Conditioned Souls Seek Happiness In Physical Connections And Are Drawn To Them
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita: Arjuna Vishada Yogam: Chapter 1: Verse 31
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे |
न काङ्क्षे विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च || 31||
na cha śhreyo ’nupaśhyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave
na kāṅkṣhe vijayaṁ kṛiṣhṇa na cha rājyaṁ sukhāni cha|| 31||
Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 1- Ver. 31: I cannot, my dear Krishna, seek any triumph, kingdom, or happiness in the future, nor can I understand how any good may come from killing my own relatives in this conflict.
Explanation
Conditioned spirits are drawn to physical relationships in the hopes of finding happiness there. They forget, as a result of illusion, that Krishna is also the origin of material enjoyment. Arjuna seems to have even forgotten the Kshatriya moral standards. Even killing his enemies makes Arjuna hesitant, let alone killing his relatives.
He refused to fight because he believed that killing his people would prevent him from experiencing happiness. In frustration, he has now made the decision to disappear into the forest and lead a lonely existence. But because kshatriyas are prohibited from working in any other occupation, he needs a kingdom in order to survive. Arjuna hasn’t had a kingdom, though.
Fighting with his brothers and relatives to retake the kingdom he inherited from his father, which he dislikes doing, was Arjuna’s only chance to acquire a kingdom. He therefore views himself as being capable of moving to the forest to lead a lonely existence.
Reflection
Reason is lost when one’s emotions are unchecked. This is what Arjuna was referring to in this verse when he said that’s when one starts discussing or thinking about irrational things like superstition.
On the surface, Arjuna’s second sentence in this verse appears to be an expression of compassion for his family. Arjuna was used to achieving victory in every battle he engaged in.
His ego felt seriously threatened when he observed the quality of the Kaurava army’s warriors, fearing that perhaps this time it might not prevail. Here, we can see that Arjuna’s ego was attempting to divert this anxiety by mistaking the genuine sense of dread for compassion.
To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.
There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, and meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There is also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.
In the next verses, we will know what statements Arjuna make after starting to lose control over his body and mind.
Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…