Jihad Saad – Expand Your Awareness, Transform Your Life

In the midst of the armies, Arjuna sank on the seat of the chariot, casting away his bow and arrow, heart-broken with grief.

Arjuna spoke: ‘My Lord! How can I, when the battle rages, send an arrow through Beeshma and Drona, who should receive my reverence?

‘Rather would I content myself with a beggar’s crust than kill these teachers of mine, these precious noble souls!

‘Nor can I say whether it were better that they concquer me or for me to concquer them, since I would no longer care to live if I killed these sons of Dhritarashtra, now preparing for fight.

‘My heart is oppressed with pity; and my mind confused as to what my duty is. Therefore, my Lord! tell me what is best for my spiritual welfare; for I am Your diciple. Please direct me, I pray.

And then, Arjuna, the concqueror of all enemies, told the Lord of All-Hearts that he would not fight, and became silent.

Thereupon, the Lord, with a gracious smile, addressed him who was so much depressed in the midst between two armies.

Lord Shri Krishna said: ‘Why grieve for those for whom no grief is due, and yet profess wisdom? The wise grieve neither for the dead nor for the living.

‘There was never a time when I was not, nor You, nor these princes were not; there will never be a time when we shall cease to be.

‘That which is not, shall never be; that which is, shall never cease to be. To the wise, these truths are self-evident.

‘The Spirit, which prevades all that we see, is imperishable. Nothing can destroy the Spirit.

‘Therefore fight, O Valiant Man!

‘He who thinks that the Spirit kills, and he who thinks of It as killed, are both ignorant. The Spirit kills not, nor is It killed.

‘It was not born; it will never die: nor once having been, can It ever cease to be: Unborn, Eternal, Ever Enduring, yet Most Ancient, the Spirit dies not when the body is dead.

‘Be not anxious about these armies. The Spirit in man is imperishable.

‘You must look at your duty. Nothing can be more welcome to a soldier than a righteous war. Therefore to waver in your resolve is unworthy, O Arjuna!

‘Blessed are soldiers who find their opporunity. This opportunity has opened for them gates of heaven.

‘Refuse to fight in this righteous cause, and you will be a traitor, lost to fame, incurring only sin.

‘Men will talk forever of your disgrace; and to the noble, dishonour is worse than death.

‘If killed, you shall attain Heaven; if victorious, enjoy the kingdom of earth.

‘Therefore Rise, O Son of Kunti, and Fight.

…

The above text is an extract from the Baghavad Geeta, the Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna, translated by Shri Purohit Swami, the most beautiful translation I found so far. It is one of the most sacred hindu texts, if not the most sacred, and is part of the Mahabarata, an old and very long epic hindu poem.

In this gospel, Arjuna, a prince and a mighty warrior, is caught in between two armies, one of them is his own family and tribe, which is described in the Mahabarata as the righteous party, the second army is his cousins family and tribe, depicted as the corrupt party. Arjuna is confused and distressed, his heart feels ill for that battle that he did not choose nor desire, he is hesistating, depressed and troubled. He doesn’t want to fight, his senses are paralysed, and he seeks guidance from the Lords of All-Hearts.

And so to Arjuna, the Lord Shri Krishna spoke. And His guidance was clear.

“Rise”, the Lord said, “and Fight!”

…

And so to myself, in this turning point in my life, me too I speak:

‘Are you confused? distressed? anxious too?

‘Reluctant to be who you are? Who else can you ever be?

‘A new door is opened for you, are you hesitating to go through?

‘Is it doubt that is parlayising you?

‘Or grief from past losses? Sadness from days that were?

‘Fear, from future losses, or days that might be?

‘Is it pain that is holding you?

‘Or non-acceptance to a life that you think you did not choose?

‘Whatever it is, my habibi, remember, we are together.

‘So let us accept, wholeheartedly, let us surrender.

‘What is, is. But what will be, is yet to be.

‘Rejoice, be happy. Did you ever intend anything wrong, to ever feel bad?

‘Why keep in your heart a guilt that is not yours?

‘Why pay for mistakes that you did not commit?

‘And who told you that you should carry more than your burden?

‘Cast away all these shadows, throw away all your doubts.

‘Don’t you believe in our love?

‘To doubt your faith now, is to loose everything.

‘Therefore Rise, O habibi Jiji, and Be!

…

Dedicated to all those who ever felt confused, anxious, doubtful or scared, in this Life, O sweet Life.