Is Sri Krisna moral?

[Guest guest]

Is Sri Krisna moral?

This kind of question come up and was raised by

western philologists when they analized Gita and

Mahabharata.

To Gitra they say that Arjuna presents higher morality

becasuse he doesn’t want to kill his fellow men.

To Mahabharata they say when Krsna have given immoral

tips for Yudhisthira to lie, or to Bhima to attack his

enemy on legs, which was against ksatriya codecs.

What is Vaisnava answers on this points.

dasan

Garga Rsi das

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I do not wish to get into a thread like the previous ones, but I

strongly feel some fundamental knowledge about comparision is needed

when comparing religions.

 

First, The West has a very different view of Reality than the East.

A Simple Crash Course in Sociology will prove this point which by

itself is a proof.

 

To cite an example, the advaithic concepts of drshti-shristi vaada,

shristhi-dristhi vaada are non-existent in any of the religions of

the religiously sactioned ethics of the abrahamic faiths.

 

Further more, the BBC Guide to World Religions writes:

 

"There are many misconceptions about Hinduism which are the result

of Westerners trying to force it to fit their ideas of what a

religion should be like, and trying to push a lot of different but

related faiths into a single box."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/hin

duism_elem.shtml

 

The material on Hinduism presented by western scholars, philologists

or even theologians STEMS from the fact that Hinduism cannot be

compared to any of the abrahamic faiths of the middle east.

 

To compound to this fact, Fritjof Capra who authored the Famous

Book "The Tao of Physics" argues that the western scholars have

profoundly mis-understood the core-aspects of Hindu Ethics or

cosmology and metaphysics.

 

Dharma or Morality is by classified into two broad Categories

of "SamAnya Dharma" (Common Morals) and "VishEsha Dharma" (Special

Morals). To answer your question of Morality of Krishna or Arjuna is

not simple per se. This is because Morality by itself as defined by

Hinduism is very different from that explained by Thomas Merton or

any other western scholar.

 

Krishna, the 9th AvatAra of Sriman Naarayana who is lovingly called

GiitAcharya condensed the vast Dharma of the Shruthis into a

colloquy to Arjuna.SMS Chari in one of his telephone lectures has

empahsised the fact that the Bhagavad Giita cannot be *fully*

accepted as a "system of ethics". The Giita which is a part of the

prasthAna traya or triple canon is more of a philosophical text than

an ethical text. For ethical texts, the Dharma Sastras suit more to

the point. This does not however mean that the prasthana traya can

be plainly ignored as to not having an inherent system of ethics.

The Prasthana traya serve as a fountain head and a primary source of

inspiration for other hindu texts which are only derivative of the

triple canon and whose authority cannot supersede that of the triple

canon.

 

The very question of Krishna being immoral than arjuna presupposes

the fact that the "western scholars" look at hinduism from a

Christian prepective, which is plainly irrelevant or not required.

 

To sum, there is a saying in Sanskrit which goes "DharmO Rakshati

Rakshitaha" which translates to "Protect Dharma and Dharma will

protect you".

 

To get a basic understanding of how hinduism by itself places the

Mahabharata and the Ramayana, please read C. Rajagopalachari's books.

This will help quench most of your queries.

 

Regards,

 

Malolan Cadambi

 

 

bhakti-list, greg michel <gregokrasz> wrote:

> Is Sri Krisna moral?

> This kind of question come up and was raised by

> western philologists when they analized Gita and

> Mahabharata.

> To Gitra they say that Arjuna presents higher morality

> becasuse he doesn't want to kill his fellow men.

> To Mahabharata they say when Krsna have given immoral

> tips for Yudhisthira to lie, or to Bhima to attack his

> enemy on legs, which was against ksatriya codecs.

> What is Vaisnava answers on this points.

> dasan

> Garga Rsi das

[Guest guest]

Hari Hari,

 

Dear Greg Michel,

 

I do not think, interactions through mails can answer

your questions comprehensively. I would make an

attempt to answer you little bit. Shree. M Cadambi has

already replied quite comprehensively.

 

All Avataaraas of ShreemanNaaraayana are just

flawless. After all, the purpose of every Avataaram is

"Dharma Samsthaapanam". Shree Krishnaavataaram is the

one, which at this age of Human life, comes very close

to everyone in leading +ve life.

 

After all, Mahaabhaarata battle itself was to a great

extent tailored by Shree Krishna, for the purpose of

"Dharma Samsthaapanam". It was just very unfortunate

that very very great souls like Bheeshma, Droona,

Krupa, Karna were accompanying "Adharmam" by

accompanying "Dhuryodhana". There is a very very great

lesson for all of us from the lives of all these

people. The important point is, the practice of

"Sathyam" and "Dharmam" should go hand in hand.

Generally "Dharmam" is that something which results in

"Lokakalyanam".

 

I wish you would get to read good books on (or listen

to good lectures on) Mahabharata, Bhagavad Geeta,

Bhaagavatham and others.

 

Hari Hari

 

 

 

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http://auctions.

[Guest guest]

Dear Greg / Members,

 

MahAbhArathA is a virtual minefield when it comes to ethics, particularly

the events surrounding the kurushetrA war. The aswadhAmA episode and

duryOdhana-bhEmA duel highlighted should not be considered alone. That would

be taking things out of context.

 

In reality, neither yudhistrA was asked to lie nor bhEmA instructed to

violate the rules of one-to-one conflict. Just for the record, bhIshmA,

drOnA, vidurA, kripAchAryA and karnA were all bestowed with special powers

not just for their superior fighting skills but also for their honesty and

commitment to uphold dharmA at all costs. But when they failed and were

forced to use such powers to fight on the side of evil due to their very

morality and commitment, then how do you counter such a situation?

 

The evil duo - sakuni and duryOdhanA - transgressed all ethics and exploited

the loyalty and love of every member of the clan, ultimately leading to a

war that nobody except the two desired. Together, they manipulated every

noble soul in HastinApur, in every conceivable way. All rules were broken by

the kauravAs even before the first arrow was shot. Had Lord KrishnA decided

to take matters in His own hand, it wouldn't have taken Him a nanosecond.

Yet, He played by the rules, till the very end.

 

The correct way to interpret and understand the kurushetrA events is to

consider them in their entirety. Within the constraints of an unjust war

were the odds favored the evil forces quite overwhelmingly, Lord srI krishnA

assisted the pAndavAs to restore dharmA.

 

Regards,

Sriram