How can we apply sarva dharman parityajya in our life as, for example, students?

From Sushant Kulkarni

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Thank you. How can we apply Sarva Dharmaan Pratyajya in our lives practically? For example, I am a student.
So, how do I apply this verse in my life? Answer, the essence of the verse is not Sarva Dharmaan Pratyajya. It is, It is surrender to Krishna. And for the sake of taking shelter of Krishna, one can abandon all other varieties of religion.
So, if you see in the specific case of Arjuna, Arjuna’s essential conflict was between Kshatriya Dharma and Kula Dharma. Kshatriya Dharma is that whenever there is a war, a Kshatriya has to fight. Kula has to fight.
So, it was this conflict over Dharmas that Arjuna’s predicament and dilemma had originated. So, Krishna does resolve that dilemma philosophically throughout the Gita. But conclusively he says, it is not that Kshatriya Dharma is higher or Kula Dharma is higher.
The highest Dharma is becoming my pure devotee. And for the sake of becoming my pure devotee, you give up, also. So, of course, in Arjuna’s case, he gives up Kula Dharma for the sake of Kshatriya Dharma.
But however, that is only an external understanding. He gives up all Dharmas and practices the Bhakti Dharma. And, in this particular situation, the way he executes Bhakti Dharma is by practicing Kshatriya Dharma.
So, Arjuna is not a Kshatriya who is also a Bhakta. He is a Bhakta who is playing the role of a Kshatriya. So, similarly, it is as sadhakas now living in Kali Yuga, it is not that we have to give up all Dharmas.
It is that we have to take shelter of Krishna and we have to accept those Dharmas which enable us to take shelter of Krishna best. So, if we are students, then through our studies, studies don’t prohibit us from practicing Krishna Consciousness in any way. We can do our morning sadhana, we can attend some programs in the evening, we can attend some services, attend college, do studies, be responsible students, be responsible children to our parents.
And, through that also we can serve Krishna because we serve Krishna at the paradharma level, at the level of pure transcendental religion by hearing, chanting and we serve Krishna at the aparadharma level by doing our duties responsibly so that we will be well situated in the future by which we can serve Krishna if we have a proper job, if we get good marks, then we get a good job and then we can be stably situated without too much mental anxiety and then we can serve Krishna better. If we are in respectable position in society, that position can also be used in Krishna’s service. In fact, right now also as students, if we do well in our studies, then that is also an effective way through which we are exemplifying to the world that Krishna’s devotees are among the best students and that will inspire others also to become devotees of Krishna.
So, even our studies can be used as a part of outreach. Now, in a few cases, our aparadharma may conflict with our kaparadharma. So, in those situations, we have to choose paradharma.
So, the emphasis of this verse is not on giving up all dharmas, the emphasis is on surrendering to Krishna and for the sake of surrendering to Krishna, accepting whichever dharma is required. So, in general, when we live in the material world, we cannot give up entirely all material dharmas. Somebody may say, I don’t want to be a student, I want to become a brahmachari.
Brahmachari in and of itself is not a spiritual designation. It’s a material designation, a material ashram that is favorable for spiritual life. Somebody may agree, I want to become a sannyasi.
The soul is transcendental to all varanas and all ashramas. So, if somebody gives up the householder life and takes up the renounced life, then that person is not still giving up all duties, that person is taking up the duties of sannyasa ashram. So, sannyasa dharma is to be accepted.
So, the point of this verse is that for the sake of we should be ready to give up all dharmas and we should be ready to take up whatever dharma helps us in doing maham ekam sharanam vraja.