Can anybody answer this question please asap?

[Guest guest]

On 4 Oct 1999, Nayana-ranjana das wrote:

 

> In the purport to BG 1.28, SP explains that Arjuna's fearful symptoms "were

> not due to weakness, but due to his softheartedness, a characteristic of a

> pure devotee of the Lord.",

>

> but, in the purport to the very next verse, SP says:

>

> "There is no fear in transcendental realization. Arjuna's symptoms in this

> situation are out of material fear - ... material conception of life."

>

> There appears to be a contradiction here, at first glance, because we know

> that a pure devotee is always in a transcendental position. How do you

> understand this?

 

The *compassion* shown by Arjuna is a characterestic of a pure devotee.

His *bodily symptoms* such as trembling and hair rising are due to material

fear, that his relatives and innocent soldierss will be killed. Hair rising

and trembling also occur when devotees go into ecstacy in pure love of God.

(example , Lord Caitanya, Haridas Thakur etc,.) Arjuna's trembling and hair

rising here were not due to love of God, but due to fear of soldiers and

relatives dying in the war.

Arjuna was in illusion, neverthless his devotion to Krishna had not

diminished. He was still a pure devotee.

The *compassion* was transcendental but his *fear* was material. There are

two different things being discussed.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong. Some more points may be added by others.

 

Your humble servant,

Bhadra Govinda Das