The Boat of Knowledge for the Sea of Sin

Arjuna’s sadness during the Kurukshetra War stems from his feeling that he is committing a sin. He feels that killing one’s teachers, relatives, and friends is nothing but sin (1.36) and that one should desist from such sinful acts (1.38). He is further troubled by the fact that he and his brothers are preparing to kill their own brothers for the sake of the kingdom (1.45). To dispel this misconception, Lord Krishna repeatedly speaks to Arjuna about sin. Sri Krishna says, “Even if you are the worst of sinners, you will safely cross the ocean of sin in the boat of knowledge (4.36). Just as a blazing flame burns firewood to ashes, so the fire of knowledge burns all karmas to ashes (4.37).” For Sri Krishna, sin is like darkness, dispelled by the light of knowledge and awareness. The darkness may have existed for a long time or be intense, but light dispels it instantly. However, this is contrary to religious teachings that label certain actions and thoughts as sinful. They hold that sin to be the root of our suffering. All religions prescribe various practices and rituals to free ourselves from sin and attain happiness. The amount and quality of the rituals vary depending on whether the sin is simple or profound. If the sin is committed over a long period of time, greater repentance and contrition are required. But for Sri Krishna, the length and depth of the sin do not matter. All that is needed is to know ‘That’ through which we will be able to see God within all beings as well as within ourselves (4.35). Religions thrive on our guilt for sinning, while spirituality is about gratitude and the awareness that sin and virtue are part of oneness