All World
Gayatri Pariwar

Establish yourself in Yoga and perform action as per Yugadharma

Explaining the essence of Yugadharma to Arjuna, Lord Shrikrishna is trying to bring home the point that if he does not get engaged in war he will incur sin.

He has given a remarkable message through these ïlokas: Bhay³d rañ³d uparata® ma®syante tv³® mah³rth³¡ | Ye̳® ca tva® bahumato bh¿tv³ y³syasi l³ghavam || (2/35) Meaning - The mighty chariot-warriors will consider that you have withdrawn from war out of fear; and for those you have been held in high esteem, you will fall into disgrace. Av³cyav³d³®ïca bah¿n vadiÌyanti tav³hit³¡ | Nindantastava s³marthya® tato du¡khatar® nu kim || (2/36) Meaning - Your enemies also, discrediting your prowess, will speak many insulting words. What could be more painful than that! Hato v³ pr³psyasi svarga® jitv³ v³ bhokÌyase mahºm | Tasm³duttiÌÚha kaunteya yuddh³ya k•taniïcaya¡ || (2/37) Meaning - Slain, you will obtain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the empire of earth; therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight! Sukhadu¡khe same k•tv³ l³bh³l³bhau jay³jayau | Tato yuddh³ya yujyasva naiva® p³pamav³psyasi || (2/38) Meaning – Being equipoised in pleasure and pain, profit and loss, victory and defeat, prepare for the battle. In this way, you will not incur sin. From the above-cited four ïlokas, three main points emerge. First – ‘Your attachment – affection is leading you to indecision.

This escapism is a deadly sin.’ Second – ‘Performing one’s righteous duty is best. Getting slain and obtaining heaven or winning the battle and enjoying the empire of earth – should be the sole aim of a warrior.’ Third – ‘Don’t think about profit-loss, victory-defeat or pleasure-pain. If you get caught in this dilemma, you will fall, get insulted and obtain an inferior birth, because you are engaging in this war not for killing but for preforming your duty. Therefore get ready to fight with full determination.’

Undue attachment to near and dear ones, not performing one’s righteous duty, escapism resulting from actionlessness, laziness – carelessness – these tendencies push us towards sin. We should engage ourselves in swadharma – righteous duties. This essence is manifested in the teachings of The Lord till thirty-eighth ïloka. Lord has made one thing very clear that flinching from one’s swadharma is a deadly sin.

If we, the Gayatri Pariwar parijans, resolve that we have to incessantly work towards ushering in of new era – bright future for humanity - forgetting all our mind-body problems, without getting swayed by laziness-negligence or getting trapped in the web of Kalnemi, then the conduct of swadharma will be easier for us – the difficult times will also pass and we will reach the era where a small effort will push us to the peak of fame and glory. Lord says - ‘There will be no loss even if you die doing this work; you will get heaven. If you remain alive, then you will reach the peak of glory.’ The same thing was told by our revered Gurudev. Then what is the dilemma? Param Pujya Gurudev has written in Hindi Akhand Jyoti (September, 1978 issue) – ‘the soldiers of reserve force have slept for too long, have gone lazy; but if they shirk their responsibility now, then it will not be good for them, neither today nor tomorrow.’

These words not only reveal the pain of Gurusatta, but also warn us about our duties. In ïloka 39, Lord Shrikrishna teaches his disciple Arjuna – which wisdom should be employed in the context of Karmayoga? He said – ‘I have explained to you this wisdom (of Jó³nayoga) regarding the nature of Soul. Now listen to the wisdom of Karmayoga (selfless action), endowed with which, O Arjuna, you shall cast off the bonds of action.’ He further elaborates the same thing in ïloka 40 – ‘In this there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm (the production of contrary results or transgression). Even a little practice of this Yoga protects one from great fear (of birth and death).

After explaining Ârya Dharma - KÌatra Dharma, Vasudev changes His style of discourse. He has already given the answer to Arjuna’s problem and related dilemma. Now, He focusses on the other aspect. His holy words distinguish between S³nkhya and Yoga. Establishing one’s wisdom in Yoga, when one performs action, he can get deliverance from the bonds of action. Let us try to understand this riddle in the context of ‘Essays on the Gita’ by Sri Aurobindo. Essentially, the Gita is a Vedanta scripture; it is, in fact, one of the three globally-accepted authentic scriptures of Vedanta. It is revered so much that in spite of not being Ïruti, it is regarded as thirteenth UpaniÌada. Due to its Vedantic nature, its philosophy reflects a unique synthesis of S³nkhya and Yoga. This is a remarkable combination of principle and practice. The teachings of the Gita are based on the foundation of knowledge and devotion. The S³nkhya of the Gita is the process of self-evolution in a natural way.

Its objective is to inspire human beings to uplift themselves by imbibing the principles in practice – climb from the lower ego-centered state to the upper state of divinity. The same divine knowledge was imparted by our Gurudev in the form of practical spirituality, and he taught the art of living by providing the guidelines for rising from humans to divine beings. Lord is gradually eliminating the indecision of Arjuna as if some planned surgery is being done. Arjuna is fearful of committing sin and the resulting pain and punishment of going to hell. But he can get rid of this dreaded fear by comprehending the teachings of Lord Krishna. That is why, He says – ‘Even a little practice of this Yoga will protect you from great fear of birth and death; even a small effort can give you salvation. In this there is no loss of effort; there is no obstacle in your path that can halt your progress.’ What a daring promise of Yogeshwar Krishna? It gives firm assurance to Arjuna who is getting doubtful again and again.

With this initial declaration of the Gita, if we relate the guidance of our Gurudev, it would appear that the great hero of this era ‘Yugkrishna’ has been teaching us the same thing. Engaging ourselves in the up³san³ of Gayatri Mantra and making a little of s³dhan³ a part of our lives, we can certainly uplift ourselves. In this, there is no loss of seed; neither is there production of contrary results or transgression. By explaining this aspect again and again, Pujya Gurudev molded the lives of millions of people. How a small spark of transforming the wisdom into righteous wisdom can bring about such a gigantic revolution (Vichar Kranti Abhiyan) is a matter to be contemplated upon.

Here Lord says that there are two types of human intellect (ïlokas 41 to 44). The first type has the virtues of focus, stability, devoted only to the supreme element. The second kind has no resolution, no determination; it generally follows the desires arising out of the needs and circumstances of life. In the Gita, the word ‘Buddhi’ (intellect, wisdom) has been used in the context of the process of making discretion and decision by the mind. Thus the Lord distinguishes between vy³vas³yika and avy³vas³yika buddhi.

The intellect that is engaged in different tasks, divided in different directions (avy³vas³yika buddhi) normally ignores its duties – says the Lord. ‘Our aim should be to make it singlepointed (vy³vas³yika buddhi)’ – In order to explain this fact, Lord has to give so much of clarification to Arjuna.