World’s most elaborate document relating to the family 1. dispute of Kauravas and Pandavas has been recorded by sage VYASA in the ancient past. It is Maha Bharata. It was written in Sanskrit. Amidst many other really useful episodes of the story, the question and answer part between Arjuna and Krishna is popularly known as Bhagavatgeetha.
- As a mediator Krishna had struggled hard to settle the dispute amicably between Kauravas and Pandavas. The reasonable prayers of Pandavas were rejected as ‘not acceptable’. What is more, Krishna was ridiculed and insulted in the Court Hall of Kauravas. Consequently the war of Kurukshetra ensued between the two families. It was agreed that the entire army of Krishna has to fight on Kauravas’ side and Krishna alone has to advise Pandavas in the war without touching any weapon.
- When the war was about to begin, Arjuna of the Pandavas’ camp lost heart. He abandons his weapons. He confesses to Krishna, the charioteer, that fighting a war and winning it by killing all his kith and kin including his teachers does not bring him any credit. He argues his case at length and learns a good deal of really unknowable secrets of creation and destruction. What Arjuna had learnt from Krishna at that time as answers to his questions briefly in the battle field is obviously enlarged in the Geetha for the sake of understanding by youngsters.
- The essence of the teaching is as follows: One who knows does not think of those who are dead and those who are alive.
(2-11). You and I and all these kings ever exist. It is not correct to say that we do not exist in the future. (2-12) Nobody can destroy eternity. (2-17) We as atma ever exist. Atma is never born nor is it ever dying. (2-20) Knives cannot pierce it; Fire cannot burn it; Water cannot wet it; and air cannot dry it. (2-23) Do your duty cast upon you without any regard for results. Don’t give it up. (2-47) Acquire this faculty and be blissful. (2-55) Give up attachment to results and attain peace (2-64). Prefer doing work to giving it up (5-2). Control your anger before you shed the body. (5-23) Rely on your own self. Don’t defend others. (6-5) All life is one. Atma is not divisible. The apparent bodies are made up of five elements plus mind, intellect and ego. All these eight are lifeless. The basis for all these eight is ever apart. It is one and only. That thou art (7-4 & 7-5). Body consciousness is injurious. Be centered in Atma and your own Atma omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Needless to enumerate the list of vibhuti. (10-42) One in the many and many in the one can be realized by doing your work with. willingness without attachment. It is attainable if one is friendly with the creation. (11-55) those who are meditative, contented, unattached to their places of residence and those who are not affected by censure of praise reach the goal quickly (12-10). Bodies function like machines. Really they are lifeless. Eshwar is their life force. He is the operator of all the machines. Eshwar rules the universe with the aid of His own Maya (18-61). Depend upon Eshwar abandoning all other impressions (18-66).
- After briefly summing up the essential teaching of the Geetha, it may be said that mankind is advised to discharge its tasks without neglecting them. The feeling of doership is to
be given up in toto. Krishna maintains that doing one’s own work (though it is less perfect) is preferable to doing others’ works with better perfectness. (18-47). This seems to be the secret of reaching the goal. Another important feature of the teaching is non-attachment. Usually practitioners are tempted to do something out of habit. Habit is nothing but doing things repeatedly. Habit increases attachment. If he learns to do things. without attachment, in course of time, the binding element of the work gets diluted. The practitioner gets free from the bondage. This itself is a great relief to him.
- Arjuna of the story represents mankind. Krishna the answerer is the teacher seeking the welfare of mankind. The status of the book is unparalleled. No wonder it has been translated into many world languages. Rabindranath Tagore was inspired by this teaching. His love offering is Geetanjali. Sir Edwin Arnold was in India for some time on duty. He had learnt Sanskrit and rendered this book into chaste English verse. He has given the name “SONG CELESTIAL” to this book. Walt Whitman and Emerson had perused the book and raised their eyebrows. From times immemorial, sages of India have written exhaustive commentaries on Geetha and flooded the country with their valuable interpretations. No other book perhaps has attracted the attention of every knowledgeable person as Geetha did. Jnaneshwar had observed that it is more difficult to realize the meaning of the teaching than to cover the whole earth with gold and to change the saltish water of the seas into pure drinking water. Now it is time for youngsters to make a careful and reverential study of the book to derive its benefits for leading a meaningful life. Hari Om.