I used to be worried about what other people thought about me. At times, you might have experienced the same. It was interesting when I discovered that this is what happened in Mahabharata too! It is intriguing how Krishna guides Arjuna amidst the chaos on the Kurukshetra battlefield.
Gita is about harmony amidst chaos. Bliss amidst suffering. Wisdom amidst foolishness. Light in darkness. Immortality in a place where everything is dying.
The first chapter of Gita
Arjuna Vishada Yoga (The distress of Arjuna, The war within, or Arjuna's sorrow) is the first chapter of the Gita. Arjuna is lamenting and suddenly wakes up with the blow of the conches on the Kurukshetra battlefield.
As a seeker of knowledge, he says, “Krishna, please put my chariot in between so that I can see with whom I am fighting.” If you are already on one side, you can't see both sides. Krishna, the embodiment of knowledge, knows exactly where to park the chariot from where you can see things impartially.
Different people have different opinions
If you are part of a group, you can never see reality the way it is. Arjuna looked at the other side. He felt weaker as he felt a connection with them. Arjuna's heart was melting as he was fighting against his people. On the other hand, when Duryodhana looked at the other side, he was angry and hateful towards his people. Two individuals of the same family had different opinions about the same fight.
The difference in opinions is due to their different upbringing, experiences, perspectives, understanding, feelings, beliefs and desires.
In life, you will find some wonderful people who are disliked and negated by a few. The opposite is also true. Many people who do horrible things in life are praised by a handful of people too.
Follow Dharma irrespective of opinions
You are many times faced with varied opinions, and you may not be sure of the path to tread. You may then lose confidence in yourself, in the Divine, and in the integrity of individuals around you. You may also be shaken by others’ opinions, and also by your imagination regarding others’ opinions. The Gita shows you the way to transcend all opinions by following your dharma, your true nature. Dharma always considers the welfare of others. Thus, irrespective of opinion, carry out action keeping the collective good in mind.
Anjali shares her Sudarshan Kriya experience, “It gave me the confidence to smile.”
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Finally, whatever others think about you, recognize them as only the guiding line and let them not affect your peace of mind.
Based on Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s talk - Freedom from opinions
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FAQs
When Arjuna comprehended his genuine nature and the idea of the multitude of adversaries before him, his perception changed. He battled the conflict by relying upon Krishna. Krishna, the Divine places you in that situation where you can see the other side. While viewing the other side, many conflicts and opinions might appear before you. The Gita, the song of the Divine, guides you to go beyond opinions and follow your dharma, your true nature. In this pandemic, the news is flooded with opinions and polls. The Gita can help millions to come out of their anxieties in life.
'Bharata' means brilliance. 'Mahabharata' means the greatest of brilliance. This brilliance has a song and rhythm to it, which is the Gita.
While war brings disharmony, music brings harmony. On a battlefield, brilliance is far away. But when there is war, wisdom is the most essential. Singing the song of wisdom, not in a palace but amidst war is the brilliance of divinity. That is the brilliance of the Gita.
