In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna’s hard-hitting beginning to what is going to be a very important and lengthy accord to Arjuna about various aspects of “Dharma” and how to attain Him at the end. As Arjuna buckles down under his emotions, Bhagawan Krishna wants to lift him up and make him fight again. He clearly says that such buckling down under pressure is not the characteristic of a “Kshatrya” prince and he has to get up and fight the war. Actually, as we’ve seen earlier, Arjuna was expecting some consoling words from Bhagawan Krishna, but unfortunately to his bad luck, Bhagawan Krishna is in a “firing mode”! He gives Arjuna left right and centre with His hard-hitting and far-reaching words, which we’re in the process of witnessing. So let us continue from here on in today’s episode.
Bhagawan Krishna continues His hard-hitting words to Arjuna further thus, “Oh Parantapa! (Arjuna, who is the destroyer of all enemies effortlessly!) Till this day, what did you tell me? You have said that given an opportunity, you’ll finish Duryodhana off within a few days! You’ll finish Duryodhana within a few hours! You’ll finish Duryodhana within a few minutes! What happened to all that courage and boldness? Even when Yudishtra had the doubt whether we should go ahead with this war, you were the one who consoled him by saying that people like Duryodhana should never be spared even for a minute! Oh Arjuna! I saw so much of valor and confidence in you when you gave that hard-hitting assurance to Yudishtra on the other day! But what happened to you now? Till today I was thinking that Yudishtra was faltering and buckling down under pressure when the key moment arrived. But now with your actions, you are proving to be worse than Yudishtra! In fact, Yudishtra had the doubt before the war commenced, and hence, we were able to motivate him. However, after the “Shankams” from all corners have been blown, Yudishtra has completely made up his mind to go ahead with the war. However, what is happening to you? Even after the sounds of the “Shankams” are piercing through our ears, what is making you buckle down like this? This is actually not right!”
“Klaiviamaasvagamah paartha naitattvam upapadhyate!
Kutastvaa kashmalam idam vishame samu pashcitam!!”
Saying thus, Bhagawan explains, “Oh Arjuna! Hence, please let go off your mental depression and get up and start fighting! This is so uncharacteristic of a “Kshatrya” prince and do not fall into this trap!” This is a very important message for all of us too. So what Bhagawan is saying here is that, whenever we are facing some crunch situations in life, this is the time we might start panicking and start having a lot of confusion. This is where we’ve to be mentally strong and determined, and this is exactly what Bhagawan is telling Arjuna as well. Thus, mentally depressed state is extremely dangerous for all of us to proceed with our actions. We should make sure not to enter into such a state and this is a clear trap wherein we might start faltering!
This is a very important lesson for all leaders who may be in various domains of work and in different walks of life! As a leader, if we start panicking, our entire team starts to panic, isn’t it? Hence, isn’t the job of the leader to be mentally tough and strong? This is where Arjuna is going wrong. As a great warrior and a leader himself, shouldn’t he be very tough mentally? This is what Bhagawan Krishna is trying to drive home to Arjuna! We’re at the moment witnessing only the second “Adhyaaya”, wherein Bhagawan is trying to make Arjuna get up. But actually when does Ajruna get up once again to pick up his Gaandeepa and fight? It is only at the end of the eighteenth “Adhyaaya!” 🙂 Thus, it has taken almost seventeen “Adhyaayas” and 600-plus shlokas for Bhagawan Krishna to make Arjuna get up! If such is the case for a highly-empowered leader like Arjuna, what about all of us? So let us take this opportunity to understand the Bhagawad Gita, which should internally motivate us to do our tasks better without getting into that unwanted zone of mental depression and sadness! We shall continue this accord in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 