Narrative
of Gyaneshwara before shloka 11
Thinks Krishna--If I reveal the cosmic knowledge (brahm-vidya) to Arjuna, the sweetness of my love for Arjuna will be lost. So, let me hide behind a thin veil of indirect description so as to enjoy sweet love while using the principle of duality.
Those caught in the desire of ‘I am that’ (ahambrahmasmi), and crave for it, their vision may cause blemish to His (Krishna’s) love (for Arjuna) and Krishna wants to protect it.
The knowledge of self (if given
now), will destroy the ego of Arjuna…he becomes one with me…and then what will
I do all by myself? Who will I see to please my eyes? And whom will I embrace fiercely?
And to whom would I talk freely? And, if we become one, with whom would I share
the dialogue that is overflowing from my heart and I cannot contain it anymore?
So, Krishna distracts Arjuna by narrating a few qualities of enlightened
beings just for a while to enjoy duality with Arjuna.
It may sound
impossible but at that time Arjuna looked like an idol of Krishna’s bliss. If Gyaneshwara
has not felt this bond of love between the two friends, he might not have described it
so fondly. But just see the occasion (thinks Gyaneshwara)…how blissful is the
dialogue taking place in duality where, one side the horrific event of the
great war is going to take place at the same time the embodiment of cosmic love
is dancing around Arjuna. what is love if one is shameful to admit? What is exhaustion
if one is addicted? And what is madness if not causing confusion? In this way,
Gyaneshwara is meaning to describe the sacred destiny of Arjuna and his extreme
fortune—for his (Arjuna’s) heart is the abode for Krishna’s friendship or a
mirror for Krishna to see his own heart adorned with ornaments? So, the sacred
destiny of Arjuna is perfect to create fertile land for Krishna to sow the seeds
of devotion.
There are
nine types of devotions described starting from ‘shravan’ (listener to
God’s voice) to 'atma-nivedan' (atma- self, nivedan-
request) and there is eighth kind of devotion described as ‘sakhya’ (a
friend- where the devotee becomes a friend to God) and Arjuna is the deity of
this form of bhakti (devotion). So, Gyaneshwara chooses to glorify not the
God but his devotee—as this shall eventually please Shri Krishna, as for the
love for His devotee the supreme spirit takes the form and the devotee (says
Gyaneshwara) is the only one who is extremely lucky combined the three worlds.
P.S. As we are trying to catch the fragments of the cosmic song and trying to understand it through the eyes of innocence (gently reminding, the text was translated by Saint Gyaneshwara at the age of 15 years when the world as we know it was very different and so were the people). and while making my notes, assuming guidance of Shri Gyaneshwara, I present some narratives which are not part of original Bhagwad Geeta but the understanding of the saint himself. And to present the essence, while not missing out on the beauty of the narrative that was felt by the innocent and enlightened heart of Shri Gyaneshwara remains my objective, intention, and dharma.
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