Page 43 - Powerful Feminine Qualities

Arjuna was confused. His wife said, “Do not kill him.” His friend and guru, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead said, “Kill him.” What did he do? He inquired from his guru, “What should I do?” Krishna said, “Draupadi is
nd
right and I am also right!” Therefore, you have to kill him, because it says so in Bhagavad-gita in 2 Chapter. We
always depend on shastric evidence to understand what to do. We do not just speculate. It says,
akirtim capi bhutani
kathayisyanti te 'vyayam
sambhavitasya cakirtir
maranad atiricyate
“People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.” (B.G. 2.34)
Therefore, Krishna gave him the hint. What did Arjuna decide to do? He scalped Asvatthama. He scalped him so that
his hair could never grow on his head. However, he did not kill him. Then Asvatthama was cursed to live outside of
Vedic society until the end of this yuga, which is for a very long time. He is still alive, but he is not allowed to come into
society. Moreover, he is ashamed. He has a scar on his head. For a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.
Arjuna killed him socially to live perpetually in dishonor, but he did not take his life away. By taking the hint from his
guru, Arjuna was able to satisfy Draupadi and Krishna. If the guru teaches from Vedic knowledge like the
Bhagavad-gita, and not from his own theories or speculation, then the right decision can be made even in the most
perplexing situations. We should organize our lives by constantly listening to the advice of bona fide devotee gurus
and teachers.
We should be sure that by focusing our life on purely serving Radha and Krishna somehow or other by some
mysterious way Krishna will take care of us even during in the most difficult situations. Prabhupada experienced
harrowing conditions during World War II in Calcutta. The Japanese were bombing Calcutta, and the British purposely
created a famine just as they did in Ireland. They used the same technique in Bengal because it was the hotbed of
opposition to British rule. Subhas Candra Bose formed the Indian Independence Army in Burma. The Japanese
supplied his army. The Indian Independence Army was preparing to invade India. Many young Bengali men were
running away from Bengal to join Bose’s army. The British knew this. To thwart Bose’s build up of armed Indians, the
British created an artificial famine in Bengal by impounding the entire grain harvest of Bengal. People were dying of
starvation in the streets of Calcutta. It was a very difficult time. In addition, the Japanese were also bombing Calcutta.
The British had a big army garrison in Calcutta, which was the eastern capital of the British Empire. Prabhupada was
curious to test Krishna’s promise to take care of His devotees. Krishna says, “But those who always worship Me with
exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they
have.” (Bg 9.22) The devotee who serves the Lord by the nine processes of devotional – hearing, chanting,
remembering the Lord, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, worshiping, praying, becoming the personal servant, making
friendship, and surrendering everything to Krishna, desire only to have the constant association of the Lord. Krishna
promises that He will protect the sincere devotee who constantly keeps his consciousness and desires fixed on
pleasing the Lord.
Prabhupada decided to conduct a survey of all the Vaishnavas he knew to determine if their lot was any better than
the general population. Bengalis were dying in the streets, and starving to death. They could not buy rice. Rice and
other staples were being held in the warehouses, guarded by British military to purposely run the price up so no one
could afford to purchase basic foods.
Prabhupada met many Vaishnava acquaintances and all of them answered, “Somehow by Krishna’s mercy, we are
surviving.” He saw with his own eyes. Even though so many people were starving to death and dying, the Vaishnavas,
somehow or other were able to exist in that dire situation of artificial scarcity. Krishna has Arjuna declare, “kaunteya
na me bhaktah pranasyati pratijanihi - O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (B.G. 9.31)
Prahlad Maharaj did not perish, and neither did Dhruva Maharaj. The Pandavas prevailed in the most difficult
conditions that seemed to be insurmountable. We must nurture faith that Krishna will protect us if we sincerely
engage in His service. Our focus in life should be to develop pure devotion to Radha and Krishna. Radharani is the

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