The core teaching of Hindu scriptures

CHENNAI, JULY 19. Our saints, out of their experience and wisdom and our scriptural literature, have left us a treasure in the form of guidelines for our spiritual and cultural progress and for enlightening us as well so as to elevate us to a higher level from where we stand. A story in our ancient text may be relevant here. At one time, when there was unhappiness everywhere, all people - the Devas or celestials, the Danavas or demons and men in the world approached the Creator for advice. Instead of tendering any suggestion directly, the latter simply uttered the words ``Da, Da, Da'' baffling them. Amplified, the ``Da'' in respect of the first category (of celestials) referred to their taste for pleasures which had taken hold of them. Hence, the Creator by this word ``Da'' asked them to acquire ``Damana'' or self-control. The second category of people, the demons, were prone to anger and were also hard-hearted. For them, the advice through ``Da'' meant to cultivate ``Daya'' or compassion and be merciful. To ordinary men, knowing that they were victims of greed and were keen on piling up wealth, the suggestion through the third ``Da'' indicated that they should practise ``Dana'' or give gifts. Each arrived at these interpretations in terms of the Bhagavad Gita.

On one of her travels, Swamini Vimalananda recalled in her discourse, how she was asked to give the quintessence of Hinduism in two words, just as Ahimsa stood for Jainism, ``Love and service'' for Christianity, ``Faith'' for Muslims and ``Compassion'' for Buddhists. To this she replied ``Shreya'' or rising to a higher level as core of Hinduism. The Mahabharata contains an anecdote as to how Krishna led Bhima to a place and showed how a cow that has just yielded a calf was cleansing it by licking it. From this one can infer how love, based on Shreya, is of great significance. In the Gita, the Lord has declared ``Let a man raise the self by the self; let him not debase himself.'' This meant that one should have the courage to say ``I shall surely lift myself up''. The Gita, which has a message for everyone, points out how at the beginning of the Kurukshetra battle, Arjuna ``reviewed'' its consequences. Such a review should examine both sides of an issue as otherwise, the decision (considering one side only) would lead to delusion, as in the case of Arjuna, who was well educated in archery. As a confused man would talk a lot, he asked several questions, which reflected misplaced Dharma. It was then Krishna delivered his sermon on the war field, dispelling Arjuna's confusion and leaving a message for humanity.

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