Three Potential Impurities At The Moment Of Sharanagati

“O son of Pritha, do not yield to this degrading impotence. It does not become you. Give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, O chastiser of the enemy.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.3)

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क्ल‍ैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ
tyaktvottiṣṭha paran-tapa

There is the saying that you can never go home again. Such is the passage of time, like travelling through various seasons spanned across decades, what we once held onto for comfort, security, and nourishment ceases to be. It is not necessarily a specific incident or an intentional or deliberate interference. We simply have moved on, and after the transition we may desperately long to return to the previous state.

In terms of the science of self-realization, sanatana-dharma, you can always go home again. Indeed, that is the ultimate objective, as delivered by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Reaching perfection, siddhi, in the purification of consciousness is equivalent to going back to Godhead. Returning to the healthy condition. The individual spirit soul, atma, living in the constitutional way, in the one place where it always belongs, where the link to the proprietor remains steady, without the potential for breaking.

There is the potential to return home again even in the face of impurities. If there are some unwanted traits lingering, if there is a temporary fall from grace, if there are signs of ignorance, a person may still approach the origin of spirit and matter, the source fire which then distributes its influence everywhere.

एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलं जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

We have the case study of Arjuna, in the setting of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, with specific words serving as the predicate for the delivery of the sacred wisdom known as Bhagavad-gita. At the very outset, the teacher in that instance, Shri Krishna, who also happens to be the reservoir of pleasure, the object of attention for the surrendered souls, noticed some impurities in the words of the disciple, Arjuna.

1. Asvargyam

This is a negation of svargyam. The wise focus on the bigger picture. They understand that as soon as there is birth, there must be death. Those photos we see from a long time ago, restored and brought to life through colorization, show people who are no longer in this world. At the time of the photograph, they were in the middle of the life experience. They were as much alive then as we are today. At the same time, we do not know where they are now. They were forced to leave this world.

If I know that I have to go, I should act in ways that will benefit me in the afterlife. I cannot validate through direct perception, pratyaksha pramana, but that barrier does not prevent knowing the truth. I can accept the truth through shabda, through the sound of shastra. This requires a little faith, but then there is already faith applied in so many places within the life experience.

Svargyam is to be on the path towards the heavenly region, svarga-loka. Arjuna presented ideas that were against that objective. He did not necessarily realize his mistake. He thought he was being compassionate. He considered his words to be indicative of intelligence, of proper and thoughtful consideration.

2. Anarya

Arya is living in a higher culture. Acting in ways that are not dictated by the senses. It is something like moving on from the period of childhood. Children do not know any better, and so they propose foolish ideas. Playing all day. Eating ice cream at all hours. Stocking up on candy. Jumping up and down for no reason. Having no concept of work and the payment received from it. Caring not about the bills to fund the lifestyle.

The arya person understands the bigger picture. They see things as they are. They behave in a cultured way because they have intelligence. Arjuna’s presentation was indicative of anarya. It was like he suddenly forgot the purpose to the kshatriya occupation. It was as if he believed the lives of others could be perpetually preserved, that no one deserved punishment for the many injustices they previously committed.

3. Akirti

No sane person seeks out infamy. They want just the opposite, in fact; to be known for their good deeds. They wish to be remembered, to live on through the imprint of a triumph. Krishna said that Arjuna’s thinking would lead to infamy, akirti. It is the exact opposite of what a wise warrior would seek.

…

We see that despite these supposed impurities, Arjuna was able to approach Krishna. We know from the conclusion of that conversation that Arjuna deliberated and followed through on the recommendation for full surrender. He put everything on the shoulders of Krishna, who happened to also be steering the chariot.

सर्व-धर्मान् परित्यज्य
माम् एकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वां सर्व-पापेभ्यो
मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

A subtlety easily overlooked is that Arjuna actually surrendered at the beginning of the conversation with Krishna. He was completely vulnerable. He shared concerns and fears with an authority figure. He opened himself up to chastisement and ridicule. Krishna could have held that weakness against Arjuna, using it as a sort of bargaining chip to influence behavior.

येषां त्व् अन्त-गतं पापं
जनानां पुण्य-कर्मणाम्
ते द्वन्द्व-मोह-निर्मुक्ता
भजन्ते मां दृढ-व्रताः

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.28)

Anyone who surrenders to Krishna in that manner has already exhausted their reactions in sins. Their supposed show of weakness is actually a strength, since they acknowledge that they cannot do everything on their own. No one can be more compassionate than Krishna, and no one is more blessed than the devotee who feels free to access that compassion and mercy, even when the entire world is counting on them to be brave and fearless.

In Closing:

Though from arya to depart,
Actually surrendered at the start.

Admitted shortcomings his own,
Through that weakness shown.

Understanding could not do it alone,
Proper course not easily known.

Arjuna receiving instruction corrective,
Then followed Krishna’s directive.