<p class="bodytext">The body is for us to use, not to abuse, to reach our goal in this lifetime. This thought in our mind is when we witness indulgence by people around. We’ve to eat to sustain this body and not fall prey to living, so we devour everything.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This body is a vehicle that we have gifted ourselves for this life, from birth until death. Our five sense organs are oriented externally towards the objects of desire out there. I want that attractive pair of shoes; I have to satiate my hunger with tasty food served at the new restaurant; my next holiday destination should be the island that looks heavenly; and so on. Where do we put an end to this urge to possess them unconditionally? Moderation is the key.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bhagwan Krishna has addressed all these aspects and many more in the Bhagavad Gita. When we hear the word Gitopadesha, we are reminded of Bhagwan as the equipoised Charioteer, Arjuna as the distraught passenger, the magnificent chariot standing, the majestic white horses set to take off, the reins in His hands, Arjuna with his bow and arrow and a full quiver with a few other weapons around, and the entire setting in the middle of a battlefield.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An in-depth comparison for what this picture depicts is to our own mortal existence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The charioteer is equated to our intellect. Arjuna is none other than you and me who lament in this samsara; the chariot is our body that has embodied our soul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The five horses are viewed as our sense organs that consume inputs from the outside world. The reins represent the control <br />we need to exercise on our fickle <br />mind and is achieved through surrender to Him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The paths in the battlefield are those vishayas that attract us that waylaid us from our goal. Aren’t the bow and arrow and other weapons our own Astras – dispassion and detachment to leverage to combat and kill our enemies, desires? </p>.<p class="bodytext">With this understanding, we can reach our goal of emancipation in this mortal journey to experience the highest bliss while we forego, through discretion, what will never help us to reach our goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">We should use this body as that vehicle to guide our soul towards the goal, where Jivatma merges with Paramatma to experience supreme bliss.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The body is for us to use, not to abuse, to reach our goal in this lifetime. This thought in our mind is when we witness indulgence by people around. We’ve to eat to sustain this body and not fall prey to living, so we devour everything.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This body is a vehicle that we have gifted ourselves for this life, from birth until death. Our five sense organs are oriented externally towards the objects of desire out there. I want that attractive pair of shoes; I have to satiate my hunger with tasty food served at the new restaurant; my next holiday destination should be the island that looks heavenly; and so on. Where do we put an end to this urge to possess them unconditionally? Moderation is the key.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bhagwan Krishna has addressed all these aspects and many more in the Bhagavad Gita. When we hear the word Gitopadesha, we are reminded of Bhagwan as the equipoised Charioteer, Arjuna as the distraught passenger, the magnificent chariot standing, the majestic white horses set to take off, the reins in His hands, Arjuna with his bow and arrow and a full quiver with a few other weapons around, and the entire setting in the middle of a battlefield.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An in-depth comparison for what this picture depicts is to our own mortal existence.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The charioteer is equated to our intellect. Arjuna is none other than you and me who lament in this samsara; the chariot is our body that has embodied our soul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The five horses are viewed as our sense organs that consume inputs from the outside world. The reins represent the control <br />we need to exercise on our fickle <br />mind and is achieved through surrender to Him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The paths in the battlefield are those vishayas that attract us that waylaid us from our goal. Aren’t the bow and arrow and other weapons our own Astras – dispassion and detachment to leverage to combat and kill our enemies, desires? </p>.<p class="bodytext">With this understanding, we can reach our goal of emancipation in this mortal journey to experience the highest bliss while we forego, through discretion, what will never help us to reach our goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">We should use this body as that vehicle to guide our soul towards the goal, where Jivatma merges with Paramatma to experience supreme bliss.</p>
