The story of Mahabharata talks about the extreme attachment felt by Dhritharastra to his two sons Duryodhan and Dushyasan. So who is this character in that wonderful text?
Dhritharastra is you who gets trapped in this world of maya. The worldly desires to have ownership of things. His wife is Gandhari or the one who is blindfolded. She wears the cloth to cover her eyes so as not to see things.
Even if the Guru tells us that you are blinded by attachments the disciple doesn’t believe that. He feels that he is not capable of it. The worldly ties will not bind someone, is the greatest impossibility. The whole of the nation called USA believes that family is so important. They think that to have a good family relationship builds stronger nation. Alas, it is the biggest stumbling block of all times. We get trapped into attachments and then desires ruins us.
Again going back to Mahabharata, we see that the two sons are lust and greed. The term Duryodhan clearly tells you it’s all about money, the word dhan talks about possessions, properties, money and finally greed. We are all blinded by greed. I want this and I want that is the refrain in our lives. It’s all about ownership and wanting.
Dushyasan the second character is shown dragging the queen by her hair and removing her clothing. That is our lust. Humans lust for sex and the desire to mate is so high. We loose our control when the sexual desire overtakes us. We again get blinded and can never see the truth. There are peadophiles and incestous people who never spare anyone too. When sexual desire rises, we can never control anything. Our lust can ruin everything.
Now look at yourself and you will know that both these things called lust and greed can be extremely dangerous addictions. It leads us to ruins.
Here I am not advocating running away from the family or relationships but never to get blinded by undue attachments. Attachments can ruin us. Take the case of an over possessive husband or wife. They will be very suspicious and undue suspicion can destroy a great relationship. You want your spouse to do things your way or expect them to do something and if they don’t conform to your desires then that relationship will be ruined.
If you think that relationships are based on give and take then that is business and not love. Love is all about giving and not about expecting. In an unconditional love, you just keep on giving love. When we talk of living in a relationship, we are talking of a loving one which is all about giving. The relationships deteriorate only because one of the person is always taking and never giving. Both have to equally give and love with abandon. Then life will be fulfilling.
So give your all to the love of your life and don’t desire reciprocation. You have to get in return without asking then alone that relationship will be the greatest. So in marriage or relationship the two have to give equally unto each other. Then alone that relationship will last.
Relationships full of lust and greed will ruin any marriage. It has to be full of love and sacrifice. Marriage is all about giving and not expecting.
Remove the cloth from your eyes of wisdom and see the world full of goodness. Don’t get blinded by lust and greed. Dhritharastra should mean a nation full of spiritual strength and equality in relationships. Not about wrong desires and greed. To make a Mahabharata or great nation the main father figure that is you should shun attachments due to lust and greed and rule with love and devotion.
Krsna represents love and devotion. He is always on the side of the righteous and humble. The Pandavas are all about sacrifice and dharma. So Godliness prevails where there is truth and humility. Giving is the greatest gift to your own self if done selflessly. Give others without expectation and overwhelm with love alone. Then your life will be fulfilling and godliness will flow in you. This is in short the Mahabharata.
Photo Credit: Mythistical
