Krishnas Speech at the Battleground Epilogue

EPILOGUE When one hears Krishna speaking at the battle field, one is apt to ask. Who is Krishna? On the mortal level, where, was he born? What was his boyhood like? What heroic exploits did he achieve in His youth? How did he die? One asks: On the transcendental level where is his abode? Is not the world itself his abode? Or else, does he live in a world beyond the world? It is said that he created the universe. How did He create it? Where is the secret of his magic powers? He claims that he reincarnates again and again in this world. How is it that the god of gods who is infinite and formless could reincarnate in finite forms? What were his reincarnations in the past? What did he do thereby? How to praise him? How should we worship him? How could we invoke him? Thus a battery of questions are raised. To meet them, a whole range of literature has grown. They chiefly consist of the Mahabharata the Harivamsa, the Bhagavata and other Puranas There are other works as well. They dwell on the Krishna theme from countless angles. Thus our discourse on the Gita is an invitation to the reader to pour into more works on Krishna theme and to further discourse. A perusal of religious books makes one think counter to the way of the worlds. When we are left to ourselves, we are engrossed with this man’s scope and that man’s talents. Consequently we lay down our lives for material gains. It is of course uncertain whether we can possess the objects of our desire, despite our life-long pursuit after it. In order to have material gains, we must take help of others. In other words we must acknowledge obligation to others. Once we possess the object of our desire, it may lose its charm. And we have to go for possessing something else. Since the objects of desire are scarce in the world, there is a lot of competition among men for them. Often it results in bitter strifes. Besides once we possess a thing, it is subject to wear and tear. The possession of a thing , again, only satisfies our will to power over others. But our hearts are never as happy as when we all of a sudden catch the sight of a sea or a mountain. But cannot the heart be jocund on its own? The perusal of the religious books makes us think in a different way. We are impelled to think of God. We need no one’s help to attain God. Only thing is that we must help ourselves. We must withdraw our senses from the outer world and drive them inward to discover God that lurks in our hearts. God is one. Still each one of the six hundred million people on earth can possess him exclusively. Ihe more one is in contact with God, thee more he is in love with God. So he has no fear of being disillusioned. God has no wear and tear , so no one possesses God, one has no fear of losing God. Since God is at the innermost region of one’s heart, one’s heart is truly filled with joy on its own. Once we seek God , we need no external aid to become happy. Our material possessions do not accompany us when we die. But God persists with us even after death. Oh God!Give us the strength To worship you! This is a plague ridden world Cut off from the eternity No one can escape from here lest the plague of mortality spreads in other worlds too. Every day,, every morning, every night Man are being carried in their coffins to their tombs. No one knows, when death will visit us, Our friends, our dear and near ones And our children Nothing belongs to us in this world. Even the body is not ours Or else, why should we leave the body even when we do not will it. The mind and senses are not ours as well. Or else why do they not obey our commands To turn back from the objects of the outer world, Oh God! Give us the strength to Have command over mind and senses Give us the strength to contemplate on you alone You have no death One who can contemplate on the deathless Becomes death-less himself He alone escapes the plague ridden world And joins the tribe of the immortals. Alas! I pray to you for emancipation? My mind drifts me away from you thereby Like the most vile and treacherous valet. Why should I pray to you for the sake of anything else than for prayer itself. I do not want escape from the plague-ridden world However much harsh and alien it Might appear to me I am ready to born over and over again Here only And remain ever a bondman to serve your will Oh God!Give me strength enough to be your devotee for ever and anon. Om Shanti!Om Shanti!Om Shanti! Peace!Peace!Peace!