Is there a connection between spirituality and our daily lives? This question often arises as to whether understanding spirituality can be beneficial in our day-to-day existence.
An important consideration is that Krishna was a friend to both the Kauravas and Pandavas. He imparted the teachings of the Gita to Arjuna, but had he shared them with Duryodhana, it is possible that the war in the Mahabharata could have been avoided.
Krishna did, in fact, attempt to teach Duryodhana, but Duryodhana rejected his teachings outright.
जानामि धर्मम्, नच मे प्रवृत्ति | जानामि अधर्मम्, नच मे निवृत्ति |
"I understand that you are sharing advice with my best interests in mind, but it is not in my nature to act in that way," expressed Duryodhana. "I acknowledge that I engage in behaviors that are detrimental to my well-being, but I find it challenging to refrain from doing so." In contemporary language, he conveyed to Krishna that he was aware of everything and did not require excessive instruction.
Duryodhana went on to explain the reasons for his behavior.
केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि ।
It seems to me that someone has taken residence in my heart and that this entity, even without my conscious desire, influences my actions. I find myself doing things that align with this influence. Unfortunately, I am unable to act according to my own wishes in this matter.
In reality, this issue is not exclusive to Duryodhana; rather, it is a shared human experience. We often resolve to take a certain course of action and make a firm decision to that end. However, when it comes to putting that decision into practice, we frequently opt for the opposite path. As a result, we often experience remorse after the fact. Unfortunately, this tendency is difficult to overcome and persists over time.
We often invest significant sums of money to receive counsel from doctors in order to shed weight. However, when we encounter foods that our healthcare providers have instructed us to abstain from, our resolve weakens. We convince ourselves that indulging in a small amount will not cause any harm, only to later feel remorseful about our lapse in judgement. Similarly, a student may pledge to work diligently at the start of the academic year but may struggle to maintain this level of dedication as the year progresses. In a comparable fashion, we may commit to a routine of daily morning exercise, but upon the sounding of the alarm, we hit snooze and drift back into slumber.
All of us have experienced situations where we have made a decision to take action but have struggled to execute it effectively. This very problem is addressed in the Kathopanishad through the duality of 'shreyas' and 'preyas.' The text urges us to value and prioritize what is beneficial for our future, or 'shreyas,' over what we may be inclined to do in the present moment, or 'preyas.'
Upon commencing his teachings to Arjuna, Krishna was confronted with a similar issue. However, there is a noteworthy distinction between Duryodhana and Arjuna. Duryodhana perceives this issue not as a problem, but rather a fact of his character. He does not aspire to alter this fact and is not inclined to contemplate doing so. Conversely, Arjuna brings this predicament to Krishna's attention and seeks counsel on how to address it. The approach adopted by Arjuna, which involves identifying and pursuing a solution to the problem, provides us with valuable insight.
The upcoming article will delve into the solution that was offered by Shri Krishna.
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