SB 1.14.42 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 42
Kacchit twam na agamah agamyam gamyam va asatkritam striyam Parajito va atha bhavan na uttamai na samayih pathi
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Kacchit—whether, Twam—yourself, na—not, agamah—did contact, Agayam—impeachable, Gamyam—acceptable, Va—either, Asatkritam—improperly treated, Striyam—a woman, Parajito—defeated by, Va—either, Atha—after all, Bhavan—your goodself, na—not, Uttamai—by superior power, Na—neither, Samayi—by equals, Pathi—on the road.
TRANSLATION
"If you have had contacted any woman of impeachable character or have you not properly have treated a woman deserving contact? Or have you not had been defeated on the way by some one who is either inferior than you or equal with you?"
PURPORT
It appears from this verse that during the time of the Pandavas free contact of man and woman was allowed on certain conditions only. The higher castes men namely the Brahmins, Kshatriyas could accept a woman of the Vaishyas and the Sudras community but a man from the lower castes could not contact a woman of the higher caste. Even a Kshatriya could not contact a woman of the Brahmin caste. The wife of a Brahmin is considered one of the seven mothers namely one's own mother, wife of the spiritual master or teacher, the wife of a Brahmin, the wife of the king, the cow, the nurse and the earth. Such contact of man and woman was known Uttam and Adhama. Contact of the Brahmin with a Kshatriya woman is Uttama but the contact of a Kshatriya with the woman of a Brahmin is Adhama and therefore condemned. A woman approaching a man for contact should never be refused but at the same time the discretion as above mentioned may also be considered. Bhima was approached by one woman Hirimbi from the community of lower than the Sudras and Yayati refused to marry the Daughter of Sukracharya because of his becoming a Brahmin. Vyasdeva a Brahmin was called to beget Pandu and Dhritarastra. Sayavati belonged to the family of fisherman but Parasara a great Brahmin begot in her Vyasadeva. So there are so many examples of such contacts of woman but in all cases the contacts were not abominable neither the result of such contacts were bad. Free love or contact of man and woman is natural but that also must be carried out under regulated principles so that social consecration may not be disturbed neither unwanted worthless population may be increased for unrest of the world.
It is abominable for a Kshatriya to be defeated by one who is inferior in strength or equal in strength. If one is defeated at all he may be defeated by some superior power. Arjuna was defeated by Bhismadeva and Lord Krishna saved him from the danger. This was not an insult for Arjuna because Bhismadeva was far superior than Arjuna in all respects namely age, respect and strength. But Karna was equal with Arjuna and therefore Arjuna was in crisis in fighting with Karnna. It was felt by Arjuna and therefore Karna was killed even by crooked means. Such are the engagements of the Kshatriyas and Maharaj Yudhisthir enquired from his brother if anything undesirable have had happened on the way back to home from Dwarka.