VIOLENCEAND

GITA

DR.SHRINIWAS

KASHALIKARThe use of the word “UDDHA” i.e. war has lead to many misconceptions about Gita. One of them

is that; She advocates violence.

It is because of our intellectual, conceptual and emotional bankruptcy that we are unable to

understand the meaning of “death” is forgetting one’s self; and any activity in personal and social

life conducive to such forgetting of one’s true self, is violence and ADHARMA.

The word “PRANASHYATI” is used in 6th

chapter, 9th chapter and also 18th chapter to clearly indicate that forgetting one’s self is death.

True violence is intellectual, emotional, instinctual and physical action conducive to

forgetting oneself, (which involves “forgetting” one’s father, mother, brother, sister, teacher, friend, society and so on. This; as every one

knows is associated with overtly mean, individualistic and ungrateful behavior which is

violence!

Gita asks us to remember and focus on our true self so that our behavior remains oriented to self realization. This is called YOGA in Gita and is

called ANUSANDHAN in other spiritual parlance.

This focusing and remaining oriented is not easy. There are many detractors within and outside

forcing oneself and the others to forget the true self (violence and ADHARMA), which come in

the way of self realization; and consequent socially beneficial behavior!

Gita advocates participating in the war against such violence and ADHARMA.

Namasmaran reorients us to our true selves and empowers us to fulfill our role in any given

situation in an accurate and satisfactory manner i.e. to defeat violence and ADHARMA and

promote DHARMA. This is called DHARMYA YUDDHA (not DHARMA UDDHA) in Gita.

This reorientation, focus and bond with the true self is called YOGA in Gita and ANUSNDHAN in other spiritual parlance as mentioned earlier,

and which is what teaches and guides us to realize!