There are many people who dislike hero-worship, and then again, there are many people who only say that they dislike it, although they actually do like it. It is an ingrained human trait that generally people do not have sufficient courage to undertake those tasks that require courage. But if someone takes the lead courageously, then others will cooperate. When a brave person comes forward, other people become brave due to his or her example. This is also an ingrained human trait. That is why whenever a righteous person undertakes a noble cause, honest people willingly extend their unstinting cooperation to him or her. Hero-worship of this sort is quite natural. If anyone opposes this natural thing, it should be understood that he or she suffers from a fear complex and criticizes hero-worship just to hide it.

Hero-worship does not necessarily mean, however, that whatever a great person does should be blindly supported. As previously said, when a virtuous person courageously undertakes a noble cause, it is but natural that other people will extend their support. It is a natural human trait.

We see in Párthasárathi an expression of [the qualities that elicit] that trait in a powerful way. He was a true representative of the hopes and aspirations of good people, that is, of people devoted to the Lord. Who is that entity who fulfils the hopes and aspirations of devoted people, of righteous and virtuous people (the hopes and aspirations of virtuous people generally are virtuous and good)? It is Parama Puruśa who does so. Párthasárathi stole the hearts and minds of people in the past and continues to do so today.

In my last discourse I was discussing Maháviśńuváda. I said that if the sparks coming out of the original fire merge again in their source it is not a matter of sorrow but a matter of joy. But if the sparks lose themselves forever in the yawning chasms of darkness, there cannot be any greater sorrow. This getting lost forever is termed prańásha [total annihilation] in Sanskrit. They are lost forever and cannot return to the original source.

In Párthasárathi’s teachings there is no mention whatsoever of this prańásha. Even regarding the most sinful people He said, Paritráńáya sádhúnáḿ vinásháya ca duśkrtám [“(I have come) for the protection of the virtuous and the destruction of the wicked”]. Here He talks of vinásha [destruction], not prańásha. What is the meaning of vinásha? It means a vishiśt́a [special] form of násha. And násha means change of form from an undeveloped form to a more developed one. In this process something is apparently destroyed, but actually is metamorphosed into something better. For example, the ugly silkworm, when it leaves its cocoon, is metamorphosed into a beautiful butterfly. The silkworm has not met its total annihilation but has simply undergone a change for the better. Vinásháya ca duśkrtáḿ [“for the destruction of the wicked”]. Párthasárathi never looked upon anyone as His enemy or as an object of hatred, not even the most wicked people. However, if people were antisocial, if they harmed others and became a cause of immense terror, He destroyed them. Why does this destruction occur? Not to send them to eternal darkness but to destroy the Ravana⁽¹⁾ in them, so that they could acquire a better human form.

Although Párthasárathi takes drastic action against the sinful, they have nothing to fear, for He will arrange a better human form for them. He has clearly said,

Paritráńáya sádhúnáḿ vinásháya ca duśkrtám;
Dharmasaḿsthápanártháya sambhavámi yuge yuge.⁽²⁾

[For the protection of the virtuous, the destruction of the wicked and the restoration of dharma, I incarnate Myself from age to age.]

Paritráńáya sádhúnáḿ means “for the protection of the virtuous”. First I will explain what the term sádhu really means. In popular Indian usage, sádhu means those persons who smear themselves with white ashes, keep locks of matted hair on their heads and wear white turbans and white clothes. The leader of a group of such sádhus is called a mohánta. Those who may or may not use coloured ashes (white, red, crimson, etc.), who wear either red or saffron turbans and clothes and who suffix their names with ánanda [bliss], are known as sannyásins [renunciants]. Sádhus on the other hand usually use the word dása [servant] together with their first name, such as Sumera Dása, Jiṋána Dása, Ráma Dása, etc. Their Indian or international leader is known as mahámańd́aleshvara, whereas the head of a small monastery in known as mat́hádhiisha. So these are the two broad classifications – sádhu and sannyásii. This classification is based upon outward appearance, external criteria.

What is the inner truth? The word sannyásii is derived sat + nyás + suffix nini, first case ending, singular number. Sannyásii means one who, out of noble intentions and benevolent outlook, has sacrificed his or her everything for the highest goal in life, Parama Puruśa. The word sádhu can be interpreted in two ways, but in both cases the meaning is the same. The first interpretation is:

Játasya hi jagati jantavah sádhujiivitáh;
Ye punarńeha jáyante sheśáh jat́haragardabháh.

[The lives of those human beings who are sádhu (upright), and who are not born again, I call successful. The lives of the rest are no better than those of donkeys.]

It is a fact that not all human beings are righteous. Even though one possesses a human framework, one’s demeanour, conduct and thought processes may be worse than those of an animal. Hence it is said that a person who has lived his or her life honestly, who has not harmed others to further his or her own interests, and has worked for the welfare of others in every way, is a sádhu. He or she is not required to be reborn on this earth. He or she becomes one with Parama Puruśa after death, and the separate identity is lost in Parama Puruśa. In the Bengali literature of 1200 years ago it is mentioned, Je je ujubát́e gelá anábat́t́á bhaelá soi. That is, “One who has followed the straight path of the suśumná canal⁽³⁾ upwards does not return.” He or she becomes one with Parama Puruśa, losing his or her separate existence. To come down to a lower level of consciousness, it is necessary to maintain a separate existence. Just because one has a human form and just because one besmears one’s body with ashes, wears white and uses the name Dása, it does not mean that one is a sádhu. Shiva made a pointed comment regarding such people: “Yes, these people no doubt have human bodies, but in their thoughts and behaviour they are not sádhu, not honest. Though I accept their mothers as humans, they themselves are donkeys, donkeys born out of human wombs.” A true sádhu is a real spiritualist, a spiritually-evolved person.

You may wonder why Shiva has used such strong language. Being as vehemently opposed to injustice as Párthasárathi was, Shiva was the prototype of Párthasárathi. When one has to speak or fight against injustice, or take administrative action against it, one must not betray any weakness. One must denounce it in the strongest language, because only strong words can strike the right chord in the heart of a sinful person. This is the proper interpretation of sádhu.

Yes, Shiva was very stern in this regard. Those who preach meaningless, irrational dogmas and thereby enormously harm society, who crudify the human intellect, who do not leave any scope to think of anything other than mundane problems, who throttle the very freedom of thought, Shiva called Lokavyámohakárakah. That is, “They infect society with a form of mental disease.”

The second interpretation of sádhu is:

Pránáh yathátmano’bhiiśt́ah bhútánám api te tathá;
Átmaopamyena bhutánáḿ dayáḿ kurvanti sádhavah.

“The life of every creature is as valuable to itself as one’s own life is valuable to a human being: one who remembers this and shows kindness to all, is termed sádhu.”

These are the interpretations of sádhu.

Párthasárathi says, Paritráńáya sádhúnám [“for the protection of sádhus”]. Some so-called moralists declare, “I don’t do any wrong, so I’m a moralist. I do good to others, so I’m surely a sádhu.” To this I will reply that they are not sádhus. Only that person who lives in constant God-awareness deserves to be called a sádhu, a spirituo-moralist. One who is not constantly absorbed in the thought of God cannot lead a moral life for any length of time – his or her morality may collapse at any moment. Perhaps one can resist the temptation to take a bribe of ten thousand rupees, but cannot resist the temptation of a million rupees. But not only will a person who is an ardent devotee of the Lord resist the temptation of a million rupees; if you offer that person the emperorship of the universe, the person will say, “No, the total worth of all this is far, far less than that of the Lord. I am not prepared to accept all these worthless things in exchange for Parama Puruśa.”

You now understand that by merely smearing ashes on one’s body one does not qualify to be a sádhu. In fact, one should keep such sádhus at arm’s length, because if they cover their bodies with ashes to hide the filth deep within themselves, it means that a lot of such filth must have accumulated. One must be wary of them.

Tráńa means temporary relief from distress. Suppose there has been a great calamity such as a flood or famine which has inflicted immense suffering on the victims. The measures you take to alleviate the suffering of those in distress are called tráńa vyavasthá [relief activities]. For instance, you may visit an afflicted area and distribute ten thousand maunds [about forty thousand kilos] of flour among the people. You have done very commendable tráńa, but how long will that flour last? Ten or twenty years? No, your stock will be exhausted within a week and again the necessity to start a relief operations will arise. This is tráńa.

Paritráńa is the kind of tráńa whose beneficial effects continue to recur over an endless period of time.

Párthasárathi Krśńa gave a permanent assurance to righteous people that He would protect them. He wanted to develop the way of life, the educational system and the economy of the society in such a way that all good people might find solutions for their mundane, supra-mundane and spiritual problems, and permanent relief from the three kinds of bondages [physical, mental and spiritual].

Vinásháya ca duśkrtám means “for the destruction of the wicked”. Here “destruction” implies change of form. Change occurs, but this change is for the better: the previous form is replaced by a new one. Perhaps Ravana and Kansa were reborn as ideal devotees; their previous forms were replaced by better substitutes.

Who are duśkrtas [the wicked]? Those who cause harm to innocent people either out of self-interest or group-interest are called duśkrtas. Such antisocial people are a burden on a civilized society, a black spot on society. For such people there is only dehátmaváda and dehaparińámaváda [materialistic doctrines of Charvaka philosophy].

Caturbhyoh khalu bhútebhyo caetanyamupajáyate;
Kińvádibhyah sametebhyah dravyebhyo madashaktivat.⁽⁴⁾

There is a subtle substance which evolves out of matter at certain specific stages of evolution: the mind. It acts as the guiding force of human beings. According to materialistic philosophies, human life is purely matter-oriented. (This idea is called jad́aváda in Sanskrit.) Those who uphold such gross materialism are also duśkrtas, for they go against the greater interests of humanity. Human beings must be wary of these people.

They teach people:

Yávajjivet sukhaḿ jiivet násti mrtyuragocarah;
Bhasmiibhútasya dehasya punarágamanaḿ kutah

Yávajiivet sukhaḿ jiivet, rńaḿ krtvá ghrtaḿ pivet.

This in short is their philosophy: “You have only come to this world for a short span of time, so make the most of it: eat, drink and be merry, throwing all worries aside. Live a life of fun even if you go into debt, for who will pursue you after death to make you repay your debts?” This dangerous doctrine destroys all human sensibilities. It throws the cultural and spiritual values of life into the garbage and destroys the very future of humanity. This is gross materialism and those [[who]] support it, consciously or unconsciously, should be branded as duśkrtakáriis. Krśńa promised to incarnate Himself for the destruction of these wicked people: not for their total annihilation, but to bring about a change in them for the better.

Mlecchanivahanidhane karayasi karaválaḿ
Dhúmaketumiva kimapi karálam;
Keshavadhrta Kalkishariirah jaya Jagadiisha hare.

[You wielded your dreadful sword, blazing like a comet, in the destruction of the unrighteous. O Lord in the form of Kalki, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

Those who oppose humanity, dharma and civilization, and who oppose those human expressions that convey the finest legacies of civilization, are called mlecchas in Sanskrit. “For the destruction of these mlecchas, O Lord, O Parama Puruśa, You manifest Yourself in this world, appearing as stern as thunder. To the wicked You appear like a dreadful comet, cruel, striking terror. O Lord, let me discover the sweetness even in Your fearsome Kalki form. I salute You again and again.” This sort of interpretation is in conformity with the life of Párthasárathi.

Paritráńáya sádhúnáḿ vinásháya ca duśkrtám;
Dharmasaḿsthápanártháya sambhavámi yuge yuge.

What sometimes occurs to re-establish people in their true dharma, their natural dharma, their sanátana [eternal] dharma, their mánava [human] dharma, their Bhágavata dharma? At certain times mere discourses do not suffice; even collective efforts cannot do anything; even a great number of people uniting together and forming an organization fail to do anything. At such a time there will be many who speak, but few who listen and act.

Shravańáyápi bahubhiryo na labhyah shrńvanto’pi bahabo yaḿ na viduh;
Áshcaryo vaktá kushalasya labdháshcaryo jiṋátáh kushalánushiśt́ah.

[Many people never even get the chance to hear discourses about the Átman. Of those who do hear, many cannot comprehend. Fewer still are those who can speak authoritatively on the subject, and even fewer those who can grasp the significance.]

“During such a serious crisis, Parama Puruśa Himself comes to this earth in the form of a great personality with the help of the five fundamental factors. He gives a tremendous push to human society and brings about a revolutionary change in the psychic world. For this purpose He incarnates Himself in the world again and again.”⁽⁵⁾

Dharmasaḿsthápanártháya means “for the restoration of dharma to its proper place”. Sthápana means “to keep something in a particular place”; saḿsthápana means “to keep it in its proper place”. Obviously dharma has its rightful place. The decline of dharma means that it has fallen from its original place. Thus Dharmasaḿsthápana means “the restoration of dharma to its pristine glory, to its proper place”. Párthasárathi Krśńa gives His assurance that He will come to this world to restore dharma to its proper place.

What is the meaning of yuga [sandhi]? Between any two epochs there is a transitional period. For instance, in history there was the Elizabethan Age, there was the Victorian Age, etc. One epoch is followed by another, in the psychic world as well as in the physical world. Suppose a society is moving in a particular direction with a certain philosophy: suddenly it receives a jolt from somewhere and stops, not knowing which way to go. Confused, it begins moving again in another direction. The transitional point between the two flows is called yuga sandhi. And each one of the particular flows of a society is known as an “epoch” in English, yuga in Sanskrit. One particular epoch ends and a new one follows. One set of ideas and values ends and a new set begins. At the transitional point, human beings become confused: they lose the ability to discriminate between dharma and adharma, what they should and what they should not do. At that moment, the advent of a great personality becomes an imperative necessity. Párthasárathi came only to teach people what dharma is and what adharma is, what to do and what not to do, and which path would bring the highest fulfilment in their lives. He arrived at the right time, the transitional period in history; so He said, Sambhavámi yuge yuge [“I incarnate Myself from age to age”].

Thus Párthasárathi was the ideal upholder of the hopes and aspirations of the devotees. He drew all created beings close to Him. Those who did not come to Him He destroyed, to set them on the right path.

Thus Párthasárathi has no relationship with Maháviśńuváda. Maháviśńu sits in one place in the universe and does nothing [when some sparks become lost in the eternal darkness]. So Maháviśńu cannot be compared with Párthasárathi. Párthasárathi is the very symbol of infinite life-force. He wants to take all with Him. He is the nearest and dearest of all. No one is insignificant, no one is negligible. He belongs to one and all. What Párthasárathi taught through His personal life cannot be explained or taught through Maháviśńuváda.

Footnotes

(1) The mythological king of Lanka in the Rámáyańa, representing the forces of darkness. –Eds.

(2) Bhagavad Giitá. –Eds.

(3) The cakras [psycho-spiritual plexi] in the human body are all located along the suśumná canal which passes through the length of the spinal column and extends up to the crown of the head. –Eds.

(4) “Consciousness grows out of action and interaction among the four fundamental factors of matter, just as different components combine to produce the alcoholic effect of wine.” (Cárváka recognized four fundamental factors, not five. He did not recognize the ethereal factor.) –Eds.

(5) Author’s translation of Paritráńáya shloka. –Trans.