Following Dharma requires deep wisdom

Nov 15, 2009, 12.00am IST

Most of the time we grieve for ourselves.


Sage Vasishta consoles Arjuna by saying that since Dashrath Maharaj had lead a dharmic life, after his death, he would attain a higher plane and so there is no need to grieve for him. In the second chapter, verse 28, the Gita says that beings were unmanifest before they were born, and will become unmanifest again when they are dead; they are manifest only in the intermediate stage. What occasion, then, for lamentation?


Krishna wants Arjuna to look at the beings around him and become aware of his experiences with them. People like Bhishma Pitamah, Dronacharya and others were unmanifest before they were born. For a short time they appeared in these particular forms but before and after they remained avyakta or unmanifest. We exist for a short time in a particular body, interact with each other and then the whole thing is over.


When we travel by train, we meet and interact with people in our compartments. We come to know them for a short time, enjoy their company. We may even laugh and share some jokes but when they leave the compartment, we don’t hold them back. We let them go without grief. There is a Sanskrit saying, “Welcome whatever comes and let go of whatever goes”. Kabirdas gives the example of leaves on the tree, that are born together and after falling down drift off in different directions. All of us are moving together in this cosmos, with our own goals to achieve, with our own desires and expectations. We meet with other beings for a short while and then depart.


The right vision enables us to become free. Krishna explains the different ways in which to experience or understand the Truth. He begins with the Truth as it is. First it is important to have the ultimate vision about Supreme Reality. A step below is the holistic understanding about life, the laws of karma, and the paths taken by the jiva, traveling from one body to another. Wisdom helps us overcome grief.


Arjuna asks, “If Atman is eternal, then why are we unaware of it?” Krishna replies in the second chapter, verse 29 that the nature of the Self is wonderful. Despite this, very rare and few are the individuals who understand the importance of knowing themselves, strive sincerely, find the right teacher and recognise themselves. Those who do, see the Self as a great wonder. Their intellects are dumbfounded in the face of its grandeur and magnificence, similar to the reaction evoked by the majesty of the mountains.

It is a great wonder that without any modification or change, by its own power, the Self appears as this world. It is a marvel and beyond rational thought that the Self, which is infinite, appears finite and that which is changeless appears to be changing. Though everything is known by the Self, the Self is not known as an object. Those who come to recognise this know it to be a great wonder.

Knowledge about other subjects like, science, mathematics and history is easily available. Even in spirituality we have different types of gurus like, mantra guru, tantra guru, upadesh, diksha and shiksha gurus. They give us knowledge of mantras, rituals and moral etiquettes but the sadguru who guides and helps us recognise the Self is very, very rare indeed!

Courtesy: Chinmaya Mission.

Discourse: Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati