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Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki: Episode Discussion Thread - 23
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai July 29, 2025 Episode Discussion Thread
BALH Naya Season EDT Week #7: July 28-Aug 1
MAIRA IS SAD 😞28.7
CRYING FAMILY 29.7
Gen 5 Storyline
Anupamaa 29 July 2025 Written Update & Daily Discussions Thread
In the ruins....I found you ❤️-A Prashiv ss
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 30 July 2025 EDT
If you had the power of vanishing one nepo kid?
Will Dhadak 2 surpass Saiyaara? 😎
Kyunki Saas bhi kabhi Bahu thi 2 : EDT # 1
Will WAR 2 Surpass Saiyaara
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Official Trailer - Andaaz 2
Who did it better?
Anupama back to Shah house , at Baa's feet !
21 years of Mujhse Shaadi Karogi
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Bala Krishna dancing, sculpture from National Museum, New Delhi.
The scene on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, notably where he addresses Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, is another common subject for representation. In these depictions, he is shown as a man, often with typical god-like characteristics of Hindu religious art, such as multiple arms or heads, denoting power, and with attributes of Vishnu, such as the chakra or in his two-armed form as a charioteer.
A 800 B? cave paintings in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, North India, which show raiding horse-charioteers, one of whom is about to hurl such a wheel could potentially be identified as Krishna
Representations in temples often show Krishna as a man standing in an upright, formal pose. He may be alone, or with associated figures:his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra, or his main queens Rukmini and Satyabhama.
Often, Krishna is pictured with his gopi-consort Radha. Manipuri Vaishnavas do not worship Krishna alone, but as Radha Krishna, a combined image of Krishna and Radha. This is also a characteristic of the schools Rudra and Nimbarka sampradaya as well as that of Swaminarayan faith. The traditions celebrate Radha Ramana murti, who is viewed by Gaudiyas as a form of Radha Krishna.
Krishna is also depicted and worshipped as a small child (Bala Krishna, bala k???a the child Krishna), crawling on his hands and knees or dancing, often with butter or Laddu in his hand being Laddu Gopal. Regional variations in the iconography of Krishna are seen in his different forms, such as Jaganatha of Orissa, Vithoba of Maharashtra and Shrinathji in Rajasthan.
Once battle seemed inevitable, Krishna offered both sides the opportunity to choose between having either his army called narayani sena or himself alone, but on the condition that he personally would not raise any weapon. Arjuna, on behalf of the Pandavas, chose to have Krishna on their side, and Duryodhana, Kaurava prince, chose Krishna's army. At the time of the great battle, Krishna acted as Arjuna's charioteer, since this position did not require the wielding of weapons.
Upon arrival at the battlefield, and seeing that the enemies are his family, his grandfather, his cousins and loved ones, Arjuna becomes doubtful about fight. He lost all his hopes and put down his Gandiv(Arjuna's bow). Krishna then advises him about the battle, with the conversation soon extending into a discourse which was later compiled as the Bhagavad Gita.
Krishna had a profound effect on the Mahabharata war and its consequences. He considered the Kurukshetra war as a last resort by voluntarily making himself as a messenger in order to establish peace between the Pandavas and Kauravas. But, once these peace negotiations failed and was embarked into the war, then he became a ruthless strategist. During the war, upon becoming angry with Arjun for not fighting in true spirit against his ancestors, Krishna once picked up a carriage wheel and converted it to a Chakra (discus) to challenge Bhishma when the latter injured him. Upon seeing this, Bhishma dropped his weapons and asked Krishna to kill him. However, Arjuna apologized to Krishna, promising that he would fight with full dedication hereafter, and the battle continued. Krishna had directed Yudhisthira and Arjuna to return to Bhishma the boon of "victory" which he had given to Yudhisthira before the war commenced, since he himself was standing in their way to victory. Bhishma understood the message and told them the means through which he would drop his weapons'which was if a woman entered the battlefield. Next day, upon Krishna's directions, Shikhandi (Amba reborn) accompanied Arjuna to the battlefield and thus, Bhishma laid down his arms. This was a decisive moment in the war because Bhishma was the chief commander of the Kaurava army and the most formidable warrior on the battlefield. Krishna aided Arjuna in killing Jayadratha, who had held the other four Pandava brothers at bay while Arjuna's son Abhimanyu entered Drona's Chakravyuha formation'an effort in which he got killed by the simultaneous attack of eight Kaurava warriors. Krishna also caused the downfall of Drona, when he signalled Bhima to kill an elephant called Ashwatthama, the namesake of Drona's son. Pandavas started shouting that Ashwatthama was dead but Drona refused to believe them saying he would believe it only if he heard it from Yudhisthira. Krishna knew that Yudhisthira would never tell a lie, so he devised a clever ploy so that Yudhisthira wouldn't lie and at the same time Drona would be convinced of his son's death. On asked by Drona, Yudhisthira proclaimed
Ashwathama Hatahath, naro va Kunjaro va
i.e. Ashwathama had died but he was nor sure whether it was a Drona's son or an elephant. But as soon as Yudhisthira had uttered the first line, Pandava army on Krishna's direction broke into celebration with drums and conchs, in the din of which Drona could not hear the second part of the Yudhisthira's declaration and assumed that his son indeed was dead. Overcome with grief he laid down his arms, and on Krishna's instruction Dhrishtadyumna beheaded Drona.
When Arjuna was fighting Karna, the latter's chariot's wheels sank into the ground. While Karna was trying to take out the chariot from the grip of the Earth, Krishna reminded Arjuna how Karna and the other Kauravas had broken all rules of battle while simultaneously attacking and killing Abhimanyu, and he convinced Arjuna to do the same in revenge in order to kill Karna. During the final stage of the war, when Duryodhana was going to meet his mother Gandhari for taking her blessings which would convert all parts of his body on which her sight falls to steel, Krishna tricks him to wearing banana leaves to hide his groin. When Duryodhana meets Gandhari, her vision and blessings fall on his entire body except his groin and thighs, and she becomes unhappy about it because she was not able to convert his entire body to steel. When Duryodhana was in a mace-fight with Bhima, Bhima's blows had no effect on Duryodhana. Upon this, Krishna reminded Bhima of his vow to kill Duryodhana by hitting him on the thigh, and Bhima did the same to win the war despite it being against the rules of mace-fight (since Duryodhana had himself broken Dharma in all his past acts). Thus, Krishna's unparalleled strategy helped the Pandavas win the Mahabharata war by bringing the downfall of all the chief Kaurava warriors, without lifting any weapon. He also brought back to life Arjuna's grandson Parikshit, who had been attacked by a Brahmastra weapon from Ashwatthama while he was in his mother's womb. Parikshit became the Pandavas' successor.
Krishna had a total of 16,108 wives, out of which eight were his princely wives and 16,100 were rescued from Narakasura, who had forcibly kept them in his harem, but all of them are considered to be incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi.
The first son of Queen Rukmini was Pradyumna, and also born of her were Charudeshna, Sudeshna and the powerful Charudeha, along with Sucharu, Chharugupta, Bhadracaru, Charuchandra, Vicaru and Caru, the tenth. Pradyumna fathered the greatly powerful Aniruddha in the womb of Rukmavati, the daughter of Rukmi. This took place while they were living in the city of Bhojakata.
The ten sons of Satyabhama were Bhanu, Subhanu, Svarbhanu, Prabhanu, Bhanuman, Chandrabhanu, Brihadbhanu, Atibhanu (the eighth), Sribhanu and Pratibhanu.
Samba, Sumitra, Purujit, Satajit, Sahasrajit, Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasuman, Dravida and Kratu were the sons of Jambavati. These ten, headed by Samba, were their father's favorites.
The sons of Nagnajiti were Vira, Candra, Asvasena, Citragu, Vegavan, Vrisha, Ama, Sanku, Vasu and the opulent Kunti.
Sruta, Kavi, Vrisha, Vira, Subahu, Bhadra, Santi, Darsa and Purnamasa were sons of Kalindi. Her youngest son was Somaka.
Madra's sons were Praghosha, Gatravan, Simha, Bala, Prabala, Urdhaga, Mahasakti, Saha, Oja and Aparajita.
Mitravinda's sons were Vrika, Harsha, Anila, Gridhra, Vardhana, Unnada, Mahamsa, Pavana, Vahni and Kshudhi.
Sangramajit, Brihatsena, Sura, Praharana, Arijith, Jaya and Subhadra were the sons of Bhadra, together with Vama, Ayur and Satyaka.
Diptiman, Tamratapta and others were the sons of Lord Krishna and Rohini.
At a festival, a fight broke out between the Yadavas who exterminated each other. His elder brother Balarama then gave up his body using Yoga. Krishna retired into the forest and sat under a tree in meditation. While the Mahabharata narrates the story that a hunter named Jara mistook his partly visible left foot for a deer and shot an arrow wounding him mortally; while Krishna's soul ascended to heaven, his mortal body was cremated by Arjuna.
According to Puranic sources, Krishna's disappearance marks the end of Dvapara Yuga and the start of Kali Yuga, which is dated to February 17/18, 3102 BCE. Vaishnava teachers such as Ramanujacharya and Gaudiya Vaishnavas held the view that the body of Krishna is completely spiritual and never decays as this appears to be the perspective of the Bhagavata Purana. Krishna never appears to grow old or age at all in the historical depictions of the Puranas despite passing of several decades, but there are grounds for a debate whether this indicates that he has no material body, since battles and other descriptions of the Mahabharata epic show clear indications that he seems to be subject to the limitations of nature. While battles apparently seem to indicate limitations, Mahabharatha also shows in many places where Krishna is not subject to any limitations as through episodes Duryodhana trying to arrest Krishna where his body burst into fire showing all creation within him. Krishna is also explicitly described as without deterioration elsewhere.
Jai Shri Krishna
The Bhagavad-gita ("song of God") is the record of a conversation that took place between Lord Krishna and the great warrior Arjuna in approximately 3,000 b.c. Krishna, standing with Arjuna on a chariot between two massive armies poised for war, explained to him the details of spirit, matter, and the controller of both. For the past five thousand years scholars all over the world have struggled to understand the meaning of Bhagavad- gita, but many have failed to grasp the key to this understanding: recognition that Krishna, the original speaker of Bhagavad-gita, is a person, the Supreme Person.
In common usage the word person refers to an individual being, distinct from others. A person has form, qualities, and a history by which others can identify and describe him. A person can express himself and understand 'the expressions of others; he has feelings and desires and can share relationships. In the context of Bhagavad- gita, the word person refers not only to the limited mortals of this world but also to higher beings, such as demigods, and to God Himself.
It is on this issue of the personality of God that the two major classes of Bhagavad-gita scholars divide. The impersonalists, or mayavadis, believe that God has no form, qualities, or activities. They conceive of Him as a shapeless, impersonal entity, often as an all-pervading white light. And since the mayavadis believe that God, or the Absolute Truth, is without varieties, they also maintain that all varieties are false, or illusory. According to the mayavadis, whatever form, color, sound, taste, smell, or touch we perceive is unreal, and thus personality and personal relationships are also unreal. The impersonalists' ultimate goal is to lose all personal identity and merge with an impersonal God.
The personalistic Bhagavad-gita scholars reject the idea that God is a formless entity. On the contrary, the personalists, or Vaishnavas, maintain that God's personal form is the source of all others. Some varieties, they say, are temporary and in that sense illusory, but others are permanent and real. According to the Vaishnavas, God and His abode possess eternal forms that can be realized and attained. Thus the ultimate goal of the personalists is to perfect their relationship with God through service and love.
When these two groups'the impersonalists and the personalists'approach Bhagavad-gita, their conclusions naturally differ. The impersonalists believe that Krishna, the speaker of the Gita, is an ordinary man, a historical or even mythical figure. He is a mouthpiece, they say, for the higher, impersonal truth that is God. The impersonalists believe that the statements of the Gita should not be taken literally; rather, they should be interpreted in one's own way. To them, Bhagavad-gita is an allegory, a mere story containing hidden philosophical meanings, understandable by deliberation and interpretation.
Personalists, on the other hand, accept Krishna as the Supreme Godhead. Therefore they regard the statements in the Gita as the Lord's direct instructions for our benefit. Rather than interpret the words of the Bhagavad- gita, the personalists understand them according to their literal meaning.
Objectively speaking, there is no need to interpret the statements of Bhagavad-gita, because interpretation only covers their authority. The verses of Bhagavad- gita are as clear and bright as the sun, and interpretation is like a cloud that obscures their light. A statement needs interpretation when its meaning is unclear. For example, if I say, "The village is on the Ganges," someone may require an interpretation, because on the Ganges may mean either "on the bank of the Ganges" or (by some stretch of the imagination) "on the surface of the Ganges." In Bhagavad- gita, however, the meaning is simple and clear. There is no interpretation required. Still, people interpret it. Why?
First, though the meaning is clear, persons confused about spiritual life cannot understand even the simple concepts presented in Bhagavad-gita. Therefore they derive their own explanations of Krishna's words. Second, many cheaters and hypocrites twist and distort the meaning of the Gita to spread their own self-motivated doctrines. They know that Bhagavad-gita has been popular for thousands of years. Taking advantage of this popularity, they hope to gain an audience for their views, which they pass off before the public as commentaries on the Gita. Krishna Himself, however, neither sanctions their ideas nor gives any conclusive evidence in Bhagavad-gita to support them.
An interpretation of Krishna's words that ascribes to them a meaning different from their original grammatical and semantic sense can only mislead the reader. Krishna's teachings are meant for the enlightenment of anyone who hears them, but one must accept them as they are in order to receive their beneficial effect.
Hridayananda dasa Goswami
The Sanskrit word "dharma" has joined "yoga" and "karma" in common English usage. dharma is often taken to mean "religion" or "duty." But these meanings are incomplete. In the Gita, Lord Krishna refers to dharma in progressively deeper ways, shedding light on the meaning of the term and its importance for personal spiritual growth.
In life we all encounter ethical conflicts, although perhaps less dramatically than Arjuna. As we shall see, the Gita helps us make intelligent decisions by showing how ordinary piety fails to deliver the endless satisfaction of service to God.
Dharma is the first word in the Bhagavad-gita. The great work begins when the blind old king Dhritarashtra asks his secretary, Sanjaya, about the battle that was to take place at "the field of dharma" (dharma-kshetra). Dhritarashtra, knowing his sons to be evil, worried that the spiritual influence of the dharma field would favor the pious Pandavas. As the Gita's first chapter unfolds, Arjuna also grows wary of the influence of dharma. He fears that his, and Krishna's, participation in the war will lead to a violation of dharma and perpetual residence in hell.
In the name of dharma, Arjuna argues for nonviolence by assuming that to attack and kill so many leading men, nearly all of whom are fathers and husbands, will destabilize the important families and communities for which these men are responsible. The families themselves are vital to the peace and virtue of society. Arjuna's argument, literally translated, proceeds as follows:
On destruction of the family, the perennial family dharmas perish. When dharma perishes, adharma [the opposite of dharma] overwhelms the entire family. From the predominance of adharma, O Krishna, the family women are polluted. When the women are polluted, O Varshneya, a confusion of social orders arises. This confusion leads only to hell both for the destroyers of families and for the family. Certainly the forefathers fall [from heaven] since the ritual offerings of food and water are suspended. By these crimes of the family killers, who propagate a confusion of social classes, community dharmas and the everlasting family dharmas are devastated. We have always heard, O Janardana, that those men who devastate family dharmas have their residence fixed in hell.
—Bhagavad-gita 1.39-43
Arjuna has sounded a familiar theme from many Vedic books, namely that dharma protects when it is protected, but injures when it is injured. Arjuna would be killing kings in the battlefield, virtually all of whom protected at least the basic rules of dharma in regard to ethics, social order, and traditional, worldly religious rites.
Lord Krishna is about to teach His friend Arjuna that above even dharma is God, who, for His own reasons, desires this battle. Lord Krishna rejects Arjuna's argument as mere "weakness of heart" (hridaya-daurbalyam) and "impotence" (klaibyam) and urges Arjuna to fight.
Despite his previous arguments on the basis of dharma, Arjuna now admits that he is actually "confused in mind about dharma" (dharma-sammudha-cetah).(Bg. 2.7) Arjuna then gives up his arguments and surrenders to Lord Krishna as his spiritual master, and Lord Krishna begins teaching the Bhagavad-gita in earnest.
Lord Krishna does not at once address Arjuna's argument about dharma, as we would expect in a typical debate. Rather, the Lord first reveals to Arjuna, in twenty verses (Bg. 2.11- 30) the eternal nature of the soul. Then the Lord comes back to the topic of dharma, to show that it is Arjuna who is neglecting his dharma by refusing to fight: "And even considering your personal dharma as well, it is not right for you to hesitate. There is nothing better for a warrior than a fight based on dharma." (Bg. 2.31)
It is significant here that after a thorough explanation of the eternal soul, the Lord mentions dharma as an additional point to consider. From other scriptures one may get the impression that life is meant to practice dharma. But we find in the Bhagavad-gita that dharma itself is meant to assist the real goal of life: understanding the eternal soul and its relationship with the Supreme Soul, Krishna.
Lord Krishna concludes this brief reference to dharma as one's personal duty by saying, "Now if you do not execute this battle, then having given up your personal dharma and reputation, you shall incur sin." (Bg. 2.33)
Arjuna previously argued that if he and Krishna were to fight the Battle of Kurukshetra, they would be destroying dharma and incurring sin. Now Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that the truth is just the contrary. By not fighting, Arjuna would be rejecting dharma—in fact, his personal dharma—and thus incurring sin.
Throughout the rest of the Gita, Lord Krishna speaks of dharma in terms of His own teaching of spiritual knowledge and not directly in response to Arjuna's argument about dharma as ordinary religious and moral practices.
Having explained the soul as distinct from the material body, Lord Krishna now states (Bg 2.39) that what He has just taught Arjuna is "real intelligence or understanding"(buddhi), and that He has taught it "in a philosophical sense" (sankhye). Now, says the Lord, He will talk about the same buddhi, or spiritual intelligence, but "in practice" (yoge). And it is precisely this applied spiritual understanding (buddhir yoge) to which Lord Krishna now gives the name dharma: "Even a very small amount of this dharma saves one from great danger, for there is no loss in such an endeavor, and it knows no diminution." (Bg. 2.40)
Lord Krishna's next reference to dharma reinforces his earlier statement that Arjuna must perform his own dharma, and not neglect it in the name of dharma. Arjuna can neither protect dharma nor keep himself on the spiritual platform if he abandons the duties born of his nature. Thus the Lord says: "One's own dharma, performed imperfectly, is better than another's dharma well performed. Destruction in one's own dharma is better, for to perform another's dharma leads to danger." (Bg. 3.35)
In the fourth chapter Lord Krishna reveals that He appears in this world to protect the principles of dharma and curtail the destructive influence of adharma: "Certainly whenever a decline of dharma occurs, O Bharata [Arjuna], and an uprising of adharma, I then manifest My Self. To deliver the saintly and vanquish the evil-doers, to reestablish dharma, I appear in every age." (Bg. 4.7- 8)
It is clear in this context that a sadhu, a saintly or good person, is one who follows dharma, whereas an evil-doer, duskrit, is one who practices and promotes adharma. So Krishna Himself vows to reestablish dharma, upholding those who support dharma and vanquishing those who oppose it.
Thus the complete picture begins to emerge. An effective government must not only create laws but enforce them as well. Similarly, the Supreme Lord brings forth His law as dharma. When obedience to His law collapses and human beings propagate instead their own illicit "law," the Lord descends to protect the good citizens of His kingdom, vanquish the outlaws who practice adharma, and reestablish in human society the prestige and power of His will.
We can now see why Arjuna's initial argument, that to obey Lord Krishna and fight would go against dharma, cannot be correct. dharma is nothing but the Lord's will. For Arjuna to fight, then, is true dharma.
As further emphasis of this point, Lord Krishna later states that even activities that appear to be most mundane, such as fighting or sexual intercourse, can be performed on the spiritual platform if done according to dharma: "And I am the strength of the strong, devoid of lust and attachment. O best of the Bharatas, I am sex not contrary to dharma." (Bg. 7.11)
Lord Krishna again speaks of dharma in the ninth chapter when he declares that spiritual knowledge of Himself is dharmya, or conducive to and consistent with dharma: "I shall speak to you, who are free of envy, this most confidential knowledge, together with its realized discernment, knowing which you shall be freed of the inauspicious. This knowledge is the king of sciences, the king of secrets, and the supreme purifier. Understood by direct perception, it is conducive to dharma, very easy to perform, and everlasting. People who do not place their faith in this dharma, O burner of the foe, do not attain Me but return to the path of death and material existence." (Bg. 9.1- 3)
It is significant that Lord Krishna here repeats the words "this dharma" (asya dharmasya) noted earlier: "Even a very small amount of this dharma saves one from great danger, for there is no loss in such an endeavor, and it knows no diminution." (Bg. 2.40)
Clearly Lord Krishna reserves the phrase "this dharma" for discussions of Krishna consciousness, pure devotion to the Lord. In Chapter Nine "this dharma" refers to the supreme process, which Lord Krishna calls "very easy to perform" (susukham kartum): the devotional service of the Lord—the only process praised in the chapter. In marked contrast, Lord Krishna criticizes the ordinary Vedic dharma by which one seeks residence in Indra's heaven:
"Those who follow the science of the three Vedas and drink the Soma, their sins purified, aspire to go to heaven through sacrifices. Having reached the pious world of the king of gods, they partake in heaven of the celestial enjoyments of the gods. Having enjoyed the vast world of heaven, they fall to the mortal world when their piety is exhausted. Thus those who desire sense gratification, and who have consistently resorted to the dharma of the three Vedas, achieve only going and coming." (Bg. 9.20-21)
Thus Lord Krishna starkly contrasts the ordinary dharma of the Vedas with "this dharma," which is pure devotional service to Krishna. Krishna concludes the important ninth chapter by showing the power of this dharma, unalloyed Krishna consciousness, to purify and save the soul: "Even if a man has grossly misbehaved, if he worships Me and is devoted to Me exclusively he is certainly to be considered a sadhu [good person], for he has actually come to a perfect determination. Quickly he becomes a righteous soul [dharma-atma] and attains to lasting peace. O son of Kunti, proclaim that My devotee is never lost!" (Bg. 9.30-31)
It is simply on the strength of devotion to Krishna that even a man of terrible conduct quickly becomes devoted to dharma. There is no corresponding assurance in the Bhagavad- gita that practice of ordinary Vedic dharma will make one a pure devotee of the Lord. Rather, the fruit of trayi- dharma, the religious duties of the three Vedas, is that one goes up to the mundane heaven and falls again to the mortal earth.
Thus for one exclusively devoted to God, Krishna (bhajate mam ananya-bhak), a solid standing on the highest platform of dharma comes automatically.
Now that Lord Krishna has explained "this dharma" (asya dharmasya), which leads to His eternal abode, we can better understand Arjuna's statement in the eleventh chapter that Lord Krishna is the protector of "everlasting (shashvata) dharma": "You are the indestructible, the supreme object of knowledge. You are the transcendental receptacle of this universe. You are inexhaustible, the protector of everlasting dharma. I conclude that You are the eternal person." (Bg. 11.18)
Lord Krishna later declares as much in the fourteenth chapter: "Indeed, I am the foundation ofBrahman[spirit], and of unending immortality, and of everlasting dharma, and of the ultimate happiness." (Bg. 14.27)
In the last verse of the twelfth chapter also, Lord Krishna indicates that there is a truly eternal dharma: "But those who fully honor this immortal nectar of dharma as it has been spoken [by Me], having faith, taking Me as supreme—those devotees are exceedingly dear to Me." (Bg. 12.20)
The eighteenth and final chapter of the Bhagavad- gita summarizes the entire text. In this chapter Lord Krishna refers three times to dharma, the first being a reaffirmation of His earlier admonition to perform one's own, and not another's, dharma: "It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly." (Bg. 18.47)
But beyond this, we have seen that the Bhagavad- gita begins where ordinary Vedic dharma leaves off. Lord Krishna has indicated this in various ways. Here, at the end of His teaching, the Lord most dramatically declares that full surrender to the Supreme Lord stands above the entire range of sacred duties known generally as dharma: "Renouncing all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone. Have no regret, for I shall free you from all sins." (Bg. 18.66)
Thus, surrender to Krishna, as declared in the ninth chapter, is the highest duty of the soul and therefore the supreme dharma. All other dharmas are preliminary duties, meant to bring one to the highest spiritual understanding of Krishna consciousness. Such conventional dharmas are useful until one comes to the point of utter surrender to God. So there is nothing incoherent when the Lord finally declares that the entire Bhagavad-gita is conducive to dharma, in all its aspects: "And if one will study this dharmya conversation of ours, he will indeed worship Me by the sacrifice of knowledge. That is My opinion." (Bg. 18.70)
A lot of us do not seem to know the difference between the Shrimad Bhaagvad and the Bhagvad Geeta.
The Shrimad Bhagvad is a 'Purana' (ancient scripture)
It is believed that even if one reads a very small portion of the Shrimad Bhaagvad, Mukti (Liberation from the cycles of Birth and Death) is assured.
You may have attended a discourse of The Shrimad Bhaagvad at the 1st year death ceremony of a relative or a friend. And chances are that you may have not followed much of the narration, except for probably, the story of Lord Krishna and Lord Rama
The Shrimad Bhaagvad is tremendous!
It deals with the Creation of the Universe.
In it, is narrated the lives of the different Incarnations of God
And every Hindu should READ it at least once during their lifetime, because no amount of lecturing will do it justice.
(I took 12 years to lecture on it at the rate of once a week, and I am not even a shade learned on the subject)
The Shrimad Bhagvad will teach us:
How to live in the house and not to have the house live in us (Without getting attached to it)
Real Bhakti (Devotion) need not be only practiced in a place of worship, or at a particular time or in a particular way.
The real connection with devotion is through the heart.
He is required to follow rules, regulations and rituals whose heart is not totally immersed in love.
It has been promised in the Shrimad Bhaagvad that he who devotes two and a half hours everyday in thinking of the Lord, his needs will totally be taken care of by the Almighty.
The Shrimad Bhaagvad exudes Knowledge and Devotion. Its stories are pregnant with moral, symbolic and practical value.
Allow me to narrate to you one of them.
King Parikshit was given a curse whereby he was supposed to die, after 7 days of being bitten by a poisonous snake.
The anxiety that one feels at the time of death is not entirely due to the pain of separating from the body, but due to the fear of the sins that one may have committed. One will have to stand trial for ones actions, and it is the fear of that test that creates turmoil at the time of death.
Symbolically Parikshit stands for 'man'
And the poisonous snake is 'Death' and 'Time' whose clutches no one escapes.
Parikshit could have panicked, but he did not.
Instead he went about finding means by which, he could use these last 7 days of his life to his best advantage.
He wanted to achieve 'Mukti'
He was told that the best way was to listen to the Shrimad Bhaagvad .
The Shrimad Bhaagvad is considered 'Narain-Swaroop' The Lord God Himself.
Lord Krishna, at the time of leaving for his abode, told Udhav, His child hood friend that He would forever reside in the Shrimad Bhaagvad.
Whatever is worth pondering about in the world is contained in it.
Giant Spiritual Personalities state: "Jab poorna janmon ke punya uday hote hain, tabhi is pavitra katha ke sunneka yog milta hai"
It is only when the virtues of previous lives commence to fructify, does one get the opportunity to hear the Great Katha of the Shrimad Bhaagvad.
Shared by Set_raj @ JSK forum
Every Gopi believed that Krishna was dancing exclusively with her and for her!
It is very clearly stated in the Scriptures that:
'Raasleela paanch bhoutik shareer ke tyaag ke baad hee hui hai'
Loosely translated, it means that the 'Enchanting Drama' was performed, (by) beyond the physical body.
Listen to a Spiritual lover's logic: The Gopis felt separate from God before the Rasleela.
Since 'to be separated' from the Lord is 'Fire'.
Therefore the physical body consisting of 5 elements was burnt out (and so there was nothing physical in the Rasleela.
Love starts with 'Dvait' i.e there is the Lover and the Beloved (Two)
Later Love becomes 'Advait' (Both become One)
That is what is believed happened in the Rasleela.
The Thirsty Spirit merged with the Infinite.
This was no mundane sexual desire and its fulfillment.
Let me tell you a story before we enter 'The Rasleela'
Once Kaamdev (The God of Passionate Sexual desire) came to Krishna.
Krishna said to him: "Don't you remember that you were defeated by Shivji?"
Kaamdev said: "When I had gone to grapple with Him, He was meditating upon the Almighty and hence I was burnt".
Sri Krishna reminded Kaamdev that the latter had been defeated by Sri Ram!
Kaamdev admitted that he could not tempt the Lord when He had incarnated as Shri Ram as He was devoted to only Seeta, and was a perfect follower of principles. (Maryaada Purshottam)
Krishna asked Kaamdev: "What is your desire now?"
Kaamdev said: "This incarnation You are not bound by any conditionings, and you freely prance with the Gopis; I shall release my arrow, if you do not succumb to it, I shall consider you God. If however you are defeated, then I shall be God."
I shall release my arrow on a full moon night!
Krishna said: "If this is your desire, so be it!"
The proof that Krishna was victorious, in his encounter with Kaamdev is that the Shrimad Bhaaagvad proclaims that he who wants to conquer over sexual desire/obsession should read the 'Rasleela 'chapter in the Shrimad Bhaagvad!
Besides Krishna won the 'God' title!
It is said that when Krishna played the flute that magical night, only the Gopis heard it.
The Gopis left their home, duties and ran towards Krishna!
Those who were milking the cows, ran the minute they heard the first notes of the flute. Some Gopis wore their necklaces on their arms instead of on their neck!
One Gopi ran towards Krishna with cow dung on her hands!
If this was ordinary attraction, the Gopis would have spent hours beautifying themselves before running towards their Beloved.
This is the kind of fervor that is required of an aspirant towards the Lord!
Shri Krishna asked the Gopis: "Why are you running towards me? Has any misfortune struck? You are alright? What can I do for you? It is not right for a woman to be alone in a dense jungle at this time of night. Have you come to admire the beauty? Well, then enjoy the splendor of the night and quickly return to your homes! Your husbands and children must be waiting for you!"
Maybe when you turn to the Lord, He tests you by saying: "What are you going to get from me, go back to your world!"
Maybe He is saying that for a woman, she should first perform her household duties. It is there that she will find God!
When the Gopis were told to return to their homes, they were sad!
Krishna had told them that they belonged to their husbands. The Gopis knew that their husbands were surely the master of their physical form; but what about their Souls!
Their Aatman, their Spirit, their Souls surely belonged to God!
The Gopis said: "How can you ask us to return to the world, when you have promised union, to the one who worships you with love and faith? We have renounced all worldly pleasures for You! Only You reside in our heart!"
Krishna asked the Gopis "What is the proof of what you claim?"
The Gopis answered: "You Yourself are the proof. You alone reside in our hearts! Now we have only one desire! That of merging in You! You are the husband of our Soul! Now that we have seen You, how can we desire anything else? Shall we ask You a question? What is the reward of a faithful wife?"
Krishna answered: "The mind becomes pure."
The Gopis asked "And what does one achieve when the mind is purified?"
Krishna answered: "One achieves the Lord!"
The Gopis said: "Then why should we go back to the world after we have come to you?"
Krishna said: "You can stay at home and achieve God! At home look upon everything as God Himself!"
The Gopis said: "Life after life we have prayed, but we did not even get a glimpse of You. Therefore we decided to become Gopis this life instead of Sages!"
We recognize ourselves to be the Soul, (not women), therefore we have to fulfill the duty of the Soul, which is to be 'One' with You! We do not desire to pray to your picture anymore! Do not forsake us! Make us Your own!"
Krishna said: "If you consider me your real Lord and Master, then I ask you to return to your husbands and children!"
The Gopis said: "We are tired of playing worldly games, life after life, but if You are ordering us, then we will have to go. However to operate in the world, we require our mind and intellect. They both are with you. You return our mind and intellect and we return to the world, to our husbands and children!"
Shri Krishna said: "I cannot return that to you, as once I steal your mind and intellect, it merges into me!"
The Gopis said: "Our feet are not ready to walk a step away from you"
Krishna said: "What if I sent you back to your homes by the power of my Yoga?"
The Gopis said: "You would be able to send our bodies there, but our mind would remain with You!"
Krishna was defeated by the love and perseverance of the Simple Gopis.
The Rasleela took place!
The devotees and the Lord became one, that magical moonlit night!
It is said that at times people would mistake Radha for Krishna and vice-versa!
Not something to be surprised at!
Thus in Sanskrit they are: Shringar, Veer, Bibhatsa, Roudra, Karuna, Prem, Adbhuta, Bhaya and Shanti.
It is possible different sources give different names to these 'nine moods of art' in which all art is expressed.
Rasleela would be the ultimate in Shringar and Prema rasa.
In classical literature, the nine moods or intensities are called Navarasas.
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