“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

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सर्व-धर्मान् परित्यज्य
माम् एकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वां सर्व-पापेभ्यो
मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“How does someone get around this idea of surrender to Krishna, as recommended at the conclusion of Bhagavad-gita? I know, I know, that is the whole point. We should surrender. We should stop trying to circumvent the process. We should take the medicine, as it is prescribed. We should accept the solution as it is offered to us, whether straightforward or complicated.

“The problem is that Bhagavad-gita puts a lot on the table. There is plenty of information to consume. There is considerable content upon which to deliberate. The foundational truth, the first principle, if you will, of the changing body is enough to pause all proceedings in life as we currently live it. The truth triggers a reassessment of our priorities, based on the revelation that we are not the body. We have been paying attention to that body the entire time, up until now, and it is no wonder that we feel a void. There is a gaping hole that needs to be filled, but we could never previously identify the issue.

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)

“Do you see the problem, though? The principles are complex. The solution at the end is simple. The simple is incompatible with the complex. If surrendering to Krishna is everything, then why are there principles to study? Why is Bhagavad-gita as long as it is? Why doesn’t Krishna recommend the surrender part at the beginning of the conversation with Arjuna? How exactly does the surrender mechanism work? Why will putting everything on Krishna take care of everything?”

The solution offered is in response to a problem. The problem is from Arjuna, who is the celebrated bow-warrior of the Pandava family. Arjuna’s problem is concern over negative consequences. He suddenly feels hesitant to proceed in a military conflict. He was never previously overwhelmed by the moment. He was known as Savyasachin, which is like the greatest expert with the bow and arrow. That expertise has a corresponding field of play, namely the battlefield. The targets in the exhibition of that expertise are fellow warriors. They fight for the other side. Arjuna fights against them. That is the nature of war, in how it is carried out.

“Savyasachin refers to one who can shoot arrows very expertly in the field; thus Arjuna is addressed as an expert warrior capable of delivering arrows to kill his enemies.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 11.33 Purport)

Arjuna uses the excuse of dharma to indulge the desire to head for the sidelines. You see, war involves violence. Violence has the potential for death. The death will be due to the aggressor. The death will have lingering consequences, such as the destruction of families. The sacred traditions will cease to carry forward. This will be due to Arjuna and his aggression. He had no interest in the spoils of the potential victory, so why proceed with violence? Why be a party to destruction?

उत्सन्न-कुल-धर्माणां
मनुष्याणां जनार्दन
नरके नियतं वासो
भवतीत्य् अनुशुश्रुम

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ
manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana
narake niyataṁ vāso
bhavatīty anuśuśruma

“O Krishna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.43)

We see that the word dharma often gets translated as “religion.” Religion has the associated imagery of houses of worship, of seriousness, of rules and regulations, and of different potential destinations in the afterlife. Those destinations are painted in the extreme, like heaven and hell. If we think about it, dharma as a system of right and wrong takes priority in practically every aspect of life. We could say dharma is what holds everything together.

A simple way to understand dharma is to think of honesty. We expect that the people on television are telling the truth as to the date and time. The weather forecast they give is their best guess as to the atmospheric conditions over the next several days. We arrive to work on time due to the expectation of honesty in the employment agreement. The employer must be honest in remitting payment at the agreed upon intervals, such as the two-week pay period. The airline is honest in the written destination for the flight.

There is an expectation of honesty everywhere, and adherence to this expectation is like the positive side to dharma. The negative side is violating the agreement. When there is dishonesty, there is adharma. It was this adharma that concerned Arjuna. He was confused as to what is proper action and what is prohibited action. He was not sure the right way to go. He wanted to stay within the principles of dharma.

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि

tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te
kāryākārya-vyavasthitau
jñātvā śāstra-vidhānoktaṁ
karma kartum ihārhasi

“One should understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 16.24)

The promise from Krishna at the conclusion of the discussion is essentially an assurance of safety. The negative consequences from the potential violations to the various kinds of dharma will be accounted for. Krishna will run cover for the devotees. Only Krishna can do this because Krishna is the Supreme Lord. The ultimate destination for following dharma is the lotus feet of God. In surrendering to Krishna, I might have a lot left over; my work in other areas remains unfinished. I should not worry about the negative outcomes, as Krishna will take care of everything. This was the promise to Arjuna, that the bow-warrior could proceed with full fury and attention. Everything would work out in the end.

In Closing:

Work not finished yet,
Only when my chance to get.

But not to worry or fret,
Firmly in devotion set.

Since Krishna accounting for,
Any consequences in store.

Arjuna to follow dharma without fear,
In military fight with Krishna to steer.

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Tags: dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion