AFFECTION DIVIDED?

When Arjuna married Subhadra, the sister of Lord Krishna, he was hesitant on introducing her to Draupadi as he feared that Draupadi would feel cheated to see that Arjuna’s love would be divided. Krishna, thus advised Subhadra to approach Draupadi as a cowherd girl and offer suitable respect. Being as innocent and pure as she was, Subhadra did exactly what was told to her and Draupadi completely melted. 

Kunti went through similar situations too. She grew up as a step daughter, married Pandu who brought another wife and raised 3 of her own children and 2 of Madri’s. She was a great mother because her mind space was vast and large. She never discriminated between them.

Conflicts do not arise when new people come into our lives, but from, how it is communicated. Some families raise their children with less physical resources but more mental abilities. Now the modern world has unlimited resources and people to deal with, but the art of dealing with less is also becoming more and more difficult.

Dharmik scriptures talk about growing with diversity rather than growing in university. University does teach us but doesn’t touch upon the diversity of life. Community is like a diverse universe, where one organically learns the art of cooperation.

Duryodhan knew how to invoke love and we know that from the fact that he had affection for his 99 brothers. But just 5 more members became the source of his ultimate nightmares. What was wrong in the Pandavas? Nothing other than the mindset of Duryodhan. He believed that they’re his enemies. Sure enough they did become his worst enemies and took his and everyone else’s lives. It was not the Pandavas but the Kauravas who themselves created their own destiny and the Pandavas simply served as an instrument.

What modern society needs is not lesser people but more space in the mind; only then is universal brotherhood possible. But unfortunately, there are more Kauravas and less Draupadis and Subhadras. As history has witnessed, today’s Duryodhan will force the Pandavas to take action. War-like situation will be a constant reality because Duryodhanism is an eternal reality.

We have a choice to be living with a spacious mind with less or more physical space or having more  physical spence and having little or no space in the mind.  And we must choose wisely.

‘Adhyatma vidya’ is the  space producing mechanism: space in the heart, mind and the very soul. Then we can say, ‘Vasudhiva Kutumbakam’ – the entire world is my family.

What a thought! What a concept