Just before the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas chose Krishna’s personal presence over his mighty army, illustrating the power of devotion and grace. Drawing on this ancient wisdom, Sadhguru elucidates the concept of Ishanga 7%, a partnership where individuals dedicate 7% of their resources to receive abundant grace. This grace, Sadhguru explains, acts as a lubricant for material pursuits, potentially easing one’s worldly endeavors and freeing up focus for ultimate wellbeing. Read on to discover how this unique partnership can unfold.
Questioner: I heard there is an Ishanga 7% partnership with Sadhguru. What is this about? Could you please explain?
Sadhguru: There is a beautiful incident that occurred in the Mahabharat. As the Kurukshetra war loomed, the two opposing parties, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, were going from kingdom to kingdom, campaigning to gather support. It was a matter of life and death. Every armed man was an asset, and they were trying to get as many as they could. Both sides had gathered formidable armies.
Krishna, though not a king, commanded the Yadava army of over 10,000 well-trained men who had been in many campaigns. One afternoon, Krishna was pretending to sleep, as he often did since he knew the future but wanted to play the game.
Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, entered the room and saw Krishna sleeping with a gentle smile on his face. He sat down to wait but then noticed Krishna’s feet pointing toward him. Duryodhana was thinking to himself, “He is not even a king, just a cowherd. I am a great emperor. Why am I sitting at his feet?” He slowly got up and sat near Krishna’s head.
Shortly after, Yudhishthira arrived. Being a devotee of Krishna, he sat at Krishna’s feet, seeing it as a blessing. After some time, Krishna opened his eyes, pretending to wake up. He looked straight ahead at Yudhishthira, who was sitting at his feet, and said, “Oh, Yudhishthira, you have come!” Before they could talk further, Duryodhana made himself heard, and Krishna said, “Oh, Duryodhana, even you? What brings both of you here?”
Both of them said they had come to ask for Krishna’s help in the impending war. Krishna proposed a choice: “One of you can have my army, and the other one can have me, but I won’t fight. I’ll just come with you. And because my eyes fell upon Yudhishthira first, he gets the first choice.” Duryodhana protested, “I came here first! You must give me the first opportunity.” Krishna declined and told Yudhishthira to choose.
Yudhishthira said, “Bhagawan, we just want you with us. I don’t care about the army.” Duryodhana was very happy. He knew the Pandavas were idiots, but he never imagined they would be such idiots to choose one man against 10,000 trained soldiers. And this one man would not even fight. A foolish choice, it seemed – but that choice made all the difference for the outcome of the war.
I took Shiva as my partner. The guy does nothing; I am the one who is doing all the work. He does nothing, but life has become so blessed and beautiful because I have him as my partner in every moment. It is time to strike a proper partnership because I think if your business, social, economic, family, and other activities happen with more ease and grace, you will allot more time for your ultimate wellbeing.
I always used to be a little hardcore about grace being used only for spiritual wellbeing, but I am beginning to offer myself on all levels because people are so entangled in the survival process. I think if we ease and smoothen your economic, social, and other activities with a certain level of grace, you will focus enough attention on your ultimate wellbeing.
This partnership is not empty words. Gautama the Buddha demanded a 100 percent partnership, saying, “No matter what you are doing, put everything – your home, your money, and your family – in front of me. I will give you what you need.”
What I am proposing is that in a year of 365 days, you must dedicate 25 days, 13 hours, 12 minutes, and 12 seconds – exactly 7 percent of a year – to this partnership. Seven percent of your business, your earnings, and your space should belong to me. I am not like Gautama, demanding 100 percent, but I am made in such a way that if you give me 7 percent space, I will anyway occupy the remaining 93 percent as well.
We are offering this opportunity so that you can handle the material aspects of your life with grace. If you have more time and energy freed up from your material pursuits, I think you will focus it on your ultimate wellbeing. That is why we are offering Ishanga 7%.
