760825 - Lecture BG 01.01 Hindi - Hyderabad
(Translated from Hindi into English)
Harikeśa: Shall I read the English translation? . . . (indistinct)
Harikesa: Word by word.
Prabhupada: I explain in Hindi, you read the English..
Harikeśa: Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu do, being desirous to fight? (BG 1.1)
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Maharaj Dhrtarastra asked Sanjaya, Sanjaya was his secretary. So he asked him that, my sons and the Pandavas, sons of my younger brother, have gone to fight the battle in dhramaksetra (place of pilgrimage), what did they do next? This he asked.
So it is very simple. Dharmaksetra, Kuruksetra is near Delhi, it still is in existence and that is a dharmaksetra. Till today people go to Kuruksetra, especially the Hindus and perform religious sacrifices. It is said in the Vedas also that one should go to Kuruksetra and perform religious activities. So what is the need to interpret this, like this and that. Interpretation. What is the hindi of interpretation?
Prabhupada: Bhasya is commentary. Interpretation means "arthavada". It means onething but another meaning is attributed to it. Arthavada. So these foolish persons they say Kuruksetra means the body. Why Kuruksetra should mean the body? In which dictionary the meaning of Kuruksetra is given as the body. But this goes on. They deviate the others by talking all nonsense and are mislead themselves also. This should not be done.
Has Vyasadeva written this Bhagavad-gītā for us to engage in this arthavada? It is written for understanding, it is simple. Interpretation or arthavada is needed only when one does not understand. When it can be understood simply that there is a place called Kuruksetra and according to scriptures that is a dharmaksetra. In our village even today, if there is a mutual fight between persons, they go the temple. Why? Even today, earlier it was more prevalent, in the temple no one lies. The matter is resolved.
Similarly they fought on the dharmaksetra, so that the issue can be resolved. That is why Dhrtarastra is asking, what did they do next? They have gone to fight, every one will understand that, they will fight. Then why is he asking that after going to that place what did they do? It means that having gone to the dharmaksetra, did their hearts undergo any change or not? If a person tells lies and he is asked to repeat the same in the front of the Lord, earlier times he would be afraid as to how he can lie in front of the Lord? He will speak the truth.
Similarly Dhrtarastra knew that the truth of the matter is that the kingdom belongs to the Pandavas, the kingdom belongs to their father, we played politics and gave them so much trouble and now the war is about to take place and having gone to the dharmaksetra, he did not take the decision. He did not want the decision to happen. He wanted the war to take place. Because the Kauravas were hundred brothers and the other side five. He thought his strength was more, our soldiers are more. So if the war happens then the five brothers will be killed. Then my sons will enjoy the kingdom without any hindrance. This was his thought.
So the meaning of all this is, when you read the Bhagavad-gītā don't interpret it, whimsically, that "I think that this means this." No! Whatever meaning has been given, understand it the same way. If you read in this manner, then such reading will be beneficial for you. And if you talk all nonsense, then there is no benefit. That's all.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)