In the previous episode, we had witnessed how Bhagawan Krishna is motivating Arjuna to pick up the “Gaandeepa” and fight the war. He is now doing it by explaining the duties of a Kshatrya warrior. Since Arjuna is a Kshatrya himself, the only “Maarga” (Way) of walking the path of “Dharma” is through fighting the war. This is where many of us mistake Bhagawan Krishna’s words by saying that He is inciting violence and feud between people. It is actually not the case. Bhagawan is only teaching Arjuna the way to attain the highest “Moksha” by doing his duty. This is quite similar to people in military, paramilitary forces, etc. wherein their primary job is to protect our territorial borders. If that entails fighting and killing of the enemy, it is their duty to do so and we cannot keep talking here that killing someone or hurting someone is “Adharma”! Thus, by applying this analogy if we’ve to view, whatever Bhagawan Krishna says is extremely valid, isn’t it? Readers should thus be very careful not to get carried away by such false narrative about our Bhagawan Krishna. Our “Sanaatana Dharma” always stands for peace and harmony. However, if we’re attacked by an enemy, of course we’ve to defend. We can’t be “sitting ducks” for the enemy isn’t it? So let us ponder over this as we move on!
Moving on further from here, Bhagawan Krishna slowly asks Arjuna thus, “Oh my dear Arjuna! You’re wanting to renounce this fight and go to the forest, aren’t you? Try doing it! But let me tell you what will happen! Please remember – We’re in the centre of the battlefield wherein everyone is looking at us. At this time, if you drop your “Gaandeepa” and go, how will Duryodhana and Karna react to it? Do you think they will also have the same amount of emotion and compassion that you have for them? The answer is “Never”! The moment you put down your “Gaandeepa” and go, do you know what they will tell? Duryodhana will say thus, “Oh look! Arjuna is running away from the battlefield like a coward! He doesn’t have the guts to fight the war against me! Upon looking at my mighty and powerful army, Arjuna started shaking with fear and gave up the fight even before it commenced!” When you listen to this narrative from Duryodhana, do you think your ego is going to let you continue your way to the forest? You will once again come back to the battlefield and start fighting automatically! 🙂 Hence, instead of taking the “Gaandeepa” after Duryodhana’s ridicule, why don’t you take the “Gaandeepa” because I wanted you to fight? If you take the “Gaandeepa” in hand because I told you, it becomes your “Dharma” and part of your “Karma Yoga”. However, when you run away and come back with anger and start fighting, it will not become part of your “Karma Yoga”!”
This is a huge philosophy that Bhagawan Krishna is presenting here, which all of us need to understand. So what He’s trying to tell here is this – If Arjuna takes the bow and arrow to fight the war by obeying Bhagawan’s words, it becomes part of his “Karma Yoga”, which leads him to realize the “Atma-Saakshaadkaaram”, which in turn will pave the way to doing Bhakti. However, if Arjuna goes away from the battlefield by shying away from his duty and if Duryodhana ridicules him for this, Arjuna would obviously come back! He, being a “Kshatrya”, will not be able to tolerate such insults and he would only want to give it back to Duryodhana with interest! However, if he does this with utmost anger and frustration, maybe he can still win the war. But will it transform into “Dharma” and “Atma-Saakshaadkaaram”? The answer is “No”! Thus, if we’re doing an action with our own ego, desire and anger, it does not fructify! However, if we’re doing the same action just because Bhagawan wants us to do it, it becomes “Bhakti”! This is something which we’ve to understand clearly here.
So for today, let us understand this point very clearly and in the next episode, we shall witness the leadership and managerial implications for this point as we move forward further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 