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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 - Lesson 8

Character Sketch

  • Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate act of compassion that one can offer to the world.

Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion.

Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities and all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic, conflict-free way.

Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate Till now everyone blames Bhagavan Sri Krishna for this Kurukshetra war but that's the greatest sacrifice Bhagavan Sri Krishna did to save the planet Earth. If Kurukshetra was not conducted at that time under the controlled conditions and direct supervision of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, planet Earth would not have survived more than three years.

Character Sketch act of compassion that one can offer to the world. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities a nd all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and The wide spread availability of the Astra shastras without Shastra, without the knowledge and vision, was posing a huge threat to the whole of humanity and planet Earth, and for life itself. The greatest achievement of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is destroying all the weapons in one controlled condition and saving planet earth, eliminating the nuclear weapons and the knowledge of these nuclear weapons to save humanity from total annihilation.

conflict-free way.

simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic,

Bhagavad Gītā appears in the heart of Mahābhārat in Bhīṣma Parva, the sixth chapter of its eighteen chapters. Veda Vyāsa, the narrator, in glorifying the Gītā sings, 'the one who drinks the water of Ganges (the sacred river for Hindus) attains liberation, what to speak of the one who drinks the nectar of Gītā?

Gītā is the essential nectar of the Mahābhārat, bhāratamṛta sarvasvam as it is directly spoken by Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavān kṛṣṇa Himself.'

The armies assembled in the vast field of Kurukṣetra, now in the state of Haryana in modern day Bharat. All the kings and princes were related to one another, and were often on opposite sides. Facing the Kaurava army and his friends, relatives and teachers, Arjuna was overcome by remorse and guilt, and wanted to walk away from the battle out of total powerlessness unbecoming an invincible warrior among warriors.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa's dialogue with Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra out of His utmost concern and love for him and humanity is the content of Bhagavad Gītā. Of its seven hundred and forty-five (745) verses, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa sings the Gītā in six hundred and twenty (620) verses responding to Arjuna's fifty-seven (57) enquiries.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa persuades Arjuna to give-up his powerlessness unfitting an Ārya—the spiritually evolved one who understands human life and urges him to raise himself again as Parantapa—the conqueror of enemy, and take up arms and vanquish his enemies. They are already dead,' says Śrī Kṛṣṇa, 'All those who are facing you have been already killed by Me. Go ahead and do what you have to do. That is your responsibility. Do not worry about the outcome. Leave that to Me.'

śreyān-dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa I sarvaṁ karmā'khilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate

O Parantapa (conqueror of foes), the sacrifice of wisdom is superior to the sacrifice of material wealth. After all, all activities totally end in wisdom.

The Master knows the best way in which you can grow. He creates the moulds for each of you according to your needs and abilities. Trust him, drop your solid ego and become fluid so you can fill in the spaces he creates for you.

tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā I upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ

Understand these truths by approaching a spiritual Master, by asking him your questions, by offering service. The enlightened person can initiate the wisdom unto you because he has seen the truth

A Master is one who has experienced the truth and who can simply transfer his experience of truth to you.

yajjñātvā na punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi pāṇḍava I yena bhūtāny aśeṣeṇa drakṣyasy ātmanyatho mayi

O Pāṇḍava, knowing this you will never suffer from desire or illusion, you will know that all living beings are in the supreme, in Me.

When you realize the truth that you too are one with the Universe, there is nothing more to desire; nothing to be attached to.

api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ I sarvaṁ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi

Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, you will certainly cross completely the ocean of miseries through the boat of knowledge.

When you have the true knowledge, it will propel you to do actions that are a means to reach the Ultimate.

We spoke about the history of Brahma and Viṣṇu trying to reach Śiva's crown. Viṣṇu was able to accept that he failed and completed with Śiva, whereas Brahma could not. A person of knowledge becomes arrogant and refuses to acknowledge the limitations of knowledge.

Sacrificing knowledge is far more difficult than sacrificing wealth. For a scholar to admit that he does not know is to commit suicide. He is losing his identity. Kṛṣṇa advises the seeker to sacrifice one's knowledge and one's intellect at His feet, at the feet of the Master, to experience the ultimate Truth.

Beautifully He says, 'tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (4.34).' A Master is one who has experienced the truth and who can simply transfer his experience of truth to you. He communes with you. A teacher, on the other hand, is one who imparts knowledge through communication.

It is easy to do the first step, which is to follow the Master in his physical form because Masters are so attractive by nature and they do not expect anything in return. The next level is to follow the dharma, teachings of the Master. This is slightly more difficult because you have to not only listen to his teachings but you also have to do something; you have to live his teachings, practice them.

Though it is only for your own growth, your laziness (tamas) causes you to not do this. The final level is where you infuse your life with the truth that life is for others.