CONVERSATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN Chapter 5 THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL DISCRIMINATION There is a basic difference between plays scripted by humans and God's Divine Drama. While in the former, everything is pre-determined by the author, in God's play, there is flexibility at the micro level. This arises because God allows humans to decide how they would act. That decision is made by the Mind, and thus it is that the Mind plays a key role in determining one's Destiny. Krishna explains that the advice of the Mind should never be accepted without scrutiny and this calls for Spiritual or Fundamental Discrimination. ****************** KRISHNA : Arjuna, there is something more you should know about the human Mind. As I told you earlier, it is a gift of God and unimaginably powerful. What people normally call the Mind refers to the inquisitive, ambitious and creative part. It is this aspect that drives man to adventure, to start business and make money, to seek power, and to dominate. In addition, the Mind helps man to innovate and invent, making life easier and more comfortable. Besides the curiosity and the ambition aspects, the Mind has a creative part too, that helps man to create music, paint, sculpt, produce literature, great works of art, and so on. All this capability of the Mind is described as medha shakti, and this power or capacity is focused mainly on the EXTERNAL world. ARJUNA : Any problem with that? KRISHNA : Yes, there is. You see, Arjuna, Creation or Prakriti is full of diversity; and this diversity comes due to the gunas, to which I made a brief reference earlier. ARJUNA : But what has that got to do with medha shakti? KRISHNA : Everything. ARJUNA : In what way? KRISHNA : Let us start with the fact that since you, Arjuna, are also a part of Prakriti or Creation, you too have gunas. Thus, the way your Mind forms impressions about what happens in the world is very much influenced by your gunas. ARJUNA : Is that why selfish persons often tend to be suspicious, mean, etc.? KRISHNA : Correct. And I suppose you are aware that some people are very jealous! That too is due to gunas. ARJUNA : Don't I know about jealousy! There is Duryodhana, the prime example! KRISHNA : Yes, that is a good example of a person being under the influence of gunas. Right now, I have no time to tell you more about gunas, but you take it from Me that the essence of it all is that worldly knowledge or medha shakti, while very important, is not enough. ARJUNA : Why? KRISHNA : Because medha shakti is influenced by the gunas, and there is the danger that a person can misuse the worldly knowledge that he has. ARJUNA : If medha shakti alone is not enough, then what more is needed? KRISHNA : Medha shakti or worldly wisdom must be balanced by a moderating agency called the Buddhi. ARJUNA : Buddhi? I have heard that term before but what exactly does it mean? KRISHNA : Buddhi means Discrimination, not just worldly discrimination, but Fundamental or Spiritual Discrimination. ARJUNA : Krishna, why is Buddhi important? KRISHNA : Arjuna, let us examine your present problem. Right now, the stage is set for war, which did not happen all of a sudden. You know the full history. We tried to avoid this war by offering peace and compromise but that offer was rejected. Now, why did the Kauravas reject the peace offer? ARJUNA : The Kauravas rejected our offer because they are greedy and want to grab every inch of land they can get hold of. KRISHNA : That greed, Arjuna, reflects the absence of Fundamental Discrimination in the Kauravas. They simply do not know how to analyze a situation properly and arrive at the correct decision. ARJUNA : I agree with that, but You cannot say that my refusal to fight is also due to lack of Fundamental Discrimination. In fact, I am using my discrimination to say that war will not gain us anything, especially happiness. KRISHNA : On the contrary, Arjuna, you too are suffering from the same disease, and all I am trying to do is to cure you of that disease! In a worldly sense, your standpoint and that of Duryodhana are certainly different. But when it comes to lack of Spiritual Discrimination, both of you lack it! ARJUNA : Krishna, I am shocked and also pained that you equate me to Duryodhana! KRISHNA : No Arjuna, it is not like that! You see, Spiritual Discrimination is required if one wants to perform right action and duty in conformity with Sathya and Dharma. ARJUNA : Are You saying my refusal to fight is not in accordance with Dharma? KRISHNA : That is exactly right! ARJUNA : Oh, my God! It looks like I am doing nothing right! KRISHNA : Arjuna, listen to Me. I am not trying to find fault with you but merely helping you to correct yourself. It is this way : Performing duty involves action; fighting is an action, and right now, it is your duty to fight! ARJUNA : Can fighting be called a duty? KRISHNA : If you are fighting for your kingdom, I would not call it duty. I am NOT asking you to fight for your kingdom; I am asking you to fight for Dharma! Man must always uphold Dharma, and if he has to give up his life for doing so, then he must be prepared to do it. That is man's duty! Remember, this war is really between the forces of Dharma and adharma; it is clear, is it not, on what side you should be fighting? ARJUNA : Krishna, those are strong words! KRISHNA : Yes, they are, and you must understand why I have said so. ARJUNA : Krishna, it would appear that right-action, duty and Dharma are all strongly interconnected. KRISHNA : Absolutely, no question about that. Arjuna, I understand your problem; you have been suddenly exposed to a whole string of words unfamiliar to you. It is therefore not surprising that you are not clear about the linkages between them. But don't worry, I shall make it all clear as we go along. ********************* As Krishna delves deeper into Atma Vidya, Arjuna begins to have more and more questions. The Compassionate Lord patiently answers them all, as we shall find Him doing in the next Chapter and the others that follow.
