Krishna in Gita 15-7 and 15-15 says all beings are His parts and He dwells in every heart reminding us to face today’s crisis with unity and compassion.

Crises of religious identities have always existed in the world to a lesser or greater extentr
Considering the varying level of spiritual development in different human beings, the reason behind the wide range of religious identities is perfectly understandable. They provide the necessary structure to channelize one’s faith and devotion and facilitate a framework of beliefs, based on every individual’s respective stage of development, to help them rise to the next stage on the path of evolution. We must therefore learn to live in peace and harmony with this heterogeneity and the insights given in the Bhagavad Gita certainly prove helpful towards this end.

Before we examine the given two statements closely, let us understand who Lord Krishna really isr
Lord Krishna is commonly known to be a human incarnation of Lord Vishnu, whose purpose was to eradicate evil and re-establish the reign of dharma (rightful action and morality) on earth.

But a more comprehensive study of his being reveals that he is the force or element of Divinity, already present in each of us, which guides us away from ignorance towards knowledge, and ultimately towards moksha, the final liberation. And one of the most essential steps of this journey is the acknowledgement of the essential unity of all beings i.e. we are all one, since we all carry the same element of Divinity within us. This sentiment is called abhed bhaav (the spirit of oneness).

The real Self or the true identity of each one of us is that we all are a Pure Soulr
Now, when Lord Krishna says that everyone is a part of Him, it means that all beings have Souls which are as pure as Lord Krishna’s. No matter how vehemently one may choose to oppose this idea, the fact still remains that in our truest form, we belong to the same category as Lord Krishna because we are ultimately nothing but a pure Soul.

People who believe in other religions may not directly identify with the deity named Lord Krishna, but they too are ultimately living beings having a Pure Soul within, and hence are as Divine and as pure as Lord Krishna is.

If we remember that we are all a Pure Soul, then there will be no reason to create conflict over religious identities.

Similarly, when Lord Krishna says that He resides in everyone’s heart, it means… …that we all have an inner voice directing and guiding us towards goodness, towards non-violence, towards universal acceptance. And this inner voice does not conform to any particular religion.

Every religion teaches compassion, teaches the importance of living a virtuous life, a life spent in living harmoniously with fellow living beings. Thus, Lord Krishna resides in our hearts, not as the Yadava prince who guided Arjuna on the battlefield, but as the voice of Divine reason that is constantly directing us towards peace and oneness. If we listen to this voice and remember that the people around us too are trying to follow its advice only, we can easily prevent hurting ourselves and others because of the seeming difference in our religious identities.

This is how the insights given by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita help in resolving the present crisis of religious identity, when interpreted correctly.

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