{"id":133214,"date":"2025-06-11T03:04:57","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T01:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zelfkennis.nu\/arjunas-leermoment\/"},"modified":"2025-11-15T18:59:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T16:59:21","slug":"arjunas-teaching-moment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.zelfkennis.nu\/en\/arjunas-teaching-moment\/","title":{"rendered":"Arjuna’s teaching moment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is an interview with Arjuna, the army leader in the famous Bhagavad Gita, the famous Vedic book written in Sanskrit centuries ago, as part of the Mahabharata. Just before the battle was to break out, Arjuna sat down in despair, his hands trembling, he put his bow on his lap and decided not to fight. He could not accept that many warriors would die. What followed was that Krishna, his charioteer and friend, started an informative conversation with him about courage, responsibility, self-knowledge, freedom and trust.
In this interview, Arjuna tells in his own words what this was like for him and because he discusses all eighteen chapters, this has probably become the shortest version of the Bhagavad Gita that exists.<\/span><\/h5>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/strong>Interview with Arjuna<\/span><\/h2>\n
.<\/span><\/h5>\n

Good day, Lord Arjuna! I’m so glad I get to speak with you.<\/em><\/p>\n

My pleasure, really, I have plenty of time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh really, Lord Arjuna? Doesn\u2019t a man of your stature always have a lot on his mind?<\/em><\/p>\n

No, not anymore. That time has long passed. I\u2019ve learned my lessons, and they\u2019ve been spoken of for centuries. And hey, just drop the \u2018lord\u2019. I\u2019m not really into titles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wow! That certainly helps close the gap between us, because I must admit I\u2019m pretty nervous about this conversation.<\/em><\/p>\n

No need to be at all, we are the same Being, equal to God, so\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, sounds great, but it\u2019s still a bit hard to believe.<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, let me tell you what happened to me, and then you\u2019ll understand.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d love that, that\u2019s exactly why I came\u2026 to find out what actually happened there on that battlefield of Kurukshetra, and how you experienced it. I\u2019ve read the Bhagavad Gita\u2014several times in fact\u2014but the language is quite archaic and hard to read these days.<\/em><\/p>\n

I can relate, the Dutch translation uses some old-fashioned wording. The Bhagavad Gita, 700 verses spread over eighteen chapters, that\u2019s quite long for today\u2019s attention span. So I\u2019ll tell you in my own words. But before I begin, you have to realize that this battlefield with armies is meant as a metaphor, because it\u2019s about an inner struggle we all must face. It\u2019s about a battle in the mind<\/em>. I only understood that later myself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, I had already gathered that. I\u2019m listening!<\/em><\/p>\n

It really was a horrible situation there, on that battlefield of Kurukshetra. I was completely worn out as a military leader, full of doubt and confusion about what I had to do. I was supposed to defeat another army to maintain my kingdom, but that army was made up of my own teachers, family and friends with whom I previously got along very well. I\u2019m not a violent man and couldn\u2019t see how to handle the situation. I felt sadness, doubt, and compassion for the potential victims. My hands were trembling, so I had the chariot stopped, put down my bow, and refused to fight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yeah\u2026 that sounds intense\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Luckily, I had a skilled charioteer\u2014my loyal friend Krishna. But he was also a bit strange, radiating blue light. He started talking to me, which at first only made me more indecisive. He didn’t console me, but actually thought I was a coward for wanting to give up the fight. He told me I would essentially be immortal, indestructible, and eternal, and that my possible death would just be a transition. He said \u201cArjuna, your body, your persona, is like a coat you wear. But you are not that coat. You are the soul wearing it. And that soul never dies! When your body dies, your soul continues on, as something that never ends.\u201d<\/em> So he encouraged me to do my duty as a warrior, no matter how the battle would unfold\u2026 without the fear of failure or desire for victory, and from a kind of courageous detachment and equanimity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Did that help at all? I mean\u2026 rather theoretical isn’t it? Could you do anything with that? Could you move forward?<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, not right away! It all sounded pretty theoretical to me. Krishna started explaining things I had never heard of, using strange terms. He said it was important to keep your eyes on the bigger picture with every action. He told me to do my duty without thinking of myself. This meant acting without expecting anything in return. <\/span>Well, I didn\u2019t want anything in return, just to keep my kingdom. He talked about ‘dharma’<\/span><\/span>, the inner path to purity and spiritual growth. On that path, neglecting your duty and responsibility is not an option. Action is necessary, but I had to do it from the right state of consciousness, from True Knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

The right consciousness? I would say you were quite conscious at that moment, because you felt sorrow, doubt, and even compassion for the potential victims. Isn\u2019t that conscious? You’re not negligent if you try to prevent all kinds of major disasters, are you?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, that\u2019s what I thought too. But Krishna told me that pure selfless action is something else, and much more powerful, because it comes from True Knowledge and devotion. He said: \u201cWhen people forget who they truly are, when great injustice occurs, I descend as the personification of Wisdom to restore balance and justice. Not with violence, but by bringing truth, insight, and love. This deep wisdom about acting in total freedom is ancient, and I have shared it for ages with humankind, through a chain of wise teachers. But over time, that knowledge has been forgotten.\u201d<\/em> I was hearing it again now, because I was ready\u2026 not just as a friend, but as someone with an open heart and a sharp mind.<\/span>Well, that did sound nice, but yeah\u2026 I was still staring at a massive army waiting for my move, and I was no closer to a decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

That reminds me of what Gurdjieff once told me. He said: \u201cTime buries wisdom again and again, causing true teachings to be forgotten altogether. So we have to be like archaeologists, digging up pure knowledge once more.\u201d Since most people today have forgotten who they really are and are messing everything up, I dare say that our current time could really use such a descent of Krishna…<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh? Yes\u2026 I think so too\u2026 Krishna said there are two paths that lead to liberation. Why he brought that up at that moment, I didn\u2019t understand. I only wanted to be free from one thing: my doubt! He said there was a path of detachment through action… and a path of complete non-action, which is different from running away from action. Regardless of which of those two paths you choose,<\/span>true freedom would come through letting go of wanting, desire, and attachment. But then I would have to tame my fickle mind. He said: \u201cYou must create distance\u2026 and true distance is internal. If you do your duty without being swept away by it, without being led by your opinions… and if you don\u2019t constantly think \u2018what\u2019s in it for me?\u2019, then you become free. Then <\/em><\/span>you remain free, even in the middle of chaos or pressure. Then you are in <\/span>the world but no longer of <\/span>the world.\u201d<\/span><\/em>I would be like a fish in water, without getting wet! My fear would dissolve, my desires would stop. I would no longer be looking for something outside myself. I would come home. That\u2019s what He called real peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

That certainly sounds like an attractive prospect. So I\u2019m curious how Krishna envisioned that… what do you have to do\u2014or stop doing\u2014to realize such freedom?<\/em><\/p>\n

He said I had to start meditating and learn to fully concentrate. Then inner peace, self-mastery, and insight would come to me naturally. His words sounded like a practical guide to meditation, you know, like in the books you can buy everywhere these days. He emphasized that a true yogi sees all beings as equal and lives in complete peace with himself and the world. He said: \u201cFor those who have mastered themselves, the mind is a friend. But for those who haven\u2019t, the mind becomes their greatest enemy.\u201d<\/em>
So I had to conquer my own mind, because our thoughts can be both a liberating tool and a limiting force. Without control over the thoughts and feelings that keep arising in you, you quickly become confused, angry or insecure and this sabotages you without you even realizing it. You stray from your path. Self-mastery, meditation, and insight are the keys to making your mind a companion, a friend. Without that development I would remain stuck in confusion, fear, stress and spinning thoughts. Well… that\u2019s exactly where I was at that moment… Beneath my indecision was a whole lot of stress!
If I wanted to free myself from inner conflict, I had to surround myself with the right people and learn to act without demanding results. First learn to act rightly, and from there even let go of the idea of ‘I am doing something’. If I practiced meditation, the art of \u2018non-doing\u2019, I would start to experience that happiness doesn\u2019t come from the outside, but from within, calm, grounded, and fulfilling.
<\/span>“Once you\u2019ve felt that, you won\u2019t want anything else,” <\/span><\/em>He said. But this takes practice. I had to learn to look at everyone with equal eyes, kind or unkind, rich or poor, friend or enemy.<\/span>
Well\u2026 So I had to see that army opposite me as \u2018equal\u2019? But how could I then go and defeat them \u2018in peace with myself and the world\u2019? I didn\u2019t see it at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

That does seem contradictory\u2026 how can you attack someone if you see them as \u2018equal to yourself\u2019? It kind of reminds me of samurai warriors\u2026 I believe they originally had full respect for each other and didn\u2019t necessarily see their opponent as \u2018evil\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah\u2026 that would have made me some kind of samurai warrior\u2026 Krishna revealed to me that He is the source of everything<\/em> in the world and explained that True Knowledge means learning to see the divine in all things. But was my friend and charioteer really the Source of everything in the world? Could that really be true? That question snapped me out of my lethargy. I took a good look at Him and once again noticed that strange and beautiful glowing light surrounding Him. Then I realized all the more that this Krishna was more than my handy charioteer, much more than that! He was, damn it, driving my spirit<\/em>, it seemed, because He wasn\u2019t looking at that other army, but at me<\/em>\u2026 and into<\/em> me! I tried not only to understand Him better with my head, but also to feel Him with my heart. He said there are four kinds of people who turn to Him: those who want something from Him, especially when they are in need or danger; those who are curious and eager for knowledge; those who want to find a harmonious fulfillment in life in Him; and those who truly want to learn, but desire nothing. He said that I belong to the latter…
<\/span>His all-encompassing divine energy, which brings all worldly and spiritual things into existence and nourishes them, would be difficult to transcend\u2026 but whoever fully surrenders to it, <\/span>can transcend it. Well, He looked at me with an omniscience in His eyes\u2026 pffff. <\/span>It made me feel warm inside.<\/span> I suddenly felt such great reverence for Him! So, dear sir, if you\u2019re going to write this down, please use capital letters for \u2018He\u2019 and \u2018Him\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

I will do that.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you. Anyway\u2026 many of the words He used were new to me. I also began to have more and more questions. Krishna said that my soul, the Self, is immortal\u2026 eternal\u2026 and that at the moment of my death, the consciousness I had developed would determine where my soul would go. He called that karma. But what did He mean by \u2018the Self\u2019? And what is \u2018eternal\u2019? What exactly is karma? What is dying? And what happens after death? Krishna then went much further in a spiritual direction, but from that moment on, I didn\u2019t resist anymore and surrendered to it. I thought, remembering His words, we\u2019ll see what it brings.<\/span>
He said: \u201cNow listen carefully! The Eternal is That which does not change; it is the Spirit behind everything. And the Self? That is who you are in your deepest core. So not your body, not your thoughts or emotions, but the quiet, conscious \u2018I\u2019 that is always present, neutrally observing, in any situation: the Self.<\/em>
\u2018Karma\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span> means that whatever you do, consciously or unconsciously, always has consequences<\/span><\/em>. How you live, what you think, what you set your heart on\u2014these all determine what happens to you when you die.\u201d
<\/span><\/em>Most people would simply return to Earth after their death to continue their development. But others will never be reborn and will be freed from the cycle of rebirth.<\/span> I couldn’t see that with my normal eyes, but<\/span> I would feel and experience it if my heart were ready. So, if you now ask me what happens at death? Well, at the moment we die, if during our life we have sincerely and lovingly turned our heart toward Krishna, you might as well say God now, then our soul will return to Him forever. Very liberating anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

But\u2026 what did He say there? That you then return to Krishna, your charioteer? Isn\u2019t that strange? What did He mean by that?<\/em><\/p>\n

Well yes, wasn\u2019t Krishna that ‘personification of Wisdom’ who descended to restore balance? So no longer just my charioteer. Krishna wanted to share a \u2018royal secret\u2019 with me. I had to put my own thoughts aside for a moment. He told me that He represented the Absolute Source of everything. That He was its embodiment at that very moment! That sent a huge shiver down my spine\u2026 Goodness\u2026 I was having a conversation with God! I glanced around nervously and saw that the entire Field of Kurukshetra seemed to be holding its breath…
<\/span>\"\"<\/a>Krishna said: \u201cArjuna, I tell you something very important. This is not ordinary knowledge. This is the highest insight and at the same time a mystery. You are open to it, so <\/em>I <\/em>will share it with you. If you understand this and live by it, you will truly be happy. This knowledge is simple and powerful, and the beauty is: once you are faithful to it, you will never be afraid again.\u201d<\/em>
I would feel deep inside that it was true and so, according to Him, I had to really pay <\/span>close attention now:
<\/span> “<\/em>I permeate this entire world. Everything exists within Me, but I am not bound by the things you see, just as space fills everything but is attached to nothing. People usually do not see Me. They think I am far away or have nothing to do with their lives. But in reality, it is I who give them breath, who feed their thoughts, who make their hearts beat. I am the Light in the fire, the rhythm in nature. And yet, I am free from everything. I am there, but completely invisible. In whatever form you seek Me\u2014if you are sincere\u2014you will always find Me.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

He also said He never abandons anyone\u2026 Whether you are rich or poor, learned or simple\u2026 He is there for everyone who turns to Him with love and trust, just as He was there for me now. Even if I made great mistakes, He would not reject me. Everyone who embraces Him in their heart and tries their best will grow and become whole… He asked me to leave my thoughts in that parking lot for now and to open my heart wider so I could continue to follow Him with confidence. Then He spoke these unforgettable words:
“<\/em>I am the Origin, the Middle, and the End of everything. Everyone comes forth from Me, and everyone <\/em>returns <\/em>to Me.\u201d<\/em><\/span>Even those who live without knowledge and who do not know Me\u2014or don\u2019t want to\u2014are eventually guided by Me to come to know Me.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Wow\u2026 those were some lofty words. If I met someone who claimed all that about himself\u2026 I don\u2019t know if I\u2019d take him seriously. There are plenty of strange people out there who think they\u2019re God and lead entire nations astray\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

I get that! But what I saw before me wasn\u2019t human. Or should I say, \u2018What I saw\u2019? Divinity radiated from Krishna! You cannot even imagine it right now! I felt an enormous devotion welling up within me. And it would get even more intense, I tell you. He showed me that the divine is present in everything and surpasses everything. He explained all His divine manifestations in the world: the power of the sun, the moon, wisdom, and the breath of life that sustains everything. But also the power within people. Not at that moment, but later, it reminded me that Jesus said similar things. Jesus told Pilate that as a ruler he had no power at all except that which God gave him\u2026 which, of course, Pilate didn\u2019t take well\u2026 it made him grumpy. But anyway, that\u2019s another story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, that is another story indeed, though with many similarities. Maybe I should interview Jesus too sometime.<\/em><\/p>\n

I certainly would, if you ever get the chance.<\/span>
To return to that situation there in Kurukshetra, Krishna would then show me His Universal, all-encompassing form: a beautiful but overwhelming vision of the divine that includes everything: Creation, Destruction, and Eternity. He <\/span>told<\/span> in which forms<\/span> He is visible in the world: \u201cYou now know that I am the Source of everything <\/em><\/span>, of the entire universe, of every soul, of every thought or feeling. And so I will show you how I express myself in the world.\u201d
<\/span><\/em>Then he gave quite a few examples, I don’t remember them all, but they included ‘the spirit in all living beings’, ‘the beginning, the middle and the end of all things’, ‘the light of a thousand suns’… I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot. To be honest, I was completely overwhelmed by this vision! He also said:<\/span> \u201cEvery wonder,<\/span> every beauty and every power you see\u2026 that is Me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

From thousands of suns? Wow! That’s quite something, considering it’s been calculated that our sun alone emits an energy equivalent to about 142 billion Hiroshima atomic bombs every second…
But uh… did you believe all that? Couldn’t you, like some kind of doubting Thomas, ask for a little proof?
<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, that was exactly what came to mind, even though I had never heard of Thomas before. I gathered my courage and said to Krishna: \u201cYou have told me a lot about who You are and how everything comes from You. But now I want to see Your real form, not just in words, but with my own eyes. Show me what You look like when You fully reveal who You are. Your divine, cosmic form.\u201d And then He answered that I was blessed because I asked that, but ordinary eyes cannot see His true form. That form is too big, too powerful, too brilliant, too frightening. Therefore, He gave me a special divine \u2018vision\u2019 for a moment, so I could see Him as He really is: the entire universe in one body.
And then I saw Him… Almighty…! I still shiver thinking about it!
I saw a kind of body made up of \u00e1ll worlds at once. Myriad faces, arms, eyes, colors, lights, and shapes. Sun and moon as eyes. Flames coming from the mouth. The sky completely filled with this one gigantic figure. I saw all gods, sages, animals, people, stars\u2026 all within Krishna\u2019s one form. I saw time, life, death, creation, destruction\u2026 all at once! It was overwhelming with light and shadow, with love and power\u2026 I saw Him as the force behind everything that exists, and as the destroyer of all that must end\u2026 terrible and beautiful at the same time. Mighty warriors disappeared into His mouth as if time swallowed them. As if Krishna himself was time that devours everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pfff\u2026 wow\u2026 that must have been intense, I guess!<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, it was. Nowadays they make beautiful fantasy movies, full of impressive animations, but what I had seen and felt back then\u2026 that went far beyond anything they could ever put in a film!<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, that was so… but haven\u2019t you heard about the last film festival in Cannes? It was completely turned upside down! Films are now made with A.I., directly from language, memories, fantasies, and even dreams. No film crew involved anymore! Synthetically realized and frighteningly realistic\u2026 So now AI could easily shape your Krishna vision, all you have to do is speak it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Is that so? Well\u2026 A.I., like all created things, is also one of Krishna\u2019s manifestations. I hope filmmakers will pay attention to my experience, especially that astonishingly impressive vision, to make the lesson I received known to a large Western <\/span>audience<\/span>.
<\/span>During the vision I heard His voice in<\/em> my head: \u201cYes, Arjuna, I am Time. I bring an end to everything that has arisen. The battle to come is inevitable. Even if you did nothing, it would happen. The warriors standing against you have already fallen in My time. And you, Arjuna, have the chance to consciously take your place in this great plan. Stand up! Fight not out of hatred, but from truth. <\/em>‘Satyagraha’<\/span><\/span>! Do your duty without ego or fear.\u201d<\/em><\/span>
<\/span>And then, poof\u2026 Krishna was again his friendly human form. I could do nothing but bow deeply before my charioteer and asked forgiveness if I had ever acted carelessly or disrespectfully toward Him. Deeply impressed I felt small compared to all that infinity. My pride was crushed, but my doubts also disappeared. I saw it now: God is Everything…<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

But just when I thought this vision was about it, <\/span>nope<\/span>… Krishna kept speaking to me. So I asked Him what I should do. Should I worship Him as a kind of personified God, whom I can feel, see, and love? Or as an Impersonal Absoluteness, an invisible, formless Source of the universe? He answered me that loving devotion to Him is best and simplest. Well, I interpreted that as meaning that He, this blue-glowing Krishna, would be the personification for my limited human mind of that impersonal Absolute Source for which no words or images exist. Just like Jesus and Mary are for many people now. Because nothing is as difficult as worshipping something you cannot imagine at all. So I could work with that. That helped me. I could then practice loving devotion by doing my work without ego, staying calm in success and failure, keep trusting even when it gets hard, be kind and generous to everyone, and not envy anyone\u2026 so especially not be jealous! Help others without wanting anything in return, and be forgiving. I had to learn to see the divinity in \u00e1ll beings\u2026 in friend and enemy. Well, that last part was a bit of a challenge there with all those enemy armies in front of me\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re of course talking about ‘becoming a wise person,’ like the great ones on earth, who have proven themselves powerfully and nonviolently throughout history. But yes\u2026 how do you become that: wise? That\u2019s what I keep asking myself too. After all, we are humans with all kinds of human traits and temperaments that flare up, often at moments when we least want them. How do we keep that in check? How do we become our own charioteer in this?<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, Krishna was pretty clear about that. I had to learn to know the difference between my temporary manifestation as a person on the one hand, and my eternal Self on the other. He gave those strange names. One He called \u2018the Field\u2019 \u2013 that is everything you can see and experience in yourself: your body, feelings, thoughts, desires, memories, mindsets. And the other He called \u2018the Knower of the Field\u2019 \u2013 that is the consciousness in us that perceives all this. A silent Observer who notices everything but is not itself<\/em> all of that. My person and body are therefore temporary carriers of my soul, and my soul is the knower who controls my body and mind \u2013 or should do so. Wisdom is thus knowing the difference between my temporary human manifestation, with all its physical and emo-mental conditions… and the eternal Self, which is completely neutral and never changes. Then I knew: there is something deeper in me that does not change, even if storms rage around me. I will be able to walk through downpours without getting wet. I now understood the difference between my person<\/em> and Consciousness<\/em>, between the temporary self and the eternal Self. Realizing this leads to total inner freedom. And if you call everything you can see and experience \u2018the Field\u2019\u2026 well, then I suddenly understood the connection with the Field of Kurukshetra. I was right in the middle of a metaphor!<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, that may be\u2026 good observation! But metaphor or not… didn\u2019t your warriors, and those of the other army, start moving meanwhile? Didn\u2019t they get impatient while you were talking for so long?<\/em><\/p>\n

No, that was quite remarkable. At first, yes, it was a tremendous unrest. But now it seemed as if everyone had fallen silent, waiting for something big to happen. You could hear a pin drop. People seemed to realize that something important was unfolding and watched in awe as I spoke with this strange blue-glowing figure, my charioteer. Perhaps they were ‘frozen’ by the sight of their own destruction… But this could take a while, I realized, because Krishna began by describing three fundamental qualities, Triguna<\/em><\/span><\/span>. I thought: please don\u2019t make it too complicated for me, it\u2019s already so much! Still, He went on explaining that there are three universal qualities or conditions that always, everywhere, and on everything exert influence. So I had to learn even more difficult words…<\/span><\/p>\n

The first was sattva<\/em>, which we recognize in our mind as a state of clear, quiet attention. Then He mentioned rajas<\/em>, a state of passionate movement. And thirdly, tamas<\/em>, a state of ignorance, powerlessness, and decay. He said that these three conditions, depending on their composition, determine everyone’s character and also influence everyone’s actions. True liberation means transcending these three universal qualities. And I must say, I couldn\u2019t quite imagine that yet. Because I was clearly in a state of tamas<\/em> at first, my mind dulled by confusion, unsure of what to do. But I also noticed that a certain rajas<\/em> fire had started to blaze within me. A combative energy ignited by all of Krishna\u2019s wise \u2018pep talk\u2019. I began to feel the courage to actually face the battle. But I also understood that I would first have to become completely calm and clear, balanced in sattva<\/em>, so I would use my fighting spirit wisely, not like a madman.<\/span><\/p>\n

So you experienced a psychological shift, from what I hear. You developed a completely new mindset, it seems. I imagine it must be quite difficult to hold on to that new way of being and not fall back into your old state. Did Krishna perhaps suggest how you could maintain it, so you wouldn\u2019t regress halfway through the battle?<\/em><\/p>\n

Definitely. Krishna compared the world to a huge tree whose roots point upward: the true Self stands above the material world, He emphasized. If I could come to understand that, I would be freed from all the illusions of the world. That tree, with its roots above and branches growing down toward the earth, symbolizes life as we know it. The roots above are connected to the Eternal, the origin of all, and from there the entire earthly world grows. The branches of that tree, with their countless sensory buds, represent the directions in which people evolve: their choices, their desires, their life paths. All transient and driven by love for worldly things. From that <\/span>arise<\/span> opposing experiences like joy and pain. If you let yourself get carried away by that and lose sight of what is eternal, you risk being swallowed by it. That tree has a very strong pull, because it seems real. <\/span>Krishna said<\/span> \u201cBut it is the tree of illusion, for people become entangled in its branches\u2014 in their desires, their pride, their worries, and their striving. They think *that* is their home.\u201d<\/em>Well, I had to think about that for a moment, I told Him.
\u201cNo time for thinking,\u201d<\/em> Krishna said, \u201cTo find Truth, you must know the difference between ‘getting caught in what you feel you must do’ and ‘wholeheartedly committing out of love’… the difference between attachment and engagement. You must learn to recognize the tree\u2019s root, rise up toward it, and cut down the tree of attachment and illusion with the sword of your insight!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Are you saying that everything I experience, including this conversation, is an illusion? That everything I value and stand for isn\u2019t real?<\/em><\/p>\n

Well my boy\u2026 that\u2019s something you\u2019ll have to find out for yourself! And start by discovering whether you are pure in heart, because Krishna told me that there are two natures in every human being: a divine and a demonic one. People with divine qualities bring happiness. They seek truth, are gentle, kind, humble, and keep a watchful eye on their thoughts and feelings. But those with dark qualities always lead themselves and the world toward suffering and ruin. They are swept away by pain, anger, or pride, often stubborn or mean\u2026 even full of hatred. They want to control others. They are selfish, lie a lot, and have no respect for anything good or sacred. They believe life is mere coincidence\u2026 that everything is about power and possession. They live from desire and fear, and seek happiness outside themselves. They are never truly satisfied.<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, indeed… the world is full of that kind of people at the moment… just in politics… what a mess!<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, it was pretty clear that I was facing armies made up of that second type. And even now indeed, so many years later, the world still seems completely dominated by that kind of people. People who are cut off from God\u2026 or from Krishna, to be more precise in this case.<\/span><\/p>\n

I suppose Krishna didn\u2019t mean you should become a \u2018virtue-signaler\u2019. Because I see so many so-called \u2018virtuous people\u2019 nowadays who impose rules on others and, whether they realize it or not, saddle the world with a lot of misery.<\/em><\/p>\n

No, Krishna didn\u2019t mean pseudo-virtuous persons. They pretend<\/em> to be good and humble. He meant people with a pure spirit. Our world has indeed produced many people who were like that. You can recognize the difference by the kind of belief people hold, which varies according to their nature. People can hold three kinds of faith: pure faith, which leads to good, selfless deeds; passionate faith, which leads to craving, to needing and wanting, which may seem virtuous but isn\u2019t; and thirdly ignorant belief, which leads to confusion, chaos, and destruction, because people blindly follow dogmas, which can turn violent. People with a pure spirit, full of sattva<\/em>, believe with love and devotion, without asking for anything in return. They perform their acts and rituals calmly, without ulterior motives. But people with lots of desire or ambition, full of rajas<\/em>, act to impress others or gain power. And people in confusion or fear, driven by tamas<\/em>, follow strange or harmful practices that hurt others or themselves and lead nowhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, I can see that clearly! In your description, I see someone like Gandhi as the first type; second such a fanatical American radio preacher who spits his sermons into the ether;\u00a0and thirdly, a figure like Silas in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, who hit himself with a whip.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, you see that correctly, those are good examples.<\/span>
Krishna then summarized everything for me and said that it is of great importance to act according to one\u2019s duty, without attachment, and with surrender to the Supreme. This leads to ultimate freedom and peace. He encouraged me to follow my path fearlessly. I simply had to do what I was ‘meant’ for! And since my purpose was the preservation of my kingdom, I would have to fully commit to it based on these principles, fearlessly, without holding back. I would have to face the battle with a clear mind and a warm heart, and fearlessly do what I was truly meant to do, because that was my \u2018purpose\u2019 in this life, my life\u2019s mission, however difficult that was. I would have to completely let go of any attachment to outcomes, no longer dependent on the results of my struggle.
Well… that\u2019s when I went in with full devotion and gave it my all!<\/span><\/p>\n

Wow\u2026 Impressive! <\/em>
But uh… how did this end? Who actually won then?<\/em><\/p>\n

Well… we, the Pandavas. We eventually won the battle against the Kauravas, but with enormous losses on both sides… I’m still a bit distraught about that, although I’ve learned to dedicate this to the Supreme Being as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you so much!\u2026 A lot has become clear to me.<\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019re welcome! And may you too learn from the lessons I was given back then, for everything that was said in those days is surely still a mirror for you and for all people on Earth today.<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Look,<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

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The Bhagavad G\u012bt\u0101 originated as part of the Mahabharata epic between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. During this period, spirituality in India transformed into a more personal and inner form, as the ancient Vedic rituals no longer reflected this more personal experience. The Bhagavad G\u012bt\u0101 brought together various traditions: the unified doctrine of the Ved\u0101nta, the distinction between body, mind, and soul from S\u0101\u1e41khya, the inner discipline of Yoga, and the loving surrender of Bhakti. Thus, the G\u012bt\u0101 forms a bridge between the ancient Vedas and later Hinduism.<\/span>
The battlefield of Kuruk\u1e63etra symbolizes the inner struggle of every human being. The G\u012bt\u0101 shows how, especially in the midst of difficult circumstances, one can learn to think, speak, and act without attachment to results; a practical and spiritual path that is more relevant than ever.<\/span>
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\n\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Michiel Koperdraat<\/h6>\n

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