Carpe Diem #698, Chariot

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at a new episode of Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. This month I have given the theme "Peace of Mind" and it's all about the Bhagavad Gita, that wonderful part of the Mahabharata, in which Arjuna and Krishna are having a conversation about life and death before going into battle.

In the Bhagavad Gita this conversation is given form by verses (as e.g. in the Bible or the Qu'ran). Our first prompt chariot is distilled from the start of the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna (the Archer) drives his chariot in between the two armies to start the battle. He asks his charioteer (Krishna) why he has to go into battle with the enemy armies in which he (Arjuna) sees relatives, friends and so on. Than the conversation starts:
21-22 In the middle of the two armies, place my chariot, O Krishna, so that I may behold those who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight when the battle begins.
23. For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to fight, wishing to please in battle Duryodhana, the evil-minded.
24. Being thus addressed by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, having stationed that best of chariots, O Dhritarashtra, in the midst of the two armies,
25. In front of Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of the earth, Krishna said: “O Arjuna, beholdnow all these Kurus gathered together!”
26. Then Arjuna beheld there stationed, grandfathers and fathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, too.
27. (He saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both armies. The son of Kunti—Arjuna—seeing all these kinsmen standing arrayed, spoke thus sorrowfully, filled with deep pity.
28. Arjuna said: "Seeing these, my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed, eager to fight,
29. My limbs fail and my mouth is parched up, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end!
30. The (bow) “Gandiva” slips from my hand and my skin burns all over; I am unable even to stand, my mind is reeling, as it were."

Credits: Arjuna drives his chariot between the armies

These are the first verses of the Bhagavad Gita and as you can read in verses 21 and 22 Arjuna asks Krishna to ride his chariot into the middle of the two armies. 

As I was preparing this episode I thought immediately at another episode about Chariot ... maybe you can remember that too ... it was in the Tarot-month (May 2013) and I have decided to re-produce a haiku from that episode here: 

divine guidance
awaiting before going to battle -
the charioteer

© Chèvrefeuille (2013)

Isn't it incredible to see how this haiku fits this new episode in which we started to discover the Bhagavad Gita? Will there be more similarities this month between the Tarot and the Bhagavad Gita? We will see ....

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until April 3rd at noon (CET). I will (try to) post our next episode, our first special with a haiku written by Kala Ramesh, our featured haiku-poetess this month, later on. For now ... be inspired ... and remember this prompt is just for your inspiration and there is not an obligation to use the Bhagavad Gita in your submissions. Feel free ... let the prompt, chariot, inspire you ... let your muses speak to you.