Krishna in Adversities 

December 7, 2025

K SIVA PRASAD

A senior IAS officer in the Punjab Government

The Gita contains many master keys which can open up many doors and overcome hurdles we face on the path of self realisation. One such master key is seeing ourselves in others and others in ourselves. Krishna implores us to realize that it is Himeverywhere asthe unmanifested (formless). Krishna elsewhere asks us to raise ourselves to bow to an adversary, a donkey or a thief as if we are bowing to the Lord.

Based on the inputs brought in by the senses, our minds are programmed to divide and judge situations into safe/pleasant or unsafe/unpleasant. This is necessary as well as useful to protect ourselves from imminent dangers. Like any technology, the mind is double-edged and crosses its mandate to become our master instead of helping us as a servant. This is, in essence,the birthplace of ahankaar. This master key encourages us to enslave our minds to minimise division and judgements so that harmony and unity appear. A point to be noted is that harmony rules the world. No complex physical entity, including our body, can survive without this harmony.

When we use this master key, we develop compassion for others and raise awareness about ourselves. The best way to realize this is to start with a person whom we consider anadversary for whatever reason and see the Lord in that person. Certainly, it is difficult as many unpleasant memories and feelings are tied to them.With the passage of time, that unpleasantness melts away to give way to joy. In fact, there must have been situations where all of us have experienced this but we just need to put it into practice more often.

Awareness about self and compassion for others are like two oars of the boat to row in the path given by the Gita, towards the shores of the eternal state of our inner self.

With this understanding, we should be able to perceive Lord Krishna even in adversities like COVID-19!