Understanding Dharma Beyond Rigid Vows

Understanding Dharma Beyond Rigid Vows

During the Kurukshetra war, Karna defeated Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira went back to the camp to rest. When Krishna and Arjuna heard that Yudhishthira was badly wounded, they handed over the responsibility of fighting Karna to Bhimasena and went to meet Yudhishthira.

Upon seeing Arjuna coming from the battlefield, Yudhishthira thought that he was coming after killing Karna. He became excited and asked Arjuna, 'Have you killed Karna?' Arjuna said, 'No, we heard you are wounded. That's why we came to see you.' Yudhishthira became angry, 'You better hand over Gandiva to someone else and go away; you are so useless.'

Yudhishthira’s assumption that Arjuna would defeat Karna mirrors his own desperate hope for a positive outcome from a dire situation. His outburst shows a common psychological defense mechanism—projecting his own anxieties and frustrations onto others.

Arjuna began pulling out his sword to kill Yudhishthira. Krishna stopped him, 'What are you doing?' Arjuna said, 'I have taken a vow, whoever tells me to part with Gandiva, I will take his head. Now, I have to stick to my word and take his head.'

The Lord said, 'Now I understand that you don't have brains. Do you know why you are thinking like this? Because you have never served wise elders, you have never been in their proximity to observe how they intelligently discern dharma from adharma. A man can never distinguish between dharma and adharma on his own. He can do that only with the help of shastras. It's a fine line and very intricate. How can you be so ignorant? How can you be so stupid to even think about killing your own brother because you took some vow without even thinking about what you are doing?

First, you take some stupid vow and now want to kill your brother because you think sticking to your vow is dharma? In my opinion, not causing harm to anyone is the greatest dharma. You have no right to kill someone who is not fighting you, who is not your enemy, who is running away from a fight, who has fallen at your feet, or who is unaware that you are attacking him. You are acting like an irresponsible young child.

Discerning dharma from adharma is very complex. It is possible only if you have learned and trained under a wise Guru. A hunter killed a blind animal, but he earned punya out of it. A Muni adhered to truth but still incurred sin. I will tell you about them.

Once upon a time, there was a kind-hearted hunter named Valaka. Though he took the lives of animals, he did so not out of desire but necessity, providing for his family. Valaka was a man of truth, always devoted to his duties and never holding malice. One fateful day, despite his earnest search for food, he found none. Finally, he came across a blind animal drinking water. Unseen by Valaka before, he instinctively acted, slaying it. Miraculously, flowers rained down from the heavens, and a divine chariot descended with enchanting music to carry Valaka to Swarga. This creature, once blessed by ascetic powers, had been destined to bring harm to all beings. The Almighty himself had taken its sight to prevent such calamity. By ending this threat, Valaka was honored in heaven, illustrating the profound complexity of moral duty.

There was an ascetic named Kausika who lived far from civilization, in a secluded forest where many rivers converged. Dedicated to truth, he vowed always to speak honestly. One day, villagers fleeing robbers sought refuge in Kausika's woods. Soon, the robbers approached Kausika and demanded to know where the villagers had gone. Bound by his vow, Kausika revealed their hiding place, leading to their tragic deaths. Kausika’s strict adherence to truth, without understanding its moral nuances, led him to a sorrowful end. This story teaches that virtue requires wisdom beyond mere rules. Deep understanding or reasoning is needed to discern right from wrong.

Krishna’s intervention represents the voice of reason and wisdom. He highlights the importance of discerning dharma from adharma, not through rigid adherence to vows but through wisdom, understanding, and compassion. Krishna’s guidance emphasizes the need for moral flexibility and deeper understanding in ethical decision-making. Krishna’s admonition of Arjuna underscores a psychological lesson on the limits of rigid thinking. He points out the folly of taking vows without fully considering their implications and the importance of seeking guidance from wise and experienced sources when facing moral dilemmas.

The stories of Valaka and Kausika serve as illustrations of the intricate nature of dharma. They demonstrate that moral decisions cannot be made based solely on rigid rules or personal vows; context, intent, and wisdom play crucial roles in determining what is righteous. These examples show that actions judged as good or bad can have different outcomes based on context and deeper moral implications. Valaka's killing of the blind animal, though seemingly cruel, had a righteous outcome due to the divine context, while Kausika’s strict truthfulness led to harm. This highlights the dynamic nature of morality. It suggests that understanding dharma requires continuous learning and adaptation, rather than blind adherence to commitments and ill-informed decisions and rules.

Knowledge Bank

Meaning of Veda

Vedayati iti Vedah - that which enables men to know what is true, that is Veda.

Why potato is not used in Jagannath Temple?

All vegetables of foreign origin are avoided in the Mahaprasad of Puri Jagannath temple. Potato was introduced in India by the Portuguese in the 17th century.