Most people would agree that our lives are a constant struggle to dispel confusion and to propel ourselves to clarity. This is effected by way of education, social interactions, media, parentage and many other agents. Although the perpetual struggle to dispel the dark cloud of confusion, it persists or returns back, thicker.
In the beginning of Bhagavad Gita we witness Arjuna also faced with a paralyzing puzzle- to fight or not to fight. The outrageous scene of his teachers, like Dronacarya, elders like Bhisma and the Kaurava brothers assembled in all preparation to be killed and to kill, drives him in to a frenzy of discordant thoughts. The trauma he underwent was so severe that the famed Gandiva slipped from his hand; the Gandiva, which he had vowed that if anyone would ask him to put down, he would kill him. Arjuna rushes into the decision that he shall not fight. Krishna- knowing that Arjuna had made this decision under an illusory concept of the self, explains to him the reality of self and urges him to fight on the basis of this reality. In principle Krishna educates Arjuna on the following major topics.
This body is not all in all beyond the body there is the soul: Just as we once had a child's body but rejected that body and acquired a young man's body; we will give up the young man's body and acquire a old man's body, we will give up the old man's body and acquire a new body by entering into the womb of another mother. Therefore it did not behoove a man in knowledge to lament about the destruction of the body because the soul beyond the body is everlasting. Arjuna therefore would not kill his relatives in this fratricidal battle, they would continue to live. By killing them Arjuna would save the masses from the rule of irreligious kings who would distract the masses from the path of self realization to serve their vested interests.
This life is not all in all after this life there is another life: Krishna encourages Arjuna by saying that if he wins the war he would enjoy the kingdom on earth and if he looses and is killed in the battle he would enjoy in the heavens. Thus there is no loss in the discharge of orders of God. Beyond this life there is another life and we are accountable for the activities we perform in this life in our future lives. Therefore we should live our life in such a way that we achieve a higher destination in our next life. Just as we study now to enjoy a successful career later.
This world is not all in all there is another transcendental world: The primary function of human life to extricate oneself from the encagement in the body. The mundane goal of sustenance is accomplished even by the animals. Krishna describes that beyond this manifested and un-manifested world there is an eternal world of unlimited happiness. Seers from across the traditions have accepted the kingdom of God as our original position and going there as the goal of our lives.
We are not all in all there is God who is the Supreme controller: Further there is a supreme controller who has dominion over everyone. But his dominion is like a concerned king who wants all his citizens to abide by the laws and live happy lives. Therefore God has put adequate mechanisms to make us think about our predicament in the material world. He has also given us holy scriptures and saintly people who can catapult us from our illusions. They can introduce us to powerful forms of Krishna's mercy that it would really be easy to realize all the above mentioned teachings of Gita.
When Arjuna has fully heard and understood the Gita he is clear that the purpose of his life is to execute Krishna's order- that is the purpose of life, that is the way to happiness for one and all.
In the beginning of Bhagavad Gita we witness Arjuna also faced with a paralyzing puzzle- to fight or not to fight. The outrageous scene of his teachers, like Dronacarya, elders like Bhisma and the Kaurava brothers assembled in all preparation to be killed and to kill, drives him in to a frenzy of discordant thoughts. The trauma he underwent was so severe that the famed Gandiva slipped from his hand; the Gandiva, which he had vowed that if anyone would ask him to put down, he would kill him. Arjuna rushes into the decision that he shall not fight. Krishna- knowing that Arjuna had made this decision under an illusory concept of the self, explains to him the reality of self and urges him to fight on the basis of this reality. In principle Krishna educates Arjuna on the following major topics.
This body is not all in all beyond the body there is the soul: Just as we once had a child's body but rejected that body and acquired a young man's body; we will give up the young man's body and acquire a old man's body, we will give up the old man's body and acquire a new body by entering into the womb of another mother. Therefore it did not behoove a man in knowledge to lament about the destruction of the body because the soul beyond the body is everlasting. Arjuna therefore would not kill his relatives in this fratricidal battle, they would continue to live. By killing them Arjuna would save the masses from the rule of irreligious kings who would distract the masses from the path of self realization to serve their vested interests.
This life is not all in all after this life there is another life: Krishna encourages Arjuna by saying that if he wins the war he would enjoy the kingdom on earth and if he looses and is killed in the battle he would enjoy in the heavens. Thus there is no loss in the discharge of orders of God. Beyond this life there is another life and we are accountable for the activities we perform in this life in our future lives. Therefore we should live our life in such a way that we achieve a higher destination in our next life. Just as we study now to enjoy a successful career later.
This world is not all in all there is another transcendental world: The primary function of human life to extricate oneself from the encagement in the body. The mundane goal of sustenance is accomplished even by the animals. Krishna describes that beyond this manifested and un-manifested world there is an eternal world of unlimited happiness. Seers from across the traditions have accepted the kingdom of God as our original position and going there as the goal of our lives.
We are not all in all there is God who is the Supreme controller: Further there is a supreme controller who has dominion over everyone. But his dominion is like a concerned king who wants all his citizens to abide by the laws and live happy lives. Therefore God has put adequate mechanisms to make us think about our predicament in the material world. He has also given us holy scriptures and saintly people who can catapult us from our illusions. They can introduce us to powerful forms of Krishna's mercy that it would really be easy to realize all the above mentioned teachings of Gita.
When Arjuna has fully heard and understood the Gita he is clear that the purpose of his life is to execute Krishna's order- that is the purpose of life, that is the way to happiness for one and all.
