Is Krishna Partial? - Part 2

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.

This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Is Krishna partial?", wherein we were meditating on responses from Sukadev Goswami and Narada Muni to Parikshit Maharaj andYudhishtir Maharaj on this topic. In the previous offering we saw that,

1. Krishna is transcendental to material modes and hence He is impartial.

Let us now see the next argument put forth by Sukadev Goswami to clarify the position of Krishna as impartial.

2. The prominent mode becomes victorious: The activity of each living entity depends on the mode in which they predominently operate. In Srimad Bhagavatam 7.1.8,Sukadev Goswami says,

jaya-kāle tu sattvasya devarṣīn rajaso ’surān
tamaso yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi tat-kālānuguṇo ’bhajat

When the quality of goodness is prominent, the sages and demigods flourish with the help of that quality, with which they are infused and surcharged by the Supreme Lord. Similarly,when the mode of passion is prominent the demons flourish, and when ignorance is prominent the Yakshas and Raakshasa flourish. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone's heart, fostering the reactions of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna.

From the above, it is very clear it is not that whoever is in sattva guna will always be victorious. It is not that Krishna is always partial to the demigods and they are always victorious.The whole material creation is divided in the three gunas. Even the eighteen puranas are divided according to the three gunas. So also the human society is divided into shudras in the mode of ignorance, vaishyas and kshatriyas in the mode of passion and brahmanas in the mode of goodness. And each varna and ashrama has its own prescribed duties according to the mode they are situated. When the demigods who are supposed to be in the mode of goodness perform their prescribed duties correctly, the mode of goodness becomes prominent and they flourish, they become victorious; otherwise they fall down. For instance when Indra disobeyed his spiritual master, the demigods fell down and they were defeated whereas Bali Maharaj followed his spiritual master's instructions and was victorious and conquered the three worlds. As Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport, "Everyone works under the influence of the various modes of material nature, and when the various modes are prominent, the demigods or demons appear victorious." The interaction of these modes brings about the prominence of one or the other guna and therefore when the demigods and demons fight, the demigods are victorious because of the prominence of the sattva guna and vice versa. However, this is not the partiality of the Supreme Lord.

How to recognize the manifestation of the different qualities in us can be found in verses 14.11 to 14.13 of Bhagavad Gita. "The manifestations of the modes of goodness can be experienced when all the gates of the body are illumined by knowledge. O chief of the Bharatas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion, the symptoms of great attachment, uncontrollable desire, hankering, and intense endeavour develop. O son of Kuru, when there is an increase in the mode of ignorance,madness, illusion, inertia and darkness are manifested.The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone's heart, simply gives the results of the increase in the various qualities, but He is impartial. He supervises victory and defeat, but does not take part in them."

To summarize, it is the prominence of different modes that influence us to act in particular ways thus:

Goodness: All the gates of the body are illumined by knowledge, happiness and cleanliness.
Passion: Attachment, uncontrollable desire, hankering for sense gratification, intense endeavor.
Ignorance: Madness, illusion, inertia and darkness.

Krishna willing, we will see more of proofs of Krishna's impartiality in the ensuing offerings.

Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Uma Prathap
Abu Dhabi.