GITA FOR CHILDREN
PART 25

(Continued from the previous issue)

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CHAPTER 11

1. Arjuna says to Krishna, ‘Oh Lord, out of compassion for me, You have explained to me most clearly as to who exactly You are and how You pervade the entire Universe.’

2. ‘I also understand better not only how You are in me but also how I should recognise You in other beings, especially humans.’

3. ‘And now, oh Lord, feebly and most humbly I venture to make a request. Can I see You in Your mighty Cosmic Form, please? Is it at all possible?’

4. The Lord replies, ‘Arjuna, what you are asking to see has rarely been seen before. For you, however, I shall make an exception and reveal My Cosmic Form. Get hold of yourself and be ready to see something that is not only breath-taking but also awesome!’ 5. ‘The Cosmic Form that you wish to see cannot be seen with the normal human eye. It calls for Divine Vision, which I shall now confer upon you. Prepare then, Arjuna, to see something both mind-boggling and fearsome!’ 6. At this point, Sanjaya, who is narrating all this to Dhritarashtra, says, ‘With these words, Krishna is now revealing Himself as the Supreme Lord of Creation and all that lies beyond.’ 7. ‘Arjuna sees now, concentrated in one place, in the person of the Supreme God, the entire Universe with its manifold divisions.’ 8. Sanjaya continues, ‘Oh, King Dhritarashtra, how am I to describe this extra-ordinary spectacle that is brighter than a thousand Suns? I can see Arjuna dumbstruck, struggling to say something.’ 9. ‘Now Arjuna speaks; he says, “Lord, I am at a loss for words. Within Your blazing Form I can see everything, every being and every entity in Creation. This incredible Form before me does not seem to have any beginning or end. It is truly mind-boggling.”’

10. ‘Oh, my dearest Lord! I realise now, feebly perhaps, that You are at once the Eternal Being, the Supreme Being, and the goal that is to be attained. Till now, I used to think that the fleeting and transient world was the Reality. But now I realise how wrong I was, and that it is You alone who are truly the Ultimate Reality.’

11. ‘By You alone is filled the space between the heaven and the earth. Oh, Almighty Lord, the three worlds tremble at the sight of Your wondrous but terrifying Form!’

12. ‘As I see Your Supremely Effulgent Form stretching to the very heavens, I am absolutely petrified. I just cannot bear this frightening vision.’

13. ‘I am petrified because I see in You all that is destined to happen in the future, especially the death of our arch enemies.’

14. ‘As the moths fly into the flame only to be destroyed, I see these people plunging into destiny to meet their violent end.’

15. ‘Tell me, oh Lord, Who presents such an awesome Form that strikes me with fear and fills me with dread, tell me, oh Lord, Who exactly are You?’

16. In reply, the Almighty Lord says, ‘Arjuna, I am TIME, and to Me as TIME, everything in Creation must bow. I am Destiny, and I have destined death for every creature. All, including those whom you are hesitant to slay, will die, whether you do it or not.’

17. ‘Arjuna, do you understand what that means? When the bodies of all these people are doomed to perish, why do you hesitate to engage them in battle, especially when I am ordering you to do so?’

18. ‘Now that you have got a glimpse of Me as TIME and DESTINY, it behoves you to implicitly obey My command. Cast aside your doubts and misgivings and trust in Me. Place your faith in Me. Pick up your bow and arrows. Get up. Prepare to go out there and fight!’

19. ‘Arjuna, Creation is a Cosmic Drama, scripted, produced, directed and staged by Me for My pleasure. All beings are actors, nay puppets. Everyone is a puppet; a few know it but most do not.’

20. ‘Nothing can happen unless it is according to My Will. Not even a blade of grass can move unless I will that it be so. People do not understand this. You too! I have already ordained that Bhishma and Drona shall die in this war. And they will for certain, whether you fight or not. The question is whether you want to accept the role I am giving you or you choose to quit.’ 21. ‘Once again I say to you: Get up and fight and slay your enemies. Don’t think you are killing them. They are being swallowed by TIME, and you will merely be assisting the process.’ 22. Sanjaya says to King Dhritarashtra, ‘Hearing these words of the Lord, Arjuna, palms united in humble salutation, body trembling, starts speaking in a choked voice, filled with Fear.’ 23. Arjuna says, ‘Lord, I now understand why devotees constantly chant Your Name and never miss an opportunity to proclaim your matchless Glory.’ 24. ‘And why not, my Lord, since You are everything and there is nothing other than You? Lord, at this point, I have an apology to make. Till now, not knowing who exactly You are, I have taken many liberties with You, imagining You to be merely Krishna my friend. Please pardon me my Lord, for all my indiscretions. I feel extremely ashamed and also most embarrassed. I don’t know how to seek Your forgiveness. All I can say is, please forgive me, and forget all that I said or did in stupidity and ignorance.’ 25. ‘Prostrating before You, I pray to You to bear with me, even as a father is indulgent to his wayward son, and a kind man is to his errant friend.’

26. “As for this extraordinary vision that You have granted me, I rejoice that I have seen what no man has till now. At the same time, this spectacle is most frightening. Therefore, my Lord, I humbly pray that You revert to Your normal human form, the beautiful ever-smiling form of Krishna, that we all are so accustomed to.’

27. Krishna obliges by immediately resuming His human form, and having done so says, ‘Arjuna, do you realise that you have seen what even Rishis and the demi-gods have not? This vision is a privilege that no austerity can ever earn. And yet you have been blessed with that. Do you know why? Because you are dear to Me, that is why.’

28. ‘Arjuna, if only man would realise that I am ever ready to help, assist and oblige in every possible way. All that he has to do is to become dear to Me. Soon I shall tell you how that can be done.’

29. ‘Once again, I repeat: He who is steadfast in his devotion to Me, who dedicates every action of his to Me, who is free from worldly attachment – such a one will unfailingly come to Me.’

(To be continued...)

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– Heart2Heart Team

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