Religious War

Recent world events have compounded apprehensions about the social implications of religious belief. While governments grapple with the problem of terrorism, the growing opposition to religion becomes strikingly apparent. As a traveling monk, I am often drawn into heated debates over the link between religion and war. To complicate matters further, the revered conversation of Bhagavad-gita is spoken at the onset of a fratricidal war, and Krishna is seemingly the one inciting Arjuna to fight! Does the Vedic tradition promote bloodshed and violence? Do spiritualists in this line secretly believe that war, hostility and the killing of innocent people is necessary for 'religious revolution'?

In ancient Vedic scriptures we find the famous aphorism, ahimsyat sarva bhutanam – “one should not commit violence to any living being.” Since nonviolence is a cardinal principle of the spiritualist they are urged to refrain from causing harm to even animals or plants. However, non-violence can mean different things in different situations. As a guardian of the people, the warrior Arjuna was required to take responsibility for the upkeep of law and order in society. In this case, his non-violence had to be expressed through confrontational means. Such strong action is neither taken whimsically, nor for the sake of material gain, and never with a mood of hatred or envy. It was the last resort, and even when the battle commenced it was fought between consenting parties who followed strict moral and ethical codes of conduct. Before drawing any parallels between the Battle of Kuruksetra and modern warfare, one must look into the historical, moral and social context of each circumstance.

History shows that violence has touched every part of the world, independent of the theological beliefs of people. In fact the most destructive wars were fought for secular, political, economic, or ideological reasons. Religion is not the cause of conflict. On the contrary, it is the very neglect of genuine spirituality that causes war, violence and unrest in this world. Societies of genuine spiritualists hold great reverence for life. Qualities of respect, contentment, humility and tolerance are the cornerstones of their lives. Saints who have delivered the Bhagavad-gita to the modern world have affirmed that the real revolution in society is to transform people’s hearts through selflessness and love. The real revolution is a revolution of consciousness. The solution for world peace is not in rejecting spirituality, but rather in restoring, reforming and reviving it in its true nature and spirit.

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The Inside Story

Are power-hungry underground groups like the Illuminati plotting to rule mankind by establishing the New World Order? Was 9-11 an Al-Qaeda terrorist attack, or did the Bush administration help orchestrate the entire incident to justify military policy in the Middle East? Half a century ago, did the US government cover up a UFO landing and alien interaction at Roswell, New Mexico? Was the Aids virus created by the KGB as a means to reduce world population? Was Shakespeare, English language's greatest writer, really responsible for the body of works that bear his name, or were they actually authored by other people? We could go on, but suffice it to say that the modern world is riddled with conspiracy theories which seem to multiply by the day. As the plot thickens, how do we know what to believe? Will our painstaking research lead to any concrete conclusions?

Who knows, the theories themselves could even be part of a bigger conspiracy to confuse people and make us doubt everything! On the other hand, even if they are true, what can we do to change the state of affairs? If the higher echelons of society are directing the future of the world in smoke-filled rooms, it’s unlikely that our whistle-blowing will be taken that seriously. Having said that, there is an argument for the necessity of critical thinking in a world which we could label "the cheaters and the cheated."

There is, however, one conspiracy that we can all be sure of. It’s a conspiracy a little closer to home, and a conspiracy which has been going on since our first breath in this world. The Bhagavad-gita explains that the uncontrolled mind, the lower nature within, is conspiring against us on a moment-to-moment basis. Tempting and distracting us while simultaneously posing as a friend, our lower nature, which you can identify as the ‘devilish voice within,’ is actually conspiring to divert us from the most progressive, pragmatic and fulfilling path in life. Krishna explains that only through spiritual acumen and unbreakable determination can we transform that lower nature, and bring the mind under control such that it becomes our best friend. This brings true freedom, where one is guided by intelligence instead of instinct. The project to conquer the mind requires focus, tenacity, perseverance and incredible drive. It’s a lifetime’s mission, and we need to utilize all the time we have. This is the inside story, the story of the enemy within, the story of the conspirator that we may well have forgotten about.

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Tattva - See Inside Out

In the late 60's, after NASA had completed a series of groundbreaking space adventures, they interviewed different people to guage their reaction to the events. When they reached a grave-looking monk he shocked the reporter with a radically different perspective. He was saddened by the direction of modern civilization, and wasn’t overly excited by the recent astro-travel. When quizzed why, he responded "now man is diverting his attention further and further outside for answers, for purpose, for happiness - but actually we have to explore deeper and deeper within."

In the modern materialistic climate, our vision, analysis and interaction with the world can be on a very superficial level. Despite this all-pervading influence, many philosophers, theologians, scientists and great thinkers have discussed and debated with a view to understanding the world in a more profound way. The ancient sages of the East were no different. In the body of literatures known as the Vedas, they documented a spiritual understanding of the self, the universe and our deeper purpose in the journey of life. This became known as ‘tattva’ - essential truths and principles which underpin universal reality. Knowledge of this tattva can help one to excel physically, emotionally, socially, and most importantly, spiritually.

This blog is a humble attempt to discuss elements of this tattva. The posts are diverse and cover topics ranging from religion to relationships, science to sociology, leadership to lifestyle management. We hope they will be 'food for thought' in a world that (consciously or unconsciously) is yearning for fresh perspectives and newer pardigms.

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