SB 1.9.27 (1964)

SB (1964) Ninth Chapter - Bhisma's Passing away in the Presence of Lord Krishna

SB 1.9.26 (1964) - SB 1.9.28 (1964)

Compare Versions: SB 1964 with SB 1972-77

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT No. 27

Danadharman rajadharman mokshadharman bibhagasah Stridharmam bhagabaddharman samasa vyasa yogatah.

ENGLISH SYNONYMS

Danadharman—the acts of charity, Rajadharman—pragmatic activities of the kings, Mokhadharman—the acts for salvation, Bibhagasah—by divisions, Stridharman—duties of the women, Bhagbaddhannan—the acts of the devotees, Samasa—generally, Vyasa—explicitly, Yogatah—by means of.

TRANSLATION

He explained then by division of the acts of charity, pragmate activities of the kings, activities for salvation. Then he explained also the duties of the woman that of the devotees; all described in brief as well as extensively.

PURPORT

To give in charity by the householder is one of the main functions and one should be prepared to give in charity at least fifty per cent of one's hard earned money. A Brahmachari or the student shall perform sacrifices, a householder shall give in charity and a person in the retired life or in the renounced order of life should practise penances and austere life. That is the general functions of all the Ashramas or orders of life, on the path of self realisation. In the Brahmachari life the training is sufficiently imparted to understand that the world as property do belong to the Supreme Lord the Personality of Godhead. Nobody, therefore, can claim to become the proprietor of anything that be in the world. Therefore, in the life of a householder which is a sort of a license for sex-enjoyment and its paraphernalia, one must give in charity for the service of the Lord. Everyone's energy is generated or borrowed from the reservoir of energy of the Lord; therefore, the resultant actions of such energy must be given to the lord in the shape of transcendental loving service for Him. As the rivers draw water from the sea through the clouds and again goes down to the sea similarly our energy is borrowed from the Supreme Source of the Lord's energy and it must return to the Lord That is the perfection of our energy. The Lord, therefore, asks us to do it, in the Bhagwat Geeta, (B.G. 9/27) that whatever we may do, whatever we may undergo penances, whatever we may sacrifice, whatever we may eat or what ever we may give in charity must be offered to Him (the Lord). That is the way of utilising our borrowed energy from the Lord. When our energy is utilised in that way on account of its association with the Lord then and there our energy is purified from the contamination of material inebreities and thus we become fit for our original natural life of service to the Lord.

Rajadharma is a great science not exactly like the modern diplomacy for political supremacy. The kings are trained up systematically to become munificent and not merely a tax-collector. They were trained up for performing different Sacrifices, for fasting only for the matter of prosperity of the subjects. To lead the Prajas to the attainment of salvation, was a great duty of the King. The father, the spiritual master, and the king are not to become irresponsible in the matter of leading the subjects to the path of ultimate liberation from birth, death, diseases and old age. When these primary duties of the king are properly discharged, there is no need of Goverement of the people by the people. In the modern days the people in general occupy power of administration by the strength of manipulated votes but they are never trained up in the primary duties of the King and that is also not possible for everyone. Under the circumstances the untrained administrators play havoc in the matter of making the subjects happy in all respect. On the other hand these untrained administrators gradually become rogues and thieves in the matter of enhancing the taxation measure for financing a top heavy administration useless for all purposes. Practically the qualified Brahmins are meant for direction to the Kings for proper administration in terms of the scriptures like the Manusamhita and Dharmashastras of Parasara. A typical king is the ideal of the people in general and if the King is pious, religious, chivalrous, munificent the citizens generally follow him. Such King was not a lazy sensuous person living at the cost of the subjects but they were alert always to kill the thieves and dacoits as much as they practised it by killing the forest animals occassionally. The pious kings were not merciful on dacoits and thieves in the name of nonsensical Ahimsa. The thieves and dacoits were punished in an examplary way so that in future nobody would dare to commit such nuisance in an organised form. Such thieves and dacoits were never meant for administration as they are now in the modern days.

The taxation law was simple. There was no force, no encroachment. The King had a right to take one fourth of the production made by the subject. Not only production of grains but also even on charity and other affairs whatever the citizen would be ready to spend it for a particular purpose, the king had right to claim a fourth of that allotted wealth. They would never grudge to part with it because due to the pious king and religious harmony there was enough production of natural wealth namely grains, fruits, flowers, silk, cotton, milk, jewels, minerals etc. and therefore, nobody was unhappy in the matter of bodily needs. The citizens were rich by agriculture and animal husbandry and therefore, they had enough grains, enough fruits and enough milk without any artificial needs of soaps and toilets, cinema and bars.

The King had to see that the reserved energy of the human kind is properly utilised. Human energy is not exactly meant for the purpose of fulfilling animal propensities only but extraordinarily they are meant for the purpose of self-realisation. The whole administration of the Government was specifically designed to fulfil this particular purpose of the state. As such the king had to select properly the cabinet ministers not on the strength of voting background. The ministers, the military commanders or even the ordinary soldiers were all selected by personal qualification and the king had to supervise them properly before they are appointed in the respective posts. The King was specially vigilant in the matter of the Tapasvis or persons who have sacrificed everything of the material comforts for the the matter of disseminating spiritual knowledge. The King would see that the Tapasvis are never disregarded. The knew it well that the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead never tolerates any insult to His unalloyed devotees. Such Tapaswis were trusted leader even of the rogues and thieves. They would never disobey the orders of Tapaswis. The king would give special protections to illiterates, helpless and widows of the state. Defence measures were arranged previous to any attack by the enemies. It was not like that of begging from door to door when the enemy is already at the entrance of the state. The taxing process was easy and they were not meant for squandering away for nothing but they were meant for strengthening the reserve fund. The soldiers were recruited from all parts of the world and they were trained up for special duties.

So far salvation is concerned one has to conquer over the principles of lust, anger, unlawful desires, avarice and bewilderment. The best means of becoming free from anger one should learn how to forgive and one should not make plans in order to be free from unlawful desires. By spiritual culture one is able to conquer over sleeping. By tolerance only one can conquer over desires and avarice. Disturbances from various diseases can be avoided by regulated diets. By self control one can be free from future hope and money can be saved by avoiding undesirable association. By practice of Yoga one can have control over hunger and affection of worldliness can be avoided by culturing the knowledge of non permanance. Dizziness can be conquered by rising up and false arguments can be conquered by factual ascertainment. Talkativeness can be avoided by gravity of silence and by prowess one can avoid fearfulness. Perfect knowledge can be obtained by self cultivation. One must be freed from lust, avarice, anger, dreaming, etc. to become actually on the path of salvation

So far the engagements of the woman class is concerned they are accepted as the power of inspiration for the man. As such the women are more powerful than the man because a mighty Julius Ceaser is controlled by a Cleopetra. Such powerful woman is controlled by shyness. Therefore, shyness of woman may not be eradicated. Once this control-valve is loosened the powerful woman can create havoc in the society by means of adulteration. Adulteration of woman means production of unwanted children known as Varnasankara which makes the world into disturbing condition constantly so much so as to turn it into inhabitable place for the saner section.

The last item was taught by Bhismadeva about the process of pleasing the Lord. We are all eternal servants of the Lord and when we forget this essential part of our nature we are put into the material conditions of life. The simple process of pleasing the Lord by the householders specially is to instal the Deity of the Lord at home and by concentrating on the Deity, one may progressively go on with the daily routine work. Worshiping of the Deity at home, serving the devotee, hearing of the Srimad Bhagwatam, residing in the holy place and chanting of the holy name of the Lord are all inexpensive items for all to please the Lord. Thus the subject matter was explained by the grandfather to his grandchildren.

(Compare SB 1.9.27 Current Edition)

SB 1.9.26 (1964) - SB 1.9.28 (1964)