Real sacrifice!

After concluding the funeral ceremonies, Pāndavās lamented & mourned about the great massacre on battlefield. Maharāj Yudhisthira specially was deeply anguished by the turn of events. Great sages including Nārada muni, Vyāsdev, Devala & Kānv came & tried to dispel the mental anguish of Yudhisthira by suitable instructions but as he felt a heavy and deep sorrow within the core of his heart, he was unable to dispel his grief

 

Yudhishthira said: In fact, my victory seems more like defeat, for all my relatives & friends have been killed, especially Abhimanyu and Karna. Kunti devi urged: Dear son! Pls don’t lament for Karna’s death. Both Surya & I had tried our best to persuade Karna to join the sides of his brothers, but we failed as he was determined to continue his hostility towards you, even after being informed his true identity. So, his death should not be lamented

 

In turn, Yudhisthira became angry with his mother because her secrecy had caused him to become the unknowing killer of his elder brother. To vent his pent-up rage, he uttered a curse: From this time onward, may no woman be able to keep a secret!

 

Yudhisthira turned to Arjun & said: If we had simply stuck to a life of mendicancy, all these troubles would have been avoided. The life of a Kshatriya is abominable, whereas a Brāhmanā’s life of forgiveness, humility & nonviolence is glorious. I had the anger & greed that had impelled us to fight like dogs over a piece of meat. Even though I had won back my kingdom, it is repugnant to me & so I discard it. At last, I can see the abominable condition of one who is materially attached!

 

Because Dhritrāshtra allowed his son allowed his son to commit so many acts of aggression against us, I was forced to kill unaccountable warriors in retaliation. Due to being caught up in materialistic affairs, I was forced to commit so many sinful acts & brought immeasurable sufferings to the surviving dependents of the slain warriors

 

Anyway, better late than never! As I have learned the great fault of material attachment, I’ll renounce my kingdom & go to the forest to live like an ascetic

 

Hearing this, Arjun angrily rebuked his elder brother: How can you dare even talk about discarding that which we attained after so much suffering & endeavour? If you are going to act like a fickle-mind eunuch, why did you bother to fight in the first place? What do you think people will say about you if you renounce the kingdom after sacrificing so much to regain it? How do you suppose the citizens’ welfare & the performance of sacrifice will be maintained if no one wants to take the responsibility of leadership?

 

Yudhisthira was adamant & argued: The path of renunciation is far superior to that of material attachment. I am convinced & so your words cannot deviate me from my determination to wander over earth like a madman, indifferent to material conditions, dependent upon no one & free from all feelings of malice towards other living creatures. The Kshatriya’s aspiration to be elevated to the heavenly planets is less intelligent. We see that even great demigods & sages sometimes fall back on earth

 

Krsna says in Gita

śreyān dravya-mayād yajñāj jñāna-yajñaḥ paran-tapa
sarvaṁ karmākhilaṁ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge

 

The purpose of all sacrifices is to arrive at the status of complete knowledge, then to gain release from material misery and, ultimately, to engage in loving transcendental service to the Supreme Lord. Real knowledge culminates in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest stage of transcendental knowledge. Without the elevation of knowledge, sacrifices are simply material activities

 

So, we can artificially relinquish material things & think that we are spiritually elevated, but the real elevation is to dutifully perform our prescribed responsibilities in the mood of service to the Supreme Lord

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife

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