“There are instances in history of many asuras – Ravana, Kamsa, Hiranyakashipu – to whom the Lord appeared in various incarnations just to kill. Therefore God’s mercy is shown to the asuras if they are fortunate enough to be killed by Him.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 16.20 Purport)

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If you are really good, the reward is a human birth. No more settling for scraps thrown to you out of mercy. No more helplessness against the more powerful species. No more limitations based only on the body type.

The opportunity is now. The urgency is there, but the reward is great. Follow the way of the sura, the good guy, and you could be rewarded with a stint in heaven afterwards. Enjoy unlimited delights, for a considerable period of time, and then return to earth in an auspicious form.

The bad guy, the asura

“A friend of Mother Yashoda told her, ‘My dear Yashoda, your son has very cunningly stolen a lump of butter from my home. And to make me blame my own son for His mischief, He has smeared some of the butter on my son’s face while he was sleeping!’ Upon hearing this, Mother Yashoda shook her curved eyebrows. She could only look at her friend with a smiling face. May Mother Yashoda bless everyone with this smiling attitude.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 49)

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Friend1: Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is supposed to be dharma personified, correct?

Friend2: Hmm. Not sure about that. First, what is your understanding of dharma?

Friend1: The definition varies based on the context, but the general meaning is the same. Religion, religiosity, righteousness, piety, etc. Basically, if someone is following dharma, they are doing things the…

“Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.23)

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अन्तवत्तु फलं तेषां तद्भवत्यल्पमेधसाम्।
देवान्देवयजो यान्ति मद्भक्ता यान्ति मामपि।।

antavattu phalaṃ teṣāṃ tadbhavatyalpamedhasām।
devāndevayajo yānti madbhaktā yānti māmapi।।

The living beings in this world are overcome by the dualities of attraction and aversion. Like and dislike. Attachment and hatred. They should stay above. There is discrimination, after all. There is rational thought, linked to sobriety.

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।

icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata।
sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa।।

“O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.27)

In fact, the entire…

“Maharaja Yudhishthira was the ideal and celebrated pious King of the world, and still he was greatly afraid after the execution of the Battle of Kurukshetra because of the mass killing in the fight, all of which was done only to install him on the throne. He therefore took all the responsibility for sins committed in the warfare, and to get rid of all these sins, he wanted to perform three sacrifices in which horses are offered at the altar.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.12.34 Purport)

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Friend1: Anybody who gives the Bhagavad-gita an honest read will reach the same conclusion.

Friend2: You mean to say “one conclusion.” Because by saying “same,” you are doing a comparison, but you did not mention to which person or people the comparison is being made.

Friend1: Well, it would be to the other people reading.  Is that…

“The friends of Krishna wanted to eat the fruit from the forest trees, but they could not go because of fear of the demon. Thus they requested Krishna to go there and kill Gardabhasura. After Krishna did this, they all returned home, and their report of the day’s activity perturbed Mother Yashoda because Krishna had been sent alone into such danger in the Talavana Forest. Thus she looked upon the boys with anger.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 47)

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Experienced parents will tell you that no two children are alike. It begins from pregnancy. Everyone has their theory.

“Oh, the bump on the stomach is this way? That means you are having a boy. Oh, this pregnancy has been more difficult than the previous one? That means you are having a girl.”

For every rule resulting from personal experience, a new event triggers…

“The fortunate Hanuman, the son of the wind, upon hearing those words of Sita, a new insult to him, thought:” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.31)

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सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा हनुमान्मारुतात्मजः।
चिन्तयामास लक्ष्मीवान्नवं परिभवं कृतम्।।

sītāyā vacanaṃ śrutvā hanumānmārutātmajaḥ।
cintayāmāsa lakṣmīvānnavaṃ paribhavaṃ kṛtam।।

At the foundation is an understanding that the path at present is not the way. I have been thoroughly convinced that simply accumulating possessions and enjoying the senses has limitations. Most importantly, there is a cap on my ananda, bliss.

There is a way to permanent happiness. I feel glimpses already. That is to say there is evidence within this lifetime; I don’t have to wait for some moment that no one has direct experience with, at least within memory.

The problem is life itself gets in the way. I know that I should get serious about my efforts in dharma

“O best of the monkeys, how do you desire to take me from here to the presence of my husband, the king of human beings, with such a small body?” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.30)

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कथं वाल्पशरीरस्त्वं मामितो नेतुमिच्छसि।
सकाशं मानवेन्द्रस्य भर्तुर्मे प्लवगर्षभ।।

kathaṃ vālpaśarīrastvaṃ māmito netumicchasi।
sakāśaṃ mānavendrasya bharturme plavagarṣabha।।

Friend1: I know sometimes you get questions about when the virata-rupa was shown.

Friend2: The universal form. Everything included. Not a static image, either. Three dimensional, motion, the present and the future, all the planets and their inhabitants.

Friend1: It’s pretty amazing, if you think about it. I understand why Arjuna required a special vision prior to viewing. There is no way to accurately portray that scene from the Bhagavad-gita in a painting.

Friend2: There are attempts made, but nothing is entirely accurate, as you said.

Friend1: It is certainly…

“The mighty Rama, who possessed extraordinary strength, consecrating in accordance with the mantras prescribed in the Vedas, taking that great arrow – which was capable of removing the fears of the entire world and the Ikshvaku dynasty, capable of taking away the glory of His enemies, and conducive to His own happiness – fixed it on His bow.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 108.13-14)

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तमुत्तमेषुम् लोकानामिक्ष्वाकुभयनाशनम् |
द्विषतां कीर्तिहरणम् प्रहर्षकरमात्मनः ||
अभिमन्त्र्य ततो रामस्तं महेषुं महाबलः |
वेदप्रोक्तेन विधिना संदधे कार्मुके बली ||

tamuttameṣum lokānāmikṣvākubhayanāśanam |
dviṣatāṃ kīrtiharaṇam praharṣakaramātmanaḥ ||
abhimantrya tato rāmastaṃ maheṣuṃ mahābalaḥ |
vedaproktena vidhinā saṃdadhe kārmuke balī ||

It was a great struggle. Fighters of terrific ability within both parties. A war like the world had never seen. Since the beginning of time there has been conflict between the good and the bad, labeled as sura and asura in Sanskrit…

“The performance of different yajnas for the demigods is considered to be worship of the limbs of the Supreme Lord. The demigods are considered to be different parts of the universal body of the Lord, and therefore the ultimate purpose in worshiping them is to please the Lord by partially worshiping His different limbs.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 46)

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Friend1: Let me describe a scenario for you.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: I am a first-time father. My child is still an infant.

Friend2: Boy or girl.

Friend1: Girl.

Friend2: Alright.

Friend1: People come over. They play with the baby. They make different remarks.

Friend2: Hopefully of the positive variety.

Friend1: All-positive. They keep saying how beautiful she is. Some people even make her smile.

Friend2: That is good.

Friend1: In one sense, I feel as if these people are appreciating me, as well…

“In the Hari-bhakti-sudhadaya there is another example, forwarded by Maharaj Dhruva. He says there, ‘My dear Lord, I have practiced austerities and penances because I was desiring to receive something from You, but in exchange You have allowed me to see You, who are never visible even to the great sages and saintly persons. I had been searching out some pieces of broken glass, but instead I have found the most valuable jewel. I am therefore fully satisfied, my Lord. I do not wish to ask anything more from Your Lordship.’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 46)

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Friend1: Let me describe a scene to you.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: You are in a store.

Friend2: What kind? Retail? Hardware? Book? Actually, those are becoming a thing of the past.

Friend1: For sure. One day children will ask their parents about what they were. Bookstores…