The soul is eternally indestructible; only ignorant attachment to the temporary body causes suffering.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhagavad-gītā 2.8–12 — November 27, 1968, Los Angeles 681127BG-LOS ANGELES [94:58 Minutes] Prabhupāda: [kīrtana] [prema-dhvani] Thank you very much. [devotees offer obeisances] [16:58] Read. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Devotee: Second Chapter? Prabhupāda: Yes, Second. Devotee: Start at verse 8? "I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses.
I will not even be able to destroy it if I win an unrivaled kingdom on the earth with sovereignty like the demigods in heaven. [Bg. 2.8] "Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of the enemies, told Kṛṣṇa, 'Govinda, I shall not fight,' and fell silent. [Bg. 2.9] "O descendant of Bharata, at that time Kṛṣṇa, smiling in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna. [Bg. 2.10] "The Blessed Lord said..." Prabhupāda: So when we become very serious in a dangerous position, as if we are lost, but Kṛṣṇa smiles.
You see? Sometimes we think... This is called illusion. The same example, just a man in dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, there is tiger.
It is eating me," and the man who is awakened, he is smiling: "Where is the tiger?" [chuckles] "Where is the tiger?" And this man is crying, "Tiger, tiger, tiger." Similarly, when we are very much perplexed... Just like the politicians, they are sometimes perplexed in political situation and claiming, "This is my land, my country," and other party also claiming, "It is my land, my country," and they are fighting very gravely, Kṛṣṇa smiles: "What these nonsense are claiming 'my country, my land'? It is My land, and they are claiming 'my land' and fighting." Actually, the land belongs to Kṛṣṇa, but these people, under illusion, claiming, "It is my land, it is my country," forgetting how long he shall belong to this country or this nation. That is called illusion. So this is our position. Without understanding our real position we are perplexed with these all worldly problems, which are all false.
Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8]. [The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of "I and mine."] Moha, moha means illusion. This is the illusion.
So everyone is under this illusion. So one who is intelligent, if he can understand that this worldly position is simply illusion... The, all the thoughts which I have concocted, based on the principle of "I" and "my," this is all illusion. So one, when one is intelligent to get out of the illusion, he surrenders to a spiritual master. That is being exemplified by Arjuna.
When he's too much perplexed... He was talking with Kṛṣṇa as friend, but he saw that "This friendly talking will not solve my question." And he selected Kṛṣṇa... Because he knew the value of Kṛṣṇa. At least, he ought to have known.