Dhenuka represents the principle of this foolish mentality, this ass-like mentality, the fruitive mentality, the beast of burden mentality, in which people think, "I have to work very hard. I don't have time for spiritual life. I have to work very hard. So many things I have to do. So much work I have to do. I don't have time." Life can be like that, if we allow it to be. But it doesn't need to be like that, for anyone – for ANYONE. It doesn't have to be like that because we have Balarama on our team, and Balarama will give us the strength to overcome such mentality, effortlessly. [Whirling sound, indicating Balarama wheeling Dhenukasura around by the back legs and throwing him into the top of the tala tree.] Boom!

According to Kasyapa Muni, a chaste wife is like the commander of the fort, who will protect the individual in the fort from the onslaughts of uncontrolled senses. A pious wife is a great asset for a husband. Kasyapa Muni refers to the pious wife who assists her husband in his religious duties as the ‘better half’ of the body of the husband. We still have that expression in America today, but it is used as a passing remark or in a joking manner. There is absolutely no idea of the root of the religious message behind that statement, but Srimad Bhagavatam is giving us that message. The qualified chaste wife in relation to the husband is such a great asset - so great of an asset that the Vedas enjoin that the wife is to be considered as the ‘better-half’.

The main point in this section is that the glories of Krishna are realized through the intimacy of service...Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.19: "Tribulations imposed upon the devotees by the Lord constitute another exchange of transcendental bhava between the Lord and the devotees". Tribulations can be the opportunity for the devotee to realize more their intimate relationship with Krishna and the glories of Krishna, if taken in the right way. The more intimate contact with Krishna, the more glories of Krishna can be understood. Tribulations and difficulties are special favor and mercy from Krishna. But it takes a pretty good amount of Krishna consciousness to see the tribulations that way.

As soon as one begins one's progress on the spiritual path, practically the first things that happens is the appearance of an abundance of different spiritual teachings, and the question of which one to choose. According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Putana represents the pseudo guru, or false teachers, or false teachings. He explains that the pseudo guru may appear in one or two of the following forms: external or internal. One is the deceitful so-called guru who preaches sense gratification, or the goal of liberation only, without devotion to Krsna.

In this section, Arjuna speaks about fearlessness. He is praying to Krishna not because of being fearful of the brahmastra coming at him, but he is praying in the mood of fearlessness. How can a devotee be fearless?

For us to come to the stage of steadiness, there must be a steadiness of mind, practice, and speech. Practice spiritual sound vibration, and avoid the other kind. Then comes steadiness of bodily activity, which means steadiness of service, or sensual steadiness, not allowing the senses to stray. We have instructions from our Founder-Acarya in his writings, abundantly. We also have instructions from those who are guiding us in our spiritual life. We control our senses according to those teachings and instructions, and we don't stray. If we do stray, then it is like stepping outside of Rama rekha to where there is Ravana waiting for us. We are protected as long as we stay inside those instructions. “Here is My bow…stay inside here.

The three things that provided protection for the Pandavas were religion, God, and the brahmanas. As we go along, these three things are the major part of what we need to contemplate when we are considering how we are to conduct our lives. Controlling is Krishna's department and serving is our department. Krishna is in-charge of the outcome of what we do, and we are in-charge of the consciousness that we carry. These are the three areas we need to evaluate in order to make sure we are properly situated in our service in all circumstances of life.

The disposition of Maharaja Yudhisthira is just to serve...For Maharaja Yudhisthira, inquiring from Bhismadeva was not mechanical or just being polite. He engaged himself according to what he had heard from Bhisma. He applied the teachings that he heard...When there are proper brahmanas, proper ksatriyas and proper parents, there are so much protection and well-being for an individual in the society. There is very little of such opportunities in Kali-yuga. So, the shelter must be taken largely from Srimad Bhagavatam and those who are living the life of Bhagavatam. Those who take shelter of Bhagavatam, and those who live the life of Bhagavatam, along with the sankirtana of the holy name, find that protection. These shelters give real protection.