The 'big picture' of the Gita - more than just text

When a pupil is instructed by a teacher, the pupil learns from all his senses. Hence importance is attached not only to the words used by the teacher, but also to any visual aids, illustrations, body language, tone of voice, musical intonation, emotions etc. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna instructs Arjuna on the path of Karma Yoga to help him perform his duty and attain the highest human goal while doing so. The gita is not a telephonic conversation or a mere internet chat where only the text is sufficient to convey a message. It is the 'Song of God' delivered and performed by God himself to his devotee to help the devotee realize perfect devotion to the Lord. In the Gita, the message of Bhakti is not just a verbal message but one that is felt and realized by Arjuna in the presence of the Lord himself conveying the message of devotion to the Lord in his spectacular divine form. Hence the words alone do not give the full picture of devotion to the Lord.

The message of Bhakti in the Gita has to be realized as Arjuna did, in the presence of Krishna. Furthermore, Krishna gives divine vision to Arjuna and Arjuna perceives Krishna in all his divine splendour in subsequent chapters related to the divine forms of the Lord. Hence the words in these chapters cannot be grasped truly without the divine vision that Arjuna experienced, or the divine love experienced by the lord's relatives, friends and disciples in their personal interactions with him. The path of Bhakti which was taught by Krishna to Arjuna was ideal for the situation because:

1) Arjuna was already close to Krishna who knew him as a relative, a close friend and a guide and trusted Krishna completely.
2) Arjuna's personality was suited to devotion because he was emotional and highly devoted to people who were close to him and whom he trusted such as his brothers, his cousin Krishna, his grandsire Bhishma and his guru Drona.
3) There was very little time to resort to other methods such as meditation and contemplation because Arjuna was in the midst of a battlefield where his role was crucial.
4) Krishna bestowed divine vision on Arjuna which enabled him to not just perceive an abstract infinite being, but a supreme all attractive and all powerful personality with infinite attributes, but yet beyond all attributes.

Thus, the words spoken by Krishna were substantiated by Arjuna's vision as the words were being uttered in real time. It is human nature to learn by experience and based on what you see and not based on what you hear or what you read, hence a mere reading of these verses or a hearing from a 'guru' without a glimpse of the divine will not result in the realization of bhakti the way it worked for Arjuna in the physical presence of the Lord. During the war, Arjuna was constantly aware of the presence of the lord as his charioteer and guide. However this path of Bhakti taught by Krishna to Arjuna is the least ideal path for those who have not had a glimpse of Krishna even in his human form, let alone in his divine form in all his splendour. This Bhakti cannot be realized by humans who are not bestowed with divine vision or those who have not heard the divine flute playing or the melodious voice of the all attractive lord. Hence the only paths that suitable for the world of today in absence of contact with the avatar or human form of the lord are those of Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga, which are taught by the lord himself.

Chanting the names of the lord and visualizing the forms of the lord and his pastimes, and worshiping idols helps to control the mind, however taming the mind alone does not lead to self-realization. Only the performance of action as Karma Yoga with balance and equanimity even in turbulent situations can lead to self-realization as it did for King Janaka and others. Even chanting the name of the lord or singing bhajans with a motive to praise him and reach him in his divine abode is not Karma Yoga, due to the underlying motive.

Those who refrain from performing their worldly duties towards themselves, their families, their countries, and the world at large and those who live vicariously in their thoughts under the guise of 'Bhaktas' are nothing but hypocrites. Idol worship or chanting names is mere attachment to a limited form such as a word or an 'idol' and not devotion to the infinite and all-encompassing lord who cannot be understood or realized through a limited idol or name. The lord is present in all living beings and the entire universe is present in the lord. This cannot be realized through a name, song, image or idol.

Relevance of past greats

The world has seen several great beings such as Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Krishna, Buddha, Mahavira and Meher Baba. Their contribution to humanity is immense, and they have given hope to and transformed the lives of many. However they are no longer present in the earth in the same physical form. We must not confuse their physical form with their eternal nature. Each of these great beings came to the earth at a time when the principles as laid down by great beings previously had been lost in time and were being misinterpreted or erroneously projected by certain people trying to capture power in the name of god. Due to actions of these pseudo religious people, the principles as laid down by the greats to be realized are diluted over time. Thus, the principles of living need to be reestablished from time to time.

Meher Baba said "Throughout eternity I have laid down principles and precepts, but mankind has ignored them. Man's inability to live God's words makes the Avatar's teaching a mockery.Because man has been deaf to the principles and precepts laid down by God in the past, in this present avataric form I observe Silence. You have asked for and been given enough words — it is now time to live them. When I break my Silence, the impact of my Love will be universal and all life in creation will know, feel and receive of it. It will help every individual to break himself free from his bondage in his own way. I am the Divine Beloved who loves you more than you can ever love yourself. The breaking of my Silence will help you to help yourself in knowing your real self. "

However, he never broke his silence and passed away. The silence will be broken only when all of us help ourselves in knowing our real selves. The next avatar is in each and everyone of us, when we know our real selves.

Is there anybody out there?

The timeless question is whether there is such a person, a supreme personality, one that cannot be comprehended by us? There is no definite answer to this question, and this question may not even be a practical one. It is proposed by followers of the Krishna Consciousness movement that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that we can never be one with him, but only worship him, due to their translation/interpretation of the verse as

" Unintelligent men, who know Me not, think that I have assumed this form and personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is changeless and supreme"

But there is also the translation that says"In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium. "

That means that there is an aspect of Krishna that is changeless and supreme, and also that Krishna incarnates again and again.

So what if Krishna is incarnated in the world today? Will the worshippers of Krishna be able to recognize him? Will they continue to chant their mantra and worship their idols while Krishna appears before them? When he reestablishes the lost principles of religion, will they accept them, or reject them in their blind devotion to the past form of Krishna?