Interpreting Time In Bhagvad Gita

Background of Time:

                            

And that’s the truth.

Truth has no tradition.

It is all alone

Time neither has a father nor a mother yet fathers all desires and also feeds all. It bears no child yet new relationship becomes possible through time’s womb only. Time is also a boat sent by Lord for all to be transported to its shore called eternity. Supreme Yogi is free from the effects of coincidences of time (6.23)**.  Timelessness is one among many features of Ultimate. Time has many similar dimensions embedded emphasized in the Supreme verses of Gita-The Celestial Song!

Standing in the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna sees that the same elderly ones who raised him with love and the dear cousins with whom he playfully spent his childhood are standing now as enemy. What a time! The profound grief dawns onto him. His fear of losing all near and dear ones gripped him. The deluded understanding of Arjuna made him tremble on comparing the merits and demerits of indulging in this horrendous epic-war. His baffled state of mind haunted him so much that it stopped him from even participating in war. The invisible rope of time was strangulating his neck that his ‘Gaandiv’ fells in the chariot and he kneels down in front of Lord Krishna showing his inability to fight with the mirrored ones.

Lord Krishna looked upon him with His graceful smile and enquires him in different ways that

O Arjuna !

Why this time you are feeling helpless.

Why now ! When you are in the middle of the battlefield

dressed up liked a warrior & armed with all your warheads

and blessed by your people to win the war!

Why now!.

It’s not the right time to stop the right actions, greatest Warrior’s disgrace.

कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् |
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन || 2.2||**

This happening of Mahabharata has seeds in time attached to the blind King Dhritarashtra and his younger half-brother Pandu of Hastinapura. Renunciation of Pandu in the past kept hopes alive in Dhritarashtra for making his son Duryodhana the future King. But twists of time wiped out the both families in the war. All ifs and buts like the vow of remaining Brahamachari forever by Bheesma pitamaha, deceitful game of dice, attack on Draupadi’s dignity, blood drinking vow of Bheema, silence of learned ones in the royal court & the adharmic murder of Abhimanyu in epic war of Mahabharata were reactions expressed to desires arising in time. All reactions and brave display of tolerances wouldn’t have been needed if the Dhritarashtra’s desire of throne was fulfilled at day one. For such desirous ones, opportunistic twist of time is tool for realization! But they forget that all desires ends up in utter repentance. Here too same forgetfulness attitude became dominant in the blind King. But what remains immortal in this old story of fight of brothers for power is the eternal Glory of Gita! A thousand time prostration to Gita that is above all delusions laying path to transcend desires in all times! An attempt is made here to interpret the esoteric messages of - Gita through the lens of time.

1. Time hides

Yes! Time hides. But the One who is beyond time knows it. The hidden nature of time seems to be the esoteric reason for implanting Ghoongat in the culture of India. Ghoongat symbolically hides the face of the women from both men and women except her husband. Ghoongat falls from the face only in his presence and only for him. So is the veil between God and Human. Veil is on Human face. It is the crowd around that prevents God unveiling the veil on Human face. Mind is the crowd! The one who is crowdless inside (No-Mind), God drops the ghoongat instantaneously honoring the patience of the soul. Though soul is formless and eternal but it has to hide inside a form limited by body-breath counts.

Even Brahma didn’t knew the outcome of Mahabharata. Presence of Lord Krishna, the perfect Actor created element of uncertainty in Brahma’s script too! There is no other reason why Brahma, who staged this epic war was unsure! It must be because of His presence only. Whenever immortal greets the mortals the certainties disappears! Gita cannot be scripted by Brahma as he himself is impacted by the pulls of time. Even Lord Krishna hasn’t planned the delivery of Gita in the midst of battlefield! But all becomes possible with personified Great Teacher’s presence. He can hide Himself in time and can make Himself visible beyond time or vice versa. Truly, He is the source of “all that is possible”. He is in present in the past, present and future forms. He also influences fruits of Gunas –period of stay in Swarga, ambition and laziness through different shades of times.

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपा |
न चैव न भविष्याम: सर्वे वयमत: परम् || 2.12||**

Just like a line is collection of dots. But a dot can’t be called a line. Dot is certainly the shortest line. Similarly, time is the smallest dot in the line of eternity. Gita is a visible overlap real eternal nature of Lord Krishna during his leela moment on earth.  His Eternity Personification touching the moment personified as Arjuna.

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो      ||11.32||**

Lord Krishna says that “I am mighty Time, the source of destruction that comes forth to annihilate the worlds”. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the two unending ends of time and the time in between too. It must have been a tremendous self-realization experience for Arjuna witnessing this revelation by the Immortal One! In Hindi language time is called as “Kaal” which means both time and death. No other language has absorbed esoteric perspectives like Hindi did. None other scripture exists but Gita wherein a realized soul has been so friendly and playfully giving the divine knowledge like Lord Krishna gave to Arjuna.

The best solacing words for someone passing through misery is “This too shall pass”. The best way to bless others in their special moments of happiness is saying “May you remain happy forever like now”. The worst curse for one’s unconscious actions by Ashwathama in Mahabharata was given by Lord Himself “May you never die”. So be it a blessing or the curse, it’s the time factor that is either shortened or extended. Without time factor there is no blessing nor curse, no meaning of success or failure and no possibility for eternal knowledge or remaining ignorant. Freedom or slavery also makes no sense if time factor is removed. Then freedom and slavery merges. Enlightenment doesn’t depends on time as mind disappears certainly the moment time disappears!

All old notions and possible nature of Gods were broken by Krishna. All contradictions were carried gracefully. Time must have come to standstill! That must be one of the unfathomable nature till now of His Divine persona. His nature is unfathomable and so are His teachings overflowing in Gita.

A Gentle light,

Beyond mind to see.

Heart turned to dancing,

Not once, but twice,

One more and still it is.

In cricket, sometimes Master Batsmen destroys completely all the opposition tactics only to reveal his own mastery over the game! The bowling attack was not weak at all, it’s just that the master batsmen revealed the possibilities on how to treat the ball. With every new ball being thrown behind the boundary, a new revelation happens for the attacking team on the greatness of the Master Batsmen visible in his playful mood! The great Master always demonstrates that what is possible now rather than lecturing like a philosopher. Cause and effect seems to be like petty fixed games in absence of Master Batsmen. He comes and break all fixed games single handedly. 

The gestalt effect emerges when there is the shift in perception. Perception towards mortality changes when one encounters immortal possibilities. Such is the significance of Gita. Time hides Immortality within! It opens up the new possibilities. It has rightly empowered the words by hanging them on the eternal time thread for anyone to hear. Lord Krishna keeps revealing Himself more and more in response to Arjuna’s sincere questions on his own fear and understanding of the situation.

All questions were century old but such answers were not expected. It’s like an ocean given to someone who was asking for one drop of water. A fresh perspective! More contemporary, more relevant to the one who asked and yet relevant to future ones too. Such magnanimous, immortal answers were impossible for any other unenlightened mind to answer in the battlefield. But that’s the way the One who is living beyond the empire of desire Responds! With Him uncertainty exists at every moment!

2. Dreams arise in Time

Another uncertainty is dream. Yogi is called an Awakened Soul. He is known as the One who is awake even when the whole world sleeps and He sleeps to all that for which the whole world is awake! From Yogi’s perspective this world is some kind a beautiful dream that needs to be only appreciated and not lived totally. Neither Sigmund Freud’s dream analysis is sufficient that gives sexual connotations to the dreams nor the scientific dream creating devices that made dreams holier than before. Dreaming with open eyes is so rock solid and yet so fragile that it can vanish any moment once eyes gets closed.

Appreciations can only be transcended. Nothing else could be done to objects worth appreciations. Dream is the very fabric of this world. It is stronger than any bullet proof jackets or silk. To get out from the dream fabric Lord Krishna offered so many ways. One of the insight is to treat the world like we treat the dreams of night. We don’t cry if someone breaks our dream rather we thank them that they saved our time in unnecessary dreaming! Dream is not real, no matter the dream is highly rewarding or just a nightmare. It’s just that excessive devotion of one’s time in dreaming is what makes dreaming a sin! Too much appreciation will not change something structurally.

The All Pervasive says to Arjuna to adorn his real warrior nature and don’t waste time in remorse for death of those who are already dead. Time is a decisive factor for a warrior so either be a Karmayogi & do the real karma else die in disgrace. For a warrior it is better to die doing required karma rather than losing one’s glory!

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् |
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चय: || 2.37||**

3. Time links Divine Knowledge with Right Actions

Lord Krishna explains path of Action to Arjuna, who seeks justification in his proposed action of leaving the war. Lord says to him

Esoteric Knowledge can’t be achieved

By contemplating alone without completing the right actions!

False actions rather delay revelation of Knowledge.

It’s like Krishna pushing Arjuna towards more closer to realize his real warrior nature than sage nature.

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति || 3.4||**

Many religions couldn’t comprehend why Lord of Peace is pushing Arjuna to indulge in war when he don’t want it. They argue that balarama, brother of Lord Krishna himself didn’t participated in the war so why pushing Arjuna into it. If He didn’t convinced his own brother then why such effort for a distant relative. The action of Balarama is justified based on his true nature of non-warrior, peaceful monk while real nature of Arjuna is that of the warrior.

True knowledge never eliminates possibilities for self-realization by imposing same way to different souls like Balarama and Arjuna. Realization can happen gracefully to a King but not forcefully even to a slave.

Realization time will be shortened for Arjuna if he fights but will delay it if he didn’t completed his karma. The Omnipotent God is willing to take that risk for one person over others who are confused souls & are still far from their true nature. Those near and dear ones were not even having the guts to question the validity of their actions, forget dropping their actions.  Arjuna was atleast true to his conscious warrior nature and he needs to be straightened up like a Master archer straightens his bow string. Such was the role of Krishna who simply dispelled this confusion thus making him realize his life’s real purpose. Pulling Arjuna into war was a method to align his actions to attain the true nature and divine knowledge. This role of Krishna’s demonstrates that soul is immortal and risks should be taken to push someone to realization who is truer.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
न्यायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: |
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 2.20||**

                                    

  4. Time is Mind

Gita is a symbolic call of Lord:

O Arjuna!

Come rushing.

Time is leaking!!

Outside this darkened room;

Beyond this Mind;

The Light is present.

Being human in ordinary sense means having a mind. Conscious mind means having slight awareness of limitations of mind. Full awareness is also known as full moon, enlightenment, no-mind, moksha, light, Godliness etc. Gita labels mind as one’s worst enemy and also one’s best friend.

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् |
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: || 6.5||**

But by giving this awareness, Gita puts humanity into trouble. Humans are used to treating themselves as                          mind-body combination and something more. By telling that mind is both enemy and friend, what to do? Does it expects mind to treat body as enemy or a friend or vice versa or leave both? Humanity has tried all options so far by mistreating the body, and relishing the body too! It has practiced renunciation too and overburdened earth by population too! But the confusion continues. A dog shouldn’t be expected to catch its own tail!

Become aware of actions with time and take leap inside in depths of faith immediately.

The writings of Minds,

Dulls the minds.

The indications from Consciousness,

Frees every mind.

The All Knower knows that the slave wants nothing but freedom! And consciousness of one’s slavery is like sowing the seed of one’s own freedom. Once you are able to hold the sun rays, you can reach the sun too sooner or later. That’s the only duty of consciousness to give it a taste & direction. Consciousness sharpens the intellect. Just gather courage using the powers of intellect. Dull mind has weak intellect and weak discriminatory powers. Adding pinch of consciousness over the mind allows the intellect to shine, demanding more doses of consciousness. It starts an upward bound spiral-cycle and swallowing the vicious cycle.

Not a curve but a vicious circle!!!

This world, a circle;

Mind being the center.

Body, a puppet circling around the circumference fulfilling a false purpose;

Purpose---Survive or Perish.

With time, mind gets clarity on its own best nature. Mind is like an analytical information processing machine that goes on repeating the same thing unless new experience changes the analysis. The same mind with wrong analysis creates a Hitler and the same mind with right analysis creates Ashtavakra.

Analysis of Karmayoga, Dhyanayoga, or Bhaktiyoga as explained by Lord were actually methods of creating conditions for Light to descend in Arjuna.

Way is straight high above the mind

Passage is narrow

So, Shorten yourself.

As the time cycle moves, one might gather courage to jump out of the vicious cycle in the big leap of faith. But upon seeing Arjuna’s continued doubts, Krishna’s mercy grew more. All these methods needs time to practice and act as catalyst for Consciousness growth. They can’t bear fruits immediately with a snap of finger.  These ways failed in no-time!

The cause-and-effect based Karmayoga breaks down,

Because effect follows cause in time to bear its fruits.

Devotion based bhakti becomes impossible,

Because bhakti needs patience in getting response from the beloved in future

And patience grows with time

Meditation practices gets blocked in battlefield

Because Crystallization of mercurial mind takes time

To form Shining Crystal of Soul.

Hence the Arjuna’s woes didn’t subsided. Understanding this fact the Compassionate One took a method that needs no time. Rajayoga requires only intense thirst from the seeker and readiness to jump in bottomless eternity. Instant realization happens. Seeing his intense unquenchable thirsty questions, Merciful Lord blessed opened the third eye of his beloved Partha to witness His divine Swaroopa.

Time stopped!

Lo! The eternity emerged from the moment.

Rajyoga has this very charm,

Instantaneous enlightenment happens to ones with Great Thirst,

Longing for emancipation in a do or die situation.

As an unlit candle so friendly close to a Lit Candle,

Light jumped instantaneously

Lighting the unlit one!

The mortal having Darshan of Divine’s Viswhroopa!

Mortal mind disappeared with rise of Eternal Face,

Realization happened to the Soul hidden due to mind’s race.

Conclusion

The humble ending of Lord Krishna from Jara’s (hunter) bow is fulfills the curse of Gandhari received 36 years back.  Timeless-Lord accepted gracefully Gandhari’s time-bound curse:

O Gandhari Maata!

Your curse will surely cause the desired effect,

Not only because of your true devotion towards me & your husband,

But also due to the rules of time made for sands!

Lord Krishna was smiling while accepting her curse. He was smiling and blessing Jara too while absorbing the poison gracefully! What’s going on inside Him is invisible outside.  His every action is a call for all to rise above multiple Individual identities (multividual).

Master is a gingerly soother,

Between Multi-viduals and Love-God.

To give glimpses to lower ones,

Of oceanic love flowing on the other side.

Like, ozone a messenger is,

Between Earth and the Sun,

To give signs of absorption, to un-enlightened ones,

Of eye-blinding conflagration, happening on the other side.

Hearing His Divine knowledge given to Arjuna, it becomes so overwhelming that one ultimately prostrates to the One who weaved the growth functions of time in life’s fabric.