Arjuna’s Dilemma

One of the greatest epic tales of all time is the Bhagavad Gita, and it is playing out all over again in our time. Let me explain.

If you are not familiar with this ancient Hindu spiritual epic, I will give you a quick gloss that focuses on its significance for us today:

A heroic warrior named Arjuna rides into a huge battle on a chariot driven by a man who later reveals himself as Krishna. In the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna tells his “charioteer” to stop, sees his loved ones on both sides of the warring armies, and goes into a profound life crisis where he realizes that he can find no morally acceptable way forward.

Dangerously, he puts down his weapon. His “driver” then explains to him the true nature of the entire universe (!), thus convincing him of a higher perspective which allows him to fulfill his duty.

Let’s imagine that moment when Arjuna, in the very midst of this great battle, saw on his left side the Blue People, and on his right side, the Red People.  Sitting in the middle, he is overcome by the possibilities of what lay ahead—or  the politics and media of his day—and his response is to shut down.

              That never works. If he had continued in that visceral non-response, he would have died or at least become inert, and the battle would have been a disaster for the entire world. But it took Krishna himself to show up and convince him.

              What Krishna revealed to Arjuna was that the universe was not simply what his brain had been trained to see. Only the truth of how the Universe works could allow him a path forward, a path where he could continue to act, to contribute, to persist, and therefore to be victorious.

              Krishna’s explanation to Arjuna showed him that reality is composed of  two things, the observer and the observed, but that they are profoundly interdependent. There is no such thing as a future that cannot be imagined, and the possibilities are limitless. If we refuse to participate in the future of humanity, however, we give up our power to influence it. If we lay down our weapon (creative imagination) and become inert like Arjuna, we give up our birthright as participants in the unfolding epic of our own times.

Do we really want the future to be born of conflict and intolerance? Or do we want everyone to thrive in a world where resolution is more satisfying than winning.

              A shift in perspective is needed now more than ever, one that will transform both the observer and the observed. That is what myth—and stories in general—are meant to show us. They bring us out of the grip of a dilemma and allow us to see that there is a third thing. And believe me, there is always a third thing, an option that allows us to rise above our limiting views and use the blessed gift of creative imagination to birth into the universe a future we can all buy into.

How awful the world looks right now.  But does avoiding the situation make better things happen? Will it keep you safe? Can it keep anyone safe?

Let’s allow ourselves to see through Arjuna’s eyes. Victory is on the horizon, but only if we all participate in creating it. Put on your frog costume and march around your own living room if that is all you can do in this moment. Just act as if a joyful future is coming, and it will be so.

Subscribe or comment below if this resonates with you.