𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵; 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳; 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘳𝘪 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘪. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢.”

One might wonder why there is such a contradiction between these two ideas, both spoken to members of the same family.

Arjuna, the great Pandava, heard the Gita, while Parikshit listened to the Bhagavatam. Arjuna rose from his dead consciousness and fought the war. In contrast, Parikshit, the great warrior, renounced everything, immersing himself in the Bhagavatam, and gave up his life, being fully absorbed in his constitutional identity as a servant of Sri Hari. One Pandava took up weapons, while the other gave up his entire kingdom and departed from this world. 

The dharmik traditions and shastras are like an ideal home, where grandparents are detached, journeying toward philosophical depth and spirituality, while in the same home, the kids prepare for life, overflowing with ambitions, merry-making, boasting, and vibrant colors. Both the contradictory family members coexist without conflict. In fact, the grandchildren are mesmerized by their mature grandparents. Similarly, the detached grandparents do not speak ill of life; instead, they encourage great growth and exploration.

A dying lady, suffering from cancer and surrounded by tubes in a hospital gown, was meant to speak to her granddaughter, who was soon to be married. Despite her condition, she showed remarkable sensitivity and determination to uplift her granddaughter. She dressed herself nicely in a beautiful silk saree and some jewelry, then had a video call to inspire and congratulate her granddaughter. Once the call ended, she returned to her hospital attire. The old lady harmonized celebration and sobriety. The contrasting flavors of joy and sorrow were blended by the maturity caused by the wisdom of living life naturally. 

The Gita and Bhagavatam are two of the most important mellows in life. They are not contradictory but complementary. One teaches how to live externally—ambitiously, joyously, helpfully, and hopefully—while the other teaches how to minimize external distractions and grow deeper in affection for Sri Hari, beyond worldly attachments. Both flavors are essential in the ideal home of life. 

Therefore, the Gita teaches one to be active like a king, while the Bhagavatam teaches how to be a sage or Rishi, or even better, a lover of Sri Hari. The Rajarshi—or a king without and sage within—represents the harmony of action and absorption. 

The Pandavas, the Gopis, and the Brahmana wives exemplify complete indifference to life while fulfilling all their responsibilities of life. 

Affection for Sri Krishna is enhanced through the Bhagavatam, while submission to the laws of life is encouraged through the Gita. One teaches the laws of life, and the other imparts the love for the life-giver—Sri Krishna.

Trying to undo one against the other is impossible and artificial. They are integrated forever in the reality of creation and in the reality of one’s life. Parikshit and Arjuna are not in conflict; they are our role models for life and beyond life.

– Govinda Das (ISKCON Member)