Bhagavad Gita 4.42

tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ

hṛt-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ

chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogam

ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

 

“Therefore, with wisdom’s sword so bright,

Cut through doubt that clouds your sight.

The yoga of action, embrace strong and tight,

Rise with divine conviction and fight.”

 

My dear Lord, life is like a war, and on many occasions, the most dangerous enemy in this war is not outside me in the form of difficult situations or people. It is inside me, in the form of the doubts that haunt me from within.

You, my Lord, have made me for a purpose. Though you are infinite and I am infinitesimal, you still see value in my existence and my endeavor.

Unfortunately, instead of seeking the spiritually informed vision that will enable me to see myself the way you see me—as rich with divine potential—I foolishly seek social validation from the people around me, who often see me through the prism of their own impurities and insecurities.

Help me, O Lord, to correct my misdirected search for validation and valuation from this fallible world and instead turn to you, the infallible source of the world.

And let me embrace the devotional practices that sustain my connection with you, thereby empowering me to keep fighting, even when the opposition seems overpowering.

Grant me, O Lord, the perception of the bigger picture. Then, even if I lose a few battles in this world while I keep battling and battering the enemy of doubt inside me, I will ultimately win the war of life and fulfill the destiny—everlasting and enriching—that you constantly call me toward, through both worldly successes and worldly setbacks.

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04.42 Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bhārata, stand and fight.