[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Linkage between Bhagvad Geeta and Mahabharat: A Case Study
Linkage between Geeta and Mahabharat: A Case study of
Concluding Verses (69 to 72) on Stithaprajna (Chapter 2)
No English translation of Sanskrit verses in Geeta can ever provide
us a full comprehension of Geeta. Subtle messages in Geeta require
background knowledge on our scriptures! Vedavyasa has skillfully
organized a Hindu Philosophical Course with theoretical and applied
components. The philosophical concepts were discussed in Bhagwad
Geeta. The practical aspects were dramatized in Mahabharat and
sometimes in Puranas. Characters of episodes in Mahabharat and
Puranas have served as role models to understand and follow the
Dharma and Values conceptualized in Geeta. Vyasa knew that uniform
ethical behavior (dharma) was necessary to protect law and order in
the society. Yudhistra, the hero of Mahabharat rigorously obeyed
Hindu Dharma and Values and portrayed 'Good.' Dhruyodhana, the
villain embodied Adharma (opposite of Dharma) and depicted 'Evil.'
Pains and sorrows of evil and joys and gains of good were
dramatized with the help of heroes, villains and supporting
characters of episodes. Public understood 'good' and 'evil' from
the stories and had freedom to choose and practice what they liked
(swadharma). The genius in Vyasa has composed an objective Geeta,
a subjective Mahabharat and an informative volume of 18 Puranas
that established and revived Hindu Dharma and Values.
Vedavyasa, the greatest intellect of all times, had the VISION to
protect and preserve the Hindu Culture. He completed this
monumental task with utmost care and with an artistic perfection.
Moral standards and Values of the Hindu Civilization, established
by great sages such as Vedavyasa were able to withstand foreign
aggressions including cultural and religious revolutions. Because
of Vyasa's mission, Hinduism remains Tall and Healthy Today.
The message of verse 69 is portrayed in an episode that contrasts
between the mental attitudes of 'dharmic' Yudhistra and 'adharmic'
Dhruyodhan: Lord Krishna commissions Dhruyodhan to spot a good
person and summons Yudhistra to locate a bad person. After several
weeks, both Dhruyodhan and Yudhistra came back empty handed!
Dhruyodhan couldn't find a single good person and Yudhistra didn't
see a bad person! Dharmic and Satvik people like Yudhistra always
see light in utter darkness. Adharmic and rajasik people like
Dhruyodhan can see only darkness even in splendid daylight!
Verse 70 can be described by the contrasting personal qualities of
Yudhistra and Dhruyodhan! Dhruyodhan's only desire in his life was
to acquire the kingdom at any cost. He became angry when there
were obstacles. Consequently, he lost his buddhi, his friends and
relatives. Some may argue that Bhishma and Karna remained on his
side until their death. A careful analysis will demonstrate their
dislike of his attitudes and his adharmic behavior. Bhisma and
Karna who never lost a war chose to lose and die than to remain on
his side! Dhruyodhan's materialistic desire became the cause of
his death and the death of his relatives and friends!
Yudhistra on the other hand did not have any materialistic desires.
He displayed equanimity and was admired by every one including his
enemies! He showed no distress when he lost everything including
his kingdom, brothers and wife! He was willing to relinquish his
materialistic possessions including princely lifestyle. Without
reluctance, he fought the war against his own relatives and
friends. He had no likes or dislikes and was free from sorrows.
Lord Krishna was always on his side because he was a stithaprajna!!
Verse 71 defines the nature of a person who suppresses all troubles
of earthly existence. Dr. Radhakrishnan points out the following
beautiful quote from the Upanishad:
mano hi dvividham proktam suddham cassuddham eva ca
asuddham kamasamkalpam suddham kamavivarjitam
" The human mind is of two kinds, pure and impure. That which
is intent on securing its desires is impure; that which is
free from attachment to desires is pure."
The pure mind, is like the mind of Yudhistra and the impure mind is
like that of Dhruyodhan. Impure mind contains full of desires and
ego while pure mind has no desires. Impure mind directs one for
self-destruction where as pure mind steers one to
self-realization! Purity is synonymous to Truth and neither of
them can be visualized but experienced. When impurities are
removed, Purity is perceived, similar to realizing Truth after
negating lies! It is like practicing Dharma by abandoning
Adharmas!! Asuddham, Asathya and Adharma are easily recognizable
than Suddham, Sathya and Dharma respectively!!! There are other
word combinations in Sanskrit with similar logical structure which
include "Krama and Akrama," "Dhirya and Adhirya," "Sowkya and
Asowkya," "Sowkarya and Asowkarya," "Kala and Akala," etc. Infact,
NASA scientists have studied the Sanskrit language structure and
found it to be most suitable for computers (especially artificial
intelligence related logical structure).
In verse 72, Lord Krishna suggests that it is never too late to
reach the divine state! The subtle message is to remind us that we
are better off to try today than to wait until the day of death!!
Wisdom (divine state) is the means of liberation but this wisdom is
not exclusive of devotion to God and desireless work. Brahman is
revealed only with total devotion and unselfish service like that
shown by Hanuman to Lord Rama. Unselfish service and total
devotion are always united and can never be separated!
Dr.Radhakrishna refers us to a quote by Dharmmapada, a disciple of
Lord Buddha, " Health is the greatest gain, contentment is the
greatest wealth, faith is the best friend and nirvana is the
highest happiness."
Vedanta describes two types of visual perceptions: VISION and
ILLUSION. What one sees through the physical eyes (sense organ) is
an illusion. Vision is an experience from the spiritual eye.
Every one has the spiritual eye but no one wants to open it!
According to our scriptures, Lord Siva symbolically has three eyes:
two physical eyes and the spiritual eye on the forehead. When Siva
opens his spiritual eye, the world of illusions is destroyed!
Blindness is a reference to the blockage of one's spiritual vision.
Mahabharat describes physical and spiritual blindness beautifully
using three major characters. Dhrtarashtra, the king of Hastinapur
was born blind. He was physically and spiritually blind. His
wife, Kanthari who chose to tie her physical eyes with a cloth was
physically blind but had spiritual vision. Their son Dhruyodhan,
the crown prince, had physical eyes but was spiritually blind.
Dhrtarashtra had the best opportunity to avoid sensory perceptions,
but he chose to live in a world of illusions. Dhruyodhan who had
no control over his sensory perceptions was totally blind!
Kanthari who had full control over her sensory perception, was able
to open her spiritual eye. Opening of spiritual eye symbolically
represents total control over sensory perceptions!
Skeptics, who live with materialistic outlook, may question the
practicality of Geeta for daily progress. Vedavyasa has ready
answers for those skeptics in Geeta, and they should invest their
time to find out the answers. There is no such thing as free lunch
in Geeta. If the skeptics invest their time to understand and
follow the directions of Geeta, they can reap the benefits. The
returns for their time spent to read Geeta is greater than what
they are likely to get by reading Wall Street Journal. Vyasa was
very careful to discriminate between divine (infinite) and human
(finite) qualities. Stithaprajna, an absolute measure is a divine
quality that can be attained only at a divine state.
Geeta describes three finite dimensional human qualities: (1)
Satvik - illumination, goodness, and non-binding, (2) rajasik -
passion, attachment and agitated mind, and (3) tamasik - inaction,
ignorance and illusions. According to Geeta, these three modes
are present in all human beings, though in different degrees.
Satvik people are free, calm and selfless. Rajasik people wishes
to be always active and cannot sit still and the activities are
tainted by selfish desires. Tamasik people subject their life to
continuous submission to surrounding environment and they are
confused and dull. Geeta asserts that a predominance of one or a
combination of one or more of these characteristics determine human
behavior. Episodes in Mahabharat and Puranas describe roles that
require various combinations of satvik, rajasik and tamasik
qualities.
The roles and intrinsic qualities of Dhrtarashtra, Kanthari,
Kunthi, Yudhistra, Arjun, Bhim, Nagul, Sagadev, Dhruyodhan,
Dutchadhan, Vithura, Karna, Sanjay, Yudhistra, Kanthari, Bhishma,
Dhrona, etc determine whether they are satvik, rajasik or tamasik.
These episodes dramatize the intrinsic qualities of those
characters to the readers and help them to evaluate and choose
qualities for their personal behavior! The absolute quality,
stithaprajna, represents Pure behavior that can be attained by
removing impure qualities. Each character in Mahabharat can become
a stithaprajna if their behavior becomes pure! Had Dhruyodhan
removed the impurities, he could have realized Brahman!! Who can
challenge this contention!!!
It is possible to conduct training courses to upgrade people from
tamasik to rajasik, and from rajasik to satvik. With rigorous
practice and determination, we can become satvik and maintain our
satvik nature for any specified time period! No training or
teaching is possible to move people from satvik to stithaprajna.
The movement from human to divine is a quantum jump and requires
discipline, devotion and determination. According to modern
economic theory, human beings behave as though they maximize their
utility (measured by happiness) during their life span. The
economic theory does not preclude us from temporary or permanent
sorrows! The purpose of human life according to Vedanta goes
beyond the finite dimensional material happiness to eternal
happiness and will free from sorrows. An obvious win-win strategy
is to choose the path of spiritualism and abondon materialism!!
" Have a Good Day "
"Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path
whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect. Truth, being limitless,
unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be
organized; nor should any organisation be formed to lead or to
coerce people along any particular path." J. Krishnamoorthy
=========================||=============================================
| Ram V. Chandran || email: chandra2%ers.bitnet@vtbit.cc.vt.edu |
| 6623 Westbury Oaks Ct. || internet: chandran@econ.ag.gov |
| Springfield VA. 22152 ||============================================|
| USA || Phone: 703-912-5790 (H) 202-501-7082 (W) |
=========================++=============================================
