The Lighthouse of Bhagavad-Gita: Transcend the ocean of worldly life – By Dr. Shrikrishna Deshmukh (Author) – MLBD Publications

The readers of the Bhagavad-Gita may wonder why there was no impact on Dhṛtarāṣṭra like the one that was seen on Sanjaya and Arjuna after listening to the same remarkable philosophy of the Gita. The answer to this question can be derived from the very first verse of the Gita. It lies in the feeling of mineness in Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mind and consequent demarcation made by him. Dhṛtarāṣṭra considered Duryodhana, Duhśāsana, and Śakuni to be ‘my sons’ and Arjuna, Bhīma and Yudhiṣṭhīra to be the ‘sons of Pāṇḍu.’ These six people are not mere individuals. Each one of them symbolizes a specific collection of vices or virtues. Duryodhana is greedy, arrogant, and unjust. Duhśāsana is lustful, reckless, and thoughtless. Śakuni is diabolic. Dhṛtarāṣṭra considered these flawed people to be ‘mine.’ Arjuna has virtuous mind, pure intellect, firm obedience, and the trait of not condemning anyone unnecessarily. Yudhiṣṭhīra is truthful, modest, and upright. Bhīma has immense power and affinity to Dharma. Dhṛtarāṣṭra considered them his ‘enemies.’ In other words, he accepted the vices of Kauravas and rejected the virtues of Pāṇḍavas. As a result, he was completely unaffected by the teachings of the Gita. The implication of this event for us in the present age is that a person may read the Gita, listen to it, memorize its verses, write articles, or even give discourses on the Gita. But if he adheres to such vices as those of Kauravas, he will not reap the desired benefit from his activity. On the contrary, if he embodies such virtues as those of Pāṇḍavas, he will soak up the profound teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Gita.