India, Feb. 11 -- Lord Krishna's sermon on the battlefield of Kurukshetra is often viewed as a series of instructions, but at its heart, it is an exploration of the human mind. After discussing the necessity of action, the balance of the gunas (qualities) of sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance), and the depths of meditation, the Lord offers Arjuna a surprising degree of autonomy. In verse 18:63 of the Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, He says: "Reflect on these words, and then do as you choose." Even in the middle of a battlefield, the path forward is left to Arjuna's own "positive discrimination", what we, in simpler terms, call choice. In life, we almost always have a choice in how we respond to the world around us. Of course, some things are givens, the families we are born into or the circumstances of our upbringing. Yet, history is full of those who overcame these vicissitudes. In her book The Lonely City, Olivia Laing writes of artists who turned their isolation into something beautiful. Figures like Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey moved past early hardships to reach incredible heights of self-evolution. We have examples of persons like APJ Abdul Kalam, who battled adversity to reach the highest echelons of personal development. They prove that while we cannot always choose our starting point, we can choose our direction. Ultimately, we are the sum of our decisions. It brings to mind that poignant line from the film, The Bridges of Madison County, where Meryl Streep tells Clint Eastwood's character: "Robert, we are the choices we make." The challenge, however, is that during our younger years, we aren't always aware of the long-term impact of our actions. In an age of digital noise, there is a quiet, pressing need to share stories from our history and myths that help the next generation make informed decisions. This isn't about rigid rules, but about opening windows of awareness. True empowerment comes when we bridge a few simple gaps. We can help children by showing them where different paths lead, exposing them to career possibilities early on, and ensuring that young girls are aware of the moral and financial consequences of their actions. When we provide basic legal and financial literacy, we aren't just giving them facts; we are giving them the tools to be responsible for their own lives. This power of choice also shapes our society. Whether we are walking in a public park or interacting in a crowded market, we have the choice to be courteous. We can choose empathy over indifference. If we cannot solve someone else's problem, we can at least choose not to add to it. By choosing to be disciplined and respectful in our daily interactions, we slowly move toward a more refined civilisation. In an unequal world, awareness is the greatest gift we can offer. Human beings aren't always perfectly rational, and sometimes we need someone to show us the various doors available to us before we can find the strength to walk through them. As spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran beautifully analysed, life's fiercest battle is the "war within", but we have the choice of which side to fight on. He reminds us that the Gita is not a book of commandments, but a book of choices. When our motives are honest, our choices reflect that clarity, leading us to a life that is truly our own....