Narasimha Chaturdashi 2018

“Prahlada was developed simply by the mercy of Narada. When Prahlada Maharaj was within the womb of his mother, she was being sympathetically instructed by Narada about the science of devotional service, and at the same time Narada was wishing that the child within the womb could also take advantage of the instructions. Because Narada, an authorized devotee and great associate of the Personality of Godhead, was desiring auspiciousness for Prahlada Maharaj, he developed all the characteristics of a high-grade devotee.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 17)

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Such a fine young man. Of good qualities, inside and out. From top to bottom, this is an ideal saint, but not in the typical presentation. Cool, calm, collected, without prejudice, exhibiting model behavior. The parents must be proud.

Ironically, with Prahlada Maharaja, the father was fiercely upset upon witnessing the character in the person who was to succeed him on the throne. Hiranyakashipu’s anger made him lose all intelligence, to the point that he couldn’t understand the Divine until it was staring him in the face in a ghastly form. The occasion of Narasimha Chaturdashi celebrates the day of that meeting.

How can someone mature with so much auspiciousness while facing the greatest inauspiciousness on a daily basis? Externals don’t tell the full tale. Prahlada grew up in a palace. His father was the most feared ruler in the world. It is said that the residents of the heavenly realm, the demigods, would assume disguises in order to hide from Hiranyakashipu.

That king was previously favored by Lord Brahma, the creator. There was immunity against death in so many situations. On land, on sea, in the air, at night, in the daytime, from weapons, from humans, from animals - every condition the boon-seeker could think of was presented in his case. Lord Brahma acted as the judge and agreed to the conditions.

Yet for a devotee of Krishna the atmosphere in the kingdom was inauspicious. This is because the king was a staunch enemy of the Supreme Lord. Not that God necessarily plays favorites. He is inside of every person, witnessing through the expansion known as Supersoul. This means that He resides within both the thief and the priest. He is inside of the worst person we could imagine.

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.29)

Could it get any worse than trying to kill your own son of just five years of age? And multiple times at that, as the boy somehow survived every attempt against his life. This wasn’t a conspiracy, either, like with the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata. Each attack was conducted out in the open, with Prahlada fully aware of the hostility against him.

How did the atheistic king get such a pious and devoted son? This was a race of demons known as Daityas. They trace their ancestry back to a woman named Diti. Her sister, Aditi, is the person from whom the good guys, the suras, trace their lineage. In other words, it was in Hiranyakashipu’s blood to hate God. Though the Supreme Lord is neutrally disposed, the reaction from the other side can vary. Sometimes people may not like Him.

Prahlada was different in part because of something that occurred prior to birth. While within the womb of his mother, the boy heard instruction on the science of self-realization from the celebrated saint known as Narada. There was a thought amongst some that the birth should not be allowed to take place. Perhaps the son would grow up to follow the father, and thus be a menace to the world.

The instruction of Narada was the secret weapon to undo the king. Prahlada had saintly characteristics right upon exiting the womb, so much so that He is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita as being the best among the Daityas.

“Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda, the feathered carrier of Vishnu.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.30)

From the boy’s example we see that auspiciousness can foster, grow and prosper even in the most inauspicious conditions. Prahlada’s devotion was too strong for the father to break. Eventually the Supreme Lord worshiped by the boy emerged from a pillar and killed the king. Those many boons were unable to protect him, as just one percent vulnerability is enough for the undefeated Narasimhadeva to successfully defeat His target.

In Closing:

What to do with boy arriving soon,

Perhaps better to kill in the womb.

Like evil father might become,

Then fate of world sealed and done.

Narada Muni with option of instruction,

So saintly Prahlada his father’s destruction.

Thriving though from inauspicious place,

Devotion protected by Narasimha’s grace.

Four Issues In Modern Communication Absent In The Relationship With God

“The Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, seated beside the individual soul, is the witness of the individual soul's activities and is the source of consciousness. The Supersoul gives the jiva an opportunity to act freely, and He witnesses his activities. The functions of all these different manifestations of the Supreme Lord automatically become clarified for the pure Krishna conscious devotee engaged in transcendental service of the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 8.4 Purport)

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Is there a chance they can get it wrong? You know, mess up in the assessment. There is the idea of a judgment day, where a person of authority makes the determination of where the soul ends up next. They read through the list of both pious and sinful deeds.

Is there a chance they miss something? If God Himself is the arbiter, does He ever get it wrong? Was it possible that He didn’t notice that time we saved women and children from a burning building? Might He have not been paying attention when we turned the other cheek and thereby avoided an argument?

The Vedas describe one feature of the Almighty to be Supersoul. This is the English translation to the Sanskrit word Paramatma. The prefix is added to distinguish from regular atma. Regular here refers to common or in high availability. Every living thing is atma, and since there are too many living things around us to count, the sighting of atma is a regular occurrence.

Though commonly found, there is nothing ordinary about atma. It is amazing since it can last through the changes of time. It is practically infinitesimal in size, and it powers both the large elephant and the tiny ant. Atma is the spirit soul, and it cannot be killed. Nor does it ever take birth. Those changes are attributed to the body only.

Paramatma is like atma, but also different in significant ways. It is a singular identity. Whereas the influence of the individual atma is limited to the local sphere, Paramatma is everywhere. And it is the same person or identity; it is not like God divides to function in this feature.

Paramatma is also known as the all-pervading witness. This means that all calls to Him are heard. He sees everything, regardless. The link with Him is known as yoga, and the flaws often found in modern communication do not exist.

1. Bandwidth

There is a hot story. It is breaking news. The author has uncovered further corruption from the former Secretary of State of the country. That person in high power colluded with both foreign entities and domestic investigatory agencies to try to defeat a political rival in an election.

When the story breaks, the website hosting might have issues. People navigate to the site only to keep waiting. The page doesn’t load. The issue here is bandwidth. The server can only accept so many requests. It is something like a computer being weighed down by too many concurrent operations.

2. Downtime

You go to access your online brokerage account, only to get an error message prior to the login page. It says that there is scheduled maintenance being applied to the system. Granted, it is typically during off-hours, like in the early morning, but that doesn’t concern you at the moment. You want to check your account. You want to log in.

The maintenance is necessary to keep the site running. Otherwise, something could go wrong during a period of heavy traffic. Worse, there might be a bug that has a chain reaction, negatively affecting thousands of people. Better to take the system down for a while, fix any issues, and then resume operations.

3. Bugs in the code

Applications and websites do not build themselves. It is not like some random collision occurs to generate such complexity. Intelligence is required for the output containing intelligence. This is only common sense.

At the same time, the human mind is flawed. People make mistakes. That is the way of life. In the communication with a website or application, there is a chance of a bug coming up. It could be minor, like the restaurant not allowing you to remove sauce from the pizza you’re ordering. Or it could be serious, like the company charging your credit card three and four times with every order.

4. Security vulnerability

Some people are afraid to conduct any type of commerce online, citing security concerns. If they are typing in their personal information on a website, who is to guarantee that everything is secure? The communication channel could get hacked, sending important data to thieves and cybercriminals.

Yet even without ever touching the internet a person’s information can get stolen. The bank, for instance, will store all customer information on a server. If that server has vulnerabilities, places where it is open to outside communication, there is always the chance of a breach. Massive amounts of customer data can be stolen, even if the customer only visited physical locations.

These vulnerabilities are absent in the relationship with God. Paramatma has no bandwidth issues, as He has witnessed everything that has ever occurred since before anyone can remember. He is the perfect person, so there are no flaws. This is one reason He is known as Achyuta.

Others can try to cheat Him, but He will always outsmart them. That is one reason materialists generally don’t approach Vishnu, who is the personal God, to satisfy their desires. They know that Vishnu might not agree to their requests; He is not obligated to do anything.

The link to the Almighty is always on, meaning that at any time the connection in yoga can be reestablished. It may take many lifetimes to purify the consciousness, or it can happen in a second through the sound of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

No way to guarantee for sure,

That online information secure.

Perhaps from hackers a breach,

Or website limit to reach.

Regular maintenance to plug vulnerability,

But still lacking in one of supreme ability.

In Supersoul feature everyone to hear,

Inside individual, close and near.

Four Ways Of Living

"Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.18)

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Endowed with choice, the human birth sets itself apart from others. The Vedas cap the number of species off at 8,400,000. Some are able to move. Others don’t move at all, like the trees. There are creatures with two legs, while some might have eight. There is the tiny ant and there is also the large elephant.

In every one of the species the guiding principle is sense gratification. These senses cover up the spotless spirit soul. Like the clouds that block the sunshine, the body has no influence on the soul itself. That is to say the soul cannot be sullied. It cannot be destroyed, killed, or made inactive.

The precious human birth is a noteworthy achievement, but in the beginning there is only potential. Something like working so hard to make it to the major leagues in baseball, the work is not finished. Now the potential must be converted to reality. In this respect there are four directions the human being can travel.

1. Going backwards

The corresponding way of living is known as tamo-guna. This is the mode of darkness or ignorance. Imagine having spent so much money on purchasing a new tennis racket. It is state of the art, the exact model used by the number one player in the world.

Due to frustration one day while playing, the racket gets tossed. The impact is enough to render the object ineffective moving forward. The racket is an inanimate object; it did nothing wrong. The breaking of the racket not only served no purpose, but it brought the individual backwards.

The mode of ignorance eventually leads to birth in an animal body in the next life. Excessive sleep, intoxication, and generally doing things that serve no tangible purpose are indications of life in this mode.

2. Staying the same

The corresponding term is rajo-guna. This is the mode of passion. Here there is the illusion of progress, but really there is no difference to the hamster running on the wheel in the cage. Passion is the default way of living. That is to say as the human being matures they gravitate to this mode without any outside intervention required.

It is actually staying the same since only time was passed. As an example, a player works hard at achieving the top ranking in their field. Eventually time will change things. The player will one day have to retire. They are back at where they started, though they have many stories and experiences to share with others.

The mode of passion is a neutral state; the human being takes birth as a human being again in the next life. They again become susceptible to the illusion of progress through satisfying the senses.

3. Elevating to heaven

This is sattva-guna, the mode of goodness. Do things the right way. Follow authority. Respect dharma and shun adharma. Worship at the proper times, both in terms of the day and the entire life cycle. Try to purify yourself while understanding the difference between matter and spirit.

The mode of goodness is moving forward, and the reward is birth in the heavenly realm. There the same material life exists, but in an enhanced state. More enjoyment. Longer duration of life. Less disturbances. Trees that grant whatever desire comes to mind.

4. Enjoying bliss that only increases

The catch with any of the three modes of nature is that there is a time limit. The expiration date is set, though the individual might not know it. The person in heaven eventually has to leave. This is because their pious credits expire. Either go back down to earth and repeat the same life in goodness or elevate to a higher realm.

That higher realm is the spiritual world, which is notable due to the lack of distinction between body and spirit. There is no birth and death. Time exists, but it lacks a negative influence. The way to reach the spiritual world is devotional service, bhakti-yoga. Another way to describe it is shudda-sattva, or pure goodness.

The reward here is not limited to place of residence. There is bliss felt throughout, from beginning to end. Changing the consciousness is not easy, especially when surrounded by so many distractions. There is a safety feature with bhakti, in that if progress gets halted the previous effort does not go to waste. It cannot be destroyed, as even in a subsequent life the individual gets to continue from where they left off.

The bliss in bhakti can arrive immediately; there is no need to wait until after death. The progress is not in illusion, and the mind automatically gets controlled. The easiest and simplest way to be in pure goodness in the modern day is to chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Avoid the four pillars of sinful life, maintain good association, be passionate about serving the Supreme Lord, and soon the outlook on life will change dramatically.

In Closing:

Even if failing not a waste,

Throughout time to taste.

Something higher, not elsewhere found,

To where birth and death’s cycle bound.

Like mode of ignorance backward going,

To heaven from spiritual nature knowing.

Or in passion remaining the same,

Devotion for human the highest gain.

Four Comparisons Used For Krishna’s Complexion

“The shyama color is not exactly blackish. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura compares it to the color of the atasi flower. It is not that Lord Krishna Himself appears in a blackish color in all the Dvapara-yugas. In other Dvapara-yugas, previous to Lord Krishna's appearance, the Supreme Lord appeared in a greenish body by His own personal expansion. This is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana, Hari-vamsha and Mahabharata.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 20.337, Purport)

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Certainly seems odd. There is a God; otherwise how to explain so many amazing things that happen on a daily basis? What person would still be an atheist after witnessing the miracle of childbirth from within a hospital room, standing inches away? How to explain the perfect intelligence embedded within so many aspects of nature, intelligence so predictable and reliable that fields of study result, known as science?

The majority of the population believes in God, but do they know that He looks bluish? Even if told so, why to trust? Where is the reliable authority to confirm the fact? Who else do we know that has this complexion?

The Vedas present this information and boldly so. There are no apologies made; the spiritual leaders of the past saw God directly in His incarnation form and reported on what they witnessed. They passed on that the color on the transcendental body is shyama, and several comparisons are given to help explain that unique complexion.

1. The dark raincloud

One name for Krishna is Ghanashyama. This means “dark like the cloud.” The cloud here is one that is just about to pour rain. This is a specific kind of blue color. Though ominous in certain situations, with respect to continuing life the raincloud is one hundred percent auspicious. Without this conglomeration of different forces of nature, grains could not be produced. And without grains, life would not continue for very long.

2. The indranila-mani

This is the blue sapphire. It sparkles. Krishna’s complexion is such that others take notice. For God there is no difference between body and spirit. I may have certain aspects of my body that are attractive, but not everything. Moreover, that body doesn’t identify me. My feet are beautiful in appearance, but the toenails are not. Perhaps my eyes are enchanting, but my torso not.

With Shri Krishna, everything is attractive. You can focus on just the complexion of the body and have a perfect match for the eyes desiring meditation. Just as gems are used as ornaments to help enhance appearance, the Supreme Lord’s entire body is like the most valuable jewel.

3. The tamala tree

These are certain kinds of trees found predominantly in the area known as Vrindavana. Today there aren’t many such trees remaining, but during Krishna’s manifest pastimes there were many. The tree’s color so closely resembles Krishna’s body that sometimes Shrimati Radharani would go up to one and embrace it. She thought she was meeting her paramour. Sometimes the longing feeling due to separation from Krishna was so strong that out of love she would mistake the tamala tree for Him.

4. The atasi flower

For further clarification there is the comparison to the atasi flower. This brings another kind of bluish color into the mix. Lest there be any confusion, the saints of the past have provided ample evidence. Their voluminous written testimony is the best evidence of both the existence of God and the nature of His external appearance.

Complicating the matter is that the word shyama might refer to other colors, like green or brown. That is why sometimes the incarnation of Shri Rama is depicted in a greenish color. The world goes through cycles of creation and destruction, and there are innumerable worlds. Though in our present timeline Shri Krishna manifested on this earth some five thousand years ago, that is not to say He is not manifest somewhere else right now. In another universe, Shyamasundara might be giving off a greenish bodily hue.

The idea is that God is the most beautiful, wherever He appears. In His form of Vishnu, there are four items - one in each hand. Two items are associated with peace and two with violence, but actually all four are equally as beautiful. This is the meaning of “all-attractive,” and anyone who creates a firm connection to Him in yoga basks in this beauty for as long as they desire.

In Closing:

How that description to believe,

When never such vision to receive?

Authority for removing the shroud,

Shri Krishna compared to a cloud.

Like one about to pour down rain,

Or to atasi color the same.

Sometimes Radha hugging the tree,

Tamala like her beloved to see.

Four Groups Rewarded Accordingly In Vrindavana

"All of them-as they surrender unto Me-I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.11)

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Shri Krishna reveals the truth in the Bhagavad-gita. Regardless of the mindset, whether they know Him perfectly or not, every person follows Him. In that regard even ignorance is a kind of theism. There is no such thing as complete disassociation from the Almighty.

As each person surrenders, they are rewarded accordingly. Evidence is there in the spiritual land of Vrindavana. After liberation things do not come to a complete stop. Nirvana is cessation of material suffering, but on the other side is variety and nuance, to an endless factor.

1. Mothers

There are the foster parents, mother Yashoda and King Nanda. They receive the blessing of child Krishna in their home through a series of connected events. The neighboring town has a wicked ruler named Kamsa. He wants to see Krishna dead, even before the birth, which is really an appearance. Though only an infant a few hours old, Shri Krishna instructs the birth-father Vasudeva to transport Him to the nearby town of Gokula.

There Krishna delights the mothers. Yashoda gets to dedicate her life to taking care of Him in the mood of parental affection. She thinks that if she does not feed Krishna He will perish. Krishna is God, so this outpouring of affection is quite remarkable.

The other mothers in the community take just as much delight. Krishna is known to break into their homes and steal butter. They outwardly complain, but inside they really like it. There is the opportunity to again see His adorable face, which they can’t get enough of.

2. Friends

The male friends go out to the fields every day with Krishna, and they take care of the calves. Gokula is a farm community, and thousands of cows are protected and well taken care of. An abundance of milk products results.

The female friends rendezvous with Krishna under the brightest moon of the year, Sharada Purnima. They dance together with Krishna, in what is a brazen violation of dharma, or religiosity. There is no sin incurred, since Krishna protects. He gives to the pure devotees what they desire.

3. Asuras

Kamsa later finds out where Krishna went and he decides to send bad guys to rid the world of this enemy. These are not your ordinary hired assassins. They are expert in black magic, and so they can change their shapes and do amazing things. One would think such abilities aren’t necessary in taking out an infant, but the asuras have no reservations about applying such force.

They, too, are rewarded in their interaction with God. They get to see Him at the time of death, specifically their own. The powers of a witch, the strength of a whirlwind, the speed of a bull, the mouth of a snake - nothing works. Krishna thwarts every attack. Though the mood isn’t devotion, there is consciousness all the same. These bad characters had God on the mind while quitting the body; they couldn’t help it, as they were looking right at Him. One who thinks of Krishna at such a time earns liberation.

4. Demigods

The suras are the opposite in mentality; they acknowledge God and hopefully serve Him. Some of the most powerful demigods came to Vrindavana, but in an antagonistic mood. This is further proof that at any time the mentality can switch. There is always free will, which means the potential to exercise the option to ignore God is never fully eliminated.

Lord Brahma is the creator. He is so close to Krishna, and yet he tried to fool the Supreme Lord in Vrindavana. He arrived and stole Krishna’s cows and male cowherd friends. He regretted the action later on, after being defeated.

Something similar occurred with Indra, the king of heaven. He sent torrents of rain to wipe away the people, punishment for skipping a worship ceremony in his honor. Krishna saved the day and Indra felt contrite afterwards.

In Closing:

Everyone following in all respects,

Sometimes with outcomes not to expect.

Like asuras by Kamsa sent,

With killing intention went.

But at time of death upon Him gazing,

Defeated despite powers amazing.

Parents, friends and demigods too,

Time with Krishna, He of bluish hue.

Three Unexpected Places Where Forgetfulness Of Krishna Can Take Place

"To remember Krishna one should chant the mahamantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, incessantly, following in the footsteps of Lord Chaitanya, being more tolerant than the tree, humbler than the grass and offering all respect to others without requiring respect in return. In such a way one will be able to depart from the body successfully remembering Krishna and so attain the supreme goal." (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5 Purport)

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Genuine spiritual life is about changing consciousness. An institution might help. Wearing a certain dress, acting a certain way, reading specific books, memorizing beautifully composed verses in the Sanskrit language - the sadhana, or regulative practice, is beneficial, but the objective is always superior to the means.

The consciousness should change from material to spiritual. Essentially, what is it that we think about? What is on the mind on a constant basis? What topic or topics have majority ownership as far as thoughts are concerned?

To this end it is seen that even in supposedly pure places there can be forgetfulness of the Divine. The entire objective gets nullified with some distraction or other.

1. The temple

This is the sanctuary in an otherwise hectic and chaotic world. While there is duality everywhere else, within the confines of the sacred establishment the objective is to see only the spiritual side to things. God is known to be the source of both material and spiritual worlds.

Seeing the spiritual component is essential for proper understanding of how everything works. The discoveries of modern science are not enough. Those are merely descriptions of principles and phenomena already existing. They don’t cover the origins, nor do they give the complete picture of the future.

Yet even within the temple it is possible to forget God, who is worshiped there in different personal forms. One of them is Krishna, whose name means “all-attractive.” The idea is that the deity, who is the physical representation in a most merciful form meant for accepting worship, is the chief resident in the dwelling. The people within the temple should focus on this proprietor, for knowing Him inside the temple helps to understand and recognize His presence outside and everywhere else.

If my mind is focused on concerns over health, family, friends, politics, or certain personal events, it is easy to forget Krishna. I might be looking straight at Him in the deity form and not have any remembrance of His sweet pastimes.

2. A sankirtana party

An easier way to remember is through sound. Chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. A person who chants regularly and discusses topics about the Lord, Krishna-katha, becomes like a travelling temple. They take the spiritual atmosphere with them wherever they go.

Chanting together, in a group, sometimes accompanied by musical instruments and a call-and-response type format, is known as sankirtana. The added benefit here is that people not participating get to connect with God. They might be one hundred percent forgetful, but if they hear the sacred sounds from a distance it can change their lives.

Someone smack dab in the middle of the sankirtana party, perhaps even the one leading the chanting, can be forgetful of Krishna. Again, consciousness is the indicator. It is possible to go through the motions, to chant externally but to be diverted toward some other topic on the inside.

3. A dhama

The true benefit of visiting a sacred place is meeting saintly people. They tend to congregate there, as it is easier to remember the Supreme Lord and His pastimes in places directly associated with Him. The entire world is His property, but there are certain places considered more significant due to a relationship with the personal form of God.

Yet even while living in a sacred place like Vrindavana it is possible to have forgetfulness. There can be people of ill-intent residing there, as well. The atmosphere is most conducive to spiritual life, but for some reason the mind goes elsewhere.

The idea is that success in spiritual life is up to the individual, not the circumstances. Changing consciousness is the key, as the person who thinks of Krishna at the time of death attains His nature. That is to say they travel to His realm, where there is no distinction between body and spirit.

Circumstances can make a significant impact, and this is one of the reasons spiritual teachers pass on guidelines and recommendations. Just as it is not easy to stick to a diet while sitting inside of a buffet restaurant throughout the day, living in inauspicious conditions likely won’t help in changing the consciousness for the better. Still, the power of the holy name and Krishna’s association is such that any person, in any condition of life, has the opportunity for liberation.

In Closing:

All dependent on mind,

Any liberation can find.

Even if visiting sacred place,

Distraction memory to erase.

Or feet in holy temple set,

Again a chance to forget.

On the individual, what they desire,

Future determined how to transpire.

Couldn’t Someone Get The Wrong Idea About Violence From The Bhagavad-Gita

“According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: 1) a poison giver, 2) one who sets fire to the house, 3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, 4) one who plunders riches, 5) one who occupies another’s land, and 6) one who kidnaps a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 1.36 Purport)

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Friend1: I understand that sometimes violence is necessary.

Friend2: Sure. It’s common sense. Otherwise rogues and thieves would have a field day. They could take whatever they wanted from others without facing repercussions. Armies and police forces wouldn’t exist. There would be no meaning to the word “law.” You can write as much legislation as you want, but unless there is enforcement they are just words. And enforcement means the use of violence when necessary.

Friend1: At the same time, you don’t want to be violent without cause.

Friend2: Sure. Then you are an aggressor. You become one of the people that needs to be defended against with violence on the other side.

Friend1: You hear this argument a lot from people who don’t know the Bhagavad-gita very well. They complain that Shri Krishna, the teacher on the chariot with Arjuna, encourages violence. They extend the argument by saying that if Krishna were really God, He wouldn’t behave in that way.

Friend2: How would He behave? He would allow aggressors to take land and property without issue? He would let people violate the sanctity of life without consequence? It’s like complaining that there is darkness. Why is it cold? Why is it raining outside? For peace to exist, there must be violence. This is just common sense.

Friend1: I know. I get it. That’s why I said these people don’t know the Bhagavad-gita very well. They simply speculate.

Friend2: There are lots of speculations, for sure.

Friend1: Here is another issue to consider. Take someone who is following the Bhagavad-gita, the final message of surrender to the Supreme Lord.

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: At the same time, they are having a disagreement with someone. The other person has threatened violence, but has yet to carry it out. The devotee in this scenario uses the Bhagavad-gita as justification for taking preemptive action.

Friend2: You mean like doing a “hit”? Like taking the guy out, illegally?

Friend1: Right. Exactly. The justification is that the “illegal” act is really “legal” because it is being done to protect devotion. It will make Krishna happy.

Friend2: I see. Yeah, that is speculation again. How do they know what makes Krishna happy? This is why you need the bona fide spiritual master to guide you, someone who really understands the principles of Vedic teachings and how to apply them to the time and circumstance.

Friend1: Alright, but what if a person gets these orders from their spiritual master?

Friend2: You mean the guru is the one planning the illegal violence?

Friend1: Yes. The guru won’t carry out the deed, but they are letting others do it for them.

Friend2: Nice. Real brave on their part.

Friend1: Listen, I’m in agreement with you. I know that it is wrong. How does a person protect themselves from this, though?

Friend2: From a bogus guru? It happens. There is the story in the Ramacharitamanasa. In Ravana’s previous life he was a pious king. He one time ran into someone who looked like a sadhu. This was in the forest. The king couldn’t recognize that this guy was one of his former rivals. The fake-sadhu took advantage and advised the king in such a way as to incur the wrath of brahmanas.

Friend1: Pratapabhanu. Yeah, that is the perfect example. He surrendered to the wrong guy. He got the complete wrong advice.

Friend2: Yeah, so that’s why you have to apply some discrimination. Study the spiritual master. See if they are truly in control of their senses. And if you are really in doubt, there are Krishna’s incarnations who appeared on earth to learn from. Shri Ramachandra had every right to carry out a preemptive hit on Ravana, who had stolen Rama’s wife Sita. Yet the Lord did not do this. He won in a battle fair and square, though He doesn’t have to follow any laws, as He is God.

In Closing:

By words on battlefield zone,

Krishna not violence to condone?

Others not wrong idea to get,

Like into preemptive violence set?

Discrimination of authority the key,

From sobriety right and wrong to see.

Even Shri Rama not that path taking,

Victory through fair fight making.