“Par drohee par daar rat par dhan par apabaad |
Te nar paanvar paapamai deha dhare manujaad ||
(Manas 7/39)
Bhagavad Gita’s entire spiritual instructions are for building character. Previously Arjun’s sentiment was to fight the war, therefore he invited Lord and accepted Him in the form of a charioteer and became ready to enter the battlefield to fight. However, Lord’s intent was to see to Arjun’s eternal good (salvation).
Arjun said that place the chariot in-between both the armies so that I can see who is present to fight me with both hands. The Lord, did exactly as told and placed the chariot right in between both the armies and said, that see the members of the Kuru dynasty (1/21-25). On hearing the word, Kuru dynasty, Arjun suddenly became aware of his family affiliated with his body. He became frightened by the thought that all of them will die and thus turning away from his duty, said I will not fight.
To turn away from one’s duty is the main obstacle in character building. The Lord said O’ What are you doing? It is your duty to fight, therefore giving up attachment and cowardliness, stand up to fight (Gita 2/2-3).
It is only to engage man in the path of duty that Bhagavad Gita manifested. It is only in renouncing your rights and properly performing your duties that character is developed, whereas on neglecting your duties the character is destroyed. God says
“Na tvevaaham jaatu naasam .” (Gita 2/12) –
Here the Lord begins His spiritual instructions and first deliberates on the body and the in-dweller, the perishable and imperishable. The point is that leaving aside (not paying attention to) the perishable things, pay attention to the imperishable. By doing so, character building takes place
to be continued…..
From book in Hindi “Kalyaan Path” by Swami Ramsukhdasji
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