What the Bhagavad Gita Taught Me About Failure, Injustice, and Peace

We have all been there: putting in a lot of effort and doing everything "right," only to be ignored or experience excruciating setbacks. When we believe that life is unfair, we start to compare, blame, and become frustrated. What if, however, we are simply witnessing a portion of reality? The 2,000-year-old spiritual text known as the Bhagavad Gita questions our conceptions of justice and authority. It demonstrates how what we see as injustice may be a misreading of a much larger, invisible plan.

Feeling that life is unfair is a common occurrence in our fast-paced, hyperconnected society. We witness others achieve while taking short corners, witness someone we worked hard for earn a promotion, or experience unjustified personal losses. This impression is heightened by social media—constantly highlighting reels of flawless lives while we silently struggle with disease, loss, or failure. Our mental conversation gets resentful and comparison becomes a habit: Why not me? Why am I experiencing this? I recall once putting forth endless effort to prepare for a chance that I thought would transform my life.

Everything I did was "right"—I worked late, researched the chances, and put my all into it. However, I was passed over, and someone far less prepared was selected. It hurt. I felt unnoticeable. Furious. defeated. This isn't fair, my mind cried. But as time went on, I saw that this conclusion resulted from only witnessing a portion of reality. I had a limited perspective on life since I assumed I knew the whole story and expected a direct return on my investment. I was lacking in perspective. Later, I learned from the Gita that our narrow understanding of a much greater, invisible purpose frequently leads to what we perceive as unfairness.


Through its teachings on karma (action and consequence) and dharma (one's personal obligation), the Bhagavad Gita presents a fundamentally different perspective on justice. Karma is not a straightforward equation. Every action sows a seed, according to the Gita, although the fruit may grow in unexpected ways or even in a different lifetime. This contradicts the contemporary notion that success should always follow hard labor and that transgressions should result in immediate punishment. Dharma, on the other hand, is very intimate. It's about living in accordance with your special position in life, not about seeking for outside rewards or social approval.

Even when it was morally intolerable, Arjuna had to be a warrior. Krishna reminds him that he must fulfill his obligation because it is right, not for personal benefit. This viewpoint contradicts our common reasoning: doing the "right thing" does not ensure praise or a happy ending. It can occasionally cause suffering or loneliness. According to the Gita, justice by our human standards isn't important in life. It's about trust in a higher order, integrity, and surrender. How diligently we follow our path, even when it doesn't seem like the world is rewarding us, is what truly fulfills us, not what we receive.


The difference between the doer and the witness is one of the most significant lessons contained in the Bhagavad Gita. We frequently think we are in charge and that we are the ones who create every result. We get extremely addicted to achievement, terrified of failing, and devastated when things don't work out as planned because of this delusion of control. We begin to feel like victims of circumstance when we only identify with the results of our activities. We accuse the world or ourselves of being unjust if things don't work out. However, Krishna gently reminds Arjuna that the actual Self is the one who observes action rather than the one who performs it.

The soul, the everlasting Self, merely observes while the body and mind plan and act. We are urged to carry out our karma (deeds). The core of karma yoga is fulfilling your obligations for their own sake, independent of compensation or recognition. We find inner calm when we go from identifying with results to being present in the process. "You have a right to carry out your assigned duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action," is what Arjuna is taught. This separation is emancipation from the agony of anticipation, not apathy.


The Bhagavad Gita encourages us to see life from the broad perspective of time and reincarnation rather than the limited perspective of a single lifetime. A complicated web of cause and effect may be at play, and what seems unfair now may not be the whole picture. It could be the outcome of prior deeds from this life or a previous one. The fruits of karma mature in ways that are not always visible or understandable, and it doesn't follow our schedule. Krishna informs Arjuna that the soul never dies and is immortal. The spirit leaves bodies and assumes new ones, much like a person changes their attire. Therefore, life is a chapter in a much longer journey rather than a single occurrence.

Our current situation may be related to lessons we are supposed to learn as part of the soul's progress or to karmic debts. The Gita broadens our perspective through the employment of potent metaphors. As Arjuna's charioteer, Krishna represents the Divine directing each person's soul through life's battleground. Our sense of injustice lessens when we consider life to be a transient part of a much bigger play. We start to believe that there is order, even if it is not readily apparent.


Resentment frequently develops when we feel deceived by life and perceive some situations as unfair, unjust, or unworthy. However, the Gita provides a therapeutic substitute: surrender in place of control and curiosity in place of judgment. Suffering is lessened when we change our focus from "Why me?" to "What might this be teaching me?" We start to view suffering as a means of gaining a better understanding rather than as a form of punishment. This change is a relief on an emotional level. The weight of having to know every answer lessens. We start walking with life instead of fighting it. Embracing the possibility that life's hidden logic might be more intelligent than our own does not imply abandoning up.

A potent instrument is provided by the Gita's teaching of nishkama karma, or activity without regard to the outcome. Release the result, do your duty, love completely, and give it your all. As a result, every activity becomes a spiritual sacrifice rather than a business deal with the expectation of payment. In the face of uncertainty, it fosters tranquility. We become free when we submit, not passive. Although the Gita does not guarantee a life free from adversity, it does provide a means of overcoming it with fortitude, dignity, and faith in a higher power.

Although the Gita does not guarantee a life without hardships, it does offer something more significant: liberation from the pain brought on by entitlement, resistance, and control. We move from bitterness to peace by believing in divine order and acting selflessly. Instead of being something that just occurs to us, life becomes something we actively participate in—bravely, intentionally, and with trust in a greater purpose that transcends our narrow perspective.

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