Sloka/Verse -1. ‘Yoga of Kurukshetra/Prathama adhyaya’
Dhritarashtra Uvaacha:
“Dharmakshetre kurukshetre samavetaa yuyutsavah;
Maamakaah paandavaashchaiva kim akurvata sanjaya”.
Dhritarashtra said: “What did the sons of Pandu and my people do when they had assembled together, eager for battle on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya”?
Interpretation
This is the sentence with which “Bhagavad Gita” begins. When you look at it deeply, the beginning of Gita is with the helplessness! It is the helplessness of Dhritarashtra who failed to control his ambitious son or the situations that brought him to the brink of this war. In a way, Dhritarashtra’s question is also because somewhere in the corner of his mind, he understands the consequences or probably the result of this war. His worry is reflected in his question and he is hoping against hope that Duryodhana somehow emerges victorious in this war.
Extending Interpretation to Mankind’s Life!
We all somewhere share the anxiety of Dhritarashtra in our lives. When we are blinded by Maya and when the cloud of illusion covers the rays of reality we get into this anxiety. Only a knowledgeable guru like “Sanjaya” will take us out of it. Sanjaya was able to see the war sitting miles away and he was able to narrate everything to Dhritarashtra who cannot see anything. In exactly the same way, a guru can lead us to the right path of dharma, and remove all our self-doubts whenever we get “blinded” from reality. He removes the clouds of Maya and make the rays of wisdom and knowledge shine upon our soul.
Everyone in the world needs that Guru and till you find one, you will wander in the illusionary world in search of solutions. In a way, this verse underscores the importance of a person who can act as a “guide” in our lives.
In this way, Gita’s first sloka is crucial and makes the right moves towards the journey to the infinity of wisdom and spirituality. We will meet tomorrow with another sloka from the Gita!
Till then
“SARVE JANA SUKHINO BHAVANTU
SARVE SANTU NIRAAMAYA
SARVE BHADRANI PASHYANTU
MA KASCHITH DUKHA MAPNIYA”
“MAY ALL BECOME HAPPY,
MAY ALL BE FREE FROM ILLNESS,
MAY ALL SEE WHAT IS AUSPICIOUS,
MAY NO ONE SUFFER”
