On Occasion Of Gokulasthami

 

On Occasion Of Gokulasthami

Subject: Bhagvad Gita in Mahabharata: Words of Lord Krishna in Bhishma Parva

Written By: Yogesh Gogwekar

Address : Mahim , Mumbai

He has been called by many names like Govinda, Keshav, Madhusudan, Vasudeva, Mukunda but for his devotees always call him Krishna. Lord Krishna has been portrayed in various perspectives in different stages of life, such as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing flute, a young man in love with Radha an Gopi, a central figure in Epic Mahabharata & a friendly Charioteer giving advice to Arjuna. He has been considered the eight incarnation of Lord Vishnu. His related literature had inspired many performance arts like Indian Classical Music, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali etc. He is a Hindu God. Krishna knows he is God but he always works like a human being. He loves everything he does. He never thinks of rules. He is ready to do any work and ready to break the rule to maintain Dharma.

Krishna's major contribution is in Mahabharata. In Mahabharata, He becomes the central figure but not the hero of the epic. He is a peacemaker in Mahabharata who tries to reconcile with Kaurava to avoid war. When war is unavoidable, he is ready to become Charioteer for Arjuna.

Mahabharata is nothing but property dispute and Arjuna asked his Charioteer to take him to the center of the battleground. After seeing elders, teachers, uncles, nephews, son in law, father in Law, Arjuna was not ready to fight and kill them. He threw away his weapons; and Krishna who is Charioteer counselling Arjuna and asking him to fight to fulfil his duty to establish Dharma. This counselling or advice is nothing but Bhagavad Gita.

Gita is set in the narrative framework of a dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. It is nothing but a solution to the problems of Arjuna. This solution is comprehensive.  It presents a synthesis of the concept of Dharma which involves behavioral, emotional and intellectual ways of life. Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters with 700 verses. Gita is nothing but the study of how human beings see the world. Gita tells us there was a world before us and there will be a world after us. It never tells us the concept of judgement Day. It never gives commandments. Gita tells us to judge ourselves to understand the world. It says there is no judgement as there are no rules , there is nothing right and wrong & mine and not mine. In the Gita, Krishna says that nothing is wasted or destroyed in the cosmos.  All efforts are recorded and they impact future lives.  Knowledge acquired in the past plays a role in the wisdom of future lives.

It is a really good text to read. It is to be understood in a philosophical way. No one can read Gita as a book in a single sitting. There is much to write about Gita. Now, I am closing this by giving Krishna's wording in Chapter 10 about his presence everywhere.

Arjuna, I am the life existing in all things. I am the beginning, the middle and end. I am the staff of Guardians , the strategy of the ambitious, silence of secrets, wisdom of wise ,without me there can be no elements.

We wish you Happy Gokulasthami

Thank You