Baba and Bhagavad-Gita
Bhagavad-Gita [Song of the Gods] is a conversation between a doubting Arjuna and a confident Lord Krishna. It was narrated on a battlefield when, suddenly, the otherwise extraordinarily competent Arjuna was engulfed with an indecisive thought whether to fight. It was a peculiar situation in which he was placed. Having waged a number of wars previously and having come prepared to decide an issue in a dharmayuddha (righteous battle), delusion suddenly overtakes him and he says to Lord Krishna in sloka [verse] 7, ch.2 thus:
Karpanya doshopahataswabhavah
pruchchamitwam dharma sammudhachetah
yachchreya ssyannischitam bruhi tanme
sishyastheham sadhi mam twam prapannam.
He says he was puzzled about his duty and prays for instructions, as a devoted student of His, for what is decidedly good. He almost surrenders completely and is mentally prepared to have guidance from Lord Krishna. Earlier, he tries to put forth one argument after another to justify his line of thinking for not fighting. These are nothing but ignorant outbursts since the situation was not unknown to him. All the same, he relies on some plea or other to strengthen his thinking. At the end of the discourse (Krishna-arjuna-samvada), he says in sloka 73, ch. 18 thus:
Nashto mohah smrutirlabdha twatprasadanmayachyuta
Sthithosmi gatesandehah Karishye vachanam tava.
My delusion is destroyed, and I have gained knowledge; through Your grace, I stand freed from doubts. I shall therefore carry out Your bidding. It is, therefore, clear that Arjuna could not see through clearly since he was deluded. This delusion overtakes every one of the average categories of individuals very often during the discharge of his actions. Therefore, Bhagavad-Gita is as much relevant today as it was before during Mahabharata days. It is not a topical problem pertaining to Arjuna alone, but it is a fundamental problem facing every one of us. It will be relevant even in future till eternity since this answers a fundamental problem of human personality. Hence Bhagavad-Gita is verily universal scripture and not a Hindu scripture as some people ignorantly limit it. It addresses itself to all human beings irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. May one be an Indian, Englishman, American, Russian, or anyone else, one gets the immense benefit of a proper guideline for his behavior in the society.
This great country, India, inherits this scripture. Not only that, but it also had the unique fortune of having a succession of wise masters, saints, and seers from time immemorial to maintain unbroken the tradition and cultural heritage of the country. In shloka 7, ch. 4, the Lord says:
Yada yadahidharmasya glanirbhawati bharata
Abhyutthanamadharmasya tadatmanam srujamyaham
Arjuna, whenever there is a decline of righteousness (dharma‑glani) and unrighteousness is in the ascendant, then I reveal Myself in a body form.
Thus, one finds that whenever there is a deterioration of human values, whenever there is a distraction from dharmic way of living, and whenever man has come to a stage of forgetting the inner core of his personality, then a God-man appears on the scene to remind the old cherished ideas so that they gain currency once again. It is not very difficult to discover this God‑man or super‑man. He has also a limited form and shape like any other individual, but he possesses all the qualities of a Sthitaprajna [man of steadfast wisdom] depicted in ch. 2, a bhakta depicted in ch. 12, or a Trigunateeta [reaching the state of perfection] depicted in ch. 14 of Bhagavad-Gita.
The nirakara concept (shapeless and formless) of God is difficult and not easy to comprehend by an ordinary, average, mundane individual. The sakara concept (with a shape and form to suit the individual’s faith) has been conceived as a much more easily identifiable and distinguishable method in this country, which resulted in idol worship in temples built for several supermen like Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, etc. These supermen distinguished themselves during those days not by their military prowess or material excellence but by their super‑natural way of life, which was exemplary to others. Thus, they stood head and shoulders above the contemporary human society and were considered as Gods. We, in this era, have not witnessed them in flesh and blood, but we adore them today as God-men or Gods.
The identification of such God‑men becomes difficult these days. Also, it appears that the craze for running after so‑called happiness as a sequel to the acquisition of material things has been the motto for all human activities. The tendency is to run after the unreal and run away from the real. This aberration or wrong identification of human values appears to be the cause of our present-day misery. The scientific and technological progress to establish man’s excellence over other forms of life is very much welcome. But that alone does not make the earth a heaven. The correct approach or a right attitude to life is very much important to establish harmony and peace in life or, in other words, the dharmic way of life has to be reestablished.
I was following for the last few years the divyabodha (divine utterances) of Sri Sathya Sai Baba published in Sanathana Sarathi. I felt that Lord Krishna is once again addressing the contemporary society. The profound statements are so meaningful and thoughtful that it is no wonder that people who understand him call him Bhagavan. His preachings are helping in restructuring and reestablishing a dharmic society that is very much necessary these days. When artha and kama are based upon dharma, surely they lead to moksha [liberation]. If these pursuits after artha (money) and kama(desire) are not anchored in dharma (righteousness), then there is no salvation to humanity. The four pillars that Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba wants to reinforce in the society are sathya (truth), dharma (righteousness), shanti (peace), and prema(universal love) and I offer my felicitations with all humility unto Him.
~Prof D. V. Ramana Rao, Rourkela
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, March 1977
