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Krishna's love (Gyaneshwara's Narrative)

 

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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