“The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.” (Bhagavad-gita, 2.11)

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श्री भगवानुवाच
अशोच्यनन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

1. Political turmoil

“I honestly don’t think it has ever been this bad before. You can bring up past dictators and tyrants, but they could not so easily hide poor conditions within their countries. Today, we are being ruined from within, and no one seems to care. The politicians are all paid off. They work together, in something like a uniparty. They have no problem forcing lethal experimental injections on the population. There are no consequences to the corruption, as the elections are totally rigged. There is no uprising on the horizon, so the common man is left to suffer.”

2. The maltreatment of children

“I don’t think there has been a worse time in human history to take birth. First, you are lucky to make it out of the womb alive. Then, they poke an endless assortment of concoctions into your system, in the name of public health. If you attend school, they might suffocate you for an entire year. Again, to keep you safe.

“I can’t even raise objections, as the parents happily go along with the torture. They are completely oblivious to what they are doing to their own children. It is like those children are merely an ornament to the tapestry of a fake public appearance of prosperity. If your own parents won’t protect you, what hope do you really have?”

3. The subjugation of women

“Did you see in that one part of the world how the girls in school were immediately kicked out? They were sent home. The new ruling power decided that women should not be educated at all. What a horror show. No one will lift a finger in opposition, either.

“In other places of the world, where women are supposedly liberated, they are treated like prostitutes. One partner after another, and no one has to take responsibility. Chewed up and spit out. No wonder they have to resort to killing unwanted children in the womb. Why should there ever be an unwanted pregnancy to begin with? Has anyone ever thought about that?”

4. The unexpected tragedy

“You say that I should worship God, but what kind of a deity would allow such tragedy to take place? I mean these are horrible ordeals that everyone witnesses. These terminal illnesses are the worst. If you are going to suffer that much, why take birth at all? Why do we have to go through so much pain? There is no happiness in this world, if you ask me.”

5. The rise in power of the sinful

“Lie, cheat, and steal. That is the way to the top. Wherever you turn, the institution is broken. Rampant corruption. Blatant dishonesty. All they care about is money. These people have no clue what awaits them in the afterlife. I have nowhere to turn, to be honest. I cannot trust anyone.”

…

There is one cause upon which all factions can unite. We acknowledge the variety of opinions on the meaning of life, the existence of an all-powerful deity, the best utilization of time, the fate of the individual in the afterlife, and so many other issues. As every person is an individual at their core, no two people will act or think alike when facing similar circumstances.

The issue upon which the different groups can come together is the documented history of chaos and defeat within this world. No matter the period of time. No matter the geographic location. No matter the potency of the leaders or lack thereof. Wherever you go and wherever you turn, there is trouble.

This is the situation we face. There is the guarantee of death. I can curse at the person responsible for the entire mess. If there is a God, it is always His fault whenever something bad should take place. He created everything to begin with.

The person dismissive of the concept of a central figure of authority still faces the same situation. There is the guarantee of total destruction. Bad things happen to good people. Both to the religious and to the nonreligious. Both to the devout and to the lapsed. Both to the faithful and to the doubting.

While we can agree on the state of disarray, a single question remains. What should be done? How should we proceed? What is the best way moving forward? No matter what we do, there will be the same struggle. People will take birth. Those same people will die.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

This issue is the basis upon which the Bhagavad-gita conversation takes place. The premise is a bow-warrior named Arjuna lamenting the current situation. The path on which he is about to embark has an ideal destination. It is that picture of success which haunts Arjuna. It causes him the greatest distress, as winning will automatically come at the price of fatality involving well-respected and sometimes revered individuals.

Arjuna presents these concerns to Shri Krishna, who is the acknowledged authority figure made for that moment. Krishna is a little puzzled by Arjuna’s logic. The lamentation is so grossly misplaced that Krishna cannot help but mildly admonish his dear friend. This is the initial reaction.

It should have been abundantly clear to a cultured person like Arjuna, who is arya, that the wise person does not lament for the living or the dead. The living will soon be dead. The dead will one day rise again. No one is actually ever killed. This is the meaning to spirit; it is imperishable in nature. The individual never acquired this feature; it is part of its existence.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

nāsato vidyate bhāvo
nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ’ntas
tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ

“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.16)

If I want to spend time grieving, there is ample opportunity. In this area, there are too many issues over which to properly account. The recommendation from Krishna is to follow dharma. Carry through on occupational duties with a mood of detachment.

Fixing this broken condition or trying to find that ideal place may carry temporary alleviation of distress, but material living is something like a machine which automatically maintains an equilibrium. There is some happiness, sukha, and there is some consternation and aggravation, duhkha. These come and go on a schedule, like the seasons within the calendar year.

मात्रा-स्पर्शास् तु कौन्तेय
शीतोष्ण-सुख-दुःख-दाः
आगमापायिनो ऽनित्यास्
तांस् तितिक्षस्व भारत

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ‘nityās
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.14)

My foremost priority should be dharma. This is what the human being is meant to follow. Dharma is the gift from above, passed down from the original lawgiver for liberating the individual souls from the illusion of material existence.

This does not mean I will be callous to the suffering of others. Arjuna always feels the pain of the innocent. He eternally appreciates sacrifices made on his behalf. He is anything but a miser, kripana. He is the most liberal and forgiving individual, but he does not allow grief or lamentation to carry him away. With strength he rides on the wisdom imparted to him by Krishna.

In Closing:

Since destruction the final end,
Not wise in lamentation to spend.

Too many causes for grief,
Efforts only temporary in relief.

Rather for following dharma meant,
Not the conditions to lament.

Such that with whichever party siding,
Arjuna that wisdom riding.

Categories: the five

Tags: god, grief, hare krishna, hinduism, life, poem, poems, poetry, religion