“Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.44)

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अहो बत महत् पापं
कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्
यद् राज्य-सुख-लोभेन
हन्तुं स्व-जनम् उद्यताः

aho bata mahat pāpaṁ
kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena
hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ

1. Fender-bender

“They made a mistake. I was at a stoplight and the person in front of me decided to back up. They were over the line, it seems. I honked my horn to try to stop them, but I guess they didn’t hear or see me. They ended up backing into the front of my car. There is some minor damage. We did not call the police or anything. We exchanged insurance information, and it was generally a friendly conversation.

“They insisted that I follow up with them, after getting an estimate for fixing the damage to my car. The thing is, I do not really mind. Is this something I should really be focusing on? Is not life about higher pursuits? Why should I put someone else into difficulty? I think it is better to leave the matter alone. I am fine with driving around with some cosmetic blemishes visible on my vehicle.”

2. Overcharging vendor

“I did not notice until I arrived at home. The place charged me one hundred dollars more than they should have. I am thinking of calling them to notify them of the error. At the same time, someone might get in trouble. I think it was an honest mistake. Everything is digital nowadays. Data entry is not perfect. There is a term for this: ‘fat-fingering.’

“It is better to leave it alone. The money is not that important to me. Do I want to spend so much time and effort fighting over this? What if they raise opposition? Then I will have to escalate the issue to the manager level. A big firestorm will ensue, and I would rather avoid the headache.”

3. Medical malpractice

“I will never forget what they put us through. In my mind, this is clear evidence of institutionalized quackery. You either knew that these face coverings were effective at reducing the spread of disease before, or you just learned about it recently, after almost no time for an actual scientific experiment. This means that you were either a quack before or are a quack right now. Do I have that right? Am I missing something here? My logic holds up, correct?

“At the same time, what can be done? Should I talk to these doctors? Should I share my sentiments? In response, they will throw their credentials in my face. They will tell me just how much money they spent on medical school tuition. They will ask for my scientific credentials. I think it is just a waste of time. Better to move on.”

4. Government corruption

“These people are ruining our lives. There is no such thing as community anymore. We pay so much in taxes but get nothing in return. Think about it this way. It is now commonplace for freelance teachers to offer instruction to multiple students at a time. This is through a virtual classroom. The teachers love the flexibility and the students enjoy the unobstructed access to the teacher.

“If you took the same concept and applied it at the local level, the practice would be illegal. If someone in our neighborhood decided to teach the same classes at their home, inviting several students to attend, in person, it would be a violation of the law. How does that make any sense? But what can be done? This is the world we live in. You can’t fight city hall, as they say.”

5. A stolen kingdom

This was the option suggested by Arjuna, who was the leading bow-warrior for the side collectively known as the Pandavas. They were five sons to the king named Pandu, but they had an army supporting them in a particular struggle, as well. This struggle dated back many years, and the Pandava brothers were on the receiving end of grave injustices.

They were intentionally poisoned. They were sent to a house specifically for the purpose of perishing in a spontaneous fire. Of course, it was actually a scheme of arson hatched by the perpetrators. The wife of the brothers was intentionally humiliated in public. There were so many atrocities committed, and yet Arjuna was willing to pardon everything.

He made every excuse he could think of. The delivery of justice would involve bloodshed. There would be military weapons intentionally directed at people who were well known and respected in the community. Arjuna was essentially afraid to shoot people who were not strangers.

Should he not get credit for this display of compassion? Should he not earn some sukriti, meritorious credits? He was not bloodthirsty for revenge. He was not desperate to regain a kingdom. He was not in it for himself. He was willing to pardon the offenders, even though they deserved no compassion or leniency. He was embodying the spirit of renunciation.

It is within such a backdrop that the famous Bhagavad-gita conversation begins. While Arjuna thought his proposal was based on intelligence, on knowledge of higher matters, the teacher to which he petitioned his grievances considered the option absurd. The initial reaction from Shri Krishna was to smile. The sentiments from Arjuna represented anarya, or the complete lack of culture and better judgment.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
कुतस् त्वा कश्मलम् इदं
विषमे समुपस्थितम्
अनार्य-जुष्टम् अस्वर्ग्यम्
अकीर्ति-करम् अर्जुन

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ
viṣame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
akīrti-karam arjuna

“The Supreme Person [Bhagavan] said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life. They do not lead to higher planets, but to infamy.” (Bhagavad-gita, 2.2)

In that instance, the right way was confirmed by the highest authority figure. The recommendation for Arjuna was to proceed with the conflict, to fight valiantly but with detachment. He would be acting as but an instrument of the Divine will. There was still a choice. There was no dogmatic insistence. There was no mention of a Hindu faith or a Hindu religion. The principles presented to Arjuna as the supporting evidence for the decision are timeless in nature. That is why Bhagavad-gita can still guide the human race, even thousands of years after that incident on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

But what about our various predicaments? When should we pardon others and when should we administer justice? What things should we care about and what should we leave alone? Where should we fight and where should we stand down? How do we make such decisions when Krishna is not nearby, seated next to us on a chariot?

तेषां सतत-युक्तानां
भजतां प्रीति-पूर्वकम्
ददामि बुद्धि-योगं तं
येन माम् उपयान्ति ते

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.10)

There is an entire culture suited for this purpose. There are the three important factors of sadhu, shastra, and guru, which should ideally travel on parallel lines. But above everything else there is the direct promise from Shri Krishna. Those who think of Him always will go to Him. Krishna will provide the intelligence necessary for coming closer to Him, which was the end-result of the decision from Arjuna to fight ahead.

In Closing:

Wanting to do what is right,
Would rather pardon than fight.

Not for my own enjoyment caring,
Concerned with how others faring.

To reach proper conclusion how?
When facing uncertainty now.

The interests of Supreme always to guide,
In dharma led both out and inside.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, forgiveness, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry