Almost 5 million people have assembled to kill each other and most of them are indeed dead within 18 days, such is the state of affairs just before the beginning of Kaliyuga, in the battle of Kurukshetra, some 5000 years ago. Almost all assembled men knew that they were going to die soon or at best had 50:50 chances if they were ranked the top most and have trained almost their entire life as warriors. Staring straight at death, these men were sure that they were fighting in a war of Dharma.

Dharma, a key concept for leading a meaningful and aware life, is rather simple to know yet difficult to explain in words. Every aware person knows what needs to be done to be fair and just given the time, role and place. One can jokingly say maintain your right course of action as per your TRP (time, role and place), not the BARC way. It requires a mature intellect to execute Dharmic life though.

A person of immature intellect though flirts with situations to put him in a position of despondency almost at every stage of his life. It’s a three step process, Raaga or attachment, Moha or delusion, and Shoka or Sorrow. Will look into details in this topic, but for now an example just before the beginning of the great war of Mahabharata is apt to understand.

Shri Krishna, Draupadi and Duryodhana – just these three knew very clearly that war is inevitable given how things had evolved, esp. over the previous 15-16 years, what was at stake now and what efforts had gone futile to prevent the war. If these three had changed their minds, one could argue that war would have been averted.

The key person for the war, Arjuna, has been preparing for this moment throughout his life, in a very focussed manner over the last 13 years for sure. He is the superstar whose skills and abilities would determine how long this war is going to last. Everyone knew it, he knew it and wanted to inspect Durbudhe, the evil minded ones, who came to fight him up close. 

Cousin and friend, now acting as charioteer, Shri Krishna is asked by Arjuna to take him to the middle of the battleground so that he can look in the eyes of the enemy who have come here to be killed by him. It seems as if on purpose Shri Krishna stations him right in front of Arjuna’s beloved great grandfather Bhisma. Arjuna, who was clear in his mind that his opposition has assembled only to be wiped out by his arrows identifies his enemies as relatives now, Raaga (attachment) begins to unfold.

Arjuna, who knew very clearly that all options of averting the war have been exhausted and people have chosen their sides for the battle thereby he is looking at the enemy camp, yet keeps on dwelling on the thought that these are my relatives after all. This causes Moha, delusion, and he starts arguing with Krishna why they are in the wrong place and should abandon the post. Tendulkar doesn’t want to bat in the world cup final or Federer doesn’t feel like serving in the Wimbledon final!

Unchecked attachment leads to delusion which has just one destination and that is where Arjuna lands up. He is visibly distraught, feeling feverish, sweaty palms, shaky legs, dried mouth as if strong bouts of GERD are hitting him. Such is the state of the super-star who has lost clarity of his Dharma due to Raaga and Moha, and has become Despondent Arjuna – Arjuna in Vishaad.

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