Gita Satsang : cogitations - Ranade on Antinomies : Part 7

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

" Limitations of Activism.

 

We have argued so far in favour of activism. But there are also

limitations to it which we must now consider. There are, on the whole,

four such limitations.

 

In the first place, no universal rule of activism could be laid down

in view of temperamental differences.

In the second place, God-illumination and God-enjoyment constitute

another limitation of activism.

The doctrine of j~naan-karma-samuchchaya , a synthesis of action and

knowledge, is a third, as it does not allow free scope for activism,

while the much debated question as to whether Karma is possible after

Jnana, the doctrine of j~naanottara-karma, implies the last limitation.

 

Let us now consider these limitations in order.

(a) Temperamental differences: In the first place, in various contexts

we are told by the Bhagavadgita that Praktti or Nature is a powerful

instrument; it will ride over us in spite of our philosophical and

other attainments :

mithyaa eshhaH vyavasaayaH te prakR^itiH tvaa.n niyokshyati . XVIII:59

 

sadR^isha.n cheshhTate svasyaaH prakR^iteH j~naanavaan api .

prakR^iti.n yaanti bhuutaani nigrahaH ki.n karishhyati .. III:33

 

kaaryate hi avashaH karma sarvaH prakR^itijaiH guNaiH . III:5

 

It is these differences of nature or temperamental which constitute

one great limitation to the doctrine of activism. That there are

temperamental

differences among men goes without question. One may be born a thinker,

another a worker, a third an artist and a fourth an emotionalist. These

temperamental differences have been very cleverly analysed by Jung in his

Psychological Types of Men. The broad categories of the introvert and the

extrovert which he makes might each be divided under four different

heads by

reference to feeling, will, intellect and intuition. There are thus

eight types of psychological behaviour according to Jung. This is not

the only scheme possible; other schemes might also be suggested. Let

us take, however, only four types for our purpose - the philosopher,

the mystic, the scientist and the politician. Kant, the

philosopher, may be called an intellectual introvert ; Blake, the

mystic, may be called an intuitive introvert ; Darwin, the scientist,

may be called an intellectual extrovert; and Nehru, the politician,

may be called an intuitive extrovert. The same rule of conduct cannot

be applied to all. Similarly, a person who performs Yoga is an

activist. A man who engages himself in devotional music is also an

activist. A Jnani who unceasingly engages himself in philosophic

speculation is also an activist [j~naa.n hi maanasii kriyaa]. There

are different types of activism and the same rule cannot be applied to

all of them. Temperamental differences create a difference in conduct.

The same kind of activity cannot be prescribed for all. It cannot be a

universal rule of life.

 

( b ) Action in Relaxation to Illumination and God-Enjoyment. Second,

the Gita itself shows us the relationship between action on the one

hand and illumination and beatification on the other ;

 

yataa edhaa.nsi samiddhaH agniH bhasmasaat kurute arjuna .

j~naana-agniH sarva-karmaaNi bhasmasaat kurute tathaa .. IV:37

 

The fire of illumination puts a stop to actions and their effects.

Similarly, we are told that actions come to an end for a man who is

merged in the beatific enjoyment of God :

 

yaH tu aatma-ratiH eva syaat aatma-tR^iptaH cha maanavaH .

aatmani eva cha santushhTaH tasya kaarya.n na vidyate .. III:17

 

So illumination and beatification act as checks to activism. We thus

see how the Bhagavadgita tells us in a mystical spirit the

powerlessness of actions before God vision and God-enjoyment. A kind

of a dilemma, as that between action and beatification, presents

itself before every person who has made some progress in spiritual

life, in a number of instances as to whether he should select the

alternative of action and that beatific enjoyment. I shall not give

illustrations. There are many, but I am putting before you the dilemma

as a whole for your consideration."

[to be cotd.