What More Can Even The Lord Do?
H H Maa Purnananda
“Sarvdharmaan Parityajya Maamekam Sharnam Vraja; Aham Tva Sarvpaapebhyah Mokshayishyaami Ma Shuchah.” – (Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – 18/66)
When the reader comes across the type of Shlok given above, he gets perplexed and almost wants to reject the very scriptures, instead of trying to understand it more carefully! Lord Sree Krishna almost commands the great warrior Arjun to abandon all his Dharm-s and take refuge in Sree Krishna alone; and, assures him of salvation from all his sins. So, what exactly the Lord means by saying so? Does He want Arjun to drop his Dharm – his religion? Is He talking about his Varn-Aashram Dharm, Kuladharm, his Dharm towards his family or the society?
Excerpt from Gurudev’s commentary on Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta – “Philosophers in India were never satisfied with a negative approach in their instructions; there are more Do’s than Don’ts with them. This practical nature of our philosophy, which is native to our tradition, is amply illustrated in this stanza when Lord Krishna commands His devotees to come to His shelter whereby they can accomplish the renunciation of all their false identifications.”
One must clear any such doubt that might unfortunately prop up in his untamed and misguided mind, towards such a profound lesson of human life given by none other than the Lord Himself!
The word ‘Dharm’ needs to be understood with a deeper insight. Apart from the various aspects mentioned above, essentially, ‘Dharm’ is the very ‘law of being’. Hence, nothing can continue its existence when once it has lost its ‘Dharm’. An egocentric being identifies with all the above-mentioned aspects of Dharm due to the play of ego and keeps acquiring mortal life through innumerable transmigrations. No matter how hard and diligently he tries to live up to all of these Dharm-s, yet he remains entangled in mortality.
There is this fundamental misfire which causes this unfortunate happening! The root cause of ignorance and mortality being the ‘ego’ and its false identifications, the being gets stuck in the nitty-gritties of the Dharm-s pertaining to the false world but completely neglects the Dharm of its Essential Existence, the Self Itself! Of course, it is very important for a human being to carefully perform and practice all Dharm-s pertaining to the world too, but at the same time, surely not to be completely negligent and ignorant about the Essential Dharm!
While identifying with the body, mind and intellect, the egocentric individual lives as a perceiver, feeler and thinker and therefore thinks that the Dharm-s of these three equipment are important and ultimate. The Lord here explains Arjun to give up all these non-essential Dharm-s and to take refuge in Him alone. In other words, renouncing all these Dharm-s means ending the ‘ego’ and hence saving oneself from the dire consequence of transmigrations.
But, to arrive at such a state of mind when the mind is no more extrovert and indulgent into the worldly objects, the mankind is advised by the Men-of-Wisdom to practice all these Dharm-s as previously mentioned. Once a certain amount of withdrawal is practiced by the individual and subsequently he finds himself to be well established in mental equilibrium and tranquillity, thereafter he could pursue single-pointed devotion and complete surrender at the Holy-feet of the Lord, with sincere and focused approach.
Such a devout devotee is assured of refuge by the Lord Himself, and subsequent salvation from all his sins. What more can even the Lord do? How can then such a devout devotee of the Lord have any grief anyway?
On the auspicious day of Sree Krishna Janm, this year falling on Saturday 24th August, join us at SISS and once again commit yourself at the Holy-feet of Yogeshwar Sree Krishna to seek His blessings.