The last but everlasting dialogue of Lord Krishn in Bhagavad Gita which always resonates in a loving heart of true disciple to prompt the divine impulses for perfect strengthening in order to get completely prepared to combat the battle of own Mahabharat is this verse where Lord Krishn questions to dear disciple Arjun.

Lord Krishn sings:

“Have you, O Parth,
listened intently to my words and,
O Dhananjay,
is your delusion born out of ignorance dispelled?”

And Arjun answers:

“Since my ignorance has been dispelled by your grace,
O Achyut, and I have recovered discernment,
I am free from doubt and shall follow your precept.”

“Achyuth ! Because of Your grace, my passion is destroyed, I have regained my memory, I am consistent, being bereft of doubts and am ever ready to obey Your orders.”

Whereas, Arjun was perplexed at the time of reviewing both the armies, to find his kith and kin therein. He prayed:

“Govinda! How can we be happy after annihilation of our own relatives? Family tradition will be destroyed because of such a war, there will be scarcity of obsequial offerings like rice cakes and so on to the departed ancestors, hybridization or mongrelization of castes takes place. We, being wise, yet are ready to commit sin. Why do we not find a way out of committing these sins? Let the armed of Kaurava kill me, an unarmed man, in the war and that death is glorious. Govinda, I am not going to wage war.”

Saying thus he sat down at the back of the chariot.

Thus in the Bhagavad Gita, Arjun, in fact, put forward in front of Yogeshwar Krishn a series of big and small questions.

Like in chapter 2 verse 7, “Please will You tell me that practice of worship through which I can attain to the Absolute good.” In chapter 2 verse 54, “What are the attributes of an enlightened sage?” In verse 1 of chapter 3, “If in your view the way of knowledge is superior, then why do you compel me to do these terrible actions?” In verse 36 of chapter 3, “Even without wishing, under whose guidance does a man commit sin?”

In verse 4 of chapter 4, “Your birth is of recent times, whereas the Sun was born a long time back, then how can I believe that You taught yog to the Sun in the far distant past, in the beginning of this kalp?’’ In verse 1 of chapter 5, “Sometimes You praise renunciation, the way of knowledge, and yet other times you support the Way of Selfless Action. Please tell me one out of these which is final, by which I can attain to the Absolute good.” In verse 35 of chapter 6, “The Mind is very fickle. With slack efforts, what would be his lot?” In verses 1 and 2 of chapter 8, “Govinda, who is that Supreme Being, whom You have described? What is the religious knowledge? What are Lords of gods and Lord of being? Who is the Lord of sacrifice in this body? What is that action? How do You come to be known at the end time?” Thus he put forward seven questions. In verse 17 of chapter 10, Arjun has evinced curiosity, asking, ‘‘While meditating incessantly, through what feelings (emotions) do I call you to mind, to remember you ?’’

In verse 4 of chapter 11 he prayed and submitted, “I long to see the splendours that have been described by You.” In verse 1 of chapter 12, “Who is the superior possessor of Yoga among the devotees who worship you well through unvacillating attentiveness and those who worship the imperishable unmanifest Supreme Being?” In verse 21 of chapter 14, “A man who has surpassed the three natural modes is liberated of character and how can a man surpass these three modes?” In verse 1 of chapter 17, ‘‘what would be the fate of a person who engages in yagya with dedication but does not follow the procedure as laid down by the scriptures ?’’ And in verse 1 of chapter 18, “O” mighty armed! I yearn to learn separately and individually everything about the nature of relinquishment and renunciation.”

Thus, throughout the Bhagavad Gita, Arjun continued to put forward queries (The esoteric secrets which could not be asked by him were revealed by the Lord Himself.) As soon as his doubts were dispelled he was freed from asking questions and said,” Govinda! Now I am ever ready to obey your instructions.”

In truth the questions raised were for the benefit of all mankind and not just for Arjun alone. Without having these questions answered, no seeker can progress forward on the path of the highest good. Therefore, to enable a man to obey an enlightened guru and to progress on the path of the highest good, it is necessary, that one should learn the complete teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Arjun was convinced and satisfied that all his questions had been answered and his doubts allayed.

In Chapter 11, after having revealed his cosmic form, Lord Krishn said in the fifty-fourth verse: “O Arjun … a worshiper can directly know this form of mine, acquire its essence, and even become one with it by total and unswerving dedication.” And just now he has asked him whether he is rid of his delusion. Arjun replies that his ignorance is allayed and that his understanding is restored. Now he will act at Lord Krishn’s behest. Arjun’s liberation should come along with this realization. He has indeed become whatever he had to be. But scripture is meant for posterity and the Bhagavad Gita is here for all of us to avail ourselves of.

And then finally concludes Sanjay:

“Thus have I heard the mysterious
and sublime dialogue of Vasudeo and the sage-like Arjun.”

Arjun is portrayed as a man with a noble Soul. He is a yogi, a seeker, rather than an archer set to kill. But how has Sanjay been enabled to hear the dialogue between Sri Krishn and the saintly Arjun?

“It is by the blessing of the most revered Vyas
that I have heard this transcendental,
most mysterious yog enunciated directly
by the Lord of yog Lord Krishn himself.”

Sanjay regards Lord Krishn as a master of yog-one who is a yogi himself and who is also endowed with the gift of imparting yog to others.

” The recollection of the felicitous
and marvellous colloquy between Keshav and Arjun transports me ,
O King (Dhritrashtr), to sublime joy time after time.”

We too can experience Sanjay’s bliss if we remember the sacred dialogue with perfect contentment. Sanjay then recalls the Lord’s miraculous bearing and speaks of it.

“Recalling the amazing visage of the Lord again and again,
O King, I am lost in wonder and ecstasy over and over.”

Sanjay’s rapture can be ours, too, if we incessantly keep in our minds the aspect of the cherished end. That brings us to the last verse of the Bhagavad Gita in which Sanjay states his final conclusion.

” Good fortune, conquest, splendour,
and steadfast wisdom abide wherever are Lord Krishn
and the noble archer Arjun : such is my conviction.”

Intent contemplation and firm restraint of the senses are Arjun’s bow-the legendary Gandeev. So it is that Arjun is a sage who meditates with equanimity.

So wherever Yogeshwar Krishn and he are, there too dwell the triumph after which there is no defeat, the magnificence of God, and the firmness of resolve that enables one to be constant in this inconstant world. Such is the well-deliberated judgement of Sanjay, of the seer who is gifted with celestial vision.

The great archer Arjun is no longer amidst us. But were steadfast wisdom and the glory that comes with spiritual conquest for him alone?

The Bhagavad Gita is a dramatization of a historical event that belonged to a certain time, namely the age that is known as Dwapar. This does not mean, however, that Arjun’s realization of the truth of God came to an end with the ceasing of his time.

Yogeshwar Krishn has assured us repeatedly that he abides in the realm of the heart. He exists within all of us. He is also within you. Arjun is a symbol of affectionate devotion, which is but another name of the mind’s inclination and dedication to the cherished goal.

If a worshiper is endowed with such devotion, perpetual triumph against the demeaning properties of nature is assured. With such devotion there must also always necessarily be steadfast wisdom. Rather than being confined to a certain place, time or individual, these attainments are universal-for ever and for all.

~Revered Gurudev Swami Adgadanand Jee Paramhans~
©

_/l\_
Humble Wishes.
~mrityunjayanand~