worse Than Death"

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From: Praghosa dasa <servant@prabhupadavani.org>
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 12:01:32 +0100
Subject: Srila Prabhupada speaks on: "Dishonor Is Worse Than Death"
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"Dishonor Is Worse Than Death"

73/09/03 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.33-35

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "If, however, you do
not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for
neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter."

Prabhupada:

atha cet tvam imam dharmyam
sangramam na karisyasi
tatah sva-dharmam kirtim ca
hitva papam avapsyasi
[Bg. 2.33]

So imam dharmyam, religious fight. Just like even nowadays also, if
the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot
down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is
sinful. So Krsna says, atha cet tvam imam dharmyam sangramam na
karisyasi. This fight is not ordinary fight. It is not the
politician's fight. "For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if
you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a ksatriya. Not only ksatriya,
you are a very well known fighter. You have been recognized by so many
demigods." Arjuna got the pasupata-astra. To test Arjuna's fighting
capacity, sometimes Lord Siva, when Arjuna was hunting in the forest,
so Lord Siva also, as a hunter, he appeared before him, and when a
boar was killed by hunting, Lord Siva claimed that "I have done this
killing." Arjuna said, "No, I have done this." So there was
controversy, who will claim that hunt, I mean to say, killed animal.
So Arjuna was claiming, and Lord Siva as a hunter, he was also
claiming. Then there was fight between Lord Siva and Arjuna. So Lord
Siva was defeated. So he then disclosed his identity that "I am very
much pleased that you (are) such a nice fighter." So he presented him
one arrow which is called pasupata-astra. Similarly, he sometimes
fought with Indra. He gave him some astra, weapon. This was the
system, that a ksatriya is presented with a kind of weapon, a brahmana
is presented with Vedas, and so far vaisyas and sudras are concerned,
they are not very important.

So Arjuna was recognized by Lord Siva, by King Indra, and many others
also. So Krsna says that "You have got recognition from big
personalities. So if you don't fight, then not only you shall be
irreligious but also you'll lose your reputation." Tatah sva-dharmam
kirtim ca hitva papam avapsyasi. Papam means sin or sinful reaction.
So it has to be judged, when... Sometimes fighting is papam, means
sinful activity, and sometimes fighting is punyam, pious activities.
It requires the time, circumstances, on what ground the fighting was
going on, on whose order the fighting was going on. These are to be
studied. So violence and nonviolence. Our great leader, Mahatma
Gandhi, he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gita, nonviolence. He started
the nonviolence movement, and he wanted to support... Everyone takes
advantage of Bhagavad-gita and tries to support his view on the
strength of Bhagavad-gita. Therefore you will find so many
interpretations. Everyone wants to utilize. There are more than six
hundred publication, commentaries, on Bhagavad-gita. One Dr. Rele in
Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gita as talks between a physician
and a patient.

So these things are going on, but that is not Bhagavad-gita. That is
namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. Nama-aparadha, ten kinds of
offenses... This is offense. Just like namno balad yasya hi
papa-buddhih. We say, the sastra says, that by chanting Hare Krsna
mantra, you become cleansed of your sinful activities. That's a fact.
But if somebody thinks that "I shall go on committing sinful activity
and chant Hare Krsna mantra so it will be adjusted, neutralized, this
is the most sinful activity, namno balat, by the strength of chanting,
committing sin. So similarly on the strength of Bhagavad-gita, if one
wants to prove his foolish philosophy, that is a great offense. That's
a great offense. Therefore Bhagavad-gita cannot be interpreted by
foolish commentators. It must be studied through the parampara system,
acarya upasanam. One must worship the acarya and learn from him what
is Bhagavad-gita. Acaryavan puruso veda. This is the Vedic injunction.
Who knows things as they are. Acaryam mam purusa, one who is under the
guidance of acarya. So you won't find this foolish nonviolence theory
from any acarya. Many acaryas have commented on Bhagavad-gita. There
is Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, even Sankaracarya. But never said that
Bhagavad-gita is proof of nonviolence. Nonviolence is good but when
there is dharma-yuddha, righteous fighting, there is no question of
nonviolence. Violence is approved.

Therefore Krsna says that tatah sva-dharmam kirtim ca: "You will, by
neglecting your sva-dharma, your professional or occupational duty,
and minimizing the importance of your recognition, kirti..." Kirtir
yasya sa jivati: "Anyone who is reputed for his good activities, he
lives forever." Kirtir yasya sa jivati. Bhaja sadhu-samagamam. Tyaja
durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. Canakya Pandita also says
kirtih sa... Who lives forever? One who has got reputation for his,
one who is famous for his good activities. "So don't try to lose your
reputation. You are a great fighter, recognized by so many
authorities, and if you don't fight, then people will say, 'Now Arjuna
is finished. He cannot anymore fight.' So don't lose this reputation.
Don't be deviated from your occupational duty as a ksatriya. If you do
all these things, then papam avapsyasi. You don't think that it will
be pious. You will, on the other hand you will become impious." Papam
avapsyasi. Next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

Translation: "People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who
has been honored, dishonor is worse than death."

Prabhupada:

akirtim capi bhutani
kathayisyanti te 'vyayam
sambhavitasya cakirtir
maranad atiricyate
[Bg. 2.34]

Sambhavitasya, one who is very reputed, famous man, if he does
something wrong, then it was better to die before such infamy is
grown. This is advised. Arjuna is famous as a great fighter. Not only
that, he is personal friend of Krsna, so much so that Krsna has agreed
to become his chariot driver. Just try to understand what is his
position. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is worshiped
by Lord Brahma, govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **, He has
agreed to drive the chariot of Arjuna on account of friendship. Now,
we have to imagine how much famous he is. "Everyone will say, 'Oh,
Krsna is his so intimate friend that He has agreed to drive his
chariot!' This is your reputation all over the world." So
sambhavitasya cakirtih. "And if you don't fight now, what people will
say? Better you die." Krsna is advising that "Instead of becoming a
very good man, nonviolent, you lay down your life. That is My advice.
You die. I shall see that you have died. I will be very much pleased."
This is Krsna's advice. How much He has become, I mean to say,
dissatisfied with the decision of Arjuna, "Krsna, I am not going to
fight this battle." So Krsna's last advice is that if you don't fight,
better you die before him. I shall be very much pleased." Then?

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

Translation: "The great generals who have highly esteemed your name
and fame will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear
only, and thus they will consider you a coward."

Prabhupada:

bhayad ranad uparatam
mamsyante tvam maha-rathah
yesam ca tvam bahu-mato
bhutva yasyasi laghavam
[Bg. 2.35]

This spirit of ksatriya was prevalent even, say, three hundred years
ago in India. There was a king, Yasomanta Sena. He was the
commander-in-chief of Emperor Aurangzeb. So in one fight, he was
defeated and came back to his home. So his wife heard that "My husband
has been defeated. He's coming back home." So she asked the caretaker
to close the door of the palace. So when Yasomanta Sena came there, he
saw that his palace door is closed. Then he sent message to the queen
that "Why you have closed the door? I have come home." So messenger
came and informed that "The king has come. So he is asking to open the
door." The queen replied, "Who is king? Yasomanta Sena. No, no.
Yasomanta Sena cannot come being defeated. Yasomanta Sena either he
conquers the battle or he lays down his body there dead. So the man
who has come, he must be somebody pretender. He is not King Yasomanta
Sena." So she refused to open the door. This is the spirit of ksatriya
spirit.

So here also the same thing, five thousand years also ago, that Krsna
says that "You are so reputed a fighter, and if you stop fighting,
people will not consider... Especially other commander-in-chiefs like
Dronacarya, Bhisma, Karna... They are maha-rathas." Maha-ratha means
one fighter who can combat with thousands of men alone. He is called
maha-ratha. As nowadays the titles are "captain," "commander,"
"commander-in-chief," similarly, formerly "maha-ratha," "ati-ratha"
were the titles given to the soldiers, fighters. So maha-ratha, the
greatest commanders... So Krsna said that "You are recognized, one of
the maha-rathas. So what the other maha-rathas will think of you? They
will not consider that out of compassion you did not fight. They will
think that out of fear you have left the battlefield. They will take
the opposite." Bhayad ranad uparatam. "Out of fear you have stopped
fighting." Mamsyante tvam maha-rathah. "So now you are recognized as
one of the maha-rathah. Yesam ca tvam bahu-matah. "Oh, you are known
by various, I mean to say, commander-in-chiefs." Bhutva yasyasi
laghavam: "In their eyes you will be considered as degraded." Bhutva
yasyasi laghavam. "Why should you accept? Better fight and die."
That's all right. Thank you. (end)