RAMANAM
In the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, Amen.
Countrymen,
Krishna preached to all creation through Arjuna. He did not preach to Arjuna alone. To think that He did is a misunderstanding derived from an insufficiency of insight. The Avathar comes for all, always, and preaches to all, always. Macro and Micro are coextensive and simultaneously operant.
Arjuna is Everyman and I would expand to Every-creature since all are in the process of march Godward.
There is something special about Arjuna receiving the counsel directly. That has to do with the preservation/advance of the Solar Dynasty, which was then in condition of being usurped and upon which the stability of the entire universe depends absolutely, as on God Himself.
I would mention also that the purpose of the war was war, to destroy the belligerent capacity of the usurpers. That itself is spiritual exercise (sadhana) when called for and Krishna affirmed repeatedly that it was called for, even against Dharmaraja’s distaste for it before and after. This central fact of the thing is important to keep in mind. The counsel is entirely for the purpose of steeling Arjuna — all creatures — to the duty of that war to resort Dharma and has no other raison d’etre.
In one Summer Showers series Swami addressed this doubt directly, answering charge that Krishna/Pandavas were warmongers. Swami said no, Dharma dictated the war and so the war was Dharma.
If one denies the reality of Dharma then one has no choice but to regard Mahabharatha War as mere purposeless violence that one will want to say does not happen, rivers of blood notwithstanding. The denial of Dharma leaves one blowing on the winds of whimsy: today one deplores war as violence and tomorrow promotes it as the necessary exercise of the master race (Darwin, Hitler, Gates, etc.) … all because one has dismissed the standard (Dharma) for discriminating when war is appropriate and when not.
In this situation — denial of Dharma — saying the rivers of blood or the ovens do not exit is understandable but not acceptable. Dharma is and so the standard is firm and permanent. Furthermore, Dharma supports those who support Dharma.
Krishna/Pandavas were not warmongers. They abhored war. But they supported Dharma, which at that moment required war. War can be anti-Dharmic (Saddam Hussein) and war can be Dharmic (Douglas MacArthur). Only if we accept the reality of Dharma and exercise the buddhi with extreme vigor can we know when war is Dharmic and when not and act accordingly.
And as far as India today is concerned, it is notable that the Indian General Staff gives evidence of preparing for war even now, ostensibly with Pakistan but more certainly with China, whom only India has the honor of having defeated in this century — with Swami’s direct participation, remember.
When Swami compares India to Dharmaraja, United States ro Arjuna and Russia to Bhima, He is implying that another Mahabharata War is in the offing.
In this connection, it is of significance that the Clinton crowd did not let the Chinese President visit West Point on his recent visit, against all custom, which is that every head of state and even second and third level personnel always stand on the poop deck of the mess hall and receive the huzzahs of the Corps. The Corps was in fact ready to boo the Chinese President — they know what is coming — and Clinton’s crowd were aware of it so the chap was taken only to Harvard, who had supported the Chinese during the Korean War … and even there he was hissed. This is very significant.
When a little earlier a group of Chinese general officers were introduced to the Corps from the poop deck the reception was distinctly chilly.
To be greeted with loud cheers and waving napkins by the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy is primary diplomatic procedure for all senior visitors. You can see that something is up …. The Corps is aware of it.
AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA
