The Philosophy of the Bhagavadgita : 18.6. - Swami Krishnananda.

=============================================================================

Wednesday 03, Apr 2024 07:00.

Chapter 18: The Yoga of the Liberation of Spirit-6.

==============================================================================

Our social life is an outward expression, by way of mutual cooperation, of these faculties with which we live in this world. No one is endowed with all knowledge. No one has all will power. No one is clarified entirely in emotion. No one knows the secret of all action. Hence, there is a necessity to share what one has with others. In order that society may be a perfectly organised living body, even as there is a cooperative activity among the limbs of our own physiological system, it is necessary to apply this principle of cooperation to human society also, if it is to exist, and if it is to be in peace. Else, there would be dissension among the members forming society and mutual self-regard would be absent, which may culminate even in battle and war, a scene which threatens people at a time when the welfare of another is completely blotted out from one's vision, and each one is for oneself and the devil takes the hindmost. If this is to be the fate or the policy of life, what would happen to human society? If each one dislikes the other, and everyone likes one's own self, there would be chaos and an impending destruction of life. But this should not be on the very face of things.

In the light of the purpose of the universe, which is a gradual evolution into the realisation of the freedom of the Spirit, from this point of view at least, all stages of evolution are a rise from an organic completeness of one type to another of a larger dimension and comprehension. War, battle, destruction, annihilation is not the purpose of Nature. Growth, evolution, constructive activity, and purposeful movement towards the ultimate realisation is the aim of the universe. Hence, we have to share knowledge, will, emotion and work among ourselves.

These categorisations of social groups into classes are sometimes called castes in a wrongly intentioned manner. We have heard of the caste system, which is cowed down by people as a curse upon humanity. Yes, anything can become a curse and a blot, a shame, if it is distorted and misconstrued and read in the wrong place. Even if we eat our meal at a wrong time, it can be a curse to the body, and anything can be evil if its meaning is not understood and is misconstrued, abused, or exploited in any manner. The classification of society into the groups of knowledge, etc., is for the constructive, cooperative, wholesome existence of society. These are, in traditional terms, the classes of Brahmana,  Kshatriya,  Vaisya and  Sudra, whose purposes have been lost sight of these days, while the real intention here is super-individualistic and is meant for social welfare in the light of the true nature of things. They represent the blend of spiritual power, political power, economic power, and manpower necessary for social solidarity and a wholesome existence.

*****

Continued

==============================================================================