I Act Because I must

 

I Act Because I Must

Blog 2 – 24/07/2021

 

 

Be Intent on the Act - कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

 

We had begun on a journey to understand the moral questions often posed to Humans, in the previous blog, we discussed about the questions, where to look for the answers, if any and how to apply them in real life. We shall discuss all this through the prism of the book "The difficulty of being good" by Gurcharan Das. 

This series of blog posts shall also simultaneously act as a chapter by chapter book review (Not necessarily in the same order), with my own thoughts on the same. 

We begin this journey to understand this book, with the most quoted, and perhaps the least understood verse of the Bhagwat Geeta, which simply encourages to work on the action, not on the fruits.

All of us would have heard somebody utter this verse, without understanding the magnanimity of the words, let alone the deep philosophy behind it.

  

The verse talks about “Nishkama Karma”, which we shall link to a character of the Mahabharata – Bhishma, the immortal grandfather.

 

The Story of Bhishma – The Ultimate Karmayogi?

Who was this man, more knowledgeable than even Krishna?

 

The story of Bhishma is quite interesting. He holds a primary place in the Mahabharata, as the grand father of our heroes and villains. He finds himself in a bind, when the second queen of his father, asks him to renounce the throne, in favour of her child. Without batting an eye, Bhishma takes a vow and renounces the throne. He further takes a vow of celibacy, to ensure that his future progeny also will not become an obstacle. He is hailed as the “awesome one” for this supreme sacrifice. His father, then grants him a boon of “choosing death at will”.

 

Bhishma then goes on to rule the kingdom as a regent, in a disinterested manner, performing his duty to the utmost perfection. He rules the kingdom justly, and makes it prosper, expands it through his military and diplomatic skill even though he knows he has nothing to gain out of it. He does not run away from his duty. Because he is a celibate, he does not retire to the forest and detatch himself from the world issues. He takes up the gauntlet and throws himself into the affairs of the kingdom, all the while forgetting about the pleasures which the world had to offer. As time passes, the question of lineage comes forth. The queen (for whom Bhishma takes his vow) calls in Rishi Vyasa, who brings forth two children to her daughters-in-law (This had to happen due to a turn of events, when her son – Vichitraveerya, dies without an heir), they are Dhritarashtra and Pandu, among whose children occurs the great war, over the question of succession.

 

This selfless and supreme sacrifice is hailed in the Mahabharat, Bhishma is venerated by both parties, before, during and after the war. He is respected for his selflessness, and his discipline and devotion to his duty and his vow. Even Krishna, after the war, asks Yudishthira to seek the counsel of Bhishma on the various questions in his mind.

 

Nishkama Karma – Does it mean Supreme Sacrifice and Selflessness?

 

Can that be considered as the best example of “Nishkama Karma?”. How often do you get to see this kind of sacrifice, probably not a lot, hence, would this be the answer to the human dissatisfaction? Is the path shown by Bhishma the right one? He certainly managed to create a huge problem of succession, which ultimately led to the destruction of the very kingdom he had strived to build. All his foster grand children were killed, his army, built over the years was completely destroyed, his kingdom dusted and his allies, diplomatic relations built over long years, either destroyed or deserted.

 

How then, can Krishna advocate this path in the Geeta? Something so difficult for ordinary humans, which ultimately led to destruction and a fight among cousins. Logically, the Geeta should provide answers, make life easier for the person reading and following it.

Further, he froze, and was unable to act when he was required to the most. When the clothing of the royal queen was being disrobed in the most shameful fashion, all Bhishma did, was to debate on whether a husband was allowed to wager his wife in gamble, or whether a man who lost himself first, did even have any "property" left in the first place. He justifies by saying “Dharma is very complicated (Subtle)”. He failed in his “Karma” even though he was totally "Nishkama" (Desire)

 

After reading this, you will say obviously, this is not “Nishkama Karma” What is the use of acting disinterestedly, if it is ultimately going to lead to failure of your aim?

What if I further tell you, that acts performed disinterestedly, do not always lead to virtuous results? Heinrich Himmler told his soldiers that they were called upon to fulfill a “repulsive duty”. The same argument was given forth at the Nuremburg Trials, when all the testimonies said that they were horrified at the results of their actions, but had to perform them as a selfless act of discharging their duty, and sympathy simply "got in the way"

Both the above relate to the Holocaust, and the systemic extermination of millions of Jews, which was performed with a high handed sense of duty. Is it not similar to what Bhishma did, when he slaughtered millions of faultless soldiers, as a part of his “duty”?

 

What then, does Krishna mean, when he says – focus on the work (duty), not on the result? It is certainly not how Bhishma understood it. Even before focusing on the duty, we need to understand "What is my Duty"?

 

For the answer, stay tuned!

गौतम पाटणकर