In the previous episode, we had witnessed a very important point wherein Bhagawan Krishna played a strategic game in bringing Ghatodgaja’s and Karna’s “Karma-Phalam” (Resultant of their actions) together in the same place. While Ghatodgaja being a Raakshasa, has insulted, abused and destroyed Maharishis and their “Yagnyams”, Karna has his “Shakti-Aayudham” to be neutralized. Hence, Bhagawan Krishna beautifully plays His “Leela” (Divine play) in bringing both of them in front of each other in the same battlefield. While Ghatodgaja gets killed for all the “Paapa Karma” that he had performed, Karna’s “Shakti Aayudham” was the instrument for killing him. Thus, Karna loses the only powerful weapon which he had with him to take on Arjuna. Now, this being destroyed, Karna is literally powerless in front of Arjuna! Thus, we can see from this event clearly that Bhagawan Krishna knows the time and place for everything in this world. He once again proves to the world that He is the supreme! Even though Arjuna and Karna wanted to have a go at each other for the past four days, Bhagawan Krishna categorically avoided the faceoff because, if Karna would have employed the “Shakti-Aayudham”, Arjuna would have been killed by now!
Continuing further thus, Bhagawan Krishna says to Arjuna and Bheemasena – “Oh Arjuna! Oh Bheemasena! You might ask me one question here – If we’ve not destroyed all these Raakshasas, Jayatrada, Jarasandha, etc. what would have happened to this world? The answer is very simple here – The world would have become a hell for Maharishis and Saadhus, and beyond a point, I myself would have killed all these people! Oh Arjuna! You took the initiative to kill Jayatrada! Oh Bheemasena! You took the initiative to kill Jarasandha! Like this, all of you (Paandava brothers) took initiatives to kill several Raakshasas at different points in time. By doing so, you’ve performed your “Karma” meticulously, thereby contributing to the restoration of “Dharma” in this world. Because you’ve performed your actions meticulously, you will attain “Moksha” at the end of this birth! This is what I want to illustrate to the rest of the world through all of you! Oh Arjuna! Oh Bheemasena! You are my divine instruments in my divine hands! Because of the love and affection you shower upon me, I’m hereby giving you this great opportunity to fulfil all your “Karma” through this war and thereby attain the highest “Moksha”. If not you in this picture, I myself can single handedly destroy everybody standing on the opposite side. It is just a matter of a few minutes for me to do. However, I do not want to do it. I want you to do it because it would aid your spiritual progress through the process of “Karma Yoga”!”
This is a very important point which Bhagawan is explaining to Arjuna and Bheemasena here. Of course, He had explained this earlier through the Bhagawad Gita (Karma Yoga Chapter), but Bhagawan is once again reiterating this important point through action now. During the Bhagawad Gita time, this point was only on paper as the war hadn’t begun then, and nobody had died. Now that fourteen days of the war are over and many important personalities from the Kaurava army are destroyed by the Paandava brothers, Bhagawan Krishna puts his explanation of “Karma Yoga” into action and now sets the narrative firmly. We can compare this to a similar analogy – We consume good quality and variety of food every day and for this food to digest, we perform physical exercises to maintain our body fit, don’t we? Karma Yoga is a cycle similar to this. We’ve to keep performing the “Karma” (Action) that Bhagawan has prescribed for us in this world. During the course of our actions, we’ve to seek Bhagawan’s divine “Anugraha” and thereby with a balance between our “Karma” and Bhagawan’s Anugraha, we attain the highest “Moksha”.
Now someone might ask a counter question here – We’re saying that we’ve to consume food, do physical exercises and thereby keep our body fit, aren’t we? We’ve to do so many physical exercises and activities, only because we’re consuming a lot of food varieties, aren’t we? So why can’t we cut down on our food and start fasting every day? We do not need to do any physical activity if we’re not consuming anything, isn’t it? Now this might be quite an absurd question to ask! 🙂 Will we be able to survive in this world if we’re not having food on time? We will become weak and would be put to drips in the hospital bed if we’re skipping our diet everyday, won’t we? Hence, it is important that we consume food, do physical activities and maintain our body fit. Similarly, there is no point in running away from our “Karma”. We cannot escape the “Karma Yoga” at any cost. Bhagawan has formulated and prescribed “Karma” for each one of us (Just like food) and we’ve to perform them. It is only through performing our “Karma”, Bhagawan will even look at us! Hence, just like how we cannot skip food, we cannot skip our “Karma”. It is our duty to perform our actions with utmost sincerity and dedication, which would automatically please Bhagawan’s heart. So for today, let us understand this point clearly and we shall wait till the next episode to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 