Talks on the Gita -Vinoba 8

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION: ARJUNA'S DESPONDENCY 4. Honesty And Straightforwardness Make One Worthy Of The Gita's Message 16. This introduction to Arjuna’s condition helps us greatly in understanding the rest of the Gita. We should be grateful for this. It also helps us in another way. It reveals Arjuna’s straightforwardness and honesty. The word ‘Arjuna’, in fact, means one who is honest and straightforward in nature. He candidly told Krishna all that he felt and thought, hid nothing from Him and ultimately surrendered to Him totally. In fact, he was already His devotee. When he made Krishna his charioteer and entrusted to Him the reins of his horses, he had got ready to give into His hands the reins of his mind also. Let us do likewise. Let us not think that, unlike Arjuna, we do not have Krishna to guide us. Let us not get caught in the fallacy that Krishna was a historical person. Everybody has Krishna residing in his heart as the indwelling Self. He is nearer to us than the nearest. Let us bare our heart, with all its impurities and weaknesses, before Him and say, “O Lord! I take refuge in you. You are my sole guide, my master. Show me the right path and I shall follow it.” If we do so, Arjuna’s charioteer will be our charioteer too. We shall hear the Gita from His own lips and He will lead us to victory.