Lessons from The Bhagavad Gita: A Story of Wisdom
The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Indian book that is compared to a strong boat to navigate across those strong currents. The conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna that was written five thousand years ago is not merely an antique, the scripture is more of a breathing dialogue of the great questions of life. And now, as to its teachings, let’s dive in.
Duty: The Rudder That Guideeth You.
Imagine, that you are a kite in the air, and you are bound by a rope to the ground. That string? It’s your duty, or dharma. The Gita tells us that each of us has his or her part to play which can be in the form of a fragment of the puzzle in the great mosaic of life. Arjuna is a soldier yet he is in an ethical dilemma as to whether he should go to the war against his relatives. Krishna not only encourages him to shoulder his responsibility, but does not make him avoid his responsibility.
What’s that mean for us?
You see, you might be a student and you have the duty of learning hard, you look like a parent or you are in the 9-to-5 grit. It is not the flashiest thing but it’s your path. The Gita says: do it. Your duty weighs you down like roots of a tree in a storm. It is not blind obedience. It’s your path.
Separatism: Falling Like Leaves in Autumn.
Suppose you are to have in your hand a handful of autumn leaves in all their colors. They are lovely, but disintegrate when you press them. The Gita tells about “nishkama karma” which is acting without any consideration about the outcome. Krishna teaches Arjuna to fight but never to be fixated on winning and losing. Sounds wild, right? Why pour your heart into it, when you are not after the prize?
The trick about this is that being detached does not imply being cold or careless.
It is all about putting love in your work. It’s just as a painter who puts paint on a canvas never thinks about who is going to buy his art. Are you always anxious about the outcome of a test or interview? According to the Gita’s philosophy, you can prepare yourself to be a rocket scientist but do not allow the what-ifs to rob you of your peace of mind. Through such an attitude, you will be able to live now without thinking about tomorrow.
Self-Knowledge: To Get to know the Real You.
Who are you, really? Not your name, profession or that snickering laugh of your friends. The Gita says, that you are actually the “atman,” a spark of the divine which is immortal and immutable. It is as the moaning of a star, which is shining whether the night is clear as day or cloudy. Krishna asks Arjuna to find this inner soul since this is the only thing which will help him to make some sense of the confusion.
Think of life as a play.
You are an actor where you are performing roles as a student, brother, dreamer but it is only the costume you wear and not who you truly are. Do you ever get lost in life, as though you had a mask on? The Gita requests you to peep under it. Be in contemplation, think or just sit and ponder. It is not about being a monk on a mountain, but it is about the attaining of the pure steady beat of who you are. To know that, you need to get rid of your fear and doubt. They shouldn’t master over you.
Equanimity: Life on a Rollercoaster.
Equanimity is a calm mental state, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation. It is always a rollercoaster in life. One moment you are flying and the next moment you are falling. The Gita teaches samatva, or the ability to stay calm no matter the ride. Krishna tells Arjuna to view happiness and misery, victory and defeat as two sides of the same coin. One side is not all the truth. Did you ever get all geared up over some victory, and then had it taken away? That’s when equanimity happens.
Suppose, you are a lighthouse.
Sometimes the waves are high and sometimes the water is smooth. The Gita says: do not allow good times to get into your head or depressions to get you down. It doesn’t mean you need to be heartless. You only need not make the waves knock you over. For example, this may be attained by breathing deeply when you are being shouted at by your boss.
Devotion: Love as Your North Star.
Love should show in everything you do. The Gita says that this is, the way of bhakti, or devotion. You should surrender your acts to something bigger, according to Krishna it may be God, universe or something you hold dear. It is like you are devoting a song to a person, then singing. Arjuna is advised to do it not because he loves it but not because it is his obligation to a higher good.
Being a good cook to the family could be an act of devotion, or volunteering at a local shelter can be one.
Did you ever do it because it was right? That’s the spark. It is as though you had a seed that you were not planting because you believe in the tree. Even menial tasks are illuminated with this love. What’s your north star? Maybe it’s time to find out.
The Mind: The Taming of the Wild Horse.
Your head is a crazy horse, galloping all sorts of plans and thoughts. Gita advises to put it in check through discipline since the rider is in control of the stallion. Krishna talks about a way to focus your heart and mind. Your lasso may be meditation, mindfulness, or deep breathing.
Have you ever attempted to sit five minutes?
It’s like herding cats! Krishna says that the mind is a roamer, as a fish. But by training you can control it. Start small: spend at least a minute thinking about your breath or enjoy a nice morning cup of coffee without opening your phone. It is not a question of perfection but better. Life is beautiful when it is seen through a calm mind. What could you do to keep your wild horse, in order to make it a pet?
Action: The Dance of Doing
Life is a dance and the Gita tells us that we should dance. Krishna tells Arjuna that nothing can be done about it, you cannot ignore life. The point is that one should learn how to live life properly. It is equivalent to making a meal by using fresh products as opposed to combining anything in the fridge. Everything, even brushing your teeth and following a dream, is a step in the dance.
The Gita warns against stagnation,
the comfort zone where you become addicted to watching programs instead of taking action on what is significant. Action is not irresponsible hustle but considered action. Perhaps, it is writing a single paragraph on that essay, or calling a friend you have ghosted.
Unity: The Filament That Makes us one.
Zoom out for a second. The Gita says it is all one, you, me, and the trees and the stars, are all strings of a many-colored tapestry. According to Krishna, the divine spark that is you is present in everything and everywhere.
For example, the one who has cut you off in the traffic, they’ve got that spark too and so does the dog that walked by you just now.
This unity causes an inversion of the world.
The Gita is suggests that we do nice things because we are all one big picture. All the waves in the ocean are made out of the same molecules as the water I have at home. Here is something to do: when you are irritated, get over and think, They are also in this same tapestry.
Epilogue: A Map to the Journey.
You do not need to become a sage to learn the lessons from the Bhagwat Gita. You just need to poses these nuggets such as duty, detachment, self-knowledge, equanimity, devotion, discipline, action, and unity and sprinkle them in your life. They are spices in a curry, they add flavor to the mundane.
The Gita is not a guide, it is a road map to the complex and glorious path of life. You do not have to get it all figured out. You need only to do one lesson such as detachment or a moment of mindfulness and put it on like a new jacket. See how it fits. The streams of life will not dry, though by the wisdom of the Gita you now have a raft and a paddle as well.
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