Metaphorically Krishna in Bhagavad Gita represents the spirit, consciousness existing in our heart. There was none to impart sermon of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna other than his own soul atman. Arjuna from the beginning was a spiritual person. Indulging in spirituality of the highest order when he was about to gain enlightenment, the cosmic truth of life flashed to him.
At that time he was facing a dilemma whether or not to indulge in a mother of all wars, the epic Mahabharata battle between Kauravas and Pandavas. Owing to attachment to his maternal grandfather Bhishma Pitamah, Guru Dronacharya and other relatives and friends who sided the enemy; Arjuna expressed cowardice.
It was only when the cosmic truth of life dawned on him that he was merely an instrument, a caretaker, a trustee who was supposed to carry out orders from within. Arjuna realized his soul atman; the spirit existing in heart was the actual master and controller of body. When facing the enemy how could Arjuna feign cowardice as it was not for him to decide the journey of life.
The fate of all his countrymen and soldiers squarely laid on him. And it was at this moment Arjuna realized his Dharma. Keeping aside his personal Dharma, Arjuna prepared self to fight the enemy head-on. The entire gist of Bhagavad Gita, the entire philosophy is directed towards human beings realizing the truth of life existing in them in their heart as the spirit, soul atman within.
Every single human being on mother earth had a Krishna within, a soul atman the spiritual being that truly manifested the physical human form to work out its karma, remove dross impurities within. What use worshipping Lord Krishna externally when it existed within us all the time?
The entire teachings of Bhagavad Gita are a treatise to explain nuances of inner life, the inner world. As per Lord Krishna the manifest human form was but a medium alone for soul atman within to reach its cosmic end of life, 8.4 millionth manifestation. This becomes a reality when indulging in teachings of Bhagavad Gita human beings reached state of enlightenment forever.
But mounted with ego human beings eliminated presence of soul atman within. Most even did not believe in existence of god, world of souls’ atmans. In the western world the case is so.
In Hinduism primarily all Hindus including Jains believed in existence of God Almighty. Prime reason why Indians Hindus were more competent to indulge in spirituality detailed in Bhagavad Gita to realize self, realize god. State of enlightenment can never be reached by those who did not believe in existence of God and also the world of souls’ atmans.
I have come across many who stated they had read Bhagavad Gita many times but still could not comprehend anything. These immature travelers of spiritual path failed to realize that nothing in Bhagavad Gita can be understood literally. Everything in scriptures including Bhagavad Gita becomes clear only by contemplation (indulging in chintan) most of time.
If we truly desire knowing the Krishna within us then we have to become 100% truthful, must also believe in existence of God 100% and also world of souls atmans. Furthermore our faith in god (called shraddha in Hinduism) also must be 100%.
Simultaneously practicing absolute celibacy for a period of 12 years in continuation we can awaken our kundalini shakti to its fullest potential 100%.
For knowing Krishna we have to demolish our ego in totality. Only one thing can truly subsist in our heart, our intellect… it was either ego or our soul atman. If we give more precedence to our bloated ego then we would not hear the sweet small promptings of soul atman coming from within our heart. Becoming 100% truthful, demolishing our ego in stages we can not only hear the promptings of soul atman from within but also expedite our spiritual journey.
There are many other factors to successfully travel spiritual path to reach Krishna within. Foremost of which was disbelief in rituals (religious practices). As I wanted to see and meet God in this very life, from six years of age I stopped going to temples, churches and mosques. It was just a waste of time. My surmise was, when Krishna existed in my heart why should I go to places of worship?
Born in a Jain family I believed more in Lord Krishna and his teachings than scriptures of Jainism. Does not mean I do not believe in Jainism scriptures. The path advocated in Jainism scriptures was long, as I wanted to cut short the cosmic journey I took refuge in teachings of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. I just wanted to emancipate forever from cycle of birth and death. I did not want to endlessly rotate in the cycle of birth and death again and again.
Following Bhagavad Gita in toto along with Upanishads (independent spiritual treatises), 31 years of spiritual travail in the wee hours of third of August 1993 I finally landed self in laps of God Almighty. I had finally realized self, realized god. This is my last manifestation on mother earth.
Summarizing it all I can confidently say that my belief in Lord Krishna, world of souls’ atmans and God Almighty from the beginning of life paved way for my reaching God in present life time.
And not the Krishna that people prayed to, worshipped in temples. I believed in Krishna existing in my heart as my soul atman, the consciousness.