Sri Krishna's Persuasion

     Arjuna's surrender to Lord Krishna is now complete. It is now for Krishna to persuade the dejected and despondent Arjuna and inspire him to fight. Krishna tells him that his compassion and attachment for the evil doers is totally misplaced. He is showing sympathy to the undeserving which cannot be accepted. Arjuna's words are that of Jnani but not his action. A jnani does not weep either for the body or for the Soul. He is unperturbed even at the demise of his close kith and kin and his own children. It was Mohamed Zaid the disciple of the prophet who said, " Allah diya Allah liya!" God has given and HE has taken back. So we need not feel sorry for the loss.

       The stupid and the foolish who feel sorrow are of three kinds:(1) those who think about the departed (2) those who grieve for the dead for a while and their dependents and members of their family at other times (3) and the worst who wail for the money and material not left for them by the dead! Krishna tells Arjuna that the relationship between the Supreme Soul and the Individual Soul is that of fire and a spark of fire, a mountain of candy and sugar. Says Krishna, I the Supreme Soul and you the Individual Soul are existing now, and there will never be a time when we cease to exist!"

       Arjuna asks whether there is an Atma or Soul apart from the body. Krishna says that Atma has no destruction. It is full of knowledge and bliss. The body is wrapped in ignorance or ajnana and sorrow. It dies sooner or later. The body changes every minute but we still recognize and identify people. For recognizing others, body or mind is not important. The "I" factor or the Atma is the most important thing. So the Body and Soul are different and opposite! To recognize any change there should be something that does not change. In short, the entire Universe is transient and ever changing. There is one entity that takes cognizance of this change. It transcends all change that is the Spirit or Soul!--the Atma!

        The possessor is always different from the thing, possessed. When we say MY head, MY house, MY Property, the word MY stands distinct. The head is mine, house and property are mine. But I am not the head, or house or the property!  I am distinct from the physical and mental bodies. There is no point in feeling sorrow for the body that is destined to die! The Individual is not the body but the undying principle of Atma is one's true identity. Man hates death because it is not in his nature to die! He is a combination of Existence, Awareness and Bliss--Sath Chit Ananda--the Atma! According to Adi Sankara 'Jneya' the object to be known is different from the 'Jnatha' the owner. According to George Berkeley God is the dreamer. The individual Souls and all the material objects are like things dreamt of. They are unreal. The moment you wake up they disappear! But the dreaming person exists. Man's inveterate enemies are 'ahankara--egoism and ' mamakara--attachment. Krishna counsels Arjuna to be detached and do his duty. He should not forget his 'swadharma' the duty of a Kshatriya to destroy evil. All his doubts are meaningless. Krishna points out that Arjuna is only an instrument in His hands!  "Nimitta matram bhava Savyasachin." He persuades and inspires Arjuna by saying that he has already killed the Kauravas. Arjuna's fight will be like killing a dead snake! But many more questions have to be answered by the LORD before Arjuna takes up his bow and arrows!