Fear

He will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him, and will hear their cries, and will save them.

The fear of the Lord is wisdom.

From where words return, unable to reach there, together with the mind — one who knows that bliss of Brahman is afraid of nothing, ever. This is the bodily self of the preceding sheath. Within and beyond this mind-composed self there is yet another inner self, made of discriminative intelligence; by that, this one is pervaded.

One who gives up action calling it painful, out of fear of bodily hardship — such a person performs rajasic renunciation and will not obtain the fruit of true renunciation.

The great warriors will think you have withdrawn from battle out of fear, and you who were once held in high esteem by them will be belittled.

The Gandiva slips from my grasp, my skin burns all over, I cannot keep my footing, and my mind seems to reel.

My limbs give way beneath me, my mouth is parching, my body trembles and my hair stands on end.

In the beginning, all this was indeed non-being. From that, being was born. That being made itself by itself; therefore it is called 'well-made'. And what is well-made is essence — rasa. For having obtained that essence, this one becomes filled with joy. For who could breathe, who could live, if that bliss were not present in the expanse of space? It is this alone that pours forth delight. When one finds fearless grounding in that which is invisible, not a separate self, beyond all designation, without fixed abode — then one has truly gone beyond fear. But when one makes even a small gap between oneself and that — then fear arises. And that very thing is the fear of one who is wise but does not contemplate.

Sanjaya said: Having spoken these words to Arjuna, Vasudeva again revealed his own form, and the great-souled one, resuming his gentle appearance, consoled that frightened Arjuna.

Let there be no fear or confusion in you upon seeing this terrible form of mine. With fear departed and with a joyful heart, behold once more that same familiar form of mine.

Sanjaya said: Having heard these words of Keshava, the crown-bearing Arjuna, trembling and with palms joined, bowed down again and spoke to Krishna in a voice choked with emotion, overwhelmed with fear.

From that place, words turn back without reaching it, and the mind too returns unfullfilled. One who truly knows the bliss of Brahman fears nothing whatsoever, from any quarter. Such a person is never scorched by the torment of thinking: 'Why did I not do what was good? Why did I do what was harmful?' One who knows this in this very way delivers both these selves — the self within and the self of all — to freedom. Such is the teaching of the Upaniṣad.

Arjuna said: Seeing this your gentle human form, O Janardana, I am now composed; my mind has returned to its natural state.

Tell me who you are, O one of terrible form — I bow before you, O best of gods, be gracious. I wish to truly know you, the primal one, for I do not understand your purpose here.

Seeing Your terrible fanged mouths, blazing like the fire of dissolution, I know not which direction I face, nor find refuge; be gracious, O Lord of gods, O Abode of the world.

Seeing You touching the sky, blazing in many colours, with gaping mouths and vast flaming eyes — my inner self trembles, O Viṣṇu; I find no courage and no calm.

Having seen Your vast form with many faces and eyes, O mighty-armed one — with many arms, thighs, and feet, many bellies, many terrible fangs — the worlds are trembling, and so am I.

If punishment did not exist, all creatures would destroy each other. It is the fear of punishment that prevents living beings from killing one another.

The gods, with Brahma at their head, worship your benevolent self, O sinless one. You are everything. You are the creator of the gods and it was you who caused them to be created. Through your grace, the gods pass their time in joy and perfect fearlessness.

God told Prophet David, 'The servant dearest to Me is one who doesn't seek Me out of fear or hope for reward, but to fulfill their duty to My divinity.'