Mahabharat

Is it a fist of arrogance

or a cupped palm of sacrifice that you have assumed?

Can you digest this fact?

What is this world, Arjun?

Humans, demons, animals, birds

parasites, insects, fishes, trees.

How are all these created?

What substance are they created from?

How do they function and how do they survive?

How do they die?

And what happens after death?

Ponder upon this secret.

A human body is made from dirt, Krishna.

Water flows through it as blood and other humours.

Fire gives the body heat.

And the blank voids in the body consist of space.

Therefore, earth, wind, water, fire and space...

The body is created from these five base elements.

Therefore, Grandsire Bhishma, Master Drona

are nothing more than earth, water, wind

fire and space.

Even the learned scholars are comprised of five base elements

and so are the tyrants.

So, what are you pining for, Arjun?

For dirt?

But Krishna, it is through this body made of dirt

that humans assume their identities.

All bonds are rooted in this body made of dirt.

No, Arjun!

If this were true

then why is one's body destroyed post death?

In reality

neither is one's identity from his body

nor are his relationships rooted in his body.

One's behaviour and his nature

and his deeds are his identity.

How are behaviour, nature

and deeds even created?

Comprehend that, Arjun!

A human life

is a mere harmony of visible and invisible entities, Arjun.

Yet every human's nature

and his deeds

seem to vary vastly.

The reason for it is the three 'Gunas'* of nature. *Operational principles or tendencies.

'Tamas',* 'Rajas'** and 'Sattva'***. *Negative, lethargic, dull, or slow. **Change, movement or dynamism. ***Balance, order, or purity.

What are these three properties, Krishna?

'Tamas' means darkness.

Spending one's life without presuming about good or bad

is said to be 'Tamas' oriented behaviour.

Just as birds and animals live

solely to fulfill their bodily cravings.

'Sattva' means the light of knowledge.

When a person, in every circumstance

thinks about justice, truth

and tradition before acting

then it is termed as 'Sattva' oriented way of life.

Amidst these two is such a person

who does possess knowledge

but he is also tethered to the desires of body and mind.

Such a person lives with an arrogant

which means, 'Rajas' oriented mindset.

By the very balance

of 'Tamas', 'Rajas' and 'Sattva' 'Gunas'

a man's nature is determined.

Look ahead, Arjun!

What 'Gunas' do you see in all of them?

Prince Duryodhan knows what is just

but he never acts upon them.

His life revolves around arrogance.

Therefore, he possesses less of 'Tamas'.

He possesses more of 'Rajas'

and 'Sattva' is totally absent.

And over there is Prince Dushyasan.

He has always obeyed his elder brother's orders

without any forethought.

Therefore, he possesses only 'Tamas'.

Look at Grandsire Bhishma as well, Arjun.

He possesses balanced amounts of 'Sattva' and 'Tamas'.

He harbours no arrogance.

But he is bound by outdated thoughts and old traditions.

Even when the need arises he cannot break his oath.

Look at Master Drona!

He possesses both knowledge and arrogance.

Knowledge liberates a human.

But his arrogance won't let him attain liberation.

But Krishna

if a human's nature is the union of these three 'Gunas'

is a human's actions predestined?

That a lion shall devour a gazelle

and a gazelle is bound to fear a lion.

Then why is justice vital?

Why do crimes need to be punished?

What is the purpose of that?

A brilliant question, Arjun!

But first comprehend what a human being is!

A human isn't just the union of the five base elements.

Not just five entities.

Five 'Gyanendriyas',* five 'Karmendriyas'** *Sensory organs: Akshi (The Eyes), Karna (The Ears), Nasika (The Nostrils), Jihwa (The Tongue), Twacha (The Skin). **

and three 'Gunas'...

Not even just the union of 23 such entities.

In order for a human to walk around function

he needs energy.

And energy is termed as 'Chetana'.* *Chaitanya: 'consciousness' or 'universal CHUT' or 'spirit' or 'intelligence' or 'sensation'.

So, Krishna, is a human comprised of 'Chetana'?

No, Arjuna!

Along with a human's 'Chetana' the union of those 23 entities

is creation.

Residing in this device called human made of 24 entities

is a 'man', which means a fragment of God.

That is termed the soul.

When the creation and man become one

which means, when a fragment of God

resides in one's body as a soul

that is when a human comes to life.

What is a soul, Krishna?

And what is the means of comprehending it?

Just as a human uses a chariot

similarly the soul uses this device called a body.

Through the medium of a body

it experiences the joys and sorrows of the body.

But the soul is not the body, Arjun.

The body can be destroyed.

But a soul cannot be destroyed.

"Nainam chhindanti shastrani, nainam dahati pavakah"

"na chamam kkadayanti apo, na sosayati marutah."

A soul can neither be pierced by weapons

nor can it be burnt with fire.

Nor can water render it weak, nor can the wind dry it.

Even though a soul resides in the body

it is immortal!

"Na hanyak: hanyamane sharire."

Arjun, a body can be killed

but the soul cannot be killed!

A soul is omnipresent, intangible, stable.

It is eternal.