Art of Asking the Right Questions

I have had to struggle a lot to get the right career (it is still going on.. ) and because I am so perfectionist... the struggle would go on till I get it right :)

The struggle happened because I did not plan for the future.. relied on only one person's reasoning and did not actually go out and seek answers to my questions..
Basically I had shut myself from the entire world , and then I expected someone to reach out to me and save me from my self-imposed misery..
Well I learned the hard way.. things do not work that way.. there is no miracle .. except yourself...
It is only when you reach out to people.. you are out of the vicious circle of self-struggle..

And today as I was reflecting about the whole thing.. it made me realize.. if only I had followed what Arjun did in the Kurukshtra war..

Arjun.. the great warrior of all times.. was in confusion.."dwidha" (the sanskrit word for confusion).. when he was about to start the great battle with his own family members.
He was sickenend by the thought that all this war is just because the Pandavas wanted a small piece of land..

But instead of wallowing in his self-misery, and getting entagled in the labyrinth of confusions.. he tried to seek out help..
How?
By asking the right questions..
And to whom?
To God himself... Krishna (worshiped as reincarnation of God Vishnu)..


This whole scene makes me realize two things:
1. It is important to ask questions.
2. But it is also equally important that who is answering your questions.

For Arjun, it was his trusted friend - Krishna.
For Duryodhana- it was his wicked uncle - Shakuni..
and that made all the difference between right and wrong, victory and defeat..

All those questions that Arjuna asked and Krishna answered are compiled in the verses called as "Bhagwad Geeta".
So exactly what did Arjun ask?

Geeta describes what happened to Arjuna when he saw all his near and dear ones .. in the opposite camp of Duryodhana:
Arjuna said: Krishna, at the sight of these friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, my limbs give away, my body quivering and my mouth is parched.

"arjuna uvacha
drstvemam sva-janam krishna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham cha parisusyati"
(Bhagwat Gita: Chapter One verse 28)

"Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief."

"sanjaya uvacha
evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram chapam
soka-samvigna-manasah"
(Bhagwat Gita: Chapter One verse 46)

Seeing this state of Arjuna, his best friend, his guide and trusted aide - Krishna replied:
"It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous."

"sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah
para-dharmat sv-anusthitat
sva-dharme nidhanam sreyah
para-dharmo bhayavahah"
(Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Three verse 35)

And then Krishna talks about the idea of performing one's duties without getting bogged down by the results..
"Lord Sri Krishna said: You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty."

"karmanye vadhikaras te
ma phalesu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur
ma te sango ’stv akarmani"
(Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 47)

This shloka gives me so much of inspiration.. to perform my duties.. without getting distracted.
Sometimes we are so tied up with the idea of future, the idea of result, that we forget to even perform the task at hand..

Krishna said.. whatever action you do.. attribute it to me.. for I am the creator of the world, vedas, and everything. It is I who have taught Vivaswan the

Hearing this Arjun was full of doubt... and asked
Later was your birth, earlier the birth of Vivaswan. How then am I to understand that you taught him in the beginning?

arjun uvacha

aparam bhavato janma
param janma vivaswataha
katham etad vijaneeyam
tvam adau proktavaan iti

This question is to unravel the mystery of who Krishna really is.
It appears Arjuna is questioning the validity of the authority of Krishna’s statement. How
could the friend he knew for so many years say that He is prior to Vivaswan? Sage poet Veda
Vyasa has made Arjuna come out with this question on behalf of mankind who would also
entertain the same doubt.

It is only after Arjun asked this question.. Krishna shows him his divine avatar...

And that my friend is the art of asking the right questions ..and to the right person!

More Later!