Page 41 - Metaphysical questions of life

er iden fies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits
those who are wise in spiritual truth — such a person is no be er than
a cow or an ass.”

True intelligence is shown by one’s freedom from false iden fica on of
the self with temporal family and rela ves, ethnicity, race, na onality,
poli cal affilia on, or anything that is related to the ephemeral materi-
al body. The a achments engendered by bodily rela onships are the
most powerful and bewildering. Even Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita was
put into a state of confusion and refused to do his duty because of
family a achment. He thought his temporary bodily rela onships with
his kinsmen were more important than his eternal spiritual rela onship
with Lord Krishna. His desire not to fight was based on his own sense
gra fica on, which meant he could not see how he would be happy by
killing his kinsmen on the opposite side or seeing his immediate family
members killed on his side. He was thinking only of his own material
well-being.

Lord Krishna changed Arjuna’s material concep on of life a er Arjuna
agreed to submit to submissively hearing the Lord answer his many
ques ons and doubts. Bhak vedanta Swami Prabhupada writes: “In
the beginning, Arjuna decided that he should not fight in the Ba le of
Kurukṣetra. This was his own decision. Arjuna told the Lord that it was
not possible for him to enjoy the kingdom a er killing his own kinsmen.
This decision was based on the body because he was thinking that the
body was himself and that his bodily rela ons or expansions were his
brothers, nephews, brothers-in-law, grandfathers and so on. Therefore
he wanted to sa sfy his bodily demands. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by
the Lord just to change this view, and at the end Arjuna decides to fight
under the direc ons of the Lord when he says, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava:“I
shall act according to Your word.” (Bg Introduc on)

The most important decision a person makes in life is to accept a bona
fide spiritual master. Before such a crucial decision, one must first
learn how to be a bona fide disciple so that one may develop
knowledge by personal prac ce and realiza on. Then he will be able to
recognize a bona fide spiritual master This is the only sure pathway to
overcome the material concep on of life and

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