I indirectly heard of people saying irrational things about having a picture of Lord Krishna Instructing Arjuna- famously called Geethopadesha. All these comments are based on ignorance or lack of spiritual knowledge and misunderstanding of the Scriptures like Bhagavad Gita or Mahabharata. These comments are baseless and absurd. One person said that the health of the person got affected immediately after putting one of these pictures at home, someone said there is a lot of quarrel and fighting within the family. But, millions of these Pictures exist in temples and homes in India and all over the world.
Recently I heard this type of question from someone close to me, I thought I will write an article that will dispel people's doubts, wrong notions, and myths. The question was, Is it OK to keep a photo of Geetopadesh at home.? Someone told us that, keeping the picture creates rivalry and fight amongst brothers.
This is what I have advised...
Firstly, all these kinds of advice and comments should be completely ignored. Because, it is clear that they do not know, what they are talking about. People try to apply their mundane logic and reasoning to spiritual matters.
Geethopadesha or Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the divine discussion between Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna. Bhagavad Gita contains 18 Chapters and 700 verses. Bhagavad Gita is really a book for the whole of mankind because it contains explanations to the mysteries directly related to human beings and the world around them. It explains the 5 main topics which deal with the knowledge of Isvara - Supreme Lord who is the supreme controller, The jiva or the living entity which is controlled, the relationship of a living entity to the Supreme, Prakriti or the material nature, Kala – the eternal time factor and the Karma – the action and reaction experienced by the living entities.
Bhagavad Gita actually enlightens a human being to fight – an internal battle that everyone has to go through, every day and every moment of life. Reading it assures one’s victory over the greatest internal enemies called Arishadvarga, the six passions of mind or desire, which are kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada or ahankar (pride).
Bhagavad Gita, not only tells a person how to become, tolerant, humble, and see everything and everyone about the Supreme God but, also makes one realized that we are all Spirit souls, who are separate from this material body. The body changes but, the Soul remains the same. Thus, the actions we perform in one body and their reactions are carried forward to our next body. And, also our actions and behavior in this body determine our next body.
So, please do not have any doubts or negative thoughts that this picture will cause trouble or friction among the family members. Hang the painting in a prominent place in your house like a living room or anywhere you can constantly able to see it. And each time you see the picture, may Lord Krishna inspire you to become righteous, uphold dharma, be truthful, and believe in god.
Remember this verse 18.65 of Bhagavad Gita,
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te
pratijane priyo 'si me
TRANSLATION: Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
Yes, in this life things don't always go as per our plan and more shockingly it looks as though, the more good we do, the more bad things are happening to us. And, then we start grieving, why is this happening to me.? I have been just and good for as far as I remember. But, remember life doesn't start and end with this body we have today. We have numerous lives and numerous bodies before and who can tell what good or bad things we have done in our past lives.?
Excuse my brevity but, I will tell a brief incident from Mahabharata that illustrates the powerful law and effects of Karma.
After the Kurukshetra war, Dhritarashtra questioned Lord Krishna this way.” Krishna, I know and also people say that you are the Supreme Lord in a human form. Thus, I want to ask you this. How unfortunate is that, I was born blind, even though had 100 sons, today not even one remains.? What kind of justice is this.?.” To this Lord Krishna replied, my dear King- hundred lifetimes ago, you were a hunter. One day to climb the top of a tree and when about to kill the small birdlings, the mother bird attacked you. You then pierced an arround into its eyes and killed all the baby birds. Then, Dhritarashtra asked – but Krishna, why a hundred lives.? and Krishna replied - Because, to beget 100 sons, you need a lot of piety and it took you 100 lives to get that good credits.
Again, don't get mental about what wrong things, you have done in your past lives, consult an astrologer and spend money on some pooja or ceremonies.
Remember this verse from Bhagavad Gita 18.66,
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
mokshayishyami ma sucah
TRANSLATION: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
Finally, I would like to share this beautiful message famously called Geeta Saar written by Bal Gangadhar Tilak
'Whatever happened, happened for the good.
Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good.
What did you lose that you are lamenting about?
What did you bring with you that you have lost?
What did you produce that got destroyed?
Whatever you have, you received it from here.
Whatever you gave, you gave it back here.
What belongs to you today, belonged to someone else yesterday
and will belong to someone else tomorrow.'
So go ahead and keep this picture where ever you want and I will guarantee that you will get immense spiritual and material benefits just by having this in-house. Look at the picture, think of the love and mercy Krishna has for his devotees. He did all the best he could do to avoid the war. He took up the menial job of a driver (Charioteer) because of his compassion and love for his friend, devotee Arjuna. He gave wealth equal to him, simply by accepting some chipped rice from Sudama, his childhood friend. He eats Banana peels offered to him with love and devotion by Vidura and his wife. Rejected opulent preparations made by Duryodhana because there is no love.
A god who is bound by his devotee's love, mother Yashoda tied him to a grinding stone. What to speak of his devotees, he awarded liberation to Putana a demoness who came to kill him when he was merely a baby. And, also all the demons who got killed by him got liberation.
And of course, the final concluding verse of Bhagavad Gita says,
“yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir...
Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality...”
So why not have all these in your home?
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