Suppression of fact is a great offence, then what to speak about misrepresentation of the fact! – Part 1

All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru-Gaurāṅga

Suppression of fact is a great offence, then what to speak about misrepresentation of the fact! – Part 1

Date: the auspicious day of Nṛsiṃha-caturdaśī, Sunday 11 May 2025

The following article by Śrīla Baba Mahārāj provides a scientific answer to the interpretations given by Swami Maharaj on the śloka (ŚB 7.9.14) of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Please refer to the end of this article to find excerpts from the lectures delivered by Swami Maharaj.

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The scientific answer to Śrīla Svami Mahārāj's explanations on the śloka (ŚB 7.9.14) of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam given below for your kind consideration with neutral mood (or I mean without any party colour or biasness) —

tad yaccha manyum asuraś ca hatas tvayādya

modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā

lokāś ca nirvṛtim itāḥ pratiyanti sarve

rūpaṁ nṛsiṁha vibhayāya janāḥ smaranti (ŚB 7.9.14)

My Lord Śrī Nṛsiṁhadeva, please try to withdraw your angry mood, because the main problem is over for which you have come to eliminate the great demon (Hiraṇyakaśipu), who was the cause of pain to the whole Universe. Usually even those who are sādhu (but of course not those paramahaṁsa sādhus), they can take pleasure in the killing of highly poisonous scorpion or snake (so here in this case Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj wanted to compare the dangerous demon with a very poisonous scorpion or snake), the whole cosmic creation now has achieved great satisfaction because of the death of this demon. Now they are completely assured about their peaceful existence, because of no fear all around. They will always remember Your auspicious incarnation in order to be free from fear.

From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.14 ślokas quoted above, apparently, we can find the approval of jīva-hiṁsā by Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj, but we should consider the sequence very carefully to realize the heart of Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj who is well known as a mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇava (as per scriptural evidence we should know all the symptoms of a mahā-bhāgavata. For your kind consideration all those scriptural evidences are given below to take a final decision about the comment by Śrīla Svami Mahārāj about The Prabhupāda, who as per his comment given approval to kill a snake at Yoga-pīṭha Śrī Mandir).

Now we like to consider the case about the apparent approval of killing a snake or scorpion by Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj, who never even gone against Hiraṇyakaśipu (who was the topmost poisonous snake for the whole creation), whereas he wanted to kill him (Prahlāda Mahārāj) repeatedly mercilessly, so how we can expect any approval of jīva-hiṁsā like killing a snake or scorpion etc. by him (Prahlad Maharaj)!

Actually, he wanted to see the final conclusion of the angry attitude expressed by Śrī Hari Nṛsiṁhadeva after killing the demon (his father Hiraṇyakaśipu). Now question can come on behalf of Nṛsiṁhadeva Bhagavān that—how after killing someone I can become peaceful. To give answer to this question Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj wanted to say that— "It is your causeless mercy shown upon us, because now at present the whole creation feeling comfortable due to the killing of this demon in your hand." In this context the heart of Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj was feeling relaxed due to the killing of the most sinful figure Hiraṇyakaśipu who was the cause of horrible-painful experiences of others. As an example, Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj said that by the killing of a very very dangerous poisonous snake or scorpion even a sādhu (of course this is not applicable for any paramahaṁsa mahā-bhāgavata sādhu) cannot lament, rather can feel happy, because they always want to ensure peaceful coexistence of all creatures in this creation.

Also we can remember the case of Vena Raja—who was given warning and suggestion repeatedly time to time by those Muni-Ṛṣis to change his ugly dirty mood of public oppression and fearful violence against the Supreme Lord, but he (King Vena) didn’t pay any attention to their request, and when the case gone extremely out of order, then for the protection of this creation, they were bound to take final decision to kill him by the power of mantra, so this cannot be compared with jīva-hiṁsā at all.

In the śloka (ŚB 7.9.14) quoted in the beginning of this article, Prahlāda Mahārāj uses the word ‘sādhu’, which also can be applicable in general even for kaniṣṭha-adhikārī or madhyam-adhikārī etc., those who can have a dual conception to some extent, but surely this is not applicable for those paramahaṁsa mahā-bhāgavata sādhus. From Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā we know the following śloka to confirm this point. 

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ                                             (BG 9.30)

"Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his devotional determination."

The sādhus described in this śloka are still affected by duality, or at least not yet fully free from such conceptions, so in general Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāj wanted to apply this word ‘sādhu’, but surely, he never wanted to mean those paramahaṁsa mahā-bhāgavata sādhus, which is absolutely absurd.

We know from different authentic scriptural evidences—that there are different gradations of sādhus (kaniṣṭha, madhyama, uttama). So, the darśana of a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī can never be compared with the darśana of a paramahaṁsa ācārya. A kaniṣṭha-adhikārī can be happy if some dangerous elements are removed for the safety of others,  but a paramahaṁsa ācārya sees the whole world in relation to Bhagavān (vāsudhaiva-kuṭumbakam). So many evidences are there in śāstra which show the extreme mercy of paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇavas even to the most dangerous or wicked entities.

For example, here Hiraṇyakaśipu is compared with a most dangerous poisonous snake for the whole creation. He mercilessly tortured Prahlāda Mahārāj in many cruel ways. If Prahlāda Mahārāj wanted to mean that paramahaṁsa sādhus also can become happy by the killing of a poisonous scorpion or snake, then why did he never pray to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva to kill his father (who is the most poisonous snake)? Not only didn’t he pray for his destruction, but also he was very anxious to ensure the highest benefit of his father by Śrī Hari Nṛsiṁhadeva.

The decision to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu was taken by Śrī Hari Nṛsiṁhadeva Himself. There cannot arise any question of inauspiciousness, whereas he was delivered by Śrī Nṛsiṁhadeva  Himself.

So, the nature of a paramahaṁsa mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇava is just absolutely applicable in the case of The Prabhupāda, whereas Śrīla Svami Mahārāj told just the opposite of that.

We can also recall the example of Jada Bharat Mahārāj. Even in a critical moment of his life (when he was about to be sacrificed), he didn’t feel any fear of death. His darśana was: "This must be the will of Bhagavān." He neither expressed any mood of self-protection nor prayed to Bhagavān for help.

Another example we can see that – at the time – when the team (like policemen) sent by the Muslim Kazi came with two boats to attack those Vaiṣṇavas busy with nāma-saṅkīrtana, in spite of the restriction placed on them by the Muslim ruler, then all the devotees became very afraid of that, and Śrīvas Ṭhākura started to pray to Nṛsiṁhadeva for protection. Śrīman Mahāprabhu who is sitting in the heart of everybody, automatically came to know about the fearful heart of Śrīvas Ṭhākura, so, He immediately appeared in front of Śrīvas Ṭhākura’s bhajana-kuṭīra and started kicking heavily on the door to open it. He started shouting “Śrīvas open the door, Śrīvas open the door.” And when Śrīvas Ṭhākura opened the door Śrīman Mahāprabhu said that— “Whom you are worshiping? I am He, you don’t need to worry about anything”. At that time Śrīvas Paṇḍita was perplexed because till that moment Śrīman Mahāprabhu didn’t reveal His real identity as the Supreme Lord to anyone. The Lord further said that— "I am sitting inside the heart of everyone, so let the boats with the Muslim soldiers come and let me see what they can do. Without my power and will nobody can do anything to anybody (even no creature can do any harm to any creature). Do you believe Me?" If the Lord wishes to kill someone, who can protect him? And if the Lord wishes to protect someone, who can kill him?

Another example related to such jīva-hiṁsā can be discussed, which happened in Gorakhpur – Gita Press Editorial Building. A very old Baba who started doing tulasī-parikramā in an open area garden place, found a poisonous snake along the path he was walking around. He tried his best to move the snake with his stick from that place, but the snake raised its hood. Baba said to the snake: "Whatever you like you can do, but anyway you must go away from the track of my parikramā marga, because anyway I need to complete my tulasī-parikramā sevā." All the sādhus there nearby became very anxious to see Baba in this dangerous condition, but one wise sādhu among them remarked, “Baba is not playing with the snake—Baba is playing with Paramātmā.”

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(Bg. 18.61)

"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."

Even the wicked Duryodhana could realize the above śloka. He said in front of Śrī Kṛṣṇa before leaving his body that—I know what is dharma, but I cannot take support of dharma, because I have no taste in it, and also, I know what is called adharma, but anyway I cannot feel any inspiration to stop doing adharma, because according to my previous saṁskāra, whatever inspiration I am getting from you – I am doing accordingly.

Just to remind you all, below we are giving some scriptural evidences below for the confirmation of the above siddhānta vichar—

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām

ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ (3.25.21)

"The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime."

īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca

prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.46)

"One who has love for īśvara (the Lord), friendship with the devotees of Bhagavān, mercy full of affection for the ignorant people, and adopts an inattentive attitude for those who are averse to Bhagavān, — such a devotee is known as a madhyama-adhikārī."

sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ

bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.45)

"An uttama-adhikārī devotee can see the presence of himself and Bhagavān with in all entities and consequently can realise the presence of all the entities within himself and Bhagavān."

sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti

sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti (Cc Madhya 8.274)

"The mahā-bhāgavata certainly does see the external form of the mobile and immobile things around him. Rather, whatever he encounters, he immediately can see his iṣṭa-deva (adorable Lord) getting manifested in it."

gṛhītvāpīndriyair arthān yo na dveṣṭi na hṛṣyati

viṣṇor māyām idaṁ paśyan sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.48)

"One who knowing this (material) world as an arrangement of māyā, energy of Lord Viṣṇu, and even after accepting the worldly possessions, without having delight (attraction) or hate (repulsion) for those,— such a devotee is known as an uttama-bhāgavata."

na yasya svaḥ para iti vitteṣv ātmani vā bhidā

sarva-bhūta-samaḥ śāntaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.52)

"One who neither consider wealthy possessions, own body and related things to it, as his own nor thinks those as belonging to anyone else (rather thinks them as the objects to serve Bhagavān), — such an absolutely calm person, having equal-vision for all, is known as an uttama-bhāgavata.

Gaura Hari Haribol

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For your convenience, please find the excerpts below of some explanations given by Srila Swami Maharaj on the sloka of Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.14:

“So long, long ago, sometimes in the year 1933 in this Caitanya Maṭha, there was a big snake came out in my front. I was taking bath. So everyone was looking what to do. So Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair. He immediately ordered, "Kill him." So it was killed. So at that time, 1933, I was newcomer. So I thought, "How that Guru Mahārāja ordered this snake to be killed?" I was little surprised. But later on, when I saw this verse, I was very glad. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). It remained a doubt, "How Guru Mahārāja ordered a snake to be killed?" But when I read this verse I was very much pleased, that these creatures, or creatures like the snake, they should not be shown any mercy. No. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said there are two kinds of cruel creatures. One kind is a sarpaḥ krūraḥ. The snake is very cruel. Sarpaḥ krūraḥ, khalaḥ krūraḥ. And khala, a person who has awakened the quality like snake . . . then there is no fault. Why a snake is called so cruel? Because unnecessarily they bite. If somebody commits some offense unto you, if you bite me, that is reasonable. But I have no fault, but you are biting me. The vṛścika, scorpion, and snake, they do that, without any offense. A man is passing, an animal is passing—unnecessarily it bites, without offense. A man is sleeping—it bites. Therefore they are very dangerous. Similarly, there are men also like the snake—without any fault they bite. Without any fault. If I do something faulty, you can punish me, bite. But without any fault, if you bite me . . . so therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, sarpaḥ krūraḥ-khalaḥ krūraḥ sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ. Such person is called khala, envious, jealous.”760221 - Lecture SB 07.09.14 – Mayapur

https://vanisource.org/wiki/760221_-_Lecture_SB_07.09.14_-_Mayapur

“So do you think that sādhu, those who are sādhu, they are pleased when a person is killed? Not ordinary person. He is giving very nice example. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Vṛścika means scorpion, and sarpa means snake. Naturally, whenever a scorpion is found or a snake is out, every man is prepared to kill it. Every man. "Oh, here is a snake. Kill it."

[…]

So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake, with . . . in Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair, and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed." So at that time I thought that "How Guru Mahārāja ordered for killing the snake?" Then, after so many years, when I began to read Bhāgavatam and came to this passage, Prahlāda Mahārāja assertion, modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14), then I thought that "My Guru Mahārāja did right thing." ”680829SB-MONTREAL - August 29, 1968 - 43:50 Minutes

https://vanisource.org/wiki/680829_-_Lecture_SB_07.09.13-14_-_Montreal

“So he gave this example that modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā: a sādhu, a saintly person, never likes killing of any living being. They are not happy... Even a small ant is killed, they are not happy: "Why ant should be killed?" What to speak of others, even a small ant. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. It may be an ant, insignificant, but at the time of death he has suffered, a Vaiṣṇava is unhappy: "Why an ant should be killed?" This is para duḥkha-duhkhi. But such Vaiṣṇava is happy when a snake and a scorpion is killed. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatya. So everyone is happy when a snake or scorpion is killed because they are very, very dangerous. Without any fault they bite and create havoc. So there are these snakelike persons, they are envious about our movement; they are opposing. That is the nature.”Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977

https://vanipedia.org/wiki/Prabhupada_0466_-_Black_Snake_Is_Less_Harmful_Than_The_Man_Snake

“If you give milk to a human child he'll grow healthy, and the same milk you give to a serpent child, it will grow poison. One day he'll: "Ohnn!" He'll ready to bite you. You have given milk, it has increased poison, and it will show his fangs, hood. That is asura. So therefore they become snakes, scorpion, so low-grade life. Snake life is so degraded that at once you see a snake, immediately every one of us will be ready to kill it. Everyone, without any mercy. Nobody will say, "No, no, let it go." So he is put into that life that he cannot come in the light. As soon as he comes in the vision of somebody, everyone is ready to kill. And nobody is sorry. Nobody is sorry. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Even one is saintly person, he'll be satisfied if a snake is killed. Saintly person doesn't want that anyone should be killed, but if a snake is killed, he's happy: "Oh, you have done right." Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "My father is killed; nobody is unhappy. (laughter) Nobody is unhappy. But he was just like a snake and scorpion. Now You be satisfied. There is no cause of becoming angry. Everyone is satisfied." That was Prahlāda Mahārāja prayer. Find out this verse. Where is Seventh Canto?[…] Snake or scorpion . . . of course, sometimes snakes, they eat their own children. They do it. But he was . . . he has tried to kill his own child. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā. Very good example. Saintly persons, they also want killing living entities like snake. Hmm?”760628 - Conversation C - New Vrindaban, USA https://vanisource.org/wiki/760628_-_Conversation_C_-_New_Vrindaban,_USA