Suppose we are driving a car and come to an unexpected intersection. Or suppose we are flying in a plane and suddenly find it turning in an unexpected direction. In either case, we need to consult someone knowledgeable.

In our life-journey, we are sometimes the car-driver and sometimes the plane passenger. Sometimes, we move our life as per our plans, but find ourselves at a perplexing crossroad. Sometimes, we find ourselves being moved in unplanned directions by forces beyond our control. In either case, we need to be humble enough to seek guidance.

The Bhagavad-gita places this need for humility in a broader philosophical context. Extending the life-journey metaphor, it explains that we are souls on a multi-life journey of spiritual evolution. We transmigrate under the supervision of the Supersoul (18.61) who has a master plan for our evolution, for he is our greatest well-wisher (05.29).

During our daily life, we hardly think of this big picture. At certain junctures, however, we realize that we don’t know what to do or what’s happening. At the Gita’s start, Arjuna had such a knowledge-of-ignorance moment – a moment when he recognized his ignorance. Fortunately and intelligently, he had the humility to surrender to Krishna (02.07). And Krishna’s guidance in the Gita restored his equanimity (18.73).

Similarly, during our knowledge-of-ignorance moments, if we cultivate the humility to turn towards the Gita, it can grant us the conviction that Krishna has a plan, even if we don’t have access to it. If we keep doing our part – serve him, one small step at a time, according to our intelligence and saintly guidance – he will duly bring us to eternal auspiciousness.

Thus, the humility to defer to Krishna’s inconceivable plan can raise us from perplexity to equanimity.

Think it over:

  1. How is our situation sometimes like a car-driver and sometimes like a plane passenger?
  2. What is a knowledge-of-ignorance moment? Have you ever had any such moment?
  3. How can humility raise us from perplexity to equanimity?

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