‘Depending on the
Guna of the person, Destiny bestows different kinds of rewards on different people. A
Tamasic person would be condemned to a state of ignorance, naturally. I mean how can a lazy person ever hope to become wise or knowledgeable?’
21. ‘As for the Rajasic person, he might know a lot about the world but his greed and avarice would often plunge him into misery.’
22. Arjuna asks, ‘Krishna, there is something here that I do not understand. My observation is that in this world, it is often the Sattvic person who suffers most and not the Rajasic person. In fact, frequently, it is the Rajasic person who inflicts suffering on Sattvic persons.’
23. Krishna replies, ‘Superficially, what you say might seem to be correct. But know this to be true: The pain that the Sattvic person undergoes is actually meant to purify him and increase his eligibility for God! Everything has a purpose in My Master Plan!’
24. ‘All that I have told you so far is about how these people behave while alive. What is their fate after death? The Tamasic person would be reborn somewhere at the bottom. He might even lose his human form, if his track record has been poor. Does that mean that there is no hope? Not really. Just that in his case the due process of refinement would take longer, that is all. It is like travel; a person would cover distance slower if he walks, than he would if he rides a horse, that is all.’
25. ‘The Rajasic person would be born in an environment of activity. All his life would be immersed in activity, like business, for example. Such people are full of unfulfilled desires. They would therefore be born again and again till their thirst for worldly attractions and pleasures get exhausted.’
26. ‘Worldly desire is the main cause for rebirth. Every person has desires peculiar to his personality. I have not yet said anything about the Sattvic person. What about him? Believe it or not, he too has desires of his own! His desire may not be rooted in greed or avarice, but gentle people too have desires! They want good children, for example.’ 27. Arjuna asks, ‘Krishna, God that is to say, You have to be reasonable! How can man ever get rid of desires? We have stories in the epics that tell us that even great souls succumbed to desires of various kinds. Surely You can’t be serious when You are talking of getting rid of desires.’ 28. Krishna replies, ‘You have a valid point there. But there is one thing that can be done and that is to change the direction of desire. Instead of desiring the pleasures of the world, have an intense desire for God and seek the Bliss that the Lord alone can confer. Thus, by converting one type of desire into another type, all problems get solved!’ 29. ‘A person who desires only God automatically rises above the Gunas. Such a person is called a Gunatheetha. 30. Arjuna asks, ‘Above the Gunas?’ 31. Krishna replies, ‘Yes, above the Gunas!’ | | |
32. Arjuna continues, ‘What does that mean?’
33. Krishna replies, ‘It simply means that person is not Tamasic, he is not Rajasic, and he is not Sattvic either. He is beyond all the three standard types.’
| | 34. Arjuna shakes his head and mutters, ‘I can’t understand. What sort of person is this?’ 35. Krishna says in reply, ‘Arjuna, I have in fact already described such a person earlier. Only, I did not use the term Gunatheetha then. Such a person couldn’t care less about the attractions of the world; that is because the only thing he wants is God. He is not bothered about friend and foe, about joy and sorrow, etc. That is to say, he is completely above the pairs of opposites. Things like joy and sorrow bother only a person with a dual mind, or one who is below the Gunas. But our friend has a one-track mind; he is concerned only with God and nothing else. Thus, he is immersed in the world of Oneness. That is why he is said to be beyond the Gunas.’ 36. Sounding skeptical, Arjuna mutters, ‘Sounds like a tough job.’ |
37. Krishna comments, ‘Oh yes? What is not difficult in this world? Listen, if you want something desperately, you will not really bother about difficulties, obstacles etc. Both you and I have seen people struggling against impossible odds to achieve all kinds of worldly objectives. But when it comes to God, people seem to quit even before trying!’
38. ‘Reaching God is no more difficult than many of the stupid stunts that people are trying all the time. People do many mad things for fame; they want to become immortal! How foolish! Removal of immorality is the proper way to Immortality. Love Me and become one with Me; that is the right and proper and indeed the only way to become Immortal. Let not stunts delude you!’
39. ‘Well, to wrap it all up, people get what they deserve; and that is determined essentially by their Gunas. The Sattvic type get the best deal shall I say? They go to Heaven. However, their stay there will end for sure one day, and they have to come back and face the hassle all over once again! But there is an even better deal, that is, coming to Me! He who makes Me his goal, comes to Me for sure, and stays with Me for ever. That is certain!’
END OF CHAPTER 14
