One of the most amazing aspects of the Mahabharata is that it can offer inspirations for almost every situation that one may face in life. In fact the discerning will tell you that the life itself is a Mahabharata that is being played out both inside and outside. The conclusion of the Mahabharata is foregone and the outcome of the central war at Kurukshetra, was decided long before a single arrow was let loose. The mystery, if one exists, is how the epic unfolds every time.
The Mahabharata concluded with the the defeat of the evil and victory of Dharma. As it was then, so it is today. Mahabharata of our lives will surely, relentlessly, make its way to its inevitable conclusion. The only thing for us to decide is what character we want our mind to assume. That decision dictates our perception that gives colors the world we lead ourselves into, determines the balance of Karma that we leave this world with and most importantly determines if we would find ourselves in the side of Sri Krishna.
I am currently faced with the prospect of taking a decision that is neither easy nor particularly palatable. My mind has flown back, as it always does in such situations, to the Mahabharata. Every single character in the Mahabharata can be thought to be the representative of a unique state of mind. And strangely, everyone assumes a different state of mind i.e. different characters at different points of time. The character you assume most often or as a default state is perhaps who you really are.
The Sakuni Mind, is the state which leads with deceit as its end goal. It is perhaps a mind that carries burdens of wrongs of past, real and imagined affronts or perhaps it is just twisted. Regardless it is a mind that leads itself and everyone near it down a path to ruin.
The Duryodhana Mind appears to me one that leads with Greed and Envy. It is a mind that often falls prey to some Sakuni, within or without. The Duryodhana defrauded his brothers of their rightful kingdom thereby sealing his own fate. He Famously refused to part with one needle head worth of land with Pandavas. And when his own fate cornered him, he couldn't find any corner of land where he could hide and save himself. He hid himself underwater but the relentless fate was not to be denied.
The Yudhishthira Mind leads with Good Intensions and Naivety. This mind trusts others to be honorable. Most are and some aren't. His Naiveness leads him and his loved ones to discomfort sometimes. The years of wandering in wilderness for Pandavas was almost entirely a result of his utter stupidity. However the purity of his heart attracts the blessing of Sri Krishna and Yudhishthira emerges a winner when he faces situations with valor, grit and the directions shown by Sri Krishna.
The Bhisma Mind, in my opinion is the Mind that undermines the greatest potential and ability with horrible decisions made for every kind of weird reasons, rendering the life rather inconsequential. Giving up the throne was his first disastrous decision, based on the wrong belief that the Kingdom was his to refuse. In doing so he deprived the Kuru dynasty and Hastinapur of its greatest King. Everything else that happened started from that one bad decision. However it is also true that the greatness of his abilities gets him the respect of all and Krishna's blessings. His last moments on earth are worthy of being reviewed.
My and everyone else favorite Mind is of course the Arjuna Mind, it is the Enlightened Mind that has the might to hear Sri Krishna's words and act as per that. People often say refer to the Bhagavad Gita when you seek answers in life, but my feeling is having access to Gita doesn't mean you will understand or act as per Gita. For that you need to be a devotee, a warrior, an enlightened soul, a leader. Not everyone can be Arjuna for sure, but one would be remiss not to even aspire for it.
Not just these characters but every other superhumans that appear in the immortal epic such Ashwatthama, Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, Kunti, Karna, Barbareek, Salwa, Gatotkach, the Mighty Bheema, Nukul, Sahadev, Draupadi and countless others show us states that our Mind can assume. Some states of mind invite blessings of Krishna and others his pity or even anger. He is Father to all.
Today standing at the point that I am at, I pray to Sri Krishna so that I take the right decision that keeps me in His side. I pray for the wisdom to sit at His feet and when time comes, seek Him to be with me always even at the cost of the Narayani Sena.
Jai Sri Krishna
