Steady mind!

 

Queen Kunti told the story of Kshatriya lady Vidula & her son Sanjay. She continued: Sanjay said that he had lost all desire to fight but her mother kept prodding her son to fight. Sanjay asked his mother: If you can give me some practical way of achieving victory, I will cast aside my despondency

 

Vidula said: Victory & defeat are always uncertain & so no warrior should ever lose heart. Still, if you want some practical advice, it is this: You should gather the following persons: those who are angry with your enemy-those who are greedy, those who have been injured by the enemy, those who have been humiliated by the enemy, those who are envious of the enemy, and those who like a challenge because of their great pride

 

These persons can be inspired to fight along with you if you deal with them properly. A heroic king can instill confidence in his subjects. On the other hand, the citizens lose faith in a king who shows himself to be fearful & cowardly. When the king displays his weaknesses, the subjects either abandon him or else join the side of the enemy

 

My dear son, I’m speaking like this because I want to rouse you to action & bravery, said Vidula

 

Being at last influenced by his mother’s words, Sanjaya gave up his fear and prepared to encounter the enemy in battle

 

Queen Kunti concluded: Dear Yudhisthira, I have related to you this conversation between Vidula & Sanjaya for your benefit. She then said to Krsna: Please remind Arjun of how a voice from the sky had announced at the time of his birth that he would become equal to Indra in prowess. The voice went on to say that after defeating the Kurus & regaining his paternal kingdom, he would perform three great sacrifices, along with his brothers

 

O Krsna! You should prod Bhima by saying: Now is the time for you to exhibit your prowess. Pls encourage the twins (Nakula & Sahadev) in the same way. Remind all my sons of the insults they had to tolerate, especially Dushasana’s cruel words to Bhima. Assure the Pandavas that I am well & that I’m living quite comfortably under Vidura’s care. They should now prepare themselves for the impending war

 

Such a practical advice on how to gather oneself after defeat & make a strategy defeat the enemy. Here Vidula is just not inspiring his son by reminding him about the duty of a Kshatriya (warrior), but also giving tips about whom to align with and regroup to retake the lost grounds

 

Krsna says in Bhagvad Gita:

duḥkheṣv anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣu vigata-spṛhaḥ
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir ucyate

 

One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind

 

Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not at all disturbed by the onslaughts of the threefold miseries, for he accepts all miseries as the mercy of the Lord, thinking himself only worthy of more trouble due to his past misdeeds; and he sees that his miseries, by the grace of the Lord, are minimized to the lowest

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife