Amid war and nationalism Mr Narendra Modi unveils yet another spectacular edition of the Bhagavadgita. But then, has he really tried to learn something meaningful from this amazing text?
Avijit Pathak is a Professor of Sociology at JNU, New Delhi.
He is never born, nor does he die at any time. He is unborn, eternal, permanent and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
– Bhagavadgita
This is the time of war; this is the moment of celebration of the mass psychology of revenge; and everything around us seems to be moving around the might of militarism and nationalism. And amid this show of strength and victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi manages to unveil the epic text Bhagavadgita– a project initiated by the ISKCON temple in New Delhi. And yes, with his characteristic style (a sort of ‘performance’) Mr Modi talked about the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra; he referred to the interpretations of Tilak and Gandhi, and spoke of the virtues of niskam karma. From the election rally to the ISKCON temple-Mr. Modi, we know, loves to talk.
Well, the noisy television channels are bringing the spectacle of the mini war to our drawing rooms–the way a Bollywood blockbuster or the IPL magic is disseminated. And in an age that worships everything big and spectacular, even the size of the Bhagavadgita (800 kg) is breaking all records. Indeed,from the bravery of the Air Force to the size of the religious text -the festivity, it seems, is all around. We are asked to feel proud of our nation and culture. Yet, I find myself as a stranger; somehow I can’t relate to what is being projected as the ‘mood’ of the nation.
But then, I know that I have my Bhagavadgita. As a wanderer or a seeker, I often engage with the text: a living text that vibrates. It helps. It enables me to find my religiosity, even though I do not visit the ISKCON temple. It gives me the strength to see the world from a perspective that, I am afraid, Mr. Modi would not possibly approve of.
The Songs of Illumination: Not an Identity Marker
He who is trained in the way of works, and is pure in soul, who is master of his self and who has conquered the senses, whose soul becomes the self of all beings, he is not tainted by works, though he works.
– Bhagavadgita
I try to understand the significance of the metaphor of war in the Bhagavadgita. I internalize it as a psychic/existential/spiritual struggle that often confronts us because of the challenges/dilemmas life poses before us. Should we strive for the light of truth, even if it means immense physical suffering or material loss? Or should we escape from this quest for truth, and pursue what seems to be ‘easy’, ‘realistic’ and ‘practical’? Yes, Arjuna faced a dilemma of this kind; it caused immense nervousness and bewilderment; and Krishna as the spirit of inner conscience brought Arjuna closer to his swadharma and his truth. In a way, both Arjuna and Krishna exist within each of us.
What does the quest for truth demand from us? We know that it is fear that often makes us escape from the true path. What is the root of this fear? First, we are afraid of death; we tremble when it haunts us that we might die in the process of this struggle, or we might lose our loved ones. Second, it is the inflated ‘ego’ that causes fear- the fear of ‘failure’, the fear of losing one’s privilege and power and possession. And third, it is the desire-the restless craving for power, wealth and fame–that binds us; it becomes exceedingly difficult to carry the lamp of truth and wisdom.
Take an illustration. Suppose, I feel that the ruling regime is creating the hysteria of militant nationalism and loud patriotism; and it diverts people’s attention from the issues relating to unemployment, poverty and diverse forms of marginalization that people experience. Can I strive for this truth? It is possible that I begin to fear , and eventually escape from it. The establishment, I would argue, is powerful–no less than the mighty Kauravas; it might put me in the prison; my life might be in danger; and even my nearest ones might be harassed. I might lose my job or economic stability.
Yes, at this juncture Krishna as the inner conscience or illuminating light teaches us something significant. And I find three important lessons from the Bhagavadgita.
First, it is wrong to think that I am merely my body. Well, my body does exist; it has its functions; it is through this embodied form that I work, live and exist. Yet, the body is nothing more than a container which carries the same universal energy that flows through everything. And this all-pervading energy is eternal; and hence it is beyond death. An awareness of this kind makes one see that even though the body withers away, the eternal spirit does not die. It generates fearlessness.
Second, it teaches us that it is the egotistic desire (for power, wealth, fame, success, bodily comforts) that binds us; and hence its through niskam karma or a sense of detachment that one can liberate oneself. When we are obsessed with the fruits or immediate gains of the action, our attachment to power/wealth/fame diverts us from the path of truth. But then, when we overcome this egotistic desire, our actions become our deep prayers, our paths to renunciation. One doesn’t renounce the world. One renounces one’s ego. And third, it helps us to move towards the sattwic state of existence. While tamas as a guna or quality generates passivity, dullness and inertia, rajas as a quality causes aggression, hyper-competitiveness, constant craving and restlessness. But sattwa is about calmness and tranquility; it helps us to remain meditative even amid intense action. And it prepares us for niskam karma, for walking through the path of truth.
In fact, in the Bhagavadgita I see the unity of the three yogas relating to wisdom, devotion and action. Yes, it is the wisdom to see the futility of ‘ego’ that takes us to the domain of true knowledge: the all-pervading eternal spirit. Likewise, it is devotion to or absolute surrender before the illuminating light (Krishna can also be seen as an embodiment of this spirit) that liberates us from all sorts of anxieties and fears caused by egotistic attachment to the fruits of action. And finally, it is through our actions–free from temptations and desires -that we come closer to the divine.
Be Aware of the Dramatic Falsification
For supreme happiness comes to the yogin whose mind is peaceful, whose passions are at rest, who is stainless and has become one with God.
– Bhagavadgita
It is an amazing text. No wonder, Gandhi derived his inspiration from it. Likewise, the likes of Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo referred to it repeatedly. And even an ordinary/vulnerable mortal like me finds some meaning in this text. Well, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s privilege to unveil yet another edition of the Bhagavadgita; it is his power that leads him to deliver a lecture on it; and it is our tendency to remain close to the centre of power that prompts the audience present in the function to clap, and sing in a chorus: MODI…MODI…MODI.
[irp]
However, as an ordinary/unknown mortal, I urge Mr. Modi to reflect on my Bhagavadgita. If you continue to live with the inflated ego, or if your colleague Mr. Amit Shah continues to assert his narcissism and terrible ‘will to power’, or if the political establishment you lead uses every occasion–including the Pulwama tragedy- for electoral gain, where is the niskam karma? Where is the journey towards the sattwic quality?
Where is the union of love, knowledge and practice, when everything you do–spending ‘quality time’ with your mother, washing the feet of the safai karmacharis at Prayag Raj, sharing a cup of tea with Mr.Barack Obama, and delivering a melodramatic speech at an election rally–is transformed into a media spectacle for selling your ‘brand’?
Do you really listen to Krishna: the lamp of truth? Or is it that amid noise, propaganda , violence and hyper-masculine nationalism, you miss the ecstasy of the Bhagavadgita as the egotistic desire for ‘power and glory’ possesses you?
