My Spiritual Inquiry
Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta: Chapter 1
Some things remain on our wish list for decades. Reading the ancient texts on spirituality is one of those items in my list.
During my teenage, I downloaded a few of ancient Vedas and started reading, but failed to continue for long. In the hindsight, I see two reasons for this failure. First, I had wrong expectations and second; I had little patience.
Soon I realized these texts are not a ready reckoner to our material issues. Rather, the contemplation on the inquiries made in these scripts would impart a paradigm shift in our perspective.
Be in no hurry for spirituality is a journey to infinity. It is an infinite inward spiral of inquiries which takes us deep within to unfold consciousness in its full blossom. And reading these scripts is just one essential step.
Inherent Complexity
Most of these texts on my wish list — except one — are in Sanskrit and written at least 5000 years ago or earlier. The Sanskrit language poses the first challenge to the seeker. So, we rely on discourses (meaning — Bhasya in Hindi) in contemporary languages. These texts demand an elevated level of consciousness from seeker (the author of the discourse) to understand their meaning. So, I recommend picking a discourse by an accomplished guru over those of others.
Here it is in my hands, the revered book of spirituality — Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta Bhasya by Sadguru Acharya Shri Swatantra Deo Ji Maharaj.
Realizations from Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta Chapter-1
Chapter-1 talks about the quandary of Arjun, the protagonist of the plot of the epic. As I read through these lines, the complexity of life galore in front of my eyes. Two realizations appeared, both of which led me to an infinite spiral of inquiries. Far from being decisive, as was Arjun, I surrendered.
#1 Decisions to fight are made in boardrooms, not on the battlefield.
We all are warriors. We fight battles every day. These are battles to succeed in our life projects. And often we find ourselves in charge of many such battles, all at once.
Some projects are trickier and overwhelming. Think of those in which, amidst the upheaval of unexpected events, you struggle to move ahead. It can be your relationship, your startup, or your passion for a cause. It hurts when we see our actions pass through the drain. And it hurts even more when you, after coming a long way, suddenly lose the purpose — for a few mighty storms uprooted your foundation. What should you do in such a situation? Chapter-1 of Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta depicts a similar quandary for Arjun.
Some would say, don’t budge. Others would recommend a siesta, wait my friend, things will settle on its own. Yet another mind would suggest redefining the purpose — although this means moving onto a tangential path.
Not so straightforward, right? Indeed. While it is easy to say that don’t budge, I found it just an edge of a double-edged sword. One edge is to quit, and the other is to continue. If I quit, I shed my dreams and accept a pain for my life, an indelible stain that I always wanted to avoid in all my projects. If I continue, it will be painful for others. And that too, when I am not sure if I would succeed or not. And even if I succeed, I would relish my success or not.
#2 There is nothing like absolute righteousness. (Be cautious in interpretation.)
Telling the truth is right, but not if it can kill someone. Doing duty is right even if it means killing someone. Righteousness is a fungible concept governed by a higher level of consciousness.
We learn the black and white definitions of most human behavior, but in practice, most things lie somewhere in between, decorated with nuances.
When Arjun put forth his dilemma, he argued based on the accepted social norms and values he had lived for. Should he challenge his own values? How does he know when to challenge and when not?
Again, this realization is also far from being conclusive. It would be misleading to say that there is no right and wrong and we should do whatever seethe the audience under the impulse of our senses.
Way Forward
There are eighteen chapters in Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta. Chapter-1 is about the Arjun’s dilemma and all the following chapters predominantly uncover one or the other philosophies on spirituality. I am eager to delve into these sections of the epic and explore my realizations.
Where can I get the access to the original text?
Beginners may find this useful. For deeper insights, get a copy of the book from Vihangam Yoga. If you are in the US, contact North America Institute of Vihangam Yoga.
