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||**
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||**
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||**
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||**
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||**
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||**
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.
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.
