Lessons of Dharma.
Many a gripping
situations have been fashioned in Mahabharata to initiate a discussion on
Dharma and Adharma. These situations are arranged like beads on a string. Look
at the situation where human psyche is considered to be at a battle ground of
Dharma-Adharma. Here the human psyche or the mind is the Charioteer, the body
is the chariot, and the horses are the desires of the senses. Unless properly
guided by the charioteer the chariot is sure to go astray as the horses are
bound to run amuck. Look how beautifully the principle is presented
symbolically: Arjuna is sitting on a chariot and the reigns of horses are held
by the Lord Himself.
.jpg)
The same symbolism found
in Kadho Upanishad is used here as well. A great truth is missed if one opts to
believe that this is just a chariot. Do not miss out those beautiful metaphors
which are unique in literature.
Vyasa has placed this
chariot at the centre of a war field where Dharma and Adharma are about to clash.
What a profound screenplay! A true student of Geeta has to contemplate the
following. What is the war over here?
Whom does the Lord want Arjuna to kill?
In fact the Lord talks to
Arjuna about the inner search for the Self.
Pranavodhanu: saro hyathma Brahma
tallakshymuchyate
Aprathenavedhavyam saravathathmayo bhavetu.
(Mundaka 2.4)
The ‘Oamkara’ is the bow;
the sharp point of the arrow is provided by the soul. It is kept on this bow
and aimed and shot at the Brahmam. As the arrow, released from the bow, reaches
the target without any impediment. The soul conditioned by the meditation of
the Great Ambiance also reached the Brahman without any difficulty.
In order to explain the
above principle found in the Upanishad, Vyasa has set a scene in Mahabharata.
Let us recall the situation where Dhrona conducts an archery competition. While
aiming, Arjuna was persuaded to “see only the eye of the bird” before shooting
the arrow.
Like this, if you analyse
each situation in Mahabharata, you may be astonished to realise that many such
deep philosophies are packaged and presented through simple stories and
incidents.
How one can believe a
situation in which the commander allows his whole army to be on the side of the
enemy? The commander, unarmed, places himself on the other side. What kind of a war is it and how is it
possible to take place physically?
Even the figures used are
pointers towards spirituality. Eighteen puranas, 18 sub-puranas, 18 chapters of
Geeta and 18 days war; all these are not accidental. They are spiritual numbers
and symbols, obviously alluding to spirituality.
Now let us see what
Gandhiji has to say in this. “In 1888-89 when Geeta was introduced to me I felt
that it cannot be a historical work. In fact, in the pretext of a physical war,
it was depicting or describing a war, which takes place continuously in the
minds of man. I also felt that, the physical war was brought in, in order to
delineate the internal war and make it more attractive. My in-depth studies of Geeta and the religion
have confirmed this first impression.
“Personally, I do not
consider that Mahabharata is a historical work in its real sense. Geeta explains about self realisation and
paves the way for achieving it. The war between two armies is just a situation
to present this theme”.
Geeta and Mahabharata are
created to explain the futility of war and to provide an insight to Dharma and
Adharma and guide the humankind in his search for self realisation and
ultimately achieve it. It is neither a historical work nor the war of
Mahabharata a physical or external war.
Dr. Sukumar Azhikode has
categorically stated in Azhikodinte Lokathil (In the World of Azhikode) the
following: “Vedas and Upanishads are the fountain-head of all knowledge.
Understanding these is quite difficult. Nevertheless in the form of fables,
stories and also in Geeta as a dialogue between a disciple and a guru, certain
great saints have tried to bring this knowledge to the midst of the common man.
These great saints did not just confine to the caves -their abodes where they
did penance- but also indulged in their field of work (Karmabhumi) and they
call it the Kurukshetra (the battle field where the so-called war had
supposedly taken place). Subsequently, as the time passed, their findings were
misinterpreted; as if they preached war and not the philosophy of Monad or
oneness”. This statement of Mr. Azhikode
reiterates further the fundamental nature of the matter. Anyone who has studied
the Bhagavat Geeta in the light of Upanishads cannot have any other opinion.
There are people in
Kerala who profess that Bhagavat Geeta is a battle story. We have to ban these
people, instead of blaming the Siberian courts. There is no point in finding
fault with any of those religious leaders who seek to ban Bhagavat Geeta.
Adweshta sarvabhutanam mytra: karuna eva
cha
Nirmamo nirahangara: samadukha;sukha; kshmi
(Geeta 12.13)
Those propagating, due to
ignorance or otherwise, that Geeta encourages war is not getting the true
meaning of this sloka and they will only help to make the situation murkier.
The Lord in Geeta
provides Arjuna with two swords.
( refer the fourth
chapter )
Njanasina athmana: chitwainam samsayam
Using the sword of wisdom
you have to decapitate scepticism;
Aathishtothishta bharata
And for that Arjuna you
have to rise. (Aathishtothishta bharata)
Another Sword (war) (refer
15th Chapter)
Asamgasasthrena dridhena chithwa
“Let non-attachment be
your sword; and assault, without any doubt, assault”.
A war is fought sans any
doubt or ignorance; and with awareness and knowledge alone.
This is the essence of Bhagavat Geeta. For a
Kshtriya (warrior) it is fortuitous. An external war with bows and arrows are
normal for him. A warrior (Kshtriya) entering the porch of meditation is a
situation which is rather uncommon and exceptional.
“The Bhagavat Geeta
should be explained in such a way that all the living creatures in this world
are benefitted by it for their salvation”, so says the Great Saint Shankara
while introducing his commentary on Geeta.
Geeta should be elucidated only for the betterment of the whole world.
There exists a lot of misconception about Geeta. Effort should be taken to
eradicate these.
Again quoting Gandhiji; he once said: “I can understand those who cannot approve of my renderings of Geeta. My duty is to fight and prove my rendition as the correct one”. Poojya Swamy Santheepanandgiri (the author of this essay in Malayalam) also is doing the same thing; firmily standing by it; whoever may feel obliged to object to it.
(concluded)
Thi is the comment received from Ravindranath Menon Canadaby e mail. dated 5/9/2012.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the two translations. I was waiting for the second one to
arrive before giving my comments.
First of all Swamiji, stirred the pot needlessly introducing an
unwarranted controversy and causing a lot of confusion, not only among
young Indians but also among students of Vedas and Hindu scriptures
outside India. my reasons are the following.
Bhagavad Gita's teachings and practical use have been unconditionally
accepted and praised all over the world. No one is saying it is
acceptable and praiseworthy only if the battle had actually taken
place. Whether or not the battle took place is totally immaterail
because BG has a message and practical use for all generations and
each of us because a battle is going on in all of us. ( This is where
the allegory becomes quite significant )
From time immemorial erudite scholars have been writing and
interpreting Gita emphasising without raising the controversy and
diverting attention to that needless question
According to eminent historians and Archaelogists, the Pandavas and
Kauravas lived in mahabharatha war actually took place in BC 3138.
Thank you for your translation of Swami Sandeepaanandagiri's introduction to Bhagavad Geetha. I was in the audience during his recent discourse at Thekkinkad Maidan, Thrissur. I was also impressed by Swamiji's philosophical explanation of the Kurukshetra war. Such a rational explanation is contained in Swami Chinmayananda's exposition of Bhagavad Gita too.
ReplyDeleteAfter Swamiji's Gitayajna I had gone through the transalations of Mahabharatha (unabridged) by three scholars. It is clearly stated in the first pages of Adi Parva that Vyasa composed Jaya (the Mahabharatha) in his mind incorporating all the knowledge of Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and all other Vijnanas upto that time. The knowledge was disseminated to various Rishis. Vyshampayana who recites it in the Sarpasatra of Janamejaya or Ugrasravas Sauti, son of Lomaharsha, who recites it to the Rishis assembled for the twelve year yajna of Saunaka all testifies to this. Swamiji briefly outlined a similar philosophical interpretation of Ramayana too with special reference to Bali vadha.
Mahabhartha war may or may not have happened. As Swami Chinmayananda says without Bhagavat Gita, Mahabharatha is at best a bad story and without the background of Mahabharatha with its many petals made up of many stories Bhagavat Gita will be just a dry discourse by a vedantin.
This is what Veda Vyasa tells Brahma:"O divine Brahma, by me a poem hath been composed which is greatly respected. The mystery of the Veda, and what other subjects have been explained by me; the various rituals of the Upanishads with the Angas; the compilation of the Puranas and history formed by me and named after the three divisions of time, past, present, and future; the determination of the nature of decay, fear, disease, existence, and non-existence, a description of creeds and of the various modes of life; rule for the four castes, and the import of all the Puranas; an account of asceticism and of the duties of a religious student; the dimensions of the sun and moon, the planets, constellations, and stars, together with the duration of the four ages; the Rik, Sama and Yajur Vedas; also the Adhyatma; the sciences called Nyaya, Orthœphy and Treatment of diseases; charity and Pasupatadharma; birth celestial and human, for particular purposes; also a description of places of pilgrimage and other holy places of rivers, mountains, forests, the ocean, of heavenly cities and the kalpas; the art of war; the different kinds of nations and languages: the nature of the manners of the people; and the all-pervading spirit;--all these have been represented."
Thanks once again for your profound analysis. I hope I will get more and more such inputs from a very knowledgeable person like you. Thanks once again. kindly share the write-ups.
DeleteNicely explained..hoping for more posts on this subject
ReplyDelete