The world of living beings has been created within the imagination of Parama Puruśa. It is the resolution of Taraka Brahma to emancipate living beings, but only those who want liberation get liberation. When a human wants or longs for liberation, they attain the sadguru. Muktyákáuṋkśayá sadgurupráptih. However some want liberation and some do not. One person wants liberation but does not get it, while another gets liberation even though they do not want it. What kind of a thing is this? Some people say, máuṋganá marań samán hái, mat koi máuṋgo bhikh [to beg like death, so do not beg]. Then some other say biná máuṋge motii miile, máuṋge miile ná rákh [You can get the boon of emerald without asking, but not even ashes if you beg for them]. It is a strange thing, a mysterious thing, and this mystery is the drama of Parama Puruśa. Living beings are only characters in that drama. Human beings have come to this earth with a fixed role to play, and that role must be properly observed. One should always bear in mind that one is a character in this divine drama. And who is the author or composer of this drama? Táraka Brahma.

This reminds of an old story from the Mahábhárata. After the battle, the battleground of Kurukśetra became a cremation ground. At the end of the war some people came there from the Kaoravas’ side, among them were women and a few elderly gentlemen. The mother of the Kaoravas, Gandhari, was also there. Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, and Krśńa, the Pandava’s friend, were present as well, along with the blind Dhritarastra. Everyone was standing in that cremation ground and weeping. The Kaoravas were also weeping, even Gandhari, for she had lost her beloved hundred sons in the war.

Krśńa approached Gandhari and said: “Mother, why are you weeping? Death is a natural law of the world. Játasya hi dhruvormrtyuh. One who is born will die. So what is there to cry about?”

Gandhari replied: “Yes Krśńa, I have also told the distressed suffering the bereavement of death the same thing that you are telling me today. I have consoled them with those very same words. You know this and I know this, so what is the need of telling me this?” She continued: “Krśńa, you have come here today to console me in my grief, but I ask you, behind this great event whose mind was at work? Who was the author of this great plan? Was it not you?”

Krśńa replied: “Those who have committed injustice and sinned have been punished. What can I do about that?”

Gandhari again said: “Everything you have said up until now is quite correct. From the worldly point of view, everything that has happened up until now is as it should be, because every action must have its reaction. But my point is this: You yourself are Táraka Brahma; your duty is to liberate the living beings. You can give liberation to whomever you please. In form of Táraka Brahma you can create as you wish and destroy as you wish. In this drama of yours you have created many characters who are very honest people, ideological people. If one does virtuous deeds then one gets liberation. In order to teach the people this you create these kinds of characters. And you also create sinful characters in order to teach the people how much a person degenerates as a result of their sinful behavior. In this drama of the great war which has taken place in field of Kurukśetra, you could have had my hundred sons play roles of righteousness and the Pandavas play roles of unrighteousness, if you had wished it. In that case my hundred sons would have gotten salvation and the Pandavas would have gone to hell. You are Táraka Brahma, the author of everything, and now, after having made me cry, you come to console me!”

What Gandhari said was correct. Táraka Brahma formulates his plan in order to produce itihás [history with educative value], to teach the people. If one does honest works then one moves towards the eternal truth, and if one performs dishonest works then one moves towards untruth. He wanted to fix this great teaching in the minds of human beings.

Thereafter comes the other part of the story. Gandhari said: “Krśńa, give me permission to curse you.”

Krśńa replied: “Okay, curse me. I give you permission.”

Then Gandhari cursed him by saying: “Just as my entire lineage has been destroyed before my very eyes, may your Yádava lineage be destroyed before your very eyes as well.”

“Let it be so,” Krśńa replied.

Human beings should always remember that living beings are only actors in the vast universal drama composed by Táraka Brahma. This is not their real identity. Someone may play the role of a king in a drama but they might not even have two handfuls of rice in their house. Someone plays the role of a poor subject in the drama, but in real life they may be a very rich man. One should remember: We are only playing specific roles in a great drama. I will act properly according to the role I have been given in this drama. This is a person’s duty. It is meaningless for a person to think about anything more than this – about what is beyond one’s power.