23 Aug 2008
[Krishna Ashtami Day at Bhimavaram] The essence of the message of Lord Krishna to the human beings is the Bhagavat Gita. Sage Vyasa wrote all the eighteen Puranaas and Maha Bharatha, but still he was not having mental peace. It is surprising to see that the Sage Vyasa did not get peace even after composing the Gita!! The reason is that the theoretical knowledge does not give any fruit unless it is practiced. Arjuna was not the best example of practice of the Gita. Even on the eighteenth day, he did not get down from the chariot in spite of the instruction from Lord Krishna. He was treating Krishna as a driver only and expected Krishna to get down first and then open the side door of the chariot. All the seventeen days, Krishna was opening the door like a driver. Krishna was acting like a driver and whenever God acts in a role, He lives in that role so that the role can be enjoyed fully. This acted as Maya on the brain of Arjuna. Arjuna was not having full faith in Krishna because of the repulsion between the common media.
Human body is the common medium in the case of God (Narayana) and devotee (Nara). Arjuna was fond of Lord Shiva, who is God in the energetic body. He wanted to win the battle with the help of Pasupata weapon given by Lord Shiva. It was used only once in the war. The context was to cut the head of Saindhava and throw it in the hands of his father. Arjuna believed that Pasupata alone can do that work. In fact, if Krishna is not there, the Sun would have not been covered by the Sudarshana wheel. If this was not done by Krishna, Arjuna could have ended his life by jumping into the fire. Lord Krishna, who could create a false sunset, can also see the fall of head of Saindhava in the hands of his father. Just a wish of Krishna is sufficient to do this. Arjuna saw the same flowers offered to the feet of Krishna existing on the feet of Lord Shiva and realized that Krishna and Shiva are one and the same. The same absolute God exists in both. The medium of Shiva is energy (energetic body) where as the medium of Krishna is the form of matter (human body). Since matter is another form of energy, there should be no difference between the two media also. But, this realization of Arjuna could not remain for a long time because Arjuna could not overcome the ego and jealousy created by repulsion between common media. As a result, Arjuna was born as a hunter in the forest and it is demotion only.
The Gita is a powerful message because even Arjuna, a failure candidate was fully convinced and fought the war. Arjuna came to the war in one angle, which was that he must kill all the relatives to get back his lost wealth. But, when he saw the old grandfather and old teacher, he felt that it is better to leave the war. He did not like to kill respected elders for the sake of petty wealth. Arjuna was correct in his decision. Some people criticize Arjuna that he was wrong because he started a work and left it in the middle. This criticism is not correct because a wrong work can be stopped even in the last minute due to realization. If a person returns from the murder even in the last minute, it should be appreciated. In such case, why did Krishna insist that Arjuna do the sin again? Krishna gave a hidden new dimension in the motto of the war. Krishna revealed that He is God and God has decided to destroy injustice and establish justice. Krishna asked Arjuna to participate in the mission of God. For the sake of God, any worldly bond should be sacrificed and hence, even the elders could be killed. The saint Abraham killed even his only son for the sake of God]!! Similarly, Siriyala was killed by his parents for the sake of God. The influence of the powerful Gita is so high that even a doubting Thomas like Arjuna was fully convinced and acted like the best devotee!! Such is the power of the Gita. The power of the Gita is due to the power of its Preacher, Krishna. When Sanjaya told Dhritarashtra that Arjuna was convinced again to fight, Dhritarashtra scolded Krishna as a powerful magician of words. In fact, it is not magic of the words, but it is the power of the truth present in the message of the God as said by the Veda (Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma…).
Practice of the Gopikas
Sage Vyasa could not get peace because he revised the theoretical message of God and did not memorize the practical aspect of it. He got perfect peace when the Bhagavatam was composed in which the practical aspect was described. Gopikas practiced the message of the Gita in-to-to. The devotion to God should be one-way traffic. Krishna married Radha secretly (Gandharva Vivaha) and left her along with other Gopikas after enjoying them for two years in Rasaleela. No girl will tolerate her husband enjoying other women with her knowledge. The love of Radha to Krishna was not affected by such bad behavior of Krishna. Krishna increased the power of dosage of the test. Krishna left Radha and the Gopikas, went to Dwaraka and married 16000 girls. Dwaraka was like a foreign country crossing the sea. If this is the case of the marriage of today, the girl fights against the groom with the help of the courts and women associations. But, the behavior of Radha and Gopikas towards Krishna was unimaginable. They told Uddhava that they cannot hear anything other than Krishna, because they were filled by Krishna completely and hence, there is no space in them for any word to enter!! You will find such one-way traffic love towards God even in the case of Sita. When Rama abandoned her in the forest, Sita replied after knowing the truth as follows: Sita says that she will do penance after delivery and the aim of the penance is that Rama should become her husband in the next birth also (Tvameva Bhartaa nacha viprayogah…)!!
You may say “Such climax of one-way traffic love is impossible in the case of ordinary human beings. It was possible in the case of Gopikas, who were sages doing penance for God for several births. It means that the Gita containing the message of such exceptional devotion is not meant for ordinary human beings to practice.”
My dear friend! You are completely mistaken here. The Gita is meant for every ordinary human being because every ordinary human being in this world practices this climax of one-way traffic devotion (love) in the case of their children. Parents show unimaginable one-way traffic love in the case of their children. Parents serve the children with practical true love. In return, the children may neglect or even may insult them in their old age. But, still the old parents do not mind this and still prove their unaffected true love by dedicating all their services and practical earnings to their children. In spite of the enmity shown by the children, the parents love their children in the same way and their aim is only the happiness of their children. Such love was shown by Gopikas to Krishna. In spite of all the above explained insults from Krishna, Gopikas offered the dust of their feet for the happiness of Krishna as medicine for His head-ache without minding the hell as a result of such act. Therefore, the theoretical devotion proposed by the Gita, which was practiced by Gopikas in Bhagavatam, is not impossible at all for any human being. If it is impossible, it should be impossible in the case of children also. It is possible in one place and is not possible in another place!!
The message of the Gita and the practice of Gopikas in Bhagavatam should be the openings of the two eyes of any human being. The power of Krishna as the Universal Preacher (Jagadguru) should become useful for any human being to attain the grace of God. If you realize this aspect on the occasion of Krishna Asthami day, the festival is really celebrated. Without this, eating the butter in the name of Krishna and doing some fun in breaking the pot containing butter through high jumps is just a day of entertainment with fun and nothing else.
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