[Advaita-l] Re: Tantra

Raghavendra N Kalyan kalyan7429 at yahoo.co.uk
Wed Jan 28 12:04:51 CST 2004


Namaste,

Dear Jaldhar, I really liked your answer. However, given a choice between "performing action" and "renunciation of action", is it not better to choose the latter when the former involves doing something "wrong(?)" even if the "wrong(?)" thing is the only alternative? Of course, this is the basic issue on which the bhagavad gIta is based, but I never really got Krishna's point here. Can you or someone else please explain? I would appreciate it if you use the example of the mahAbhArata war itself. For instance, what would be so wrong if Arjuna renounced worldly life instead of fighting the war? Thanks.

 

Then why is it mentioned at all?
Because there may well be situations when the only course of action is the
"wrong" thing. In which case if it has to be done it should be done in
the best way possible.

The war of Kurukshetra is an example. To kill your brothers and respected
elders is terribly terribly wrong. Yet this is what Krishna Bhagavan asks
Arjuna to do in the Gita. Of course all avenues of peace are explored
first. the Pandavas agree to give up half the kingdom. Krishna Bhagavan
Himself goes on a diplomatic mission to Duryodhana. However when war is
finally declared it must be fought to the death. There is no room for
cowardice or equivocation in the performance of ones duty.


---------------------------------
BT Yahoo! Broadband - Free modem offer, sign up online today and save £80



More information about the Advaita-l mailing list