Bhagwad Gita - Post 25

Dear All,

Today's post covers devotee's question and Sri Ramana's answers to the questions on Swadharma and Paradharma, which concludes and seals the subject beyond any possible doubt.

Let us go through the questions by the devotee and Answers by Sri Ramana.

Devotee: In Srimad Bhagavad Gita there is a passage - One’s own dharma is the best; an alien dharma is full of risks. What is the significance of one’s own dharma?

Ramana Maharshi: It is usually interpreted to mean the duties of the orders and of the different castes. The physical environment must also be taken into consideration.

Devotee: If varnasrama dharma be meant, such dharma prevails only in India. On the other hand, the Gita should be universally applicable.

Ramana Maharshi: There is varnasrama in some form or other in every land. The significance is that one should hold on to the single Atman and not swerve therefrom. That is the whole gist of it. Sva = one’s own, i.e., of the Self, of the Atman. Para = the other’s, i.e., of the non-self, of the Anatman. 

Atmadharma is inherent in the Self. There will be no distraction and no fear. 

Troubles arise only when there is a second to oneself. If the Atman be realized to be only unitary, there is no second and therefore no cause for fear. The man, as he is now, confounds the Anatma (non-Self) dharma with Atma (the Self) dharma and suffers. 

Let him know the Self and abide in it; there is an end of fear, and there are no doubts. Even if interpreted as varnasrama dharma, the significance is only this much. 

Such dharma bears fruit only when done selflessly. That is, one must realize that he is not the doer, but that he is only a tool of some Higher Power. Let the Higher Power do what is inevitable and let me act only according to its dictates. The actions are not mine. 

Therefore, the result of the actions cannot be mine. If one thinks and acts so, where is the trouble? Be it varnasrama dharma or loukika dharma (worldly activities), it is immaterial. Finally, it amounts to this:

Sva = Atmanah (of the Self)

Para = Anaatmanah (of the non-self)    

Such doubts are natural. The orthodox interpretation cannot be reconciled with the life of a modern man obliged to work for his livelihood in different capacities.

Devotee: Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maamekam Saranam Vraja (leaving all duties surrender to me only).

Ramana Maharshi: (All) Sarva is only Anaatmanah (of the non-self); the emphasis is on ekam (only). To the man who has strong hold of the eka (one) where are the dharmas? It means, “Be sunk in the Self.”

Devotee: The Gita was taught for action.

Ramana Maharshi: What does the Gita say? Arjuna refused to fight. Krishna said, “So long as you refuse to fight, you have the sense of doership. Who are you to refrain or to act? Give up the notion of doership. Until that sense disappears you are bound to act. You are being manipulated by a Higher Power. You are admitting it by your own refusal to submit to it. 

Instead recognise the Power and submit as a tool. (Or to put it differently), if you refuse you will be forcibly drawn into it. Instead of being an unwilling worker, be a willing one. “Rather, be fixed in the Self and act according to nature without the thought of doership. Then the results of action will not affect you. That is manliness and heroism.”

Thus, ‘inherence in the Self’ is the sum and substance of Gita teaching. Finally, the Master Himself added, “If a man be established in the Self these doubts would not arise. They arise only until he is established there.”

Love.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 24

Swadharma continued…

While Paradharma (duties at worldly level) varies depending upon whether one is a soldier, doctor, lawyer, teacher etc. ATMADHARMA is the same for all.

Human being alone has the faculty of discrimination (Buddhi / Intellect) and thus Atmadharma becomes relevant and applicable in the case of humans alone, on the other hand, animals have no discriminating power and are therefore bound by Paradharma alone, which they observe by God-endowed instinct.

People often wonder why Krishna asked Arjuna to fight and kill. Fighting are the secondary aspects of Krishna’s advice.  Basically, what Krishna was teaching arjuna was- 

“DO THE DUTY TO WHICH YOU ARE BORN”

(The only duty for which we are born is to realize God, is it not?)

In case of a soldier, it is an accepted fact that throughout the world that it is the duty of a soldier to fight when necessary.

Now there is a question. Suppose one is a soldier. A soldier is supposed to obey orders of his senior.  Does he, under the circumstances, blindly obey orders, no matter what they are? 

In World War 2, Hitler orders the mass killing of the Jews. All Nazi soldiers executed their king’s orders and when they faced trial as war criminals, they all pleaded that they were merely following the orders.

A soldier must no doubt follow his Paradharma but that does not mean blindly obeying orders, especially immoral ones. 

Paradharma is always subservient to Atmadharma.  Killing Jews has nothing to do with the war but to do with Hitler who had hatred for the Jews. 

If with such a motive, the king ordered for killing  the  Jews, it was wrong and immoral and therefore the order should not have been followed, even if it means that  the punishment for not obeying the order is death, it is better to accept the same instead of accepting an immoral order. 

Thus, even the teachings of Krishna in these verses on Swadharma, are based on “THE ATMAN or THE SELF”.

Swami says, 

“You should correctly understand the meaning of the term “Swadharma and Paradharma used in the Gita.  The meaning of Swadharma is Atmadharma, and not the duties or Dharma based on different castes such as Brahmana Dharma, Kshatriya Dharma and so on. Likewise, Paradharma means dehadharma, the duty related to the body.

It is in this sense that you should understand the declaration in the Gita, “Paradharma Bhaya Vahah”, which in effect means that if you follow the Dehadharma or the Dharma of the Physical Body, fear will be lot in life. 

On the other hand, if you understand the real meaning of the verses and words in the Gita, and if you live your life accordingly, you will have no fear of ridicule, sorrow or suffering”

(Extract from the book - “Message of the Lord”)

We end this subject with the classic example of Prahlada story.

The scriptures say that one must treat one’s parents as God. In practical terms, it means “Obey your parents”.

Prahlada’s father orders him to deny God and instead worship him as almighty. 

Here, Paradharma says, “obey your father’, but Atmadharma says, “NEVER EVER DENY GOD”. 

In this case, there was a clear conflict between the two Dharma. 

Prahlada chose Atmadharma over Paradharma, proving to the world (for centuries to follow) that “Paradharma has to be within the Atmadharma and if it conflicts with Atma dharma, then it should not be followed”.

The moral lesson which Krishna gives to us through these verses on action / Dharma in this chapter is,

One must follow Atmadharma, which is possible only if one is tuned to Atman / SELF.

Love.

Bhagwad Gita - Post 23

Dear All,

Having covered the essence of the second chapter verses dealing with SELF, we move on to the next part - Dharma or action / duties. 

Verse 31

Swadharmam api chaavekshya

na vikampitum arhasi;
Dharmyaaddhi yuddhaacchreyo'nyat

kshatriyasya na vidyate.

Further, having regard to your own duty, you should not waver, for there is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.

Having established the fact that it is not intelligent to lament about the soul of any living entity, Lord Krishna subsequently responds to Arjuna’s supplication on what is in his highest good with the word Swadharma or principles of righteousness. 

Lord Krishna is emphasizing this to Arjuna so that he will follow his duty as a kshatriya and act like a warrior. 

For, to act contrary and hesitate is not in accordance with kshatriya code according to Vedic scriptures and such a deviation by Arjuna, would be considered an act of unrighteousness. 

What then is duty? Righteousness is duty which is not separate from those who are righteous. For a kshatriya there is nothing more welcome than the opportunity to fight a battle to protect righteousness. 

Swa-dharma is one’s duty as an individual, in accordance with the Vedas. There are two kinds of swa-dharmas, or prescribed duties for the individual — spiritual duties and material duties. 

Since a vast majority of humankind does not possess this spiritual perspective, the Vedas also prescribe duties for those who see themselves as the body. These duties are defined according to one’s āśhram (station in life), and varṇa (occupation). They are mundane duties. 

This distinction between spiritual duties and material duties needs to be kept in mind while understanding the Bhagwad Gita and the Vedic philosophy at large.

By occupation, Arjun was a warrior, and so his occupational duty as a warrior was to fight for the protection of righteousness. Sri Krishna is calling this swa-dharma, or prescribed duty at the bodily level.

Krishna tells Arjuna to fulfil his duty as a Kshatriya. A Kshatriya’s obligation is to uphold righteousness, protect the good and ensure that justice prevails. Here is a war that has come to Arjuna unsought. He must display courage, valour and skill. Instead Arjuna is focusing on extraneous issues and getting overpowered by emotion.

Now, let us try to get deeper into this SWADHARMA in spiritual sense.

In Spiritual sense, SWA+DHARMA = Dharma of SELF or ATMA DHARMA.

For example, every nation has its written constitution. We have our constitution in India. 

So, all the legislative laws and decisions have to be in a way that they are within the framework of the constitution. Many a times, laws are challenged in court. In such situations, court decides whether the concerned law is in accordance with the constitution. If the law is within the constitution, it is upheld otherwise, court declares the law as invalid and it is struck down.

So, Atmadharma means - “You shall do nothing, which is against the nature of Atma”.

We all know the story of Sibi Chakravarthy. Once a pigeon seeks refuge in Sibi, saying that it is being chased by an eagle. When the eagle comes, Sibi warns the eagle to leave the pigeon alone. 

The eagle then challenges Sibi and says, 

“O King, you are known to strictly adhere to Dharma. I too follow my own Dharma which is to survive by hunting. You are interfering in my dharma.

You may be right in following your dharma to protect the one (pigeon) who has sought refuge but how about my dharma? Are you not obstructing my dharma?”

The story goes that King Sibi honors the Dharma of the eagle and offers to the eagle flesh from his own body, equal in weight to that of the pigeon.

Paradharma of duty at physical level changes from person to person and in fact, for the same person himself depending upon which ashram he is in. His duties are different in his childhood, in his youth, as a householder etc.

However, irrespective of the varnas, irrespective of diversities in human beings, ATMA DHARMA is the same for one and all.

Continued…

Love.