The Relevance of the Bhagavadgita to Humanity : 13.3. Swami Krishnananda.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021. 8:29. PM.
The Fir-st Six Chapters of the Bhagavadgita
CHAPTER-13. The Supremely Friendly Power - 3.
(Spoken on Bhagavadgita Jayanti)
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So the Fourth Chapter commences with a startling and persuasive message of giving a healing and balming touch to the anxious soul that has been listening to such a complicated and difficult message of prakriti and the gunas, and their involvements, and the senses getting subjected to the operation of the gunas, and an apparent helplessness of the individual in this vast field of cosmic activity. That may be there; let us accept it. But there is a remedy for this apparent problem which one involved in the cosmic operations of the gunas of prakriti is facing.

The touch of the finger of God can be seen in every little thing in this world. This is something we cannot even imagine in our minds. There is the descent of God in every particle of His creation. God is not a transcendent, other-worldly, unknown witness, a father, as if He has no connection with what He has created; He is intensely conscious of even the minute operations in His creation. We conceive God in the relationship He has with His creation as Brahma, Vishnu, Siva. He is not merely Brahma, the creative principle; He is also Vishnu, the sustainer. He does not merely manufacture a house, like a contractor, and leave us to our fate. He is not a contractor. He is a sustainer, a benefactor, a protector, a caretaker, a maintainer also. Therefore, the creative Brahma is also Vishnu.

Now, the Vishnu aspect is the redeeming aspect that is introduced into this creative terrific form of a God that seems to be above the prakriti and the gunas. God incarnates Himself for the purpose of setting right what may not be right under given conditions in cosmic history. Whenever there is any kind of critical moment appearing, a juncture as it is called, a yuga, and a catastrophic circumstance where human power utterly fails, divine power shall intercede.

There is some difficulty in our understanding the manner in which God works in this world, and the difficulty may persist as long as we remain as human beings and can think only as human beings, and in no other manner. Devotees, saints and sages are witnesses to the fact of the mysterious operation of God in this world.

There is some difficulty in our understanding the manner in which God works in this world, and the difficulty may persist as long as we remain as human beings and can think only as human beings, and in no other manner. Devotees, saints and sages are witnesses to the fact of the mysterious operation of God in this world.

Human capacity has a touch of egoism behind it. Our confidence that we can do something is not dissociated from an element of self-confidence, which is identifiable with our bodily individuality. Instances which are galore in the epics and the Puranas make out that God does help, but only when His help is necessary. It is necessary to feel the unavoidable presence of the Almighty in a given circumstance. If we feel that His presence may not be necessary, then that incarnation may not take place.

Do you sometimes feel that His presence is not necessary, that you can manage by yourself? Though this may look a fantastic position to maintain, a totally indefensible position that a man can sometimes get on even without the help of God, such a thing is not possible, and no sensible person will agree to that. But in spite of our logically and philosophically not agreeing to our own capacity independent of God’s interference, the ego has its own say. There is a power of the ego which is indescribable, and it has to fail. The pride of man is humbled throughout human history. Great potentates are pushed down to the bowels of the Earth by the forces of nature, and the mightiest power on Earth is pounded down to dust today or tomorrow, but this is not easily cognised by the adamant mind of the human being. There is a kind of strength of arms, strength of personality, strength of money and strength of physique which one oftentimes assumes, which really is a chimera, which is really not there. It appears to be there for reasons beyond human understanding.

To be continued ....

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