In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna highlighting a very important point to Arjuna pertaining to how doing our duty meticulously with “Sattva Guna”, will not account for a sin. For instance, we also see our own army men standing at our territorial borders most of the time by sacrificing their families, kith and kin. They have enormous passion within them to fight for our country and secure our borders from enemy infiltration. This passion to fight for our country at all times, braving the harsh climatic conditions and the constant threat to their lives becomes their “Dharma”. By killing terrorists and others from the enemy camps, will it account to a sin? Of course, killing a living being accounts to one of the greatest sins, but in this situation, it is warranted that the enemies are destroyed so that our country is protected. Hence, this act of killing terrorists and those from the enemy camps will not account to a sin for our brave and honourable army jawans. Similarly for Arjuna too, it is his duty to protect his country from the wrath of Duryodhana and Co. who are epitomes of “Adharma”. This is something that we’ve to ponder about as well.
Hence, Bhagawan Krishna requests Arjuna to pay heed to His words and motivates him to get up and start fighting. Bhagawan Krishna assures Arjuna that by fighting the war and killing Bhishmachaarya and the others, no sin will come upon him at any point in time. Moreover, Bhagawan Krishna also explains how the Vedas and other Shaastras are common for everyone in this world and their sole purpose is to enable the seeker to achieve the highest “Moksha”. However, many people misinterpret this in today’s scenario. For instance, there is something called “Sena-Yaaga” which is performed to get rid of enemies completely. We have the “Putra-Kameshti” Yaaga, which is performed to obtain children and thereby enabling the growth of the next generation. Even King Dasharata performed this “Putra-Kameshti Yaaga” to obtain Bhagawan Rama as his son and successor for Ayodhya. Thus, such kinds of “Ishti Yaagas” are normally performed with any specific worldly purpose in mind. However, we’ve to understand one thing clearly here – All these “Yaagas” are prescribed in the Vedas only. But we might ask a question here – If these “Yaagas” and other spiritual practices mentioned in the Vedas are aimed at fulfilling worldly purposes, how do we say that the Vedas are aimed at making the seeker attain “Moksha”? It should be devoid of all the worldly aspects, isn’t it?
Now this is where we’ve to understand something important – The Vedas will have a mixture of everything and is a huge ocean. Just like how the oceans have a huge marine ecosystem under it, the Vedas also have a huge ecosystem inside it. In fact, the Vedas address all types of people, right from “Aastikas” (Ardent devotees of Bhagawan) and the “Naastikas” (The ones who propagate that God is never present!) For instance, if a “Naastika” has enormous enemies troubling him all the time, he might not be able to handle that pressure beyond a point and hence, chances are high that he would want to search for some remedial measures to get rid of his enemies somehow. Till the previous evening, he would have been talking in public that he will stand against “Sanatana Dharma” and he would go to any extreme to eradicate it! However, the next morning when the enemy comes and catches his throat, he would start shaking with fear and will directly come to an astrologer seeking a solution! The astrologer will guide him to perform a “Sena Yaaga” and he would also be ready to do it. Thus, as per the instruction, this “Naastika” would perform the “Sena Yaaga”, and to his utter surprise, the enemy would get destroyed! Now, won’t this “Naastika” slowly start developing faith in our “Sanaatana Dharma”? Hence, we should see the purpose that is being served by the Vedas here – If a “Naastika” also has to be inculcated with the basic faith and thereby grow on from there, this is a fundamental requirement, isn’t it? Maybe the “Naastika” can take this as an opportunity to build on his “Bhakti-Maarga” from here on, but there should be a start somewhere, isn’t it? This is also the main purpose of the Vedas.
Thus, we can see clearly here that the Vedas might be the same in terms of text, but the applicability of the text will be different to different kinds of people. Of course, for an “Aastika”, the Vedas will only serve the purpose of attaining “Moksha”. For instance, will someone like a Bhagawan Ramanujachaarya or a Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi use the Vedas to destroy enemies or to attain enormous wealth? Not at all! The purpose for these people is to attain realization, isn’t it? However, for normal people like us, who might have a family life, career ambitions, etc., the purpose is slightly different. But for “Naastikas” who are against our “Sanaatana Dharma”, the Vedas serve as a tool to bring about the first-level realization!
So for today, let us understand this point very clearly and through this, Bhagawan Krishna is laying down the purpose for Arjuna! The message is very clear here – For Arjuna, it is to perform his duty as instructed by the Vedas and thereby attain “Moksha”! We shall continue this discussion further in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 