Two Bhagavad Gita Armies Introduction
Two Bhagavad Gita Armies represent the lower (Sons of the Blind King) and higher (Sons of Pandavas) part of our consciousness. It discusses the relation of the two and the struggle that exists within each person as they try to conquer the lower self so that they may raise their consciousness spiritually.
There are also some cross references to the Bible to show that the to books talk about fundamental spiritual truths that are common to both cultures.This article is based around a YouTube Video by Bill Donahue which has a link at the bottom of the page.
Two Bhagavad Gita Armies Ch1,V1-20 Interpreted
(Dhritarashtra said): 1. What did the sons of Pandu and also my people do when they had assembled together, eager for battle on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?
Dhritarashtra = blind king (lower mind),
Sangaya = our instinct to do the right thing,
My people = thoughts of the carnal mind, battlefield on the holy plain = this is the place where the soul is in conflict, so this is an inner conflict not an outer one. Thus the lower mind does conflict with the soul which is the source of freedom.
So the powers come down from on high (sons of Pandu) to engage the mind.
Matthew 24: 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
This is similar to the first verse in the Gita. It seems here that the bible is talking about external wars, but when wars are conquered on the inside, there will be no external wars and not before.
(Sanjaya said) :2. Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle array, King Duryodhana then approached his teacher (Drona) and spoke these words:
Duryodhana = leader of the sons of the blind king and was the one with the loaded dice in the introduction & he stole our spiritual heritage and we are now ready to do battle with him. He is the desires of the flesh.
The first thing we do when the spirit challenges the carnal side is we go to Drona who = RELIGION, external law, tradition. So this is the first reaction of the lower nature when confronted with spirit i.e. going to a religious organisation because we see something is missing in our life. We do this when we are now dissatisfied with our lives.
3. “Behold, O Teacher, this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, arrayed by the son of Drupada, thy wise disciple!
Drupada = spiritual mind. We are somewhat confused about the direction our life should take. We feel the sons of Pandava moving within us so we know there is a spiritual need.
4. “Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima and Arjuna, Yuyudhana, Virata and Drupada, of the great car (mighty warriors),
Archers = Sagittarius. He names that which is going against the carnal desires i.e. Arjuna = divine personality & the part of us that has started to come alive & care about spirituality not just in us but in the world. Bhima = divine intellect or our higher mind, philosophy,
Drupada = spirit mind
7. “Know also, O best among the twice-born, the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army! These I name to thee for thy information.
Our lower nature reacts to the challenge of our spiritual impulse.
8. “Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and Kripa, the victorious in war; Asvatthama, Vikarna,and Jayadratha, the son of Somadatta.
Thyself = now in Drona or religion fights against us,
Bhishma = physical/ the flesh, power of evolution or personality,
Karna = self esteem = don’t tell me anything because I already know ! Our ego.
9. “And also many other heroes who have given up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well skilled in battle.
This is talking about the many other thoughts that drag us down e.g. fear, guilt, depression, we are too tired to meditate and all the other excuses that can be used against the spirit succeeding. So these negative thoughts are willing to die for the cause.
10. “This army of ours marshalled by Bhishma is insufficient, whereas their army, marshalled by Bhima, is sufficient
There is something about or lower nature that recognises that there is something more powerful than it even though we don’t normally have time for it.
12. His glorious grandsire (Bhishma), the eldest of the Kauravas, in order to cheer Duryodhana, now roared like a lion and blew his conch.
Our lower nature is plotting every minute of the day to overcome the influences of the divine.
1st Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
The physical roars as a Lion, distracting us from the higher, we sit in front of TVs, DVDs and our physical desires and ignore that which calls from above. We then die never knowing our life’s meaning.
13. Then (following Bhishma), conches and kettle-drums, tabors, drums and cow-horns blared forth quite suddenly (from the side of the Kauravas); and the sound was tremendous.
The ego tries to keep our spirit down. It can also come from our parents, friends, teachers, work; many will tell us not to pursue the path of meditation to the end.
14. Then also, Madhava (Krishna), and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in their magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.
White horses = spirit unstained by the mind and desires. This is the virgin state that Christ comes from.
Krishna & Arjuna are yoked to their white horse = connected to the divine spirit.
Revelation 19 : 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Both Jesus and Krishna are associated with a white horse.
17. The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty car-warrior, Dhristadyumna and Virata and Satyaki, the unconquered,
These symbolize our ego and pride
19. The tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra’s party, making both heaven and earth resound.
The offspring of the sons of the blind king were encouraged by the turmoil = that is their natural resonance; they are at home in all of the noise so the emotions lift themselves now.
Matthew 24 :7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Earthquakes here are mentioned in the same vein as heaven and earth-shaking in Verse 19 above. All of our culture, traditions and way of life are shaken when we decide to do battle against the lower self and tread the spiritual path. All the temples that we have set up within us come crashing down.
This happens when we begin to meditate and these things come down that are not on solid ground.
20. O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhrtarastra. O King, Arjuna then spoke to Hrsikesa [Krsna] these words:
Flag of Hanuman = philosophical intellect being carried by Arjuna(the divine personality). So we are carrying the flag of knowledge from our higher self in the face of hostility from anyone and anything that get in the way of our spiritual path. This knowledge carries us on our journey, similar to Noah’s Ark where initiation or baptism lifts us into a higher place of Mt Ararat. These things all try to explain our transcendence to a higher state of consciousness.
Two Bhagavad Gita Armies Recommended Links
Armies in Position – Bill Donahue
91 Krishna Bhagavad Gita Beginning
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