Essentials for Peace - 2

Community Hall
Kalpatararu Co-operative Housing Society

CBD Belapur Navi Mumbai

Sector 8-B

July 03, 2010

People in India generally get bothered with the thought of too many Gods in the Vedic
Culture.Here one should understand that it is not the problem of the Vedic Culture or
Sanatana Dharma but it is actually the problem with the people who try try to blame the
rich Vedic Heritage for the limitless confusions.One needs to be clear that such people
are the ones who try to scale the ocean with a foot ruler and blame the ocean for its
depth rather than diving deep into such Vedic literature by getting their prequisites right
and approaching a spiritual master in the proper Parampara system. Such people do not
understand the secrets of rendering devotional service and indulge in mindless
speculation.This case is similar to a student complaining about Trignometry simply
because he is either not interested in the subject or finds it too hard or is unable to
grapple the subject.

One spends 20 to 22 years in schools and colleges to grasp mundane subjects and thinks
that by mere speculation or casual effort one can grasp the tenets of true religion.This
assumption by the living entity can be regarded as preposterous. The third verse goes …
The Blessed Lord said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two
classes of men who realize the Self. Some are inclined to understand Him by empirical,
philosophical speculation, and others are inclined to know Him by devotional
work.Krishna has spoken about sthithapragya in the second chapter which is relevant in
this context.Arjuna had forgotten his real duty as a Kshatriya and hence Krishna reminds
him often of his duty to fight.Arjuna was actually trying to renounce the world and was
eager to assume the position of a Brahmana thereby trying to apply his falsely derived
conception of avoiding sin.Krishna actually goes to explain the functions of a Brahmana
only in the eighteenth chapter.The various qualities of the various classes in the society

1
in the Vedic period is explained in detail in that chapter.One should understand that the
classification of classes of men is not done by the Lord on the basis of their birth but
decided on the basis of their gunas and karma.It may be deduced that anyone belonging
to any varna can take up the activity of another varna provided he has the predominant
tendency of that varna and forced by his past karmic deeds to take up the activities of a
different varna.Thus one needs to get the training and the requisites to take up activities
belonging to the other varna.One has to however accept a Guru of that varna and needs
to be qualified in the eyes of the Guru.Krishna goes to say that even one does one’s
swadharma quite imperfectly it is advisable to stick to it rather than, to engage in the
karma of somebody else , even if done perfectly.One who engages oneself in one’s own
karma is not liable to incur sin.The otherwise may not be true.

Krishna portends sinful reactions for Arjuna if Arjuna avoided the war.Arjuna , out of an
assumed compassionate role could avoid the war and take up the activities of a
mendicant or a renunciant.However this act of Arjuna would not be viewed as favorable
by his inimical cousins and the elders of the Kuru dynasty.They would be forced to
believe that Arjuna had relinquished his supposedly rightful position as a warror just out
of fear of the Kauravas and this would leave him an object of ridicule in their eyes.This in
turn could infuriate Arjuna .Arjuna being a true Kshatriya would not be able to tolerate
such depravation and would be certainly provoked to kill the Kuru miscreants .However
Krishna forewarns Arjuna that , this time around Arjuna would surely incur sin for killing
the very same sinful Kauravas.

It is true that in the past lower castes had been harassed by members of the upper
class.However one should understand that the caste system has always been
misapplied.This however does not suggest that the caste system itself is faulty.This is a
perfect system designed by the Supreme Lord Himself.One cannot disregard the caste
system and start acting whimsically.In the Ramayana there is the story of Sage
Vishwamitra, who , having been harassed by the demons like Subahu and
Maricha,approached Dasharatha Maharaja to request the services of Lord Rama and
Laxmana so that the two brothers could safeguard the interests of the sages performing
the ritualistic sacrifices in the forest. Sage Vishwamitra himself was a very powerful
sage.Though born as a high class Kshatriya , by dint of his penances he had achieved the
status of a Brahmarishi. Hence being a brahman he refrained from using weapons against
the rakshasas and killing them and preferred to continue his Dharma as a
Brahman.Therefore he took the services of the Lord who was born in the Kshatriya race
to protect the sacrificial arena.

2
Dronacharya , though born in a Brahmana family engaged in warfare by the side of the
Kauravas.This in itself was a disgrace as he had stepped down from the status of a
Brahmana and performed the role of a Kshatriya.It is given in the Sastras that only under
exceptional conditions can a person belonging to a higher varna take up the activities
ordained for a lower varna.After the fulfillment of such objectives the person should then
return back to his original varna.This is clearly enjoined in the scriptures.Sage Parasurama
was born as a Brahmana.However for destroying the unscrupulous Kshatriya he himself
took up weapons to destroy 21 generations of the Kshatriya race.Once this goal was
achieved, Parasurama reinstalled himself as a Brahmana.

Children are born with specific interests and tastes and parents generally turn a blind eye
to their childrens’ likes and dislikes because of which the natural talents of Children get
submerged under the ambitions of the parents thereby sometimes creating
insurmountable stress in children.Children have different tastes from birth based on the
varna system.If the Child has Brahmana tendencies , the Child will be deeply interested in
studies.If the child has a Vaisya tendency he will bend towards money.If the Child has
Kshatriya tendencies he would be very much interested in sports and martial arts.

To be continued--------