AGC Class Notes from Week 08 — October 31, 2019

Class Notes by Bhargavi

The war between the Kauravas and Pandavas in the Mahabharata was a defining moment in the history of Bharat. Pandavas did everything they could to create peace, including Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s peacekeeping mission. In all of this, Shri Vidura played an important role. Vidura was a minister in King Dhritarashtra’s court who never succumbed to position. He was one a few people who tried to stop disrobing of Devi Draupadi and warned the King that his son’s actions would lead to the downfall of the kingdom. This peacekeeping is known as Vidura neeti, it is political science. He stood up for the Pandavas and urged the King to be fair to the Pandavas. When Dhritarashtra does not listen to the advice, Rishi Vidura laid down his weapons (bow and arrow) and goes on a yatra as he does not want to be privy of the war. There is lot of depth behind this action, if he took his weapons with him, that would have lead the Kauravas to believe that he was joining the Pandavas and would have killed him. When Rishi Vidura left, all the merit also left the Kauravas.

Most of us are confused (Moha) and we look to each other for resolution of this confusion. However, since everyone we look to are confused themselves, confusion gets compounded. We, as seekers, are fortunate are guided by God! Gita is the direct guidance by Bhagwan Krishna. If we apply it to our lives, all the confusion will disappear. Rishi Vidura, in a relative way, is that guidance and when not applied, meaning when the guidance is not present, our fate becomes that of the Kauravas. When applied, our fate becomes that of the Pandavas.

Recap of last month’s classes (focus on evolving):

1. Chapter 2, verse 7: Focus was Honesty. Honesty regarding our intention to evolve or not. Are we ready to be independent of our family for the sake of enlightenment?
2. Chapter 8, verse 24: Following the path of the Sun and not the path of the moon is advised. Path of the Sun is independent and that of the moon is dependent. In a tactile sense, those who live by the Sun live by values and those who live by the moon live by valuables. Values bring simplicity to our lives. Simplicity is a prerequisite to evolve.
3. Chapter 13, verse 10: We have to enjoy being in solitude so we can think. This is creating space in our life to evolve.
4. Chapter 4, verse 36: Bhagwan tells Arjuna that even the most devolved person, when practices what he is saying, can become enlightened.

Recap of this month’s classes (focus on deciding):

1. Chapter 18, verse 37: Focus was long term. Pleasure is easy in the beginning and hard in the end. Peace, on the other hand, in the beginning is hard but in the end is easy. Long term thinking is a factor in decision making.
2. Chapter 4, verse 39: Focus was about being careful. Careful person processes everything carefully, by inputting and outputting in an efficient and effective way.
3. Chapter 4, verse 34: Some decisions can be too difficult and subtle. WWW (What would the wise do) should be considered. Prostrate (form of respect), question (form of love) and serve (form of reverence). Serving one’s Guru is to become like Him (not become The Guru). If you become The Guru, the ego has found a new field to play about. Guruji always says “I am not in His shoes, I am at His feet”. When we are more introspective about what and who we are, we come to appreciate how privileged we are. We then become an advocate of the gift we have received. A form of reverence to the Guru is to do the same work He/She is doing.

Chapter 2, verse 37: Bhagwan Krishna says to Arjuna that if you die in the battlefield, you will attain the Heavens.The terminology used has to be adapted as per the context. The implication is that if you made the wrong decision, you will learn from it. And really, if you are growing and evolving from it…it is not a wrong decision at all and you stop being afraid of trying. You separate sorrow from failure.

There is a famous Chinese painting where three rishis are tasting Vinegar. First one is Confucius who has a sour look on his face. His message was that living is difficult, second person who has bitter look on his face is Gautama Buddha believed that sorrow is everywhere and the last one who has a sweet look on his face is Lao Tsu preached Taoism and the main teaching there is that we should learn from our past and therefore all that happens is sweet as long as we learn and grow.

Bhagwan says to Arjuna that if he wins the war, he gets to enjoy the biggest kingdom in the world. Bhagwan encourages Arjuna in three levels:

1. “Engage in being a warrior by knowing vastness, infinity. Know that noone is born or dead.
2. Engage in being a warrior, know change. We are constantly changing, so this war is catalyst for change, so engage in the war.
3. Know responsibilities. You are the best warrior, so you need to fulfill that responsibility. The pain of pushing forward is less than the pain of giving up”

So on a tactile level, we have to decide! If are wrong, we learn and we are right we enjoy!

Bhagwan urges Arjuna to stand up. He is the son of Devi Kunti, who has had the hardest life. Just like she keeps moving despite her hard life, He tells Arjuna to get up and move forward. Indecision is stagnation. Follow Dharma and be decisive. We need to fight on with decisiveness. Swami Tejomayanada says that Dharma is a value system. Training has to be tested. Training, testing, truth! You lose by not deciding, you win by deciding!