Our own inequities keep us bound to an Earthly concept of life. They bind us to the cycle of repeated birth and death

In time of war, do you choose God or Gods army?

In the Indian epic Mahabharata, the supreme personality of Godhead, Krishna, offers this choice to Duryodhana and Arjuna. These two cousins contested each otherss dominion over their ancestral lands.

Arjuna and his brothers, the Pandus, tried various forms of diplomacy to avoid a fratricidal war, but Duryodhana remained adamant. He would not give his cousins enough land to sick a pin in.When all diplomacy failed, the Pandus determined they should resolve the conflict through combat.

Arjuna and Duryodhana approached Krishna at the same time. Krishna told them he would not personally fight in the battle, but would offer his army to one side and himself as an advisor to the other side. Duryodhana quickly chose Krishnas army. Just as quickly, Arjua chose to have Khrisna as his personal advisor and chariot driver.

At the onset of the battle, Arjuna asked Krishna to advance the chariot between the phalanxes of the two great armies. The conversation that ensued between Arjuna and Krishna forms the Bhagavad-Gita (BG). When he looked across to his adversaries, he saw cousins, uncles and teachers that held positions worthy of respect.

Out of an overwhelming sense of compassion, Arjuna told Krishna it would be better to detach himself from the conflict and live the life of a mendicant.

Arjuna told Krishna, I will not fight.

Krishna advised Arjuna, While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead,(BG 2.11).

Krishna goes on to differentiate between the inevitability of death for the body, including bodily relations, and the immortality of the soul, the self slays not nor is slain.

All those present on the battlefield would perish, with the exception of Arjuna and his brothers. The combatants would not be the cause of anyones death, only instruments. As such, they are bound by duties and obligations and propelled by their egos to act out their destines as if they were someone in a dream. The real cause of death is the time factor.

Each and every one of us face this same inevitable cause of our demise. Just as we were destined to take birth in this world, we are destined to die. Both birth and death are symptoms of the time factor.

Time I am, destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain, (BG 11.32). Time is the universal cause of death. Old age, bodily injuries and various forms of illness are just symptoms of that time factor.

We face the same decision as Duryodhana and Arjuna. We can choose between Gods army which includes doctors, hospitals and progressions of health care, the church, various rituals rites, teachers as well as armies and their strategies or we can choose God himself who will instruct each of us through the heart.

When we choose to foster our most imitate connection with God then we can receive instructions from Him. He can guide us as the super soul from within the heart. After instructing Arjuna, Krishna tells him, I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do, (BG 18.63).

Free will enables us to choose between God and his energies. His armies, their celestial armour and weapons are just manifestations of that energy. God does not have a need for us to choose him. He is fully satisfied within himself. Choosing God is solely for our benefit.

We have a complex network of desires, doubts and misgivings curtained over our hearts. This shading obscures us from recognizing directives and activities in our own best interest. By choosing to serve ourselves and satisfy personal objectives we devise plans and schemes that estrange us from our own best interest.

Our own inequities keep us bound to an Earthly concept of life. They bind us to the cycle of repeated birth and death.

For this reason, in his concluding instruction of Bhagavad Gita Krishna tells Arjuna, Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear,(BG 18.66). Surrender, Not Gods might or greatness is the ultimate shelter and principle of religion.

When we surrender unto God, we find peace by aligning our will with his. All adversity we face is presented to us by his grace. When we try to overcome our lives struggles through his armies we inevitably face setbacks, frustrations and ultimate failure.

When we try to overcome these struggles through aligning our desires and will with him, we are ultimately victorious.

Harold Meier lived in Taiwan for over 20 years. He worked as an aircraft maintenance technical instructor and quality manager with Lufthansa Technical Training. During his time there he studied eastern religions, primarily Vedantism, and became an active member of the Hare Krishna community. Meier holds a masters degree in educational practices. He repatriated back to Canada with his family four years ago. Currently, Meier is working in the social services sector.KTW welcomes submissions to its Faith page. Columns should be between 600 and 800 words in length and can be emailed to editor@kamloopsthisweek.com. Please include a very short bio and a photo.

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Faith: Choosing God over God's army - Kamloops This Week