The Gita

For a while now my mind has been quiet, devoid of any thoughts. This is partly responsible for my inactivity here. The other reason for the inactivity is the powerful messages I am reading leave no room for anything else. I've been indulging in the Bhagavad Gita or the Song of the Lord.

The Gita is a masterpiece and the one thing I truly love about it is the relevancy of its message. Although narrated by Krishna to the warrior prince Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, some 5000 years ago it can be applied to daily life even in this era. Despite being a spiritual text it is oddly human and advocates the message of doing your duty without any attachment to the outcome. Our duty lies in working towards the ultimate consciousness and in that name whatever we do -- Arjuna had to kill his cousins, uncles and teachers -- is a duty to the Lord. By this I do not mean that the Gita advocates meaningless killing, quite the contrary, but it says if all doors to justice are closed and war is the only way then so be it. BUT we must ensure that every other way has been investigated and sought out.

The 700 verses are quite overwhelming but can also provide purpose to one's everyday living. A few points, that stuck out so far, are summarized here.

• The soul is immortal - it does not take birth nor does it die. As we throw out old garments and get new ones, the soul casts off old bodies and regenerates in new ones. In short, no one can kill you. You are immortal.
• Whatever occurred in the past was for good, whatever happens in the future will be for your good too. Do not regret over the past or worry about the future. The only thing we can control is the present. Work on it.
• We arrived in this world empty-handed and will return back to the Source empty-handed. Nothing is ours; this illusion of belonging is the cause of our suffering.
• Change is the quintessential law of the Universe. Nothing in the Universe is static and we are all subject to this law.
• We are the soul and not the body. By falsely identifying with the body we cause suffering. The body dies and disintegrates into the 5 elements with which it was formed. The soul is eternal and unchanging.
• Surrender yourself to the will of God, receiving both success and failure with equanimity.
• Work in the service of the Lord, never stop working but dedicate every act -- the work you perform, the food you eat, even your suffering -- to the Lord. This will release you from karma's bondage and result of actions both good and bad.