Krishna's 10 Lessons: Your Life Will Change After This

Our life is a maze of decisions, choices and dilemmas. Questions like "What will people say?" or "What if things don't go as planned?" cloud our mind leading to indecisiveness and anxiety.

Several hundred years ago, Arjun, a valiant warrior, went through the same situation, of course, his issues were much graver- he was at a war with his own cousins, the Kauravas. This filled him with doubt and despair.

Then Lord Krishna, his friend and mentor offered him some great life lessons that transcend time, culture and geography. Lord Krishna’s teachings, covered in 700+ verses, were later compiled into Bhagavad Gita, a book that is upheld as the ‘manual of life’.

This Janmashtami, let’s set on a journey to embrace the learnings of teachings encapsulated in the Bhagavad Gita.

The importance of ‘karma’

On the battlefield, Arjuna was reluctant to fight against his own family. It was here that Krishna emphasized the importance of ‘doing the right thing’ without attachment to outcomes. He said, "You have the right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions."

In today’s world, we’re often faced with ethical and moral dilemmas, be it regarding our work, family or our personal goal and we’re stuck in a loop of the need to make the right decision without being influenced by personal gains or losses.

So, if you’re a student who is anxious about the exams, you need to focus on what is in your control, preparing diligently. Similarly, if you’re a professional and working on an important project or looking for a promotion, you should divert your attention and hard work towards what you’re doing, not on the outcomes.

This is one of the best life lessons from Krishna that teaches us to focus on our actions and not be swayed by the desire for rewards.

Embracing change and impermanence

Life is ever changing and you can not expect it to be the same, always. And this isn’t just limited to material wealth. It extends to your health, relationships, career as well as personal aspirations. You may be on cloud nine at one point in life and the next moment, you may find yourself facing an unexpected challenge.

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna reminded Arjuna, "Change is the law of the universe. You can be a millionaire, or a pauper in an instant."

So, how do you cope with this nature of life? The teachings by Lord Krishna emphasize on finding stability within yourself instead of resisting change or succumbing to the fear of the unknown. So, if you’ve had a setback in your career or had to go through a tough situation in your relationship, embrace the lessons learned in life and view it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Live in the moment

In this busy world, we’re surrounded by distractions everywhere. Biggest example? Your social media notifications. Now imagine this being clubbed by stressful deadlines, big presentations and what not.

Your mind, thoughts, emotions and beliefs shape your life and decide whether you are stable or stressed and stuck in an adverse situation. It's very easy to lose focus and let your mind be your biggest enemy. To avoid this, Lord Krishna’s teachings emphasize on shifting your perspective and grounding yourself in the present moment so that you can tackle what comes in your way with confidence and clarity.

While emphasizing the significance of mindfulness and self awareness in the midst of the war, Krishna stated, "A person can rise through the efforts of his own mind; or draw himself down, in the same manner. Because each person is his own friend or enemy."

Also read: 12 types of meditation: Which is the right one for you?

Master your emotions

In today’s world, changing your life is a common thought and to get victory over this, the first thing you need to do is master your own emotions.

Amidst the great life lessons taught by Lord Krishna, managing your emotions by controlling anger holds the top spot. Krishna warned Arjuna, "From anger arises delusion; from delusion, confused memory; from confused memory the ruin of reason; from ruin of reason, man finally perishes."

Even a minor inconvenience can make you feel angry which clouds your judgement and takes a toll on your logical thinking which results in impulsive decision making. Unchecked anger causes unnecessary conflicts and leads to negative consequences.

So, it’s important to control your emotions by taking deep breaths, staying away from heated situations and engaging in mindfulness exercises to master your emotions for rational decision making.

Also read:

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The essence of true sacrifice

Lord Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita connect so deeply with the modern day. It gives you a holistic perspective about the meaning of sacrifice which isn’t just limited to what you offer but also extends to your intentions behind it.

He said, "Whatever you do, make it an offering to me – the food you eat, the sacrifices you make, the help you give, even your suffering."

How can you offer a sacrifice in your daily life? Instead of mindlessly eating, savour the food you’re having or when it comes to work, do it with mindfulness, with full sincerity and dedication. This becomes an offering. Similarly, you can lend a listening ear to your closed one in distress without expecting anything in return.

So, focus on the feelings of love, intention and selflessness behind your actions to enrich your lives and grow everyday.

The power of humility

Desires drive your goals and ambitions. Whether you want to buy a new house, build a successful career or gain wealth, having desires is quite natural. But when it is driven by ego, it often leads to unrest.

So how do you balance it? Lord Krishna answers this question with a great life lesson pertaining to the importance of humility. Even though Arjun was a warrior prince, instead of being egoistic of his skills and achievements, he acknowledged the confusion and consulted Krishna who said:

"A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires can alone achieve peace, and not the person who does not have desires."

Humility doesn’t put your desires on the backseat, instead it lets you acknowledge your desires without letting your external wants define your self worth. Here, Lord Krishna’s teachings focus on changing your life by focusing on inner peace which can be achieved by approaching everything with purpose and not ego.

Value every task

In today’s world, pressure to seek external validation is immense. While chasing great achievements, you often tend to overlook small successes on a daily basis.

Being surrounded by filters and the peer pressure to cope with pop culture, it’s not easy to stay true to yourself. Life lessons from Krishna holds a great value in teaching that authenticity holds a greater value than perfection. He said:

"It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection.”

Lord Krishna’s teachings stress on focusing on your own journey instead of imitating anyone else. Everyone’s journey is different and you should devote yourself to your own life path, even though it is filled with imperfections and setbacks. When you are sincere enough to follow your own path, you grow and you tend to be more satisfied in life.

Set high standards

Lord Krishna imparts his wisdom to the area of self improvement as well. It’s good to look up to others and have personal idols but your actions should be directed towards your personal benchmarks.

The verse from Bhagavad Gita reads, "Because whatever noble persons do, others follow. Whatever standard they set up, the world follows."

Set high standards for yourself and follow your work with dedication and sincerity. The most successful individuals you find today challenge themselves consistently and this doesn’t just affect their immediate surroundings but also sets an example for the society at large.

Leading your life based on your personal benchmarks doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter failures. So, see each setback as a learning opportunity to grow, push your boundaries and expand your horizon to be an inspiration for others.

Believe in your actions

Lord Krishna’s teachings act as a guiding light for pursuing every action which is the belief behind it.

"Whatever is done without faith — whether it is sacrifice, charity, austerity, or any other act — is useless. It has no value here or hereafter.”

What’s the most important part of any structure? The foundation! So, no matter what you’re pursuing, do it with faith, with belief and conviction. This will strengthen the sense of purpose behind that task and make it more authentic.

Your mind can often be crowded while making a decision, to clear it out ask yourself, does your heart and soul truly believe in this? If yes, then it is driven by conviction. And when conviction is involved, your actions carry a unique power.

Have courage

Fear. We’re always surrounded by it. Really! From personal challenges to professional hurdles, fear is always there with us.

But what if it’s not there ‘with us’ but it’s definitely there ‘within us’. That’s right! To counter and tackle external challenges, you need to overcome your inner doubts and fears. Teaching this, lord Krishna said:

"Fear not what is not real, never was and never will be. What is real, always was and cannot be destroyed."

To beat your fear, you need to understand that it’s often not based on reality. Your mind might be wandering towards the past, future or uncertainties due to which the negative emotions get activated and hinder your actions. And being fearless doesn’t mean absence of fear. It means you choose to move past it and focus on your journey and believe in your abilities to grow everyday, taking one step at a time.

The Bhagavad Gita, a timeless scripture, offers insights that transcend time and culture. As we celebrate Janmashtami, let's reflect on these life-changing teachings of Lord Krishna and strive to integrate them into our daily lives.

Connect with Krishna on Level Supermind

It's easy to lose track of life in this busy world. Practicing mantras and listening to sleep stories help to rewire your brain in such a way that your focus, sleep patterns and memory tends to improve and you make better decisions.

Hare Krishna Mantra series: This 7-day meditation series talks about the 6 elements to discipline your mind and be more focused and clear headed, both in your personal and professional life.

Lord Krishna's Story: Immerse yourself in the birth story of Lord Krishna to learn the importance of having courage in the face of challenges and the significance of love and compassion to be lead a happy life.

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Lord Krishna's story

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