Gita 18.73
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत | स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव ||७३||
naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā tvat-prasādān mayācyuta | sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ kariṣye vacanaṁ tava ||73||
In essence: ARJUNA'S TRIUMPHANT RESPONSE: My delusion is destroyed, memory is restored by Your grace, O Infallible One! I stand firm, doubts gone—I shall do Your bidding.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "How can Arjuna be so certain? After all that doubt, how does certainty suddenly arise?"
Guru: "Certainty wasn't sudden—it accumulated through 18 chapters of teaching, questioning, revelation, and grace. What seems sudden is the crystallization, the moment when accumulated understanding becomes stable conviction. Like water heating gradually until it suddenly boils, Arjuna's transformation proceeded degree by degree until the threshold was crossed."
Sadhak: "'Smriti'—memory. What exactly did Arjuna remember?"
Guru: "His true nature as eternal Self, not mortal body. His relationship with Krishna as friend, devotee, and instrument. His dharma as kshatriya. The cosmic context where action serves divine purposes beyond personal preference. When these truths are 'forgotten'—obscured by identification with ego—delusion rules. When remembered, clarity returns."
Sadhak: "'Tvat-prasadat'—by Your grace. Why does Arjuna credit Krishna rather than his own effort?"
Guru: "Because he experienced it that way. Arjuna didn't reason his way out of delusion—he received clarity. The teaching came from Krishna; the capacity to receive came from Krishna; the dispelling of ignorance came from Krishna. Arjuna's part was receptivity, but even that was enabled by grace. Recognition of grace isn't false modesty—it's accurate perception."
Sadhak: "'Karishye vachanam tava'—this sounds like blind obedience. Where's Arjuna's independent thinking?"
Guru: "Arjuna already did 18 chapters of independent thinking—questioning, challenging, requesting elaboration. Now, having thoroughly examined the teaching, he freely chooses alignment. This isn't blind obedience but informed surrender. He's not giving up thinking; he's completed thinking and reached conclusion: Krishna's word is trustworthy and should be followed."
Sadhak: "What about those of us who hear the Gita but can't say 'nashto mohah'—delusion destroyed?"
Guru: "Then you're between Arjuna's beginning and end—in process, not complete. This is normal and workable. Keep engaging the teaching, keep questioning, keep receiving. Arjuna's clarity came after receiving the COMPLETE teaching with one-pointed attention under extraordinary circumstances. Most of us need more time, more repetition, more grace. The goal shows the direction; don't be discouraged if you're still walking."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Begin with honest self-assessment: 'What delusion still operates in me? What have I forgotten about my true nature?' This isn't discouragement but diagnosis. Then affirm: 'Today, I commit to remembering and acting from that remembrance.'
When doubt arises about right action, recall Arjuna's model: after thorough examination and sincere asking, trust emerges. Don't suppress doubt through force but work through it toward clarity. When clarity comes, commit firmly: 'Karishye'—I shall do.
Assess the day: 'Where did I act from clarity today? Where did delusion reassert itself?' Attribute whatever clarity you experienced to grace—not to generate passivity but to maintain humility and gratitude. Close with renewed commitment: 'Tomorrow, I shall do Your bidding more fully.'