The Hindu Article - Paths before man as shown by Gita

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Date:06/01/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/06/stories/2003010601280800.htm

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Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Paths before man as shown by Gita

 

CHENNAI JAN. 6. There may be many who would have faced bewildering

situations and emerged successful from vicissitudes but they too may

buckle on certain occasions when they may have to choose between two

puzzling problems, when their minds may lose balance, making them

wonder how to take a decision and emerge unscathed. The solution is

possible when they approach a spiritual guide who is sure to remove

the confusions in their minds. He will tell them not to be swept away

by unwholesome emotions. The Bhagavad Gita, the Lord's sermon on the

battlefield, refers to the answers to such doubts spelling out the

paths before a man — of duty, devotion and knowledge.

 

The epic, Mahabharata, tells us how an invincible warrior, who had

gone through severe trials for years and who had God (in human form)

as his mentor and for whom fighting was in his very nature, was

suddenly downcast. All possible attempts had been made to avoid a war

between two groups, but there was failure. At that juncture, the

soldier, Arjuna, experienced his strength failing him. He tells

Krishna, acting as his charioteer, that he was unable to discern the

right and wrong and bereft of his heroic nature, he had become the

victim to the stigma of cowardice. He did not know what to do and

implored God-incarnate to instruct him what was good to him. This

appeal he had made as a disciple and God, his spiritual preceptor. It

was then the message for all of us through him flowed.

 

"You are really grieved for those who are not worth such mourning,

because the truly wise will not lament either for the living or the

dead", the Lord replied. In this connection, Sri Avinash Chaitanya,

expounding the path of duty, mentioned a story of a group of people

weeping over a dead person. But there was also one, not connected

with them, who too was deep in sorrow. "Why do you cry," he was

asked, when he replied, "You are weeping for the dead. I am doing so

for those who are going to die". Sri Krishna then made the

statement, "It is not that you, all the princes (for whose possible

death in the war you feel sorry) and I did not exist before. Nor it

is a fact that we shall cease to exist after some time. Men of

intelligence will not deplore the loss (by death) of this body whose

state of existence is limited and ephemeral." The Lord's words were

intended to dispel Arjuna's illusion.

 

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