Look Within – Talks on the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Venkatesananda.

[Guest guest]

I had the opportunity to read this book " Look Within " by Swami

Venkatesananda which includes a series of talks by Swamiji. The words

are thought stimulating and put one to immediate introspection.

 

This also gave me a thought to share with all the Bhagavad Banduvulu in

bhakti pages.

 

My sincere thanks to the gifted and blessed personalities who made this

TBP possible.

 

And the talks follows..

 

" The context of the text of the Bhagavad Gita is terribly

interesting.

 

There was one family with two branches – one branch was considered

evil and vicious, while the other branch was considered pious.

 

They were cousins.

 

I think it is good to remember that `my enemy is not a stranger'

 

This fact is plainly brought home to us in Bhagavad Gita again.

 

Aatmaivahyaatmano bandhuraatmailva ripuratmanah – Gita 6 verse 5

 

No outsider or stranger is interested in killing me – what for?

 

These things may happen in wars and riots, but you don't call that

murder.

 

If you carefully investigate enmity, you discover that it happens only

among the people who know each other.

 

The more intimately you know the other person, the greater the chances

that one day you will hate him.

 

There is a beautiful proverb in English which illustrates this –

" your worst enemy is a friend offended "

 

This has been the tragedy of human life, that brother cannot live in

harmony with brother.

 

The heroes and villains of the Mahabharata (of which the Bhagavad Gita

forms a part) were cousins.

 

The villains were the Kauravas and the heroes were the Pandavas.

 

The chief of Kauravas was Duryodhana and the spokesman for the Pandavas

was Arjuna.

 

There were intrigues, blackmail and all kinds of things and conflict

build up and up until at one stage war became inevitable.

 

Krishna's help had been sort by both parties. It is said that

Krishna was resting after lunch when duryodhana the wicked chief entered

the room, saw Krishna resting and went and stood by his head.

 

Then came Arjuna who humbly took up his position at Krishna's feet.

When Krishna awoke he opened his eyes and saw Arjuna.

 

Duryodhana said " I was here first " Krishna said, " I will be

impartial, I will help you both. I will join one of you, and other can

have my army who will fight " .

 

It is funny isn't it? A strange deal

 

That means some of Krishna's soldiers are going to be fighting

against him, and, as he doesn't like fighting, he won't fight.

 

Duryodhana chose to have the army and Arjuna chose Krishna and appointed

him as his charioteer.

 

There is a beautiful teaching of jesus " seek ye first the kingdom of

God and His righteousness, all else will be added unto you "

 

I think that was probably illustrated in this story – that Arjuna

asked for Krishna (who was considered an incarnation of the God) in

preference to might and numbers.

 

To be continued..