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  • Dal Miya Battlefield of Dharma

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    Ana Funes
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    Gita, ethics

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    Gita, ethics

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    486 visualizzazioni9 pagine

    Dal Miya Battlefield of Dharma

    Caricato da

    Ana Funes
    Gita, ethics

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Scarica in formato PDF o leggi online su Scribd
    Segnala contenuti inappropriati
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    SUNY series in Asian Studies Development ASIAN TEXTS — ASIAN CONTEXTS Roger T. Ames and Peter D. Hershock, editors Encounters with Asian Philosophies and Religions Edited by David Jones and E.R. Klein Vrinda Dalmiya On the Battlefield of Dharma: The Moral Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita ‘The “Song ofthe Lor” (the literal meaning of Bhagavad Gu) sung for “Arjuna on the btlefild of Kuruksetra thousands of years ago gets inflected in diferent ways as we eavesdrop on it from multiple pilo- Sophical, historical, and sociopolitical “reading (listening) positions.” Since it is part ofthe corpus identified asthe Vedinta, which means “essence of the Ves," philosophers of diverse metaphysical persuasions such as Samara (Advaita), Raminyja (Visita), Mhavaebarya (Dvaita), and Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Saivism) were all motivated ‘write commentaries on the Gita emphasizing the conformity ofits vision of ethical life with their widely difering metaphysis. Though ‘weated as an independent text of Indian ethics comparable to Wester discussions of moral life, its important to remember thatthe Bhagavad (Gre is really part of the much larger epi, the Mahabharata, The ‘Mahabharata, Being anita and 8 smpt, consciously explores how bstact njunetions of high philosophy play out in human lives lived ‘within messy and complicating situations Situating the Gr in this, context makes it more than theoretical articulation of the “Tight” and the “good” and urges us o look for thicker connections of is ethical vision to moral psychology nd othe tension of a social onde framing, ethical life. The tonality of a song sung ina society rigidly structured bythe order of varndorama (social strats and stage-of ite) woul differ fom the notes that find resonance for postcolonial and contemporary suthor lke Gandhi? snd Spivak Inshom, keeping the polities of read ing in ming, it is foothardy to look for a single interpretation ofthe message ofthe Gita 52 Texes—dis ‘The “Inner War” of Moral Dilemmae “The improbable seting of the Gitd-a philosophical dilogue staged ‘uite literally inthe middle of batleielé—is replete with metaphorical nd methodological signfianee, As is well known, Arjuna, te leading archer of the Pindovas, went to the fron lines with his charioteo, Kesua, to survey the enemy formations of the Kauravas on the eve of the great battle of Kuruksetra. The Kaurovas, however, were cousins, snd their army was comprised of Arjunas teachers, friends, and elders. ‘On seeing them poised for combat, Arjuna suffered a moment of exis- tential angst and was overcome by the moral futility ofthe projected war. The Grea is Kroa’s attempt to draw Arjuna et of his “fainter edness" and get him back to fghting like @ rue warrior. The juxtaposition ofthe moral domain with a battlefield ie doubly significant First, the valorization of mos (liberation asthe highest im in classical India, along with the rise ofthe sramanic tations (ike Buddhism) with their emphasis on renunciation, made it posible to <éebunk the social onde asa snare, By casting moral life asa battlefield, field of constant activity, the Gia served to counter this lay and danger ‘ous interpretation ofthe philosophical milie as a workd-denying quie- ‘ism, Second, combat signifies the methodological importance of elas ing moral obligations. Tis not merely @ const between Arjuna's ‘emotional reco] fom violence and Krena's dispassionate upholding of the ethical code ofthe dutifl waroe. But oven Aruna’s recoil is depict. fed asa moral stance, He doesnot see any good (sreyas) inkling kins- ‘men in bate and considers ita duty to desis from such bloodshed. BY centring Anuna's quandary created by such a confit of dates —with its attendant emotions of gull remorse, and confusion—e dharma eth ‘es expounded by Krsna becomes a vision of ethical life as a strgele of retical wisdom when faced with conundrums, rather than astaightfor- ward folowing of coherent system of rules of conduct. Seolrs like ‘Matilalhave underscored the significance of genuine moral dilemmas, and the resultant ambiguity in the ethical theorizing of the times: However, to build up tothe moral paradox atthe heat ofthe Gnd, is helpful to fist stp back and coasier the concep of wadharma “The robust idea that what we are constrains what can be expected legitimately of us, along withthe recognition that different people have Afferent natures, underlies the notion of svadharma, “One's own (va) (nthe Boned of Dharma VRMOADALMYA 53 dbarma” i the cluster of societhical obligations that follow fom our (Gifferent) natures. But the infamous varna order of Indian society ‘went onto divide “diferent natures” into the four castes—Brabmans (ries scholars), Kgatriva(governor-warrots, Vaya (vaders), and Saas (laborers)—with the special dates, respectively, of study, gov- cemmance-defense, trade, and service, Though its wel documented how recognition of such difference gradually ossified into an oppressive hierarchy of birt, itis important to note thatthe Gi itself vailates between making cste categorizations hereditary orapitude-based.* However, iespectve of how our caste natures are determined he fact, ‘hat obligations flow from our position inthe caste system is explicit Besides cast, the couse ofa human life is dachronically subdivided into four stages (2srama}—brabmacarya, edrhasthya, vOnaprastha. and sammysa—and thee are specific obligations (séesa dharma) a350- ‘ion, I also explicitly says, “There are diffrent Ved, even the dhar- ‘maidsras vary from one anther. There isnot a single mun (teacher- sage) whose view isnot different (from that of other teachers). The truth of dharma lies hidden inthe (dark) cave. (But) the way leading to

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