तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयम् || 7 || |
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“Therefore, at all times, remember Me and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on Me, you will surely come to Me without any doubt.”
Commentary: Lord Krishna instructs Arjuna to always fix his mind and intellect on Him and engage in battle. By doing so, Arjuna will attain liberation and reach the divine abode of the Lord without any doubt.
Lord Krishna’s instruction to fight symbolizes the battles and challenges of life that individuals must face. It represents the struggles, conflicts, and responsibilities encountered on the path of righteousness.
Earth is a battleground, yuddha bhoomi and karma bhoomi, a realm where we face battles within ourselves – with our own physical bodies, minds, hearts, and egos. God, the grand architect of this world, set the stage for us to use our gifts of intelligence and free will in the battle of life. However, in His omniscience, He knew that these gifts would be misused. Therefore, in a sense, He is the ultimate trickster, immersing us in the illusion of our own impermanence. No matter how tightly we grasp our bodies, minds, hearts, or egos, they will slip away, leaving us with pain, suffering and unfulfilled desires.
People often allocate excessive time and expend significant resources on their physical bodies, which are ultimately subject to the inexorable processes of aging and decay. The mind, once sharp, gradually succumbs to the passage of time, forgetting memories and relationships. The heart, which once soared with joy and sank with sorrow, grows weak as life unfolds. And the ego, always at the forefront, plays the protagonist like a lead hero, heroine or the victim in the mind-drama, only to vanish in the end, snatching away any remnant of self-identity.
Why invest so much time and energy in protecting our adversaries –physical body, mind, heart, and ego? First let us embrace our humanity by cultivating virtuous habits and properly training these close enemies so we become their master. Then, armed with the realization that we are one with the eternal, blissful God, we can wage the material battle knowing that these adversaries cannot distract us. Spiritual struggle is relatively far better than the more painful physical, mental or emotional suffering in the body, mind and heart.
Lord Krishna urges every devotee to fight on till the end with faith, to overcome identification with temporary body and all material pleasures. His compassionate assurance that unwavering devotion leads to the attainment of the divine without any doubt, signifies the impartiality of divine grace, accessible to all who are steadfast in their spiritual journey.