“Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.” (Bhagavad-gita, 1.46)

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सञ्जय उवाच
एवम् उक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये
रथोपस्थ उपाविशत्
विसृज्य स-शरं चापं
शोक-संविग्न-मानसः

sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye
rathopastha upāviśat
visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpaṁ
śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ

1. You went to school too?

“Wait, you mean you used to be little, also? You were also forced to go to school? Where was it? At home or you went to a building? I see, the school bus used to come. Did someone take you to the bus stop? Oh wow, you would go there by yourself? Did someone have to wake you up in the morning? You woke up on your own; that is amazing!”

2. You also didn’t know how to drive?

“Wait, when you were little you couldn’t drive? Is it because you were too small? I see, and you also hadn’t learned yet. Who taught you? You went to a school to learn driving. Where did the teacher sit? Did they have their own steering wheel to use, in case you messed things up?”

3. You used to live with your mom and dad?

“Wait, so you didn’t live in this house before? Where did you live? Oh, with grandma and grandpa. You had your own room. They used to do everything, like go to the supermarket, drive the car, and clean the house. You had to listen to what they said. They would tell you when to go to sleep and when to wake up?”

4. You also had to find a job on your own?

“Wait, so you had to find a job on your own? How did you do it? How did you know what kind of job to find? How did you know you would be good at a certain type of work? I thought you just found your calling early on in life and that is why you are in the job that you do now. That is crazy to think about.”

5. You were also unsure of yourself?

“Wait, so there were times that you didn’t know what to do? Who helped you? Who was there to show you the way? You also made mistakes. You mean to tell me that you don’t know everything? I see.”

…

In this hypothetical situation, the child, across a span of ages, through the different stages of childhood and youth, kaumaram and yauvanam, is surprised to learn that their father went through similar struggles. Sort of like informal samskaras, or rites of passage, the child takes comfort in knowing that they are not the only one who has to be patient in making progress.

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

At the same time, the child is also surprised to learn that the father has not always been the highest authority figure. They also required guidance. They needed help. This highlights the truth that the human experience is similar across different periods of time. I may have spent all day yesterday trying to get the WiFi to work and someone from one hundred years ago spent as much time tending to animals on the farm, but the general struggle is the same.

Shri Krishna says that the living beings are actually the superior particle in this world, para prakriti. They are mistakenly taking shelter of the inferior particles within the material energy, apara prakriti. Because of this decision they are struggling so much. That struggle stretches across billions of years, within divisions known as lifetimes.

अपरेयम् इतस् त्व् अन्यां
प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्
जीव-भूतां महा-बाहो
ययेदं धार्यते जगत्

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

“Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.5)

The struggle over doubt, over hesitancy, over ignorance pertaining to the proper direction in life, over understanding our position in this world and our ultimate purpose given the guaranteed nature of death can occur for every person, but not necessarily at the same time. This is one of the many reasons we are blessed by the vulnerability shown by the great, chivalrous, and heroic bow-warrior named Arjuna.

He was once so hesitant that he dropped his weapons. He fully surrendered to the teacher. He asserted his rights as a disciple, in identifying another person as their spiritual guide. No approval from an institution was required; neither would it be accepted. There was no interference from a third party. Arjuna was now the disciple and Krishna was the spiritual master, the guru.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्‍चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्

kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam

“Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.7)

Their interaction is preserved for all of history to consult. What greater gift can there be? I am enduring similar difficulties, in my tiny corner of the universe, with my problems that appear to be much larger than they are. I have so many doubts, fears, and concerns, but Arjuna was kind enough to get the most important questions addressed in that subsequent conversation. Shri Krishna showed Himself to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always wishing well to the living beings.

In Closing:

For him too much grief,
But close by the relief.

In the guide to teach,
Not too far to reach.

Arjuna his weapons to drop,
The anxiety to him got.

Hope then for struggles my own,
That Krishna the answers shown.

Categories: the five

Tags: children, dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, parenting, poem, poems, poetry