A few days ago, we were studying the Bhagavad Gita with a very learned Acharya (teacher). On the first day of our study, Acharya ji raised the question: Why did Lord Krishna choose the battlefield of the Mahabharata to impart the knowledge of the Gita to Arjuna (or to the entire world)? Even if seen symbolically, it’s a valid question — why was such profound wisdom as the Gita conveyed in the setting of a battlefield?

There are many answers to this — and indeed, many have been given. For instance: This was the place where Arjuna could see directly who he was truly up against in the war, and seeing this, he faced the most intense moral dilemma of his life — where he had to fight against his own relatives and friends. Therefore, Krishna gave Arjuna the knowledge of the Gita to help him overcome this dilemma. This answer is reasonable and likely accurate. It symbolizes the real struggles and challenges of life, where we must fulfill our duties regardless of how difficult the circumstances may be.

Beyond this, several other interpretations can also be offered, such as:

• The battlefield represents life itself — a place where we are constantly faced with decisions, and where both internal and external conflicts persist. Therefore, it was the most fitting moment for Krishna to impart the knowledge of the Gita.
• Arjuna’s delusion and despair had reached their peak, distancing him from his true nature and self-awareness. This was the precise moment when Krishna revealed to him his real self.
• The battlefield is ever-changing from moment to moment. It was in such a setting that Krishna taught Arjuna about equanimity (samattva yoga), selfless action (nishkam karma), and the knowledge of the self (atmaswaroop) — all of which inspire one to remain calm and steady in any situation.

All these answers are important and help us realize the value of discernment in difficult times — discernment being the ability to distinguish between the eternal and the transient, the true and the false, the real and the unreal.

While Acharya ji was explaining these perspectives, another answer arose within me — one that deeply resonated with me and connected with many of my own life experiences. I realized that true knowledge is attained only when we are present on the “battlefield” — which can also be seen as the field of action. Knowledge gained outside of the field of action may stay in our memory, but it does not become a part of our being. Until knowledge is tested on the touchstone of experience, it remains merely an idea, a matter of intellect. Knowledge becomes truly valuable only when it is transformed into being through experience. Whatever is experienced in the battlefield or the field of action becomes an inseparable part of us.

I have several senior friends from whom I have learned a great deal — they are like gurus to me. I have observed that their most authentic understanding is that which they have acquired directly through the field of action. They may have read extensively, listened to many things, and seen much — but not all of that became part of their being or their authentic understanding. What truly inspires others is the wisdom they gained from their own battlefield or field of action.

Authentic wisdom can only be gained in the field of action. No scripture or teacher in the world can give us the kind of understanding that comes through our own experience. Scriptures or teachers may provide knowledge, but that knowledge will become visible to us only when it becomes a part of our experience. And experience can be gained only through the field of action.

Reading, writing, and discussions are all fine, but if we truly want to attain wisdom, we will only gain it through direct experience. Therefore, all of us must incline toward action. In verse 9 of the chapter on Karma Yoga in the Gita, Lord Krishna says that the only real actions are those performed in the spirit of yajna (sacrifice); all other actions bind a person to karma. The spirit of yajna arises from devotion (bhakti), and any action performed with devotion is expressed as seva (service). I’ve written briefly about bhakti and seva in a previous blog.

Anil Maikhuri

11 May, 2025