Sunday, April 24, 2011

THE GITA - RIDDLE ON AHIMSA




As we have seen, Karma is essentially a cleansing process through which the mind and the intellect get purified. One does not have to lead a puritan life, though. In fact, one cannot live such a life. Violence is visible in Nature and one has to deconstruct the concept in such a way that Non-violence is encompassed in our world-view. The physical act of inflicting a wound which results in bloodshed need not always be a part of violence. Take for example, the surgeon and the robber employing knife for different end-results. If the knife is wielded with an intention to hurt, it becomes an act of violence. The very same act turns noble if it aids a person in mitigating his/her suffering.  A person who always desisted from causing physical pain to others need not be a practitioner of non-violence. The element of malice is the deciding factor. If a wilful act, direct or indirect, causes physical or mental pain to others, its violence exemplified. In the absence of malice, even if the act involves pain and bloodshed, it cannot be categorised into violence. To elaborate this point, let us take the context of the war-field where Arjuna is locked in a fight against his first-cousins and gurus. As a warrior, his duty is to fight making use of all the skills he acquired in the most efficient way. There is no space for vulnerability. Arjuna has to spring up on his feet, sum up his guts and battle it out like a true fighter. The universal application of Righteousness – the Rhthm – demands just that. The Rhthm is the linkage of the Universe, the interconnection between things which we should try to understand first to find our role and probably, play our part. The Rhthm is not relative. The horridness of war and fratricide get justified where the interests of major stakeholders – the kingdom and the subjects here – are taken into account.  The positive outcome of the war far outweighs its negative aftereffects. If Arjuna kills for protecting the unity of life and remains equanimous (while doing it), even the act of killing purifies him.

The murals of Kerala are a standing testimony to this mind-set.  See pic. The Devi kills the Asura.


Behold her eyes. There is not even a spec of hatred anywhere in sight. One can observe only compassion in them. In fact she is giving Moksha to the Asura by killing him. Perhaps such compassion-killings are possible only to Gods and Goddesses, but on a much lesser plane we should be able to avoid hate-killings. At least we should rather delink hate from killings!

The history of humankind is replete with descriptions of bloody uprisings and revolutions against unjustifiable concentration and misuse of power. Sadly enough, the desired result always remained elusive.
Did you ever ask this question to an ideologue?  She/he will start explaining the theory, revolution as a series…

According to this theory, revolution is not an end in itself, it is a continuous process. After each revolution, revisionism sets in and you need yet another wave of revolution to purge the revisionist elements. The process goes on.

"shelter series" by Sekar Ayyanthole - mixed media on canvas (2006)
 I am more inclined to reject this  wave theory though I have a very high regard for people who practised selflessness. Did they fail to see the underlying unity of things? I have no idea.

One must be able to see oneself in one’s arch enemies and detractors alike.
Hate does not have a place in the scheme of the Universe.

(The core ideas expressed in this post are based on Chapter 3 Karmayoga and Chapter 13 Khsetra Khsetrajnayoga of the Bhagavad Gita)