The Hindu Article - The Lord, gracious to His devotees

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Date:07/12/2002 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/07/stories/2002120701510900.htm

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Miscellaneous - Religion

 

The Lord, gracious to His devotees

 

CHENNAI DEC.7 . The Bhagavad Gita, which occurs in the Mahabharata,

is hailed as the quintessence of the Upanishads. The Upanishads are

the concluding portion of the Vedas and hence called as Vedanta and

their subject matter is spirituality— the Self (Atman). Lord Krishna

taught the Gita to Arjuna, as his mind was receptive to the spiritual

truth the Lord expounded in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This is

suggested right at the outset in the description of the armies of the

Kauravas and the Pandavas arrayed for battle.

 

There is also a hint about Duryodana not having the right frame of

mind to receive spiritual wisdom. In the spiritual tradition an

aspirant must have certain prerequisites for embarking on scriptural

study. It is this fact that the Gita highlights in the opening

chapter. The Lord's teachings are meant for all humanity and Arjuna

was only a pretext for Him to expound the spiritual truth but unless

one fulfils the necessary requirements one cannot benefit from

studying the Gita.

 

In his discourse, Sri Goda Venketeswara Sastri said the text showed

how one should conduct oneself by contrasting the behaviour of

Duryodana and Arjuna. Further, the Lord who had assumed the role of

charioteer to Arjuna in the war and had vowed not to take up arms

proved by His actions that He was affable and accessible to His

devotees. When Arjuna asked Him, "Achyuta, please station my chariot

between the two armies, so that I may have a view, on the eve of this

battle, of all those standing ready to fight, and learn who all are

the persons with whom I have to contend," Krishna faithfully did what

He was told. According to commentators the reference to the Lord as

Achyuta in this verse gives inkling into His divine nature of not

undergoing any modification. Likewise, He will also not allow those

who have surrendered to Him to fall from their position. Moreover,

Arjuna was confident that he would not come to any harm with the Lord

by His side.

 

When Krishna placed the chariot at a vantage position between the two

armies Arjuna who had all along been bent on war as befitting a

warrior, underwent a total change of heart as he saw only his kith

and kin in both the armies. His attachment to them made him consider

the pros and cons of a war that would be the end of his relatives.

Then he was faced with the dilemma as to whether he should engage in

the war at all and seek Krishna's advice in the matter.

 

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