MODULE 1 CBA -2 (SB 1.

10-19)

Section I: Short Answer Questions (~75 words)

(one may or may not quote shlokas, unless specifically mentioned)

2. Write a brief note on “devotees are holy places personified.”

(1.13.10)

Maharaj Yudhiṣṭhira tells his uncle Vidura that great devotees like him
can purify the contamination of all places.

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho

tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā (SB 1.13.10)

Devotees like Vidura carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within

their hearts. They are constantly engaged in the naam, rupa, guna and
leela of the Lord.

When one goes on a pilgrimage, one must not only take a dip in the holy
rivers and visit the temples there, but the most important thing is to seek
out a surrendered soul like Vidura and make enquiries from him.

Pure devotees are able to rectify the polluted atmosphere of any place,
(holy place) rendered unholy by the questionable actions of materialistic
persons because they are in the actual service of the Lord by hearing from
the authorities and chanting , singing and writing of the glories of the Lord.

3. List any 6 bad omens seen by Yudhiṣṭhira. (1.14.11-20)

Inauspicious omens observed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira: (SB 1.14.3-4)

1. A fearful change of time and irregularities in the seasons

2. People becoming greedy, deceitful and adopting foul means of
livelihood.
3. Dealings were filled with deception and friendships mixed with
cheating.
4. Strain and quarrelling amongst family members
Further bad omens experienced by Yudhiṣṭhira mahārāja:
(SB 1.14.11-20)

5 Left side of my body, thighs, arms and eyes are

Body quivering
6 Heart palpitations due to fear
7 Jackal howling at sunrise and vomiting fire Dog barking
fearlessly
Animals
8 Cows are passing on my left, asses are
circumambulating me My horses are weeping
9 Birds Birds Pigeon is like a messenger of death Shrieks of
owls and their rival crows make my heart tremble
10 Smoke in sky, mountains throbbing, cloudless thunder
Pañca -
11 bhūtas Wind blows violently and clouds rain blood.
12 Sun’s rays declining and stars appear to be fighting
Confused living entities appear ablaze
13 Rivers, tributaries, ponds, reservoirs and the mind are
perturbed Ghee no longer ignites fire
14 Cattles Calves do not suck the teats of cows, nor do the cows
give milk.
Bulls take no pleasure in the pasturing grounds.
15 Deities Seemed to be crying in the temple, lamenting and
perspiring. They seem about to leave
16 Places All the cities, villages, towns, gardens, mines and
hermitages are now devoid of beauty and happiness.

4. Explain how the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā is applicable in all

circumstances. (1.15.27P)

Deśa-kālārtha-yuktāni hṛt-tāpopaśamāni ca
haranti smarataś cittaṁ govindābhihitāni me (1.15.27)
Now I am attracted to those instructions imparted to me by Govinda,
because they are impregnated with instructions for relieving the
burning heart in all circumstances of time & space.

Herein Arjuna refers to the instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā, which was

imparted to him by the Lord on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra.It is spoken
by the SPOG and is the essence of all Vedic wisdom.

The problem which arose in the heart of Arjuna on the Battlefield of

Kurukṣetra was solved by the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. Again, after
the departure of the Lord from the vision of earthly people, when Arjuna
was face to face with being vanquished in his acquired power and
prominence, he wanted again to remember the great teachings of BG just
to teach all concerned that the Bhagavad-gītā can be consulted in all
critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also
for the way out of great entanglements which may embarrass one in some
critical hour.

The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā
so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not
visible to material eyesight.

The Bhagavad-gītā is the sound representation of the Lord and also an

incarnation of the Lord. One can derive the same benefit from the
Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord.

The faithful human being who is desirous of being liberated from the
clutches of material existence can very easily take advantage of the
Bhagavad-gītā.

In the Bhagavad-gītā, five important factors of knowledge have been

delineated pertaining to (1) the Supreme Lord, (2) the living being, (3)
nature, (4) time and space and (5) the process of activity.

Out of these, the Lord and the jiva are qualitatively one and quantitatively
different.
Nature is inert matter displaying the interaction of three different modes,
and eternal time and unlimited space are considered to be beyond the
existence of material nature. Karma - Activities of the living being which
can entrap or liberate the living being.
The Bhagavad-gītā proves that the soul is indestructible in all
circumstances and that the body and the mind constantly change for
another term of material existence, which is full of miseries.
The Bhagavad-gītā is meant for terminating all different types of
miseries, and Arjuna took shelter of this great knowledge, which had been
imparted to him during the Kurukṣetra battle.

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Section II: Short Essay Questions (~200 words)

2. Summarize the instructions of Vidura to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (1.13.18-28)

Vidura sarcastically addressed Dhṛtarāṣṭra as rājan and instructed him to

leave the palace immediately. (nirgamyatāṁ śīghraṁ). He pointed out
that fearful time has overtaken Him (paśyedaṁ bhayam āgatam). He
stated that There is no remedial measure for this!

19. He tells him that Death cannot be counteracted by anyone. It is the

Supreme Lord as kāla who has approached us all. Everyone dies!

pratikriyā na yasyeha kutaścit karhicit prabho

sa eṣa bhagavān kālaḥ sarveṣāṁ naḥ samāgataḥ (SB 1.13.19)

20. The Power of time forces everyone to surrender everything, including

wealth, honour, children, land, home and even one’s life.

yena caivābhipanno 'yaṁ prāṇaiḥ priyatamair api

janaḥ sadyo viyujyeta kim utānyair dhanādibhiḥ (SB 1.13.20)

21. Vidura then goes on to remind Dhṛtarāṣṭra that

(a) His father, brother, well-wishers and sons all died.
(b) His body was overtaken by invalidity and he lived in another’s home.

22-23. He then points out the visible symptoms of old age like weakened
senses, shortened memory , loss of teeth, digestion weakened and that he
was coughing up mucus. It was as though he was living like a household
dog, taking food from Bhīma. In spite of all this he was still attached!
24. There was no need to live on the charity of those whom he had tried to
kill by fire and poison, the wife he insulted and wealth he stole.

25. Kṛpaṇa (miser): Despite your unwillingness to die but to remain alive at
the cost of honour, death is approaching you.

26. Dhīra (undisturbed): Is one who goes to a remote place and freed from
all obligations, quits his material body when it has become useless.

gata-svārtham imaṁ dehaṁ virakto mukta-bandhanaḥ

avijñāta-gatir jahyāt sa vai dhīra udāhṛtaḥ (SB 1.13.26)

27. Narottama (first-class man): One who leaves home and develops
indifference to material attachment, either by himself or through others’
inspiration, to depend fully on Lord Hari residing in the heart.

yaḥ svakāt parato veha jāta-nirveda ātmavān

hṛdi kṛtvā hariṁ gehāt pravrajet sa narottamaḥ

28. Since Dhṛtarāṣṭra had not become a narottama. Therefore he must at

least become a dhīra and leave for the north before Kali-yuga approaches.

3. List the 10 causes of Arjuna’s dejection. (1.14.39-44)

1. Is your health alright? You appear to have lost your bodily lustre.
2. Were you disrespected or neglected (due to your long stay at Dvārakā)?
3. Were you addressed with unfriendly words (threatened)?
4. Did you fail to give charity that you had promised?
5. Could you not protect deserving candidates (brāhmaṇas, children, cows,
women or the diseased) when they sought shelter?
6. Have you contacted a woman of impeachable character?
7. Have you improperly treated a deserving woman?
8. Have you been defeated by someone who is inferior or equal to you?
9. Have you taken your meals alone, without feeding elders and children?
10. Have you committed some abominable and unpardonable mistake?

4. Summarise Arjuna’s feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. (1.15.1-6)

1. Hearing Yudhiṣṭira’s speculative inquiries, Arjuna became grief-stricken
in strong feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-viśleṣa-karśitaḥ)

2. Due to grief, his mouth and heart dried up and he lost his luster.
Remembering the Lord, he could hardly reply.

3. He checked his tears of grief with great difficulty. He was extremely

pained by increased longing for Kṛṣṇa, who was now out of sight.

4. Remembering Kṛṣṇa’s sakhyaṁ (friendship), maitrīṁ (sakhya mixed

with dāsya), and sauhṛdaṁ (sakhya with vātsalya), Arjuna, overwhelmed.

5. He said that The Lord, his intimate friend, had left him. Thus his
astounding powers , which astonished even the demigods, were no
longer with him.

vañcito 'haṁ mahā-rāja hariṇā bandhu-rūpiṇā

yena me 'pahṛtaṁ tejo deva-vismāpanaṁ mahat ( SB 1.15.5 )

No one can be independently powerful in any measure without being

endowed by the Lord. No one should be puffed up for his powers borrowed
from the Lord, but rather feel obliged to the Lord and must utilise such
power for His service.

6. Arjuna’s feeling of separation was Unbearable as he had lost HIM,

whose separation for a moment would render all the universes
unfavourable and void, like bodies without life.

yasya kṣaṇa-viyogena loko hy apriya-darśanaḥ

ukthena rahito hy eṣa mṛtakaḥ procyate yathā ( SB 1.15.6)

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Section III: Long Essay Questions (~500 words)

1. Write the salient features of Nārada’s talk to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja
to overcome lamentation. (1.13.38-60)

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is overcome lamentation when he found out that

his two uncles and ascetic aunt had gone away. Just at that time Nārada
Muni arrived and the Pāṇḍavas respectfully welcomed him. Mahārāja
Yudhiṣṭira asked Nārada Muni, for guidance for their destination.
Then Nārada appeased Yudhiṣṭhira saying ‘Separation cannot be
prevented’.

He explained as follows:
1.Everyone is under the Lord’s control (yad īśvara-vaśaṁ jagat). He is the
leader of all. He brings the living entities together and disperses them. So
do not lament.
2.Nārada sited two examples (1.13.42-43)

(a) A cow is bound by a rope through its nose. Similarly, human beings are
bound by the Vedic injunctions, which are the Supreme Lord’s orders.

(b) A player sets up and disperses playthings by his own sweet will.
Similarly, the Lord brings men together and separates them by His
supreme will.

yathā krīḍopaskarāṇāṁ saṁyoga-vigamāv iha

icchayā krīḍituḥ syātāṁ tathaiveśecchayā nṛṇām (SB1.13.43)

3. Lamentation in separation is only due to illusory affection, whether you

consider the self to be the soul, the body, neither or both.

4.Give up your anxiety due to ignorance: You are now thinking of how they
(your relatives), helpless and poor creatures, will exist without you.

5. one cannot protect others when he himself is in the jaws of a serpent,

i.e., the body is under the control of kāla (time), karma (actions) and the
guṇas (modes). The Lord provides for everyone’s maintenance.

kāla-karma-guṇādhīno deho 'yaṁ pāñca-bhautikaḥ

katham anyāṁs tu gopāyet sarpa-grasto yathā param (SB1.13.46)
6.One living being is natural food for another (law of existence)

ahastāni sahastānām The handless are prey for those who have
hands

apadāni catuṣ-padām Those devoid of legs are prey for the

four-legged

phalgūni tatra The weak are the subsistence of the strong

mahatāṁ

jīvo jīvasya jīvanam One living being is food for another

7. Focus only on the Supreme Lord, who is one without a second, who
manifests Himself by different energies (kāla, karma, etc.) and who is both
within (Paramātmā) and without (guru, sadhu and śāstra).

8. He asks Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja to understand mission ie. Lord Śrī

Kṛṣṇa has now descended on earth (in Dvārakā) as all-devouring time
(kāla-rūpa) to destroy the demons.
9.Narada muni asked him to patiently follow the Lord’s plan:
The Lord has completed His duties to help the demigods and now awaits
what remains (annihilation of the Yadus). You Pāṇḍavas may wait as long
as He is here on earth.

10. Nārada revealed the future movements of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī and

Vidura.
a. Place: Saptasrota in the Himalayas, to Saptasrota
b. Practice: There, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is now engaged in aṣṭāṅga-yoga that
results in:
(i) Control of the mind and senses (upaśāntātmā)
(ii) Freedom from thoughts of family (vigataiṣaṇaḥ)
(iii) Absorption in Lord Hari (hari-bhāvanayā)
(iv) Immunity from the contamination of the three modes.

11. Result: Dhṛtarāṣṭra will merge into the Supreme Being, realising his
qualitative oneness with Him. Destroying all the impressions arising from
the material modes (dhvasta-māyā-guṇodarko), stopping all enjoyment of
the senses or eating (niruddha-karaṇāśayaḥ, nivartita akhilāhāra),
renouncing all material duties (sannyastākhila-karmaṇaḥ), he will be
immovably established.

12.Since Yudhiṣṭhira may try to bring Dhṛtarāṣṭra back Nārada says, “Do
not be an obstacle (antarāyaḥ)!” And in case Yudhiṣṭhira tries to go there
for the final rites, Nārada muni tells him that in five days from now,
Dhṛtarāṣṭra will give up his body by his own mystic power, and turn it to
ashes and Chaste Gāndhārī will undergo satī rites. Vidura will go for
pilgrimage, both delighted and aggrieved at seeing this astonishing event.

13.Saying this, Nārada Muni ascended. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira kept his

instruction in his heart and was freed from all lamentation.

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