Therefore Rise, O son of Kunti, and Fight.

February 1, 2009 — Jihad Saad

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.

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The Light of the World

January 29, 2009 — Jihad Saad

Usually people identify themselves by their name, title, nationality, gender, religion, family, tribe, etc…

To the question “who are you?”, you will probably hear answers like this: I am Bill, I am Indian, I am muslim, I am the Program Manager, I am a single guy, I am an actress, etc…

Two thousands years ago, in a fertile land on the shore of the mediterrranean sea, a man was asked: “who are you?”.

His answer was: “I am the Light of the World”

…

Wow.

What an extraordinary and formidable answer.

But what is more extraordinary and formidable is that this man was not joking at all, and he would pay his life for what he believed.

The man name is Jesus. After his death, temples will be built for him across the four corners of the planet. Magnificient churches and humble huts still celebrate his name to this very day. And more than half of humanity, people from both christian and muslim faith, believe in his triumphant return.

…

What an incredible story.

And yet it is here, it is there, it is everywhere. In the scriptures, in churches, in prayers, in paintings hanged on walls, in necklesses and tatoos, on t-shirts and scarfs, in cities and in villages, in xmas gifts and eastern eggs, in the memories of previous wars, in current wars as well, and in the sound of ringing bells…

Something must have surely happened two thousands years ago, in this fertile land, on the shores of the mediterranean sea!

…

The picture above is taken by Asri in Manusak Village, a community of ex-refugees, in West Timor, Indonesia. As part of my work with Austcare, we were implementing a support program in the community, and we made a visit from Aceh to Timor in order to launch the support program.

The community consists of refugees who had to flee the violence in East Timor and take refuge in West Timor. They were given a land to settle, but the land is dry, and they lack everything: food, hygiene, water, and sanitation.

In this dry land where everything is missing, the community built itself a humble church, so humble that without the hanging wooden cross you would never guess its actually a church. In this simple hut, there are no ornaments, no golden altars, no fancy priests clothes and jewel crowns. And yet in this desolate place, this chapel stands more magnificient in its poverty than any other.

I can imagine how one day someone from this refugee community gathered two tree troncs from the surrounding fields and shaped a cross with them. He planted the cross in front of the wooden hut, to remember and to remind himslef and everyone around him, that one day a man once claimed: “I am the Light of the World”, and paid his life for it.

…

And so, now I will ask you again the same old question. But before you rush and answer, please take a pause, and think again.

Your answer will determine everyhing in your life.

For this question is the most important of all.

“Who are You?”

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