There was a time when I doubted the Bhagavad Geeta. Yes, you read that right. When I first started reading it, I found myself criticizing Krishna. How could He claim to be everything? How could He say that one must surrender to Him alone? Weren't there other gods, other divine beings? My logical mind refused to accept it.
Fast forward ten years, and today, I laugh at my past self. Not just a small chuckle, but full-blown laughter at my own ignorance. What changed? The Geeta changed me.
Let me take you through my transformation, along with some powerful verses that opened my eyes.
The Initial Resistance Krishna, Are You Serious :
When I read Krishna's words declaring Himself as the Supreme, I thought,
"Did Krishna also had ego? Isn’t Ishwar the collective of all? How can Krishna say that He is everything?"
Then I came across this verse.
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः।
भगवद गीता 10.8
aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava samanvitah.
Bhagavad Geeta 10.8
Translation.
"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this worship Me with all their hearts."
This was the verse that initially triggered my skepticism. It sounded like self-glorification. But years later, I realized.
Krishna wasn’t speaking as an egoistic being.
He was speaking as the Supreme Consciousness, the Divine Intelligence that holds the universe together.
Just as the sun is the source of all light, Krishna is the source of all divine energies, including Shiva, Shakti, and all other gods. Also Krishna was speaking for Arjun that time who needed this. He was not talking about Himself to boost His ego but he was telling so that it helps Arjun establish his faith and see the larger picture.
It took me years to see this deeper meaning. Until then, I kept arguing with Krishna in my mind. Till this clarity came, I couldn't even accept Krishna holistically.
The Aha Moment : Krishna Is Everywhere :
One day, while meditating, I read this verse.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति।
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति।।
भगवद गीता 6.30
yo mam pasyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pasyati.
tasyaham na pranasyami sa cha me na pranasyati.
Bhagavad Geeta 6.30
Translation.
"He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost to him, nor is he ever lost to Me."
And suddenly, it clicked.
Krishna wasn’t saying, "Worship only me, forget the rest." He was saying, "See Me in everything."
If you love Shiva, see Krishna in Shiva.
If you worship Devi, see Krishna in Devi.
If you bow to nature, see Krishna in nature.
If you love a dog, see Krishna in the dog also.
He wasn’t limiting divinity to Himself. He was revealing the unity behind all divine forms.
The Final Realization: Surrender is the Key :
One of the most famous verses of the Geeta is also one of the most misunderstood.
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।
भगवद गीता 18.66
sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja.
aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah.
Bhagavad Geeta 18.66
Translation.
"Abandon all varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Me alone. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."
Earlier, this verse bothered me. Why should I abandon everything and surrender only to Krishna? I was not a Krishna fan or follower that time. And it took me years to completely surrender. But with rheb understanding clubbed with practical application and experiences, it could happen.
I understood. Krishna wasn’t rejecting other paths. He was saying,
"Stop overthinking. Stop complicating things. Just surrender to the divine. Only then we can do Karma without attachment to the fruts. Onlynthen we can come in sambhav (Equanimity). Only then we can truly live."
Surrender to
Krishna,
Shiva,
Devi,
Your chosen path of truth.
Because ultimately, all surrender leads to the same Divine Source.
Conclusion From Criticism to Surrender :
Looking back, I see how foolish I was to argue with Krishna. But today, I laugh, not out of shame, but out of joy, because I see how beautifully Krishna led me from doubt to clarity.
If you are also struggling to understand the Geeta, I say this. Keep reading, keep questioning, and one day, Krishna will answer you.
And when He does, you too will laugh at your past self, just like I do now.
Be blessed bybthe divine.
Manjushree Rathi
Director, ME Holistic Centre
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