Duryodhana – Krishna – Arjun – 22 Feb 2020 Some of my friends love reading books. They read the introduction and end [Wink] . For the direct answer, scroll to the bottom, below the horizontal line [Namaste] A story comes to mind from the Mahabharata. Kaurav and Pandav 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 how he is owed, his wants and his rights etc and this and that etc. Arjun gently enters the room and seeing Krishna sleeping is filled with joy, that is 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 is done and is pleased inwardly, that without asking, Krishna has heard his prayer. In the diplomatic 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 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 (Duryo - Far. Dhan - Wealth. The one who is always focused on the far wealth, the wealth beyond, the outcome, the result) Arjun - ArjUn - Arj Un (Arj in 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 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. Like physics String Theory. Bhaaga Ved Geeta - The song sung for those who get the sensation of running away. In the Mahabharat, arjun flees from the scene of battle when he sees that large arrangement in front of him. He is stuck that how can he fight his own brothers and sisters. 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 stopped. In this moment the Bhagavad Gita is revealed to Arjun. Revealed - ReVeiled (Veil as in thin gossamer covering, that seems to let us see, but still obstructs. Like the 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 msg of the Gita according to no-one is 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. khali haath aye the, khali haath jayenge. 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 this lifetimes 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, we can not be afraid of it anymore and let it be. We welcome all the emotions, thoughts, bhoot, pret, 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 suffering. Thanks for sharing this. Want to come more for you, not so much for me. Want to listen and take what helps. There maybe other's for whom this may be more needed at this time. Don't want to block space. Friday, if there is space (even as an observer or water-boy, happy to be present) p.s. if you did read the story and most probably did not get why it came up or is shared? simmmmbbbbble ... jab krishna ho saath, to kyon bhatakna idhar udhar ... when the facilitator of the workshop is a friend, and will care enough to share the Gita Saar in the midst of the battles of life as they see fit, then why bother or take someone else's place who may need krishna more :) what came up has not been planned or thought or read elsewhere. its a khichdi of the present moment. just like my stone soup cooking (you have yet to experienced much of that). sometimes the khichdi is insipid and boring, people add salt on their own. see the manifestation of events on those days, something else turns up, lots of achar, chatpata items etc come. sometimes its flavorful and exciting, people rave about the uniqueness of the taste, the magic in the hands. but what am i focusing on while i cook. love, nutrition and health. i pray that the food i cook and serve will benefit people. i pray the process of being there and cooking will benefit the person whose house it is. i use whats available. no one should ever feel inadequate. there is abundance. yes it takes time to getting used to. even mayuree and i have had our moments and taken time to be at ease with each other's presence, ways of being. cooking and the kitchen became the space and context. same with natasha, neeru aunty, indira. for many. unable to ever repeat a dish, flavor or recipe. don't bother to. this moment is lived fully and gone. death is as welcome as any other friend. i pray, what has been dished out in this mail, is palatable and digestible. do share when we meet. also able to understand on my own. silence speaks too. grateful for the context to share and your prompts. filing this story away for future. A story comes to mind from the= Mahabharata. Kaurav and Pandav are at war. Till now Krishna, the family pa= triarch of both families has not participated in the war. Yet, the time has= come. Duryodhana (Kaurav) and Arjun (Pandav) approach his quarters one eve= ning. Duryodhana, the pride-y and might-y, oversteps Arjun and enters the c= hamber 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, Dury= odhana goes and stands towards Krishna's head, to the right side of his fac= e. His arms are crossed, his nostrils flared and he is in his head debating= his verbal fight with Krishna about how he is owed, his wants and his righ= ts etc and this and that etc. Arjun gently enters the room and seeing Krish= na sleeping is filled with joy, that is beloved is resting and goes and kne= els 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 ask= ing Krishna for something.

Eventually Kr= ishna wakes up. As he does, he greets Arjun and inquires about his being an= d 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 i= s politically and technically correct. Yet, Krishna the ever diplomat, poin= ts out to Duryodhana, that when Krishna opened his eyes, the first person h= e saw was Arjun, so from that perspective Arjun came first for Krishna. Thr= ough this subtlety, Duryodhana gets Krishna message about where he stands. = literally.

But the ever more compassionate an= d diplomat Krishna, knowing the nature of both Duryodhana and Arjun and to = not cause grievance and harm to Duryodhana, decides to split himself. On on= e side he places all his vast armies, his wealth, his resources all the mat= erial power he has and on the other side he stands himself. He makes this o= ffering to both, Arjun and Duryodhan, but lets Arjun choose first.
Arjun, the ever mindful, sees through what Krishna is done and is ple= ased inwardly, that without asking, Krishna has heard his prayer. In the di= plomatic taught by Krishna himself, he bows down and says, that he is not w= orthy of the vast wealth, armies and political power of krishna and will hu= mbly grateful to have krishna by his side. Duryodhana feels elated. He thin= ks 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
(Duryo = - Far. Dhan - Wealth. The one who is always focused on the far wealth, the = wealth beyond, the outcome, the result)

Ar= jun - ArjUn - Arj Un (Arj in hindi - Request (As in, yeh meri Leave/vac= ation ki Arji hai, in Shayari Arj Kiya Hai, I request for you= r attention), so Arj Un, is the one who makes requests. Request. Re-Quest. = He is constantly aware. Constantly searching. Constantly questing. He is fo= cused 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 mo= tion movie. He sees through the material illusion/maya. Yet there is one di= mension of impermanence or the truth that he is not aware of and that is th= e 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. Like physics String Theory. Bhaaga Ved Geeta - The= song sung for those who get the sensation of running away. In the Mahabhar= at, arjun flees from the scene of battle when he sees that large arrangemen= t in front of him. He is stuck that how can he fight his own brothers and s= isters. 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 Pit= ama 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 i= n the midst of battle he is down on his knees. That's when his earlier Karm= a of sitting at the feet of Lord Krishna comes into fruition. Krishna who w= as acting as the charioteer, the one who was driving ArjUn all along, leave= s the reins. He moves out of the chariot and comes to the ground next to Ar= jun. Everything comes to a standstill. The world has stopped moving, time h= as stopped. In this moment the Bhagavad Gita is revealed to Arjun.
Revealed - ReVeiled (Veil as in thin gossamer covering, that seems t= o let us see, but still obstructs. Like the Liminal Space). We can always s= ee the truth, but choose not to, so it needs to be revealed. It has to be s= hown to us in a new language. While there is showing, yet it is in a new la= nguage that obscures it for those who have not learnt it. So it becomes eso= teric. Anyway... So the msg of the Gita according to no-one is particular -=
Even your belief in your own existence is questionable. you= are impermanent, your relatives are impermanent. what did you bring with y= ou, that you are so concerned about preserving, protecting and taking with = you. khali haath aye the, khali haath jayenge. 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 this lifetimes of runni= ng, searching, longing.)

Contemplate= - ConTempleAte - KaunTempleAte - Kaun Temple Ate, whenever we think to= o 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 t= hat it gives us migraines, headaches etc. There is a saying What's eating y= ou? Contemplation is about figuring out Kaun Temple Kha raha hai. When we f= igure what's eating us, we can not be afraid of it anymore and let it be. W= e welcome all the emotions, thoughts, bhoot, pret, spirits. Welcome into th= e body, the empty shell. Use as you please and go as per wish in ease and w= ell being. Wish you well. Wish you happiness. May you be liberated of suffe= ring.


Thanks for shari= ng this. Want to come more for you, not so much for me. Want to listen and = take what helps. There maybe other's for whom this may be more needed at th= is time. Don't want to block space. Friday, if there is space (even as an o= bserver or water-boy, happy to be present)

p.s= . if you did read the story and most probably did not get why it came up or= is shared? simmmmbbbbble ... jab krishna ho saath, to kyon bhatakna idhar = udhar ... when the facilitator of the workshop is a friend, and will care e= nough to share the Gita Saar in the midst of the battles of life as they se= e fit, then why bother or take someone else's place who may need krishna mo= re :)

what came up has not been planned or tho= ught or read elsewhere. its a khichdi of the present moment. just like my s= tone soup cooking (you have yet to experienced much of that). sometimes the= khichdi is insipid and boring, people add salt on their own. see the manif= estation of events on those days, something else turns up, lots of achar, c= hatpata items etc come. sometimes its flavorful and exciting, people rave a= bout the uniqueness of the taste, the magic in the hands. but what am i foc= using on while i cook. love, nutrition and health. i pray that the food i c= ook and serve will benefit people. i pray the process of being there and co= oking will benefit the person whose house it is. i use whats available. no = one should ever feel inadequate. there is abundance. yes it takes time to g= etting used to. even mayuree and i have had our moments and taken time to b= e at ease with each other's presence, ways of being. cooking and the kitche= n became the space and context. same with natasha, neeru aunty, indira. for= many. unable to ever repeat a dish, flavor or recipe. don't bother to. thi= s moment is lived fully and gone. death is as welcome as any other friend. = i pray, what has been dished out in this mail, is palatable and digestible.= do share when we meet. also able to understand on my own. silence speaks t= oo.

grateful for the context to share and your= prompts. filing this story away for future.