Krishna, Arjun, Horses and I

Ways of Thinking  Positive - 1

Krishna, Arjun, Horses and I

The day before Maha-Bharatiya War, Krishna came to me, his face worried and eyes almost to tears.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh! Dr. Prabhune, save me. I am in a big trouble and I don’t know what to do.”

“Calm down and tell me. I will try to do whatever I can.”

“I don’t know what to do. All directions seem darkened. I can’t see where to go. My limbs have gone limp, my mouth is dry and my brain is not working. The situation is compressing on me and I have gone mad with indecision.”

“This is supposed to be Arjun’s condition and these will be his sentences.”

  “But that is tomorrow. This is my condition now.”

“You have become, what wise people say, ‘Kim-Kartavya-Moodh’. This is also known as ‘Pulp-Brain-Limp-Limb Syndrome’, or simply, ‘Stress Syndrome’.”

“But what can I do? Please help me.” And Krishna started crying.

“Calm down. Are you tense because you are a charioteer?”

“Not at all. Really, there is nothing to do for me. Except, of course, to save my life during war. But, ethically, it is prohibited to kill a charioteer. But you know, nowadays, who cares for ethics? … But, there is enough protection. And the horses are also the best.”

“Are they tense?”

“Not at all. And why should they? They are well trained and well prepared. … and I had made it a point so send them to your ‘Stress-Tension Management Courses’. They have completed ‘Advanced Course’.”

“Hmm! … by any chance are they tense because you are the charioteer?”

“Now come on. … But they know their job. And they will do it properly, no matter who is the charioteer. Any Tom, Dick or Harry will do.”

“Is Hanuman under tension?”

“What?”

“of falling down from the Flag? Because of your ‘chariot driving skills’?”

“Oh! You are impossible!”

“I am just considering all possibilities.”

“From birth he is used to sitting at the ends of tree-branches.”

 “Then what is the problem?”

“Tomorrow, the moment we will reach the battlefield, Arjun will be confronted with the situation of War, he will also become ‘Kin-Kartavya-Moodh’, or will suffer from, what did you say, ‘Pulp-Brain-Limp-Limb Syndrome’.”

“Everybody does, with the situation of War.”

“And war with his own relatives, own people, at that.”

“Theoretically, every war is against our own people.”

“Oh! Theoretically!! Theoretically, Life is war against life. You know the famous line, ‘Jeevo jeevasya jeevanam’. No!!! Theory or Philosophical thinking is not going to help me on the battlefield.”

“OK. But why are you anticipating the bad things? Think Positive.”

“No.”

“Why? It is possible, Arjun may not react the way you think.”

“No.”

“Oh! He will see all those ‘relatives and own people’ who have always tried to trouble him, denied him his rights, tried to disgrace Draupadi, made his life miserable and even tried to kill him. And he will see that this is, at last, his last chance to take his revenge.”

“No.”

“The anger will surge in his mind,”

“No.”

“His chest will swell, the muscles in his arms and legs will twitch with anticipation,”

“No.”

“And he will blow his famous ‘Panchajanya’.”

“No.”

“Yes! And You will not be confronted with the situation to counsel him.”

“No! No!! No!!! He WILL suffer from ‘Pulp-Brain-Limp-Limb Syndrome’. I am certain of that, from what I know of Arjun, and I know him pretty long. He will not bear the thought of war.”

“Why, is he not the best, well trained and well prepared? Like the horses?”

“Yes. But there is a difference. After all, horses are horses and man is man. And, no hard feelings, but it seems, your courses on Stress-tension management are not as effective on men as on horses.” 

“Will he be tense because you are the charioteer? No hard feelings, again …”

“He shouldn’t be. … After all he chose me. My problem is, what am I going to tell him?”

“Tell him, now that these people are standing in front of him, instead of standing besides him, and armed at that, with the intention of war, they are not his own people.” 

“I will try.”

“And if he will not kill them they will definitely kill him.”

“I will try.”

“Don’t try, do it!”

“Oh…! My problem is, how am I going to tell him? When I myself feel the same way.”

“Come on. Think Positive. Be positive! Oh! But why am I telling you all this? You just have to recite the Geeta. That’s why you have CREATED it. YOU have created it. And with lots of pains, I know. And you were learning it by heart and rehearsing it all these days. Just for this day. And The Day has arrived.”

“Oh! But that is true for Arjun also. Still he needs ME to recite Geeta. This huge responsibility is crushing me. I am Lord Krishna, The Creator. I have created The Geeta, for all Arjunas in the world, in similar situations. But who will recite Geeta for me? I don’t feel convinced and confident enough. Then how can I advise him?”

“Oh… but, it doesn’t matter how you feel. You are the counselor. You sit behind a table and don’t let him see your trembling legs. …the way I am doing just now.”

“That exactly is the problem. There is no table with long tablecloth on the battlefield.”

“Oh… that really is a problem. … let me think…”

“Don’t think, tell me.”

“Yes! You will be on the vast expense of Kurukshetra. And midway between two armies. So nobody will know what is happening. Arjun will dismount the chariot and will be on the ground on his knees and looking up at you so there is no question of him seeing your trembling legs. And as such he will not be in a condition to see such things. … and no table, yes, but you have the advantage to wearing Peetambar that will hide your trembling legs … then you will take your famous position besides the chariot with right finger raised ,holding Sudarshan Chakra. Only with some modification. With your third and forth hands hold the chariot firmly to prevent you from falling … then take five long and deep breaths and then start reciting Geeta …” 

“Yes … but … And if I go dumb and forget the Geeta?”

“Oh! Questions and Questions. … As such nobody will hear what you are telling Arjun. So you just start telling anything to boost up your confidence and then tell him whatever comes to your mind, just to boost his confidence. Tell him I will give you a lollipop if you get up and start fighting … or … I will give you this ice cream after war. You will have to fight and finish the war early enough to eat it before melting or … Afterwards – after the war, of course – you can add, refine, rewrite and edit the philosophical thesis, popularly known as ‘Geeta’, as many timers as you wish, till it goes to press.”

“Oh! Dr. Prabhune. Thank You Very Much. YOU have saved me.”

“Afterwards.”

“What?”

“The thanks-giving program!”  

“Oh! OK. But thanks again. What can I do for you?”

“Afterwards. After the war. Just give me a copy of the Geeta. I will go through it and try to organize my pulp-brain and steady my galloping heart and trembling legs.”

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