When it is said that we are merely an instrument of Īśvara, does it mean we don't have freewill? We do have freewill. Freewill is the privilege for human being. Whatever karma we have done with our freewill, it will fructify as certain condition in our future which we called destiny. Therefore that destined condition actually is being created by us, and Īśvara govern this law of karma that is said to be the giver of our destiny. Even in this destined condition, we have freewill to make certain changes through further karma, prayer or even cognitive change.
If there is no freewill in our part, there would not be rebirth as the result of law of karma, since only the doer will be the experiencer. What kind of result will one get if one is merely an instrument of Īśvara? And when everything is predestined by him, he should be the doer which will experience all the result, therefore he would be the greatest samsārī who has the greatest bondage. And śruti also wouldn't give us dharma-sāstra to govern our life to stay in the right path, if karma-phala belongs to Īśvara himself.
Therefore being an instrument of Īśvara means, doing one's own duty in line with the law of karma.
dronam ca bhīsmam ca jayadratham ca
karnam tathānyān api yodhavīrān |
mayā hatāmstvam jahi mā vyathisthāh
yudhyasva jetāsi rane sapatnān ||11.34||
May you destroy Drona, Bhisma, Jayadratha, and Karna as well as other heroic warriors who are (already) destroyed by Me. Do not hesitate; fight. You will conquer the enemies in battle.
By mentioning these few people, Lord Krsna is clearing the doubt of Arjuna which is not be able to defeat them since they are great warriors. Death in this battlefield is the result of their pāpa-karma, which is within the order of karma, therefore it is said that they are destroyed by Īśvara. Therefore Arjuna only needs to do his duty to fight the war.
sañjaya uvāca
etacchrutvā vacanam keśavasya krtāñjalirvepamānah kirītī |
namaskrtvā bhūya evāha krsnam
sagadgadam bhītabhītah pranamnya ||11.35||
Śañjaya said: Hearing these words of Krsna, Arjuna, the crowned-one, with folded hands (and) trembling, saluting Lord Krsna, overwhelmed with fear, and saluting (repeatedly), spoke again in a faltering voice.
arjuna uvāca
sthāne hrsīkeśa tava prakīrtyā
jagat prahrsyatyanurajyate ca |
raksāmsi bhītāni diśo dravanti
sarve namasyanti ca siddhasanghāh ||11.36||
Arjuna said: It is proper, Hrsīkeśa (Krsna)! that by singing your praises the world rejoices and is devoted (to you), the frightened rāksasas run in all directions and all the hosts of siddhas salute (you).
sthāne - it is proper for Īśvara to be worshiped by all, because there is no entity that is more praise worthy than him as the creator of all. By praising him (following the law of dharma) alone, people rejoice, because there is no omission and commission for them who do their duty based on the moral order. When one can see all here are Īśvara alone and the nature of that Īśvara is my essential nature alone, one will have no fear. Therefore it is said that even rāksasas run away.
kasmācca te na nameran mahātman
garīyase brahmano 'pyādikartre |
ananta deveśa jagannivāsa
tvam aksaram sadasattatparam yat ||11.37||
O Lord, the limitless one! The Lord of all Gods! The one in whom the world exists! Why will they not salute you who is greater (then other Gods), who is the primal creator of even Brahmā? You are that eternal, limitless (vastu), which is both cause and effect.
By understanding that the creator, sustainer and resolution ground of the world is one Īśvara alone, therefore Arjuna said that he is greater than even Brahmaji the creator, greater than other Gods, in other words, he is the ultimate altar of surrender.
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