[Advaita-l] Karma phalam

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

This is a reply to a couple of older posts as well as some of the ongoing 
threads.


On Sun, 26 Jul 2009, Dr. Yadu Moharir wrote:

> Can scholars educate us is the thoughts expressed really fit into 
> Shankar's advaita ?

Yes.

>   Could the mentioned thinking of leaving for "Lord" 
> to resolve may have made propelled India in becoming niShakriiya and 
> more reliant of mysticism?  

and

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009, Shrinivas Gadkari wrote:

> In the last 1200 years or so India lost the priciest possession we had:
> a well rounded complete approach to puruSArtha. With the grace
> of Vedas we are recovering from this loss.
> 
> (From 800 AD we have proved incapable to defend ourselves from
> foreign invasions.)

Unfortunately these sentiments are perfect examples of why Advaita Vedanta 
critiques action.

Before we even discuss what may have propelled India into becoming 
nishkriya, is the charge even true?

The idea that "From 800 AD we have proved incapable to defend ourselves 
from foreign invasions" is utter nonsense from a historical point of view. 
>From the time of the first Arab raids in the 7th century to the 
establishment of the sultanate of Delhi in the 12th century. (The first 
stable Muslim state to cover a significant portion of India) is a period 
of over 400 years.  That hardly sounds like a lack of capability.  Even 
when Muslim administration was firmly established, Hindus were in the 
thick of political intrigue.  Whenever they could they did break free. 
For instance since Somanath was mentioned, the Saurashtra region where it 
was located only came under Muslim rule in the 12th century.  By the 13th 
century, the local Muslim governors of Gujarat had broken free from Delhi 
with the support of the Rajputs.  These Rajputs only paid nominal 
allegiance to the Sultans (a once a year tax, avoided whenever the 
central power was week.)  When the Mughal empire began its ascendency and 
was later replaced by the Mahrattas, the same system was followed.  It was 
the predatory and excessive demands of the Mahrattas which caused some of 
the rajas to welcome the British.  They also apart from installing a few 
political agents did not disturb the independence of the area and strictly 
speaking it was not conquered until 1947.  Similiar patterns occurred in 
many other parts of India.  It was during this supposedly "nishkriya" 
period that Hindu culture in both Sanskrit and the newly evolving modern 
languages flourished sometimes even under Muslim patronage.  For instance 
the famous Sanskrit work on Kamashastra, anangaranga was written by a 
Brahmana, Kalyanamalla, at the court of Lad Khan Lodi.

I am not pretending that all was sunshine and roses.  The Hindu antipathy 
to Muslim rule exists for good reason.  I'm just saying it is an apalling 
exaggeration to pretend that there was some kind of "dark age" that we 
have just stumbled out of recently.

On Sun, 23 Aug 2009, Dr. Yadu Moharir wrote:

> Namaste:   Yes, Hinduism survived but that is purely academic as
> Brahmin's remained as lifeless pillars that supported the roof.  
>

...

> When Mohd.. Gajhani attacked Somanath temple Brahmins
> recited "Mahaarudra" and requested Shiva to open his "third" eye.  The
> third for Shiva is supposed to be "j~naana chakhsu" to burn ignorance. 
> When are we going to admit that it was the "Blind-Faith" on deities and
> Brahmin's that wanted to keep their importance in the society were
> primarily responsible for loss of our vedic knowledge as they remain the
> donkeys carryiong the weight of sandlewood.

Where on earth did you pick up such scurrilous nonsense?  Muslim raids 
were met with armed resistance.  Obviously ultimately they were 
unsuccessful but the defenders gave their all.  When he saw that Somanath 
was defenseless, the Chauhan raja Ghoghaji Rana who was 90 years old rode 
against the enemy with his men and they fought against every last one was 
killed.  That's a damn better example of virya than whining on the 
Internet.  The folk tales of Gujarat are replete with such stories and the 
Brahmanas also take part in them.  For instance my wifes family (Jhalawadi 
Sahasra Audichya Brahmanas) worship a "sati mata"  She lived in the time 
of Mahmud Ghaznavi and took up arms against the invaders.  When the 
situation became hopeless she jumped into a well rather than be taken 
alive.

As for whether or not Vedic knowledge is lost.  Even a generation ago, 
would it be thinkable that someone like me born and living outside Bharata 
could be learning shastras and living an astika life?  To be helping 
hundreds of people in similiar positions to learn shastras and live an 
astika life.  Yes there is a lot more work to be done but I don't see you 
helping.  (Sitting there with a jaundiced eye and complaining is not 
helping.)  Lucky for me I had "lifeless pillars" I could rely on instead 
of you.

Sorry all this long-winded historical disputation was only a preliminary. 
The heart of the matter follows.

On Sun, 23 Aug 2009, Dr. Yadu Moharir wrote:

> Just imagine our history would be totally different if Pruthiraj had not
> spared the life of ghori !?

And I think this is the root of your relentless negativity.  You are 
consumed by "If only"  If only Parashurama had done this.  If only 
Brahmanas had done that.  If only history had turned one way instead of 
another.  Well it didn't.  And no amount of complaining on your part is 
going to change that.  But you have the power to change yourself.  We 
usually discuss the academic "facts and figures" of Advaita Vedanta on 
this list mainly because that is what the Internet is best used for but it 
is worth a reminder that the goal is an inner transformation.  One needs 
to change the assumptions one has been falsely laboring under and _then_ 
act.  In the midst of battle, Krishna Bhagavan gives Arjuna, not fighting 
tips, or instructions on tactics but the odd advice to surrender all 
actions to Him.  But it is not so strange really.  When you get rid of "If 
only" you are not nishkriya but _free_ to act without restriction.

Finally...

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009, Dr. Yadu Moharir wrote:

> If I am integral part of that 'iishavara" than is it not my 
> responsibility to create ":haevenm on this Earth  and change the 
> perspective of general population? 

How many millions of people have died in the 20th century in the name 
of creating heaven on this Earth?  Deluded people will never create heaven 
on Earth no matter how much they wish it.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>