Geeta Jayanti - Day 1

Gist of Talk given by Pt.Satyavan Mishra at Geeta Ashram on 14 Nov 2006
Translated from Hindi by Suresh Kumar Ranga. Chapter 1
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I bow with respect to Hari Harji Maharaj, Lord Krishna and all Gita devotees who have come to the ashram today.

Out of all the months in Hindu Calendar, the Margsheersh month has special significance. It was on the Second Ekadashi or the 11th day, the Geeta's message was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. Today is the 1st chapter discussion. Since there is only 25 mins the talk will be precise.

First of all, we discuss on Kurukshetra, the battlefield of Mahabharata. Actually the place Kursukshetra is a holy place. According to Puranas, just a thought of visiting this place itself is strong enough to wash away one sins. So why is this place called dharmakshetre, kurukshetre. The place kurukshetra was not a fertile place. Crops were rare. When the learned men in those days thought of the solution of the problem, they came out with a way that, if the King himself ploughs the fields, it would turn fertile. The King did the same as advised, and the place became a very fertile plane. (as it is even to this day). The king was no other than Raja Kuru. Hence the place became Kurukshetra.

Now why dharmakshetra? Parsuram (one of the dashavtars of Lord Vishnu) had killed 21 Kshatriya kings, who had misruled at that time. It was necessary because they were evil. To uphold the righteousness or dharma, Parsuramji had done this. Hence this place also came to be known as dharmakshetra.

Lord Krishna, knew very well that the war was inevitable. So he thought of what place should it be fought. He sent his diplomats to find if such a suitable exists. The diplomats came with this place Kurukhetra. Lord Krishna asked them, why this place was suitable. The diplomats said theat, during olden time, Shravan Kumar had visited this place. Sharavan kumar's parents were blind. They wanted to visit all the holy places. So he decided to take them to all the holy places. He made two baskets, connected them with a stick and carried them to different places. On his return when he entered Kurushetra, he put them down. He told them, why should he take them to all places. What is his fault, that he has to carry them along. He too had a life to live. But still he continued his journey. Once he left Kurushetra, wisdom struck him. He repented to what he said to his parents and fell on their feets asking for forgiveness. Thus this place, created the delusion even in the most faithful son. Krishna agreed to the place. He thought once the war begins here, even brother, sister, uncles, aunts etc all relations will be forgotten and people will fight the war.

Now who are the Kaurvas and Pandvas. The Kaurvas and Pandvas are of the Kuru dynasty. So what does the word Kuru signify. Kuru means to do work. In Manushya Yoni or Human birth, we have to work. We need to work, rather than in Animal or other forms of life where they are in "bhog yoni". We are in "karm yoni". So kuru means to perform action, Kaurvas are those kurus, who perform action without using their intellect. Pandvas use their intellect while performing actions. Same goes to all of us. When we perform actions for the sake of perfoming it, and do not think of general good, or use out intellect we are like the kauravas, on the other hand if we using our intellect, work for general good in any of our actions and work, we are like the Pandavas.

Since this place was dharmakshetra, before the war began, Krishna, Bheeshma Pitamah, Yudhisthir, Duryodhana all sat together. It was decided that since this is a dharmayudh, there will be some rules followed. Some of them were, fighting would begin at sunrise and stop at sunset. Secondly no body will attack anyone without weapons etc.

Further we see that, Bheeshma was the commander of Kaurvas where as Dhrastadhyumn was the commander of the Pandavas. When the conches were blown prior to start of war, Bheeshma blowed the first conch, where as from Pandvas side, Krishna blew. Krishna was not a party to the war as he had promised. He said he would not take side in fighting. Also notably Dhrastadhyumn blew the conch at the ninth place. So why did this happen this way?

Basically when we do a work, we can either take Anushasan Badh or disciplinary way of doing things, or going by the rule book only. The other way of solving problems or doing a work is by getting the spirit involved as well. We follow the rules but use our spirit as a guiding factor. In other words we just doing go by literal rules but rules with a human touch to it. Kauravas we re pure followers of the rule only, where as Pandavas had the rules but with the spirit. Hence where Kauravas went strictly by military hierarchy while blowing the conches, the Pandavas when by the spiritual seniority.

There are many more examples in our scriptures where we see such example, either in the case of Bharat (Shri Ram's brother) or in case of Shri Ram himself.

Coming back to today's topic, the divya drishti or the divine vision, Vyasji first wanted to give to Raja Dhritrashtra. But then the blind king said, O Sage, I did not get this vision when I wanted. Now if you give me in order to see the battle, I will be seeing dead people only. And so I do not want it, please give it to someone else. Sanjay then got it. Sanjay, means one who is Sam or un affected by turbulences. Who is calm in all situation. Jay means victory. In other words one who has remain neutral to praise or critisizms, in good or adverse situations is a Sanjay.

We close today's discourse as time is up.

Jai Gurudev.