371 The Nectar of Devotion
Chivalry

When on account of love and devotional service for the Lord there
is special valorous enthusiasm, the resultant activities are called chiv-
alrous. These chivalrous activities can be manifested in the acts of
mock-fighting, giving in charity, showing mercy and executing reli-
gious principles. By performing chivalrous activities in fighting, one is
called yuddha-vira. By charitable activities one is called dana-vira. By
showing extraordinary mercy one is called daya-vira. And when one
is munificent in executing religious rites, he is called dharma-vira. In
all such different chivalrous activities, Krsna is the object.

When a friend wants to satisfy Krsna by performing some chival-
rous activities, the friend becomes the challenger, and Krsna Himself
becomes the opponent; or else Krsna may give audience to the fight-
ing, and by His desire another friend becomes the opponent. A friend
once challenged Krsna thus: “‘My dear Madhava, You are very restless
because You think that no one can defeat You. But if You do not
flee from here, then I shall show You how I can defeat You. And my
friends will be very satisfied to see this!”

Krsna and Sridama were very intimate friends, yet Sridima, out of
anger with Krsna, challenged Him. When both of them began to fight,
all the friends on the bank of the Yamuna enjoyed the wonderful
fighting of the two friends. They prepared some arrows for mock-
fighting, and Krsna began to throw his arrows at Sridama. Sridama
began to block these arrows by whirling his pole, and by Sridama’s
chivalrous activities, Krsna became very satisfied. Such mock-fighting
generally takes place amongst chivalrous persons and creates wonder-
ful excitement for all viewers.

There is a statement in the Hari-varhsa that sometimes Arjuna and
Krsna fought in the presence of Kunti, and Arjuna would be defeated
by Krsna.

In such chivalrous fighting between friends, there is sometimes
bragging, self-complacence, pride, power, taking to weapons, chal-
lenging and standing as opponent. All of these symptoms become
impetuses to chivalrous devotional service.

One friend challenged Krsna thus: ““My dear friend Damodara, You
