Bhagavad Gita - 4

The Essence of the Gita

In the fourth chapter of the Gita happen the two verses that is quoted often as the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. They are:

Yada Yadahi Dharmasya Glanir Bhavathi Bharatha

Abhyuthanam Adharmasya Tadathmanam Srijamyaham.

The second is the even more famous verse which follows and which everyone holds on to as a divine prophecy:

Parithranaya Sadhunam Vinashayacha Dushkritam

Dharma Samsthapanarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.

The literal meanings for the verses will go like this: Oh leader of the Bharata race! Wherever there is a decline of righteousness and adharma or injustice raises itself, my spirit will appear.

The second verse: To protect the good and destroy evil, for establishing righteousness, I will appear time after time through every age.

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These two are the most popular, yet the most misunderstood verses of the Bhagavad Gita too.

The dharma that gets destroyed is not to be understood in a people-centric manner. Even for an atom, as well for a universe, there is something called a sustainability quotient for its existence in that particular form to fulfill its purpose in life. Until that purpose is fulfilled, a misalignment of the energies can cause damage. The consciousness manifests at these points, or rather the ever present consciousness is available for a support to fall back on when there is such a shake in the balance. This in essence is the meaning of the verse where Sri Krishna says my spirit will be sent.

And again, Parithranaya Sadhunam Vinashayacha Dushkritam is not about the God being partial and protecting some do-gooders and hating those who are otherwise! Such a partial god is no god. It rains the same over good and bad. The wind blows alike for the good and bad. So does the sun shine or the waters of the ocean touch the feet alike to the good and the bad. And in reality, these two polarities do not exist as there is no one yardstick to understand the good and the bad. Yet, for some discipline and balance in society, some order to run day-to-day life of the plants, animals, humans and all the other species and inhabitants of the Earth and the rest of the Universe, there is a common principle of sustenance called Dharma. When there are forces of energy that swell to destroy this principle of sustenance, the excesses are absorbed readily in consciousness and life begins afresh. The truth of the Divine law of peaceful co-existence and harmony is established.

- Swahilya Shambhavi

Picture: The unseen principle that forms the backdrop for the delicate balance in nature is Dharma. Consciousness is the bedrock of Dharma. This is the law of nature.

Bhagavad Gita - 3

Your actions and thoughts dissolve in Consciousness

If Krishna tells Arjuna to fight, in common parlance, it means action. Arjuna is a warrior and hence is job - Swadharma is to fight. For the rest of us, it is what we do - moment to moment. It is just about 100 per cent action, performed in the peak of consciousness. When a painting is being done, a poster is being crafted, a statue is being sculpted - all that the creator knows is the one stroke that he is working on at that moment. And that action springs from the consciousness and is dedicated to consciousness. There is no sculptor, artiste or craftsperson there. The energy in the cosmos flows through the mind and the body and creates the piece of art, the sculpture, the poem, the music, the drama or sends the ball in the cricket field flying over the boundary for a sixer.
The Bhagavad Gita is just about 100 per cent action. And this verse in Chapter Three sums it up.

Mayi Sarvani Karmani Sanyasyadhyatma Chetasa
Nirashir Nirmamo Bhuthwa Yudhyaswa Vigathajwaraha.

Krishna - the Consciousness, commands to Arjuna - the confused mind. United with the one Consciousness, you give yourself fully and fight as all actions finally rest in Me (Consciousness). Fight without desire. Fight without thinking that you are fighting. Put all your energies into that fight. Now in this moment, be.

This attitude is not just for the battlefield, but in our day to day life. Being there, where one is, waking, looking into the mirror, smiling, eating, playing, talking, sleeping....as if one was doing it all in a battlefield when alertness and awareness needs to be at one's peak for mere survival.

- Swahilya Shambhavi.