1

WHY DISTURBANCES
FEAR AND QUARREL

SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA :

CHAPTER 1
VERSES 1-12
A.C BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA
(ISKCON FOUNDER ACHARYA)
IMMEDIATE & EXTENDED
SELF INTERESTS
IMMEDIATE SELF INTERESTS
EXTENDED SELF INTERESTS
IMMEDIATE & EXTENDED SELF
INTERESTS
• An ordinary man works for his own sense enjoyment

• When this principle of sense enjoyment is extended to include

his society, nation or humanity in general, it assumes various
attractive names such as altruism, socialism, communism,
nationalism and humanitarianism.

(Shri Isopanishad, Mantra 2, purport)

 • Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu were brothers
LET'S SEE • Because Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the elder brother,
THE was born blind, the throne that otherwise
would have been his was passed down to
BATTLE OF the younger brother, Pāṇḍu.
IMMEDIAT • Pāṇḍu died at an early age,
E& • His five children – Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma,
EXTENDED Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva – came
SELF under the care of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who in
effect became, for the time being, the king
INTERESTS
• Blind and weak-minded Dhṛtarāṣṭra
wanted his own sons, not those of Pāṇḍu,
to inherit the kingdom.

(BG – Setting the Scene)

DISCUSS IN TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
GROUPS…..
GROUP 1
• How attachment & envy arises from Self
Interests (1.1)
TIMINGS – 10
MINUTES FOR GROUP 2
• Due to attachment and envy what sort of
DISCUSSION diplomacy/politics Duryodhana is applying
(1.2,1.3)
2-3 MINUTES GROUP 3
FOR • Due to attachment and envy what sort of
PRESENTATIO diplomacy/politics Duryodhana is applying
(1.4 to 1.12)
N
GROUP 4
• What is Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and how to
understand it (1.1)
ATTACHMENT &
ENVY ARISES
FROM
IMMEDIATE &
EXTENDED SELF
INTERESTS
THE • Both the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of
Dhṛtarāṣṭra belong to the same family
GREEDY
DHRITARA •  but Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mind is disclosed
herein
SHTRA WAS
• deliberately claimed only his sons as
ATTACHED
Kurus, and he separated the sons of
TO HIS Pāṇḍu from the family heritage.
SONS AND • One can thus understand the specific
ENVY OF position of Dhṛtarāṣṭra in his
THE SONS relationship with his nephews.
OF PANDU
(BG – 1.1 purport)
ATTACHMENT AND ENVY
GIVE RISE TO
DIPLOMACY/POLITICS
A POLITICIAN CAN
FLATTER ANYONE TO GET
HIS WORK DONE

• Although Duryodhana is mentioned as the

king, he still had to go to the commander on
account of the seriousness of the situation. 
• He was therefore quite fit to be a politician.
• But Duryodhana’s diplomatic veneer could
not disguise the fear he felt when he saw the
military arrangement of the Pāṇḍavas.

(BG – 1.2 purport)

SKILLED POLITICIAN
TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE
WEAKNESS OF OTHERS

• Duryodhana, a great diplomat, wanted to

point out the defects of Droṇācārya, the
great brāhmaṇa commander in chief.

(BG – 1.3 purport)

A SKILLED POLITICIAN
ALWAYS PLAY ALL THE
TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
• He knew the strength of Bhīma and Arjuna, and thus
he compared the others with them.

(BG – 1.4 purport)

• But for your information, O best of the
brāhmaṇas, let me tell you about the captains
who are especially qualified to lead my military
force. (BG – 1.7 translation)

• There are personalities like you, Bhīṣma, Karṇa,

Kṛpa, Aśvatthāmā, Vikarṇa and the son of
Somadatta called Bhūriśravā, who are always
victorious in battle.
(BG – 1.8 translation)
THE PERSON WHO IS A THREAT
TO A SKILLED POLITICIAN
ALWAYS TRIES TO TOPPLE HIM

• He thinks that the strength of his armed forces

is immeasurable, being specifically protected by
the most experienced general, Grandfather
Bhīṣma
• On the other hand, the forces of the Pāṇḍavas
are limited, being protected by a less
experienced general, Bhīma, who is like a fig in
the presence of Bhīṣma.
• Duryodhana was always envious of Bhīma because
he knew perfectly well that if he should die at all,
he would only be killed by Bhīma. 
(BG – 1.10 purport)
Diplomacy/Politics breeds Disturbances,
Fear and Quarrel
 What is the solution – let everyone’s
Interests unite

How is that possible – for that we have

to take direction from Srimad Bhagavad
Gita
HOW TO TAKE DIRECTIONS FROM SRIMAD
BHAGAVAD GITA
SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA IS
A THEISTIC SCIENCE

• Bhagavad-gītā is the widely read

theistic science

• It is the perfect theistic science

because it is directly spoken by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

(BG – 1.1 purport)

HOW TO UNDERSTAND
SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA?

• one should read Bhagavad-gītā very

scrutinizingly with the help of a
person who is a devotee of Śrī
Kṛṣṇa and try to understand it
without personally motivated
interpretations. 

(BG – 1.1 purport)

HOW DOES ONE FEEL AND
EXPERIENCE AFTER
COMPREHENDING BHAGAVAD GITA

• The example of clear understanding

is there in the Bhagavad-gītā itself,
in the way the teaching is
understood by Arjuna, who heard
the Gītā directly from the Lord

(BG – 1.1 purport)

WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC
STANDARD OF
THE BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ.
• If someone is fortunate enough to understand the 
Bhagavad-gītā in that line of disciplic succession,
without motivated interpretation, then he surpasses
all studies of Vedic wisdom, and all scriptures of the
world.

• One will find in the Bhagavad-gītā all that is

contained in other scriptures, but the reader will
also find things which are not to be found
elsewhere. 
• That is the specific standard of the Gītā.

(BG – 1.1 purport)

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY?
WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY?

• Immediate & Extended Self Interests

• Attachments & Envy arises from Immediate & Extended Self Interests
• Attachments & Envy give rise to Diplomacy/Politics
• Diplomacy/Politics breeds Disturbances, Fear & Quarrel
• The solution is to take direction from Srimad Bhagavad Gita
• Why and how to take direction from Srimad Bhagavad Gita
Srimad Bhagavad Gita is a theistic science
How to understand Srimad Bhagavad Gita
How does it feel after understanding srimad Bhagavad Gita
What is the specific standard of the Bhagavad Gita
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH