“Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad­-gita, 18.63)

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इति ते ज्ञानम् आख्यातं
गुह्याद् गुह्यतरं मया
विमृश्यैतद् अशेषेण
यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु

iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhyataraṁ mayā
vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa
yathecchasi tathā kuru

“I know, I know. You always warn me against following politics too closely. I still think it is a good idea to be familiar with policy. For instance, if there is a significant change to tax law, passed by Congress and signed by the President, it cannot hurt to be aware. Simply keeping your head in the sand and remaining oblivious to changes that can affect your daily life is not really a good policy, no pun intended, at least for the long-term.

“I try to stay above the petty disputes, but some of these recommended videos online are too appealing for me to ignore. I saw one recently where a popular political commentator was talking to a recently relinquished candidate for high office. The commentator, a female, said that she would not vote for the former candidate, a male, despite agreeing with all of his policy positions. She liked everything that he had to say on the campaign trail, as well.

“No, she refused to support him only because of his ethnicity. Since that ethnicity was not in the majority in the local area. In a later interview, this same former candidate revealed that what he found more surprising from the time spent on the campaign trail was the barrier based on religion. So many people kindly and honestly revealed to him that they would not support him only because of the religion he followed. They use the word ‘faith’ now, by the way, since religion has such a negative connotation attached to it.

“I am awestruck by such thinking. The online commenters to this video kept insisting that this former candidate refer to this practice as racism or bigotry, but to me that does not really say anything. It is a cheap and easy insult to hurl back. To me, I would compare the situation to having a plumbing disaster in the home. Suppose that there is flooding occurring in the basement. You need someone to come over, fast, and fix the problem.

“A person promptly arrives. They quickly assess the situation and give a recommendation. They have all of the tools necessary. They can start the job immediately. You, as the homeowner, say that you cannot hire such a person because of their ethnicity. Or you have a problem with the plumber’s religion. Now, is that racism? Is that bigotry?

“To me, that is just downright stupid. It is like your brain has not yet fully developed. You are severely mentally challenged. For a bigger picture analysis, how in the world are we supposed to operate with such blindness covering a significant portion of the population? Do you see what I am saying here? How is your message from Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam going to resonate with people who erect these walls based on external differences? How is the population going to advance? And trust me, they need to advance.”

The dogmatic insistence is difficult to overcome. Any person can do the same. If you say that you will not listen to me because of my ethnicity, I can kindly return the favor to you. I can refuse to hire you, support you, or take anything you say seriously because of how you look, what religion you follow, what language you speak, or what politician you support.

This exchange of bigotry, this competition of ignorance, does not really resolve anything. This explains why there are so many wars, occurring steadily and constantly throughout recorded history. It is only in ignorance that a person thinks they have permanent claim to land that existed long prior to their birth and will continue to exist long after they have left this world.

One benefit to hearing from Bhagavad-gita is thinking. The words will make you think. Especially if you hear the presentation as opposed to watching it. If you watch something, the mind can get distracted by the visuals. You don’t like someone based on their mannerisms. Their face conveys arrogance and condescension. The tie does not match the buttons of the shirt. The belt and the shoes are of different colors.

If we listen, we are forced to think. Even if we do not agree, if we are averse to the prospect of a tradition foreign to us providing sagacious wisdom, we at least contemplate some of the teachings. For instance, any person who hears about the changing body and how the individual remains the same throughout has to at least think about the applicability to the future, for when death will arrive.

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)

The same Bhagavad-gita says that a person is unmanifest in the beginning and unmanifest again at the end. This solves the mystery as to where a person was before and to where they will go after. Everyone is always alive. They are simply within our vision, vyakta, for some of the time. This period of identifiability is known as life.

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना

avyaktādīni bhūtāni
vyakta-madhyāni bhārata
avyakta-nidhanāny eva
tatra kā paridevanā

“All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.28)

The entire Bhagavad-gita presentation is to be accepted through choice. It cannot be forced upon anyone. Even though Arjuna was already a devotee of Krishna and endowed with divine qualities, he was still asked to deliberate. He should think over what he heard and then make a decision. This appeal applies to every person. The background is not as important as the ability to think with an open mind.

In Closing:

Agree with everything you say,
And principles proudly on display.

But since in Hindu faith set,
Never my vote to get.

Creating dogmatic insistence barrier,
But Bhagavad-gita a message carrier.

If anything just at least hear,
And deliberate with understanding clear.

Categories: questions

Tags: bhagavad-gita, dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry