Gita begins with the lines, basically as a
question from Dhitarashtra, who is asking Sanjaya:
mamakah pandavas caiva, kim akurvata sanjaya…..chapter 1 verse 1
Picture-An artist’s imagination of the conversation
between Dhitarashtra and Sanjaya.
Litterally translating the lines into English
it comes out to be “O sanjaya! What are my and pandu’s children who have
assembled in kurukhetra (with the intention of war) doing at present”
But is the question really that simple...Is Gita
only a book describing the events occurring in a battle field (more precisely a
collection of dialogues between Arjuna and krishna). If Gita really contains the
details of the discussion between Arjuna and Krishna on the battle field
doesn’t it sound bizarre?
Let me elucidate my point:
If Arjuna had so many doubts cropping up in
his mind about the battle wouldn’t it have been better for him to discuss these
aspects with Krishna in a safe place…rather than a battle field? And can any of
us imagine today that in a war, which is of such high magnitude (both in terms
of the no. of kingdom and kings involved and the impact that it would be having
on the country as a whole) all the warriors would be standing at attention to
let Arjuna clear up his doubts with Arjuna and let the war commence. Or what a
type of warrior is Arjuna who asks spiritual questions and comprehends such
deep meaning spiritual and psychological massages on a battle field.
What I feel is that the question the
metaphorical and has a far deeper significance. In fact the true nature of
khetra (field) is revealed at a later chapter in Gita itself, where Krishna
says:-
Idam sariram kaunteya khetra mitya vidhiyate
Etad yo vetti tang prahu khetragya iti
tatvida………..verse 1, 13th chap
The verse means that “This body ours is the
khetra and the person who knows it perfectly is known as Khetragya”. So it is
clear the khetra that was referred to in the opening verse of Gita, is actually
body. But our body is one and the opening verse refers to two khetras, Dharma
khetra and kurukhetra. Although our body is one but within the one body
there exist two distinct, primeval instincts. There is first the pious treasure
of divinity that provides access to the Supreme Spirit who stands for the most
sublime dharma. On the other hand, there are the demoniacal impulses made up of
impiety which lead a man to accept the mortal world as real. When there is
abundance of divinity in the realm of the heart, the body is transmuted into a
Dharmkshetra (field of dharma), but it degenerates into a Kurukshetra when it
is dominated by devilish forces.
The
rest of the Gita is actually based on this fundamental idea that this body is
the khetra and the battle that happens is between the two forces inside the
body one motivated by piousness and other by demonic desires. It teaches the
devotees how to reach the god head? What are the ways to reach him? What one
achieves by reaching him...
To be continued.....om tatsat (click on hyperlink to continue)
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