Verse 40
Sri Bhagawan Uvaacha:
Paartha naiveha naamutra
Vinaashas tasya vidyate;
Nahi kalyaanakrit kashchid
Durgatim taata gacchati.
The Blessed Lord said:
O Arjuna, neither in this world, nor in the next world is there
destruction for him; none, verily, who does good, O My dear one, ever comes to
grief.
Sri Chinmaya’s words of pure wisdom
comes handy to explain this verse.
“At the very opening of this section, Krishna
assures, with all emphasis at His command - "Neither here
nor in the hereafter, is there any destruction for him, who performs right
action."
The present is the product of the past, and
thought by thought, action by action, knowledge by knowledge, we are creating
for ourselves in the present the blue-print of our future.
Therefore, the Hindus believe in previous
lives as well as in future births for all embodied souls; this is otherwise
called the theory of re-incarnation. Based upon this principle, Krishna insists
that no seeker is ever lost, although he may slip and fall, or even end his
present manifestation; tomorrow is but today modified, but directly continued.
In addressing Arjuna as "O MY SON,"
Krishna has here not only followed the traditional practice of the Upanishads,
but there is also a deeper significance.
However deceitful, cunning and cruel a brute
one might be to everyone else in the world, one cannot ever come to advise a
false philosophy to his own son. With fatherly love, Krishna is assuring Arjuna
that one who is striving in the direction of evolution shall never come to
suffer any real fall. On the ladder of cultural growth, each step
that is placed forward is an ascent towards the Absolute Perfection.”
Dear All,
We have to carefully parse the meaning of Shri Krishna’s words. He is in no way
implying that the meditator will somehow attain material success due to his
meditation. The common standard for attaining success in our world is wealth,
power and fame, none of which is guaranteed as a result of meditation.
Sri Krishna wants us to
understand is that one who takes up meditation sincerely will automatically
develop dispassion towards wealth, power and fame. He will not care whether he
attains material success or not. So therefore, a lack of material success will
not cause him distress.
But that does not mean that the meditator
obtains a pitiable state either. In fact, by sincerely practicing mediation,
the seeker will be in tune and in harmony with the world.
Remember Sai's words of assurance - "If your
thoughts / intentions are pure and noble, then Anugraha will pour in from all
Navagrahas".
In essence, yoga of
meditation is aligned with the good karmas done with Shraddha by the aspirant,
in this verse.
Thus, though, in the present
birth, he may not attain liberation, still, his faith and his sadhana , his
quietened / equipoised / tranquil / steady mind is sure to make him
engaged in good karmas in the present birth and the result of such
good karmas may not lead him to distress in the future birth(s) as well.
And, still, due to
accumulation of some past karmas, even if some misery strikes
such a sincere aspirant, as mentioned above, "He will not care whether he attains material success or not. So therefore,
a lack of material success or at worst, even utter failures in life (to clear
the prarabdha of past lives) will not cause him distress."
