Chapter 73 · Class prep
A printable handout for teaching this chapter. For each verse with Personal Guidance, you'll see Prabhupāda's translation, the essence, two or three practical applications, and a discussion prompt. Press ⌘P / Ctrl P to print as a handout.
BG 73.1-6
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Jarāsandha had defeated 20,800 kings in combat and thrown them into prison. As these kings emerged from the Giridroṇī fortress, they appeared dirty and shabbily dressed. They were emaciated by hunger, their faces were dried up, and they were greatly weakened by their long imprisonment.
Essence. The 20,800 freed kings, dirty and emaciated from imprisonment, beheld Kṛṣṇa — cloud-dark, yellow-clad, four-armed, lotus-eyed. The first vision of the Lord after long suffering is often the truest meeting; relief unlocks the eyes.
BG 73.7
The ecstasy of beholding Lord Kṛṣṇa having dispelled the weariness of their imprisonment, the kings stood with joined palms and offered words of praise to that supreme master of the senses.
Essence. The ecstasy of seeing Kṛṣṇa instantly dispelled the kings' weariness, and with joined palms they praised Him. Beholding the Lord is itself a kind of medicine; it removes what years of effort could not.
BG 73.8
The kings said: Obeisances to You, O Lord of the ruling demigods, O destroyer of Your surrendered devotees’ distress. Since we have surrendered to You, O inexhaustible Kṛṣṇa, please save us from this terrible material life, which has made us so despondent.
Essence. 'Obeisances to You, destroyer of Your surrendered devotees' distress. Save us from this terrible material life that has made us despondent.' Simple, honest prayer of the wearied is the most direct kind.
BG 73.9
O master, Madhusūdana, we do not blame this King of Magadha, since it is actually by Your mercy that kings fall from their royal position, O almighty Lord.
Essence. The kings refused to blame Jarāsandha — they saw the imprisonment as the Lord's mercy. Pure perception finds the Lord's hand even in apparent injury; it does not displace responsibility onto whoever was the visible instrument.
BG 73.10
Infatuated with his opulence and ruling power, a king loses all self-restraint and cannot obtain his true welfare. Thus bewildered by Your illusory energy, he imagines his temporary assets to be permanent.
Essence. Infatuated with opulence, a king loses self-restraint and imagines temporary assets to be permanent. The disease of power is not power itself but the forgetting it induces.
BG 73.11
Just as men of childish intelligence consider a mirage in the desert to be a pond of water, so those who are irrational look upon the illusory transformations of Māyā as substantial.
Essence. The childish mistake a mirage for water; the irrational treat Māyā's transformations as substantial. The error is not exotic; it is the default state until the eyes are trained.
BG 73.12-13
Previously, blinded by the intoxication of riches, we wanted to conquer this earth, and thus we fought one another to achieve victory, mercilessly harassing our own subjects. We arrogantly disregarded You, O Lord, who stood before us as death. But now, O Kṛṣṇa, that powerful form of Yours called time, moving mysteriously and irresistibly, has deprived us of our opulences. Now that You have mercifully destroyed our pride, we beg simply to remember Your lotus feet.
Essence. Blinded by wealth, the kings had fought one another and harassed their own subjects. The Lord, who stood before them as time, eventually deprived them of opulence. Time is the Lord's correction when we forget Him.
BG 73.14
Never again will we hanker for a miragelike kingdom — a kingdom that must be slavishly served by this mortal body, which is simply a source of disease and suffering and which is declining at every moment. Nor, O almighty Lord, will we hanker to enjoy the heavenly fruits of pious work in the next life, since the promise of such rewards is simply an empty enticement for the ears.
Essence. The kings vowed never again to hanker for a mirage-kingdom, served by a disease-prone body, nor for promised heavenly rewards. Disillusionment with both this world and the next, properly held, becomes the doorway to bhakti.
BG 73.15
Please tell us how we may constantly remember Your lotus feet, though we continue in the cycle of birth and death in this world.
Essence. The kings asked only for one thing: how to constantly remember the Lord's feet, even amid birth and death. Once a heart is awake, this becomes the only request worth making.
BG 73.16
Again and again we offer our obeisances unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, Hari, the son of Vasudeva. That Supreme Soul, Govinda, vanquishes the suffering of all who surrender to Him.
Essence. 'Again and again we offer obeisances unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, Hari, son of Vasudeva.' Repetition is not weakness; it is the structure of love. Devotion lives by saying the same thing again.
BG 73.17
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus the kings, now freed from bondage, glorified the Supreme Lord. Then, my dear Parīkṣit, that merciful bestower of shelter spoke to them in a gentle voice.
Essence. The freed kings glorified the Lord, and He spoke to them in a gentle voice. After surrender comes gentleness; the Lord does not lecture those who have already understood.
BG 73.18
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: From now on, my dear kings, you will have firm devotion to Me, the Supreme Self and the Lord of all that be. I assure you this will come to pass, just as you desire.
Essence. 'From now on, you will have firm devotion to Me. I assure you this will come to pass, just as you desire.' The Lord's assurance is a binding promise; what we ask for in genuine surrender, He confirms.
BG 73.19
Fortunately you have come to the proper conclusion, my dear kings, and what you have spoken is true. I can see that human beings’ lack of self-restraint, which arises from their intoxication with opulence and power, simply leads to madness.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa affirmed: 'Lack of self-restraint, arising from intoxication with opulence, leads to madness.' The diagnosis is direct; the cure is restraint. Many spiritual problems are not exotic.
BG 73.20
Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Veṇa, Rāvaṇa, Naraka and many other rulers of demigods, men and demons fell from their elevated positions because of infatuation with material opulence.
Essence. Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Veṇa, Rāvaṇa, Naraka — all fell because of intoxication with opulence. The list is long enough to be a pattern, not an exception. The wise study the precedents.
BG 73.21
Understanding that this material body and everything connected with it have a beginning and an end, worship Me by Vedic sacrifices, and with clear intelligence protect your subjects in accordance with the principles of religion.
Essence. Understanding the body's beginning and end, worship Me by sacrifice and protect your subjects according to dharma. The remedy for the kings' previous madness is twofold: ritual remembrance and just protection.
BG 73.22
As you live your lives, begetting generations of progeny and encountering happiness and distress, birth and death, always keep your minds fixed on Me.
Essence. 'As you live, beget progeny, encounter happiness and distress, birth and death — always keep your minds fixed on Me.' Householder life is not the obstacle; forgetfulness amid it is. Remembrance is the constant thread.
BG 73.23
Be detached from the body and everything connected to it. Remaining self-satisfied, steadfastly keep your vows while concentrating your minds fully on Me. In this way you will ultimately attain Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Essence. Be detached, self-satisfied, steadfast in vows, mind fully on the Lord — and you will attain Him. The four-part instruction is compact; each part requires real practice but together they describe a complete path.
BG 73.24
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus instructed the kings, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme master of all the worlds, engaged male and female servants in bathing and grooming them.
Essence. Having instructed the kings, Kṛṣṇa engaged servants to bathe and groom them. Spiritual teaching and concrete care travel together; the Lord does not just give a lecture and leave.
BG 73.25
O descendant of Bharata, the Lord then had King Sahadeva honor them with offerings of clothing, jewelry, garlands and sandalwood paste, all suitable for royalty.
Essence. Sahadeva honored the kings with clothing, jewelry, garlands, sandalwood. After being freed and bathed, they were dressed for who they actually were. Restoration of dignity is part of mercy.
BG 73.26
After they had been properly bathed and adorned, Lord Kṛṣṇa saw to it that they dined on excellent food. He also presented them with various items befitting the pleasure of kings, such as betel nut.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa saw to it that they dined on excellent food and gave them pleasures suitable for kings. Honoring those we have served includes feeding them well; care extends through the senses, not just the soul.
BG 73.27
Honored by Lord Mukunda and freed from tribulation, the kings shone splendidly, their earrings gleaming, just as the moon and other celestial bodies shine brilliantly in the sky at the end of the rainy season.
Essence. Honored by Mukunda, the kings shone like the moon and stars after the rainy season. Sustained suffering ends; when it does, the brightness that emerges is genuine, not performed.
BG 73.28
Then the Lord arranged for the kings to be seated on chariots drawn by fine horses and adorned with jewels and gold, and pleasing them with gracious words, He sent them off to their own kingdoms.
Essence. The Lord seated the kings on jewel-adorned chariots and sent them off to their kingdoms with gracious words. Sending people back well — with means and blessing — is part of the gift.
BG 73.29
Thus liberated from all difficulty by Kṛṣṇa, the greatest of personalities, the kings departed, and as they went they thought only of Him, the Lord of the universe, and of His wonderful deeds.
Essence. As they departed, the kings thought only of Kṛṣṇa and His wonderful deeds. The Lord's mercy reorients attention; once we have been freed by Him, it is hard to think of anyone else.
BG 73.30
The kings told their ministers and other associates what the Personality of Godhead had done, and then they diligently carried out the orders He had imparted to them.
Essence. The kings told their ministers what the Lord had done and diligently carried out His orders. Real transformation translates immediately into structural change — in our work, our teams, our households.
BG 73.31
Having arranged for Bhīmasena to kill Jarāsandha, Lord Keśava accepted worship from King Sahadeva and then departed with the two sons of Pṛthā.
Essence. Having arranged Jarāsandha's death through Bhīma, Kṛṣṇa accepted worship from Sahadeva and departed with the Pāṇḍava brothers. The Lord arranges, accepts thanks, and moves on. He does not need to take credit.
BG 73.32
When they arrived at Indraprastha, the victorious heroes blew their conchshells, bringing joy to their well-wishing friends and sorrow to their enemies.
Essence. At Indraprastha, the victors blew their conchshells — joy to friends, sorrow to enemies. Honest news sounds different in different ears; we cannot please everyone with our truth-telling.
BG 73.33
The residents of Indraprastha were very pleased to hear that sound, for they understood that now the King of Magadha had been put to rest. King Yudhiṣṭhira felt that his desires were now fulfilled.
Essence. Yudhiṣṭhira felt his desires were fulfilled when the conch sounded. The right news at the right moment fulfills long-held hopes; sometimes the deepest desire is just to hear an answer.
BG 73.34
Bhīma, Arjuna and Janārdana offered their respects to the King and informed him fully about what they had done.
Essence. Bhīma, Arjuna, and Janārdana offered respects to Yudhiṣṭhira and fully reported what they had done. Even after a great deed, the report to the elder is part of the dharma. Concluding well includes telling well.
BG 73.35
Upon hearing their account of the great favor Lord Keśava had mercifully shown him, King Dharmarāja shed tears of ecstasy. He felt such love that he could not say anything.
Essence. Yudhiṣṭhira shed tears of ecstasy and could not speak. There is a moment when devotion exceeds words and only tears can serve. We do not need to translate every feeling into language.