All World
Gayatri Pariwar

Guru Guides the Disciple to Reflect on the Self – 2

Lord Krishna brings Arjuna back in the main stream, by explaining such a sophisticated philosophical concept, in short, that the body is mortal and the soul is immortal; what is visible to the physical eyes is ephemeral and destructible and the one that is invisible is eternal. How many people have fallen into the jaws of death in front of our own eyes? Realize that eternal element, the Spirit (Soul), which is beyond the physical body. In the following ïlokas, Lord is trying to convey to Arjuna the same thing so that he understands his duty and gets ready for the righteous war.

Ya ena® vetti hant³ra® yaïcaina® manyate hatam | Ubhau tau na vij³nºto n³ya® hanti na hanyate || (2.19) Na j³yate mriyate v³ kad³cin n³ya® bh¿tv³ bhavit³ v³ na bh¿ya¡ | Ajo nitya¡ ï³ïvato ´ya® pur³ño na hanyate hanyam³ne ïarºre || (2.20) Ved³vin³ïina® nitya® ya enam ajam avyayam | Katha® sa puruÌa¡ p³rtha ka® gh³tayati hanti kam || (2.21) Meaning: One who thinks that the soul is a slayer and one who thinks that the soul is slain - both are ignorant, because the soul neither slays nor is slain.

The soul is neither born, nor does it die at any time. It does not come into being or cease to exist. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and prime val. The soul is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. O Arjuna! How can a person who knows that the soul is indestructi ble, eternal, unborn, and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to be killed? This kind of explanation of Soul, with its different virtues, is found from nineteenth to thirtieth ïlokas. This portion is considered the essence of the Gita. It is advisable to read and contemplate on this essence when someone’s near and dear one dies.

Lord is making Arjuna realize that he should not get worried about this body, that he should abandon his affection towards his relatives who are prone to die. Guru shows his disciple this mirror so that he can reflect on the self. As soon as we start talking the language of the wise, Guru shows the mirror – why this arrogance – for whom this attachment – is it for this mortal body – is it for the transitory relations? Again and again, Lord is preaching Arjuna to recognize the eternal and forget the transitory relations. Eternal are the relations of Soul and Supreme Soul, jºva and brahma, disciple and Guru; and transient and mortal are the relations with our so-called brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, etc. The people whom we consider near and dear ones are, infact, the companions in this life only, whereas Guru-disciple bond is eternal and continues forever.

This bond emerges from the sanctity of emotions, from the depth of heart; and, that is why, it remains unbroken. A true Guru always finds his true disciple and the true disciple is also able to find his true Guru. Lord reiterates the same thing in the following ïlokas: V³s³®si jºrñ³ni yath³ vih³ya nav³ni g•hñ³ni naro ’par³ñi| Tath³ ïarºr³ñi vih³ya jºrñ³nyany³ni sa®y³ti nav³ni dehº|| (2.22) Naina® chindanti ïastr³ñi naina® dahati p³vaka¡ | Na caina® kledayanty³po Na ïoÌayati m³ruta¡|| (2.23) Meaning: Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so also the embodied Soul casts off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new.

Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it and the wind cannot dry it. Explaining the virtues of the Soul, Lord says – ‘It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, ancient and immovable. Therefore, knowing this to be such, you should not grieve. Neither should you deviate from performing your Yugadharma.’ Lord says further (27th ïloka) ‘Birth is inevitable to what is dead and death is inevitable to what is born. This is the law of Nature. Therefore, one should not grieve.’ He explains to Arjuna further – ‘Though, this soul is present in the bodies of all the living beings, it cannot be killed. Only the body (the outer cover) can be killed. Therefore, you should not grieve.’ He now talks of following one’s svadharma (righteous duty) - Svadharmamapi c³vekÌya na vikampitumarhasi| Dharmy³ddhi yuddh³chreyo ´nyat kÌatriyasya na vidyate|| (2.31) Meaning: Having regard to your own duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a kÌatriya than a righteous war.

With this ïloka ends the context of ‘realizing the soul beyond the body’ and starts the metaphysical – oriented context of ‘practicing svadharma by the physical body’. Lord says to Arjuna - ‘You have got this body so that you can understand your svadharma and follow it’. Pujya Gurudev used to say – ‘It is through this body that the light of Soul and Supreme Soul spread. We have got this body so that the effulgence of God can express through it.

Our mind and body, our thoughts and deeds are the fountains of this effulgence. Our body is a unique divine constitution. Embraced in the divine consciousness, when we perform our actions with this body, it is called ‘following svadharma’ or practicing our duties. There is no Tapa (penance) higher than performing one’s righteous duties.’ In this context, an anecdote of Mahabharat is worth recalling. There was one Muni (seer) named Jajalya, who was famous for his ardent Tapa. He acquired several supernormal powers by his Tapa. He used to throw his dhotº (a traditional lower garment worn by male Hindus) in air for drying and it would remain in the air without the support of any string. One day he saw that a crow has excreted on his dhotº. He got annoyed and by his mere angry sight the crow was burnt to death. Hebecame very proud of his supernormal powers. After this incident, he had a divine revelation that he should shun his ego if he wanted to acquire knowledge and know about Tapa; and, for this purpose, he should go to Sulabha who lived in the nearby village. Arrogant Jajalya reached the home of Sulabha. He sent the message to Sulabha that a Muni (himself) had come to meet her. Sulabha replied that she was busy in feeding the children, so he should wait for some time. Muni got angry over this and shouted – ‘Are you aware who has come to your house? People have been paying respect to me all the way. In spite of knowing me, you are avoiding me.’ Sulabha replied – ‘I am not dhotº that will get dried on your instruction or the crow that will get burnt.

People might have been respecting you all the way, but I know who you are.’ Muni started thinking how she acquired this transcendental knowledge. Sulabha said – ‘Muniji! Don’t get surprised; it is the Tapa of following svadharma by this body that has given me this siddhº. If you want to know more, please go to Tuladhar Vaishya.’ When Muniji reached the shop of Tuladhar Vaishya, he was talking to the customers. He said to Tuladhar – ‘I have been sent here by Sulabha. First talk to me.’ Tuladhar said – ‘Please wait, first I will deal with the customers.’ – Immediately Muniji got angry. Tuladhar said – ‘I am neither dhotº nor crow. Please don’t get annoyed, have patience.’ Astonished Muni started thinking how this man got the siddhº. Tuladhar said –‘I am not a profiteer, I weigh correctly. I follow my svadharma – this is my only Tapa.’ Later on Jajalya Muni had many experiences which made him realize - ‘following svadharma – performing one’s righteous duties, is the highest form of Tapa and that he should not get arrogant about his siddhºs, because they are momentary and they vanish when one gets angry.’ Knowledgeable persons like Janak, etc became Yogº – Videh by following svadharma. Jajalya Muni thus realized this essence of knowledge.

Lord too is explaining the same fact to his disciple Arjuna. He says – ‘Fortunate are the kÌatriyas, O Arjuna, who are called upon to fight in such a war that comes of itself as an open door to heaven! But, if you will not fight in this righteous war, then, having abandoned your duty and fame, you shall incur sin. People, too, will recount your everlasting dishonor; and to the honorable person, dishonor is worse than death.’ (Chapter 2, ïlokas 32, 33 and 34) Pujya Gurudev too advised us to engage in Tapa. In the present times, Jó³na Yajóa is the best Tapa. Inspiring the masses to imbibe the virtue of righteous wisdom is our foremost duty, even if we have to abandon our pleasures and undergo pains for this purpose – so advised Gurudev. ‘Not undertaking this Tapa s³dhan³ is similar to running away from our Mahabharata’ – He said.

The discussion on following svadharma, utilizing one’s talents and resources for the upliftment of the masses, yugadharma, etc will continue in the next issue.