Masochist – In Gita Verse 2.46 All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them.
Krishna gives an example of a well. We see only the well and water in the well. But we cannot see how the well is connected with a great reservoir of water. Similarly we only see the words of Vedas but cannot see the purpose behind the words of Vedas.
As we are stuck into knowledge, knowledge has its purpose of utility. Unless we have knowledge of the objective world, and unless we through our awareness see the objective world we will not understand the purpose of Vedas..
I will explain differently. Our body needs physical energy. So we eat food, which is from the objective world. But if we will not allow the digestion to happen then instead of getting the energy we will fall sick.
Either we are stuck in an objective world or in a subjective world that is the reason that we create misery in life. We have become masochists by following the scriptures. Instead of becoming enthusiastic and joyful, we have created all kinds of misery and unhappiness.
There are people of this type and many of them have become ascetics, tapaswis, and they are creating suffering for themselves.
They are masochists, they are ill. They are very dangerous people. They wanted to make others suffer but they are not so courageous. They wanted to kill others, be violent with others, cripple others, but they are not so courageous, so their whole violence has turned within. Now they are crippling themselves, torturing themselves, and enjoying it.
Krishna is saying that by getting the knowledge, information, don’t create suffering, transcend the knowledge, information to serve your purpose and assignment of the Universe.
Take the knowledge joyfully, it looks paradoxical and your mind starts thinking how to compromise both, because to you they are contradictory. They are not, they only appear contradictory. You can enjoy knowledge.
What is the secret – how to enjoy knowledge? The first thing is: if you don’t escape, if you allow the knowledge to be there, if you are ready to face it, if you are not trying somehow to forget it, then you are different. Knowledge is there but just around you; it is not in the center, it is on the periphery. It is impossible for knowledge to be in the center; it is not in the nature of things. It is always on the periphery and you are the center. So when you allow it, when you don’t escape, you don’t run, you are not in a panic, suddenly you become aware that knowledge is there in the periphery, as if happening to someone else, not to you, and you are looking at it. A subtle joy spreads all over your being because you have realized one of the basic truths of life: that you are bliss and not knowledge.
So when you enjoy it you don’t become a masochist; don’t follow the knowledge for yourself but enjoy it.
Right now because of Arjuna’s unconsciousness he got stuck to his knowledge and is trying to create misery for himself. He has become a masochist.
We always need to take the knowledge to understand the universal purpose behind it.
Krishna is not saying not be knowledgeable; he is simply saying suffering is there, you need not seek for it. Enough suffering is already there you need not go in search of it. Suffering is already there; life by its very nature creates suffering. Illness is there, death is there, the body is there – by their very nature suffering is created. See it; look at it with a very dispassionate eye. Look at it – what it is, what is happening. Don’t escape. Immediately the mind says, “Escape from here, don’t look at it.” But if you escape then you cannot deliver the assignment of the universe. You will not understand the message of the universe. In simple words GET THE INFORMATION BE WITH IT, LEARN TO TRANSCEND IT. Do Not create suffering, the only way to come out of suffering is to transcend the knowledge and use it to deliver universal assignments.
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