Excerpts from Bhagavad Gita

46. Arjuna says, 'Krishna, please may I ask You a few more questions?
Why did You create the Universe in the first place? Why did You create man? What is the purpose of human life? I hope You would be kind enough to explain.'

47. Krishna replies, 'Arjuna, at last you are beginning to think! Let Me start with the question about why I created the Universe. I have already told you that I exist even when the Universe does not. I am then in a state of sheer oneness and absolute bliss. It is not easy for ordinary mortals to understand that state but elevated souls can, especially when they go into a trance.'

48. 'Arjuna, you may not believe this, but like humans, I also enjoy sport. Devotees refer to My sport as Leela. Creation is a Leela of God! I created diversity so that I could play with Myself, appearing in numerous forms!'

49. 'You might have sometimes seen children play with dolls. They hold the doll and talk to it. And they speak as if the doll is talking back to them. They try to feed and even spank the doll if they think it is misbehaving. My Leela is similar!'

50. 'In one line: I separated Myself from Myself so that I could Love Myself! A mother shows love to her child. That is what your eyes see.
In reality it is I, acting as the mother, who is showing love to Myself acting as the child! Feel dizzy? Don't worry! You will soon get used to this kind of stuff!'

51. Arjuna says, 'Krishna, I have a problem here. If You say that all the action one sees in the Universe is just a manifestation of You loving Yourself, then how come there is desire, attachment, etc., all of which You disapprove of?'

52. Krishna replies, 'Well, that is an interesting point you have brought up. You see Arjuna, what you call attachment, desire, etc., are, truly speaking, merely distortions of Love. I have left room for such distortions to add spice to My Leela!'

53. 'Let Me now explain why I created man. Consider a tigress. You know how fiercely the tigress protects its cubs. That protective instinct is born of motherly love. But the tigress cannot know anything about the original source of this love. So, in My Creation, I decided that there should be one species that is capable of higher consciousness.
A monkey may love its kids but it is not evolved enough to be aware of Me, and to Love Me as the Supreme Creator. That is why I created man.
In fact, I created him in My own image, blessing him with innumerable treasures, making it easy for him to recognise Me.'

54. 'Among the various species, the human form is not only the highest, but also the most sacred. Jantunam, Narajanmam Durlabham. The human form is very precious because it is in this form alone that an entity in Creation can truly cognise Me and become one with Me.'

55. 'This automatically brings Me to the Purpose of Life. This purpose is very simple. From God you have come, and to God you must return; that is all!'

56. 'People, may shake their heads and declare, "This is impossible!
How can one make God the only object of life? What about family and relatives? What about work and relaxation? Should life become one long, dull and monotonous pilgrimage to something we do not understand?" Let Me answer this doubt.'

57. 'Arjuna, you should remember that it is I who created Society, building diversity into it. Therefore, I know very well that Society needs all kinds of services for it to exist and carry on. I am not asking anyone to walk away from life. But, and this is an important point, no matter who one is and to what strata one belongs, everyone can follow his or her vocation in life in such a manner that life's purpose is also duly fulfilled.'

58. 'How is that? Here is the answer. First, quietly chant My Name while going about your work. Let us say you are sweeping the floor. It is quite easy to sweep the floor and also chant My Name at the same time.'

59. 'By the way, there are no restrictions when it comes to Name selection. I am known by many Names and you can pick any one that pleases you. Just make sure that when you chant My Name, you do so with feeling and with Love in your Heart.'

60. 'Sometimes, chanting may not be possible while you are working.
For example, pretty soon you would be busy fighting. Obviously, you would have to concentrate on the battle and cannot be chanting My Name continuously. But no problem. Just think of Me for a moment before you start.
Say a small prayer like, "Lord, I am going to be busy for a while. But it is Your work I shall be busy with. Please bless it and accept that as a humble offering from me to You." After that short prayer, you can go about your business.'

61. 'When the task is completed, you can once again say a small prayer offering thanks and expressing gratitude. So, a little prayer before, work in between and a short prayer on completion - a spiritual sandwich if you like! That will do the trick, converting work into worship!'

62. 'Arjuna, the essential point is this. I have given man a body and a mind to discover Me and to come back to me. That is why I confer the human form on a select few. That opportunity ought to be properly used and not wasted.'

63. Arjuna asks, 'Lord, You say few but there are so many people on this earth! There is something here that I am missing.'

64. Krishna replies, 'If you look at the human population alone, it might seem large. But remember, there are 8.4 million living species!
Compare the human population with the total population of all the other species put together, including the innumerable tiny insects.
You will then realise that very few indeed are at the top of the evolution ladder, just one step away from God. Surely you would concede that is indeed a rare opportunity.'

65. 'So the big question before man is whether man should waste this wonderful opportunity, living like an animal or a demon. Instead, why not follow My simple three-point formula, which is:
1) Always think of me
2) Always think you are doing my work, whatever it be
3) Dedicate all your actions to me
Stick to this magic formula and you would be home in no time at all.'

66. Arjuna responds, 'Krishna, I have a little problem with Your observation that we should think we are working for You. Let us say there is a farmer who has employed a servant. The farmer pays the wages and therefore the servant is working for the farmer and not You.
How can the servant think he is working for You? This point is not clear to me.'

67. Krishna laughs and says, 'Arjuna, if you understand what the Cosmic Drama is all about, you would not be asking this question.
True, the servant is working for the farmer but that is so only in a worldly sense. In reality, who is that farmer but Me in disguise? That is the feeling of Oneness that you ought to have.'

68. Arjuna replies, 'You are in effect saying I must see God in all, aren't You? But I still have a problem. Let us say this farmer is stingy and cruel. How can I think he is You? You are Purity, Compassion and Love whereas that farmer is mean, dishonest and wicked.
See my difficulty?'

69. Krishna replies, 'Arjuna, if you look merely at the surface, you would only see a mean and wicked person as you describe him. But go a bit deeper and what do you find then? You will discover that the so- called wicked farmer is indeed God in disguise giving you a test! Test is taste for God, you know!'

70. Arjuna is unconvinced. He shrugs and says, 'Krishna this is just too much! You are supposed to be God. You know everything. Then why must You test a person and make him suffer in the process? Just why do You have to do that?'

71. Krishna says in reply, 'You have got it all wrong. When did I tell you that I test a person in order to find out what exactly he is like?
I know for sure everything about every person of the past, the present and also the future. When I test you, it is merely for helping you to know where exactly you are on the spiritual ladder.'

72. 'A smart devotee would say, "This is a test that God has given me.
And I have done just the opposite of what He expects from me, which means I have flunked! Let this be a lesson. Next time, let me get my act together properly and not fail like now."'

73. 'If people introspect like this all the time, there would be rapid progress. And when there is progress, tests would also become less frequent.'

74. Arjuna is not ready to give up and raises a new question. He says, 'Something is still missing. I can think of many noble souls who in spite of being very pure face a lot of suffering. How do You explain that?'

75. Krishna replies, 'Oh, you have noticed that, have you? Well, the answer to that so-called paradox is the following: It is true that those noble people you are referring to do not require any quality check. Yet I put them through the grind as a part of My Master Plan!'

76. A shocked Arjuna asks, 'Your give them suffering as a part of Your Master Plan? What on earth for?'

77. Krishna replies, 'Arjuna, you must remember that everything that God does has a purpose. In this world, there are any number of bad guys who keep on setting the wrong example. Don't you think the world also needs at least a few good role models for Kshama or forbearance?
Once again, God does everything with a purpose. If a blade of grass moves, that too is a part of My Master Plan. You must have that deep faith.'

More on this series available on
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01MAR06/gita.htm.