(11) Was the song over?

CHAPTER VII

“Lord! If every individual soul only attains the Supreme state of non-duality, then what is the status of Brahma, the creator?”

 “Arjuna! The so-called Brahma – the Creator who creates this multifarious world at will is the ‘Golden-Wombed’ – ‘HiranyaGarbha’ of the Upanishads. He is the ‘Cosmic Being’ who experiences all the experiences of all the beings of this creation simultaneously; yet remaining in the blissful state of Para Brahman! He is the ‘Supreme Knower’; the ‘Supreme Consort’ of the ‘Goddess of Knowledge’; the ‘Supreme Lord Kaartikeya’!  He is of the golden hue; he shines with the luster of Supreme Knowledge!

He is Vaishvaanara – the ‘Cosmic Experiencer’ in the gross level existing within all he individual souls as the ‘Praana’- the ‘Energy Supreme’- supporting all their actions- physical and mental! He is the source of all the five Vedas and he is the ‘Supreme Creator’ propitiated in all the Vedas!”

“Lord! What should one take as authority when met with dilemmas regarding one’s duties in one’s life?”

“Arjuna! What else can guide you in life but the ‘Sacred Scriptures’ - the ‘Supreme Source of Knowledge’- the Vedas! When one follows the injunctions of the Vedas with a detached mind he is sure to cross over the hurdles appearing in one’s life. By Vedas My friend, I do not mean ‘Sacrificial rites’ and ceremonial propitiations; but the ‘Supreme Practice’ instructed by the ‘seers’ for the attainment of the ‘Highest’!”

“Lord! Is faith necessary or is it enough to blindly adopt these practices? Or, can a man attain the ‘Supreme’, ignoring the scriptural injunctions by just being sincere in his path?”

“Arjuna! Faith and sincerity of course are extremely necessary in any spiritual practice. The performance of various meditations, the multifarious methods of propitiating the favorite deities, the different types of penance, various worships ; all indeed bear fruit to all the beings whether they have faith or not. But remember this truth; action is always inert; the results are attained as ordained by the Supreme Creator; only you can make it come alive with your own feelings of selfless love; of desiring fulfillment for the endless wants of human life; of vicious nature inviting endless harm on others.

The first one leads you towards the Highest Knowledge of the Supreme Self. The second one just manages to fulfill your worthless desires if unopposed to your destiny. The last one pushes you into deep bottomless wells of ignorance and suffering. Action as opposed to Knowledge drowns you in the vast oceans of duties.

Only ‘detached action’ ever frees you from action!”

“Lord! What is the difference between renunciation and relinquishment?

“Arjuna! Renunciation or Sannyas means the rejection of all actions ordained by one’s birth and status in life; whereas relinquishment is the renunciation of attachment to the fruits of actions while performing the duties ordained by one’s birth and status in  life. Whether it is renunciation within or without -one should remember never to cease from performing Sacrificial rites, charities and penance. One should maintain a detached attitude even while performing these noble deeds; one should perform all the actions for the good of the world into which he is born”

“Lord! What are the causes which promote the accomplishment of all actions?”

“Arjuna! The five causes which promote the fulfillment of an action are -the purpose; the doer; the instrument; the movement; and destiny!”

“What indeed is mandatory for any action?”

“The threefold mandates of the action are – Knowledge, Knowable and the Knower; the instrument, the work and the agent in the ordinary sense!”

“How should we contemplate, while doing any action?”

“If you can perform any action to the utmost perfection, but all the while watching your own action as a witness and remain in the state of pure awareness; without the anxiety attached to the result of the action, then- you will be in the stabilized state of blissful contemplation even while performing  action!”

“Lord! Many are the doubts still lingering in my mind; but I know they have to wait!

Before both of us leave for the battlefield is there anything you would like to say – a parting advice to your disciple?”

Arjuna’s eyes were brimming with tears. The blissful conversation was coming to an end. Both will be in a few minutes, lost in the tumults of the war! Of course they may steal a few close moments now and then in between the painful attacks of the maddened army! Maybe they will meet again under this very Kadamba tree after the war was over!

Will they? Arjuna was not sure!

His eyes were expectant.

Krishna smiled.

Krishna spoke :

“My child! Just trust me! Have faith me!

You can forsake everything for my sake; but do not forsake ‘Me’!

I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU!
I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU!”

THE SONG WAS OVER! WAS IT?