12: Victim vs. Creator

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 62-63: While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.

In these two verses, Krishna offers a roadmap to how one becomes a victim of this material world:

contemplating objects of the senses >>

attachment >>

lust >>

anger >>

delusion >>

bewilderment of memory >>

intelligence is lost >>

falls down into material pool

As an exercise, take a sense object that you're contemplating in your life right now and insert this object into this path of "falling down" and see what the consequences are. (I just did the exercise contemplating cheesecake, uh oh.) Or maybe take a sense object that has lead to a lot of pain in your life and trace it back all the way to when you started contemplating it (I did the exercise again with an old, painful relationship).

Seriously, give it a whirl.

Did you feel like at any point you were out of control? You were a victim of pain and suffering and your own desires?

In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupad uses the phrase "victims of material consciousness" (124) for those who have fallen into  the "material pool."

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a victim is: "one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent." In this definition, "one that is acted on" is the key phrase, for it implies that the person in question has no choice.

Now, the reality of this world is that the material world is acting upon us and our loved ones at all times with misery after misery, and we have no choice, such as being cheated out of money or love, physically hurt, emotionally damaged, or even killed.

On a personal level, though, the word victim, implies lack of personal power. Language reflects consciousness, so if I'm using the word victim, this implies that I believe that I lack the power to choose what I truly want. Things happen to me.

Here is a chart of the mention of the word victim over the past 200 years (Merriam-Webster, accessed through Google):

If language reflects consciousness and the word victim indicates an increased belief that bad things are happening to me, one could gather that in society there is an increase in the persistent belief that "I have no power."

Each one of these descriptions in verses 62-63 seem like something out of our power. Bewilderment of memory? Delusion? Anger?

These all seem like lost causes. Why is Krishna even giving us this sequence if there's no hope?

The verses, though, start with dhyayato visayan, or contemplating the objects of the senses. This is where choice comes in. I can choose what I want to contemplate. What's interesting here is that Krishna describes that the act of contemplating the sense objects is what leads to a downfall, not even so much that one actually enjoys the object. Contemplation is far more powerful.

In this sense, what we contemplate are the seeds which we plant that ultimately determine what we create in our lives. The opposite of a victim mindset is a creator mindset, which according to "The Mindsets of Victims and Creators Essay" by Bartleby Research, "A Creator is someone who consistently makes choices that result in the outcome that they want" (bartleby.com).

The word "creator" indicates someone with purpose and choice and power, either someone that we know or someone Divine.

Below we can see the usage of the word creator over the past 200 years (Merriam-Webster, accessed through Google).

Here again is the image for the usage of the word victim:

I am not a social scientist. I do know, though, that on some level, language reflects consciousness. And if I am looking at these two graphs through the lens of these verses from the Gita, I would conclude that in society we can see the trend of an increase of the "victim" mindset and a decrease in the "creator" mindset.

We're falling into the "material pool" at higher and higher rates.

But wait! There is a solution. Prabhupad emphasizes that a person in Krishna consciousness does not become a victim of material consciousness. Prabhupad does not condemn material enjoyment or objects. In fact, he states that "everything has its use in the service of the Lord" (123), even sense enjoyment. He writes that we can never escape this material context by artificially abstaining from pleasure. It is impossible. The soul is hardwired to "enjoy life" (124).

The solution is to use our personal power to offer suitable items to Krishna, and then enjoy. The conclusion is that "Thus everything becomes spiritualized, and there is no danger of downfall" (124). Krishna's touch transforms something mundane - such as enjoying cheesecake! - into something spiritual that liberates the heart and mind.

Thus I can use my tendency to enjoy in the service of God. I'm not squelching or negating my desire to enjoy, only sublimating it for Krishna. Instead of losing my intelligence to the "material pool" I can use my intelligence to make choices that lead me to love and freedom.

Source:
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/The-Mindsets-of-Victims-and-Creators-FKJ75MRSTC

11: Language Reflects Consciousness

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 54: Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?

This is Arjuna's first question in the Bhagavad-gita. Up to this point, Krishna has been explaining deep philosophical concepts, such as the nature of the soul and being detached from one's work in this world. And just like any time we hear a good amount of philosophy, we want to know how that philosophy is applied into everyday life, into one's everyday behavior. We don't want to be "armchair philosophers", speculating about life from our green squishy armchair in a stuffy drawing room. We want to be practical.

Arjuna is a warrior, and Arjuna is practical. He speaks for all of us. So he asks: what are the symptoms of a person in transcendence? Give me the basics: how does he speak, sit, and walk?

But we all speak, sit, and walk every day, all day. How would a person in transcendence be any different?

Srila Prabhupad emphasizes that of the three activities mentioned, one activity is the most important, which is "how the man in Krsna consciousness speaks; for speech is the most important quality of any man" (116). From this perspective, then, to speak is no longer ordinary.

Speech is power.

So often we just go through life speaking about anything and everything off the top of our minds. Complaining, chatting, cursing, explaining, and more.

We reveal our character, though, at every moment through what we choose to say or not say. Prabhupad writes that "It is said that a fool is undiscovered as long as he does not speak, and certainly a well-dressed fool cannot be identified unless he speaks, but as soon as he speaks, he reveals himself at once" (116). Walking through the streets and subways of New York City, I see many well-dressed people. If I was going off of appearances, I could consider all of these people supremely intelligent and wise. After all, there's no real way to identify a fool if he or she is dressed in a magnificent suit or a tailored dress.

In connection to Arjuna's question, though, language reflects consciousness. Peering into the minds of people to assess their consciousness is a job best left up to the psychics or psychiatrists (take your pick), and probably just a little unreliable. But if we were to listen in or engage in a conversation with any of these people on the street, we may observe their use of language to discern their level of consciousness. Most importantly, I may analyze my own use of language to discern my level of consciousness.

If language truly reflects consciousness, then it's what we say and not so much how we say it. The speech of an ideal person does not necessarily require eloquence, such as accent, pitch, and sophisticated vocabulary. The content of one's speech is far more important.

Naturally, then one may ask that if the content of our speech is the most important, what does a person in transcendence speak about?

Prabhupad writes, "The immediate symptom of a Krsna conscious man is that he speaks only of Krsna and of matters relating to Him" (116). So a well-dressed politician on the streets of New York could be speaking about very nuanced aspects of foreign policy in refined language, but he is not necessarily a person in transcendence. Using the power of speech to discuss spiritual matters and Krishna is a true symptom of someone who is rising above this world.

I have found that when I am searching for people to connect to who are on the spiritual path, I must look past the dress and the face. I need to look for a person who loves to speak from the heart about God and Krishna. In this way they may inspire within me my own desire to speak about God and search Him out with all of my heart.   

10: One Percent Effort

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 40: In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.

Pop Quiz: Who was Thomas E. Dewey?

I'll bet you have absolutely no idea.

Here's another Pop Quiz: Who was Harry S. Truman?

I'll bet you'd say that he was the President of the United States in the 40s (or something like that).

In 1948, Democratic candidate Harry S. Truman won the presidential election against Thomas E. Dewey, who was the Republican candidate. Truman had about 24 million popular votes and Dewey had about 22 million popular votes.

This means that at one point in history, Dewey was known and supported by almost 22 million people in the United States.

Today? Because he did not win the presidency, he is virtually unknown.

In this purport to Verse 40 of Chapter 2, Prabhupad writes that "Any work begun on the material plane has to be completed, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure" (103). Dewey did not complete his journey to the White House, so he failed. You know how hard it is to run for president, to garner the momentum and support of 22 million American people? You have to spend millions of dollars and pour your life's blood into the journey. But because Dewey did not achieve the right amount and kinds of votes (including the electoral college), he simply failed.

He's not even known for being defeated by Truman. He's just not known.

We could give so many examples from history of people who were the runners-up - the presidential candidates, the nominees for awards, the Olympic athletes who almost won a medal, the finalists for the Superbowl or World Series or National Spelling Bee or any other championship. If you don't win - even if it was because of bad luck or you made a tiny mistake - then in this material world you're basically a failure.

It's all or nothing.

But in this verse, Krishna is saying that in this endeavor for spiritual enlightenment, "there is no loss or diminution."

Prabhupad emphasizes that any work done in Krishna consciousness is permanent, even if it's not complete. He illustrates this principle beautifully in the purport: "One percent done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from the point of two percent, whereas in material activity without a hundred percent success there is no profit" (103). Prabhupad is offering such an accessible possibility - one percent effort (it was "done"). Not even one percent success, one percent effort. And whenever I choose to give my next percent - whether it's tomorrow or fifty years from now - then I will pick up right where I left off.

In this regard, the other day my sister brought me a bouquet of flowers, so I put one flower in a little vase and placed it in front of a picture of Krishna. I took a few quiet moments to stand back and admire the flower and the picture with a smile on my face. I felt a glimmer of affection. Then I moved on with my day.

I didn't buy the flowers or even offer the flowers with deep love. I gave one percent effort. Certainly for a material endeavor to give one percent is pitiful, even disgraceful. But for a spiritual endeavor, one percent is glorious. Why?

The effort and results are eternal. So even when I and all beings on this planet have died, when human civilization is wiped out, when the sun extinguishes, when stars die and galaxies dissolve - that one percent, that one flower offered to God remains imprinted upon my soul.

There is no loss or diminution. I do not need to garner the support of millions of people, win medals or championships or awards. I most likely will never be remembered for much, just like the trillions of other forgotten people who have lived and died on this earth. But God will remember that I offered Him one flower with a smile on my face and a glimmer of affection.

9: Nothing Is Destroyed

CHAPTER TWO, TEXT 28: All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?

If I strike a match, I might consider it a miracle that fire would suddenly blossom at the tip of the sliver of wood. I might believe that energy is created by striking the match.

But energy is not created. Energy to create fire always existed within the match, it just changed forms. Scientists even have a name for this: The First Law of Thermodynamics. This law states that energy is neither created or destroyed, energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another. In the case of the match, it may look like energy is created, but really there are only a series of energetic transformations.

Look, I'm not an engineer. The point of this example is to show that even if you are an atheist and do not believe in the eternal soul, even on a material level we understand that energy may exist in many different forms but it is never created or destroyed.

This principle is the same for the soul. It may look like the flame of our existence has been created with birth and extinguished with death, but the soul has only gone through a series of transformations - unmanifest to manifest back to unmanifest.

Prabhupad even mentions the First Law of Thermodynamics, also called the law of conservation of energy, in his purport when he gives the example of a skyscraper being built up from the materials from the earth (unmanifest), remaining for some time to dominate the skyline (manifest), and then being dismantled back to atoms (unmanifest). He writes that "The law of conservation of energy remains, but in course of time things are manifested and unmanifested - that is the difference [between the eternal law and the temporary manifestations]" (92). True knowledge means to place one's trust in eternal principles, not flickering comings and goings.

For one who believes in the eternal soul, the understanding is that material bodies are perishable and the soul is eternal, so the soul taking on a new body is compared to changing one's dress. Prabhupad writes, "Why lament the changing of dress?" (92). After all, changing one's dress is so ordinary, it's done every day, sometimes several times a day. Even in this lifetime our bodies are changing to be almost unrecognizable, just like a changing of dress.

The Gita emphasizes, "As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change" (2.13).

Below are photos of my father as he changes from a boy, to a teenager, to a man.

My father is still the same soul, even though his "dress" has changed countless times. This is the same for all of us! Our "dress" is changing throughout this life, it is only natural that at death our dress changes again. There is only a transformation of energy; we - the spirit soul - are never destroyed. 

Thus, whether one believes in only the material energy (which means that energy can never be destroyed) or one believes in the eternal soul (which means the soul can never be destroyed), Prabhupad writes that "there is no cause for lamentation in either case" (92).

Why DO we lament with death? The point of lamentation is that something has been destroyed. It is gone forever. But just like the flame has gone out for the match or the dress that has been changed, nothing has been destroyed.

On a purely logical level, there is no need to lament.

Makes sense, right?

Of course, there are many other factors to consider regarding the pain of death, but we need to start somewhere. Prabhupad writes,"The Vedic wisdom encourages self-realization on the basis of the nonexistence of the material body" (92). This understanding that our bodies are temporary but the soul is eternal is the basis, the foundation to spiritual growth and understanding. As we continue to build our spiritual understanding, having a strong foundation allows us to build a skyscraper of spiritual truth and love that will forever remain manifest. 

8: Taking Solace in the Truth of the Soul

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 19: Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain.

Warrior cultures have existed throughout all of human history to protect the weak and take a stand for honor and justice. By definition, warriors kill. One cannot be a warrior without being willing to kill another human being.

The conclusion must be drawn that "violence also has its utility" (2.21, Purport): violence is useful, violence is even necessary. In fact, "violence and war are inevitable factors in human society for keeping law and order" (2.27, Purport). Chris Hedges of The New York Times writes in the article "What Every Person Should Know About War" that "Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history" (2003). Although world peace is a laudable goal, the facts show that we are more often at war than at peace, and violence is inevitable.

For Arjuna, who is a warrior, his role in this war is to kill others in his duty to keep law and order. Nevertheless, because of his soft heart, he is now conflicted, and even though he's given authority by the law to kill, he sees no utility or justice in doing so.

Krishna thus gives Arjuna knowledge that on a spiritual level, there IS no violence: the soul is not slain - what is killed is the body only (82). Following verses describe the nature of the soul, how it cannot be cut to pieces by any weapon, burned by fire, moistened by water, withered by the wind (2.23). Arjuna can take solace in the fact that the soul is never killed or injured in any way. The soul exists eternally and is untouched by the violence of this world. Krishna emphasizes that on a spiritual level, no one is slain. No one slays.

Prabhupad emphasizes, though that "This, however, does not encourage killing of the body. The Vedic injunction is ma himsyat sarva bhutani: never commit violence to anyone" (82). Indeed, if killing of the body were encouraged - hey, the soul is eternal I can kill whatever body I want! - then law and order would certainly be disrupted. Ahimsa - nonviolence - is a principle that honors the sacred soul within every being. 

Thus Prabhupad is emphasizing that violence is not done whimsically or for one's own personal interests. He writes that "Killing the body of anyone without authority is abominable and is punishable by the law of the state as well as by the law of the Lord (82). We must take into consideration that Arjuna is a warrior - he is given authority to kill. We cannot take Krishna's instructions literally into our own lives - fight! kill! - because we are not warriors. We have no authority to kill.

Of course, if you actually are a warrior, do your thing.

But most of us are not literally warriors. Our duty is to follow the sacred principle of ahimsa and never commit violence to anyone. We need to understand the essence of Krishna's instructions, which is although we may encounter so much violence and death and suffering in this world, the soul is eternal. The soul is not slain. The soul does not experience violence, such as being cut to pieces.

The essence of Krishna's instructions is that the next time we encounter death in this world, we can remember that the soul does not die. Our soul does not die. The essence is that we can experience great solace and freedom from the fear of death. The truth sets us free.

7: The Capacity to Love

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 12: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.

When I was thirteen years old, I experienced a kind of spiritual awakening. I read this particular verse of the Gita and was so moved that I typed it out on my computer, printed it out, and taped it to the fridge.

You know, a reminder that I will never die when I reach for a glass of milk.

Over the years I've faced the reality of my own death in many ways, from a mysterious chronic illness to a near-fatal accident. This meditation on death, while rather grave (no pun intended!), is actually practiced in every major world religion as a way to enlighten the self to one's true nature as an eternal spiritual being.

But recently I've been haunted by the reality that one day my husband and I will be separated by death. I am no longer embracing the fact of my own death, but the death of my husband. One of us will leave this world first. The other will be left behind to deal with the grief of loss.

The loss is what haunts me. What if I'm the one left behind? I'll be the one who can never speak to or see my husband again, we can never hold hands or laugh. The grief of loss seems worse than death itself.

In fact, I know that this separation will happen to my parents soon. They have been married for almost fifty years; their souls seem intertwined at this point. But soon, one will die and leave the other behind. Then both will die and leave me behind.

I say this as if it's shocking. But this has happened millions upon billions of times in the world over - the separation of loved ones by death.

Similarly, Arjuna is so fearful of not only killing his relatives but of being left behind to mourn their loss. Ruling a kingdom without his family seems empty and meaningless without loved ones to share it with. His additional burden will be to accept the fact that he killed his family.

In the verses I read today of the Gita, Krishna is instructing Arjuna on the nature of the spirit soul, especially that it is eternal and seated within the heart of every living entity. These instructions are meant to wake Arjuna up to the nature of his true self and the nature of others' true selves, such as when Prabhupad elaborates on this particular verse that "All the kings assembled [on the battlefield] are individual eternal persons" (73). A key distinction here is that they are eternal individuals.

Prabhupad emphasizes that lamentation over the loss of another means that one is lamenting the loss of a person. He writes, "[The kings'] individuality existed in the past, and their individuality will continue in the future without interruption. Therefore, there is no cause for lamentation for anyone" (73). Interestingly, Prabhupad equates the cause for lamentation to be the belief that his or her loved ones have lost their individuality. The loss of a loved one's individuality is what causes our hearts to grieve, even more than the loss of their physical body.

Fear of death is connected to loss of our physical body, but an even greater underlying fear is the death of self. That with death, one's very being is annihilated.

One perspective for the annihilation of one's being is a commonly accepted notion that at death one merges with God. This conception is called the Mayavada conception: We are all one, we are all energy, and upon death we will shed our material coverings and return to an existence of light and peace as one with each other and God. We lose our individuality.

Prabhupad writes that "The Mayavadi theory... is not supported herein by Lord Krsna, the supreme authority" (73).

Thank God (pun intended - couldn't resist).

Because what I am truly lamenting in my death or the death of my loved ones is the loss of our relationship - a relationship that is exchanged between individuals. And if we are no longer individuals, then there is no possibility to love. Love, by definition, means an exchange between individuals.

Without individuality, there is no love.

The loss of love is the true cause for lamentation. But Krishna is emphasizing that Arjuna is eternally an individual, and so are all these kings, and so they will always be capable of giving and receiving love.

So whether I ever get to interact with my husband again in the future after we shed these material bodies, that is a mystery. I am just grateful and soothed to know that we will continue to exist as individuals forever, capable of giving and receiving love.

Although I do hope we may reunite even beyond this world, hopefully in the service of the Lord.

Our wedding day, when we made a vow - 'Til death do we part

6: Blazing Fire, Cooling Rain

TEXT 7: Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

The bushfires in Australia have blazed for months and months, burning over 17 million acres of land (cnn.com). Half a billion animals have been killed in the wildfires in Australia - it is estimated that 30% of the koala population has been wiped out (newsweek.com) and some scientists estimate that many species have been pushed to extinction (theguardian.com). Even with all of the firefighters deployed and all of the methods created by man to stop fires, the fires are unstoppable.

These kinds of fires are unprecedented in the history of the world, and seem to only hint at the kinds of calamities to come.

In this verse, Arjuna is admitting his confusion and loss of composure, overwhelmed by suffering and the anticipation of calamities to come. Prabhupad writes, "By nature's own way the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone... They are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone. No one wants fire, and yet it takes place, and we become perplexed" (67). The phrase "complete system" is significant, because there is a network of material activities that are way beyond our control but affect us in painful and shocking ways. The bushfires in Australia are a result of a system of issues that are off-balance, such as unusual drought, unusually high temperatures, and high winds. In this way, "no one wants fire, and yet it takes place" - the fires have completely perplexed man.

The perplexities of this material world are never-ending. If not forest fires, a monster hurricane that destroys the coastal city of New Orleans. If not a hurricane, an earthquake that tears up the mountains of Nepal and kills thousands. If not an earthquake, a tsunami that crushes over 200,000 people in Indonesia. This network of natural disasters has always gone on and will never end in the future. That is the complete system of material activities.

What use is there pursuing wealth and health in such a dangerous place as this material world? Prabhupad writes in his purport to Verse 8 that "Economic development or supremacy over the world can be finished at any moment by the cataclysms of material nature" (70). In this way, one's home, family, and even country can be wiped out in an instant.

Recognizing this material world for what it is sets the stage for Arjuna to surrender: "Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me." This surrender to a spiritual master is described by the saint Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur as a cooling rain on the blazing fire of material existence. Indeed, these fires in Australia can only be truly stopped by rain. The spiritual master is like that - the cooling rain of his mercy and instructions are the only way to stop the fire.

Personally, I am often overwhelmed by news of natural disasters, the extent of the clear-cutting of rainforests, the massive piles of trash bags that line the streets of New York every week (where does it all GO??), short glimpses into the slaughter of billions of animals every day, the growing island of trash in the Pacific Ocean, global warming, rising sea levels, and on and on. Sometimes I lie awake at night, anxiety descending over my heart at the state of the world.

I feel so powerless.

When I turn to the Gita and read how Arjuna surrenders to Krishna in his distress, I feel a sense of cooling relief in my heart. Arjuna "sought refuge in Krsna consciousness, and that is the right path for peace and harmony" (70). This is a world where peace and harmony is designed to be impossible. Yet in our soul of souls, we all deeply yearn for that peace and harmony. To truly take responsibility for this desire, though, means to take refuge in something that transcends this material world: Krishna consciousness. And the way to experience Krishna consciousness is through the guidance of a spiritual master.

Surrendering to a spiritual master is not meant to be painful or unnatural. Surrender is meant to come from a deep and natural place in the soul, a sense of humility that descends over the heart that - hey, I need help. I am at wit's end. 

Please shower your rain of mercy upon me. 

Uplift me and protect me. 

My dear, dear teacher, please guide me. 

I need you. 

As of January 25th, 2020, rain is beginning to fall in Australia.

**

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/04/ecologists-warn-silent-death-australia-bushfires-endangered-species-extinction

https://www.newsweek.com/11-facts-about-devastating-wildfires-australia-1481495

5: The Yoga of Despair - Rock Bottom

CHAPTER 1, TEXT 46: Sañjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

In 1934, a man by the name of Bill W. was struggling with his alcoholism. Even though he was getting inspired to clean up his life through a Christian fellowship by the name of The Oxford Group, he couldn't bring himself to stop. John W. Smith of the New York Times writes, "Bill W. was deeply impressed [by the mission of the Oxford Group] and was desperate, but he said that he had not yet reached that level of degradation below which he was unwilling to descend. He felt he had one more prolonged drunk left in him" (1972). Bill W. had not reached "that level of degradation below which he was unwilling to descend" or, in simple terms, he had not reached rock bottom.

And so he became increasingly sick and desperate, and finally when he stumbled into a hospital for the treatment of alcoholism and addiction, he was given the advice by a doctor: “You admit you are licked; you get honest with yourself … you pray to whatever God you think there is, even as an experiment." And Bill W. reached deep down into the bottom of his soul and cried out to God for help.

He had a spiritual experience that changed his life.

Bill W., or William Griffith Wilson, was the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Over the past 85 years, Alcoholics Anonymous has impacted untold millions of people throughout the world through its signature program as well inspiring a multitude of 12-step programs to help those who are struggling with addiction.

The first step, according to AA and has been adapted for every kind of 12-step program, is: "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable."

Basically: Admit that you have a problem.

Admit that you've reached a level of degradation below which you're unwilling to descend. There's nowhere else left to go.

Get to your rock bottom.

In this verse of the Bhagavad-gita, up to this point Arjuna has offered many arguments to not fight in this bloody, fratricidal war. They're pretty valid arguments, too. But, Arjuna is not peaceful in the conclusion of his arguments - I shall not fight - and so Arjuna casts aside his weapons and collapses, "his mind overwhelmed by grief."

For a warrior to cast aside his weapons and collapse to the ground shows a deep despair; in other words, Arjuna has reached his rock bottom.

The classic Sanskrit title for the first chapter of the Bhagavad-gita is "Arjuna Vishaad Yoga." Arjuna refers to our hero, yoga means "to reconnect with the divine" and vishaad means "despair." Thus the title of the first chapter means: "The path of reconnecting with the divine through despair as shown by Arjuna." Or simply, "The Yoga of Despair."

Fascinating, no?

We hear of Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, maybe even Bhakti Yoga or Jnana Yoga. But Vishaad Yoga? The Yoga of Despair? This implies that there's an art to being in despair, that there is a path with a teacher. In this context, Arjuna is our teacher, and he is showing us how to be in despair - cast aside all of the things that you lean upon for support (your "weapons') and fall to the ground. Stop. Experience your experience. Experience your pain.

I once heard that everyone's rock bottom is different. This makes sense, especially in light of Bill W.'s eloquent phrasing, because it's a matter of what level of degradation you're unwilling to descend any further, emphasis on unwilling. For example, one alcoholic's rock bottom could be that she can't go a day without drinking a glass of Scotch after work. Another alcoholic's rock bottom could be that his finances, health, and personal relationships are in ruins and he stumbles to a recovery center.

Rock bottom, then, is not so much about the direness of the situation, but one's level of realization. Addiction and pain and suffering, in this sense then, is always a choice.

This means, then, that rock bottom must be a kind of softening of the heart, the humble realization that, "Yes, I am suffering." So often we go through this material world in a state of so much suffering but we are numb and just press on, shrugging it off, never stopping to reflect and pause and just feel the pain. To un-numb ourselves and open our hearts.

In his commentary on this verse, Prabhupad does not berate Arjuna for being a warrior who is overcome by grief and casts aside his weapons. Prabhupad emphasizes, actually, that "Such a kind and soft-hearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit to receive self-knowledge" (59). Someone who is feeling his or her own pain is actually soft-hearted, and this soft heart opens the door to a deep and lasting transcendental connection to God.

When Bill W. had first encountered the Oxford Group, he basically admitted that his heart was not soft enough, he had more tolerance for suffering (he had "one more prolonged drunk left in him") and could not receive the help that was being given by the Christians*. Only when he came to the hospital in deep despair, on his own volition, did the guidance of the doctor move his soul to change. And his life changed. Not only his own life, but he changed the lives of millions - as "a servant and instrument of God" he always insisted.

Although we have not reached the part of the Gita where Arjuna is receiving instruction by Krishna, we can see here that Arjuna is in a state of despair. His heart is soft. Similarly, we must allow our hearts to become soft, to experience our experience of despair and thus open our hearts. Trust that rock bottom is a beautiful place to be.

*Note: Even though he had his flash of transformation with the doctor at the hospital, Bill W. always credited and offered his gratitude to The Oxford Group for inspiring him and guiding him throughout his life. 

Work Cited: 
Stevens, John W. “Bill W. of Alcoholics Anonymous Dies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Jan. 1971, www.nytimes.com/1971/01/26/archives/bill-w-of-alcoholics-anonymous-dies-bill-w-oi-alcoholics-anonymous.html.

4: Justice vs. Forgiveness

CHAPTER 1, TEXT 36: Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and our friends. What should we gain, O Kṛṣṇa, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

Arjuna is in deep distress. Like a lawyer, he is presenting his case to not engage in this vicious war. Arjuna is arguing here that "sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors." Defining terms is a good place to start in any logical argument, so Prabhupad first defines "aggressor":

According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: (1) a poison giver, (2) one who sets fire to the house, (3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, (4) one who plunders riches, (5) one who occupies another’s land, and (6) one who kidnaps a wife (53).

Each of these types of aggressors threaten one's life, and threatening one's livelihood (such as occupying another's land) is a threat to one's life. In a rather natural sense of balance and justice, for the aggressor to receive the same kind of treatment is logical - their life is threatened and even taken. In simple terms, you get what you deserve.

Prabhupad then offers a statement that, in today's context, would be taken as quite controversial: "Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors" (53). Whoah, interesting. This sounds almost barbaric, to kill someone "at once" for a violent crime that s/he committed. The debate surrounding the modern death penalty is thick with emotional tension and political strife. On a strictly monetary scale, to convict a man or woman of the death penalty takes, on average, 1.26 million dollars (amnestyusa.org) to process. In contrast, to incarcerate a man or woman (often for life) costs about 740,000 dollars. That is a difference of half a million dollars - it seems it would be better to just keep a man or woman jailed for life than go through the tangled political web and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to ultimately convict a man or woman who may not actually be guilty. In fact, throughout the history of the world there have been many instances of a man being killed who was later discovered to actually be not guilty, and so I imagine that the burden of this history - wrongful death - has driven these costs and the controversy to frenzied heights.

Consider though that Prabhupad states, "Such aggressors are at once to be killed." The key phrase here is "at once." The way that death penalty cases are currently managed, the average length to process such a case is 16 years (bnd.com). In this time, over a million dollars is spent on fees and investigation, and the aggressor is simply waiting behind bars.

But let's contrast this with a situation when an aggressor attacked another and in self-defense that person killed the aggressor immediately. The court case is more straightforward and swift, millions of dollars are not spent, the person acting in self-defense is not imprisoned for 16 years or more; there is - in other words - no sin incurred. In fact, there may even be a sense of relief that justice was served immediately. Prabhupad asserts that "Such killing of aggressors is quite befitting any ordinary man" (53).

Of course, the biggest problem is determining motivation. Was the person acting as an aggressor actually defending his or her own life? Was the person acting in self-defense actually framing the aggressor for murder? We have all seen enough crime movies or possibly paid attention to real-life court cases to know that the matter is often not so simple - the person who looks like the aggressor could be innocent of wrongdoing, and the person who looks innocent could be guilty of unjust violence.

In Arjuna's situation, though, the evidence is clear. The aggressors - The Kurus - have shown time and time again that they are relentless in plundering the riches of the Pandavas, occupying their land, and even inviting them to a flammable house in an effort to kill them. There were no repercussions simply because the Kurus were in power. Time and time again, justice did not prevail.

Duryodhana built a highly flammable house and invited the Pandavas to stay

with the intention of burning  it down to kill his cousins.

Thus, Prabhupad refutes Arjuna's concern that "Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors." There is no sin to slay aggressors such as these.

Nevertheless, even though so much violence has been perpetrated towards him and his family, Arjuna is still in distress at the prospect of fighting, because although meting out immediate justice befits an ordinary man, "Arjuna is not an ordinary person" (53). He is saintly. Saintly persons are "advised to forgive" and "such [saintly] injunctions are more important than any political emergency." He is seeing how these aggressors are no ordinary aggressors - they're his own grandfather, teacher, friends, sons, grandsons (53) and more. He argues that to forgive, especially his kinsmen, is religious and noble, no matter the political emergency.

Arjuna also emphasizes that there's nothing to gain - no happiness or peace of mind - in ruling over a kingdom that was obtained through such bloody, tainted means.

Like a lawyer in a court case, such are the opening arguments of the saintly Arjuna, and we will explore more of his reasons in the upcoming verses. As a reader, 5,000 years after this conversation was spoken, I empathize with Arjuna. And that is the point. We are meant to connect with Arjuna's distress, connect with the struggles we face in our own lives that no amount of logic can reason us out of. Deep down, we all desire to not simply be ordinary and mete out ordinary justice to our aggressors, but to be saintly and forgive. As the Catholic Lord's Prayer goes, "[O Lord] forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Being unconditionally merciful towards another - especially a family member - resonates on a deep religious and spiritual level.

That said, we can feel the tension build. We can feel that, somehow, Arjuna is arguing a case that will be refuted by Krishna. This tension is the basis of the entire Bhagavad-gita.

We shall see where Krishna, The Supreme Lord, takes us. 

3: O Infallible One

CHAPTER 1, TEXTS 21-22: Arjuna said: O infallible one, please draw my chariot between the two armies so that I may see those present here, who desire to fight, and with whom I must contend in this great trial of arms.

Srila Prabhupad offers an astounding line of logic in his commentary on this verse. First, he notes that Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is serving as a charioteer, which is a humble service in a time of war - certainly no martial glory goes to a chariot driver. Prabhupad mentions that "[Krishna] was engaged in the service of His friend" (45). If Krishna and Arjuna are friends, this must mean that there is affection between them. So not only is Krishna - The Supreme Lord - offering service to someone else, there is also friendship between them. This is a very unusual dynamic in all of world theology.

God is great. God is powerful. God is omniscient.

God is... a servant? God is... a friend? 

This is very unusual.

Then, Prabhupad notes that Arjuna orders Krishna - The Supreme Lord - to do his bidding. What is fascinating about this interaction is not so much that a soul like Arjuna orders God to do his bidding - after all, I would imagine that most of the world makes demands and requests and prayers addressed to God all day and all night long. What's wondrous is that Krishna does not hesitate to comply (45). The fact that Krishna complies with the request of his friend without hesitation is why Prabhupad reasons that "He is addressed as infallible" (45). According to Google dictionary, the secondary definition of "infallible" is "never failing; always effective" so in this context, this makes very clear sense. Krishna does not fail in his duty, he is effective.

The primary definition of infallible, though, is "being incapable of making mistakes or being wrong" (Google dictionary). Naturally, this definition has many religious overtones - after all, to make mistakes is very, very human. To be completely free of mistakes must mean that one transcends this human condition. In the Catholic tradition, "papal infallibility" means that the pope "cannot err when he teaches in matters of faith and morals" (britannica.com) and in Islam, ismah means "incapable of making mistakes or errors" (al-islam.org). All of these contexts of being infallible are connected to the divine, either attributed to God Himself or someone empowered by God (such as the pope or a prophet).

In this verse, Prabhupad translates the word acyuta as "O infallible one" and according to the Monier-Williams Sanskrit dictionary, acyuta may also be translated as "not fallen." This is significant because one may draw the conclusion that The Supreme Lord has "fallen" and lowered Himself in order to be a mere chariot driver and to be ordered about by, technically, an ordinary soul.

Thus we can go in two different philosophical directions. The first is that Krishna is simply an ordinary man in history who played an interesting part in this epic story of the Pandavas. This would reconcile the mystery that Krishna would take on the role as a chariot driver, a menial servant.

The second direction is that Krishna never existed and his personality is a metaphor for God and the Bhagavad-gita is an extended analogy of the soul inquiring about divine truth. This would reconcile the mystery that Krishna is repeatedly addressed as infallible. (Regarding the possibility that Krishna was a prophet, later in the Bhagavad-gita Krishna is addressed as Jagatpati, the ruler of the worlds, and Bhuta Bhavana, the origin of all beings, as well as other divine titles that show that He is not simply empowered by God but IS God.)

How to reconcile these two seemingly opposing ideas? Krishna is submitting to menial service - a very human task; Krishna is addressed as infallible?

Maybe there's a third option: What if Krishna is submitting to a menial service AND He's infallible? That's what the Bhagavad-Gita states after all, As It Is, right here is verses 21 and 22. This brings us back to how we started this post: Krishna a) is a servant, b) is a friend, and now c) does not hesitate to follow Arjuna's orders. This all implies a deeply loving, trusting relationship. And a loving relationship means reciprocation.

No loving relationship can be sustained without reciprocation. Prabhupad emphasizes that in fact, "[Krishna] takes greater pleasure in His pure devotee's assuming the advantageous position of ordering Him than He does in being the giver of orders" (45). We can safely conclude Krishna actually feels greater pleasure to be ordered about (by His pure devotee), which is shown by his lack of hesitation to follow those orders, than to be at the helm of the chariot giving orders to Arjuna.

Thus, we now have a third direction, which is that Krishna IS a man in order to facilitate a loving relationship with his friend, Arjuna. At the same time, He is the Supreme Lord who has come in the form of a man in order to serve not only Arjuna but all souls who are inquiring about God and the nature of divine truth.

This means that we may all cultivate a loving friendship with Krishna, with God, a real person with a face and a smile. The goal, of course, would never be to order Him about. After all, Prabhupad writes that "The servitor is always ready to render service to the Lord, and, similarly, the Lord is always seeking an opportunity to render some service to the devotee" (45). This shows that in my eagerness to serve the Lord, there is simply a deep and natural reciprocation for God to be eager to serve me.

How wondrous that if I choose to serve Krishna, I am not emptying my soul and endeavors into a bottomless pit of "divine service" to an invisible God. Service means that I have a relationship with a person, and God actually takes pleasure in reciprocating with my heart.

2: Victory is Ascertained

CHAPTER 1, TEXT 10: Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhīṣma, whereas the strength of the Pāṇḍavas, carefully protected by Bhīma, is limited.

Duryodhana, the king of the Kurus, is speaking to his commander in chief, outlining all the reasons that they shall be victorious in this great battle. To give some context, the Kurus are in the wrong in this war and the character of the king is rotted through - he is envious and fearful (38) - and his rule is unjust.

King Duryodhana, though, is confident in the strength of his armies and the protection of his general, Grandfather Bhisma. He contrasts the experienced and powerful leadership of Bhisma, whose protection is "perfect", with the inexperienced leadership of Bhima - the general of the opposing side - whose protection is merely "careful" and "limited." In his purport, Prabhupad not only reiterates this imbalance of experience and power, he actually agrees with Duryodhana: "Bhima is like a fig in the presence of Bhisma" (38) and that Bhisma is the "far superior general" (39).

Just because the Kurus are unfit to rule and are fighting for an unjust cause does not mean that they are weak or inexperienced. Indeed, there are many great war heroes on the side of the Kurus who are laying their lives on the line and Grandfather Bhisma is legendary for his military leadership. Prabhhupad concludes his purport by saying that, "[Duryodhana's] conclusion that he would come out of the battle victorious was well ascertained" (39).

Prabhupad is nodding to Duryodhana's logic!

But logic and material measures of strength and experience are not the ultimate determiner of destiny. I think we can all agree that even in our own experience we know that material measures of strength or intelligence do not guarantee victory.

In 2007, the New England Patriots football team were undefeated in the regular season - they won all 16 games. They went to the ultimate American showdown - The Superbowl. 

They lost. The New York Giants won - and their record was mediocre in comparison to the Patriots's perfection.

We could offer countless examples from history when armies, teams, athletes, film directors, and more were confident in their own capabilities, and the conclusion that they would come out victorious was well-ascertained. But they lost. We could offer countless examples from our own lives when we were confident in our capabilities and our likelihood for victory. But we lost.

In the verses that follow this particular verse, Verse 10, the Gita describes the auspicious advantages of the Pandavas. Symbols and signs all point towards the victory of the righteous side, even though their armies are smaller and their general less experienced.

Why?

Krishna is on their side.

The conch shell that Grandfather Bhisma blows makes the sound "like the roar of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy" (1.12) and when more conch shells join in on the side of the Kurus, the sound is "tumultuous" (1.13). But when Krishna and Arjuna "sound their transcendental conchshells" (1.14) the vibration is "uproarious" and "shatter[s] the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra [the Kurus]" (1.9). The contrast of the sounds of the conch shells of the Kurus versus the Pandavas show us who has already won the war. The conch shell on the side of the Kurus roars like a lion, but it's described that it only gives Duryodhana joy, whereas the conch shell on the side of the Pandavas is transcendental and uproarious. The sound transcends material calculations of the strength of armies and the experience of generals and thus shatters the hearts of the Kurus.

Ultimately, we know that the Pandavas win this war. But if we look carefully at the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita, we see that in fact, the Pandavas have won this war even before a single arrow has flown across the sky. Victory is not external. Victory is being in alignment with Krishna.

Material victories and material losses are insignificant in the light of the more profound victory of being righteous and having Krishna on my side. Even if I lose everyone and everything, if I align myself with Krishna, there is no loss. Victory is ascertained.

1: Spirit of Inquiry

CHAPTER 1, TEXT 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, desiring to fight, what did they do?

The Bhagavad-gita is a timeless scripture that has guided millions of people for thousands of years to learn the truth of the soul and love, and the purpose of life. And yet this wondrous scripture transpires within a few hours on the cusp of a great battle. Two armies are facing off. There will be untold death upon the battlefield today, blood will soak the ground and run in rivers.

What's more, this is a fratricidal war, which means that brothers will kill brothers, fathers will kill sons, uncles will kill nephews.

In fact, the very first verse of the Bhagavad-gita begins with the inquiry of King Dhrtarastra inquiring about the activities of his own noble nephews, whom he fears and wants to be defeated and killed.

How is this supposed to be the setting for a scripture that teaches the truth of the soul and love, and the purpose of life? 

How? 

My husband, Ghanashyam, shared yesterday in his scripture class that being in a spirit of inquiry does not mean to always ask questions. Indeed, Dhrtarastra is asking questions here but he is doing so out of fear and to protect his own interests. Someone who asks a lot of questions could actually not be in a spirit of inquiry - they could just be doing some mental gymnastics or engaging in an ego battle. But someone who is quietly listening in the back of the room who never asks a question could actually be in the spirit of inquiry. Radhanath Swami then shared with Ghanashyam that a true spirit of inquiry is the sincere desire to know the truth. To remain open, curious, and present, even without a direct question. 

In this sense, Prabhupad writes that "One should read Bhagavad-gita very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of Sri Krsna and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations" (33). Prabhupad emphasizes that one must scrutinize with help. Studying this scripture is not a solitary practice - we need guidance and direction. What's more, the qualification of the guide must be that s/he is a "devotee of Sri Krsna." Not a scholar, a devotee. This must mean that someone is devoted to Krsna, and devotion entails service, even love. 

If I want to know the truth and I approach a devotee of Sri Krsna for guidance, that seems like a pretty solid foundation for being in a true spirit of inquiry. But Prabhupad emphasizes that one must try to understand the Gita without any "personally motivated interpretations." What does that mean? Personally motivated interpretations? 

I once knew a man who committed with 100% conviction that he would read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is from cover to cover within a few months. 

He never got past the second chapter. He later shared that his mind was too full of debilitating doubts and questions and even repulsion and disgust. 

Why? 

Could this same fate befall me? 

To embark upon the journey of reading the Gita is no ordinary feat - its not like reading the latest bestseller. The Gita is alive and cannot be read or understood without blessings. Prabhupad offers clear parameters: 1) scrutiny, 2) help from a devotee, and 3) be without personally motivated interpretations.  

You can see why I'm rather nervous in this endeavor to read and share my realizations on the Gita. I wonder if I'll make it past the second chapter. Although I'm scrutinizing with my intelligence (check) and receiving the help from a devotee - Srila Prabhupad and Ghanashyam and I'm sure many others over the next few months (check), I have to wonder about having a personally motivated interpretation (...check??). I don't want to twist and form the words of the Gita to fit my own personal and political agenda, to justify beliefs and ideas that could be destructive. 

The key words in the title of Prabhupad's version of the Gita are: As It Is. In this sense, Prabhupad does not have any personally motivated interpretation. He's not translating and commentating on the Gita for his own ends - to make disciples, make money, get famous, etc. etc. 

He is simply sharing the Gita, As It Is. 

I want my reflections to be in this spirit of As It Is. Prabhupad emphasizes that if one approaches the Gita in the proper spirit of inquiry, "he surpasses all studies of Vedic wisdom, and all scriptures of the world" (33). What a beautiful vision. Surpassing studies of all Vedic and world scriptures is not about being a great scholar of Sanskrit or history or philosophy. This inquiry must come from a sincere, humble space from within the heart. A sacred space. 

I do not want to twist and manipulate the setting of the opening of the Gita to fit my own personally motivated interpretation. I trust that if the setting of this scripture is a fratricidal war where blood will soon soak the ground and run in rivers, then there is a reason. 

I don't know that reason. 

But I trust that the dear devotee of Sri Krsna, Srila Prabhupad, will guide me in time. 

sincerely,

bhakti

Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita

Why read the Bhagavad-gita?

There is a trendy phrase circulating among leaders and forward-thinkers: find your why. The reasoning is that if you find your why, your whole life - and all the activities in your life - will have purpose.

In his Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita, Bhaktivedanta Swami (Prabhupad) provides the purpose of studying this scripture: "The whole purpose of the Bhagavad-gita is to revive our sanatana occupation, or sanatana-dharma, which is the eternal occupation of the living entity" (16). Interestingly, the purpose of studying this scripture is not to ruminate or continue to think and appreciate wisdom, to be an "armchair philosopher" (as the saying goes). Prabhupad emphasizes that the living entity has an "occupation" and inherent within an occupation is activity. Thus the whole purpose of the Gita is to actually become active.

One could say that to translate spiritual philosophy to be engaged in action is religion. The word "religion" often has very negative connotations attached to it - to be "spiritual but not religious" is the approved catchphrase, but to be "religious but not spiritual" is downright horrifying. Prabhupad emphasizes, though, that "Sanatana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process of religion" (17). Indeed, if sanatana-dharma is eternal and inherent within all souls, then it exists outside of any religious idea of a ritual or belief. Prabhupad continues, "The English word religion is a little different from sanatana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and  he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanatana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed" (17). Within this definition of sanatana-dharma lies the essence of what it means to seek truth, the absolute truth. Truth is not relative. Truth just is. 2 + 2 = 4. Truth is not dependent on my willingness to believe or have faith (numbers don't care if I believe in them, they just exist), and it cannot be changed (2 + 2 will always, always equal 4). Truth is independent of my own brain and mind and heart.

Truth is truth.

Religion can fluctuate, but the nature of the soul just is. Prabhupad goes on to give the example how heat is integral to fire (17) - take away heat and there is no fire.

So naturally I wonder: what IS the eternal occupation of the soul? If the soul is "fire," what is the equivalent of "heat", the quality that defines the soul and cannot be taken away?

Prabhupad provides the answer: rendering service (18). Prabhupad reasons that service cannot be avoided, it is as integral to the soul as heat is to fire. We are all serving someone, right now, whether we do so out of fear (my boss) or duty (my students) or love (my husband). The fact that we serve others at all times is not up for debate or confined to this or that religion or if you or I believe in this or not. To serve is the eternal occupation of the soul.

The whole purpose of the Gita is to revive our truest expression of service, to serve God with love (27). This is not a matter of sectarian religion, this is a matter of truth and being aligned with that truth, because this is how the soul will ultimately, truly be happy. To stop chasing happiness and simply live it: to love and be loved.

If I was to find my why, that is my why. To love and be loved is the nature of my soul. This is not religion. Show me how to serve God. If this is a science, show me. I'm all ears.

I'm ready to hear.

sincerely,

Bhakti

seeking the center

Truth and love.

Light and warmth.

Without love, truth is cold and harsh.

Without truth, love is suffocating and superficial.

I find that it's so easy, so easy, to swing to one side or the other, to become an extreme conservative or an extreme liberal. Either it's

my way or the high way

or

everything goes.

Also so easy is to abandon all search for truth and love - to engage in the hard work of seeking the center, seeking balance. So easy. Just say,

I don't know.

What a challenge! What a challenge to take a deep breath and decide: I want to be sincere. I don't want to swing to and fro on the pendulum of what I like and don't like and the sensational or easy way. I want to sincerely seek the center.

I challenge myself to seek the center. While I read the ancient scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, for the next 100 days, I challenge myself to find the center of truth and love within these ancient, timeless words.