CHENNAI: Can listening to the Bhagavad Gita be inspiring to the soul, convey its message and at the same time make our sides split with laughter? Indeed it can. This was the experience of every listener who came to hear the discourse of Swami Ramakrishnananda, Acharya of Chinmaya Mission, Nagapattinam. With his deep knowledge of Sanskrit and the scriptures, yet with the felicity of taking it to the people with irrepressible humour, Swamiji brought out Arjuna’s dilemma and Krishna’s firm wisdom and clarity.
Arjuna’s inner motive was to escape the problem and cover it up. Arjuna tries to close his heart and Krishna breaks it open.
If we face a problem, we go into depression. We don’t want to come out of it. Arjuna turned around because he accepted the problem, surrendered to the Lord, asked for guidance and followed it.
Krishna listens patiently to Arjuna’s complaints with a smile and says, “You have to fight. The soul is eternal.”
When the hero — Arjuna, becomes zero, Krishna gives a heavy treatment. Arjuna’s problem is our problem. Adi Sankaracharya ji says in his commentary that Bhagavan spoke to us keeping Arjuna as a context. Arjuna was ready to give up his natural call of duty and take up something he did not have a natural flair for or training.
To get out of the body, mind and intellect, you have to do Karma Yoga This knowledge of the self that removes the worry of Arjuna immediately is shown.
Krishna’s call is, “O Bharatha! Take the message. Reflect upon it. Get the strength to face the situation. Accept things as they are. When you endure bad things, accept them calmly.”
‘Do not worry’ is the catch phrase of chapter two. If there is a solution to the problem, there is no need to worry. If there is no solution, even then, worry does not help!