Sometimes Kṛṣṇa Even Wants to Enjoy the Pleasure Pastimes of Fighting
This article explores the deep spiritual philosophy behind the fighting spirit, as presented in the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda. While material warfare is born of illusion and false ego, the original desire to fight originates in the Supreme Lord. By understanding how Kṛṣṇa enjoys combat and how pure devotees dovetail their martial tendencies for His pleasure, one can grasp the absolute nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Origin of the Fighting Spirit
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the fighting spirit is not an anomaly of the material creation; it exists because it originally exists within the Supreme Lord. Since we are part and parcel of Lord Kṛṣṇa, we possess all His qualities in minute quantities. Therefore, just as Kṛṣṇa has the tendency to love, create, and act as a friend, He also sometimes wants to enjoy the pleasure pastimes of fighting.
- Sometimes Krsna even wants to enjoy the pleasure pastimes of fighting. The fighting spirit is also in Krsna, otherwise wherefrom have we gotten it? Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, all the qualities of Krsna are present in minute quantity within us.
- It is natural that sometimes Lord Visnu wants to fight. Just as He has the tendencies to create, to enjoy, to be a friend, to accept a mother and father, and so on, He also has the tendency to fight.
- Sometimes He wants to fight. Because the fighting spirit is also there in Krsna. Otherwise, where we get?
- When He wants to fight, He comes here, because here there are many demons, so His fighting spirit is satisfied. Otherwise, for killing the demons, Krsna does not require to descend. There are many agents of Krsna.
Finding a Worthy Opponent
In the spiritual world of Vaikuṇṭha, everyone is fully surrendered in love and devotion; there is absolutely no possibility of conflict. Therefore, when Lord Kṛṣṇa desires to exercise His fighting spirit, He requires a special arrangement. Just as a powerful king engages an expert wrestler for mock combat to derive pleasure, Kṛṣṇa arranges for His highly elevated devotees to play the role of His enemies.
- Just like we sometimes want to fight, mock fight. So in the Vaikuntha world there cannot be any fight. So because Krsna wanted to exercise His fighting spirit, He sent His devotee. He became enemy and He fought.
- The fighting spirit is there in Krsna also. So when He wants to fight, in the Vaikuntha there is no possibility of fight. Nobody will be able to fight. Nobody will agree to fight. So there is no fighting.
- If a king wants to practice mock fighting, he will engage some very qualified wrestler. Similarly, Krsna does not fight with anyone ordinary, but rather with some of His great devotees.
- The wrestler is paid to fight with the king. He is not the king's enemy; rather, he gives pleasure to the king by mock fighting. But when Krsna wants to fight, who will fight with Him? Not anyone ordinary.
The Descent of the Lord's Associates
Because no ordinary living entity can withstand the Supreme Lord in battle, Kṛṣṇa utilizes His most confidential associates for this extraordinary pastime. The great gatekeepers of Vaikuṇṭha, Jaya and Vijaya, willingly descended to the material world as fearsome demons like Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa. Their temporary appearance as demons was orchestrated simply to satisfy the Lord's desire for a magnificent fight.
- The Lord also sometimes wants to fight, but who can fight with the Lord but a very confidential devotee of the Lord? Jaya and Vijaya descended to this world to fulfill the Lord's desire.
- Should we think that these (Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa) were ordinary living entities? No, they were the great devotees Jaya and Vijaya, who came to this world because Krsna wanted to fight.
- Because Krsna wants to fight, some of His devotees come down to this material world to become His enemies and fight with Him. For example, the Lord descended to kill Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa.
- The demons who fight with the Lord in the material world are sometimes His associates. When there is a scarcity of demons and the Lord wants to fight, He instigates some of His associates of Vaikuntha to come and play as demons.
Dovetailing the Fighting Spirit for Kṛṣṇa
The ultimate perfection of the fighting spirit is to use it entirely in the service of the Lord. On the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Arjuna initially refused to fulfill his duty as a kṣatriya out of material affection for his relatives. However, after hearing the Bhagavad-gītā, he understood that Kṛṣṇa wanted the battle to take place to reestablish religious principles. By setting aside his own sentiment and agreeing to fight on Kṛṣṇa's order, Arjuna demonstrated the true meaning of bhakti-yoga.
- As a good, nonviolent man, Arjuna did not want to fight with his kinsmen, but when he understood that Krsna wanted the fight and had arranged it at Kuruksetra, he gave up his own satisfaction and fought for the satisfaction of the Lord.
- He (Arjuna) said that although he could get a kingdom by fighting with his relatives, he did not want to fight with them. But when he was ordered by Krsna and convinced by the teachings of Bhagavad-gita that his duty was to satisfy Krsna, then he fought.
- It was a family fight - so Arjuna was not willing to fight, but Krsna wanted to fight. And after learning from Him the essence of Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (BG 18.66), he agreed to fight. That is bhakti-yoga.
- Arjuna is very nice example, that he dovetailed; he dovetailed his consciousness with Krsna. He did not want to fight, but after hearing Bhagavad-gita he dovetailed his senses. One has to fight with senses. Non-sense cannot fight.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that the fighting spirit is not inherently evil; its perfection lies in how it is utilized. When the conditioned souls fight for material supremacy, it results in endless suffering and illusion. However, when Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself descends to enjoy the pleasure of combat with His eternal associates, it is a magnificent spiritual pastime. For the devotees in the material world, like Arjuna, the ultimate perfection is to dovetail all their energies—including their martial spirit—for the service of the Lord. By understanding these deep truths of Vedic philosophy and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can overcome the inner battle with the material senses and return to the peaceful, eternal realm of Vaikuṇṭha.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Wanting to Fight. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.