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Re: Gita and Ahimsa (and Gandhiji)

From the Bhakti List Archives

kiranbr.rm • March 28, 2003 


Dear Bhaktas,

Gandhiji's practise of Ahimsa was no doubt relentless and perhaps 
even the need of the day, but his assertion that Ahimsa is the 
central principle of all spirituality is unwarranted. The assertion 
is only as correct as the assertion of Sri Shankara that the Gita 
preaches Advaita, as correct as the assertion of Sri Ramanuja that 
the Gita preaches Vishishtadvaita, as correct as the assertion of 
Sri Madhva that the Gita preaches Dwaita...and so on.

If perfect renunciation is impossible without Ahimsa, it is 
impossible for kshatriyas to reach the abode of The Lord. How then 
did Bhishma attain mukthi and reach The Lord? Perfect ahimsa is even 
impossible, as has also been admitted by Gandhiji himself. That 
would mean that mukthi is impossible.

We could quote many other verses from the Gita to show that Ahimsa 
is not its central principle. But the point of the Gita is not even 
to show that "Ahimsa is not the central principle". Nay, it is 
something entirely different.

At the same time, I do not even mean to say that Gandhiji's Ahimsa 
was something bad. Great was the man, and great was his Karmayoga. 
After all, who doesn't want Shanti and Ahimsa? The problem arises 
when someone starts misusing the Ahimsa of the Ahimsa-vadis. 
Gandhiji's success in the Freedom Movement was largely due to 
Ahimsa, I agree. But what role did Ahimsa play in his Freedom 
Movement? It only played the role of uniting a Nation of people 
using a familiar and easy-to-understand punchline. It played the 
role of filling courage into the hearts of our countrymen. It played 
the role of handing a weapon to our countrymen - a weapon of courage 
and the resolve to die for the country (but not kill). That was the 
amazing effect that his pursuance of Ahimsa had on our country.

I have nothing against the great man or even his theory that Ahimsa 
is the central principle. I have learnt a lot from his writings, and 
adore him. But if Ahimsa itself becomes a handicap, Himsa is a tool -
 in the application of which there is nothing, absolutely nothing to 
be lost by a true, I repeat, a true Karmayogi. 

That part...one gets the feeling that Gandhiji missed.

Cheers
Kiran


--- In bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com, "M.K. Krishnaswamy" 
 wrote:
> Dear Devotees, 
> 
> In these distressed times, it is natural that our thoughts are 
about violence and non-violence. The greatest practitioner of non-
violence - Mahatma Gandhi, who followed the teachings of the 
Bhagawad Gita in his life, wrote a commentary on all the 18 chapters 
of the Gita, in which he posed to himself the commonly asked 
question:

-----------------------------------------

<..Further quoted text deleted...>


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