Gita for Youth - Samkhya Yoga

The Sankhya Principle - Doctrine of Atman & One Point Intellect

There, seeing the dejected one on his knees, Lord Krishna spoke firmly to Arjuna. “What has come upon you, why are you dejected and despondent when there is a grave danger awaiting us in the form of a battle? This is not the characteristics of a noble born. Arise! Don’t desist from action out of fear or pity, this is not fit for you, the mighty charioteer. Shed that weakness that has come upon you, stand up and fight!”

According to Swami Vivekananda, this is the most profound message of Gita. Gita is manliness and courage personified. From every page of Gita one message is loud and clear - Fearlessness. Perhaps because it started by depicting the most basic of all animal instincts, the fear, which drove Arjuna to a state of despondency, that the contrast (to fear) in the message delivered by the Supreme Lord, becomes emphatic in every chapter of Gita. "Act without desire for fruits, you will be fearless. Treat every action as sacrifice, you will be fearless. Know thy Self, that is unborn, undying, omnipresent and omniscient and become fearless. Go beyond virtue and vices and become fearless. Get established in that state of supreme bliss where the Self is seen in every being and every being in the Self and be fearless. Know the Supreme Being to be everything and in everything and become fearless. Become a devotee of highest form and be fearless. Do all your work and dedicate the fruits to the Supreme Being and be fearless. Know the distinction between Self and Nature and know all actions as originating from the Nature and be fearless. Act according to the Nature and be fearless. Know the three qualities of Nature and their work and be fearless. Know the threefold Sraddhas and be fearless. Know the divine and demonic traits and be fearless by cultivating the divine traits. Know the divine glories and manifestations and be fearless. Work in a spirit of renunciation and be fearless. Know the supreme divine being and be fearless. See the supreme form and be absolutely fearless." These are the essential takeaways from Gita.

Arjuna said, still in that piteous tone, “How can I hurl weapons at my Guru Drona and my great grandfather Bhisma? Killing these elders for the sake of kingdom is sin. How can I commit such a terrible sin of slaughtering my Guru? I am no longer able to understand what is better for me, to defeat the enemies or to get defeated rather than killing these elders and relatives. What shall we do with kingdom if all our near and dear ones are killed? Oh Krishna, please consider me as your disciple and please advise me”.

He further said that he would not fight till his doubts were resolved.

The mind is a complex phenomenon. When intelligence is clouded, there are many doubts in mind, it cannot arrive at a decision. It acts on impulse and instincts, which often lead to perilous situations. Such is the condition of Arjuna. He is devoid of rational thinking at the present moment. He doesn't consider the fact that the same Guru Drona and Bhisma have assembled in the war to kill him and his brothers without compunction. They also know the moral duties, perhaps better than him, and yet they are ready to fight as they are in perfect control of their senses.

The Lord is the universal Guru. He only teaches the sincere souls who pray to Him earnestly for knowledge. Here Arjuna, though grief stricken, is earnestly seeking advice and therefore Lord Krishna, with utmost control of His senses, in a mocking tone told His friend and His favourite disciple, “Verily you’ve spoken as if you are wise, however you grieve for what is unworthy of grief. Wise men never mourn for the living or the dead.”