| Discourses On Gita By Acharya Vinoba Bhave |
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| Discourses On Gita |
| INTRODUCTION : THE YOGA OF DESPONDENCY |
| The purpose of the Gita: To destroy Illusion 11. Arjuna used not merely the language of non-violence, but even that of sannyasa, complete renunciation. "Even a life of renunciation is better than this bloodstained Kshatriya dharma, duty of the warrior class," he says. But was this the way of life for him, his svadharma? Was this the true expression of his nature? Arjuna could have cheerfully donned the garb of a Sannyasi but how could he have lived the life? If, in the name of sannyasa, he went into the forest he would start killing the deer there. Therefore, the Lord told him plainly, "Arjuna, your present reluctance to fight is delusion. The nature that has become yours through the years will not permit you to refrain from fighting." Arjuna felt at odds with his svadharma. But however unattractive a man's svadharma may be, he has to find fulfillment by persisting in it. Because it is only through such persistence that growth is possible. There is no question of dignity involved here. This is the law of growth. Svadharma is not the sort of thingthat one takes up because one thinks it is noble or gives up because it seems lowly. In the words of the Gita, "sreyaan svadharma vigunah." (One's own dharma, even if devoid of merit, is the best for oneself.") The word "dharma" means not the organized religions, like Hindu-dharma or Muslim-dharma, or Christian - dharma. Every individual has his own distinct dharma. The 200 people who are in front of me have 200 different dharmas. Even my own dharma today is not what it was ten years ago; it will not be the same ten years hence. As the course of one's life changes through thinking and experience one's old dharma drops off and a new dharma comes in its place. One achieves nothing by self-willed obstinacy in this matter. |
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