WHEN I CHOOSE GOD TO BE MY CHARIOTEER






Pic.Anjana Srivastava

Arjuna was Kshatriya, a fighter. And, he was the best fighter of his time. Still, when it came to the epic battle at Kurukshetra, he was a mentally-tortured soul... He did not want to fight his own cousins and uncles... even though he knew he was the best fighter and even though he was on the side of the ‘righteousness’...

That’s why, when Krishna, the Lord who ruled Dwaraka in human form, offered a choice to Arjuna to accept his (Krishna’s) mighty army to fight for him (Arjuna) or to take Krishna himself as his guide and counselor, the great fighter, Arjuna, chose the latter. He urged Krishna to guide him as his charioteer, which Krishna did...

Arjuna’s plight is our plight, too. In life, who wants war, leave alone a war with one’s own near-and-dear ones? Like him, most of us try to avoid war... we go through our mental conflict: Should we? How can we? We plead God to do away the war from us... our ‘cup’, our ‘test’...

In Mahabharata, we see even Krishna trying his best to avoid the battle. He was equally close to both the sides. Kauravas were adamant and arrogant... They wouldn’t budge, they wouldn’t relent or accommodate. They were driven by their pride and over-confidence. Pandavas, on the other hand, were sensible... They knew what would be the ‘price’ of a long-drawn battle even if they won... So, they did not want war. They wanted Krishna to do his best to prevail upon the Kauravas...

Krishna does... He goes to everyone who mattered in the Kaurava camp – Bhishma, Duryodhana, Karna and everyone... But, they wouldn’t relent, wouldn’t climb down...

Finally, the war had to come upon... Krishna’s army fights for Kauravas, while Krishna himself stands, solidly, behind the Pandavas – the side which was ‘right’... whose intentions were clean... who, despite being mindful of their mighty strength, knew what war would bring upon them...

So, Lord’s advice was this: In life, we should avoid war as much and as far as possible. But, if it forced upon us, we should fight it like true fighters... true Kshatrias...

Trust, God will fight on our side, as our charioteer as He did for Arjuna...

I like this lesson from the Mahabharata... which, to me, is the real life...

All that I plead God is to be on my side and guide...

I can fight any battle forced upon me, then.



GERALD D’CUNHA


Comments

Pooja Chug said…
Beautiful Post!

..... Pooja Chug
October 29, 2014 at 5:01 PM
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