After testing the first atomic bomb, Oppenheimer famously quoted the Bhagavad Gita. He said, "I knew the world wouldn’t be the same. I remembered the line from the Bhagavad Gita where Vishnu is persuading Arjuna to fight. To impress him, he takes on his multi-armed form and says, ‘Now I have become death, destroyer of worlds.’ I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.” 

This is what the scripture really means:

Lord Krishna said, “I have already killed these people. Wake up and do your duty. You’re my instrument. I’m the time.”

Seeing beyond fear

When children go on Ferris wheels, their parents buckle them up. Although there’s fear, the parents are holding their hands. They’re screaming and enjoying themselves at the same time. 

Arjuna said, “I’m going through this terrible phase, seeing the destruction. In the fire, everything's dissolving, including what I considered as the highest, and I see all my relatives getting crushed.” 

A hundred years ago, how many people lived on this planet? What has happened to them all, for instance, those born in the 19th century? Finished!

One day, walk around in the market and look around you. Know that one day all will be gone. This is what Arjuna saw. Suddenly, kings and opponents were dying. 

Vastness and depth of time

Arjun is experiencing a channel through space and time. All lives merge into the unknown. Seven billion lives are going fast. In another 50-100 years, they'll be dead. 
 

The vastness and depth of time are scary. Meditation is scary when the mind is small. Lord Krishna is saying, “I’m the time that scares you. I’m with you.” When time is with you, what is there to fear?

Time has already executed the work. Be a hollow and empty instrument. Whatever your duty is, perform it. If a policeman says he can't control a crowd, a wise person says, “Hey, take your stick and do what's needed. Do justice to yourself.”

God loves two occasions. One is when a doctor tells a patient, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” Another is when a lawyer tells a client, “I’ll win the case for you.” But he has to do it. If he says, “Well, I don’t know. You can give me the case but I may not win,” that won’t suffice.

When you’re a warrior, you’re an instrument. Time alone, beyond space, can tell you the results. Arjuna lost self-confidence. That’s when the Guru told him, “Hey, I’m here. Go ahead and fight.” 

 

Connecting worlds

Krishna wasn’t fond of fighting. Three times he went to the others to make peace. And so, Lord Krishna said, “I’ve already killed them. You just gain credit by doing the job.” 

 

Lord Krishna connects the ethereal, subtle world, and relative worlds. Some live only in the relative world and have no idea about the ethereal, causal, and subtle worlds.

Some just live in the subtle world. They’ve lost touch with the grounded level of reality. They’re also lost. Lord Krishna is the perfect combination of both. He has one foot firmly on the ground. The other one is crossed over the first foot. The toe is touching down, but the rest is in the air. In his very standing, he expressed his stance.

Gratitude takes over

Now Arjuna felt completely safe. He also woke up to the reality that delusion and ignorance have gone. Gratitude took over. Tremendous respect arose in Arjuna, and he folded his hands and keenly observed rejoicing. 

When you’re grateful, your throat chokes and it's normal to fold your hands. Wherever you go, when the heart recognizes greatness, rising and bowing are natural. 

When you come in touch with reality, good people rejoice. While some run away, great men bow, adore, and celebrate. 

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Editor’s note:
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