KRISHNA ADDRESSES
“And then?” Dhritrashtra asked anxiously. “Krishna reasons with Arjun.” “This Krishna…,” Dhritrashtra chewed up the rest of the words. Sanjay spoke, “Krishna has advised Arjun not to fall to infatuations at such an hour. Because it was not befitting of noble characters, no paradise earner or glory garner.
He asked Arjun not to act like an impotent. It was time he got ready to battle giving up all mean weaknesses of heart and banishing cowardice. It was not worthy of a valiant man like him.” “Oh! So, what does Arjun say?” Dhritrashtra asked.
ARJUN SURRENDERS
“The advice of Krishna did not enthuse Arjun. He sat down at the feet of Krishna and spoke with folded hands and tears in his eyes, ‘Lord! I will prefer to beg and live on alms than die royally by killing the honourable elders like Grandman Bhishma or Guru Drona. What is life after causing the death of dear ones? I give up my own nature and ask you to tell me what is proper for me.
I am your disciple and depend on you. Reveal to me the right way to end my anguish.’ Krishna said with a smile, ‘Arjun! You sorrow for ones who need no sorrowing. You don’t talk like a brave one. Those who are already dead and who are still living, the wise ones don’t grieve for them.’
THE STATE OF SOUL
‘Those who exist today, they existed yesterday and shall exist tomorrow. The soul lives in the body through childhood, adulthood and old age in one state. Wise ones do not bother over it and don’t get infatuated.’ ” Dhritrashtra muttered, “Arjun is saying correct thing. But this Krishna is hell bent on making brothers fight!” “Krishna said to Arjun, ‘Parth! Soul is imperishable whereas the body is mortal.
Soul does not kill anyone and no one can kill it. It sheds old body and gets into a new one like we take off old clothes and wear new ones. The soul can not be cut by any weapon or burnt in fire or dissolved in water or dried up by the wind. Your grieving for it is not proper. One that is born must die and then get reborn. So, why do you sorrow for it? For a soldier dying for his cause is his primary duty and the proper act.’
SECRET OF LIFE AND DEATH
Krishna revealed the secret of life and death to Arjun saying, ‘The existence or birth is when one becomes visible from the invisible. When visible becomes invisible, it is death. Thus, birth does not mean a non-existent thing coming into existence. Falsehood is never born and truth never dies. Understand this secret and do your duty. If you don’t fight in this battle (for values) you will lose your glory and dutifulness to become a sinner of dereliction. Your enemies will belittle your capabilities. So, O Parth, you must battle without consideration of victory or defeat, pros or cons and joy or sorrow. Such battle won’t earn you any sin.’
JNAN-YOGA AND KARMA-YOGA
Arjun still was doubtful. Krishna raised him up by holding up his arms and said, ‘Parth! ‘Yoga’ is attaining the unattainable. Protecting the attained is ‘Karma’ (the duty). The wisdom which perceives it is ‘Jnan-Yoga’. This wisdom is helpful in cutting of the binds of ‘Karma-Yoga’. The perception of this wisdom enables a man to understand the dharma of ‘Karma-Yoga’. The fear of birth and death gets banished from the mind. An ignorant man fails to understand Karma.
You just get the point that doing Karma is your right and not in seeking or wishing for the rewards. The rational wisdom inspires one to do or not do something. O Arjun, banish the infatuations of body and thoughts of success or failure. Put your mind in Karma duty and have
equanimity. Equanimous Yoga gains one proficiency in doing Karma. The rational actions lead one to a level where one is in permanent touch of God. Do not worry about what people say and battle with a steady mind. That is your Karma-Yoga.
WHO IS STEADY-MIND
Upon this Arjun asked, ‘O Keshav! What is steady minded person’s sign? How does he moderate his acts?’ With a smile Krishna said, ‘O Arjun! A person who gives up all his desires and becomes content in his own self, he is the Steady Mind. One who is in control of the fears, anger, infatuation and enmities, he is the Steady Mind. One who is happy in both favourable and unfavourable situations, he is the Steady Mind. Just can withdraw all his body parts into its shell similarly a Steady Mind exercises control over his senses because he knows that given freedom they will fall for temptations.
Temptation breeds desire. Unfulfilment of desires provke angst. Angst dulls up the mind and a person is beset with confusions. A confused person’s mind gets destroyed and his downfall is ensured. Such a fallen person loses all his joys and he gets drowned in sorrows. So, O Arjun, give up all desires and battle without any self conceit. That is your dharma and call of the current karma!’
