Chapter XX
The Primal Purpose
The very first step to ensure peace and harmony to mankind is for each one to observe the code of conduct (dharma) laid down for them in their own religion. If one holds one’s own faith and its essential principles mandatory, one can serve oneself best and also serve others well.
Dharma in this context means action in accordance with the traditions of the culture of the land. In every facet of the dharma of this country, the ideal of world peace and world prosperity is immanent.
“Now, for the inquiry into activity (athaatho karma jijnaasa)” — thus begins the intellectual probe into the mystery of activity (karma), which in our scriptures extends over vast fields. For example, to give away in charity and as a gift is a very proper type of activity, but one must be aware that egotism can pollute it and make it improper.
It is laid down that plentiful charity now will ensure happiness in a future life, so that consideration of this advantage for oneself might well lead one to good activity. Even if many have no eye on the future, it can be asserted that most charity flows from egotistic motives. This fact is all too evident.
People feel proud that they have helped others. They are eager to be praised as beneficent and munificent. In the Vedas and spiritual texts (sastras), the sages (rishis), while elaborating on do’s and don’ts, stress nonviolence, compassion, service to the world, charity, etc. as virtues to be acquired.
Virtue: the measuring rod of wisdom
Wisdom (jnana) is the precious ambrosia gathered from all sources of knowledge and all the arts of earning it. It is the sweet, sustaining butter churned and collected from the scriptures.
Next, we have what may be called good knowledge (sujnana), when one is able to distinguish between right and wrong or good and bad, when one can discover, “This activity is for my betterment and the betterment of oth- ers”. Both wisdom and good knowledge are confined to one’s intellect.
There is a higher wisdom, when the heart is transformed by loyalty to truth, nonviolence, and compassion. A person with this higher wisdom can understand themself and their kinship with the cosmos and its Creator.
The person lives in accordance with that understanding, without doubt or disharmony. Ignorance (a-jnana) breeds sorrow; higher wisdom (vijnana) confers joy. If one hesitates to call any experience the higher truth (vijnana), let that person examine whether it is material or spiritual on the touchstone “Does it give me unalloyed joy?” and then classify it as such.
The yardstick for higher wisdom is dharma. The more dharma is put into practice, the more one gets rooted in the higher wisdom.
Eras differentiated by righteousness
Action through higher wisdom is evidenced by the peace and prosperity of the nation. The decline of dharma reveals the disappearance of higher wisdom. Eras are differentiated on the basis of adherence or aversion to dharma.
When dharma, justice, and harmony prevail fully and fearlessly, it is said to walk securely over the land on four legs. The times when it is so observed are also referred to as the Kritha Era (Yuga). When justice and harmony prevail less and less, people feel that dharma has to limp its way on three legs! The times that suffer from this handicap are referred to as the Thretha Era.
When justice and harmony prevail only a quarter as much as in the Kritha Era, dharma has to struggle on two legs. That is the Dwapara Era. When they have no respect paid to them and when they are largely nonexistent, dharma stands on one leg, as it were. This is the Kali Era, the scriptures tell us.
Love.
