The Litmus Test

What would you want to know after seeing the universe in its entire glory of past, present and future? It is a moment when the questions finish and only bliss remains, a bliss which you want to share with all humanity. Arjuna having seen that amazing cosmic reality (Visvaroopa) continues the quest in the 12^th chapter for the sake of seekers who have not even seen a glimpse of this, who live their everyday mundane life blissfully (!) unaware of this supreme reality. With his ego pulverized and the message of being an instrument (Nimitta matram) in the hands of Time firmly entrenched, he asks for help on how to become perfect in this Yoga. So, how do we really live this message everyday and how exactly do we know if we are making progress in this beautiful journey?   

Krishna, the ever-pragmatic coach, gives 4 very simple techniques to help start living this Truth with one common aim, reducing the source of all your problems: The Ego. Between the 8^th to 12^th verse he very simply explains four different ways to bring this Truth in your everyday life. In addition, he ends the chapter with a brilliant Litmus test for any seeker to check the progress they are making in this journey.

Surrender your intellect: He starts with the first method which seems very simple and is steeped in the path of devotion. He says to surrender your mind to a higher power, Saguna Brahman, Ishvara, God… whatever name you want to call it. For anyone who has grown up in a traditional household, they can connect this method to the rituals which pervade every part of the day and in every action. From waking up to eating food to going for an exam there is always a ritual in form of a mantra or action which converts every act into an offering to the supreme power.

Practice Meditative state: Krishna knows that for a lot of intellectuals the first method of surrendering might not appeal so he continues with his buffet of options. He says if you are not able to do the first, try Yoga of practice (abhyasena yoga), taking you back to the 6^th chapter on meditation. Meditation is not about 30 minutes of peaceful concentration in the morning but through continuous practice making that peace percolate into every moment of your life, even amidst the battle of life. While it seems almost impossible at first, it is now proven to be one of the most effective organizational tools used to reduce workplace anxiety as well as in schools for children to reduce stress.

Find a bigger purpose: Still seems too tough, no worries, Krishna has more options for you. Next one is based on the Yagya philosophy he taught in 4^th chapter. As you can see, he is joining the dots with each method to help you reduce the ego. He asks you to do every action with a bigger purpose in mind, just be the actor in the large cosmic drama. As a leader in an organization find your purpose in helping your team, as a colleague find a purpose in helping the team win, as a parent find your purpose in passing down values to your children. Krishna says if you can find a bigger purpose, you will enjoy every moment and every situation is an act of the cosmic director.

Live the moment: Finally, if you are not able to manage any of the three options given above, Krishna gives an ultimate solution which comes with a guarantee of immediate peace. Stop focusing your attention on the future results of the actions. This cannot be truer than in today’s day and age when 99.9% of the people on this planet are spending the currency of attention on “what might be” instead of spending it on “what is now”.  He says, stop doing it and peace will immediately follow.

The chapter wraps up with answer to a question all of us might have: How do I know if I am making progress in this journey of life. Krishna gives a simple test of F.I.R: check if your vishadas (mental agitations) are reducing in Frequency, Intensity & Recovery time. Think at end of each day, how many times did you get agitated, how intense was the agitation and how quickly were you able to recover? From a simple mail from a colleague to huge crisis at work, from a FB post of a friend to a tiff with spouse, anything can trigger mental agitation, the question you have to ask: Is the FIR reducing?

As John Milton says in Paradise Lost: A mind can make a heaven of a hell and hell out of a heaven. You have to decide what do you want to build for yourself.