Miscellaneous - Religion   

Advice for all seasons

CHENNAI: When life's many challenges and problems seem to be a Herculean task to a majority of mankind, Lord Krishna's advice in the Bhagavad Gita sparkles in its unique blend of universal and practical applicability. Arjuna's dejection in the battlefield assumed a moral dimension when he raised the issue of having to kill his own kinsmen and elders. In contrast to the shattered mental state of Arjuna, Lord Krishna's calm response resembled that of a doctor who is confident of his diagnosis and the efficacy of the remedy at hand, pointed out Swami Dheerananda in a discourse. Lord Krishna prompted Arjuna to uphold his Kshatriya Dharma that entailed protection of righteousness. It was a situation similar to that of a cop who did not incur the sin of killing while doing his duty.

The Lord instructed Arjuna to rise above the linear perspective of life, and view the entire world from the absolute standpoint. The embodied soul that resides in the body is immortal and cannot die. It continues to live even after the decay of the body. It should be realised that when one passes through different stages in life — childhood, youth, adulthood and old age — the soul within remains unchanged, while the body undergoes visible changes.

A wise person realises this truth and is able to maintain equanimity of vision. He is aware of the transient nature of life and death that every embodied being is subjected to. So he remains the same when affected by pain or pleasure, and not in the least disturbed by the material happenings of the world. He is single-minded in upholding the path of duty that has to be traversed if one has to reach the final goal of liberation. Like a lighthouse that withstands the buffeting waves, he remains unaffected, undisturbed, firm, and strong in mind. A wise man never gets deluded and is steadfast in his balanced vision.

A Jnani is one who realises that the eternal "I" lives forever while all others have to go through the vicious cycle of birth and death until they realise the purpose of life. He alone is liberated. The rest are still traversing this path towards the state of liberation. The Jnani reinforces the most important truth that "I" as consciousness cannot die, and that "I" as body has been always dying.

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