Daily Readings from the Works of Swami Venkatesananda


Venkatesa Daily Readings Vol 1 - Being In The Situation

January 21, 2024

Being In The Situation

   It is said that the scripture called The Bhagavad Gita was given from the battlefield. The teaching only becomes meaningful when one is in the situation that is described - then it is no longer a description but a reality. It is easy to dramatize and imagine all sorts of situations, but until one is actually in the situation, the meaning is not clear. Yet we study this scripture daily.

    As the Mahabharata War commenced, Krishna, whom the Indians regarded as God incarnate, volunteered to drive the chariot of the warrior Arjuna. This tremendously brave warrior Arjuna, asked Krishna to drive his chariot into the middle of the two armies so that he could have a look at all of those who were involved in the battle. But when he saw those whom he had called his enemies, his attitude changed. They no longer seemed to be enemies - they were his own people, his cousins and his teachers. He collapsed on the battlefield, saying to Krishna, "Must I fight and kill them?"

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