The Gita Happiness Retreat. Sheetal

      I said, “Is committing suicide, positive thing or negative thing?” Everyone said, “Negative thing”. “Let me share another story with all of you.

A Man In Trouble

      One day on a mountaintop, a man was standing right at the edge. He looked sad and depressed. Oh no! He was there to commit suicide. At that very moment Lord Krishna and Arjuna were passing by and they observed and felt that the man was up to something. So they disguised themselves as normal men and went to help him.

      Arjuna asked, “What are you trying to do?”

      The man said, “I am fed up of my life and want to commit suicide.”

      Arjuna asked, “But why? Kindly share your problems with us may be we can help.”

      So the man said, “My wife has cheated on me. I cannot accept this fact and cannot see her with someone else. I love her very much so want to release her as well as myself from this stress.”

      Arjuna said, “Committing suicide is not the right thing to do or even to think about. For every problem there is a solution. We must never loose hope and never give up. Have you ever thought what will happen to your family after you commit suicide.”

      “No human being on this earth is free from problems. We must learn to face our problems and not run away from it. Just think what if you commit suicide now and again in next life you are faced with the same or even worse problems, then what will you do? Commit suicide again. Just think about it.”

      Lord Krishna who was silently listening to this conversation said, “Let me help you by sharing the solutions to your problems.”

      Lord Krishna looked at the man and said, “My friend are you 100% sure that your wife has cheated on you. Have you spoken with her on this matter. Has she admitted that she has cheated on you?”

      “If your answer is no, then do not worry. Go home and talk with your wife openly on this matter.”

      “But, if your answer is yes and your wife is guilty of her deed and she wants you to forgive her. My friend, please go ahead forgive her and forget about what happened and move on in your life. I know it will be difficult in the beginning but try to look at the positive side of the person, think of all the good she has done for you and ignore the negatives.”

      “Look at it this way. Couples who get divorced on various reasons, don’t they get remarried and accept their new spouse irrespective of their past relationships?

      The man asked what if I forgive her now but later she again cheats on me. Lord Krishna smiled and said, “My friend, our body be it a man or a woman is made up of senses which is not in our control. It is controlled by nature. If she cheats on you, talk to her with an open mind. Give her your help, support, love, patience, time and find solution to this problem. Over a period of time, she will realize your love and everything will be fine in your life. If you continue to face issues and you are unable to handle this emotional stress, then my friend your heart will guide you in the right direction. There are two choices in front of you, either you accept her and forgive whatever happened or leave her and move on in your life. Just listen to what your heart says, take the right step and your problems will get sorted out.”

      The man was surprised to hear such a point of view and didn’t know how to thank Lord Krishna for this. The man said, “I am very grateful to You for showing me the right direction. My stress has gone. Thank you for guiding me.”

      That man then went back to his home with a big smile.

      Arjuna asked Lord Krishna, “Had we not seen him at the right time, he would have surely committed suicide. But who will help people like him when we are not there?”

      Lord Krishna said, “People don’t realize that their family and friends are actual messengers sent by Me to help them. But in today’s time, people underestimate them and refuse to seek guidance and help because of their ego or of feeling ashamed or embarrassed about what they will think.”

      Lord Krishna then said to Arjuna, “Do you remember what happened to you on the battlefield of Kurukshetra? You too were feeling sad, depressed and refused to fight after seeing your blood relatives on the battlefield. Similarly we all feel compassion towards our loved ones and when problems arise we don’t understand what to do, we feel devastated we loose hope and give up. We even refuse to get up and fight for ourselves. So my dearest friend all you need to do is think positive and be determined to find solutions to your problems.”

      Everyone in the session looked dumbfounded after hearing this story. I looked at Shikha and first time saw her smile. This made me really happy.

      Here comes another life lesson.

      **Lesson No: 4 Remember everyone has problems. Discuss your problems with your loved ones. Look for solutions. Never let go the person whom you love.

CHAPTER 2

       Arjuna Surrenders To Lord Krishna

      “Let’s move on to the next chapter. Chapter 2 has 72 shlokas. I request each participant to read two shlokas each that is translated in English.” Everyone started reading one after the other.

Contents of the Gita Summarized

      Sanjaya said: Seeing Arjuna full of compassion, his mind depressed, his eyes full of tears, Madhusudana, Krishna, spoke the following words.

      The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all appropriate to a man who knows the value of life. They lead not to higher planets but to disgrace.

      O son of Pritha, do not surrender to this degrading inability to take action. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser of the enemy.

       Arjuna said: O killer of enemies, O killer of Madhu, how can I counterattack with arrows in battle men like Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of my worship?

      It would be better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though desiring worldly gain, they are superiors. If they are killed, everything we enjoy will be tainted with blood.

      Nor do we know which is better conquering them or being conquered by them. If we killed the sons of Dhritarashtra, we should not care to live. Yet they are now standing before us on the battlefield.

      Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of pitiful weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

      I can find no means to drive away this grief, which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to get rid of it even if I win a prosperous, unbeaten kingdom on earth with supreme power like the demigods in heaven.

      Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Krishna, “Govinda, I shall not fight,” and fell silent.

      O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krishna, smiling, in the midst of both the armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna.

      The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise cry neither for the living nor for the dead.

      Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor