Krishna Arjun
A story comes to mind from the Mahabharata. Kaurava's and Pandava's are at war. Till now Krishna, the family
patriarch of both families has not participated in the war. Yet, the time has come. Duryodhana (Kaurav) and Arjun
(Pandav) approach his quarters one evening. Duryodhana, the pride-y and might-y, oversteps Arjun and enters the
chamber first. But he is dismayed. Krishna is lying on his back on the bed, just towards the end of the afternoon
siesta. Impatient and irritated, Duryodhana goes and stands towards Krishna's head, to the right side of his face.
His arms are crossed, his nostrils flared and he is in his head debating his verbal fight with Krishna about what
and how much he is owed, his wants and his rights, this and that etc. Arjun gently enters the room and seeing
Krishna sleeping is filled with joy, that his beloved is resting and goes and kneels at his feet. He closes his
eyes and is lost in contemplation of how may he make his request of Krishna. He feels genuine humility to be
asking Krishna for something.
Eventually Krishna wakes up. As he does, he greets Arjun and inquires about his being and how Krishna may be of
service. Seeing this turn of events, Duryodhana is quite upset. He interjects loudly and claims rights of arriving
first. He is politically and technically correct. Yet, Krishna the ever diplomat, points out to Duryodhana, that
when Krishna opened his eyes, the first person he saw was Arjun, so from that perspective Arjun came first for
Krishna. Through this subtlety, Duryodhana gets Krishna message about where he stands. literally.
But the ever more compassionate and diplomat Krishna, knowing the nature of both Duryodhana and Arjun and to not
cause grievance and harm to Duryodhana, decides to split himself. On one side he places all his vast armies, his
wealth, his resources all the material power he has and on the other side he stands himself. He makes this
offering to both, Arjun and Duryodhan, but lets Arjun choose first.
Arjun, the ever mindful, sees through what Krishna has done and is pleased inwardly, that without asking, Krishna
has heard his prayer. In the diplomacy taught by Krishna himself, he bows down and says, that he is not worthy of
the vast wealth, armies and political power of krishna and will humbly and be grateful to have krishna by his
side. Duryodhana feels elated. He thinks to himself, what a fool Arjun is. He lost his first mover advantage. On
his turn he immediately lays claim to everything left and storms out of the room, imagining his victories,
grandeur etc.
Duryodhana: DuryoDhana: Duryo Dhana
Dur - Negative
Duryo - Far
Dhan - Wealth
Duryodhana - The one who is always focused on the far wealth, the wealth beyond, the outcome, the result. The one
who acquires wealth negatively through grasping and ego.
Arjun: ArjUn: Arj Un
Arj (Hindi) - Request (As in, yeh meri Leave/vacation ki Arji hai, in Shayari Arj Kiya Hai, I request for your
attention), so Arj Un, is the one who makes requests.
Request: Re-Quest
He is constantly aware
Constantly searching
Constantly questing
He is unconsciously focused on the here and now, the present. That is why he is a master archer. At the material
and sensual level he is aware that things are impermanent. He sees the fleeting images of a deer running. He can
see it like a slow motion movie. He sees through the material illusion/maya. Yet there is one dimension of
impermanence or the truth that he is not aware of and that is the ultimate truth of the mind/consciousness, that
is revealed to him in the Bhagavad Gita.
Bhagavad Gita: BhagaVed Gita: BhaagaVed Geeta: Bhaaga Ved Geeta
The Song Sung to those who run away
Ved / Vedas / Vedana - Sensation
Vedas were ancient texts about the subtle reality of life (String Theory)
Bhaaga Ved Geeta - The song sung for those who get the sensation of running away / escaping. In the Mahabharat,
Arjun flees from the scene of battle. He is stuck that how can he fight his own brothers, sisters, uncles and
cousins. Yesterday they were on this side playing and laughing, but now they are on that side. How can he lift his
arms and weapons against Bhishma Pitama who is like a father. How can he fight a boy, who he knows in his last
birth was a maiden, whom he scorned (How to raise his hand on a woman?). So in the midst of battle he is down on
his knees. That's when his earlier Karma of sitting at the feet of Lord Krishna comes into fruition. Krishna who
was acting as the charioteer, the one who was driving ArjUn all along, leaves the reins. He moves out of the
chariot and comes to the ground next to Arjun. Everything comes to a standstill. The world has stopped moving,
time has turned into stillness.
In this moment, the Bhagavad Gita is revealed to Arjun
Revealed - ReVeiled (Veil - A thin gossamer partition, that seems to let us see, but still creates a boundary.
Like Liminal Space)
We can always see the truth, but choose not to, so it needs to be revealed. It has to be shown to us in a new
language. While there is showing, yet it is in a new language that obscures it for those who have not learnt it.
So it becomes esoteric. Anyway... So the message of the Gita according to no-one in particular -
Even your belief in your own existence is questionable,
You are impermanent, your relatives are impermanent,
What did you bring with you,
That you are so concerned about preserving, protecting and taking with you?
Empty hands you came, empty hands you will go!
Understand the dharma and do your duty!
Duty: Due-to-I
Whatever negative karma you have accumulated due to a belief in I, clean them up. Put an end to these lifetime's
of running, searching, longing.
Contemplate: ConTempleAte: KaunTempleAte: Kaun Temple Ate
Whenever we think too much, our head starts to throb. The two veins around the temple (side of the forehead) swell
up. Sometimes the pulling of blood upwards is so much that it gives us migraines, headaches etc.
There is a saying - What's eating you?
Contemplation is about figuring out Kaun Temple Kha raha hai.
When we figure what's eating us nd what are we eating, we are afraid no longer of it anymore and can let it be. We
welcome all the emotions, thoughts, bhoot, pret, petas, spirits. Welcome into the body, the empty shell. Use as
you please and go as per wish in ease and well being. Wish you well. Wish you happiness. May you be liberated of
your suffering.