Ill-Motivated Dhrtarastra 325

of fulfilling his self-interest, he will act in just the opposite way for his own
downfall.

Akrira continued: “My dear Dhrtarastra, I beg to advise you not to be
blind about the fact of this material existence. Material conditional life,
either in distress or in happiness, is to be accepted as a dream. One should
try to bring his mind and senses under control and live very peacefully for
spiritual advancement in Krsna consciousness.” In the Caitan ya-caritamrta
it is said that except for persons who are in Krsna consciousness, everyone
isalways in a disturbed condition of mind and is full of anxiety. Even those
who are trying for liberation, or merging into the Brahman effulgence, or
the yogis who are trying to achieve perfection in mystic power, cannot
have peace of mind. Pure devotees of Krsna have no demands to make of
Krsna. They are simply satisfied with service to Him. Actual peace and
mental tranquility can be attained only in perfect Krsna consciousness.

After hearing moral instructions from Akrira, Dhrtarastra replied: “My
dear Akriira, you are very charitable in giving me good instructions, but
unfortunately I cannot accept it. A person who is destined to die does not
utilize the effect of nectar, although it may be administered to him. I can
understand that your instructions are very valuable. Unfortunately, they
do not stay in my flickering mind, just as the glittering lightning in the sky
does not stay ina fixed cloud. I can understand only that no one can stop
the onward progress of the supreme will. I understand that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna, has appeared in the family of the Yadus in
order to decrease the overburdened load of this earth.”

Dhrtarastra gave hints to Akrira that he had complete faith in Krsna,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the same time, he was very much
partial to his family members. In the very near future, Krsna would
vanquish all the members of his family, and in a helpless condition,
Dhrtarastra would take shelter of Krsna’s feet. In order to show His special
favor to a devotee, Krsna usually takes away all the objects of his material
affection. He thus forces the devotee to be materially helpless, with no
alternative than to accept the lotus feet of Krsna. This actually happened
to Dhrtarastra after the end of the Battle of Kuruksetra.

Dhrtarastra could realize two opposing factors acting before him. He
could understand that Krsna was there to remove all the unnecessary
burdens of the world. His sons were an unnecessary burden, and so he
expected that they would be killed. At the same time, he could not rid
himself of his unlawful affection for his sons. Understanding these two
contradictory factors, he began to offer his respectful obeisances to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. “The contradictory ways of material
