Timeless wisdom for modern maze: Mahabharata Unravelled

? What is ‘Dharma’?

?It’s a set of principles/conduct which fosters sustainability, growth and co-existence – for an individual, community, country, nature or universe. Here, different element or stakeholders are expected of certain norms or behaviors – with the key goal of nourishing/upholding and harmony.

For instance, we have life on Earth, because Sun shines non-stop and Earth rotates & revolve around Sun at a certain distance. If Sun & Earth stray away from this norm, there will be no life. Dharma of water is fluidity, dharma of fire is heat & light and so on. Dharma allows this life-conducing circumstances and nourishes life on Earth.

Similarly, each of us at different stages of life have various aspects of dharma, that can be imbibed. Swa-dharma, family dharma, raj dharma, professional dharma, moksha dharma and so on (will define these terms in the next section).

For example, according to Manusmriti, 10 prescribed principles/qualities to cultivate are: patience, forgiveness,? self-control, purity, honesty, truthfulness, control over senses, pursuit of knowledge, intellect & avoidance of anger. In other smritis, it includes non-violence, generosity, compassion, self-less service, love among other virtues.

It is important to understand that dharma is not a monolith, there are no fixed rules here. It’s specific to the context. It’s not black & white but rather shades of grey. These principles of dharma have not been constant, they have been regenerated over times from ‘treta yuga’ to ‘dwapara yuga’ and now to current times. If norms start to hinder sustenance, they need to change & evolve. Something which was a norm millions of years ago, may not hold true now. Something which is right for me based on my perspective at a particular circumstance, may not be right for you.

? Decision making or ethical dilemma

Each one of us wear multiple hats, playing different roles on personal, professional and social levels. Often, we find ourselves at cross-roads, where we have to pick one dharma over the other. So, what do we do? Let me define few key dharma’s:

Swa-dharma is our duty as an individual at a personal level focusing on self-interest. It is acting in accordance with our nature, role, capability and responsibility to attain mental, emotional & spiritual evolution. It advocates – follow your passion, perform to your true potential, pursue ‘what you deserve’ and not settle for any less.

Raja-dharma is a duty of administrator/king/government/leader and involves acting in accordance with society/will of people being served – essentially protecting & promoting their welfare, while being truthful & honest in all dealings.

Family dharma means acting for the welfare of your family, it could be duties as a son/daughter towards your parents, as a husband/wife towards spouse, as a parent towards kids etc

Moksha dharma means acting in pursual of that ultimate purpose – eternal bliss and enlightenment. What is enlightenment? It is developing that higher state of consciousness where we understand and attain the union of inner divine consciousness (atman/soul) & outer divine consciousness (paramatma/transcendental God). ‘That’ from which ‘it’ has come and ‘that’ which came out of ‘it’ is one and the same. It is the self-realization where we see supreme lord everywhere/in every being and everything/every being in supreme lord.

Now whether to prioritize family dharma over swa-dharma or swa-dharma over raja-dharma, there is no clear hierarchy or pyramid. In one context, staying by the side of family/country even during adversity might be worthwhile rather than disconnecting or picking a war against their wrong act. In other context standing up against injustice & practicing swa-dharma is beneficial. Simply being aware of ‘what is right and wrong’ is not enough; what, how and spirit of your act based on that info is what matters eventually. Navigating these different roles and responsibilities requires wisdom, flexibility, and a deep understanding of the context and circumstances.

Mahabharata is filled with numerous instances where characters displayed this vulnerability & tension between personal integrity, duty, resolution vs. practical necessity and situational ethics.

o?? Bhishma was torn between his personal vows & duties to serve the reigning king/throne of Hastinapur (in his quest to uphold the stability of the kingdom) vs. acting against the wrongdoings of Kauravas. End result however, was a devastating war.

o?? Yudhishthira struggled between his personal duty as a warrior to accept the dice duel challenge vs. duties as a king (which opposed gambling) – and the outcome – he lost it all. His ambiguity resurfaced again during the battlefield of Kurukshetra – where he speaks half-truth to disarm Dronacharya for a strategic gain in war (for pursual of justice) while compromising his dearest virtue – truthfulness.

o?? Bhima’s use of brute force while confronting Duryodhana & Dushasana in war was a fulfillment of his vow for revenge & justice – raising questions about whether excessive force, violence & breaking of rules were justified to right the wrongs.

Our texts recommend prioritizing greater good of humanity, but most importantly, our inner consciousness (atman/soul). If we delve inside and talk to our divine inner sanctum, we will get all the answers we need to foster unbiased decision making & navigate the gray areas of morality (balance between individual values & universal principles of conduct). And what feeds/awaken this inner consciousness? According to Bhagwat Gita, it is ‘yogastha budhi’ i.e. stable and clear wisdom. This wisdom (powered by meditation, experience & intellect - which in turn is powered by knowledge) illumines our inner consciousness. It sounds too theoretical?

In practical steps, we have to control/rise beyond our senses or indriya (5 horses), then mind or man (reins), and then wisdom or buddhi (charioteer), to awaken/witness our inner sanctum or atman (passenger). As stated in Bhagavad Gita shloka 3.42 - ?‘The senses are said to be great, but mind is greater than the senses ; and wisdom is greater than the mind. And that which is greater than even the wisdom, is the soul/atman’.?

Now if the ultimate goal is the realization of higher consciousness – where do all the dharma’s stand? Where do attributes like aspiration, ambition, passion, excellence stand? Do we stop doing karma (actions) and go to Himalayas for meditation? The answer is NO.

Dharma & karma (action) are means to moksha. One has to do karma in accordance with dharma, but without pride, arrogance or self-ego. Otherwise, this mentality of ”I” am doing good’ will trap us into self-righteousness ?& result in just personal gratification – hindering our quest for ultimate purpose & connection. So, how do we respond to this challenge and stay humble/equanimous? We must detach ourselves from the desires while still trying to pursue them. We should strive for selfless, fearless performance of our natural duties for the welfare of all beings, but by devoting & surrendering everything to supreme god, we can extinguish our ego.

? Human psychology & leadership

o?? Hard work vs. Destiny

For the completion of any act, there are 5 factors which play a role. According to Bhagwat Gita, these are:

Doer – and it’s skills

Resources/instruments

Effort – actions & processes

Place of action/environment

Destiny – risk factor or probability beyond our control

The first four factors are in our control and do fructify according to fortune; but without an enterprise or an action, fortune cannot produce any results. Destiny is like a seed that will only fructify when we till the soil & put in all the efforts. The harvest (outcome) depends on all the various factors – seed (fortune), soil (environment), insect/pest control (resources), tilling (effort) & farmer (doer).

o?? Action vs. Outcome

The most famous shloka of Gita states – We can only control our action, we have no right over the outcome. We should not act just for the end result or outcome. Simultaneously, we should not get attracted towards ‘inaction’ also.

Does it mean, we should not have any expectations or result-orientation? NO! We should set ourselves up for a goal, aim high, do our strength-weakness analysis, have conviction & strive till the very end to achieve excellence. While focusing on the process/journey rather than the outcome, we are neither boosting our ego upon success, nor getting disappointed due to failure.

o?? Leadership

Bhishma gave a discourse to Yudhisthira on Raja-dharma. This includes wide range of governance principles & duties of king/leader around – diplomacy/foreign relations, enterprising, economic management/supervision of treasury, fighting against injustice, delegating & appointing capable officials, protecting the weak & punishing those who harm the state.

A true leader prioritizes the welfare & prosperity of its unit and its people before anything else. He is energetic, impartial & makes decisions objectively. Incessant enterprise is the cornerstone of leadership. Like a peacock displaying its various forms while capturing a snake, a leader’s conduct should adapt as per circumstances - soft & approachable yet strict when needed and ruthless towards competitors/enemy. Just like peacock goes completely silent in autumn, leader should keeps his thoughts & deliberations confidential & speak only what is required. Like peacock gleans insects carefully even through dense forests, a leader should seek wisdom from all sources. Above all, a leader must uphold moral & ethical principles.