Hari OM
From 8/4/19 to 12/4/19, Pujya Swami
Swaroopananda-ji presented evening discourses to the public at the Merrylands
Civic Centre, NSW Australia. The focus of his talks this year was Chapter 2 of
the Bhagavad Gita, and more specifically, shlokas 1-32. Some of the learning
and insights will be shared over several posts.
The final three shlokas under scrutiny in this set of discourses are
30-32;
O Arjuna, the Aatmaa that dwells in the body of all (beings)
Is eternally indestructible.
Therefore, you should not mourn for anybody.
Considering also your duty as a warrior
You should not waver,
Because there is nothing more auspicious
For a warrior than a righteous war.
Only the fortunate warriors, O Arjuna,
Get such an opportunity for an unsought war
That is like an open door to heaven.
Shri Krishna is now bringing Arjuna back into the present moment and
the predicament he faces directly. For us, the readers, it is to be remembered
that life itself is our 'righteous war'.
Dharma (duty) is the key to things here. Too often we look upon our
duty to others as being something onerous. We want to curl up on the couch and
hope it goes away. We put in the minimum effort or seek to pass on some of the
responsibility. We are not all the time faced with the big weight of life or
death - but even when we are, we ought not to seek avoidance, or make a drama
of it all. The more we wail and gnash our teeth, tear our hair, wave our arms,
the less we are focused upon commonsense and getting on with what needs to be
done to minimise the trouble we perceive.
Stop and think for a moment what a privileged place we hold in the
realm of creation. Remember that verse about wonder? Never mind the Wonder That
Is… this creation called Mankind is something of a wonder and we ought to take
it seriously. There are responsibilities which come with being a member of this
species and far too many of us are unwilling or unready to take them on.
Those who grasp this thing called 'life' and work it fully,
understand the chance which has been afforded them. They seek to become the
very best of the species that they can be. In doing this, so many other
opportunities present themselves.
The Lord lifts those who lift themselves!
This was where the discourses had to
end. The second part of chapter 2 goes into more practical stuff, firstly
specific to Arjuna's situation, but then again offering advice from which we
can all benefit.
