Shri Krishna Loves You: Do Not Harm Your Body

A similar state is found in some people who practice terrible austerities in the name of worship. Shri Krishna explains their fate here.

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|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 17.6॥

 

_कर्शयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः ।_
_मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्‌यासुरनिश्चयान् ॥_

 

भावार्थ : 

ऎसे भ्रमित बुद्धि वाले मनुष्य शरीर के अन्दर स्थित जीवों के समूह और हृदय में स्थित मुझ परमात्मा को भी कष्ट देने वाले होते हैं, उन सभी अज्ञानियों को तू निश्चित रूप से असुर ही समझ। (६)

 

Meaning:

The collection of elements situated in the body, as well as me who dwells in the body, are weakened by ignorant people. Know them to be of devilish resolves.

 

Explanation:

Let's say it is the first day of the New Year, and we make a resolution to lose some weight. The very next day, we join a gym for the very first time, and spend one hour running on the treadmill. This will not be a good idea. Instead of helping our body, we may harm it. Weight loss, like any other system, requires a combination of knowledge and action. Unless we understand the techniques involved in weight loss, we should avoid starting an exercise regimen.

 

A similar state is found in some people who practice terrible austerities in the name of worship. Shri Krishna explains their fate here. He says that those who torture the body and mind in the name of austerity are doing nothing but weakening the elements, meaning the organs, in their body. Nowhere in the scriptures does it ask us to harm our body. He goes one step further by asserting that such people are also hurting Ishvara himself. As we saw in the ninth chapter, Ishvara dwells in all of us as the saakshi, the witness of our thoughts and actions.

 

Shri Krishna calls such people achetesaaha which means ignorant, or even unconscious. They chose to ignore Ishvara's teaching in the form of scriptures. They do not have faith in any ideal except their own preservation. They are driven only by egoism and desire. It is no wonder that their plans, their resolves, will be aasuric or devilish, as explained in the prior chapter. So the warning to us is clear. As we are conducting the analysis of our faith, we should in no way emulate these people. We should stay away from them.

 

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||