Msgs from friends 42

Msg from Safiul Haque

Radheshyam:

So happy, to see upon checking my gmail, after long neglect, that you personally addressed some of your mail to me. I'll be running off to a dentist's appointment [what a job -- paid to inflict pain!]. So I'll catch up later. I read yet another version of the Gita and was inspired to write a piece for your blog which I'm attaching and which I hope you'll put up and which I fervently hope offends nobody. People can be very touchy where religion is concerned.

Great event -- this summer N.K. came to visit. We met after almost 50 years! I was thrilled. He and his wife could only stay one night. I'll write something about that later. For now -- attaching my blog contribution.

I am glad you are as usual busy and leading a full and eventful life and doing good things. May God grant me a visit to Kolkata so I can meet all of my old friends who're there.

Safiul

KRISHNA LOVE

Amar mon cholo jai bhromonay
Krishno onuraag’er baganay.
Let us go a-roving my heart;
In the orchard of Krishna-love.

Several months ago, I finally read the Bhagbat Gita. I adore the Mahabharat and have read it several times, in English and Bangla translations, its grip on me increasing with each reading. So, naturally, I wanted to read the Gita – a part of that epic tale.

My dada [grand uncle, i.e. my father’s maama or uncle], was a musulli [pious person], and, of course, my murubbi [an elder relative, thus more experienced and knowledgeable and ergo owed deference. By the way, his son, Iftekar, graduated from Goethals and was several years my senior – Mr. Lobo and N.K. may remember him because he was a good cricketer and played for the school team.] Anyway, in my [then] youthful folly, I was disparaging the Gita in his presence.

Clearly displeased, he asked, in one of the many dialects of Bangla, “Gita fori dekhso?” [Have you actually read the Gita?] No, I hadn’t. He said, “Fori dekhio. Onek kichhuu shikhaar achhay.” [Read it and see. There is a lot to learn from it.] Thus it became incumbent upon me to read the Gita. Almost forty odd years later, long after he has passed away, I have finally followed his advice and discovered that truly, there is a lot to learn from the Gita.

The Gita is part of my cultural DNA. Those traits that Krishna advises Arjun to accept as ideal, that state of equilibrium summarized in the expression, “Shukhay dukhay obichol” [by happiness and adversity (remain) equally unaffected] form also a part of my ideology. Not that I have attained that desirable state, only that I believe it is a goal worthy of striving towards.

But, anyway, can you resolve some issues/questions? I wish to offend no one by raising them – but am acutely aware that I might displease, especially those who approach the Gita [and Mahabharat] through a curtain of faith that often asks of others an a priori condition of unquestioning acceptance. I have questions about all religions (including my own).
Incidentally, for doubt-raising questions about Christianity read “Misquoting Jesus” by Bart D. Ehrman. To learn how to cast aspersions upon Islam, you needn’t read any book, just listen to talk radio. Talking of Islam, I’m reading “Bishaad Shindhu” (Sea of Sorrows) written in 1885 by an author born exactly 100 years before me. It is about the massacre of Imam Hossein and his party at Karbala. That historical event of some 1400 years past is commemorated annually as Moharraam. The book is written in formal Bangla. But I’m finding it hard going – it does not have the verve of an “Arabya Oopon-naash” (literally, Arabian Tales – “The Arabian Nights” in the English version, I have even seen it, in English, as “Arabian Knights”) or the writings of, say, Sharat Chandra, written in the same style of Bangla. That the pages are mixed up in the copy I’m reading doesn’t help either. So – on to my issues:

It strikes me that Arjun’s questions to Krishna, in the Gita, are pertinent, imbued with humaneness. To him, standing firm on a claim to real estate is worthless if its result can only be the death, by his own hand mostly, of those he loves. He seems to champion ohingsha or ahimsa [non-ferocity, peacefulness, love], whereas Krishna urges killing.

When Krishna’s answers don’t satisfy or convince Arjun, Krishna takes to bedazzling him. Krishna shows him his true form. Arjun’s brain is overcome at the realization of the limitless might of Krishna. He acquiesces. This is not so much winning an argument through rationality and force of logic as via “shock and awe.”

Oh I “get it” that the Gita is championing duty [to fight for what is right] above everything. What I cannot bring myself to wholeheartedly accept is that to engage in a conflict so fraught with extreme consequences for mere inheritance is necessarily the right fight. I mean, there are other issues to take a firm stance upon. For example, when someone is putting his wife, that too, not his alone, but four other persons’, up as the bet in a gamble. Why was no protest voiced then, or the act questioned by any righteous character in the story, or even in the tenor of the tale?

Also, such a position of egging on war is contradictory to what Krishna lovers preach as their main tenet. To my limited knowledge, boishnabs [followers of the Bhakti cult, a cult of Krishna worship – Sri Sri Chaitanya Deb, Lalon Fakir too, I daresay] preached only love, love, and more love for humanity, albeit Lalon had crazy notions of confining that love to a Platonic level.

And what about the Mahabharat, a tale I find more gripping than the Ramayan? In that enthralling epic most of my questions center on Karna. Arjun was brave. Why not? He was taught by the greatest masters. He owned the Gandiv bow, a gift from heaven whose possessor, by godly boon, could not be defeated in battle. Where is the glory in being brave when the consequence of battle is certain victory? This is akin to, in modern times, the bravery of soldiers inside tanks shooting down children armed with stones from a mile away. Bravery is refusing to fight on grounds of principle even when victory is certain -- the position taken by Arjun, discouraged by Krishna.

Karna has been unfairly treated from birth. His mother foolishly invoked the Sun god and, when Karna was born upon the god’s having his way with her, she abandoned him. He had to train his own self in the arts of war, no fancy gurus for him. As the oldest of the Pandav brothers, he should be the heir to Pandu’s possessions – but far from giving him, or even informing him, of his rights, he was insulted as not being high born enough to compete for the hand of Draupadi against Arjun. The wrongs against him were compounded when all the boons he had acquired from the gods were taken away through, basically, trickery – he was divested of one of these protections by his own mother who had visited upon him supreme denial at birth to begin with. Why? What fault was it of his that injustice upon injustice should be heaped upon him? Despite these setbacks, he remained brave, dutiful, respectful, loyal, not to mention generous [data Karna – Karna, the giver]. Now that’s a character to admire.

Yet, in the Mahabharat, Karna is a villain. Yes, he was vengeful; wouldn’t you be in his shoes? The Pandavs, who had it good by comparison, were they any less vengeful? No; but it is Karna who is evil. Evil because he was on the side that won Draupadi in a game of chance and then attempted to insult her modesty. Draupadi wants revenge and goads her five husbands [the Pandavs] on, berates them for their cowardice, their failure to act like Kshatryas. Now there’s vengefulness for you. [By the way, one of Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni’s books, “The Palace of Illusions” is pretty interesting. In it the Mahabharat is narrated by Draupadi, from her point of view.] Draupadi blames Karna and company entirely. Yet, as an Indian author pointed out, she has nothing to say to the husband who put her up as the stake in said game of chance and then, to add insult to injury, lost her. And who did this terrible deed? – none other than Juthishtir, the son of Dharma [god of ethical principles] himself!

Some of these issues that were raised in my [then] young and foolish mind long ago still remain in this [now] old and foolish mind. For those whose ire I might invoke: You can hush me with your righteous irritation or you can enlighten me. Be aware that my understanding of the text may be mixed up. Since I’ve read various texts and commentaries over the years, I may be confusing one with another. I may be imputing to the Gita [and also the Mahabharat] what it doesn’t actually state. If so, set me straight.

Other than that, in the “real world” classes have begun for the Fall semester. When some heartrendingly attractive form is spotted, this graying head does not turn. No wish to indulge in Krishna-love as practiced upon the gopis [cowherd girls] by him even enters the realm of wishful thinking. Why not? Because this saying – about Krishna, I’ll wager – should never be forgotten:

Debota’r bela’ay leela khela
Paap joto amar bela.
[What is for them sublime amorous play.
For me is a cardinal sin, the gods say.]

Safi,

Glad to receive your mail.
The doubts expressed by you regarding the Mahabharata comes to the mind of any rational being.
But in many cases in religion you have to suspend your reason because with our finite minds we try to fathom the Infinite. That is where faith takes over from reason.
The immaculate conception of Jesus and the way King Dhritarastra, King Pandu and Bidhur were conceived by their mothers by just walking naked in front of Ved Vyasji who just cast a glance over them, cannot be accepted by our rational minds.
However, if you realize that He has made the whole Universe, just by power of thought, without anything, you can explain everything.
The whole universe around us is finite.
It was made one day and it will perish one day.
The time may vary.
Our Sun has been there for millions of years and will be there for millions of years.
But still one day it will become a dead star.
Of course human life will perish much before that.
But He Who was there before the sun was there and will be there after the sun has gone cannot be understood by us who are there for maybe 60/70 of maybe 150 years.
Do keep writing.
Your mails do make us think.
Cheers,

Radheshyam

Radheshyam:
I was very impressed with your letter. I wouldn’t call my queries “doubts” regarding the Mahabharat and Gita as you say. They are more like puzzlements.
Your reply was measured, patient and reasoned. All belief must be cocooned in faith. Because, as one of my very first professors at university, and he was a Harvard man, used to say, “When faith walks in the door, reason goes out the window.” Yet, your point is well made – that mayhap it is foolhardy to try to understand the infinite with our very finite and puny intellects.
Another friend wrote this response which you might find interesting:
A few observations: like you, I see every faith as part of the spiritual history of humankind - each has something to offer, none has the whole story and they all complement each other. One can't be truly spiritual if we sit on judgment over others and condemn their faith while claiming ours is "better". Unfortunately too many people take things literally which is what fundamentalism is about in every faith. The stories in the Ramayana and Mahabharata are no different from what we learn about the gods of the Greeks and Romans or Aesop's fables. Rather than apply our so called rational minds to these traditions, the real issue is what is the lesson in the story or parable for us? Maybe the lesson is to figure it out for ourselves and do what is right for us. Some may choose to follow Krishna, others can admire Arjun. After all isn't that what freedom of religion and "free will" is all about? The beauty of faith and spirituality (rather than any kind of prescriptive religion) is that we transcend the boundaries of science and apply our head and heart to the most important question that we all struggle with i.e. how do we live our lives and what gives us meaning? Our spiritual search only provides partial answers which is why the journey never ends and to confine ourselves to one religion is like participating in partisan politics - it keeps us limited to "us vs. them" thinking, jihads/crusades, competition, the pursuit of success and "victories" instead of reaching across and seeing how we are all interconnected and interdependent and how we can co-operate across faiths, races and cultures. Don't look for "rational" explanations, it is all part of the magic and the mystery. Science encourages us to deny our emotional intuitive side in the mythical pursuit of "objectivity", but that is another discussion. The stock markets don't behave rationally, love is not rational and knowledge is constructed on the basis of our individual world views and perspectives so don't get too bogged down with "the rational". Certainly we look for reasons to explain our experiences, but they are not always measurable or quantifiable in a scientific way. What seems magical today may have a rational explanation tomorrow, our knowledge and understanding is limited to what we know today. Sadly we have too much religion, too much politics, and very little spirituality. But at least we have Obama and he will save us all heh! heh!
Anyway, despite saying, “Your mails do make us think,” I noticed you

Safi

Safi,

Nothing you wrote offended me to prevent me from posting.
Actually, I thought, it was getting into the realm where some people would not understand, hence, I did not post it and also I don't know how I got the idea you may not want me to.
Since you have mentioned it, I have posted it on the blog this week.
I think our school has given all of us to be broad-mined to accept all religions.
One woman's tumour may be another woman's pregnancy.
So, unless we analyse, we should never pass comments, especially on matters where the Infinite is concerned.
We should accept that each person will follow the procedures and rituals he has followed from birth and which have been inculcated in him by his family.These rituals and habits have a lot to do with the geographical location of where he lives or where his ancestors come from with some dose of superstition.
God does not tell us to follow any particular ritual. For Him it makes no difference if we believe in Him or not.
Society in general has set up certain norms which it considers acceptable.
These norms too have changed during the centuries with development of the human race.
When we accept those norms and act according to them, our concience is free. Our heart does not miss beats , our blood pressure does not go up. We do not have stress or tension. We say we have acted as God wants us.
However, if we do not follow those norms, the opposite occurs and people say we are heading for hell.
This hell is here on the earth itself.
There is no such thing as a hell where fire burns or people are fried in hot boiling oil.
This is my belief.
If we accept that we are here for a limited periond of may be 70 or 80 odd years and the world was there before we were born and remain there after us, we will understand the limited role we play.
Alexander, Napoleon, Hitler, Ashoka, Akbar and Mahatma Gandhi have all come and gone. Whom do we remember?
Ashoka for his life after he gave up war.
Akbar for his tolerance to other religions, not for his conquests.
Mahatma Gandhi for his non-violence.He did Satsang and meditation everyday.
Even the mighty British Empire bowed before this half-naked fakir.
However, I also believe that it was the British who accepted the power and effect of non-violence.
Our present rulers in India would have considered it a weakness and put him behind bars without trial for 15 or twenty years until some NGO discovered him in jail and requested a court to have him released.
We should help the poor by providing them education, food and clothes and shelter so that they can live with dignity and allow them opportunity to develop themselves, without changing their beliefs.
I sometimes wonder whether we were better off under the British.
My mother used to think so.
I think even Mahatma Gandhi would be sorry, if he were alive, that he gave independence to these present day leaders.
They remember him only on one day, 2nd October, his birthday, with a garland and a speech.
All the other days of the year their acts would shame the Mahatma.

Radheshyam

Msg from Devaprosad Chakravarti

Dear Friend,

Whilst I enjoy the information you regularly circulate - I was horrified to read your latest circular about the landslide damage to the school.

I was at GMS in 1944 and 1945 in the 5th and 7th Standard (I got a double promotion at the end of 1944) Since leaving GMS I took my school certificate at St.Edmunds College in Shillong and my I.Sc in St.Joseph's College Nainital. I then did a 5yr Degree course in Architecture at Liverpool University, garduating in1956. I have since then worked in Ghana and in the UK and I am still running my own parctise in London.

I last visited the school in 1981. I noticed then that a part of the dormer roof of the dormitory had collapsed - and now this landslide. Purely from a professional point of view in some ways I am not very surprised as I felt, when I visited GMS in 1981, that there never was sufficient retaing wall between 1st field and the main school level. I am sure however that the School will get proper professional structural advice for the repairs and restoration.

I have very happy memories of GMS and the teachers. Bro.Courtney was my form master in 1944 and Bro. Dineen taught me in 1945. Bro.Duffe was the principal at that time. We had a very talented music master at that time - I was also in the school orchestra as a violinist. I have not been able to be in touch with any of my comtemporaries. However I am in touch with some of my fellow students from St.Joseph's at Nainital. The only regret that I have of my time at GMS is that we did not play very much cricket - a game which I have always enjoyed. Since then I have been lucky enough to become a full member of the MCC in 1976 ( there is usually a forty year waiting list for membership ) I am therefore able to enjoy the facilities at Lords Cricket Ground (entrance is free for members.)

I keep in touch with the news from India through NDTV and the Asian Age. A few weeks back I went to a lecture in Hampstead given by Mark Tulley on the Religions of India - it was very interesting and I managed to have a long chat with him afterwards.

Please keep sending your circulars - they are much appreciated and I enjoy reading them. Please let me know if you are in touch with any of my fellow students and staff from 1944 and 1945.

With best wishes,

Devaprosad Chakravarti.